Title "Therefore" / Ephesians 4:1-6
Content ?
Ephesians 4:1-6, Philippians 2:3-5
Chapter 4 begins with the word 'therefore'. The conjunction 'therefore' is a positive conjunction that can be connected only when the preceding part is sufficiently acknowledged. 'Therefore' cannot follow if the content of the preceding part is not fully accepted or believed. The Apostle Paul spoke of chapters 1 to 3 of the previous part, and as a result, chapters 4 to 6. Therefore, if you do not know or disbelieve the words of Chapters 1 to 3, you cannot move on to Chapter 4. Because it cannot lead to 'therefore'. If so, you should check what chapters 1 to 3 of the previous part said.
The previous part says that we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and become children of God from a state in which we have no choice but to be judged and go to hell. Since we have been saved by grace in this way, I am trying to say that we ought to live this way 'therefore'. 'Because ye have been saved by grace (2:8)' 'Therefore' This is what I am trying to say from now on, 'live worthy of God's calling'. So it starts with 'therefore'.
Therefore I beseech you, a prisoner in the Lord.
Walk worthy of the calling to which you are called, 4:1
There is usually something wrong with it. The idea is that faith does not require works. To be saved is by faith. It is received by the grace of the Lord. But after grace comes gratitude. It says that there are fruits of works that we walk with thanksgiving. If there is no fruit of such gratitude, in fact, it is one of the things that we did not receive grace, that we did not know that we received grace, or that we did not realize the preciousness of grace. Those who have received the grace that cannot be endured, the grace that cannot be compared with anything in the world, the grace that never fades away, and the grace of salvation will surely bear fruit with thanksgiving.
1. Humility / Those who believe that they have been saved by grace, not by their own merit, become humble before God and men. The opposite of humility is pride. Pride is what God hates the most. Pride does not glorify God because it is a self-exalted heart. Ignore others. Therefore, it becomes a form that God hates very much.
Humility is the heart that regards others as superior to oneself in relation to others. Humility is not unconditional lowliness of oneself, but respect for others. Humility is the heart that cherishes the image of God in the soul by not looking at people as outward appearances but as souls.
Humility leads to heaven. In the book of Revelation, there is a scene where the 24 elders sit around the throne of the Lamb, sing hymns, and then take off their crowns and offer them to the Lord (4:10). We sing, 'You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power from the Lord.' It shows the figure of a humble saint until the very end. Considering the grace of the Lord, humility is a very natural aspect of a Christian. Any action that is not accompanied by humility is unchristian.
Do nothing through strife or vanity
Only in humility, each considers others better than himself...
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus... Philippians 2:3-5
2. Onew / Onew means a soft heart and a warm heart. When I think of the grace of the Lord who accepted a sinner like me and made me a child, the ferocity disappears. When I think of the figure of the Lord who took up the cross because of me, my thorny heart disappears. When you think of the Lord's love, your dissatisfaction will disappear. The truth is that all kindness is contained in humility, but the heart that has received grace is a gentle heart, a tender heart, and a warm heart. So the words we use should be soft and warm.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked contains poison. Proverbs 10:11
There is one who speaks rashly like the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is like medicine. Proverbs 12:18
A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
Above all, our Lord was meek and said that the meek are blessed.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth Matthew 5:5
3. Long-suffering / Persevering mind. This is God's heart toward mankind. God is always patient with us. Like the father of the prodigal son, He waits patiently even when we lack, when we do other things in our sins, even when we betray God. Therefore, one of the fruits of the Christian's calling is long-suffering.
It is true that sometimes in life we encounter things that are intolerable. Unfortunate things, difficult things to bear, the pain of failure, heavy burdens, loneliness, heartache, and so on, you experience countless things. But each time, please be patient as you look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith.
Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Blessed are those who endure temptation
This is the promise of the Lord to those who love him who have endured trials
for you will receive the crown of life. James 1:12
4. Accepting each other in love / Acceptance is an accepting heart. A heart of caring and forgiveness. Love is with endless forgiveness. God is patient with us because He loves us. We too must be like the Lord, tolerating one another in love. No one is perfect. Therefore, it is a beautiful life to live with acceptance and acceptance in love.
Christians must be generous in heart. A beautiful heart is a heart that is tolerant of each other even if we have some differences, and tolerates even if someone makes some mistakes. Jesus told us to forgive our brothers seventy times seven times. In fact, we ourselves are unacceptable people before God. Considering that all our sins have been forgiven and accepted by God through God's great love, even if our brothers and I have done some wrongs, what cannot be tolerated? In reality, when you realize that you are not perfect, it is the beautiful heart of a called saint to accept and accept others' shortcomings with humility and compassion. If we do not tolerate the brother whom the Lord has forgiven, we cannot be a good Christian.
5. Make every effort to keep the unity of the bond of peace / Where there is division, there is no peace. Perhaps the Ephesian church was a mixture of Gentiles and Jews, so there was some feud. Because of that, the words to continue to be one come from the beginning of the book of Ephesians. In today's Word, there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is one God, so do your best to keep the unity in the one hope of your calling (3).
The church is called to one hope and one faith. Therefore, we must always be united in the bond of peace. If we only consider each other's thoughts, opinions, and background, we cannot become one. When we think of God's glory, God's will, and His pleasure, we can become one in the Lord. A Christian should be a peace maker wherever he is, not just in the church. I'm not just a person who likes peace. You must be a peacemaker, a peacemaker.
However, we should all pray for the future so that evil thoughts and bad hearts do not become entangled and take a seat in every nook and cranny of this society. In order to become a more mature society, we should all pray for good and good opinions and beautiful ways of life to be recognized more and more, and to take a broader and deeper place. And we will have to become peace makers who take the lead in such work anytime, anywhere.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9
'Therefore, live worthy of your calling.' That is the meaning of today's text. What is a life worthy of the calling? Humility, gentleness, long-suffering, forbearance and oneness. A person who is clear in what he believes is also clear how to live. A person with a clear confession also has a clear life. When the doctrine is clear, so is the ethics.
In today's Word, you have been saved by grace. 'Therefore,' he said to live worthy of that calling. I bless you to become true Christians who clearly understand the meaning of 'therefore' and achieve a beautiful life with a clear confession.
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