I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. —Ephesians 4:1-6
We walk in balance to our confession of Christ from the
These qualities that must be formed in Christ followers.
Humility – Think of yourself as small and others more than yourself. Philippians 2:3,
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Gentleness – This word speaks of power under control. It was a word that was used to describe the training of a wild horse. Gentleness is demonstrated when we have the power to promote a dispute but we refrain from doing so. When we could retaliate but we decide to let it go.
Patience – Macrothumia meaning long to hot. In other words, instead of having a short fuse, you have a long fuse. This word is used most often in relationships with people. We have the ability for patience because patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Bearing with one another – This actually expounds being patient because it means putting up with difficult people. This is our ability to hang in there with people that rub us the wrong way, think differently than us, treat us poorly, but also the willingness to forgive. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “love covers a multitude of sins.”
Unity already
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. —Jude 3
Living the Word Applications:
Through Spiritual
Spiritual formation occurs as we…
Walk in
21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. —James 1:21
Walk in
21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. —John 17:21, 23
Pastor and author Chip Ingram wrote…
When we begin to think that holy transformation is about us – our happiness, our fulfillment, our spiritual growth – we lose sight of the big picture… holy transformation is an imperative because your life is a mini-expression of the reality of Jesus Christ. Our lives together – the church – form a larger expression of the reality of God and His love for the world expressed by us individually.