Ephesians 4:1
:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Paul having closed out the first three chapters, opens up the following three by imploring the Ephesian believers, and all others who may read this epistle, to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. After giving us three chapters of who we are and what we have in Christ he now beseeches us that we walk according to that knowledge. In chapter 2, verse 2 he reminded us of the walk that we once had when we walked according to the course of this world but now in this chapter he stresses the importance of the Christian walk. Our walk should match our talk. If Christ is our master then our lives ought to resemble that. Chapters 1-3 tell us of our position in Christ our possession in Christ and the power in Christ and now moving into the next chapters that knowledge of our wealth in Christ should totally affect our walk. When I was growing up, living in my fathers home, one thing that was stressed to me was that I should remember where I came from. Some of my schoolmates would curse and drink and listen to any type of filthy music they wanted and their parents couldn't have cared less. My home was not so, when I was five my father and mother had were saved and our home wasn't like it used to be before that or like many other homes of friends and family. When I would leave home I would often times be reminded of who we were and how we acted and my action had better reflect that of the Christian home from which I came. If I was caught walking contrary to what was expected of me then I would be in big trouble. The problem was that my actions were a misrepresentation of my family and the things I had been taught. I remember the words well "We taught you better than this." I believe it is the same sense that Paul is beseeching us as the children of God to walk worthy or according to what we know and have been taught.
He besought us that we walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. Most commonly when we use the word vocation we think of the line of work we are in. I was a electrician for several years and that was my vocation. Now in a certain sense we can make this comparison to our walk with God, it is our duty and it will be work but I believe this is more than just the line of work we are in but it is our calling. Now consider the word from our verse "Called." This is much stronger language and puts us in mind not of just what someone does for a living but what someone is passionate about and usually with that passion comes a certain level of expertise. We would say of the experts in our fields of work, I believe it is this mans calling to be a electrician, plumber, teacher, lawyer, etc. Meaning that this isn't just some job to him but it is what he was meant to do, he has found his calling, we would say. Now in this same sense is how we ought to view this Christian walk it is not just our duty and our job it is our calling. The most successful people in any field of work are the ones whose passion and duty are one in the same. The best teachers will be the ones who aren't just showing up for a pay check but are passionate about teaching. The best electricians will be the ones who are deeply interested in how electricity works and will even on there time away from work study and consider different aspects of their field. The best Christians you will meet and the most joyful will be the ones who aren't treating the Christian walk like nine to five job made up of a cold list of do's and do not's but are compelled by a passion to walk worthy of the vocation that is their calling. If there is anything that we take away from todays verse let it be this, The Christian Walk is our duty and our calling. What a blessing it is when our passion and our job are one and the same.
According to the riches of His Grace!!