The Worthy Walk & The Unity of The Church Pt.1 | Ephesians 4:1

Scripture

• Ephesians 4:1

About this sermon

Introduction: The unity of the church is experienced when it is built on something larger than the idea of unity. The unity of God’s people is called for in direct terms, but in a way that references larger issues. Verse 3 addresses the matter of unity directly. Various statements in this larger section (1-16) address the idea of unity. But the unity called for — if it is to be experienced — will be understood and chosen considering all that is said in this entire section. Like many other things in the Christian life, we sometimes want to get to an issue DIRECTLY, when our answer will be arrived at in more INDIRECT fashion. The Christian life is not just doctrine, and it’s not just doctrine and doxology. The Christian life is doctrine, doxology, and duty. The Christian life is principle, praise, and practice. The word of God never divides these things. Our doctrine, our praise and our living must never be separated. The three are interdependent realities. Doctrine must always come first because you cannot live in the light of what you don't know. But where doctrine is really learned there will be praise and where praise is genuine, there will be obedient living. All three go together. In chapter 4, verse 1, you have a call for a WORTHY LIFE. He says in affect, "Christian, have you really grasped, or are you beginning to get hold of what God has done for you by His grace in Jesus Christ? Do these really belong to you? Are you the person who is described in these first 3 chapters? If so, then realize you have certain obligations. Realize that grace always imparts responsibility. I implore you to live the kind of life that is in keeping with your profession of faith in Christ. That worthy walk can be described in four ways. I. THE CALL TO THE WORTHY WALK IS A LOGICAL CALL (therefore) The word therefore is found throughout the New Testament. It is such an important word. It carries with it many lessons. A. IT TEACHES US HOW TO READ OUR BIBLES (Application) It reminds us that the Bible was never meant by God to be read or studied or taught piece meal. The Bible must be taken as a whole, and we are responsible to know and to learn the whole. We must understand the parts in the context of the whole. *Many errors in doctrine and many errors in thinking and living would have been avoided if passages of scripture had only been understood in their context. B. IT TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (Action) The Christian life is not just learning. The Christian life is not just praising or having some experience. The Christian life is also living and choosing. It teaches us about how sanctification takes place. *Doctrine gives us the KNOWLEDGE for Christian living. *Doctrine gives us the MOTIVE for Christian living. *Doctrine gives us the CONFIDENCE for Christian living. But then we must put those things into action; there are real choices that we must make. NAS Philippians 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as In my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. **In other words, it teaches us about BALANCE (proper interdependence) in the Christian life. We can't always live on the Mount of Transfiguration. You remember that Peter wanted to stay there and to build three tabernacles. But the Lord made clear that that wasn't what they were to do and coming down off the mountain the Lord delivered a man's son who was demon possessed. That is how we are sometimes. We want to live on one end of the extreme or the other. You have those who do not give themselves to doctrine as they should. You have others who want to do nothing but talk about doctrine yet it never gets into their everyday living. Both are wrong. C. IT TEACHES US ABOUT WHAT PRODUCES THE CHARACTER OF OUR LIVING (Apprehension -Appreciation) Having said that about the importance of practical application, we must also note, however, that the Bible ALWAYS begins with doctrine. Our lives for Christ will never rise above our understanding of sound doctrine. As our doctrinal understanding is the product of the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry, our APPRECIATION and HUMILITY will grow with it. ESV 1 Corinthians 8:1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up. II. IT IS A LIVING CALL (The Prisoner of the Lord) He doesn't just exhort them to this life; he commends this life to them. He doesn't just exhort them to it; he serves as an example of it. What do we see in Paul’s words?

Topics

• Church & Fellowship
• The Church
• Christian Living