Ephesians 4:1-6

Another installment in the recent slew of Ephesians passages that I've been posting in order to keep up with my journaling pace. There was a point at which I kept forgetting to print my typed journal entries from my parents' computer (mine wasnt connected correctly or something), so I decided to just write them instead. Well, I got tired of not being able to print anything from my computer and fixed mine, so now I'm catching up since I can start typing my journals again without having to worry about whether or not I'll remember to print them and put them in my binder. I know... it sounds stupid... but hey, for whatever reason I never remembered to print them out from the other computer. Not a problem anymore - and thank God for that.

Into: Paul has moved on to the second half of his letter to the Ephesians, focusing now more on practical spiritual living habits that Christians should apply to their lives, rather than theological doctrine.

Through: Paul is pretty straightforward with how we should be expected to respond to the message of the Cross. We are not supposed to let grace increase (Romans 6), but live a life "worthy of our calling." This should be done, he says, in humility, gentleness, and love. We are supposed to stay unified and peaceful rather than divided. In the next few verses Paul stresses the unity of all Christians. "One body...one Spirit...one hope...one Lord, on faith, on baptism; on God and Father" who is above all. He is distinct and more powerful than His Creation. He is through all - revealed to us through Creation. He is in "you all." He dwells within us as Christians.

Beyond: The message of action Paul is pushing is pretty simple. To walk worthy of the calling to me means shooting for perfection or being above reproach; living a lifestyle pleasing to the Lord rather than trying to take advantage of a "get out of jail free card" (a lifestyle like that could be evidence that the person doesn't have the "card" anyways). Paul tells us to walk with lowliness, which is humilty; gentleness, grace; and to build up one another in love, the most important of all. This should be characteristic of our daily attitudes, not a one time thing that we just get excited about when we first become Christians. I still have trouble with this in some areas, especially the lowliness one, but quite honestly I can't remember exactly what it was like to hate everything. I just remember being miserable, and I am not tempted to go back to life without God.

The prevalent theme through the rest of this passage is that of unity. As far as it is possible we should remain unified peacefully with on another. This is probably because the evidence of our love for God is in how we love on another. Paul also uses this passage to eliminate the idea of "other reaods to heaven." There is on body, the church, that makes up the kingdom of heaven. No one in another body can make up the kingdom of heaven. They must join the church (not the organization). Only Christians are Christian. There is one Spiri, the Holy Spirit. There is on hope: we're all looking for the same thing: treasures in heaven, a deeper relationship with God. We serve one Lord, that is Jesus. John 14:6 "...no one comes to the Father but thorugh me." We have one faith, based on Scripture alone, and no other revelation. We were baptized under the same names of God. We serve one God, not multiple Gods or Allah, or anyone else. He is bigger than us, and we should submit to Him. We should reveal Him to others through our lives, and His power resides in us.