Background
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Ephesians 4:1-4, 6 NKJV
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;”
II Peter 1:5-10 NKJV
Today’s message is one I have personally been tested by. In a world filled with the daily challenge trying to live right, do right, and to be the change we want to see, it seems impossible to be a Christian. The life of the apostles and all who had an encounter with Jesus, bore witness of His divine nature in which they partook and passed on. This very nature is how the believer is to be perceived and to be recognized by, when these are not evident in the believer, we deceive ourselves and have no idea of what salvation is about…let’s dive into the Word.
Paul in his exhibition in the first scripture of study inquires us to walk worthy of our calling. He further explains the requirement and price for bearing the name of the Lord; lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering/forbearance and all to achieve and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The bible makes us understand that we have been made one with Christ(1 Corinthians 12:13), not only are we to walk in spiritual purity but in good conduct. Our greatest tool for spreading the gospel is with our very lives, as Paul once again acknowledges and recommends in 1Thessalonians 2:10 they walked blamelessly and behaved themselves. The apostles walked circumspectively in their ministry and testimony of Christ which was so evident in their lives. They did not have to even define themselves nor introduce themselves, as the bible records that their deeds were so likened unto Jesus that they were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11). So the words to walk worthy of the call comes with a responsibility of integrity, righteousness and diligence, these speak loudest in the life of the believer
Peter continues in the second scripture of study reckoning to add to the faith we profess virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. When these elements are evident in us, there is no way we can fail in this journey nor be unproductive. The evidence that you are saved, that you love the Lord, that you have been born again is that you bear much fruit. Fruit is not only a matter of productivity in carnal gain but more so in the fruits of the Spirit in accordance with Galatians 5:22; love, joy, peace, longsuffering,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The danger of lacking these is as Peter said, is as though we were never saved. Beloved your weeping, and every emotional sign you showed upon receiving the Lord as your personal savior is in vain when your daily life is not a witness of these elements. It is better not to have made this confession only to live a life contrary afterwards. This is the testimony that we have known Christ, you no longer live unto yourself but He lives in you and the life you live you live unto Him(Galatians 2:20).
So then this is how we represent Christ if indeed we have been saved,the name Christianity comes with a burden. Not one we cannot bear, but one that is light because we do not carry it alone. This is a burden carried by surrender, the more we surrender the easy the life of God in us. When men see us, they see Him, because we have beheld Him and allowed Him shine through. Until this becomes the life we accept, we will walk in futility and be a laughing stock to the world we ought to change through His power at work in us. Choose this day to walk in a manner worthy of your calling.
As you read this pray asking for the help of God, for these fruits to be evident in your life.
