The Worthy Walk part 1

Well, if you would, take your Bible and turn back with me to Ephesians chapter 4. Like I said in our scripture reading, verses 1 to 6 really all go together, but because of time and because of the fact that we need to really cover a lot here, we're only going to cover verses 1 to 2 this morning. And we'll reach back and look at a few things out of verses 1 to 2 next week, but then we'll look at verses 3 to 6 and really just tie all of this together.

And as I was praying and really studying a lot Friday and Saturday, I thought about the fact that some of this, much of this, we'll come back to in the future, especially at the end of the summer with some messages that we're going to look at pertaining to the church. Now here in chapter 4, we are in a major transition in the book of Ephesians, and there are really a lot of things that are going on in the chapter and in the transition. Now I pointed a lot of this out to you the last couple of times that we have been in Ephesians, but there's a few things here that I want to elaborate on and continue with here.

Now I've explained that chapter 1 up to chapter 3, verse 13, is all about the theological. Paul is explaining and has been explaining to us God's plan for the salvation of man, and he takes us from what God did in eternity past in relation to this great salvation plan all the way into time and to human history and how that relates to God's salvation plan. And then he takes us all the way into the heavenlies. Paul even explains that both Jew and Gentiles are part of God's salvation plan, and those were mysteries that were once hidden, and they were being made known in his day, and they are made known to us in our day.

So there are blessings here, theological blessings that show us and reveal to us our great and wonderful position in Christ. But the second half of the book is much, much different. Chapters 4 and 5 are all about the practical. It's all about living out the theological. Paul explains how God's people are to live and what that looks like. Paul not only explains how God's people are to live, but he explains what that looks like in the church. He explains what that looks like in the home, and he explains what that looks like in society. That's important. That's important to see.

He explains how God's people are to live and what that looks like in the church, in the home, and in society. It's all about practice, folks, chapters 4, 5, and 6. But we can't forget chapter 3, verses 14 to 21. "Samwhitched in between the theological and the practical is the key to living all this out." Paul prays, and he writes, "so that the Ephesians would be strengthened there in their inner man which would lead them to Christ's dwelling down deep in the home of their hearts." This work, as it continued, they would be able to comprehend the love of Christ, and all of this would lead them to being filled up with the fullness of God.

"And this work would then form them for greater, more abundant usefulness in the church which was all for the glory of God in the church and in the world." Now I know I mentioned this one time. I don't know if you write in your Bible, but if you were to diagram the book, it would be good for you to note chapters 1 to 3 are really all about doctrine, right doctrine. Maybe you write that down somewhere to remember it. And then chapters 3, verses 14 to 21, that's all about the right experience. And then chapter 4 to 6 is all about right practice. It all goes together. Right doctrine, right experience, and right practice.

Now one more observation, bit of information about the transition and what we're looking at. If we read chapters 1 to 3, we will only find one command. That might surprise you. There's only one command in chapters 1 to 3. But starting in chapter 4 and all throughout the rest of the book, we will see one command after another, one command after another, one command after another. Sometimes pictures and imagery help us remember. I think I was reading some Sinclair Ferguson information and he said that these commands just flow like a river. They flow like a river.

So let's make sure that we do three things throughout the rest of our study here, throughout the rest of our study in Ephesians. First we need to make sure that this work found in chapter 3, verses 14 to 24 or 21, we need to make sure that that work is taking place in our lives. That's the experiential. That is where we must work. That is where we must pray. That is where we must keep going to the Lord for the Holy Spirit to work these things out in us. And then second, we need to see and we need to embrace each of these commands. So as we're studying together, as you're reading in your own time, make sure you find the commands.

Note the commands. Not just write them down, but embrace them and work to apply them. But then last, make sure that all of this is on the foundation of the doctrine and doctrines that are found in chapters 1 to 3. And for some of you, you need to go back. Study. I was blessed by one of the ladies in the life of our church, contacted me and asked me for all of my notes from chapters 1 to 3. She said she wanted to make sure she got it all. See folks, that's the foundation on which the rest of the book rests.

Now before we get into the verses and what I will sometimes refer to as the body of the message, I want to take the time to note how Paul starts the new section. Notice in verse 1 that Paul says, "I therefore," no matter what translation you have, you're going to see that, "I therefore." Now we can't overlook this word "therefore." We have to ask what this word "therefore" is there for. In using this word "therefore," Paul was not moving away from or disconnecting from chapters 1 to 3. He was actually connecting chapters 1 to 3 to what he was about to start unfolding the new section of the letter. Basically this is what all of that means.

Paul was explaining practically how they were to live out the Christian life and it was to be built on all that he had given them in chapters 1 to 3. That's the foundation. Well this is how it works. It was the theological that determined the practical. They were never to be disconnected in Paul's heart and purpose. It was the doctrine that dictated and directed their Christian duty. Their practical Christian life was lived out from and on top of the foundation of the theological that he had worked so hard to give them.

And if they did, as Paul desired, then they could see and they could live the worthy walk that Paul was calling them to starting in verse 1. Well living the worthy walk that Paul was calling them to, that's the title, that's the theme of what we're going to look at in verses 1 to 6. I've said this before. I like titles. Titles help us see the theme throughout all of the teaching. Sometimes I'm good at titles and sometimes I don't think I am. But here's the title of our message this morning and I'll go ahead and give you how we're going to approach these verses. I did say we'll only cover verse 1 and verse 2.

So we see the title, "The Worthy Walk." And I would ask you to underline that word "the" if you're writing that down. We're going to look at "the" worthy walk and we're going to look at the call to the worthy walk and the characteristics of the worthy walk. Now I want us to read verses 1 and 2 again and then we'll get into dividing the verses. Paul says, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you or beseech you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility, gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love." And I would like to continue to read. It just all goes together.

"Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." There's one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who was over all through all in in all. So you see our first major truth in our message this morning. Number one, we see the call to the worthy walk. That's right out of verse 1. The language just comes right out of the verse. The call to the worthy walk. Now here we have Paul's call to the Ephesians and he calls them to the worthy walk. This is not just a worthy walk. Notice that.

This is not just a worthy walk, but it is the worthy walk. And again, underline that word, "the." Now there was a lot going on here and I want us to look at the verse in three ways and these sub points just build together. They just flesh the teaching out. First, we have Paul's call. First I want us to see that we have Paul's call. Right off we see that Paul identifies himself as a prisoner for the Lord. I'm reading from the English Standard Version. We have seen Paul use this kind of language before. If we glance back at chapter 3 verse 1, Paul identifies himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles.

The New American is similar. Now in using this language, Paul was reminding them of his low position and he's also reminding them of his identification and relationship with them. You see, he was a prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles, for their sake. And all because of the will of God. As an apostle to the Gentiles, he was imprisoned by the will of God and for the will of God and for their sake. His imprisonment was truly for their sake and their benefit. Simply Paul was explaining to them that he was walking his worthy walk and his worthy walk was a benefit for them, for their benefit.

He was not calling them to walk a walk that he wasn't willing to walk. And for Paul, his worthy walk meant being in chains by the will of Christ for the sake of Christ and for their sake and for their benefit. But notice, not only does Paul explain his humble position, he issues to them a call. In verse 1 he says, "I therefore urge you." The New American standard says, "I entreat you." Occasionally I'll reference the amplified. The amplified just piles up language and it's very accurate here. The amplified says, "I appeal to and beg you." That's very accurate. This urging from Paul speaks of wanting to really help them and help someone.

And it has within it a lot of feeling, a strong desire. He's really coming alongside them in beseeching them. And even though this is not a command, Paul was not giving them some kind of a take it or leave it call with strong feeling and great emotion. He was calling them and urging them and even begging them to do God's will here. So we have Paul's call. As a prisoner for Christ and for them, he was making this urgent, even emotional call to them. And then second, we have Paul's call to a worthy walk. It's right there in the verse. Paul's call to a worthy walk.

Now notice that we have this phrase, "walk in a manner worthy." The English standard, the new American standards, pretty much the same. He says, "walk in a manner worthy." Now we need to make sure that we understand this word walk and we've got to understand this word worthy. There's a lot going on here with these two words and they are key to understanding what Paul is doing here. This word walk is used often in the New Testament to speak of daily living. It speaks of day to day living. It speaks of day to day life, day to day behavior and day to day behavior, day to day living is a major theme in chapter four, five and six.

This word worthy really helps us unlock what Paul is saying here. This word worthy literally means bringing up the other end of the scales. The idea here, the picture here is of equal weights or balancing scales. One side of the scales is balanced with equal weight to the other side of the scales. Now we need to take some time here. I need to take a little time here to explain what these scales are like. They did not have bathroom scales like we do. Don't y'all love the bathroom scales? Yours are hidden somewhere, I'm glad they are. They didn't have scales like that.

In that day they had a beam, a beam and it had a pivot point in the middle and they would have a tray or a basket on one side and the other and then they would put one item on one side and weights on the other. If they were weighing out gold or silver or spices, they could weigh that out. You had a weight on one side and the item that they would place on the other, you get the picture, balancing scales. So here Paul is calling them to live a life in every way, in their everyday living. Notice that balance is out or is an equal weight and value to something. Well an equal weight to what? An equal value, an equal weight, an equal worth to what?

What's on the other side of the daily living? See? The daily living on one side, what's on the other side? Third, we have Paul's call to a worthy walk to which they have been called. Notice the language here. Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. The King James says, "Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." Now we've got a pause here and ask what is this calling? The English Standard uses the word or a form of the word two times. What is this vocation? What is this calling? This calling speaks of a call. It speaks of an invitation. Paul was referencing a particular invitation, a particular call.

He was referencing God's calling or God's invitation through which these people were brought to the gospel and brought to saving grace. This word calling is used other times by Paul. I will note a few. In Romans 11, 29, Paul says that God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. In 2 Corinthians 1, 26, Paul calls the Corinthians to consider their calling, speaking of their salvation. In 2 Timothy 1, 9, Paul is talking of God and he speaks of God who saved us and called us to holy living. Every time this word is used, it is used to describe the calling of God in salvation. Now we really need to get what Paul is getting at.

This is what is commonly called the effectual calling of God. The effectual calling of God is that which brings the sinner to salvation. This is the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit which by the power of the saving work of the Spirit brings that sinner to repentance and to faith. I will reference our church statement of faith. There's copies on the front row, copies on the back. Many of you have a copy of this. It's on our church website. If you haven't picked up a copy of our statement of faith, I would encourage you to do that.

If you open up to the table of contents, section 5 deals with the way of salvation and everything pertaining to salvation that we cover is under that heading. But letter A, or the first section in dealing with the way of salvation is dealing with grace and regeneration. Now notice what the statement of faith says. We believe that in order to be saved, we must be regenerated or born of God. And there's a footnote from any scripture references to back up that statement. That regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind. Again, scriptures to back up the statement. And is affected, hear that word?

And is affected in a manner above our comprehension or calculation by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with the divine truth. Again, a list of scriptures to back up that statement. So as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. Again, scripture references to back up the statement. And that its proper evidence is found in the holy fruit which we bring forth to the glory of God. Again, scriptural references. And notice all of that, all that I've read about what we believe in regeneration and grace through faith. All of that is the call that Paul is talking about.

With all that said, we must ask, let's ask what is Paul saying here? What's he doing? He was calling these Ephesian Christians to live in their everyday life, a life that balances out that is in equal to their calling and their salvation and their new life in Christ. You see? One commentator that I read this week said, and I'm quoting Paul was insisting, Paul was insisting that there shall be a balance between profession and practice. One scholar that I read from time to time, Linsky, he says, conduct and calling are the balance in weight. And then he goes on to say that even more is implied with the original language.

Linsky goes on to say that it is more than likeness between the conduct and the calling, but the conduct and the calling must be of the same weight and the same value. So in summary, look at what Paul is saying in verse 1. It's kind of simple, yes. But oh, there's a lot more above the surface. Paul was a prisoner by Christ and for Christ and for their sake. He was walking the worthy walk set out by Christ for him. Paul urges them, even begs them to live in their everyday lives a life that is equal to their calling, equal to their salvation.

He is urging them to live a daily life that is equal in weight and value to the gospel, to the gospel call that would save them. And that church, that church is the worthy walk. Now with that image in your mind, the scales, weight and value. Three kind of people here today. Some of you on one side of the scale, there's salvation, there's God's grace, you have a type of profession, but on the other side, there's nothing. You might come to church from time to time, you might come to church regularly, there's no Bible study, there's no prayer, there's no inner sanctification, there's no obedience.

You might live an outwardly moral life, but there's nothing there. So what happens is this, on one side of the scale, there's God's grace, there's the profession of faith, there's God's salvation, God's grace. And then on the other side of the scales is what you have. There's nothing of weight and value. But then there's some others. On one side, there's salvation, there's a profession, there's grace through faith on this side. Oh, this wonderful gospel, the salvation that is in Christ. But on your side, there's a pile of fool's gold. Fool's gold. Do you know what fool's gold is? It is any metal that looks like gold that's not. Look it up.

And see, what you have is this. Your life looks like you've got salvation. Your life looks like you have a true profession of faith, but you know what it is below the surface? A bunch of rocks. It looks like it's of equal weight and value, but there's some of you. On one side, you have salvation, you have God's wonderful grace, you have the gospel, and that which only God can do, save a lost sinner who is dead in their trespasses and sins. And then on the other side, you know what you got? All Christ.

New creation in Christ, born of the Spirit of God, you have Christ in Christ alone, and anything that you have is only by Christ and through Christ. You see? Now what is Paul calling them to do? Look back at the verse. "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord." I'm walking my worthy walk is what he's saying. I urge you, I beg you, walk in a manner that is worthy, that is of equal weight and value to the calling to which you have been called. That is the worthy walk. Now second, our second major truth, the characteristics of the worthy walk. We see this in verse two. We have the characteristics of the worthy walk. Notice the verse.

"With all humanly, gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love." Now here we see what the worthy walk looks like. We see the quality of the worthy walk, the nature of the worthy walk. Now let me show you how most of us can think here. And this is going to show us just how bad we need this teaching. You see, left to ourselves, most of us will see the worthy walk something like this. We will think Paul is saying, "I really urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling in which you have been called." So you need to pray and read your Bible more. Many of us will think that Paul is saying something like this.

"As a prisoner for the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling which you have received." So give more money to missions and do more in the church. If you think like that, it's because you have been taught that the worth or measure of your faith is tied to works or performance. Some of you need to hear that again. If you think like that, it is because you have been taught that the worth or the measure of your faith is tied to works and performance.

Now even though praying and reading your Bible and serving in the church and giving are definitely a part of the Christian life, these are not the types of things that Paul says here are at the heart of the worthy walk. Now follow me here. Paul called them to the worthy walk, which is a daily Christian life that is an equal weight and value to their salvation call. And then he gave them characteristics that mark the worthy walk. And get this. These characteristics, they can be called traits or character traits, are matters of the heart. They're matters of the inner person which manifests themselves in works in the walk.

And Paul gives four characteristics of one walking the worthy walk. We can call these virtues traits. I like calling them inner characteristics of the worthy walk. First, humility. The King James reads lowliness, but humility. Now this word in the original, it is a compound word and it means to think or to judge oneself as low or lowly. It means to have a low or humble opinion of oneself. It means to be modest of how one thinks of oneself. And look, humility is the first and foremost characteristic of a Christian. It is the first and foremost characteristic of a Christian because one must be humble to come to Christ in salvation.

One can never come to Christ until they have been humbled by work of the spirit of God and the work of the gospel in their life. And the idea that Paul is aiming at is this, humility, thinking of oneself properly, thinking of oneself as low, assessing oneself as low. This comes into the heart, into those who have been called and truly been born of the spirit. So here Paul is saying that the first characteristic of those who were called and saved by God's grace is humility, a low and humble estimation of self. And that characteristic is the foundation of the worthy walk. Now before I move on, this helped me, this might help you.

I think we must see the opposite of humility. We must see the opposite of this low estimation of self, pride, thinking much of self, pride and prideful thinking of oneself. And you see here's where we must ask ourselves a few questions. Are we humble? And I don't think we can answer that. It's going to take a work of the word and the work of the spirit of God in us. Are we humble? Has there been a humbling work in us that is continuing to this day because we have been called by saving grace and the spirit of God lives within us and we are continuing in this saving grace. So are we humble? Second, the word gentleness.

The King James uses the word meekness. It's right there out of the verse. Now before we see what gentleness or meekness is, we must see how this comes about. Yes, gentleness comes into the life by work of God in the life, but this gentleness comes into the heart and into the life as a result of humility. Look, a person can never be gentle or meek unless they are humble. And if someone is prideful, then they won't and can't be meek. Pride and gentleness are incompatible. John MacArthur says a meek person is normally quiet, soothing and mild-mannered, and he is never avenging, self-asserting, vindictive or self-defensive.

He goes on to say one of the marks of true meekness is self-control. People who are angered at every nuisance are inconvenienced to themselves, know nothing of meekness and gentleness. Are you convicted yet? So here Paul is saying that the second characteristic of those who are called and walking the worthy walk is gentleness. They bear inconveniences, they bear difficulties, even personal injuries without revenge, without retaliation, even without anger. And gentleness comes from humility. Simply gentleness is a natural spiritual outgrowth of humility. Now again, before I move on, the opposite.

The opposite of meekness or gentleness is haughtiness, haughtiness, a huffiness. Another word that comes to my mind is attitude. The opposite of gentleness and meekness is attitude, boastfulness, showiness, superiority, ego. See, ego goes back to pride. Now here's where we have to ask a few questions and application again. And the first question is, are we gentle? Are we meek? And I don't think we can answer that today by ourselves. And I think we have to have the Holy Spirit of God and the truth of God to work out the answer in us. How do we react when we are inconvenienced? How do we react when we are bothered?

How do we react when we are hurt? Even insulted? Even if we are right? Are we huffy? Can we grab an attitude? Are we angry? Are we even seeking retaliation and revenge? And look, if we struggle with gentleness, then that is indicative of the humility problem. They go together, folks. Third, patience. You see that in the verse. The King James uses the word long suffering, but patience. Now before we can see what this patience is, we must see how this comes about. We must see that genuine humility, brought by a work of God in the life, starts in conversion.

Humility produces gentleness or meekness, and then those traits or those characteristics produce patience. Now this word patience, it literally means long tempered. I like that. The King James says long suffering. I like that. Only the one who is long suffering is patient in difficult circumstances and even in dealing with others. And this virtue or characteristic can be seen in three different circumstances in life. First, the patient person is long suffering and waiting on and doing the will of God. You see that? The patient person is long suffering in waiting on and doing the will of God.

Men like Abraham, Noah, and Moses were long suffering, patient. They waited on God's will and they waited in doing God's will. And even when they did lose their patience, they got out of God's will. I'm thinking about Abraham. First, the patient person is long suffering and personal suffering and persecution. The patient person, their long suffering and personal suffering and persecution. I can't think of any better example than Paul. Paul was long suffering. He was patient as he suffered persecutions, imprisonments, and even as he suffered physical sufferings.

And then third, the patient person is long suffering in dealing with other people, non-believers and believers, all people. You need to write that word down, all people. The Bible commentator Albert Barnes says right here, "No virtue perhaps is more frequently demanded in our contact with others, all people." So we need to see this third characteristic of those who were called and they are walking the worthy walk, patience, long suffering, patient in waiting and suffering and persecutions and most definitely patient with other people, the lost and especially fellow believers.

Then this patience comes from both a work of humility and a work of gentleness in our lives. Now, before we look at some application, we must see the opposite of patience, the opposite of long suffering. See if the true meaning of the word is long tempered, well the opposite must be short tempered. Short in temperament. To be impatient means to be short. To be impatient means to be short in your temperament, you see? We must ask ourselves a few questions here. Are we patient? Are we long suffering or are we short and short in our temperament and impatient? Are we short tempered in discovering and following God's will for our lives?

Some of you want God's will by this evening. And then when God opens up God's will for you, you don't want to walk it out. Are we short tempered when we are suffering or even being persecuted or even being injured? Most of us are not long suffering, we retaliate. Are we short? Short in our temperament or impatient with others? Others who frustrate us, others who hurt us, those who are against us, even those who might be our enemies, those who are closest to us. We are closest, our family, our spouse, our children, our church family.

And look, if we struggle with patience, then that tells us that we have a humility problem and a gentleness problem. They're all connected. The lack of patience tells us that we have a problem with humility and gentleness. And then fourth, forbearance. Now that word might seem odd for you. I like that word forbearance. The English Standard says, "Bearing with one another in love." The New American says, "Showing forbearance to one another in love." The King James says, "Forbearing one another in love." Now this forbearance is overlooking the weakness and the struggles of others.

It is even going so far as to forgive someone when they have hurt you and hurt us, but it's more. Forbearance means to sympathize with and even help those who are in difficult circumstances. It means to sympathize with and even help those, if you can, those who have wronged us. Forbearance. Paul says there, says here that this is all done how? Gritting your teeth? Know in love. The act and practice of forbearance flows from love and not just any love, but this is an agape love, a love that can only come from God. This is the love of God that is implanted down deep in the heart of the ones who are called.

And that love is in them and it flows out of them and it flows out of them in forbearance. This means that forbearance loves even when insulted. It means that forbearance loves even when abused. It means that forbearance loves even in persecutions, continuing to love them. Is it not what Christ did on the cross? Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. So here Paul says that the fourth characteristic of those who are called of God and they are walking this worthy walk, it is forbearance.

In the love of God and with the love of God and with the love of God enabling them and flowing through them, they bear with one another in love and this is not just enduring without retaliating, it is enduring anything and everything all while showing the love of Christ. Are you convicted yet? I am. Now before we move on, we must see the opposite of forbearance. Bearing with one another in love, it's impatience, it's haughtiness. The opposite is pride. The opposite is insensitivity, anger, revenge, retaliation, all of that. We must ask ourselves a few questions here.

How are we at bearing with one another and all people, even our enemies, not just in toleration but in love and in the love of God? How are we at overlooking the weaknesses and struggles with others with the love of God? How are we at sympathizing with and even helping others in their difficulties with the love of God? How are we at forgiving those who have hurt us, those who have never repented to us, those who have never given what they owe us, that is I am sorry. How are we at loving them with the love of God?

And listen, if we struggle with bearing with one another in love, then we like patience and we like gentleness and we like humility. It's all tied together. So in summary, look at what Paul is saying here. He says the characteristics, the traits of the worthy walk are praying more, reading the Bible more, giving more to the church, even serving more in the church. Listen, all of those things can be done by someone in the flesh. All of those things can be done by someone who have never experienced the call of grace on their life. Even a Christian can do all of those things in the flesh. I've done that.

Paul says the characteristics found in the lives of those who live the worthy walk is first humility, a humility that leads to gentleness, a humility and a gentleness that leads to patience and a humility, a gentleness and a patience that all leads to forbearance, a bearing with one another with love, not your love, my love, the love of God. And I think that right here we must ask another series of questions. Do we have these characteristics in our daily walk? Notice it's a daily walk, not a Sunday walk. Do we have these characteristics in our daily walk? Are these characteristics?

Are these traits a part of who we are and our behavior reflects those characteristics? Now question, how much should these characteristics be in our lives? I'm going to cover this a little more next week. Notice the beginning of verse two with all. The implication in the language there is all, all humility, all patience, all meekness, all long suffering, not just on Sunday, not just when you feel good. You see, all, you can't do that without God folks. And listen church, these character traits all build together, they're all connected. And if we struggle with these things, then we do and we'll struggle with the worthy walk.

And look, there comes a place where if these things are not in your life, you are not walking the worthy walk, you can't. If one link in the chain of humility linked to gentleness, linked to patience, linked to forbearance, if one link in the chain is broken, then we will struggle to live and walk the worthy walk. And there comes a point where we can't and we're not. Now let me show you something here. Two testing grounds for all of this. Two. To see if these characteristics are in your life and being lived out. First in your home. In your home. When you go home and you close the door. I'm not there. Nobody from the church is there.

Your mom and your dad are not there. When you go home and you close the door, what about with you and your spouse? Oh, these characteristics being made manifest in your relationship with one another. What about how you relate to your children? What about how you all relate together? See, we can divide up the home, but it's all together. Or are these characteristics being made manifest in your behavior? How you relate to your wife? How you relate to your husband? How you relate to your children? And how much of them? With all.

You see, if you can't do this in home, if you can't do this behind the closed door of your home, if you can't do this when no one's there, when I'm not there to help you, if you can't do it, well, you're going to fail the next testing ground. It's the church. The church is the testing ground for this. The home and the church. And I want to tell you something, folks. I have seen people in my years of ministry. Now listen to you, pastor. Listen close. I've seen people that have chapters one all the way to chapter three, verse 13 down pat. That theology is as straight as an arrow. They can quote chapter and verse.

They can debate you all day long about doctrine and theology. But when it comes time to walking the worthy walk in their home, they are a colossal failure. I've even had children and confidence come to me and say, brother Chris, my home wife's not what you think it is. And therefore, because they were a failure in the home, they were a failure in the church. You see? And oh, you would bet the farm that they are walking the worthy walk because they've got chapter one to three down pat. Oh, they're models. No, they're not. So my question is, how are you doing in these things at home?

Some of you need to look at your spouse and you need to get honest because if you're not dealing with it right at home, you're not going to deal with it right at church. There's no way. Now I want to close with a statement. This will be short. This will point us towards verses three to six next week's message, part two of the worthy walk, the worthy walk. And here's my statement. I want you to really listen close. Paul's concern here in these verses, we know Paul's writing was he say, I therefore a prisoner of the Lord. We know there's Paul. So Paul's writing to the Ephesians. He knew them well. They knew him.

But actually Paul's concern is God's concern. Because see, it was God who was writing this through Paul to Theoma and to us. But God's concern here is not that we would live our daily lives worthy of our calling for our own personal godliness. God's primary concern here is not for your mind, for our personal godliness. No. God isn't interested in a worthy walk that is simply for us. As a matter of fact, any individualistic attitude or approach to the worthy walk is not the worthy walk. As a matter of fact, it's dangerous. It's unchristian and it is destructive.

God is most concerned that we walk the worthy walk in light of our calling for and in the church. Look at verse three. It's all about the church. Remember our previous passages in chapter three? Greater glory, greater usefulness, abundant useless in the church. Chapter four verses three to six are about the church, you see. Now I want to tell you a little story here that will help us get this. Americans are not good at this. This individualistic problem. Americans are not good at this. Years ago I was talking to our friend, Ed Lacy, who's passed on. Ed Lacy was a missionary and evangelist.

For 30 years he went all over communist Cuba, all over India, all over Africa, all over Europe. He was in the Ukraine and many different places all in the world. Very humble. Not self-assuming. You would never know it. But one day in frustration I was on the phone with brother Ed and I was complaining. I was like, "Why do so many people in these churches leave and go start another church? Why does this group get mad because they have this idea and they leave? Why do these people hop here and hop there? Why? Why? Why? Individualism is what I was complaining about." He chuckled.

He said, "That only goes on in America." He said in the church in Cuba, Christians stay in the church. It's all about the church. It's not about them. They work it out. They fix it. They work through the problems. They don't go. They don't leave. They stay. He said, "So-called Christians in America, they get mad. They have their own ideas. They get up. They move. They go over there. They go start a church. They travel for another church." It's about individualism. Now, let me restate that statement. God isn't interested in a worthy walk that is simply for us.

Any individualistic attitude, any individualistic approach to this worthy walk is not a worthy walk. It's dangerous, unchristian. It is destructive because the worthy walk is all for the church and in the church. This isn't proper English. Don't tell my mother I use this word. She taught school for 47 years and I'll still get in trouble. It ain't about you and it ain't about me. It's about the church. So what do we have? The worthy walk, the worthy walk. And next week we will look at part two and we will see the work of the worthy walk and the why of the worthy walk. So let's pray.

Let's commit these things to the Lord, not that we would move on from them, but that God would help us continue to get all that He wants to give us and fit us for this worthy walk, His worthy walk.