Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called, I. THE NATURE OF THE OBLIGATIONS RESTING ON CHRISTIANS. 1. They spring from the circumstances of the Divine call. (1) It exhibited unparalleled condescension and mercy on the part of God. (2) It witnessed to a Divine unity in mankind. Christ was no apostle of Judaism; no national hero; but the Hope of Humanity. 2. They are determined by the fact of the Divine call Having been summoned by that call into a spiritual separation from "the world," the followers of Jesus were at the same time constituted into a "calling" or profession by themselves. (1) Its historic reputation had to be sustained. (2) It was a "holy" and a "heavenly" calling (2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; Philippians 3:14). (3) The spiritual unity it had called into existence should not be lost. II. HOW THESE OBLIGATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN CALLING ARE TO BE SATISFIED. 1. By humility and gentleness. 2. The root and sustaining principle of these is love.The lover of mankind will subordinate his own pleasure and advantage to the welfare of others. (A. F. Muir, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, |
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