by Pastor Rich Carlson

Paul now seems to transition from the rationale for serving God to what it means to serve God. I serve God because He loves me, not to get Him to love me. "I urge you," he says, "to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" (4:1) The “worthy life” Paul calls me to is described in the following verses. Paul instructs us to:

• “Be completely humble and gentle” (4:2)
• “Be patient” (4:2)
• "[Bear] with one another in love" (4:2)
• “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (4:3)
• Use the grace and the gifts God has given us to:
  • "prepare God’s people for works of service" (4:12).
  • build up the body of Christ (4:13).
  • "reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God" (4:13).
  • "become mature"—"attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (4:13).

If I serve in this way I am promised that:

• I won’t be tossed around by the confusing messages and "deceitful scheming" of the world (4:14).
• I will "grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (4:16).

And his conclusion in this chapter is: Don’t live like the world!

According to Paul, living like the world means:

• losing all sensitivity (4:19).
• giving oneself over to sensuality (4:19).
• indulging in every kind of impurity (4:19).
• continually lusting for more sensual impurity (4:19).

Then Paul continues describing the “worthy life,” telling us to:

• put off our old self, "which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires” (4:22).
• “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness,” (4:24) which, according to Paul, means:
  • to “put off falsehood” (4:25).
  • to “speak truthfully” (4:25).
  • to not sin "in your anger” (4:26).
  • to "not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (4:26).
  • to “not give the devil a foothold” (4:27).
  • to “steal no longer” (4:28).
  • to “work, doing something useful" with your life so  that you "may have something to share with those in need” (4:28).
  • to not “let any unwholesome talk come out" of your mouth (4:29).
  • to speak only what is "helpful for building others up" (4:29).
  • to “not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (4:30)
  • to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" (4:31).
  • to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (4:32)

Again I come away from a single chapter of God’s word, amazed by the clarity of purpose and direction it contains for my life.