Walking Worthy: Balancing Doctrine and Practice in Faith

 

Summary

In Ephesians 4:1-3, Paul urges believers to walk worthy of their calling, emphasizing the transition from doctrine to practical application. This passage marks a shift from the doctrinal teachings of the first three chapters to the practical implications of living out the Christian faith. The call to walk worthy is not merely a suggestion but a profound exhortation to live a life that reflects the balance between doctrine and practice. Christianity is not just about understanding doctrine or having spiritual experiences; it is about living a life that embodies the teachings of Christ.

The concept of "worthy" involves two key ideas: balance and becoming. Balance refers to giving equal weight to doctrine and practice, ensuring that one's life is not lopsided with either too much emphasis on knowledge or on actions. Becoming, on the other hand, suggests that our lives should be fitting and appropriate to the calling we have received. This means avoiding incongruities between what we profess and how we live.

Paul's appeal is rooted in the understanding that Christians are the "called ones." This calling is not something we choose but something we are drawn into by God's grace. There is a general call to all humanity to repent and believe, but there is also an effectual call that brings individuals into the faith. This effectual call is a powerful work of the Holy Spirit, drawing us from spiritual death to life.

The Christian life is a response to this divine calling, and it is characterized by holiness, love, and unity. We are called to live in a way that adorns the doctrine of Christ, making it attractive to others. This involves living as children of God, heirs of His promises, and members of the body of Christ. Our lives should reflect the glory of the calling we have received, demonstrating the transformative power of the Gospel.

Key Takeaways:

- Balance in Christian Living: The Christian life requires a balance between doctrine and practice. Both are essential, and neither should outweigh the other. A life that is rich in doctrine but poor in practice, or vice versa, is incomplete and ineffective in reflecting the true nature of the Christian faith. [09:03]

- The Effectual Call: The call to follow Christ is not merely an invitation but a powerful, effectual call that transforms us from spiritual death to life. This calling is a work of the Holy Spirit, drawing us into a relationship with God and enabling us to live out our faith. [23:22]

- Living Worthy of the Calling: To walk worthy of our calling means to live a life that is becoming of the Gospel. Our actions, attitudes, and behaviors should reflect the holiness and love of God, making the Gospel attractive to others. [12:12]

- Adorning the Doctrine: Our lives should adorn the doctrine of Christ, enhancing its beauty and appeal. This involves living in a way that is consistent with our beliefs, avoiding any incongruities between what we profess and how we live. [16:09]

- The Power of Grace: Our ability to live a holy life is rooted in the grace of God. It is by His grace that we are saved, and it is by His grace that we are empowered to live out our calling. This grace is a gift, and it should inspire us to live in obedience and gratitude. [41:42]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 4:1-3
- [00:49] - Transition from Doctrine to Practice
- [01:22] - The Importance of Reading the Whole Bible
- [02:12] - The Christian Life as a Walk
- [02:45] - Sanctification as an Outworking of Doctrine
- [04:00] - The Character of the Christian Life
- [06:36] - Walking Worthy of Our Calling
- [08:18] - Balance Between Doctrine and Practice
- [11:38] - The Idea of Becoming
- [17:15] - The Doctrine of Calling
- [23:22] - The Effectual Call
- [30:01] - The Power of the Call
- [33:20] - Adorning the Doctrine
- [41:42] - The Power of Grace

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 4:1-3
- Romans 8:30
- John 6:44

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul mean by urging believers to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" in Ephesians 4:1? How does this relate to the balance between doctrine and practice? [00:10]

2. In the sermon, how does the pastor describe the transition from doctrine to practice in the Christian life? What is the significance of this transition? [01:07]

3. What are the two key ideas associated with the concept of "worthy" as explained in the sermon? How do these ideas influence the way Christians should live? [07:41]

4. How does the pastor explain the difference between the general call and the effectual call in the context of Christian faith? [23:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the idea of balance between doctrine and practice challenge the way Christians typically approach their faith? What might be some consequences of an imbalance? [09:03]

2. The sermon mentions that Christians are called to live a life that "adorns the doctrine of Christ." What does this mean, and how can it be practically applied in daily life? [16:09]

3. How does the concept of the effectual call, as described in the sermon, deepen the understanding of God's role in a believer's life? [23:22]

4. In what ways does the pastor suggest that understanding one's calling can motivate a life of holiness and sanctification? [21:25]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Do you find yourself leaning more towards doctrine or practice? How can you strive for a better balance between the two? [09:03]

2. Consider a situation where your actions did not align with your professed beliefs. What steps can you take to ensure your life consistently "adorns the doctrine of Christ"? [16:09]

3. The sermon emphasizes the transformative power of the effectual call. Can you identify a moment in your life where you felt drawn by this call? How did it change you? [23:22]

4. How can you make the Gospel more attractive to others through your actions and attitudes this week? Identify one specific way to demonstrate the love and holiness of God in your interactions. [12:12]

5. The pastor speaks about living as "prisoners of Jesus Christ." What does this mean to you, and how can you live more fully as a servant of Christ in your daily life? [44:18]

6. Think of a time when you felt the grace of God empowering you to live out your calling. How can you cultivate a greater awareness of this grace in your life? [41:42]

7. Identify one area in your life where you feel called to grow in holiness. What practical steps can you take this week to pursue this growth? [21:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Balance in Doctrine and Practice
The Christian life is a harmonious blend of doctrine and practice. It is not enough to merely understand the teachings of Christ; one must also live them out. This balance ensures that a believer's life is not skewed towards either excessive knowledge without action or action without understanding. A life rich in doctrine but poor in practice, or vice versa, fails to fully reflect the essence of the Christian faith. The call to balance is a call to authenticity, where one's beliefs and actions are in sync, creating a life that truly embodies the teachings of Christ. [09:03]

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." (2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find an imbalance between what you believe and how you act? How can you begin to bring these into harmony today?


Day 2: The Transformative Power of the Effectual Call
The call to follow Christ is not just an invitation but a transformative experience that brings individuals from spiritual death to life. This effectual call is a work of the Holy Spirit, drawing believers into a relationship with God and enabling them to live out their faith. It is a powerful reminder that the Christian journey is initiated and sustained by God's grace, not by human effort. This divine calling empowers believers to live a life that reflects the transformative power of the Gospel, making them living testimonies of God's grace. [23:22]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you felt the transformative power of God's call in your life. How can you share this experience with someone who needs encouragement today?


Day 3: Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel
To walk worthy of our calling means to live a life that is becoming of the Gospel. This involves aligning our actions, attitudes, and behaviors with the holiness and love of God. It is about making the Gospel attractive to others through the way we live. As children of God, heirs of His promises, and members of the body of Christ, our lives should reflect the glory of the calling we have received. This is not just about personal holiness but about living in a way that draws others to the beauty of the Gospel. [12:12]

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to ensure your life is a reflection of the Gospel's beauty and truth?


Day 4: Adorning the Doctrine of Christ
Our lives should adorn the doctrine of Christ, enhancing its beauty and appeal. This means living in a way that is consistent with our beliefs, avoiding any incongruities between what we profess and how we live. When our lives align with the teachings of Christ, we make the Gospel attractive to others. This is not about perfection but about authenticity and integrity in our walk with God. By living out our faith genuinely, we become a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel. [16:09]

"Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us." (Titus 2:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area where your life may not fully align with your beliefs. What steps can you take to address this inconsistency today?


Day 5: Empowered by Grace
Our ability to live a holy life is rooted in the grace of God. It is by His grace that we are saved, and it is by His grace that we are empowered to live out our calling. This grace is a gift, and it should inspire us to live in obedience and gratitude. Recognizing the power of grace in our lives encourages us to rely on God rather than our own strength. It is a reminder that our journey of faith is sustained by His unmerited favor, which empowers us to live lives that honor Him. [41:42]

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." (1 Corinthians 15:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you rely more on God's grace rather than your own efforts in your daily walk with Him? What changes can you make to live more gratefully and obediently today?

Quotes

I should like to call your attention this morning to The Words which are to be found in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians in the fourth chapter reading the first three verses the first three verses in the fourth chapter of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all loneliness and meekness with longsuffering forbearing one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. [00:00:10]

Christianity is not merely a matter of Doctrine it isn't only a matter of experience it is birs and we must put at the very beginning but it doesn't stop at that it is a life which we have to live what is called here a walk it's a way of life the Christians were first called the people of the way it is a conversation as the Apostle Peter describes it in that section that we have read just now. [00:01:52]

Sanctification is not so much something that you receive as a gift subsequent to your salvation it is the outworking of the Salvation that you have received in terms of the understanding of the doctrine that you hold I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you so the way of sanctification is first and foremost to take a firm hold of the doctrine there can be no true sanctification without an understanding of Doctrine. [00:02:54]

The first word of course is the word worthy I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the calling where with or whereby or into which you have been called what is this word worthy mean well the Learned authorities tell us that it has two basic ideas in it and certainly they're both very important the first idea is this it's the idea of equal weight balancing uh that two things should be of the same weight so that when you put one on one side of the scale and the other on the other there's no tilting to one side or the they're just balancing happily and comfortably. [00:07:39]

The other idea in this word is the idea of something that is becoming now it's interesting how when these translations were made how the men responsible translate the same word in different ways and use different translations at different points they might very well have translated this like this I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk in a manner which is becoming of the calling wherewith you are called. [00:11:40]

The doctrine is as it were the foundation garment the kind of fundamental garment then what is the life well it's the adorning that you add to the foundation garment there must be some basis some Foundation something to build upon well then you add to that and you must always be careful that you are decorations that your adornments are suited to and are congruous with and match the foundational garment that you've already put on the doctrine is the foundation the life is the adorning and of course the purpose of the adorning is to make it attractive to make the doctrine attractive to cause people to admire it. [00:15:31]

The Christians the save the Believers are always described as the called ones these who have been separated from the others and they've been called from there to hear and they are the called unto us which are called Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God one other thing is of importance and that is that we must notice is the point at which the calling comes in this question of Salvation and the answer is that calling comes before justification. [00:25:29]

The call is the thing that draws him there's power in the call and it draws him he can't come without it or take the way in which we are given an account of the first convert in a sense in Europe there is the Apostle Paul preaching to the little prayer meeting of women outside the city walls in Phil on a Sunday afternoon and there he spake unto them the word of the lord and there was a woman named Lydia a sell of of of of purple from the city of th Tyra listening to him whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things that were spoken of of Paul that's the call the opening of the heart which makes us attend and believe without it the word has no effect. [00:27:35]

The Apostle has rarely said all this at the beginning of chapter 2 and he's got all that in his mind as he talks here about the calling wherewith you have called This is the position you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins he comes back again and says it again in verse 5 even when we were dead in sins has quickened us a dead person can't Quicken himself God Alone can Quicken and that's how he does it oh there's a wonderful illustration of all this it seems to me in the Gospels it is of course the case of Lazarus. [00:28:30]

The Apostle is saying here that we have been called in order that we may show forth these things be worthy he says of the vocation the calling to which you have been called that's the foundation garment now then he says Adorn it live in such a way that you'll set it out make it look yet more wonderful more glorious and more attractive and you do that I say by applying the doctrine and the knowledge that you have very well I say this is the way in which you and I have got to live we've got to live as those who realized that we have been called by God into this heavenly calling. [00:33:31]

What is it that has made it possible for me to come from Death to life from that grave of sin to newness of life and to be seated in the Heavenly places with Christ the answer is this it's the free grace of God by Grace he are saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God we are his workmanship while we were dead and desperate and hopeless in the creatures of lust he quickened Us in spite of it and how did he do it all and what made it possible if I may so phrase it for God to do it and you remember the answer don't you it is by the blood of Christ ye that sometimes were far offer made nigh by the blood of Christ. [00:41:27]

I beseech you as one who is a prisoner myself walk in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called oh if we but saw this calling if we but grasped its meaning in all its parts there would be no problem about Christian Living we would count it our Supreme Delight to hear his dictates and obey amen. [00:44:46]

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Transcript
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