Walking Worthy: Integrating Doctrine and Daily Life

 

Summary

In Ephesians 4:1, Paul urges believers to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." This call to action marks a pivotal transition in the epistle, moving from the rich doctrinal teachings of the first three chapters to their practical application in daily life. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that doctrine and practice are inseparable; understanding the profound truths of the Christian faith should naturally lead to a transformed life. This transition is not merely a shift in focus but a necessary progression that underscores the importance of living out one's faith in tangible ways.

Paul's use of the word "therefore" is crucial, as it connects the doctrinal foundation with the practical outworking of faith. It serves as a reminder that the Christian life is not just about intellectual assent to doctrines or seeking mystical experiences but about embodying these truths in everyday actions. The Apostle warns against the dangers of isolating doctrine from practice or experience from application. Instead, he calls for a holistic approach where doctrine informs practice, and experiences of God's love and power motivate believers to pursue sanctification actively.

Sanctification, as Paul presents it, is not a passive experience or a gift to be received without effort. It is an active process that involves working out one's salvation with fear and trembling, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The experiences and understanding of doctrine provide the motivation and framework for this pursuit, but they are not the end in themselves. The life of a believer should reflect the transformative power of the gospel, demonstrating the love and holiness of God in a world that desperately needs it.

Paul's exhortation challenges believers to examine how they read and apply Scripture. It is not enough to dwell on favorite passages or to seek only the emotional highs of spiritual experiences. Instead, believers are called to engage with the entirety of Scripture, allowing its full counsel to shape their lives. This comprehensive approach guards against imbalances and ensures that one's faith is robust and grounded in truth.

Ultimately, the call to "walk worthy" is a call to live a life that reflects the glory and grace of God. It is a call to be holy as God is holy, to be a light in the darkness, and to live in a way that honors the profound truths of the gospel. This is the logical and inevitable response to the incredible work of salvation that God has accomplished in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- The transition from doctrine to practice in Ephesians 4:1 highlights the inseparable nature of belief and behavior. Understanding the profound truths of the Christian faith should naturally lead to a transformed life that reflects these truths in everyday actions. [03:35]

- The word "therefore" serves as a crucial link between doctrine and practice, reminding believers that the Christian life is not just about intellectual assent or mystical experiences but about embodying these truths in tangible ways. [10:44]

- Sanctification is an active process that involves working out one's salvation with fear and trembling, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is not a passive experience or a gift to be received without effort. [25:17]

- Engaging with the entirety of Scripture, rather than isolating favorite passages, ensures a balanced and robust faith. This comprehensive approach guards against imbalances and allows the full counsel of Scripture to shape one's life. [11:16]

- The call to "walk worthy" is a call to live a life that reflects the glory and grace of God, demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel in a world that desperately needs it. It is a call to be holy as God is holy. [41:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 4:1
- [01:32] - The Riches of Ephesians
- [02:11] - Transition to Practical Application
- [03:35] - Doctrine and Practice: Inseparable
- [04:33] - The Importance of "Therefore"
- [05:18] - The Call to Practical Living
- [07:13] - The Temptation to Stay on the Mountain
- [09:44] - The Necessity of Returning to Life
- [11:00] - How to Read Scripture
- [12:44] - The Danger of Isolating Texts
- [14:51] - Life in Light of Doctrine
- [17:34] - The Dangers of Stopping at Doctrine
- [22:17] - The Nature of Sanctification
- [25:17] - Sanctification: Not a Gift, But a Process
- [32:48] - Sanctification Through Truth
- [41:06] - The Call to Holiness

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 4:1-3

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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 set the tone for the rest of the chapter? [00:26]

2. How does the word "therefore" function as a bridge between the doctrinal teachings and practical application in Ephesians 4:1? [04:33]

3. In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate the inseparability of doctrine and practice? [04:20]

4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between sanctification and the experiences or doctrines previously discussed? [25:17]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the call to "walk worthy" challenge the common separation between belief and behavior in modern Christian practice? [03:35]

2. What might be the dangers of focusing solely on either doctrine or experience, according to the sermon? How does this affect one's spiritual growth? [17:34]

3. How does the sermon suggest believers should approach the entirety of Scripture, and what are the potential consequences of isolating favorite passages? [11:16]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that sanctification is an active process rather than a passive experience? [25:17]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you find it challenging to "walk worthy" of your calling? What steps can you take to align your daily actions with your beliefs? [03:35]

2. Consider your approach to Scripture. Do you tend to focus on certain passages while neglecting others? How can you develop a more comprehensive reading habit that embraces the full counsel of God? [11:16]

3. Think about your spiritual experiences. How can you ensure that these experiences motivate you towards active sanctification rather than becoming ends in themselves? [25:17]

4. Identify a specific doctrine that you find challenging to apply in your daily life. What practical steps can you take to integrate this doctrine into your behavior? [17:34]

5. How do you balance the intellectual understanding of doctrine with the practical application in your life? Are there specific areas where you feel this balance is lacking? [04:20]

6. Reflect on a recent spiritual high or experience. How did it impact your daily walk with God? What can you do to ensure that such experiences lead to lasting change? [19:05]

7. In what ways can you actively pursue sanctification in your life this week? Consider setting a specific goal or action that aligns with the teachings of Ephesians 4:1-3. [25:17]

Devotional

Day 1: Belief and Behavior: A Unified Journey
Understanding the profound truths of the Christian faith should naturally lead to a transformed life that reflects these truths in everyday actions. The transition from doctrine to practice in Ephesians 4:1 highlights the inseparable nature of belief and behavior. Paul emphasizes that the Christian life is not merely about intellectual assent to doctrines or seeking mystical experiences but about embodying these truths in tangible ways. This holistic approach ensures that one's faith is robust and grounded in truth, as doctrine informs practice, and experiences of God's love and power motivate believers to pursue sanctification actively. [03:35]

Ephesians 5:8-10 (ESV): "For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where your actions do not align with your beliefs. What practical steps can you take today to bring your behavior in line with your faith?


Day 2: The Power of "Therefore"
The word "therefore" serves as a crucial link between doctrine and practice, reminding believers that the Christian life is not just about intellectual assent or mystical experiences but about embodying these truths in tangible ways. This connection underscores the importance of living out one's faith in everyday actions, as understanding the profound truths of the Christian faith should naturally lead to a transformed life. The Apostle Paul warns against the dangers of isolating doctrine from practice or experience from application, calling for a holistic approach where doctrine informs practice. [10:44]

James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent teaching or truth you have learned. How can you apply this truth in a specific way in your life today?


Day 3: Sanctification: An Active Pursuit
Sanctification is an active process that involves working out one's salvation with fear and trembling, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is not a passive experience or a gift to be received without effort. The experiences and understanding of doctrine provide the motivation and framework for this pursuit, but they are not the end in themselves. The life of a believer should reflect the transformative power of the gospel, demonstrating the love and holiness of God in a world that desperately needs it. [25:17]

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can actively pursue sanctification. What steps can you take today to work towards holiness in this area?


Day 4: Embracing the Full Counsel of Scripture
Engaging with the entirety of Scripture, rather than isolating favorite passages, ensures a balanced and robust faith. This comprehensive approach guards against imbalances and allows the full counsel of Scripture to shape one's life. Believers are called to engage with the entirety of Scripture, allowing its full counsel to shape their lives. This guards against imbalances and ensures that one's faith is robust and grounded in truth. [11:16]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: Choose a book of the Bible you have not read recently. How can you incorporate reading and reflecting on this book into your daily routine this week?


Day 5: Walking Worthy of the Call
The call to "walk worthy" is a call to live a life that reflects the glory and grace of God, demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel in a world that desperately needs it. It is a call to be holy as God is holy, to be a light in the darkness, and to live in a way that honors the profound truths of the gospel. This is the logical and inevitable response to the incredible work of salvation that God has accomplished in Christ. [41:06]

1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

Reflection: Reflect on how your life can better reflect the holiness and grace of God. What is one specific way you can be a light in your community this week?

Quotes


I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. [00:56:16]

The Apostle here moves on to the practical application of all that and he goes on to show the relation of all that to daily life and living so that we really are at the most important point in this great epistle. [03:28:12]

The Apostle is making a great appeal to these Ephesians to put now into operation the things that he has been teaching them and the things that should inevitably follow as a natural consequence from an understanding of them. [05:22:56]

We must read all the scriptures; we must read every part of the scripture. Of course, we don't like to do that. We are like Peter; there are certain favorite passages... we like them and we delight in them. We are always moved when we read them. [11:19:00]

There is nothing that is so dangerous as to extract certain verses or certain paragraphs from the scripture, to rest them out of their context and just to look at them isolated in and of themselves. We must never do that. [12:41:56]

Doctrine comes first, but we don't stop at it. Then there is another group of which we can say this: that their danger is to stop with the experience only. [18:13:36]

Sanctification is not a gift to be received; it is rather something that has to be worked out in the light of the doctrine. Not a gift, it's a therefore. Therefore, I beseech you. It's an imperative, it's a command, not a gift. [25:13:67]

The experiences and the understanding of doctrine provide the motivation and framework for this pursuit, but they are not the end in themselves. The life of a believer should reflect the transformative power of the gospel. [26:03:08]

The Apostle says that he is beseeching them. He's going to beg of them. He admonishes them. He doesn't just tell them at this point, you notice, that all they've got to do now in the light of this great doctrine is just to look to the Lord. [30:44:04]

Sanctification is the inevitable result of the doctrine and the experience because of the life of God in the soul. It starts at once, and our business is to put the whole of our energy and activity into it. [36:16:35]

If you believe that everything that is within you will make you long to be worthy of that and to rise to that... do you believe that it's God's purpose in Christ to reunite all things in him? [38:07:40]

Therefore, the inevitable logic, the inevitable deduction, it's because I believe the doctrine that I want to be holy and that I want to be more and more sanctified. Be ye holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord. [40:45:88]

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Transcript
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