by Luke Kincaid
As I was reading through To Live is Christ to Die is Gain by Matt Chandler I came across a phrase which Paul used quite often in his writings:
1 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, – Ephesians 4:1
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, – Colossians 1:9-10
11 As you know, like a father with his own children, 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. – 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, – Philippians 1:27
Now this is a phrase which I am familiar with but one which I never truly understood. Does it mean living in such a way that makes you worthy? This can’t be because Jesus is the only reason we can be saved so that can’t be it. Matt Chandler provides the following thought provoking explanation of what Paul means when he uses this specific word:
“What does the word worthy mean? For Paul. It means ascribing worth. When he commands others to live in a ‘worthy’ way, he means we should live in such a way that shows what we believe is of supreme worth. For Christians, it means living in such a way that Jesus is seen as big, that Jesus is seen as glorious.”
Do I live in such a way that shows that what I believe is of supreme worth? Now that’s a challenging question and one which I think we can all think through as we go through the week ahead. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will show us all areas of our lives that are in conflict with walking worthy and valuing our belief in Jesus above everything else.
Much love,
Luke
