Equality

If you're not aware of it, sometimes I like to give a name to these posts that appears to be one thing but is actually another. So "Orthodoxy" was not actually about orthodoxy, but about right-thinking, for instance, and "Dangers of a Bad Diet" was not about what we eat, but about Adam and Eve eating the fruit. You get the idea. So I will tell you up front this one is not about "marriage equity" or "equal pay" or "equal rights" or the like. Just letting you know.

In Paul's epistle to the church at Ephesus he spends 3 chapters talking about truths that are important. We're blessed (Eph 1:3-14) emphasizing "in Christ" and "for His glory." He talks about the problem of sin (Eph 2:1-3) in contrast to God's mercy and love (Eph 2:4-10) and the problem of Gentiles without God or hope (Eph 2:11-12) in contrast to Christ's work of removing the barriers to make "one new man" (Eph 2:13-22). He explained his magnificent mission to the Gentiles (Eph 3:2-13) and prayed that believers would know the unknowable love of Christ (Eph 3:14-19) because of "Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Eph 3:20). Big stuff. And then he writes,

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." (Eph 4:1)

"Consider your calling," he says, "and let your walk reflect that calling." Or, "The way you live your life should be equal to the calling with which you were called." (See? Equality.)

What does that look like? What does "a manner worthy of your calling" look like? Paul lists some characteristics -- humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love (Eph 4:2) -- but the primary one is this: "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3). Now, step back a moment. The topic is "What does it look like if you are walking in a manner that corresponds to the calling you have received?" Paul says it has some character traits, but the big one is the unity of the Spirit. Interesting, considering that it looks like a lot of disunity among Christians.

Paul goes on to specify the unity he is talking about. It is not, contrary to popular belief, everyone thinking alike. It is not everyone doing the same thing. The text from Eph 4:11-16 describes different functions -- gifts Christ has given to the church to grow believers into maturity. Not the same thing. Different body parts doing different things (Eph 4:16). So what is the unity? He specifies one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God (Eph 4:4-6). Unity in that.

Here area the necessary questions, then. Given the calling (Eph 1-3) and the command (Eph 4:1) to walk in a manner worthy of that calling, are you aware of your calling? Is your aim unity in matters of the body of Christ, the Spirit, our hope, our Lord, the faith, and God? (Baptism takes a little more explanation.) Our character and our lives ought to be equivalent to our calling ... which is huge. If they are not, is it because we don't grasp our calling or because we aren't interested in submitting to God? Something to consider.