After several weeks of learning who we are from Paul in the first three chapters of Ephesians, we begin to engage with how to live out the plans for us and the church. In the Message translation by Eugene Peterson, he opens chapter 4 with…

In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. – Ephesians 4:1-3 MSG

Paul’s encouragement goes beyond just knowing who we are and what God has done, but now get out and live the life God intended us to embrace. He mentions walking out and taking action.  We know that love is a verb, and God truly does not want us just sitting around with knowledge of what He has done, but not put His plans into action.  Lets read the first main section.

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.” 

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. – Ephesians 4:1-16 NIV

 As we attempt to “walk out the life available for us”, we eventually face the challenges expected, living with others. He specifically says to be completely humble and gentle, being patient, bearing with one another in love. This is not just a message to the people in the region of Ephesus. The same challenge and encouragement was shared with the Colossians as well…

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. – Colossians 3:12-13

Living out this life in a new creation that God has created is hard enough, but the challenge is to get up and live life with others.

How are things going with your walk as a family member of God? Not just your struggles with your identity but relationships and engagements?

Let’s be honest, living and dealing with ourselves is hard enough. But this idea of living life with others can be the hardest part of being a Christian man. Most of the challenges that we have is thinking about us and them, as how do we get along, why others don’t treat us, how others are acting and lack of unity. But if we truly believe that we are no longer independent, but we are all one in Christ, then each challenge a person is going through is our challenge. Each emotions, feeling and. attitude is not only theirs, but ours. Now let us rephrase that first question and take into context this new life.

How are things going in your life? How are the emotions, challenges and life with God’s family?

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:17-32 NIV

Paul says to not be like Gentiles living their old ways. We can put that in our life terms today. Don’t live like we used to. Allow God to pulverize our hardened hearts and live with others, not just for ourselves.

What are your biggest challenges of living out this life we are called to represent? How can we rally together and  pray for each other?

This unity concept is a more than a mind-shift. It is a life style shift. Use this challenging chapter as a personal challenge from God himself to live life with a different perspective and intention. There are a lot of people in our lives and we need to engage for Christ. There will be times that it is difficult and that it does not seem fair or it might seem useless or consuming. But let us remember that we are prisoners FOR God, we are not prisoners of God. We are not victims but actually chosen, empowered men to walk out and live a life in new ways. Having God’s mindset to live out this life. This week take the challenge to experience life with others, not just your thoughts and feelings, but those of the body of Christ. What are people feeling around us? What are their struggles, pains, and hurts. Let’s put into action this life we are called to live out.

Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Eph 4:1–3). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

The New International Version. (2011). (Eph 4:1–8). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.