4:1-6 The Unified Body of Christ Part I - Vital Christianity

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2The goal of our existence is to live a life that is worthy of our calling. We were chosen and called toplease Him, to worship and serve Him. This is our highest calling. Paul’s point in the next verse is that such acalling should bring humility and devotion. Devotion to Christ expresses itself in loving attitudes andbehavior:“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”(Eph. 4:2)Only such attitudes and behavior show we are worthy of our high calling. It is these same virtues thatpromote unity in the body of Christ. When each member serves gently in love with great patience in an attitudeof humility, then unity is maintained. Without these virtues, it is impossible to have any semblance of unity.Where pride, harshness and impatience are manifested, there is rebellion, envy, confusion, chaos and division.But where love is evident there is peace and unity among the members.HUMILITYHumility is the grace which, when you think you have it, you have lost it. There is the story of a townwhere they attempted to find the most humble citizen. When they decided on whom it was they gave him amedal. But when he began wearing the medal, they took it from him.A young preacher, looking up from his reading, asked his wife, “How many really great preachers doyou think there are?” She replied, “Well, I don’t know, but there is one less than you think.”We all want to be great. It is part of human nature to want to be important. Everyone wants to lookgood. Someone pointed out, “Sometime in the future somebody is going to invent a mirror that is willing tolie—and he’s going to make himself a fortune.”impress.What nervous energy is spent in our feverish attempt to “be somebody!” Countless masks are worn toIt was pride in the heart of Lucifer, the most beautiful and honored angel, that was the first sin evercommitted in the universe. Lucifer’s beauty, position, power and honor simply were not enough.Pride, like greed, is never satisfied!Humility finds contentment everywhere it goes.
3To be humble means to be realistic about who we are. Paul put it this way:“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highlythan you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with themeasure of faith God has given you” (Rom. 12:3).The word sober can also be translated “sane.” The opposite of sane is insane. Insanity means being outof touch with reality. So Paul is telling us not to be in touch with reality about yourself, that is, we are to berealistic about ourselves. Humility means recognizing and accepting our strengths and weaknesses.The idea of Paul’s phrase, “in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you,” is that, sincethe power or ability that we have comes from God, there is no basis for a superior attitude or selfrighteousness.Pride, the opposite of humility, is what “changed angels into demons and men into angels.”(St. Augustine). The humble person is self-effacing, unpretentious, and modest and therefore does not seek attentionor tries to impress others. He is content to put others first and give them the benefit of the doubt. While hereceives praise graciously, he feels uncomfortable and awkward by it.Humility is not to be confused with humiliation, which is the act of making someone elsefeel ashamed, and is something completely different.GENTLENESSGentleness and meekness are closely related. Neither gentleness nor meekness is weakness. Rather, itis strength under control. Jesus described Himself as “gentle and humble in heart” (Mt. 11:29). This was thesame Jesus who drove out the money changers in the temple. The word is also used in reference to a soft wind.We know how powerful the wind can be, but when under control it brings a gentle breeze. Gentleness issensitivity to the feelings of others.Gentleness is strength expressed in tenderness, consideration and sensitivity. It was used inreferring to the taming or domestication of animals. A gentle person is one who is mild towardothers in trying and difficult circumstances, tender when others are rough, and quiet and kindwhen others are loud and coarse.
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Page 6 and 7: 6splits.The one Spirit in our lives

4:1-6 The Unified Body of Christ Part I - Vital Christianity

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