THE KING’S BUSINESS
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just what we needed. * * * But, alas, if this language which is so infinitley below the reality which is in God is infinitely above, the reality which is in u s! * * * To pass from scripture to our experience seems like a fall from heaven to earth. The Lord teaches us how to bring our experience into harmony with His prom ises.” Saturday, July 20 . Eph. 4 : 1 . Here begins the second part o f the epis tle. Up to this point the Holy Spirit through Paul has been setting forth won derful truths about our exalted position, privileges and destiny in Christ. Now he tells us how we ought to live day by day, seeing that our position, privileges and des tiny in Christ are what they are. It is the method o f the ethical teaching o f the Bible to build our every day duties on the strong foundation o f great and glorious doctrines. The “therefore” in verse one connects the obligation concerning our walk with the doctrines concerning our position and ,des tiny. God has called us with a high and holy “calling,” called us to an amazing destiny, "therefore" we should “walk wor thy o f the calling wherewith” we “ were Balled” (R. V. 7; cf. Phil. 1:27; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12). Very earnestly Paul urges them to make their daily walk correspond to their eternal calling. “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord’G,(i. e., a prisoner because o f my union with my Lord—cf. ch. 3 :1 ), says Paul, “beseech you (cf. Rom. 1 2 : 1 ) to walk worthily o f the calling where with ye were called.” Shall we not yield to this earnest persuasion o f Paul? Can we any longer live a low life after listening to this exposition o f our high calling con tained in chapters one to three? Sunday, July 21 . Eph. 4 : 2 . Paul .now gives the characteristics o f the walk which shall be worthy o f this lofty calling wherewith we were called. And what are the characteristics o f this worthy walk ? First, “ with all lowliness,” lowli ness in every form, lowliness on every occa
sion. The loftiness o f our calling should manifest itself in the lowliness o f our lives (cf. very carefully John 13:3-5 and Matt. 11:27-29). The second characteristic o f the walk worthy of' our lofty calling is, “with all meekness.” “Meekness” does not mean in the Bible what most men interpret it to mean. A careful examination o f the Greek word and its usage shows it means gentleness in dealing with offenders (.cf. 1 Cor. 4:21; 2 Tim. 2:25; Titus 3:2 ). The temptation that confronts the one who knows that he has a high calling and des tiny, is to be overbearing and harsh, but gentleness alone becomes thè great, and being “meek” we are like Him in whom we are .called (Matt. 11:29), who was Him self the infinitely great One. Hand in hand with “lowliness” and “meekness” should go “long suffering,” This is the third char acteristic that Paul mentions o f the walk worthy o f the calling wherewith we are called. Long suffering lheans the patient and loving endurance o f injustice and injury from others (cf. Gal. 5:22, 23; Col, 3:12). By being “long suffering” we will be like Him who has called us (c f. Rom. 2 :4 ; 9:22; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9). How easily we fail at this point to walk worthily o f the high calling wherewith we were called. The fourth characteristic o f the walk worthy o f this exceeding high calling i s '“ forbearing one another in love.” By using the words “ one another” Paul gently hints that others will find just as much to bear with in us as we find to bear with in them. This is undoubt edly true, but almost all o f us in the blindness o f our spiritual pride do not see it. We have an idea that We are the ones who are to do all the forbearing. No, no, “one another.” The secret o f forbearing one another is found in the two little words “ in love.” Monday, July 22 . Eph. 4 : 3 . We must "give diligence” “to keep the unity o f the Spirit.” The Spirit is the author o f unity. It is our business to keep the unity that He makes. He unites Us all
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