QT 21/03/2025 Fri. Ephesians 4:1–6. Chasing after status for self-worth & perfomance? 为了自我价值和表现而追逐地位？

QT 21/03/2025 Fri. Ephesians 4:1–6. Chasing after status for self-worth & perfomance?
READ http://www.esvbible.org/eph4:1–6

The best stability and self-image to give to yourselves or those children around you that you are influencing would be to introduce to them who they can be in Christ.

The Christian's high status had been explained by Paul in Ephesians chapters 1–3. The "therefore" in 4:1 would then be his exhortation to these same believers to living out that high calling in the most appropriate way.

Ephesians 4:1–6 [1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—[5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (ESV)

A person who belonged to a reputable family would order their public conduct to befit that name. There is equality of opportunity here regardless of your past before you came to Christ—your present conduct would show to the world the high calling that you have received. Are our current walks "worthy of the calling"?

Trillions get wiped out in the stock market when the nation's leadership start to bicker with one another. Read the recent news. Christiandom loses more when brothers and sisters don't see eye to eye, usually over non-essential matters. It is difficult to point others to the merciful God when we don't extend mercy to fellow believers. It is difficult to point others to the generous God when we become misers of the cash that we hoard.

If Paul and his compatriot Peter can reach out to the Jews of their time, they have set a sample of what it meant to be "one body", "one Spirit" and "one hope".

The "whole" is not just merely one church, but churches across denominations, across political and racial boundaries. Is your "one faith" a common belief in Jesus Christ, rather than in your favourite Christians that you gather around you? Is your "one baptism" the baptism into the name of the LORD Jesus, rather into any particular denomination?

A child slowly grows up to understand the meaning of "father", and become less and less concerned with the "security blanket" or doll of his/her early childhood. A Christian child should also progress over time to demonstrate to the world all his/her learnings and emulations of the Father—indeed, this Father is over all, including over many of the small little personal favourites, "things" or pet topics that must give way to the high calling that believers have in common.

Perhaps, one day, when we look back, we say "no big deal" and should have re-prioritised "that thing" that Christians are bickering over now. To make our high-calling journey more joyful, we can also let go of that lower priority thing now in the light of the unity in Christ preached by Paul.

QT 21/03/2025 星期五. 以弗所书4:1–6 为了自我价值和表现而追逐地位？
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/eph/04

给自己或周围受你影响的孩子最好的稳定和自我形象，就是向他们介绍他们在基督里可以成为何等的人。

保罗在以弗所书第 1-3 章中解释了基督徒的崇高地位。因此，4:1 中的 “因此” 是他对这些信徒的劝勉，要他们以最合适的方式活出这一崇高的呼召。

以弗所书 4:1-6  因此，我这为主被囚禁的劝你们：行事为人，要配得上你们所蒙的呼召，2 凡事谦虚、温柔、忍耐，用爱心彼此宽容；3 以和睦联系，竭力持守圣灵所赐的合一。4 身体只有一个，圣灵只有一位，就像你们蒙召只是借着一个盼望。5 主只有一位，信仰只有一个，洗礼只有一种；6 神只有一位，就是万有的父。他超越万有，贯彻万有，并且在万有之中。

出身于名门望族的人会要求自己在外的行为举止与这个名声相符。在这里，机会是平等的，无论你在归向基督之前的过去如何，你现在的行为都会向世人展示你所接受的崇高呼召。我们现在的行为 “配得这呼召” 吗？

当国家核心领导层开始相互争吵时，数万亿美元就会在股市中化为乌有。看看最近的新闻吧。当弟兄姐妹意见不一致时，通常是在非必要的问题上，基督信仰的损失会更大。当我们不怜悯信徒时，就很难把怜悯的上帝指给他人。当我们成为囤积现金的守财奴时，就很难指点他人认识慷慨的上帝。

如果保罗和他的同胞彼得能够向他们那个时代的外邦人传福音，他们就树立了一个榜样，说明什么是 “一个身体”、“一个灵 ”和 “一个盼望”。

这个 “整体” 不仅仅是一个教会，而是跨宗派、跨政治和种族界限的教会。你们的 “同一信仰” 是对耶稣基督的共同信仰吗，而不是对你们聚集在一起的喜爱的基督徒的信仰吗？你们的 “同一洗礼” 是归入耶和华耶稣的名下，而不是归入任何特定的宗派吗？

孩子慢慢长大，理解了 “父亲 ”的含义，就会越来越少地关心他/她幼年时的 “安全毯” 或玩偶。基督徒的孩子也应该随着时间的推移，向世人展示他/她对父亲的所有学习和效仿--事实上，这位父亲统管一切，包括许多个人的小爱好、小 “事情” 或小话题，这些都必须让位于信徒们共同的崇高呼召。

也许有一天，当我们回首往事时，我们会说 “没什么大不了的”，我们应该把基督徒现在争吵的 “那件事 ”重新列为优先事项。为了让我们的蒙召之旅更加喜乐，我们也可以根据保罗所宣扬的基督里的合一，现在就放下那件优先级较低的事。