“…that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory”
who calls you into His own kingdom and glory
Believers have a special calling, a calling “into His own kingdom and glory.” We must temper and tune our lives to this calling. We adjust ourselves to God; He does not adapt Himself to us.
Note that this call is not written in the past tense — “who has called you.” Rather it is expressed in the present tense – God is currently calling us to serve continually in His kingdom and glory. God calls you today to this service. His call never ceases.
Note the word “own.” We could accept a call to many kingdoms. Those kingdoms would compete for our commitment, and these false allegiances will lure us away from our ultimate purpose. Many philosophies will pander to our baser motives. God designed us for the highest calling.
The “kingdom” is that sphere of behavior where God is sovereign and supreme (1 Corinthians 6:9; 15:50; Galatians 5:21; 2 Timothy 4:1,18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5). “Glory” is our glorious future with our glorious God. Kingdom and glory go together. What we shall be is where we should be now.
Principle:
What we shall be is where we should be now.
Application:
God divinely summons us to an entirely new concept of living.
We are on earth to represent God and His work. We are His ambassadors. As His ambassadors, we need to be a credit to Christ.
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).
“…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy…” (Colossians 1:10-11).
