One-Year Bible Reading Plan  : Seekers & New Believers |  Jun 21 | Ephesians Chapter 4: Walk Worthy of Your Vocation  

🦌 Opening Today’s Reading 

Dear brothers, sisters, and friends, peace be with you in the Lord!

Welcome to today's reading journey! Today, we are exploring Ephesians Chapter 4 together.

In our daily spiritual journey, how can we walk in a manner worthy of our calling? When dealing with old habits, negative emotions, or unhelpful speech, how do we experience true transformation in Christ?

Let's pause and take a quiet moment. Bringing a humble heart, let's step into today's scripture to see how Paul encourages us to build one another up in love, stripping off the old self and putting on the new man renewed in God's image.

📖 Context Snapshot 

Where are we today?

Ephesians Chapter 4 transitions the epistle from doctrine to practical Christian living:

1. Unity and Spiritual Growth in Christ (Ephesians 4:1–16): Paul urges believers to walk worthy of their calling with lowliness, meekness, and longsuffering, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Christ gave spiritual gifts and leadership roles to equip the saints for ministry, building up the body of Christ so that all may grow into maturity and truth in love.

2. Putting Off the Old Man and Putting On the New (Ephesians 4:17–32): Paul exhorts believers no longer to walk as the Gentiles in vanity of mind. They are to be renewed in the spirit of their mind, putting off former corrupt lusts and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. Paul outlines practical directives: speak truth, put away wrath and bitterness, steal no more, avoid corrupt communication, and be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving toward one another as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us.

💡 Today’s Scripture Verse  - Ephesians  4

4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

🌟Daily Heart-Check:  From "Old Habits" to "Renewed Mind" 

• Transformation Starts in the Mind: Walking in newness of life requires an active decision to cast off former patterns of thought and speech, allowing the Holy Spirit to reshape our minds daily according to God's truth.

• Walking in Kindness and Forgiveness: Unresolved anger and harsh speech grieve the Holy Spirit. Recalling how freely and deeply God has forgiven us in Christ enables us to extend kindness, compassion, and forgiveness to those around us.

🎵 Response Song :  

🙏 Closing Prayer

Loving Heavenly Father,

Thank You for speaking to us today through Ephesians Chapter 4.

Thank You for calling us into Your family. Help us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, in all lowliness, meekness, and patience. Teach us to support one another in love and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Renew the spirit of our minds today, Lord. Help us to put off the old self with its corrupt habits and put on the new man created in Your righteousness and true holiness. Guard our tongues so that no corrupt word proceeds from our mouths, but only that which is good for edification. Grant us tender hearts to forgive others just as You in Christ have forgiven us.

We commit our loved ones and friends into Your gracious care today. Let Your peace and unifying love reign in our lives.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!