When we were infants, we could not walk. As time went on, we began to crawl or scoot, then we began to walk. At first, we could only take a step or two, and down we would go. The Christian life is very similar. We start out as a baby in Christ and must go through the growth process to mature. In Ephesians 4:2 Paul is speaking to the church at Ephesus. He begins his instructions on how they and we are to walk as believers in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”
The first instruction is to have an attitude and mindset of lowliness. Lowliness is best described for us to understand as humility. There are several places in Paul’s writings where he uses this same word. In Philippians 2:3, Paul says we are to esteem others better than ourselves in the lowliness of our minds. He is using it here in contrast to those who are part of strife because of vain, or empty glory in reference to themselves. We are not to think highly of ourselves. We are to understand that anything about ourselves that is good is from God. He is the author of all goodness. The word vain means empty. It is worthless.
Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
In Acts 20:19, Paul instructs the Ephesian Elders to serve the Lord with “humility of mind.” Our thinking should be without any arrogance. Pride has no place in our lives. We are not to have a spirit that dictates to people what is right but rather teaches through love, prayer, and by our example how to live the life yielded to Christ. Serving with many tears shows the tenderness of heart that Paul had toward his people and the Gentiles. He longed for people to be saved.
Act 20:19 “Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:”
In Colossians 3:12, we are called by, and for the service of God. We are to present ourselves holy, without sin. As God’s children, we have been forgiven and we are to live a holy life. Will we be perfect in our daily actions? No, but we are to strive to be like Christ. We are not to use our humanity as an excuse to sin. When we sin, we should be broken over our sin. Knowing how imperfect we are should cause us to have an attitude of humility. We are to be longsuffering, not impatient, but showing kindness with a heart of mercy toward those who are in the body of Christ.
Colossians 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”
At no time should a Christians take pride in where they are in Christ. They should not feel they have “arrived” as a Christian. Only by God’s grace can we live the Christian faith. Walking as Christ is our goal, and it will be a process until the day we die. We are to be humble, not proud of anything that relates to us, because anything good is not of us, but by God’s grace. Our lives are not about us, but they are to be about Him!
