"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called," Ephesians 4:1
This Sunday, we continue the series "add to" and begin looking at the first of seven qualities that the Word calls us to add to our faith. It is my hope and prayer that as you read this, you have settled the matter of faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that brings the grace of God which saves. The Bible says that if you are hearing God today, don't harden your heart! Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, confess him as Lord and the Bible says you will be saved. Settle the matter of faith in Christ. Have the power of sin broken in your life. Become a new creation.
For those who have already believed by faith in Jesus as the risen Son of God and confessed Him as Lord, it's time to grow in our faith. 2 Peter 3:5 says to, "make every effort to add to your faith..." and the first quality we are told to add is virtue. In our faith, we must practice and exemplify a life of virtue, a life of integrity. In Ephesians 4:1, Paul urges believers to walk in a manner worthy of the calling they have received. We are called to new life in Christ, the old life must pass away. We cannot walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received if we continue to walk in old ways. There is a new way to walk, it starts with faith and continues in virtue.
My prayer, for us individually and as a church, is that we would live out our faith while walking in virtue, and by doing so, point the world around us to Christ. I'll see you this Sunday!
Grace & Peace,
John
(You can reach Pastor John at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)