Galatians 3.29
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Galatians 4.4-7
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
It’s an amazing truth. An incredible reality. God — the Creator of the universe — sent his Son Jesus into the world to redeem us so that we might become God’s children and heirs of God’s kingdom on earth. As heirs and agents of the kingdom, Christians are called to live and work in obedience to God’s standards. Scripture describes this call to obedience in many different ways.
In Matthew, Jesus tells us to be “the light of the world and the salt of the earth.”
Ephesians tells us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.”
Galatians tells us to “bear the fruit of the Spirit.”
Romans tells us “Let love be genuine. Reject what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”
Hebrews tells us to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”
James tells us to “be doers of the word and not hearers only.”
I Peter says “Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
2 Peter says “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”
These scriptures (and there are many others) are crystal clear calls for the followers of Christ to be obedient. Colossians teaches that the Lord “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” For this reason we are called to “let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
Read these scriptures with your heart, not just your head. Let them penetrate deeply and speak to your innermost being. Keep in mind these commands apply to every dimension of your life: work, home, ministry, and community.
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9-10)
