Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God

Walking With God - 5

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-03-05

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on walking with the Lord by expounding Ephesians 4:1-7. He emphasizes that walking worthy of our calling requires lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance in love, all aimed at preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Longsuffering is defined as self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate, modeled after God's patience with us. Forbearance involves bearing with the infirmities of weaker brethren without disdain. The unity we are to keep is God-given, based on one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. Every believer is given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift, enabling us to function together as one body.

[John Weaver] I want you to please look at Ephesians chapter 4. And once again, we're going to read verses 1 through 7. Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 7. This is in the series, Walking with the Lord. And this is part 5. Part 5. Notice, if you would, Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 1. Paul says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are 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.

[John Weaver] But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. You remember, I started this series of walking with the Lord and I pointed out in the very first message that you cannot walk with the Lord until you learn to walk before the Lord. That is exactly what God told Abram in Genesis 17, walk now before me and be thou perfect. So walking before the Lord means that we are walking before his face or literally as in his presence. You remember, I also told you there were five implications of the word. walking.

[John Weaver] It implied communion and fellowship. It also implied agreement. It implied purpose. It implied progress. And, of course, it implied resolution as well. And then we looked at Hebrews 11 in verse 6 because we continued our study there with Enoch, verses 5 and 6 deals with Enoch. And so I dealt with walking by faith. And the scripture says very clearly in Hebrews 11 verse 6, but without faith, it's impossible to please him.

[John Weaver] For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a reward of them that diligently seek him. So I pointed out that walking by faith refers to and implies belief in the person of God. For he must believe that he is. It also infers belief in the promises of God, and He's a reward of those that diligently seek Him. And then overall, in the providence of God, because it's God who brings everything to pass and works them out for our good and for His glory.

[John Weaver] So in the third message, then I begin looking at Ephesians chapter four, where the Apostle Paul says, I beseech you, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you've been called. So in the last three messages now, I've been dealing with simply walking worthy. And when the Apostle Paul says walk worthy of the vocation, he's actually saying walk worthy of the salvation under which you've been called. I showed you how the word calling here occurs 10 times in the New Testament and each time, of course, it refers to salvation. And then we begin to look at how we're to walk worthy. And we looked at verse two with all lowliness and I spent an entire message dealing with lowliness because the word lowliness there literally means walking in humility or walking with a humble mind or walking with modesty or walking with a sense of one's smallness or littleness or lowliness of mind. And I pointed out how lowliness is actually the opposite of pride and arrogance and haughtiness.

[John Weaver] It is the opposite of a spirit of domination and lordship and manipulation. And then I showed you that if you and I are indeed to walk lowly in a lowly manner, then we have to remember what we were and what God brought us from. And we looked at Ephesians chapter two, verses one through three. We also looked at Isaiah 51 in verse one, where God says, hearken to me, ye that fall after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord, look unto the rock from which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit which you were digged. So if you understand what you were when God found you. And what God brought you out of.

[John Weaver] There's obviously no reason for pride, arrogance or haughtiness as well. Even the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15, described himself as the chief of sinners. And so each one of us, if we are walking with a lowly mind, would be ready to thank Paul for that position. So walking worthy also includes walking with meekness. If you look in verse 2, he says, walk with all lowliness and meekness. So last week, I spent the entire message on weakness or meekness. And I pointed out how meekness is not weakness. How meekness is not just simply poor posture. I pointed out how meekness is not a denial of our rights or anything like that. But meekness literally refers to disciplined strength under Christ. It refers to those who've been broken to yoke.

[John Weaver] So when we get angry, Righteously so, we get angry at our Lord's command. When we are submissive, we get submissive at our Lord's command. In other words, we've been broken to yoke. It's kind of like when I was a boy plowing mules, it was Gee and Haw. And when you hollered Gee, the old mule knew which way to go. When you hollered Haw, the old mule knew which way to go. So when we're broken to yoke, When we're wearing the yoke of Jesus Christ, when He commands us, that is when we move. It's not that we're weak. It is disciplined strength under Christ. He controls us. We wear His yoke.

[John Weaver] Now, today, what I want to do is try to finish verse 2, actually through verse 7. I could go on and probably deal with these things and make four or five more messages out of this one short passage, but I think that I can probably tie this together sufficiently so that you can understand what walking worthy unto the Lord really and truly is. So let me pick up where we left off. We left off in verse two. The apostle tells us to walk worthy and he tells us how to do that. He says we are to walk with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

[John Weaver] endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Now, notice, let's go back to verse 2 of Ephesians chapter 4. He says, with all loneliness and meekness and longsuffering. So, thirdly, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk with longsuffering.

[John Weaver] Now, longsuffering is derived from a very interesting word. The Greek word is macrothumia. It is translated in our Bibles as longsuffering twelve times and is translated as patience two times. So let me tell you what the word longsuffering actually refers to. It refers to patience, to endurance, to constancy, to steadfastness, to perseverance, to forbearance, And let me just spell it out for you. Slowness in avenging oneself. Slowness in avenging oneself.

[John Weaver] So long-suffering then is restraint. Let me go back and say it again. Long-suffering is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong. So it is It is an attribute that does not easily or quickly turn to wrath and revenge. So let me say it like this. Longsuffering means that you never permit a test or trial or provocation to get you to the end of your patience. Here's what John Gill had to say. Listen carefully. John Gill said, with longsuffering, bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other, without being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage, and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given or injury done, and so to walk is to walk worthy of the grace of calling, or agreeable to it, to God that calls by His grace, who is longsuffering both with wicked men and with His own people." So notice what he says, longsuffering literally means then bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other and not being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage.

[John Weaver] And I especially like this phrase and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given. Wow. So that means when Ron says something to me, I don't immediately start saying, Lord, how can I get him back? You know, we used to do that as kids. No, no, that's not long-suffering. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6, if you would. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. And notice what the Apostle Paul says in this passage. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. He's talking about, in fact, you have to go back to verse 3. Look, in verse three, he says, giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed.

[John Weaver] But in all things, approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fasting by pureness. Here's how we do it. By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering. by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. But notice, if you would please, he points out giving no offense in anything that the ministry may be blamed in that sense, he says, with long suffering. So here's the question.

[John Weaver] Let me say, here are the questions. Since God has commanded us now to walk with all lowliness and meekness and long suffering, from where Are we to learn long suffering? How should this affect us? And how may we apply this to our lives? Well, let me just tell you, I believe that you will be able to comprehend the answers to those questions by allowing me to ask you a simple question. So I want you to get ready to answer this question, but do not answer it out loud. Answer it in your minds. So remember now, I'm trying to ask and trying to answer from where do we learn long suffering? How do we learn it? And how is it to apply to our lives? So here's the questions I want to ask you. Which one of you?

[John Weaver] Or would you have desired for God to slap you down to run you over And even destroy you for the very first sin that you committed. I could go further. How many would you be would be willing for God to slap you down, run you over, destroy you for the second sin that you committed? How about the third sin? Or the fourth sin? Or the fifth sin?

[John Weaver] My, some of us are slow learners, aren't we? We can go to the thousands and the millions. And God has allowed us to live. I know the answer and you know the answer. If our Heavenly Father was not long suffering, then none of us would be here today. He would have been dead a long time ago.

[John Weaver] Now that's why the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 4, now listen carefully,"...or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." So God did not instantly smite us and slap us down when we first sinned and rebelled against Him. He didn't do it the second time, or the third time, or the hundredth, or the thousandth, or the millionth time.

[John Weaver] He allowed us to live. I could take the time today and show you how God was long-suffering with Israel. Oh, how many times did they provoke Him just in the wilderness? Look at the long-suffering of God with the heathen. You remember He allowed those Amorites to live an additional 400 years while Israel was in Egypt. I could show you in the Scripture how God's been long-suffering With us. But I want to show you from the scripture. How that God only expects. But demands that we be long suffering with each other. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 18. Matthew Chapter 18. I think. That you will understand the implication of long suffering here. Look at Matthew chapter 18 and let's begin reading there with verse 21.

[John Weaver] And you will see how these two things are tied together. Matthew 18 verse 21. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until 70 times seven. Well, that doesn't mean that your patience ends at 490 times, but our Lord is using this as saying you don't run out.

[John Weaver] Now, watch if you would. Verse 23, in light of Peter's question and in light of our Lord's answer, he says this. Therefore, is the kingdom of heaven locked into a certain king which would take account of his servants? And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents, which would be millions and millions. But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence, which is just a few cents. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down on his feet and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

[John Weaver] And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on my fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses. Wow.

[John Weaver] Let me just tell you, the principle, I believe, that should be enunciated from this passage is exceedingly plain. Here it is. Freely you have received, freely give. God has been merciful and patient and long suffering with you. So therefore, God expects you to be merciful and patient and longsuffering with others. God did not instantly smite us. God did not instantly destroy us. Likewise, we're not to instantly destroy others.

[John Weaver] Wait, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter six and look at verse ten, Galatians six and verse ten. Look what God says. Galatians 6 and verse 10. As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them which are of the household of faith. So God tells us as we have opportunity, we're to do good unto all, but we have a special obligation to do good to those who are the household of faith. So he tells us that we're going to walk worthy. We have to walk not only with lowliness and meekness, but longsuffering. Go back in your Bibles to Ephesians 4 and verse 2, because he continues with all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering.

[John Weaver] And then he adds this forbearing one another in love. So fourth, If we're to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk in forbearance. Now, longsuffering and forbearance are intimately connected. The Greek word for forbearance here is anekomai, which literally means to suffer, to bear with, to forbear, to endure, and to hold up, and to sustain.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you. Once you study the scripture, you're going to find that the Bible usually divides Christians into several groups. There are weak brethren and there are strong brethren, and I would just imagine, since there are weak and since there are strong, there's got to be some in between as well, progressing from one to the other. We could say it like this. John said in First John, Chapter two, That there are babes in Christ, there are young men, and there are fathers. And as I pointed out in times past, you don't expect a baby to act like a young man, nor do you expect a young man to act like a father. Each one has their own set of characteristics and attributes, that is for sure. But notice if you would, and we'll look at a passage a little bit later, But if you were to look at, for instance, Romans chapter 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, you'll find there that God speaks about the weak brethren and the strong brethren as well.

[John Weaver] Now, there is a problem that exists between the strong brethren and the weaker brethren. I can say this another way. There's a problem that exists between a mature believer and an immature believer. What is the problem? Well, Romans chapter 14 tells us it is a tendency of the weaker brother to judge the stronger brother. In other words, their attitude is, how can you do this? How can you say that?

[John Weaver] Why are you doing this? In other words, you should not be doing this. So they're judging and passing judgment on something they do not understand. The tendency of the stronger brother is to disdain and to despise The weaker brother. The tendency is to become impatient and cut him off. Or to be sharp with the weaker brother. In other words, we disdain them because of their weakness, because of their lack of understanding. Wow. Have you ever despised a weaker brother? Have you ever disdained someone and thought they were absolutely silly because they have No understanding.

[John Weaver] They do not have the knowledge that you have. They do not have the maturity that you have. Have you ever noticed this? If you have more than one child, and you have an older child, and maybe a couple in the middle, and then a younger child, have you ever noticed the older children usually don't even want to play with the younger child? Why? Because the other child is a baby and they've matured. They've gotten out of playing baby dolls.

[John Weaver] It's the same thing in the spiritual realm where a mature or a stronger Christian just does not willingly and readily want to put up with a weaker brother. Now, let me tell you something. Teaching is one thing. Arguing, disdaining, And cutting someone off is quite another thing. So if you would hold Ephesians chapter 4, but look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 14. I'm not going to preach on this passage, but I have in time passed. But look what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 1. Here is the exact problem that I've just been discussing. Romans 14 verse 1. The Bible says him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not the doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him." So the tendency of the weaker brother is to judge, and the tendency of the stronger brother is to despise.

[John Weaver] By the way, it would probably help us when we run across a weaker brother or a babe in Christ, or if we're fathers, when we run across young men, it would probably help us to remember that we were not always mature. We were not always strong. We were not always fathers. We were in the same position that they were in. And someone was long-suffering and had forbearance with us. It's the same principle.

[John Weaver] Here's what Matthew Henry says. Listen carefully. Forbearing one another in love signifies bearing their infirmities out of a principle of love and so not as to cease to love them on account of these, that is their infirmities. The best Christians have need to bear one with another and to make the best of one another to provoke one another's graces and not their passions. We find much in ourselves, which is hard to forgive ourselves, and therefore we must not think it much if we find that in others, which we think hard to forgive them. And yet we must forgive them as we forgive ourselves. Wow.

[John Weaver] When you see a young Christian that is proud, headstrong, And he thinks that he has the world by the tail. And he thinks that he knows everything. And he impresses you as a know-it-all. And I've met some like that. Just stop and think back and remember when you were just as immature, ignorant, and impulsive, as well as having far more zeal than you did knowledge.

[John Weaver] I've had. Young Christians. Who tried to correct me theologically? Well, they have never even read their Bibles. Never read their Bible through one time. I've had young preachers. Who tried to correct me and argue with me? And I just keep showing Scripture and showing Scripture. And they can't do anything other than maintain one little simple line. They can't think things through. Why? Because they're children. Children in the faith. I just have to say, I'm up beyond being corrected. If I'm wrong, I want to be corrected. But I want to be corrected by someone who can take the scripture and show me verse by verse and in the context where I'm wrong. Don't just tell me I'm wrong because.

[John Weaver] Your papa said this 20 years ago, or you heard some preacher say this when you were a child. I want to see it from the scripture. All I'm simply saying is this. The Apostle is telling us if we're going to walk worthy of his calling, we're to walk in all lowliness and meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Here's the question. Why? Look back in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter four. Now, watch. Let's put this together. Ephesians chapter four. Look in verse one.

[John Weaver] He says it like this. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." Here's verse 3,"...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Wow!"...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to call your attention to something that's very important in verse 3. Verse 3 says, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity. And that unity is based upon our common salvation. It is the common salvation that each saint possesses. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, it is our duty, it is our obligation, it is our responsibility, it is our privilege to endeavor to keep that unity.

[John Weaver] Now, the Greek word is spounazo, and it literally means to endeavor, to be diligent, to labor, to exert oneself. Let me put it in such a way that you hopefully will not forget it. Literally, what he tells you in verse three is this, breaking your neck to keep the unity of the Spirit. Breaking your neck, that is doing everything within your power to keep the unity of the Spirit.

[John Weaver] So here's what he's telling us. God has given us a unity as believers. It is our duty. It is our obligation. It's our responsibility to keep it. Obviously, you cannot keep a unity if you're fussing and fighting and if we're breaking up into parties and factions and cliques. I've seen churches. Harmony Baptist Church. Right next to it within 100 yards is New Harmony Baptist Church. What does that mean?

[John Weaver] It meant they had a split. Now. I hope you've noticed as you read through the book of First Corinthians. How the Corinthians were full of divisions and strife and parties and cliques. And the Apostle Paul tells us we're not to be like that. Let me put something out for you. There are always dangers of divisions and strifes because we're different. We're not only different, we're at different stages of maturity in our Christian life. Not only that, we come from different sections of the country. We have sometimes different cultures. We have different manners, different habits.

[John Weaver] Where I was raised as a boy, we had breakfast, dinner, supper. All of the times I get invitations for dinner, and I will call and say now, What time did you want us? About 11, 30, or 12. And there's a long pause. I said, what you really meant to say was supper, wasn't it? Supper is at night, not dinner. But you know, when you're from the north or from, it's breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But down in South Georgia, it's breakfast, dinner, and supper.

[John Weaver] So I'm just simply saying, we have different habits. There is a tendency for me to say, Linda, you're not from around here. But you know what she could say? He wasn't raised the way I was raised. You follow me? So it could be mutual. So what he's telling us that we've got to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit, but I want you to notice something. Not only are we different personalities, not only do we have different cultures and different backgrounds, enjoy different things.

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is this. We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. That's what he said. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So whatever we are working at in keeping the unity of the Spirit. It has to be in the bond of peace.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen to me. I thought this was so absolutely wonderful. And I thought it was so beautiful. I thought it explained it so well. The Greek word for bond is hyndesmos. That word refers to a bond or a band that binds things together. It refers to a bundle just like the ligaments by which our muscles are bound together. Have you ever had a torn ligament? A torn ligament is very, very painful. In fact, a torn ligament will actually just about make a muscle useless until it is healed. So unless we want to be useless, and unless we want to make others useless, then God tells us that we should be diligent in keeping that unity that He has given us in the bond of peace. That's why he said in Romans 12 and verse 18, listen carefully, let me just quote it.

[John Weaver] He said, if it be possible. As much as life in you. Live peaceably with all men. Now, I believe. God was telling us he recognizes sometimes there are some that we cannot live peaceably with, I understand that. But he said, if it be possible, as much as life in you break your neck is what he's saying. To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, so if God then expects us to live peaceably with others. How much more does he expect us to live peaceably with each other? Matthew Henry.

[John Weaver] said this, commenting on verses two and three, listen. He says, now, without these things, lowliness, meekness, long suffering and forbearance, unity cannot be preserved. The first step towards unity is humility. Without this, there will be no meekness, no patience or forbearance. Without these, no unity. Pride and passion break the peace and make all the mischief. Humility and meekness restore the peace and keep it. Only by pride cometh contention. Only by humility comes love.

[John Weaver] The more lowly-mindedness, the more like-mindedness. We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, if we be not meek and lowly of heart. For he by whom we are called He to whom we are called was eminent for meekness and lowliness of heart and has commanded us therein to learn of him." So what he is saying is there cannot be any keeping of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace if we're missing all the attributes in verse two. Verse two is a prerequisite for verse three.

[John Weaver] There is a hymn that we usually sing All of you probably have heard it. The title of it is bind us together. Here are the words bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken, bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together with love. There is only one God. There's only one king. There's only one body. That is why we sing. Lord, bind us together. Lord, bind us together. And there's two choruses that go to that as well. Well, here's the truth. The truth is he has bound us together.

[John Weaver] And we must endeavor to keep that unity by not caring and rendering asunder the ligaments of lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance. Now, here's what I want to do. I want to show you. In verses four through seven. How the Apostle Paul now makes application of the first three verses. Because usually when you read verses four through seven, you think, well, what possible connection could they have with the first three verses?

[John Weaver] When he says, there is one body and one spirit, even as you're 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. But in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. So how does that connect with the first three verses? Well, actually.

[John Weaver] The apostle Paul is telling us that there is a threefold unity that we need to observe, which will enable us and help us to make sure that we follow verses 1 through 3. First, the threefold unity is evidenced internally. Look in verse 4. Here's an internal evidence. He says, there is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. I want you to hold Ephesians chapter 4 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 12. And we'll read through verse 27. Remember, he talks about. In verse In verse four, that there is one body, one spirit in your call with one hope of your calling. Well, look in verse 12 and beginning there with verse 12, he says. In fact, let's yeah, let's begin reading verse 12. He says, for as the body is one and has many members and all the members of that one body being many or one body, so also is Christ.

[John Weaver] So just like you have arms and legs and feet and toes and fingers, You're still one body. So likewise, there are many different members, but we have one body in Christ. Verse 13, for by one spirit. Are we all baptized into one body, whether it be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into that one spirit for the body is not one member, but many. If a foot shall say, because I'm not the hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set members, every one of them in the body, as it had pleased him. And if that were all one member, where were the body? And now are there many members yet, but one body.

[John Weaver] And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee. Nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow a more abundant honor. And our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need, but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked. Why? that there be no schism or no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now, you are the body of Christ and members in particular. Now, what did he say? We are one body, but different members. But we are one body that have been placed in that body. By one spirit, looking back in verse 18, he says it, but now have God set the members, every one of them, the body as it pleased him.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 11, but all these work at that one in the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he willed. One body, one spirit, one hope of our calling. And let me just quote it. Romans 1, verses 6 and 7. Among whom also you are the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. There's one body. There's one spirit. And there's one hope of our calling. Everyone in this room has the same exact hope. We hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We're in one body, we are His body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us in that body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us as a member in that body as it pleased Him to do so.

[John Weaver] So I can't say, well, I don't need Levi. I do need Levi. Can't say I don't need Jim. I do need Jim. I need every one of my fingers. I need both arms. I need every member that I've got. And that's exactly what he's telling us here. There is this. Internal. Evidence of our unity. We have one body, one spirit, and one hope of our calling. Go back if you would to Ephesians chapter 4.

[John Weaver] Now he says in verse 5, watch carefully, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. So second here then is an external or outward profession of our unity. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. We acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Since we acknowledge His Lordship, His Godhead, His Deity, we have one faith. We have one Lord. We have one faith. We have one baptism. There cannot be two Lords. The word Lord is curios.

[John Weaver] It means boss, owner, master, sovereign. There can only be one sovereign, one absolute, one ultimate. Since there is only one God, one Lord, that means there is one faith and there is only one baptism. And that is the baptism that actually places you in the body. If you want to see it, look in your Bibles to Romans 6. Look there and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Romans 6 and verse 3. Look what he says. Romans 6 and verse 3. Romans 6, verse 3, know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. Therefore, we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection. There's one Lord, there's one faith, there's one baptism.

[John Weaver] So you have an internal evidence of the unity, you have an external evidence of that unity because of our profession. And if you look back to Ephesians chapter four.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, the circle of unity grows even wider with a heavenly application for verse six tells us one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all. Wow, now notice if he would, one God and father of all. You remember that? Shema Israel. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 6 says, But to us there is but one God, the father of whom are all things. and we in Him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by Him. So what does it mean then when he says one God and Father of all who is above all He's sovereign and through all it's His providence and in you all it's the same salvation. We all have the one God and Father who has saved us, who is our Sovereign, who works everything out for our good and for His glory. God the Father is the initiator, the author, the originator of our salvation.

[John Weaver] God the Son is the one who procured and purchased our salvation. God the Holy Spirit is the one who applies that salvation. So he says there is one God and father of all who is above all. He's the author and the finisher of our faith and through all and in you all. So actually, verse 6 brings us right back to the internal and the external manifestations of our unity. Now let me conclude with verse 7. I want you to look at verse 7. But under every one of us and Paul is talking to the Ephesians. So the application would be to us, but under every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Now, think about that, but in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. Here's the thief on the cross. He said, Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom, and our Lord said, Verily I say to you, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. How long was that thief saved before he died? An hour or two at the most, because he came along and broke their legs. Once they broke the legs, they died. My question is this. How much grace did God give that dying thief?

[John Weaver] Not only sufficient saving, but sufficient to live for the several hours that he lived. Right.

[John Weaver] Now, look at verse seven again, but every one of us is given grace. How much grace does God give us according to the measure of the gift of Christ? You have the grace and the gift that God gave you. I don't care how little or how much. The tiniest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. The largest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. But in that area of saving grace, he also gives us other gifts. God has placed us in the body, the scripture says, as it has pleased him.

[John Weaver] That means we have to function together. We have to work together. I got tickled last week because after church, Jim was telling us how to lose weight. And he heard a man say, well, the way to lose weight is very easy. Drink a pint of whiskey before meal. Said you'll still be hungry, but you can't find your mouth. Well, that might work. That might work, but I want you to think about this. I want you to listen to this. If my hand cannot find my mouth, my hand is useless. My hand has to be able to minister to my mouth. OK, it does. It does. If it doesn't, then I've got to find some other way for something to minister to my mouth.

[John Weaver] Someone would have to if I'm to continue living. So the point I'm trying to make is this. Wherever God places us in the body, whatever member we are in the body. We're there only by the grace of God and for the honor and the glory of God and for the ministry Of the whole. I can't look at. Ron and say. I don't need you. I do. He has gifts and graces that I don't have. Same thing with Marshall. He'll have gifts and graces I don't have.

[John Weaver] So that means this we are absolutely It is absolutely essential and necessary that we come together and stay together. If we're going to function the way we should function. And the only way that we can walk and function the way we should. Is the way Paul says with all lowliness and meekness and long suffering forbearing one another in love. Breaking our neck. to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Why? Because we recognize there is one body, and one Spirit, and one calling, and one Lord, and one faith, and one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, and He's given us grace that we can function if we will. So to walk worthy is to walk in such a way that we maintain the unity that God has given us, that we recognize that we're one body in Jesus Christ. Many different members, but one body. Walk worthy of the vocation we're with, you recall. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And I pray, Father, that You would indeed enable us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we've been called. Enable us, Lord, to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Enable us, Lord, to be longsuffering and forbearing with each other. Enable us to walk in humility and meekness. Enable us, Father, to bring honor to Thee In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask and pray. Amen.

Walking With God - 5

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	52216189484
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-03-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 146: Walking With God — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	67

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the series on walking with the Lord, recalling that walking before the Lord is prerequisite, and summarizes previous messages on lowliness and meekness from Ephesians 4:1-2.

I want you to please look at Ephesians chapter 4. And once again, we're going to read verses 1 through 7. Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 7. This is in the series, Walking with the Lord. And this is part 5. Part 5. Notice, if you would, Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 1. Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 4:1-7

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are 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."

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. You remember, I started this series of walking with the Lord and I pointed out in the very first message that you cannot walk with the Lord until you learn to walk before the Lord. That is exactly what God told Abram in Genesis 17, "Walk now before me and be thou perfect." So walking before the Lord means that we are walking before his face or literally as in his presence. You remember, I also told you there were five implications of the word walking. It implied communion and fellowship. It also implied agreement. It implied purpose. It implied progress. And, of course, it implied resolution as well. And then we looked at Hebrews 11 and verse 6 because we continued our study there with Enoch, verses 5 and 6 deals with Enoch. And so I dealt with walking by faith. And the scripture says very clearly in Hebrews 11 verse 6, "But without faith, it's impossible to please him."

"For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." So I pointed out that walking by faith refers to and implies belief in the person of God. For he must believe that he is. It also infers belief in the promises of God, and He's a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. And then overall, in the providence of God, because it's God who brings everything to pass and works them out for our good and for His glory.

So in the third message, then I begin looking at Ephesians chapter four, where the Apostle Paul says, "I beseech you, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you've been called." So in the last three messages now, I've been dealing with simply walking worthy. And when the Apostle Paul says walk worthy of the vocation, he's actually saying walk worthy of the salvation under which you've been called. I showed you how the word calling here occurs 10 times in the New Testament and each time, of course, it refers to salvation. And then we begin to look at how we're to walk worthy. And we looked at verse two with all lowliness and I spent an entire message dealing with lowliness because the word lowliness there literally means walking in humility or walking with a humble mind or walking with modesty or walking with a sense of one's smallness or littleness or lowliness of mind. And I pointed out how lowliness is actually the opposite of pride and arrogance and haughtiness.

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:15

It is the opposite of a spirit of domination and lordship and manipulation. And then I showed you that if you and I are indeed to walk lowly in a lowly manner, then we have to remember what we were and what God brought us from. And we looked at Ephesians chapter two, verses one through three. We also looked at Isaiah 51 in verse one, where God says, "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord, look unto the rock from which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit which you were digged." So if you understand what you were when God found you and what God brought you out of. There's obviously no reason for pride, arrogance or haughtiness as well. Even the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15, described himself as the chief of sinners. And so each one of us, if we are walking with a lowly mind, would be ready to thank Paul for that position. So walking worthy also includes walking with meekness. If you look in verse 2, he says, walk with all lowliness and meekness. So last week, I spent the entire message on weakness or meekness. And I pointed out how meekness is not weakness. How meekness is not just simply poor posture. I pointed out how meekness is not a denial of our rights or anything like that. But meekness literally refers to disciplined strength under Christ. It refers to those who've been broken to yoke.

So when we get angry, righteously so, we get angry at our Lord's command. When we are submissive, we get submissive at our Lord's command. In other words, we've been broken to yoke. It's kind of like when I was a boy plowing mules, it was Gee and Haw. And when you hollered Gee, the old mule knew which way to go. When you hollered Haw, the old mule knew which way to go. So when we're broken to yoke, when we're wearing the yoke of Jesus Christ, when He commands us, that is when we move. It's not that we're weak. It is disciplined strength under Christ. He controls us. We wear His yoke.

Now, today, what I want to do is try to finish verse 2, actually through verse 7. I could go on and probably deal with these things and make four or five more messages out of this one short passage, but I think that I can probably tie this together sufficiently so that you can understand what walking worthy unto the Lord really and truly is. So let me pick up where we left off. We left off in verse two. The apostle tells us to walk worthy and he tells us how to do that. He says we are to walk with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

Walking with Longsuffering

Longsuffering (makrothumia) is defined as patience, endurance, and slowness in avenging oneself. It is the self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate when wronged, modeled after God's longsuffering toward us.

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Now, notice, let's go back to verse 2 of Ephesians chapter 4. He says, with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering. So, thirdly, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk with longsuffering.

Now, longsuffering is derived from a very interesting word. The Greek word is makrothumia. It is translated in our Bibles as longsuffering twelve times and is translated as patience two times. So let me tell you what the word longsuffering actually refers to. It refers to patience, to endurance, to constancy, to steadfastness, to perseverance, to forbearance. And let me just spell it out for you. Slowness in avenging oneself. Slowness in avenging oneself.

So longsuffering then is restraint. Let me go back and say it again. Longsuffering is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong. So it is an attribute that does not easily or quickly turn to wrath and revenge. So let me say it like this. Longsuffering means that you never permit a test or trial or provocation to get you to the end of your patience. Here's what John Gill had to say. Listen carefully. John Gill said, "With longsuffering, bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other, without being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage, and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given or injury done, and so to walk is to walk worthy of the grace of calling, or agreeable to it, to God that calls by His grace, who is longsuffering both with wicked men and with His own people." So notice what he says, longsuffering literally means then bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other and not being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage.

And I especially like this phrase "and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given." Wow. So that means when Ron says something to me, I don't immediately start saying, "Lord, how can I get him back?" You know, we used to do that as kids. No, no, that's not longsuffering. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6, if you would. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. And notice what the Apostle Paul says in this passage. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. He's talking about, in fact, you have to go back to verse 3. Look, in verse three, he says, "Giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed."

"But in all things, approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings by pureness." Here's how we do it. "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned." But notice, if you would please, he points out giving no offense in anything that the ministry may be blamed in that sense, he says, with longsuffering. So here's the question. Let me say, here are the questions. Since God has commanded us now to walk with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, from where are we to learn longsuffering? How should this affect us? And how may we apply this to our lives? Well, let me just tell you, I believe that you will be able to comprehend the answers to those questions by allowing me to ask you a simple question. So I want you to get ready to answer this question, but do not answer it out loud. Answer it in your minds. So remember now, I'm trying to ask and trying to answer from where do we learn longsuffering? How do we learn it? And how is it to apply to our lives? So here's the questions I want to ask you. Which one of you?

Or would you have desired for God to slap you down, to run you over, and even destroy you for the very first sin that you committed? I could go further. How many would you be willing for God to slap you down, run you over, destroy you for the second sin that you committed? How about the third sin? Or the fourth sin? Or the fifth sin? My, some of us are slow learners, aren't we? We can go to the thousands and the millions. And God has allowed us to live. I know the answer and you know the answer. If our Heavenly Father was not longsuffering, then none of us would be here today. He would have been dead a long time ago.

Now that's why the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 4, now listen carefully,

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:4

"...or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."

So God did not instantly smite us and slap us down when we first sinned and rebelled against Him. He didn't do it the second time, or the third time, or the hundredth, or the thousandth, or the millionth time.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Using Matthew 18:21-35, Weaver illustrates that because God has been merciful and longsuffering with us, we must likewise be longsuffering and forgiving toward others.

He allowed us to live. I could take the time today and show you how God was longsuffering with Israel. Oh, how many times did they provoke Him just in the wilderness? Look at the longsuffering of God with the heathen. You remember He allowed those Amorites to live an additional 400 years while Israel was in Egypt. I could show you in the Scripture how God's been longsuffering with us. But I want to show you from the scripture how that God only expects but demands that we be longsuffering with each other. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 18. Matthew Chapter 18. I think that you will understand the implication of longsuffering here. Look at Matthew chapter 18 and let's begin reading there with verse 21.

And you will see how these two things are tied together. Matthew 18 verse 21.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 18:21-35

"Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until 70 times seven."

Well, that doesn't mean that your patience ends at 490 times, but our Lord is using this as saying you don't run out.

Now, watch if you would. Verse 23, in light of Peter's question and in light of our Lord's answer, he says this. "Therefore, is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants? And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents, which would be millions and millions. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence, which is just a few cents. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down on his feet and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all."

"And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses." Wow. Let me just tell you, the principle, I believe, that should be enunciated from this passage is exceedingly plain. Here it is. Freely you have received, freely give. God has been merciful and patient and longsuffering with you. So therefore, God expects you to be merciful and patient and longsuffering with others. God did not instantly smite us. God did not instantly destroy us. Likewise, we're not to instantly destroy others.

Walking in Forbearance

Forbearance (anechomai) means to bear with, endure, and sustain. It addresses the tension between strong and weak believers, calling the strong not to despise the weak and the weak not to judge the strong.

Wait, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter six and look at verse ten, Galatians six and verse ten. Look what God says. Galatians 6 and verse 10.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:10

"As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them which are of the household of faith."

So God tells us as we have opportunity, we're to do good unto all, but we have a special obligation to do good to those who are the household of faith. So he tells us that we're going to walk worthy. We have to walk not only with lowliness and meekness, but longsuffering. Go back in your Bibles to Ephesians 4 and verse 2, because he continues with all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering.

And then he adds this forbearing one another in love. So fourth, if we're to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk in forbearance. Now, longsuffering and forbearance are intimately connected. The Greek word for forbearance here is anechomai, which literally means to suffer, to bear with, to forbear, to endure, and to hold up, and to sustain.

Now, let me tell you. Once you study the scripture, you're going to find that the Bible usually divides Christians into several groups. There are weak brethren and there are strong brethren, and I would just imagine, since there are weak and since there are strong, there's got to be some in between as well, progressing from one to the other. We could say it like this. John said in First John, Chapter two, that there are babes in Christ, there are young men, and there are fathers. And as I pointed out in times past, you don't expect a baby to act like a young man, nor do you expect a young man to act like a father. Each one has their own set of characteristics and attributes, that is for sure. But notice if you would, and we'll look at a passage a little bit later, but if you were to look at, for instance, Romans chapter 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, you'll find there that God speaks about the weak brethren and the strong brethren as well.

Now, there is a problem that exists between the strong brethren and the weaker brethren. I can say this another way. There's a problem that exists between a mature believer and an immature believer. What is the problem? Well, Romans chapter 14 tells us it is a tendency of the weaker brother to judge the stronger brother. In other words, their attitude is, "How can you do this? How can you say that?"

"Why are you doing this?" In other words, you should not be doing this. So they're judging and passing judgment on something they do not understand. The tendency of the stronger brother is to disdain and to despise the weaker brother. The tendency is to become impatient and cut him off. Or to be sharp with the weaker brother. In other words, we disdain them because of their weakness, because of their lack of understanding. Wow. Have you ever despised a weaker brother? Have you ever disdained someone and thought they were absolutely silly because they have no understanding?

They do not have the knowledge that you have. They do not have the maturity that you have. Have you ever noticed this? If you have more than one child, and you have an older child, and maybe a couple in the middle, and then a younger child, have you ever noticed the older children usually don't even want to play with the younger child? Why? Because the other child is a baby and they've matured. They've gotten out of playing baby dolls.

It's the same thing in the spiritual realm where a mature or a stronger Christian just does not willingly and readily want to put up with a weaker brother. Now, let me tell you something. Teaching is one thing. Arguing, disdaining, and cutting someone off is quite another thing. So if you would hold Ephesians chapter 4, but look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 14. I'm not going to preach on this passage, but I have in time passed. But look what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 1. Here is the exact problem that I've just been discussing. Romans 14 verse 1. The Bible says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him." So the tendency of the weaker brother is to judge, and the tendency of the stronger brother is to despise.

By the way, it would probably help us when we run across a weaker brother or a babe in Christ, or if we're fathers, when we run across young men, it would probably help us to remember that we were not always mature. We were not always strong. We were not always fathers. We were in the same position that they were in. And someone was longsuffering and had forbearance with us. It's the same principle. Here's what Matthew Henry says. Listen carefully. "Forbearing one another in love signifies bearing their infirmities out of a principle of love and so not as to cease to love them on account of these, that is their infirmities. The best Christians have need to bear one with another and to make the best of one another to provoke one another's graces and not their passions. We find much in ourselves, which is hard to forgive ourselves, and therefore we must not think it much if we find that in others, which we think hard to forgive them. And yet we must forgive them as we forgive ourselves." Wow.

When you see a young Christian that is proud, headstrong, and he thinks that he has the world by the tail, and he thinks that he knows everything, and he impresses you as a know-it-all, and I've met some like that. Just stop and think back and remember when you were just as immature, ignorant, and impulsive, as well as having far more zeal than you did knowledge.

Endeavoring to Keep Unity

Verse 3 commands believers to diligently strive (spoudazo) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This unity is God-given, not man-made, and requires the virtues of verse 2 as prerequisites.

I've had young Christians who tried to correct me theologically. Well, they have never even read their Bibles. Never read their Bible through one time. I've had young preachers who tried to correct me and argue with me. And I just keep showing Scripture and showing Scripture. And they can't do anything other than maintain one little simple line. They can't think things through. Why? Because they're children. Children in the faith. I just have to say, I'm up beyond being corrected. If I'm wrong, I want to be corrected. But I want to be corrected by someone who can take the scripture and show me verse by verse and in the context where I'm wrong. Don't just tell me I'm wrong because.

Your papa said this 20 years ago, or you heard some preacher say this when you were a child. I want to see it from the scripture. All I'm simply saying is this. The Apostle is telling us if we're going to walk worthy of his calling, we're to walk in all lowliness and meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Here's the question. Why? Look back in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter four. Now, watch. Let's put this together. Ephesians chapter four. Look in verse one.

He says it like this. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." Here's verse 3, "...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Wow! "...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace." Now, I want to call your attention to something that's very important in verse 3. Verse 3 says, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit." It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity. And that unity is based upon our common salvation. It is the common salvation that each saint possesses. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, it is our duty, it is our obligation, it is our responsibility, it is our privilege to endeavor to keep that unity.

Now, the Greek word is spoudazo, and it literally means to endeavor, to be diligent, to labor, to exert oneself. Let me put it in such a way that you hopefully will not forget it. Literally, what he tells you in verse three is this, breaking your neck to keep the unity of the Spirit. Breaking your neck, that is doing everything within your power to keep the unity of the Spirit.

So here's what he's telling us. God has given us a unity as believers. It is our duty. It is our obligation. It's our responsibility to keep it. Obviously, you cannot keep a unity if you're fussing and fighting and if we're breaking up into parties and factions and cliques. I've seen churches. Harmony Baptist Church. Right next to it within 100 yards is New Harmony Baptist Church. What does that mean?

It meant they had a split. Now, I hope you've noticed as you read through the book of First Corinthians how the Corinthians were full of divisions and strife and parties and cliques. And the Apostle Paul tells us we're not to be like that. Let me put something out for you. There are always dangers of divisions and strifes because we're different. We're not only different, we're at different stages of maturity in our Christian life. Not only that, we come from different sections of the country. We have sometimes different cultures. We have different manners, different habits.

Where I was raised as a boy, we had breakfast, dinner, supper. All of the times I get invitations for dinner, and I will call and say now, "What time did you want us?" About 11:30 or 12. And there's a long pause. I said, "What you really meant to say was supper, wasn't it?" Supper is at night, not dinner. But you know, when you're from the north or from... it's breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But down in South Georgia, it's breakfast, dinner, and supper.

So I'm just simply saying, we have different habits. There is a tendency for me to say, "Linda, you're not from around here." But you know what she could say? "He wasn't raised the way I was raised." You follow me? So it could be mutual. So what he's telling us that we've got to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit, but I want you to notice something. Not only are we different personalities, not only do we have different cultures and different backgrounds, enjoy different things. The truth of the matter is this. We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. That's what he said. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So whatever we are working at in keeping the unity of the Spirit, it has to be in the bond of peace.

Now, I want you to listen to me. I thought this was so absolutely wonderful. And I thought it was so beautiful. I thought it explained it so well. The Greek word for bond is syndesmos. That word refers to a bond or a band that binds things together. It refers to a bundle just like the ligaments by which our muscles are bound together. Have you ever had a torn ligament? A torn ligament is very, very painful. In fact, a torn ligament will actually just about make a muscle useless until it is healed. So unless we want to be useless, and unless we want to make others useless, then God tells us that we should be diligent in keeping that unity that He has given us in the bond of peace. That's why he said in Romans 12 and verse 18, listen carefully, let me just quote it.

He said, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Now, I believe God was telling us he recognizes sometimes there are some that we cannot live peaceably with, I understand that. But he said, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you," break your neck is what he's saying. To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, so if God then expects us to live peaceably with others, how much more does he expect us to live peaceably with each other? Matthew Henry. said this, commenting on verses two and three, listen. He says, "Now, without these things, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance, unity cannot be preserved. The first step towards unity is humility. Without this, there will be no meekness, no patience or forbearance. Without these, no unity. Pride and passion break the peace and make all the mischief. Humility and meekness restore the peace and keep it. Only by pride cometh contention. Only by humility comes love."

"The more lowly-mindedness, the more like-mindedness. We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, if we be not meek and lowly of heart. For he by whom we are called, He to whom we are called was eminent for meekness and lowliness of heart and has commanded us therein to learn of him." So what he is saying is there cannot be any keeping of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace if we're missing all the attributes in verse two. Verse two is a prerequisite for verse three.

There is a hymn that we usually sing. All of you probably have heard it. The title of it is "Bind Us Together." Here are the words: "Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken, bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together with love. There is only one God. There's only one king. There's only one body. That is why we sing. Lord, bind us together. Lord, bind us together." And there's two choruses that go to that as well. Well, here's the truth. The truth is he has bound us together.

The Threefold Unity in Verses 4-6

Paul presents an internal unity (one body, one Spirit, one hope), an external profession (one Lord, one faith, one baptism), and a heavenly unity (one God and Father of all) that undergird the call to preserve unity.

And we must endeavor to keep that unity by not caring and rendering asunder the ligaments of lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance. Now, here's what I want to do. I want to show you in verses four through seven how the Apostle Paul now makes application of the first three verses. Because usually when you read verses four through seven, you think, well, what possible connection could they have with the first three verses?

When he says, "There is one body and one spirit, even as you're 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. But in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." So how does that connect with the first three verses? Well, actually. The apostle Paul is telling us that there is a threefold unity that we need to observe, which will enable us and help us to make sure that we follow verses 1 through 3. First, the threefold unity is evidenced internally. Look in verse 4. Here's an internal evidence. He says, "There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling." I want you to hold Ephesians chapter 4 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 12. And we'll read through verse 27. Remember, he talks about in verse four, that there is one body, one spirit in your call with one hope of your calling. Well, look in verse 12 and beginning there with verse 12, he says. In fact, let's, yeah, let's begin reading verse 12. He says, "For as the body is one and has many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ."

So just like you have arms and legs and feet and toes and fingers, you're still one body. So likewise, there are many different members, but we have one body in Christ. Verse 13, "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether it be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into that one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If a foot shall say, because I'm not the hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set members, every one of them in the body, as it had pleased him. And if that were all one member, where were the body? And now are there many members yet, but one body."

"And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee. Nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow a more abundant honor. And our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need, but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked. Why? That there be no schism or no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now, you are the body of Christ and members in particular." Now, what did he say? We are one body, but different members. But we are one body that have been placed in that body by one spirit. Looking back in verse 18, he says it, "But now hath God set the members, every one of them, the body as it pleased him."

Now look in verse 11, "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit, dividing to every man severally as he willed." One body, one spirit, one hope of our calling. And let me just quote it. Romans 1, verses 6 and 7.

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:6-7

"Among whom also you are the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints."

There's one body. There's one spirit. And there's one hope of our calling. Everyone in this room has the same exact hope. We hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We're in one body, we are His body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us in that body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us as a member in that body as it pleased Him to do so.

So I can't say, well, I don't need Levi. I do need Levi. Can't say I don't need Jim. I do need Jim. I need every one of my fingers. I need both arms. I need every member that I've got. And that's exactly what he's telling us here. There is this internal evidence of our unity. We have one body, one spirit, and one hope of our calling. Go back if you would to Ephesians chapter 4.

Now he says in verse 5, watch carefully, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." So second here then is an external or outward profession of our unity. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. We acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Since we acknowledge His Lordship, His Godhead, His Deity, we have one faith. We have one Lord. We have one faith. We have one baptism. There cannot be two Lords. The word Lord is kyrios.

It means boss, owner, master, sovereign. There can only be one sovereign, one absolute, one ultimate. Since there is only one God, one Lord, that means there is one faith and there is only one baptism. And that is the baptism that actually places you in the body. If you want to see it, look in your Bibles to Romans 6. Look there and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Romans 6 and verse 3. Look what he says. Romans 6 and verse 3. "Romans 6, verse 3, know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. Therefore, we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection." There's one Lord, there's one faith, there's one baptism.

So you have an internal evidence of the unity, you have an external evidence of that unity because of our profession. And if you look back to Ephesians chapter four. Thirdly, the circle of unity grows even wider with a heavenly application for verse six tells us "One God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all." Wow, now notice if he would, one God and father of all. You remember that? Shema Israel. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:4

"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord."

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 6 says, "But to us there is but one God, the father of whom are all things, and we in Him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by Him." So what does it mean then when he says one God and Father of all who is above all? He's sovereign and through all it's His providence and in you all it's the same salvation. We all have the one God and Father who has saved us, who is our Sovereign, who works everything out for our good and for His glory. God the Father is the initiator, the author, the originator of our salvation.

God the Son is the one who procured and purchased our salvation. God the Holy Spirit is the one who applies that salvation. So he says there is one God and father of all who is above all. He's the author and the finisher of our faith and through all and in you all. So actually, verse 6 brings us right back to the internal and the external manifestations of our unity. Now let me conclude with verse 7. I want you to look at verse 7. "But unto every one of us" and Paul is talking to the Ephesians. So the application would be to us, "but unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Now, think about that, "but in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."

Grace According to the Measure of Christ's Gift

Verse 7 teaches that every believer is given grace according to Christ's gift, enabling each member to function in the body. No member is unnecessary, and all must work together in humility and love.

Let me ask you a question. Here's the thief on the cross. He said, "Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom," and our Lord said, "Verily I say to you, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." How long was that thief saved before he died? An hour or two at the most, because he came along and broke their legs. Once they broke the legs, they died. My question is this. How much grace did God give that dying thief?

Not only sufficient saving, but sufficient to live for the several hours that he lived. Right. Now, look at verse seven again, "but every one of us is given grace." How much grace does God give us? According to the measure of the gift of Christ. You have the grace and the gift that God gave you. I don't care how little or how much. The tiniest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. The largest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. But in that area of saving grace, he also gives us other gifts. God has placed us in the body, the scripture says, as it has pleased him.

That means we have to function together. We have to work together. I got tickled last week because after church, Jim was telling us how to lose weight. And he heard a man say, well, the way to lose weight is very easy. Drink a pint of whiskey before meal. Said you'll still be hungry, but you can't find your mouth. Well, that might work. That might work, but I want you to think about this. I want you to listen to this. If my hand cannot find my mouth, my hand is useless. My hand has to be able to minister to my mouth. OK, it does. It does. If it doesn't, then I've got to find some other way for something to minister to my mouth.

Someone would have to if I'm to continue living. So the point I'm trying to make is this. Wherever God places us in the body, whatever member we are in the body, we're there only by the grace of God and for the honor and the glory of God and for the ministry of the whole. I can't look at Ron and say, "I don't need you." I do. He has gifts and graces that I don't have. Same thing with Marshall. He'll have gifts and graces I don't have.

So that means this: we are absolutely, it is absolutely essential and necessary that we come together and stay together. If we're going to function the way we should function. And the only way that we can walk and function the way we should is the way Paul says with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Breaking our neck to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Why? Because we recognize there is one body, and one Spirit, and one calling, and one Lord, and one faith, and one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, and He's given us grace that we can function if we will. So to walk worthy is to walk in such a way that we maintain the unity that God has given us, that we recognize that we're one body in Jesus Christ. Many different members, but one body. Walk worthy of the vocation we're with, you recall. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Longsuffering as Divine Patience

Summary: Longsuffering is self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate, reflecting God's patience with sinners. Believers are called to imitate this attribute.

Evidence: Weaver defines longsuffering as 'the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong' and cites Romans 2:4 on God's forbearance leading to repentance.

Forbearance Toward Weaker Brethren

Summary: Forbearance involves bearing with the infirmities of others, especially the immature, without disdain or judgment, recognizing our own past weaknesses.

Evidence: Weaver explains the tendency of stronger believers to despise the weak and the weak to judge the strong, using Romans 14:1-3 and Matthew Henry's commentary.

Preserving Unity in the Body

Summary: Believers must diligently strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, which is God-given and maintained through humility, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes 'breaking your neck to keep the unity' and states that verse 2 virtues are prerequisites for verse 3.

The Oneness of the Body of Christ

Summary: The unity of believers is grounded in one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, making division contrary to our calling.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Ephesians 4:4-6 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 to show the internal, external, and heavenly dimensions of unity.

Grace for Functioning Together

Summary: Every believer receives grace according to Christ's gift, enabling each member to serve the body. No member is dispensable, and mutual dependence is essential.

Evidence: Weaver uses the thief on the cross and the body analogy to illustrate that God gives sufficient grace for each member's role.

Key Arguments

Longsuffering is learned from God's example

Summary: Since God did not destroy us for our first sin but showed longsuffering, we are obligated to show the same patience to others.

Evidence: Weaver asks how many would want God to destroy them for their first sin, then cites Romans 2:4 and the parable in Matthew 18.

Forbearance prevents division between strong and weak

Summary: The strong tend to despise the weak, and the weak tend to judge the strong; forbearance in love overcomes these tendencies.

Evidence: Weaver references Romans 14:1-3 and describes the problem of older children not wanting to play with younger ones as an analogy.

Unity is kept, not made

Summary: The command is to 'keep' the unity of the Spirit, meaning it already exists by God's work; our role is to preserve it through diligent effort.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity.'

The virtues of verse 2 are prerequisites for unity

Summary: Without lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance, the unity of the Spirit cannot be maintained.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry: 'Without these things... unity cannot be preserved.'

Every member is necessary and graced for service

Summary: God has placed each member in the body as He pleased and gives grace according to Christ's gift, so no member can say they don't need another.

Evidence: Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 12 and the hand-mouth analogy to argue for mutual dependence.

Scripture References

Ephesians 4:1-7

Context: The primary text of the sermon, calling believers to walk worthy with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and unity.

Genesis 17:1

Context: Cited in review: 'Walk now before me and be thou perfect' as the foundation for walking before the Lord.

Hebrews 11:5-6

Context: Referenced in review of walking by faith, emphasizing belief in God's person and promises.

Ephesians 2:1-3

Context: Mentioned in review of lowliness, reminding believers of their former state before salvation.

Isaiah 51:1

Context: Quoted to illustrate remembering the pit from which we were dug, supporting humility.

1 Timothy 1:15

Context: Paul's self-description as chief of sinners, used to encourage lowliness.

2 Corinthians 6:3-6

Context: Paul's example of approving oneself as a minister through longsuffering, among other virtues.

Romans 2:4

Context: God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering lead to repentance, showing His patience.

Matthew 18:21-35

Context: The parable of the unforgiving servant, teaching that we must forgive as we have been forgiven.

Galatians 6:10

Context: Do good to all, especially the household of faith, emphasizing special obligation to fellow believers.

Romans 14:1-3

Context: Instruction to receive the weak without disputing, and not to despise or judge one another.

Romans 12:18

Context: If possible, live peaceably with all men, quoted to support the call to peace.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Context: The body of Christ has many members but is one, and no member can say it doesn't need another.

Romans 1:6-7

Context: Called to be saints, referenced as part of the one hope of our calling.

Romans 6:3-5

Context: Baptized into Christ's death and raised to newness of life, illustrating the one baptism.

Deuteronomy 6:4

Context: The Shema: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord,' affirming one God.

1 Corinthians 8:6

Context: One God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.

Historical References

John Gill

Context: Quoted on longsuffering: bearing much and long with infirmities, not easily provoked or seeking revenge.

Matthew Henry

Context: Quoted on forbearance: bearing infirmities out of love, and on the necessity of lowliness and meekness for unity.

Important Quotes

Longsuffering is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong.

Significance: Defines the core meaning of longsuffering as active restraint rather than mere patience.

Freely you have received, freely give. God has been merciful and patient and longsuffering with you. So therefore, God expects you to be merciful and patient and longsuffering with others.

Significance: Summarizes the principle that our treatment of others should mirror God's treatment of us.

It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity.

Significance: Clarifies that unity is a divine gift to be preserved, not a human achievement.

Breaking your neck to keep the unity of the Spirit. Breaking your neck, that is doing everything within your power to keep the unity of the Spirit.

Significance: Emphasizes the intense effort required to maintain unity, using a vivid colloquialism.

Without these things, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance, unity cannot be preserved. The first step towards unity is humility.

Significance: Matthew Henry's insight that the virtues of verse 2 are essential prerequisites for unity.

We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, if we be not meek and lowly of heart.

Significance: Connects walking worthy directly to the character of Christ, who is meek and lowly.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding God's longsuffering toward us change the way we respond when others wrong us?

Context: Weaver asks listeners to consider whether they would want God to destroy them for their first sin, highlighting God's patience.

In what ways do we tend to despise or judge weaker brethren, and how can we practice forbearance instead?

Context: Weaver describes the tendency of the strong to disdain the weak and the weak to judge the strong, using Romans 14.

What does it practically mean to 'break your neck' to keep the unity of the Spirit in our church?

Context: Weaver explains the Greek word spoudazo as diligent, laborious effort to preserve unity.

How does recognizing that we are one body with many members affect our attitude toward those with different gifts or maturity levels?

Context: Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 12 to show that every member is necessary and placed by God.

Why are lowliness and meekness prerequisites for unity, and what happens when they are absent?

Context: Weaver quotes Matthew Henry: 'Pride and passion break the peace and make all the mischief.'

Applications

Practice longsuffering by not retaliating

Summary: When wronged, believers should exercise self-restraint and not immediately seek revenge, reflecting God's patience with them.

Evidence: Weaver defines longsuffering as 'not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given' and ties it to God's example.

Bear with the weaknesses of others

Summary: Instead of despising immature believers, remember your own past immaturity and extend forbearance in love.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It would probably help us to remember that we were not always mature... someone was longsuffering and had forbearance with us.'

Strive diligently to maintain church unity

Summary: Make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit by avoiding divisions, factions, and strife, and by practicing the virtues of verse 2.

Evidence: Weaver commands 'breaking your neck to keep the unity' and warns against splits like Harmony Baptist Church.

Recognize the value of every member

Summary: Acknowledge that every believer has been given grace and a place in the body by God, and no one is dispensable.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'I can't look at Ron and say, I don't need you. I do. He has gifts and graces that I don't have.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:03:56Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:31:45Z

Clean Transcript

Walking With God - 5

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to please look at Ephesians chapter 4. And once again, we're going to read verses 1 through 7. Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 7. This is in the series, Walking with the Lord. And this is part 5. Part 5. Notice, if you would, Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 1. Paul says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are 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."
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But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. You remember, I started this series of walking with the Lord and I pointed out in the very first message that you cannot walk with the Lord until you learn to walk before the Lord. That is exactly what God told Abram in Genesis 17, "Walk now before me and be thou perfect." So walking before the Lord means that we are walking before his face or literally as in his presence. You remember, I also told you there were five implications of the word walking.
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It implied communion and fellowship. It also implied agreement. It implied purpose. It implied progress. And, of course, it implied resolution as well. And then we looked at Hebrews 11 and verse 6 because we continued our study there with Enoch, verses 5 and 6 deals with Enoch. And so I dealt with walking by faith. And the scripture says very clearly in Hebrews 11 verse 6, "But without faith, it's impossible to please him."
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"For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." So I pointed out that walking by faith refers to and implies belief in the person of God. For he must believe that he is. It also infers belief in the promises of God, and He's a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. And then overall, in the providence of God, because it's God who brings everything to pass and works them out for our good and for His glory.
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So in the third message, then I begin looking at Ephesians chapter four, where the Apostle Paul says, "I beseech you, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you've been called." So in the last three messages now, I've been dealing with simply walking worthy. And when the Apostle Paul says walk worthy of the vocation, he's actually saying walk worthy of the salvation under which you've been called. I showed you how the word calling here occurs 10 times in the New Testament and each time, of course, it refers to salvation. And then we begin to look at how we're to walk worthy. And we looked at verse two with all lowliness and I spent an entire message dealing with lowliness because the word lowliness there literally means walking in humility or walking with a humble mind or walking with modesty or walking with a sense of one's smallness or littleness or lowliness of mind. And I pointed out how lowliness is actually the opposite of pride and arrogance and haughtiness.
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It is the opposite of a spirit of domination and lordship and manipulation. And then I showed you that if you and I are indeed to walk lowly in a lowly manner, then we have to remember what we were and what God brought us from. And we looked at Ephesians chapter two, verses one through three. We also looked at Isaiah 51 in verse one, where God says, "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord, look unto the rock from which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit which you were digged." So if you understand what you were when God found you and what God brought you out of.
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There's obviously no reason for pride, arrogance or haughtiness as well. Even the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15, described himself as the chief of sinners. And so each one of us, if we are walking with a lowly mind, would be ready to thank Paul for that position. So walking worthy also includes walking with meekness. If you look in verse 2, he says, walk with all lowliness and meekness. So last week, I spent the entire message on weakness or meekness. And I pointed out how meekness is not weakness. How meekness is not just simply poor posture. I pointed out how meekness is not a denial of our rights or anything like that. But meekness literally refers to disciplined strength under Christ. It refers to those who've been broken to yoke.
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So when we get angry, righteously so, we get angry at our Lord's command. When we are submissive, we get submissive at our Lord's command. In other words, we've been broken to yoke. It's kind of like when I was a boy plowing mules, it was Gee and Haw. And when you hollered Gee, the old mule knew which way to go. When you hollered Haw, the old mule knew which way to go. So when we're broken to yoke, when we're wearing the yoke of Jesus Christ, when He commands us, that is when we move. It's not that we're weak. It is disciplined strength under Christ. He controls us. We wear His yoke.
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Now, today, what I want to do is try to finish verse 2, actually through verse 7. I could go on and probably deal with these things and make four or five more messages out of this one short passage, but I think that I can probably tie this together sufficiently so that you can understand what walking worthy unto the Lord really and truly is. So let me pick up where we left off. We left off in verse two. The apostle tells us to walk worthy and he tells us how to do that. He says we are to walk with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.
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Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Now, notice, let's go back to verse 2 of Ephesians chapter 4. He says, with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering. So, thirdly, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk with longsuffering.
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Now, longsuffering is derived from a very interesting word. The Greek word is makrothumia. It is translated in our Bibles as longsuffering twelve times and is translated as patience two times. So let me tell you what the word longsuffering actually refers to. It refers to patience, to endurance, to constancy, to steadfastness, to perseverance, to forbearance. And let me just spell it out for you. Slowness in avenging oneself. Slowness in avenging oneself.
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So longsuffering then is restraint. Let me go back and say it again. Longsuffering is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong. So it is an attribute that does not easily or quickly turn to wrath and revenge. So let me say it like this. Longsuffering means that you never permit a test or trial or provocation to get you to the end of your patience. Here's what John Gill had to say. Listen carefully. John Gill said, "With longsuffering, bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other, without being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage, and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given or injury done, and so to walk is to walk worthy of the grace of calling, or agreeable to it, to God that calls by His grace, who is longsuffering both with wicked men and with His own people." So notice what he says, longsuffering literally means then bearing much and long with the infirmities of each other and not being easily provoked to anger by any ill usage.
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And I especially like this phrase "and not immediately meditating and seeking revenge for every affront given." Wow. So that means when Ron says something to me, I don't immediately start saying, "Lord, how can I get him back?" You know, we used to do that as kids. No, no, that's not longsuffering. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6, if you would. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. And notice what the Apostle Paul says in this passage. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 6. He's talking about, in fact, you have to go back to verse 3. Look, in verse three, he says, "Giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed."
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"But in all things, approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings by pureness." Here's how we do it. "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned." But notice, if you would please, he points out giving no offense in anything that the ministry may be blamed in that sense, he says, with longsuffering. So here's the question.
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Let me say, here are the questions. Since God has commanded us now to walk with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, from where are we to learn longsuffering? How should this affect us? And how may we apply this to our lives? Well, let me just tell you, I believe that you will be able to comprehend the answers to those questions by allowing me to ask you a simple question. So I want you to get ready to answer this question, but do not answer it out loud. Answer it in your minds. So remember now, I'm trying to ask and trying to answer from where do we learn longsuffering? How do we learn it? And how is it to apply to our lives? So here's the questions I want to ask you. Which one of you?
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Or would you have desired for God to slap you down, to run you over, and even destroy you for the very first sin that you committed? I could go further. How many would you be willing for God to slap you down, run you over, destroy you for the second sin that you committed? How about the third sin? Or the fourth sin? Or the fifth sin?
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My, some of us are slow learners, aren't we? We can go to the thousands and the millions. And God has allowed us to live. I know the answer and you know the answer. If our Heavenly Father was not longsuffering, then none of us would be here today. He would have been dead a long time ago.
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Now that's why the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 4, now listen carefully, "...or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." So God did not instantly smite us and slap us down when we first sinned and rebelled against Him. He didn't do it the second time, or the third time, or the hundredth, or the thousandth, or the millionth time.
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He allowed us to live. I could take the time today and show you how God was longsuffering with Israel. Oh, how many times did they provoke Him just in the wilderness? Look at the longsuffering of God with the heathen. You remember He allowed those Amorites to live an additional 400 years while Israel was in Egypt. I could show you in the Scripture how God's been longsuffering with us. But I want to show you from the scripture how that God only expects but demands that we be longsuffering with each other. I want you to hold Ephesians 4, but look in your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 18. Matthew Chapter 18. I think that you will understand the implication of longsuffering here. Look at Matthew chapter 18 and let's begin reading there with verse 21.
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And you will see how these two things are tied together. Matthew 18 verse 21. "Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until 70 times seven." Well, that doesn't mean that your patience ends at 490 times, but our Lord is using this as saying you don't run out.
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Now, watch if you would. Verse 23, in light of Peter's question and in light of our Lord's answer, he says this. "Therefore, is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants? And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents, which would be millions and millions. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence, which is just a few cents. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down on his feet and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all."
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"And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses." Wow.
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Let me just tell you, the principle, I believe, that should be enunciated from this passage is exceedingly plain. Here it is. Freely you have received, freely give. God has been merciful and patient and longsuffering with you. So therefore, God expects you to be merciful and patient and longsuffering with others. God did not instantly smite us. God did not instantly destroy us. Likewise, we're not to instantly destroy others.
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Wait, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter six and look at verse ten, Galatians six and verse ten. Look what God says. Galatians 6 and verse 10. "As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them which are of the household of faith." So God tells us as we have opportunity, we're to do good unto all, but we have a special obligation to do good to those who are the household of faith. So he tells us that we're going to walk worthy. We have to walk not only with lowliness and meekness, but longsuffering. Go back in your Bibles to Ephesians 4 and verse 2, because he continues with all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering.
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And then he adds this forbearing one another in love. So fourth, if we're to walk worthy of our calling, we must walk in forbearance. Now, longsuffering and forbearance are intimately connected. The Greek word for forbearance here is anechomai, which literally means to suffer, to bear with, to forbear, to endure, and to hold up, and to sustain.
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Now, let me tell you. Once you study the scripture, you're going to find that the Bible usually divides Christians into several groups. There are weak brethren and there are strong brethren, and I would just imagine, since there are weak and since there are strong, there's got to be some in between as well, progressing from one to the other. We could say it like this. John said in First John, Chapter two, that there are babes in Christ, there are young men, and there are fathers. And as I pointed out in times past, you don't expect a baby to act like a young man, nor do you expect a young man to act like a father. Each one has their own set of characteristics and attributes, that is for sure. But notice if you would, and we'll look at a passage a little bit later, but if you were to look at, for instance, Romans chapter 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, you'll find there that God speaks about the weak brethren and the strong brethren as well.
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Now, there is a problem that exists between the strong brethren and the weaker brethren. I can say this another way. There's a problem that exists between a mature believer and an immature believer. What is the problem? Well, Romans chapter 14 tells us it is a tendency of the weaker brother to judge the stronger brother. In other words, their attitude is, "How can you do this? How can you say that?"
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"Why are you doing this?" In other words, you should not be doing this. So they're judging and passing judgment on something they do not understand. The tendency of the stronger brother is to disdain and to despise the weaker brother. The tendency is to become impatient and cut him off. Or to be sharp with the weaker brother. In other words, we disdain them because of their weakness, because of their lack of understanding. Wow. Have you ever despised a weaker brother? Have you ever disdained someone and thought they were absolutely silly because they have no understanding?
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They do not have the knowledge that you have. They do not have the maturity that you have. Have you ever noticed this? If you have more than one child, and you have an older child, and maybe a couple in the middle, and then a younger child, have you ever noticed the older children usually don't even want to play with the younger child? Why? Because the other child is a baby and they've matured. They've gotten out of playing baby dolls.
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It's the same thing in the spiritual realm where a mature or a stronger Christian just does not willingly and readily want to put up with a weaker brother. Now, let me tell you something. Teaching is one thing. Arguing, disdaining, and cutting someone off is quite another thing. So if you would hold Ephesians chapter 4, but look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 14. I'm not going to preach on this passage, but I have in time passed. But look what the Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 1. Here is the exact problem that I've just been discussing. Romans 14 verse 1. The Bible says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him." So the tendency of the weaker brother is to judge, and the tendency of the stronger brother is to despise.
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By the way, it would probably help us when we run across a weaker brother or a babe in Christ, or if we're fathers, when we run across young men, it would probably help us to remember that we were not always mature. We were not always strong. We were not always fathers. We were in the same position that they were in. And someone was longsuffering and had forbearance with us. It's the same principle.
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Here's what Matthew Henry says. Listen carefully. "Forbearing one another in love signifies bearing their infirmities out of a principle of love and so not as to cease to love them on account of these, that is their infirmities. The best Christians have need to bear one with another and to make the best of one another to provoke one another's graces and not their passions. We find much in ourselves, which is hard to forgive ourselves, and therefore we must not think it much if we find that in others, which we think hard to forgive them. And yet we must forgive them as we forgive ourselves." Wow.
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When you see a young Christian that is proud, headstrong, and he thinks that he has the world by the tail, and he thinks that he knows everything, and he impresses you as a know-it-all, and I've met some like that. Just stop and think back and remember when you were just as immature, ignorant, and impulsive, as well as having far more zeal than you did knowledge.
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I've had young Christians who tried to correct me theologically. Well, they have never even read their Bibles. Never read their Bible through one time. I've had young preachers who tried to correct me and argue with me. And I just keep showing Scripture and showing Scripture. And they can't do anything other than maintain one little simple line. They can't think things through. Why? Because they're children. Children in the faith. I just have to say, I'm up beyond being corrected. If I'm wrong, I want to be corrected. But I want to be corrected by someone who can take the scripture and show me verse by verse and in the context where I'm wrong. Don't just tell me I'm wrong because.
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Your papa said this 20 years ago, or you heard some preacher say this when you were a child. I want to see it from the scripture. All I'm simply saying is this. The Apostle is telling us if we're going to walk worthy of his calling, we're to walk in all lowliness and meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Here's the question. Why? Look back in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter four. Now, watch. Let's put this together. Ephesians chapter four. Look in verse one.
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He says it like this. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." Here's verse 3, "...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Wow! "...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace."
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Now, I want to call your attention to something that's very important in verse 3. Verse 3 says, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit." It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity. And that unity is based upon our common salvation. It is the common salvation that each saint possesses. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us, if we are to walk worthy of our calling, it is our duty, it is our obligation, it is our responsibility, it is our privilege to endeavor to keep that unity.
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Now, the Greek word is spoudazo, and it literally means to endeavor, to be diligent, to labor, to exert oneself. Let me put it in such a way that you hopefully will not forget it. Literally, what he tells you in verse three is this, breaking your neck to keep the unity of the Spirit. Breaking your neck, that is doing everything within your power to keep the unity of the Spirit.
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So here's what he's telling us. God has given us a unity as believers. It is our duty. It is our obligation. It's our responsibility to keep it. Obviously, you cannot keep a unity if you're fussing and fighting and if we're breaking up into parties and factions and cliques. I've seen churches. Harmony Baptist Church. Right next to it within 100 yards is New Harmony Baptist Church. What does that mean?
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It meant they had a split. Now, I hope you've noticed as you read through the book of First Corinthians how the Corinthians were full of divisions and strife and parties and cliques. And the Apostle Paul tells us we're not to be like that. Let me put something out for you. There are always dangers of divisions and strifes because we're different. We're not only different, we're at different stages of maturity in our Christian life. Not only that, we come from different sections of the country. We have sometimes different cultures. We have different manners, different habits.
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Where I was raised as a boy, we had breakfast, dinner, supper. All of the times I get invitations for dinner, and I will call and say now, "What time did you want us?" About 11:30 or 12. And there's a long pause. I said, "What you really meant to say was supper, wasn't it?" Supper is at night, not dinner. But you know, when you're from the north or from... it's breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But down in South Georgia, it's breakfast, dinner, and supper.
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So I'm just simply saying, we have different habits. There is a tendency for me to say, "Linda, you're not from around here." But you know what she could say? "He wasn't raised the way I was raised." You follow me? So it could be mutual. So what he's telling us that we've got to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit, but I want you to notice something. Not only are we different personalities, not only do we have different cultures and different backgrounds, enjoy different things.
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The truth of the matter is this. We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. That's what he said. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So whatever we are working at in keeping the unity of the Spirit, it has to be in the bond of peace.
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Now, I want you to listen to me. I thought this was so absolutely wonderful. And I thought it was so beautiful. I thought it explained it so well. The Greek word for bond is syndesmos. That word refers to a bond or a band that binds things together. It refers to a bundle just like the ligaments by which our muscles are bound together. Have you ever had a torn ligament? A torn ligament is very, very painful. In fact, a torn ligament will actually just about make a muscle useless until it is healed. So unless we want to be useless, and unless we want to make others useless, then God tells us that we should be diligent in keeping that unity that He has given us in the bond of peace. That's why he said in Romans 12 and verse 18, listen carefully, let me just quote it.
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He said, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Now, I believe God was telling us he recognizes sometimes there are some that we cannot live peaceably with, I understand that. But he said, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you," break your neck is what he's saying. To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, so if God then expects us to live peaceably with others, how much more does he expect us to live peaceably with each other? Matthew Henry.
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said this, commenting on verses two and three, listen. He says, "Now, without these things, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance, unity cannot be preserved. The first step towards unity is humility. Without this, there will be no meekness, no patience or forbearance. Without these, no unity. Pride and passion break the peace and make all the mischief. Humility and meekness restore the peace and keep it. Only by pride cometh contention. Only by humility comes love."
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"The more lowly-mindedness, the more like-mindedness. We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, if we be not meek and lowly of heart. For he by whom we are called, He to whom we are called was eminent for meekness and lowliness of heart and has commanded us therein to learn of him." So what he is saying is there cannot be any keeping of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace if we're missing all the attributes in verse two. Verse two is a prerequisite for verse three.
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There is a hymn that we usually sing. All of you probably have heard it. The title of it is "Bind Us Together." Here are the words: "Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken, bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together with love. There is only one God. There's only one king. There's only one body. That is why we sing. Lord, bind us together. Lord, bind us together." And there's two choruses that go to that as well. Well, here's the truth. The truth is he has bound us together.
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And we must endeavor to keep that unity by not caring and rendering asunder the ligaments of lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance. Now, here's what I want to do. I want to show you in verses four through seven how the Apostle Paul now makes application of the first three verses. Because usually when you read verses four through seven, you think, well, what possible connection could they have with the first three verses?
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When he says, "There is one body and one spirit, even as you're 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. But in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." So how does that connect with the first three verses? Well, actually.
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The apostle Paul is telling us that there is a threefold unity that we need to observe, which will enable us and help us to make sure that we follow verses 1 through 3. First, the threefold unity is evidenced internally. Look in verse 4. Here's an internal evidence. He says, "There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling." I want you to hold Ephesians chapter 4 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 12. And we'll read through verse 27. Remember, he talks about in verse four, that there is one body, one spirit in your call with one hope of your calling. Well, look in verse 12 and beginning there with verse 12, he says. In fact, let's, yeah, let's begin reading verse 12. He says, "For as the body is one and has many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ."
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So just like you have arms and legs and feet and toes and fingers, you're still one body. So likewise, there are many different members, but we have one body in Christ. Verse 13, "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether it be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into that one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If a foot shall say, because I'm not the hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set members, every one of them in the body, as it had pleased him. And if that were all one member, where were the body? And now are there many members yet, but one body."
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"And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee. Nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow a more abundant honor. And our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need, but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked. Why? That there be no schism or no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now, you are the body of Christ and members in particular." Now, what did he say? We are one body, but different members. But we are one body that have been placed in that body by one spirit. Looking back in verse 18, he says it, "But now hath God set the members, every one of them, the body as it pleased him."
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Now look in verse 11, "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit, dividing to every man severally as he willed." One body, one spirit, one hope of our calling. And let me just quote it. Romans 1, verses 6 and 7. "Among whom also you are the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." There's one body. There's one spirit. And there's one hope of our calling. Everyone in this room has the same exact hope. We hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We're in one body, we are His body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us in that body, and it is the Holy Spirit of God who's placed us as a member in that body as it pleased Him to do so.
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So I can't say, well, I don't need Levi. I do need Levi. Can't say I don't need Jim. I do need Jim. I need every one of my fingers. I need both arms. I need every member that I've got. And that's exactly what he's telling us here. There is this internal evidence of our unity. We have one body, one spirit, and one hope of our calling. Go back if you would to Ephesians chapter 4.
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Now he says in verse 5, watch carefully, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." So second here then is an external or outward profession of our unity. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. We acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Since we acknowledge His Lordship, His Godhead, His Deity, we have one faith. We have one Lord. We have one faith. We have one baptism. There cannot be two Lords. The word Lord is kyrios.
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It means boss, owner, master, sovereign. There can only be one sovereign, one absolute, one ultimate. Since there is only one God, one Lord, that means there is one faith and there is only one baptism. And that is the baptism that actually places you in the body. If you want to see it, look in your Bibles to Romans 6. Look there and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Romans 6 and verse 3. Look what he says. Romans 6 and verse 3. "Romans 6, verse 3, know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. Therefore, we were buried with Him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection." There's one Lord, there's one faith, there's one baptism.
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So you have an internal evidence of the unity, you have an external evidence of that unity because of our profession. And if you look back to Ephesians chapter four.
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Thirdly, the circle of unity grows even wider with a heavenly application for verse six tells us "One God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all." Wow, now notice if he would, one God and father of all. You remember that? Shema Israel. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and verse 6 says, "But to us there is but one God, the father of whom are all things, and we in Him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by Him." So what does it mean then when he says one God and Father of all who is above all? He's sovereign and through all it's His providence and in you all it's the same salvation. We all have the one God and Father who has saved us, who is our Sovereign, who works everything out for our good and for His glory. God the Father is the initiator, the author, the originator of our salvation.
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God the Son is the one who procured and purchased our salvation. God the Holy Spirit is the one who applies that salvation. So he says there is one God and father of all who is above all. He's the author and the finisher of our faith and through all and in you all. So actually, verse 6 brings us right back to the internal and the external manifestations of our unity. Now let me conclude with verse 7. I want you to look at verse 7. "But unto every one of us" and Paul is talking to the Ephesians. So the application would be to us, "but unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Now, think about that, "but in every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
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Let me ask you a question. Here's the thief on the cross. He said, "Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom," and our Lord said, "Verily I say to you, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise." How long was that thief saved before he died? An hour or two at the most, because he came along and broke their legs. Once they broke the legs, they died. My question is this. How much grace did God give that dying thief?
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Not only sufficient saving, but sufficient to live for the several hours that he lived. Right.
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Now, look at verse seven again, "but every one of us is given grace." How much grace does God give us? According to the measure of the gift of Christ. You have the grace and the gift that God gave you. I don't care how little or how much. The tiniest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. The largest amount of saving grace is still saving grace. But in that area of saving grace, he also gives us other gifts. God has placed us in the body, the scripture says, as it has pleased him.
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That means we have to function together. We have to work together. I got tickled last week because after church, Jim was telling us how to lose weight. And he heard a man say, well, the way to lose weight is very easy. Drink a pint of whiskey before meal. Said you'll still be hungry, but you can't find your mouth. Well, that might work. That might work, but I want you to think about this. I want you to listen to this. If my hand cannot find my mouth, my hand is useless. My hand has to be able to minister to my mouth. OK, it does. It does. If it doesn't, then I've got to find some other way for something to minister to my mouth.
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Someone would have to if I'm to continue living. So the point I'm trying to make is this. Wherever God places us in the body, whatever member we are in the body, we're there only by the grace of God and for the honor and the glory of God and for the ministry of the whole. I can't look at Ron and say, "I don't need you." I do. He has gifts and graces that I don't have. Same thing with Marshall. He'll have gifts and graces I don't have.
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So that means this: we are absolutely, it is absolutely essential and necessary that we come together and stay together. If we're going to function the way we should function. And the only way that we can walk and function the way we should is the way Paul says with all lowliness and meekness and longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Breaking our neck to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Why? Because we recognize there is one body, and one Spirit, and one calling, and one Lord, and one faith, and one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, and He's given us grace that we can function if we will. So to walk worthy is to walk in such a way that we maintain the unity that God has given us, that we recognize that we're one body in Jesus Christ. Many different members, but one body. Walk worthy of the vocation we're with, you recall. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day.
#66 | 53:12 to 54:44 | cleaned
We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And I pray, Father, that You would indeed enable us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we've been called. Enable us, Lord, to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Enable us, Lord, to be longsuffering and forbearing with each other. Enable us to walk in humility and meekness. Enable us, Father, to bring honor to Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask and pray. Amen.
#67 | 54:44 to 55:15 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:03:56Z

Walking With God - 5

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on walking with the Lord by expounding Ephesians 4:1-7. He emphasizes that walking worthy of our calling requires lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance in love, all aimed at preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Longsuffering is defined as self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate, modeled after God's patience with us. Forbearance involves bearing with the infirmities of weaker brethren without disdain. The unity we are to keep is God-given, based on one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. Every believer is given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift, enabling us to function together as one body.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the series on walking with the Lord, recalling that walking before the Lord is prerequisite, and summarizes previous messages on lowliness and meekness from Ephesians 4:1-2.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 4:1-7

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are 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."

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:15

It is the opposite of a spirit of domination and lordship and manipulation. And then I showed you that if you and I are indeed to walk lowly in a lowly manner, then we have to remember what we were and what God brought us from. And we looked at Ephesians chapter two, verses one through three. We also looked at Isaiah 51 in verse one, where God says, "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord, look unto the rock from which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit which you were digged." So if you understand what you were when God found you and what God brought you out of. There's obviously no reason for pride, arrogance or haughtiness as well. Even the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15, described himself as the chief of sinners. And so each one of us, if we are walking with a lowly mind, would be ready to thank Paul for that position. So walking worthy also includes walking with meekness. If you look in verse 2, he says, walk with all lowliness and meekness. So last week, I spent the entire message on weakness or meekness. And I pointed out how meekness is not weakness. How meekness is not just simply poor posture. I pointed out how meekness is not a denial of our rights or anything like that. But meekness literally refers to disciplined strength under Christ. It refers to those who've been broken to yoke.

Walking with Longsuffering

Now that's why the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 4, now listen carefully,

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:4

"...or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Using Matthew 18:21-35, Weaver illustrates that because God has been merciful and longsuffering with us, we must likewise be longsuffering and forgiving toward others.

And you will see how these two things are tied together. Matthew 18 verse 21.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 18:21-35

"Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until 70 times seven."

Well, that doesn't mean that your patience ends at 490 times, but our Lord is using this as saying you don't run out.

Walking in Forbearance

Wait, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter six and look at verse ten, Galatians six and verse ten. Look what God says. Galatians 6 and verse 10.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:10

"As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them which are of the household of faith."

Endeavoring to Keep Unity

The Threefold Unity in Verses 4-6

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:6-7

"Among whom also you are the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:4

"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord."

Grace According to the Measure of Christ's Gift

Verse 7 teaches that every believer is given grace according to Christ's gift, enabling each member to function in the body. No member is unnecessary, and all must work together in humility and love.

Walking With God - 5

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	52216189484
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-03-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 146: Walking With God — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	67

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the series on walking with the Lord, recalling that walking before the Lord is prerequisite, and summarizes previous messages on lowliness and meekness from Ephesians 4:1-2.
Walking with Longsuffering: Longsuffering (makrothumia) is defined as patience, endurance, and slowness in avenging oneself. It is the self-restraint that does not hastily retaliate when wronged, modeled after God's longsuffering toward us.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: Using Matthew 18:21-35, Weaver illustrates that because God has been merciful and longsuffering with us, we must likewise be longsuffering and forgiving toward others.
Walking in Forbearance: Forbearance (anechomai) means to bear with, endure, and sustain. It addresses the tension between strong and weak believers, calling the strong not to despise the weak and the weak not to judge the strong.
Endeavoring to Keep Unity: Verse 3 commands believers to diligently strive (spoudazo) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This unity is God-given, not man-made, and requires the virtues of verse 2 as prerequisites.
The Threefold Unity in Verses 4-6: Paul presents an internal unity (one body, one Spirit, one hope), an external profession (one Lord, one faith, one baptism), and a heavenly unity (one God and Father of all) that undergird the call to preserve unity.
Grace According to the Measure of Christ's Gift: Verse 7 teaches that every believer is given grace according to Christ's gift, enabling each member to function in the body. No member is unnecessary, and all must work together in humility and love.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Longsuffering is learned from God's example

Since God did not destroy us for our first sin but showed longsuffering, we are obligated to show the same patience to others.

Weaver asks how many would want God to destroy them for their first sin, then cites Romans 2:4 and the parable in Matthew 18.

Forbearance prevents division between strong and weak

The strong tend to despise the weak, and the weak tend to judge the strong; forbearance in love overcomes these tendencies.

Weaver references Romans 14:1-3 and describes the problem of older children not wanting to play with younger ones as an analogy.

Unity is kept, not made

The command is to 'keep' the unity of the Spirit, meaning it already exists by God's work; our role is to preserve it through diligent effort.

Weaver states, 'It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity.'

The virtues of verse 2 are prerequisites for unity

Without lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance, the unity of the Spirit cannot be maintained.

Weaver quotes Matthew Henry: 'Without these things... unity cannot be preserved.'

Every member is necessary and graced for service

God has placed each member in the body as He pleased and gives grace according to Christ's gift, so no member can say they don't need another.

Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 12 and the hand-mouth analogy to argue for mutual dependence.

Scripture References

Ephesians 4:1-7: The primary text of the sermon, calling believers to walk worthy with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and unity.
Genesis 17:1: Cited in review: 'Walk now before me and be thou perfect' as the foundation for walking before the Lord.
Hebrews 11:5-6: Referenced in review of walking by faith, emphasizing belief in God's person and promises.
Ephesians 2:1-3: Mentioned in review of lowliness, reminding believers of their former state before salvation.
Isaiah 51:1: Quoted to illustrate remembering the pit from which we were dug, supporting humility.
1 Timothy 1:15: Paul's self-description as chief of sinners, used to encourage lowliness.
2 Corinthians 6:3-6: Paul's example of approving oneself as a minister through longsuffering, among other virtues.
Romans 2:4: God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering lead to repentance, showing His patience.
Matthew 18:21-35: The parable of the unforgiving servant, teaching that we must forgive as we have been forgiven.
Galatians 6:10: Do good to all, especially the household of faith, emphasizing special obligation to fellow believers.
Romans 14:1-3: Instruction to receive the weak without disputing, and not to despise or judge one another.
Romans 12:18: If possible, live peaceably with all men, quoted to support the call to peace.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27: The body of Christ has many members but is one, and no member can say it doesn't need another.
Romans 1:6-7: Called to be saints, referenced as part of the one hope of our calling.
Romans 6:3-5: Baptized into Christ's death and raised to newness of life, illustrating the one baptism.
Deuteronomy 6:4: The Shema: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord,' affirming one God.
1 Corinthians 8:6: One God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.

Historical References

John Gill: Quoted on longsuffering: bearing much and long with infirmities, not easily provoked or seeking revenge.
Matthew Henry: Quoted on forbearance: bearing infirmities out of love, and on the necessity of lowliness and meekness for unity.

Important Quotes

Longsuffering is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate when one is wrong.

Defines the core meaning of longsuffering as active restraint rather than mere patience.

Freely you have received, freely give. God has been merciful and patient and longsuffering with you. So therefore, God expects you to be merciful and patient and longsuffering with others.

Summarizes the principle that our treatment of others should mirror God's treatment of us.

It does not say endeavoring to make the unity of the Spirit. Only God can give unity.

Clarifies that unity is a divine gift to be preserved, not a human achievement.

Breaking your neck to keep the unity of the Spirit. Breaking your neck, that is doing everything within your power to keep the unity of the Spirit.

Emphasizes the intense effort required to maintain unity, using a vivid colloquialism.

Without these things, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance, unity cannot be preserved. The first step towards unity is humility.

Matthew Henry's insight that the virtues of verse 2 are essential prerequisites for unity.

We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, if we be not meek and lowly of heart.

Connects walking worthy directly to the character of Christ, who is meek and lowly.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding God's longsuffering toward us change the way we respond when others wrong us?

[Context]

Weaver asks listeners to consider whether they would want God to destroy them for their first sin, highlighting God's patience.

[Question]

In what ways do we tend to despise or judge weaker brethren, and how can we practice forbearance instead?

[Context]

Weaver describes the tendency of the strong to disdain the weak and the weak to judge the strong, using Romans 14.

[Question]

What does it practically mean to 'break your neck' to keep the unity of the Spirit in our church?

[Context]

Weaver explains the Greek word spoudazo as diligent, laborious effort to preserve unity.

[Question]

How does recognizing that we are one body with many members affect our attitude toward those with different gifts or maturity levels?

[Context]

Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 12 to show that every member is necessary and placed by God.

[Question]

Why are lowliness and meekness prerequisites for unity, and what happens when they are absent?

[Context]

Weaver quotes Matthew Henry: 'Pride and passion break the peace and make all the mischief.'

Applications

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