“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”
I Thessalonians 2:12 KJV
As a child of God, you are called; Called out of darkness (I Peter 2:9-10), called to salvation (II Thessalonians 2:13-14), called unto fellowship with Jesus (I Corinthians 1:9), called to be saints (Romans 1:7), called to glory and virtue (II Peter 1:3-4), and called unto His kingdom and glory (I Thessalonians 2:12).
God called us for His purpose; to do His work.
II Timothy 1:9 says, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
- “…God hath called us to peace.” (I Corinthians 7:15)
- “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty…” (Galatians 5:13)
- “For God hath … called us unto … holiness.” (I Thessalonians 4:7)
- “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus … make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (I Peter 5:10)
What a great thing to be called of God.
I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
If you are God’s child, you are called, and God will enable you to do everything He’s called you to do. I Thessalonians 2:12 tells us to “walk worthy of God.”
In Ephesians 4:1, Paul says, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”
God has done a lot of calling, and He expects us to walk worthy of that calling, yet the word worthy means “deserving of.” Who deserves God? Who deserves His grace, His mercy, His love? None of us.
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Who then can walk worthy if none of us are worthy? There is One who is worthy.
Revelation 5:12 says, “…Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
Jesus is worthy, and if you are a child of God, you have the Spirit of God living in you. God is worthy. Jesus is worthy. And the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you makes you worthy – not because of you, but because of Christ. That is the only way that any of us can “walk worthy.”
But what does God actually expect from us when He tells us to “walk worthy?” How do we “walk worthy?”
In Ephesians 4:2-3, Paul says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” To walk worthy, we must:
- live humbly and with gentleness
- have patience toward one another, in the Spirit of love
- strive to keep the unity of the Spirit with peace.
Philippians 1:27 says, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
To walk worthy:
- our behavior must complement the Gospel of Christ and please God.
- we must stand fast in one Spirit
- with one mind, we must strive together for the faith of the Gospel.
Colossians 1:10 says, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
To walk worthy, we must:
- please the Lord by being fruitful in every good work
- increase in the knowledge of God (A child of God who is content to remain in spiritual infancy is not walking worthy for they are not increasing in the knowledge of God.)
We are instructed to walk worthy of God and the vocation wherewith He has called us.
Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Therefore, through Christ, it is possible to walk worthy.