For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
(1 Thessalonians 2:9-12, NASB)
“… walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” What does this really mean? What manner is worthy enough to deserve being a part of God’s kingdom?
I believe it means behaving in a way that pleases God. It means spending time in His word learning more about Him and His character. It means praying and communing with Him, listening to His voice.
It means striving to live by the greatest commandment, and “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). And living by the second greatest, as well, by striving to “love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 31).
It means allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest His fruit in you so you are loving, joyful, patient, gentle, and kind (see Gal.5:21-23). It means serving the “least of these” (Matt. 25:31-40).
Or as Paul wrote, it means to live devoutly, uprightly, and blamelessly, and exhort and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sounds like a very high calling, doesn’t it? When the end result is being with God in His kingdom, it’s really the least we can do.
No comments:
Post a Comment