There is a truly beautiful reality found nestled in many of the apostle Paul’s letters that for many years I never noticed. That is, until one of my seminary professors brought it to my attention. They call it the indicative and the imperative.
Indicative verbs are assertions of fact. They are statements the author claims to be true. Imperatives on the other hand are commands. They are not merely intended to share information, but to shape behavior.
Frequently in the great apostle’s writings, we find little to no commands on the earliest pages. Instead, he will write at length about the wondrous realities of the new covenant, our position in Christ, and how awesome our salvation is. In essence, he will write about what God has done.
Certainly, this is true in the book of Ephesians.
In fact, in the first three chapters of Ephesians, the only imperative that Paul gives is “Remember” (2:11). Specifically, Gentile believers are to remember who they used to be.
Yet, after unfolding many of our innumerable spiritual blessings in Christ, the apostle now changes from factual statements about what God has done for us to an expected response.
He begins by writing,
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1).
Therefore—in light of all that God has done for you—surely your life should be changed. Right?
Yet, he still awaits issuing commands!
First, he urges. Paul wants us to see it for ourselves. He wants us to want to live in line with what God has done. We should not need to be told that our salvation by grace demands a response in the lives that we lead, it should be a natural conclusion as we ponder the glories of what God has done for us.
So, as Christians, we ought to respond. We are to grow.
In fact, the variety of ministers Christ gave to the church are for the purpose of spiritual children growing to mature manhood (Eph. 4:13-14).
We are to no longer walk as nonbelievers (Eph. 4:17) for we now are believers! We are to put on the new man—that is Christ—and to strip off the old man, that is Adam (Eph. 4:22-24).
What does this look like?
Well Paul will tell us throughout the rest of the letter but beginning in today’s chapter there are a number of commands. In fact, there is a whole section of Christian ethics in verses 25 through 32 containing 11 imperatives! Paul goes from one command over the course of three chapters to 11 commands in seven verses!
This new way of living is merely the logical response to all God has done for us in His Son Jesus Christ. These are things we should dwell on and strive for, that we might live out the new reality of who we are in Christ and so bring glory to God as His redeemed people.
Paul urges Christians to walk worthy, then he showcases what walking worthy looks like:
· Speaking the truth
· Being angry without sin and not letting the sun go down on our wrath
· Giving no opportunity to the devil.
· Thieves no longer stealing but laboring for good.
· Letting no corrupting talk come from our mouths.
· Not grieving the Holy Spirit.
· Putting away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander.
· Being kind to one another.
This is what the Christian life ought to look like.
Will we walk worthy?