5 Smooth Stones

Chapter Eight

BALANCE BETWEEN MINISTRIES

Ephesians 4:1 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk

worthy of the calling with which you were called,”

T he beginning of the fourth chapter of the book of Ephesians is a transition point within the le tt er to the noble church then existing at Ephesus. The le tt er makes a transition point from the doctrinal issues of the fi rst three chapters to the practical application of these issues in the second three chapters. Within verse one is an interesting Greek word, the word axios. The word is found in the Greek New Testament manuscripts seven times, and in the NKJV is translated either as worthy or proper. Seven is a number of spiritual signi fi cance representing perfection. In this verse axios is found in association with the Greek word peripateo meaning to tread, translated here as to walk. These two words together are translated as walk worthy. The placement of these two words together in this particular verse, which separates the doctrinal chapters from the practical application chapters in the book of Ephesians, is quite signi fi cant in understanding what God is saying through Paul about balance in our lives. Perhaps we are subtly being told that in order to walk worthy in the sight of the Lord we will need to be able to balance the doctrinal aspects of our faith with the practice of faith. Just as “the le tt er kills” (2 Corinthians 3:6) so zeal without knowledge is just as deadly. There must be balance in our lives if we are to walk worthy in the sight of the Lord. Jesus said of the Pharisees, Luke 11:42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” The Pharisees have come to represent those who are strong in doctrine yet weak in application, which Jesus called hypocrisy. Jesus was just as forceful with his words to Peter when Peter’s zealousness placed him

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