“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NASB1995)

First off, what does it mean to be a “prisoner of the Lord”? Well, for Paul it meant two things, I believe. From what I understand, he was literally imprisoned at the time in which he wrote this, and he was imprisoned because of his service to the Lord Jesus and because he preached the gospel of Christ and of his salvation. Many of his writings, I believe, were during times when he was being held captive in some kind of imprisonment for the gospel of Christ. But somehow his letters were able to get to the people.

And some of you who are reading this may presently be being held in some kind of prison, or you may have friends and family members who are being held because of their declarations of faith in Jesus Christ and because they are sharing the truth of the gospel without shame or fear of reproach. Or you may be ostracized from people who now think of you as odd because you serve the Lord faithfully with your life, and so you may not have many friends, and so you feel isolated from people, which is kind of like prison.

But the second way in which he was a prisoner of the Lord was the same as we should be also, if truly Jesus Christ is Lord (Owner-master) of our lives. For we are no longer to claim ownership over our own lives, but we should now serve as servants of the Lord to do his bidding. Now he takes ownership of our lives, and we now live for him to follow him wherever he leads us. We no longer see ourselves as free to live however we want, for we were bought back for God (redeemed) by the blood of Christ, shed for our redemption.

Therefore, as those who now belong to God, in his service, no longer to live for the sinful pleasures of the flesh in deliberate and habitual disobedience to our Lord and to his commands, we are to walk (in conduct, in practice) in a manner worthy (suitable and fitting) of the calling with which we have been called. And that calling is the one Jesus gave to all who desired to follow him, that we must deny self, die to sin daily, in practice, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to his commands, if we are to have eternal life with God.

And “with all humility” is lacking in pride and in self-importance. And “with gentleness” is with meekness, which is not weakness, but which is controlled and gentle strength, like Jesus modeled for us. And patience and tolerance are not to be accepting of sinful lifestyles in those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, for we are to exhort and encourage one another daily so that none of us is led astray by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to speak the truth of the gospel to one another in love so that we all follow Jesus Christ in truth.

And being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is not in encouraging one another to follow and to obey “wolves in sheep’s clothing” disguised as ministers of the gospel who are teaching lies to the people and who are trying to get the people to conform to the ways of human flesh rather than to conform to the ways of God and to the teachings of the Scriptures. Too many “pastors” are businessmen who are marketing “the church” to the world, so they are compromising the gospel message.

So, test the spirits to see which ones are of God, and test them against the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context, and then obey God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Fit for Service

An Original Work / October 5, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Holy Spirit, come within us.
Cleanse our hearts,
and from sin free us.
Make us holy vessels fit
for service to the King.
Fill us with Your love and power.
Anoint us within this hour
To be living witnesses
For Jesus Christ, our King.
Our praise to Him bring.

Father God, our heart’s desire,
Come and speak to us in power.
Revive our hearts to obey You;
Live for You always.
May we love and serve You only,
Walking with You;
Not a phony.
May we always tell the truth,
And show integrity.
Your true servants be.

Jesus, Savior, sanctify us.
Purify our hearts within us;
Be transformed into Your likeness,
Holy unto You.
May we always listen to You
Speaking Your words
Now within us.
May we heed Your counsel to us;
Follow You today.
Do all that You say.

Worthy of The Calling
An Original Work / January 30, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love