Ephesians 4:1 (NLT/NIV/NRSV)
Therefore as a prisoner in the Lord, then, I exhort you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
“Chapter 4 begins with language similar to what Paul used in 3:1, in effect saying ‘I, a prisoner in the Lord, exhort you.’ In the earlier passage Paul called himself ‘the prisoner of Christ Jesus,’ while here he is ‘a prisoner for (in some translations in) the Lord,’ stressing his unity with Christ. We could almost define Ephesians as being the ‘in Christ’ letter, since the phrase appears so often. As in 3:1 the basic message is that while Paul may be incarcerated by Rome, he has actually been captured by the Lord. Christ, not Rome, is truly in charge, and Paul belongs to him and has been incorporated into him. He is also stressing the cost of discipleship, using his own trials (pun intended) as the model.” (Osborne, Ephesians Verse by Verse)
Paul had no problem calling himself a slave in the Lord, for he knew that he was once a slave to Satan. Hence, to declare that he is now a slave in the Lord, is to express that he will never again be a slave to Satan, for in Christ he is now someone who belongs to the Lord alone. Today we are slaves in Christ—and nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you that we now have the freedom to wholly belong to you, and live in the assurance that nothing can separate us from your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s worship to the song “Great are you Lord” by Sinach (click here).
-GK
