In Ephesians, chapter 4, we learn of 5 Characteristics God Desires in the Life of Every Believer. These are internal characteristics that show the world we belong to Him. The apostle Paul tells us these characteristics are:
- All Humility
- Gentleness
- Patience
- Showing Tolerance
- Displaying the Bond of Peace.
These characteristics are essential because the Christian life is more than what you do. It goes beyond just reading your Bible, praying, and attending church since these are the outward manifestations. The Christian life is more about who you are in Christ and how those characteristics are exemplified in the world.
We discover this in the first three chapters of Ephesians. The apostle Paul lays out his theology that believers are changed first from the heart, then that is manifested outward.
A Quick Summary of Ephesians 1-3
Ephesians Chapter 1
The first chapter of Ephesians talks about the many blessings to those redeemed by the blood of Christ. Believers are forgiven of their sins and receive an inheritance of eternal life and an ever presence with God in heaven.
“He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will…In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us…also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.”
Ephesians 1:5-12
Ephesians Chapter 2
Paul outlines how God brought together two diametrically opposed factions and united them as the Church, in chapter 2.
“But now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace…”
Ephesians 2:13-15
Ephesians Chapter 3
When we look at Chapter 3, we cannot begin to recognize God’s power in our lives until we have received the power of the Spirit. It is the Spirit working in the believer’s life to help renew the inner man, and accomplish what Christ desires.
“For this reason, I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19
While the remainder of the book of Ephesians shifts to practical topics, the honorable walk starts in the heart. This brings us to the “Therefore” section in Chapter 4.
5 Characteristics God Desires in Every Believer
In Ephesians 4:1-6, the Apostle Paul reminds us of the characteristics that God desires in the life of every believer. He urges us to “live a life worthy of our calling.” Because theology guides our behavior, our lives demonstrate sound theology when we live according to the Bible’s teachings. At that point, the rest of the world will take note (Matthew 5:16), and we’ll be able to introduce them to Christ, our leader and head of the church.
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:1-6
1. All Humility
Humility is one of the most important characteristics that God desires in his followers. It is a quality that Jesus perfectly demonstrated during his time on earth.
In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul writes:
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus emptied himself for our sake and became obedient to God’s will even unto death.
This shows us that humility involves putting others before ourselves and submitting to God’s will above all else. Living as God’s people means following Jesus’ example and striving to become more humble daily.
In James 4:10, James tells his readers to “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will life you up.” We live a worthy life when we follow the Bible. It all begins in our hearts and when we have total humility, that leads to gentleness.
2. Gentleness
Gentleness comes from complete humility.
Instead of being harsh with others, this attitude is one of meekness and mildness. Gentleness is a willing submission to God and others, void of any common rebellion once held before salvation in Christ.
Gentleness is often thought of as meek or weak, but gentleness is a powerful fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that can disarm the hardest of hearts and break through the strongest barriers.
To be gentle means, you have your power under control. You don’t seek vengeance on others or retaliate with harm. In fact, for those clothed in gentleness, it is almost impossible to act like that.
Humility leads to unity, and when there is humility, a spirit of gentleness, a non-retaliatory mentality, is close by.
3. Patience
A long-suffering or long-tempered person holds back from exaggerating or losing control. This characteristic consists of three traits:
- You will never succumb to difficult conditions with this kind of patience. For example, Abraham was promised to become a great nation and persevered despite several hardships and setbacks.
- Patience is more than being long-tempered; it’s having the mindset that you can take whatever life throws at you.
- The final characteristic of patience is a willingness to accept God’s plan in everything.
Putting on humility results in gentleness, and living in this way generates patience.
Another aspect where cultivating patience is vital is in parenting or mentorship roles.
4. Showing Tolerance
The Bible teaches us that we should love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).
We must understand that not everyone has had the same experiences we have had, and therefore it’s important to be patient with others. We should be willing to listen to their point of view even if it’s not the same as ours.
Tolerance also means being forgiving. We must forgive others’ mistakes just as God forgives ours. This type of love covers evil and makes it disappear, not holding it against the person who wronged you.
It all starts with a resolve that you will walk, enabled by the Holy Spirit to clothe yourself with these attributes. As Paul says, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”
5. Displaying the Bond of Peace
When we display the bond of peace, we reflect one of Jesus Christ’s most significant characteristics: peacemaking. As believers, it’s essential that we strive for unity and peace with each other to create an environment where we can grow in our faith.
By displaying the bond of peace, we let others know that we are committed to making relationships work and that we genuinely care about them. But what exactly is the bond of peace?
As Paul says:
“Being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:3-6
This bond is a spiritual connection between believers who share a common goal and purpose in Christ (c.f. 1 Corinthians 6:17). We must maintain this connection by putting aside our differences and forgiving one another as God has forgiven us.
Final Thoughts
We see these characteristics modeled throughout scripture by Jesus Christ himself and his disciples. As followers of Christ, it’s important that our actions align with our beliefs so that others can see God through us all as He intended.
In John 13:35, Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
In doing so, we build strong relationships with each other and set an example for non-believers who may be watching us. Living in Christ means living with godly character traits such as humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and displaying the bond of peace among believers.
Conclusion
We have explored the five characteristics that God desires in the life of every believer. These traits are humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and peace.
As believers in Christ, it is important that we strive to display these characteristics in our daily lives. When we live with humility, we show reverence for God’s greatness and acknowledge our own limitations.
Gentleness allows us to treat others with kindness and compassion. Patience helps us to persevere through difficult times and trust in God’s timing.
Tolerance enables us to respect those who hold different beliefs than our own. When we display the bond of peace, we bring unity to those around us.
As believers, it is important that we continue to grow in these traits and become more like Christ each day. Through prayer and reading the Word of God, we can gain a deeper understanding of God’s traits and how He expects us to live as His children.
Let us strive towards displaying these characteristics not only amongst fellow believers but also towards those who may not share our faith or have different lifestyles or opinions than ours. When we reflect God’s character through our actions towards others genuine fellowship among people will be born leading to a more peaceful existence on earth regardless of their beliefs or lifestyles!