Walk as We are Called
Advice for Us All
Christian Philosopher Alvin Plantinga wrote a short piece many years ago entitled, Advice to Christian Philosophers. At one point he made three points that I believe apply to all believers:
First, Christian philosophers and Christian intellectuals generally must display more autonomy-more independence of the rest the philosophical world.
Second, Christian philosophers must display more integrity-integrity in the sense of integral wholeness, or oneness, or unity, being all of one piece. Perhaps “integrality” would be a better word here. And necessary to these to is a third.
Christian courage, or boldness, or strength, or perhaps Christian trust in the Lord; we must put on the whole armour of God.1
I have tried through my posts to say many of the same things that Plantinga has made so clear. As 2025 begins we as believers must decide how we will live in it. Have we lived in the manner Plantinga states or have we lived our lives going through the motions of “church people”?
Plantinga says we need more independence from the world. Our Christian faith should push us to be dependent upon God on a daily basis so that our independence from the world is clear, and people notice that difference. An independence that demonstrates God’s direction in the life we lead. We need to change the way we have lived and say to the rest of the world, “I am a child of God”, I will walk as I have been called by God. Whatever the circumstance in which I live those around me will know whose I am.
Plantinga then challenges believers to be unified. We, as individual believers, need to seek more unity with other believers, more unity in our churches, and more unity with other denominations. This is not only possible but demanded by the Apostle Paul,
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4: 1-3, ESV, 1995). (See also Colossians 2:12-15)
Worthy of the calling to which you have been called (2 Tim. 1:8; Phil. 1:27; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:13; 3 John 6). First and foremost we are children of God by grace. And Paul urges us to act like it. Whoever we are, wherever we are, we are to be who He has called us to be. And we are to be humble, gentle, and have patience. I fail in this many times a day. But God still calls us knowing that we will fail Him. He still calls us to be humble as believers, and to be gentle with one another. We are to be patient with those who are immature in their faith, or who may not be walking as they have been called. We are to walk in this manner because others will treat us in this manner even when we fail. Or even when it leads us to a prison cell-like Paul.
Bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain unity of the Spirit. We see the same thoughts in Col. 3:12-15, we are to bear with one another in love but do so in humility, with gentleness and patience. For far too many of us this is a struggle, and I count myself in that number. We love the Lord and want to follow obediently but we are trained in the modern world to move quickly, think of number one, and not get emotionally involved. And yet…we are His children in this modern world and we are called to act like it.
In all this, maintain unity:
The spiritual oneness here indicated is an indispensable prerequisite for promoting the health and happiness of the church, for advancing the cause of missions, and for winning the victory over Satan and his allies. It does not come of its own accord but is the result of both effort and prayer.2
We see unity promoted throughout the New Testament but nowhere more beautifully in Ephesians 2:11-22. I will quote from verse 13 to share the truth of what we are to be:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
In Christ, and by His blood, we were far from Him and each other, and now in his blood we are brought near, to Christ and each other. When we drift or purposely cast our eyes away from Him He will seek out those who are His. We must always keep Christ and his work of salvation in our hearts. He is near through his Spirit.
Lastly, we need to act and live boldly, trusting in Christ’s love and guidance. For us to fulfill the call written in every book of scripture we must not step back from the modern world and modern people to say, “Christ is the way”, and the only way. We need to reach others for Christ without concern for the consequences of our outreach.
In our boldness, we are to remember our calling. Christ called us to walk as he walked, to love and serve as he did, to sacrifice our lives as he did. Will there be humiliation? Will there be sacrifice? Will it be hard? Yes.
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (ESV 2 Cor, 13:11–14).
In the Lamb,
Richard
Alvin Plantinga, “Advice to Christian Philosophers”, Faith and Philosophy 1 (1984): 253-271.
Hendriksen, William, and Simon J. Kistemaker. Exposition of Ephesians. Baker Book House, 1953–2001, p. 184.