Answer: God's children should live a life worthy
of the calling we have received, (verse 1).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Romans 8:28: "And we know that in
all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have
been called according to His purpose."
1 Corinthians 1:26-31: "Brothers,
think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were
wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were
of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to
shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the
despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify
the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It is
because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us
wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who
boasts boast in the Lord.'"
2 Corinthians 5:4-5: "For while we
are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish
to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so
that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is
God Who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the
Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
Galatians 5:13: "You, my brothers,
were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the
sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."
Ephesians 5:8-10: "For you were
once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children
of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,
righteousness and Truth) and find out what pleases the
Lord."
Philippians 1:27: "Whatever
happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of
Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in
my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit,
contending as one man for the faith of the
Gospel...."
Colossians 1:9-13: "For this
reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped
praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of
His Will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And
we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power
according to His glorious might so that you may have great
endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father,
Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in
the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion
of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in
Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
1 Thessalonians 2:10-12: "You are
witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we
were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with
each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging,
comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, Who calls
you into His kingdom and glory."
2 Thessalonians 1:8-12: "He [Jesus]
will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of
our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting
destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the
majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His
holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have
believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to
you. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our
God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He
may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by
your faith. We pray this so that the Name of our Lord Jesus
may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of
our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 6:12: "Fight the good
fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called when you made your good confession in the presence of many
witnesses."
Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of
God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches
us to say "No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present
age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave
Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for
Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is
good."
1 Peter 1:1-2: "Peter, an apostle
of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have
been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus
Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours
in abundance."
1 Peter 1:13-15: "Therefore,
prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope
fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is
revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil
desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He
Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is
written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
1 Peter 2:20-22: "But how is it to
your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?
But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is
commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in
His steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was
found in His mouth.'"
1 Peter 3:8-9: "Finally, all of you, live
in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be
compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or
insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were
called so that you may inherit a blessing."
