It is well publicized that the United States military academies have a stringent “honor code.” This is a set written standard that governs integrity in academics and prohibits such activities as lying, cheating, or stealing. Men and women who aspire to serve their country are held to a higher standard than the general public. This “honor code” is deemed necessary to develop character, and it also makes one worthy of public trust. Conduct falling short of these standards is considered conduct unbecoming to an officer and unworthy of the branch of service it represents.

The Scriptures likewise imply a high code of conduct for every believer. We represent the Lord Jesus Christ and His message of grace. To be worthy of public trust, it is essential that we live worthy of our Savior. In Ephesians 4:1, Paul begs the saints to “…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” In Colossians 1:10, Paul prays for the saints: “that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” In I Thessalonians 2:12 he implores the believers: “that ye would walk worthy of God…” These passages make it is clear that a worthy walk of godly conduct is extremely important. When the Apostle Paul wrote the saints in II Thessalonians 1:4, he praised them for their “patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.” He further states their godly conduct was “…a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye might be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer” (vs. 5). The fact that these believers were, through the grace of God, able to maintain such godliness with unwavering faith and endurance, no matter how severe the persecution, was a demonstration to the lost. It proved their message of salvation through Christ alone was real. Their testimony pointed to eternal life for those who trust in Christ, and to the looming divine punishment for those rejecting faith in the Lord Jesus. Paul assured them that this kind of daily walk made them worthy of the Savior they served. This certainly does not mean any kind of merit leading to eternal life. It simply means they represented the Savior so well that they were worthy to be considered genuine soldiers of Christ.

How about you, beloved? Are you seeking to be a worthy soldier of Christ by living a godly life worthy of His name?