Walk Worthy

Ephesians 4:17–6:20 offers one of the most direct depictions of what it looks like to live differently after being made new in Christ. Paul isn’t writing abstract theology. He’s describing a way of walking that shows up in daily relationships, in discipline, in authority, and in pressure. This is why this passage resonated so strongly with me in the context of sports.

Sports amplify who we already are. Pressure exposes character. Locker rooms reveal hearts. Coaching reveals leadership theology, whether we realize it or not. Athletics has a way of stripping away filters and revealing what is actually driving us.

Paul starts by illustrating the sharp contrast between the old life and the new. We are no longer to walk as the world walks, driven by empty thinking and hardened hearts (Romans 12:2). In sports, it’s easy to excuse behavior by saying, “That’s just how it is.” Trash talk, selfishness, manipulation, emotional outbursts, and demeaning language are often treated as the cultural norm (Colossians 3:9–10). However, Paul makes it clear that being made new in Christ means we no longer operate from the same broken internal operating system. Identity comes first and behavior follows. The Christian athlete competes hard, but not from ego, fear, or the need to prove worth.

Paul quickly shifts to speech, anger, and relationships. Why? Because words matter. The way teammates converse and the way coaches offer correction shape program cultures more than anything else (James 1:19–20). Paul doesn’t forbid anger, but he warns against letting it control us. Bitterness, gossip, and unresolved conflict quietly destroy a team’s connectedness. A Christ-centered locker room isn’t passive—it’s disciplined. Words are used to build, correct, and strengthen rather than humiliate.

Walking in love and in light challenges the idea that unity requires ignoring sin or unhealthy patterns. Love does not avoid hard conversations. Light exposes what needs to change so growth can occur. Accountability is not optional. Private life and public life are not separate categories. Character does not turn off when no one is watching (John 3:19–21).

Paul also addresses wisdom, discipline, and our use of time— all of which resonate with athletes and coaches. Training, preparation, and daily habits are acts of stewardship. Discipline is not about control or perfectionism; it’s about honoring what’s been entrusted to you. The focus changes from minimal effort to faithful preparation (save that for a rainy day).

His teaching on authority naturally applies to coach–athlete relationships and also connects to Hebrews 13:17 and Mark 10:42–45. Biblical authority isn’t rooted in domination or ego. It’s about understanding the responsibility. Coaches are entrusted with influence and we must exercise it with integrity and humility. Athletes are called to respect leadership without losing conviction. Healthy teams understand roles. Dysfunctional teams fight for control.

Paul rounds out by reminding us that the real battle is not against flesh and blood. In sports, the most difficult opponents don’t wear jerseys— they are invisible: pride, fear, comparison, and identity confusion. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word, and prayer are daily pieces of equipment for athletes to use under pressure.

Ephesians 4:17–6:20 doesn’t imply that Christian athletes are to be weak competitors. It challenges them to compete from a different “why and how.” Athletics becomes more than performance or results. It becomes a place where faith is lived out under pressure, and the new life in Christ is made visible.