In I Thess. 2:12 the Apostle Paul presents a challenge to the Thessalonians that he frequently presented to new believers. "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory."  This same challenge is presented to the Ephesians, the Philippians, and the Colossians. The idea of walking worthy is to live in such a way that Christ would not be embarrassed that we bear his name. While the challenge is simply laid out for the Thessalonians, Paul elaborates on what it means to "walk worthy" in the other epistles. Let's see what he has to say.
     The challenge for the Ephesians is found in Eph. 4:1-3. " I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." For the Ephesians, walking worthy meant to demonstrate humility and meekness toward each other. It involved bearing each other's burdens and remaining unified through it all.
     In Colossians the challenge is given like this: "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col.1:10-12)  While walking worthy for the Ephesians dealt primarily with their relationships toward one another, walking worthy for the Colossians seems to speak more of their relationship with the Lord. They need to increase in the knowledge of God and Paul desires that they would be strengthened with the strength that only God can provide. They are also challenged in the area of thankfulness to God. So you see, in order for their walk to be worthy, the Colossians needed to tune up their relationship with the Lord.
     Finally, in Philippians, the challenge is set forth in this manner: "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God" (Phil. 1:27-28).  Although the wording is somewhat different, the challenge is still the same. "Only let your conversation [lifestyle] be as it becometh [to speak well of] the gospel."  Paul then defines what a life that speaks well of the gospel looks like; "...that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." Here we can see that for the Philippians a worthy walk is described as an effort to advance the faith of the gospel regardless of any attempts by their adversaries to stop it.
     So if we want an all-encompassing description of what it means to walk worthy, we must put these instructions given to these three churches together. To the Ephesians: walk worthy by growing in your relationship with one another. To the Colossians: walk worthy by growing in your relationship to the Lord. To the Philippians: walk worthy by faithfully and fervently reaching out to the lost. That leaves us with one question-are we walking worthy?