A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 17

 

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17–24 ESV).

 

I have often heard people exhort believers to “let go and let God.” There is a great danger in this advice. It can lead to an entirely passive belief for their sanctification (growth in holiness). The best intentions lie behind this advice. After all, we know that our works contribute nothing to our righteous standing before the Lord (cf. Galatians 2:15–16; Ephesians 2:8–9); thus, many people think that giving ourselves a role in sanctification comes perilously close to denying grace.

 

Certainly, it is easy to confuse the process of sanctification with the once-for-all declaration of justification. Even Protestants might believe, implicitly, that our works secure our place in heaven or make God love us more than believers who are “further behind” in their sanctification. To avoid this problem, we simply need to maintain the biblical distinction between justification and sanctification. It is unnecessary to deny our role in sanctification altogether. God’s justification of a person, the starting point of Christian living, relies solely on the work of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). Sanctification, as our reading explains, requires cooperation between the Lord and individual believers.

 

God’s “job” is to renew our minds. Note the passive voice (v. 23): we are to “be renewed [by the Lord].” He performs the work of inward transformation, renewing our affection for Him and giving us an ever-deepening understanding of His ways. The Lord works through the circumstances of life and the path of our journey to accomplish this, but only He can perform the work of transformation. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippians to be grateful for the Lord’s work, for His power guarantees that we will fulfill our role and advance in holiness (Philippians 2:12–13).

 

Our job is to live out God’s transforming work and “put on the new self,” which means putting His ways into practice. In other words, it is to live in conformity to Christ. Gregory of Nyssa was one of the fourth-century Cappadocian Fathers who helped codify the language of orthodox Trinitarianism. He comments on Ephesians 4:24: “There is but one garment of salvation, namely, Christ. Hence the “new man” created in God’s likeness is none other than Christ. One who has put on Christ has thus put on the new person created in God’s likeness”. That is how we achieve balance in our sanctification!

 

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 16

 

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV).

 

Having referred in the abstract to the gifts that Jesus has given to His people, in today’s reading the apostle Paul identifies several of these gifts specifically. Actually, he does not refer to what we ordinarily consider spiritual gifts but rather spiritual offices. Yet this is not unusual, for he also mentions specific offices when it discusses the giftings of Christ through His Spirit to His church (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:27–30). The lists in these two passages, along with the lists of gifts found elsewhere in the New Testament, are representative and not comprehensive. They are given to indicate the types of blessings Christ gives to His people, not to define every grace Jesus might give to the covenant community.

 

Today we see five specific offices (v. 11) — apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. We should remember that these two groups constitute the foundation of the church laid in the first century. Since the foundation has already been established, some theologians believe there is no longer any need for apostles and prophets as in the early church. As far as an “officer of the church” these interpreters may be correct; however, I believe that a part of the problem of some denominations is that there is no sense of administration in the use of these giftings. My good friend and mentor, Bill Shamburger, said many times that “anything with more than one head is a monster, and anything without a head is dead.” There is great wisdom in that statement. I believe there are those in our community that are gifted to be such leaders.

 

He also mentions evangelists. These are those who are especially gifted to proclaim the gospel persuasively and intelligibly. Although they carry out their work primarily among unbelievers, there is an ongoing need for believers to hear the message of the evangelists. Timothy, after all, was exhorted to do the work of an evangelist even though his ministry was primarily to an established church (cf. 2 Timothy 4:5). We do not lose our need for the gospel at conversion; rather, we must hear it repeatedly so that we might turn daily from our sin and rest on Jesus alone for forgiveness.

 

Lastly, the apostle mentions shepherds (or pastors) and teachers. They are mentioned side by side because both types of officers provide instruction. Yet while all pastors are teachers, not all teachers are pastors. Teachers and pastors alike clarify and apply Scripture to their hearers (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2), but pastors have more of a leadership role than teachers, especially in soul care. Imitating the Good Shepherd, pastors guide us through hazardous terrain to green pastures (cf. Psalm 23:1; Peter 5:1–3).

 

Notice the reason for these giftings: “… for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (v. 11). Every child of God is gifted with the Holy Spirit and though Him we find that specific part of the entire body that is essential to wholeness. Far too few people today recognize how important they are to the health of the community of faith!

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 15

 

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:7–10 ESV).

 

Our reading today is one of the most difficult passages to definitively interpret. We do know that it serves as a vital theological transition in the Apostle Paul's letter, moving from the overarching corporate unity of the Church to the individual diversity of spiritual gifts. However, theologians have debated the “descension” and “ascension” of Jesus. So, we will look briefly at these verses from a reformed perspective and draw a brief conclusion to encourage us as we look at the gifts God bestowed on His church.

 

Because of the brevity of this format, we will look at Christ’s ascension today. It benefits us in many ways. First, it marks His formal assumption of His kingly office. Because the Son humbled Himself, took on our flesh, and fulfilled His mission, the Father highly exalted Him (cf. Philippians 2:5–11). Having eternally enjoyed an authority equal to the Father’s with respect to His deity, Christ ascended to heaven to execute authority over all in His humanity as well. The God-man now reigns over all, putting all His and our enemies under His feet (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:25). This is no small thing, but there is more.

 

Christ’s ascension also furthers the good of His people. The Apostle tells us that Jesus ascended above all the heavens “that he might fill all things” (vv. 9–10). John Calvin comments on this filling, explaining that “while [Jesus] is removed from us in bodily presence, he fills all things by the power of his Spirit.” According to His human nature, Christ is in heaven, for that is where His human body and soul are present. But through the Holy Spirit, Christ is present with His people here on earth.

 

Calvin continues: “Did [Christ] not fill them before? In his divine nature, I own, he did; but the power of his Spirit was not so exerted, nor his presence so manifested, as after he had entered into the possession of his kingdom.” So, it is better for us that Jesus is not presently among us in the flesh. Jesus Himself said, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7). For the Holy Spirit (the Helper) to fully exercise His ministry among God’s people, Jesus had to ascend to heaven. His ascension and His sending the Spirit mean we are in the last days before the renewal of creation (cf. Joel 2:28–32; Acts 2). Moreover, by His Spirit, we can now fellowship with the whole Christ, in His deity and in His humanity, for by the Spirit Christ bridges the distance between us and His physical body in heaven. Christ is omnipresent according to His divine nature, so He has always been at hand everywhere. But until Jesus ascended to heaven and sent His Spirit, only the people who came into direct contact with Him as He ministered in Galilee and in Judea encountered Him in His humanity. Since His ascension, we can fellowship with Christ in His humanity no matter where we live.

 

This is the great gift and strength we may possess for every circumstance and difficulty of life. Because He has ascended, victorious and Lord over all things, now we have One who is always with us to give us that same power and victory. Nothing we face can ever do more than hurl empty threats toward us. And, as we will see later, we have also been equipped with the necessary armor to ward off all of those attacks! What a GREAT God we have! Grace is not an empty word!

 

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 14

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. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1–6 ESV).

 

Our reading today serves as the structural and thematic turning point of Paul’s letter, shifting from theological doctrine (Chapters 1–3) to practical Christian living (Chapters 4–6). Writing from prison, the Apostle Paul issues a passionate plea for believers to live out their high heavenly calling through concrete relational virtues and an unwavering commitment to church unity.

 

We should not miss the reference Paul makes to be a "prisoner for the Lord," emphasizing that his chains are a direct result of his alignment with God's purpose. As such he adds authority and example of his teaching that many cannot. These practices resulted in his imprisonment, yet he holds they are worth every sacrifice.

 

The phrase "live a life worthy" (or "walk worthy") uses the Greek word axiōs, which carries the imagery of a balancing scale. Paul is urging that daily conduct must match the heavyweight identity given by God's grace. It is not a way to earn love, but a response to being loved. He then lists five attitudes of this unity he calls them to live. He desires us to exhibit humility, seeing ourselves accurately in relation to God and putting others first. He encourages gentleness. This is power under control, mimicking Christ's own meekness. He also encourages patience. Paul understood personal the long-suffering endurance under difficult or provoking circumstances that describe such a practice. This leads him to say we ought to practice bearing with one another; consciously making allowances for each other's flaws and quirks. And last, he says we are to love one another which is the motivating framework that binds all these virtues together.

 

In today’s culture which is rife with division and an ever widening gap between, I wonder if we have lost these characteristics completely. I urge all of us to take seriously the call to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to be the children of God!

 

  

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 13

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV).

 

We cannot leave the third chapter of Paul’s letter without a mention of the benediction he ends it with. It declares that God can do far more than we ask or imagine through His power working in us, and gives Him glory forever through the church and Jesus Christ. The words translated “far more abundantly” (v. 20) use a Greek word for “abundantly” that is very interesting. It is ὑπέρ (pronounced “hoop-er'”). We get our English word “hyper” from it. It is usually best translated "for the betterment (advantage) of" (i.e. focusing on benefit). The apostle wants to leave no doubt that what he see in the grace of God is far exceeding any imagined benefit we might hope for or think. God's power has no limits. It goes past our highest prayers and biggest dreams.

 

This declaration must always follow any discussion of theology. Knowledge of the Lord’s character and His work should inspire heartfelt praise, for why learn about God if we are not moved to fulfill the purpose for which we are created — to worship and glorify the Creator (cf. Isaiah 43:7)? When studying theology does not prompt us to adoration, we must question whether we are more concerned to puff ourselves up with knowledge than to glorify God.

 

Besides exalting the name of our God, Paul’s doxology also comforts us with the knowledge that the Lord “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. There is no limit to what God can achieve for His people, and it is impossible to ask Him to do too much, so we should not fear asking Him for too many blessings. He can and will grant us wonderful things — in accordance with His will, of course (cf. James 4:2b–3; 1 John 5:14). That is the basis of our prayer life. We must know we can’t ask for more than God is able to grant.

 

C.S. Lewis writes in his introduction to St. Athanasius on the Incarnation: “I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that ‘nothing happens’ when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.”

 

Whether you use a “pipe” or not while studying the Scripture, please know that knowledge of God brings us to the praise of God. Always look for that revelation given to you as a means to know the wonder of His grace and character!

  

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 12

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14–21).

 

For the third part of this great mystery now revealed the Apostle Paul tells us of the riches we have found in the FAMILY OF GOD. Our reading today is the next paragraph in the section of this letter. Here Paul comes to the last verb of his thought in this section. He tells them that it is for a specific reason that he kneels before the Father and prays for them. This petition contains four specific requests:

 

He asks that they be strengthened with power (v. 16). He asks that the target of that strength be their “inner man.” That is the seat of intellectual and spiritual life. It is the point of influence in our lives. Unfortunately, it is often just the opposite. It is there we are most vulnerable. It has become a point of feebleness rather than power in so many Christian’s lives. Paul asks that their power be increased in those areas of faith, trust, humility, love, patience, joy, and perseverance, all those things that come through our intimate walk with the Holy Spirit.

 

He asks that they know the indwelling of Christ. This is far different than an occasional visit or influence of Jesus in our lives. Paul wants them to know the constant power of Christ within them. It is the same power he knew when he faced so many trials and difficulties in his life. It gave him his unwavering knowledge of pardon and acceptance; it molded his will, emotions, enlightening and confirming his conscience that he had been truly forgiven! No wonder he could face death itself and laugh at its consequence. For Paul it was just another doorway to another part of life! That’s a treasure!

 

He asks that they be rooted and established in love. The picture is one of both a tree and a building. The growth of a living tree and the stability of a firmly founded skyscraper are the pictures! He wants god’s love to be so apparent that they are like a tree stretching to the sky and standing against the storms of life like a skyscraper on an indestructible foundation!

 

He asks that they really understand the love of Christ. Isn’t this the great mystery? How and why god would send His only begotten Son to die for us is incomprehensible. Yet, he prays they may both comprehend (a mental grasp) and “know” (an experiential knowledge) that love. It is like placing a teacup on the shore of the ocean as the tide comes in. The teacup cannot hold the entire ocean, yet it holds the ocean’s full character as it is filled with the tide rolling in over it.

 

It staggers the imagination. However, we must not, we dare not, make the mistake of thinking that it is impossible. Paul says we have found the code that releases the treasure into our keeping! He breaks out into this doxology because of his absolute confidence that whatever we ask of God He is able to do:

 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

 

A Walk through Ephesians - Pt 11

 

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (Ephesians 3:7–13 ESV).

 

Today we look at the second great “mystery” is a part of the unsearchable riches of Christ that the Apostle Paul notes: “… so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known” (V. 10). He is saying we have found the riches in the WONDER OF THE CHURCH. Now, of course, he is speaking of the real body of Christ, not individual organizations or denominations as we know the church to be today. In fact, there are times when I wonder if we even have a frame of reference to understand the concept Paul did. We have become so fractured and divided in our petty differences that a unified Church is hardly recognizable today.

 

That does not negate the truth Paul cites in this text. We should look at three singular principles Paul outlines in this section:

 

One of the greatest treasures is the Church, the body of Christ (v. 10). AS I have written above, there are many who would argue with that statement. If we look at the church merely as an institution there is a basis for such an argument. The church has had a checkered past with its sins and wars. Yet when we truly look within, the marvelous nature of the church cannot be exaggerated. At the heart of the church’s existence is a covenant, a “testament” as the familiar title pages of our Bibles clearly tell us. To create heaven and earth was a wonder in itself. It was a further marvel to create man as a rational being, a being free to turn into a rebel against his Creator. But then to woo him back to a relationship of love and obedience, to create a people who live emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually in a similar relationship of grace and forgiveness is a wonder indeed!

 

The apostle then says it was according to his eternal purpose (v. 11). The emphatic nature of Paul’s argument is clearly shown here. We have gained this great gift through no accident or work of our own doing. It is through the eternal will and purpose of the almighty Creator, Lord of all creation!

 

Then Paul places a capstone on this truth as he writes: In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (v. 12).  These three concepts of access, freedom, and confidence are bound together. The word translated “approach” is a word that would be used in the phrase “freedom of speech.” It means we can come to Him and say whatever is on our heart and mind. In fact, he emphasizes that truth with the next descriptor of “freedom.” It speaks of the notion that there is no need for fear of rejection. We won’t be turned away from His presence for any reason. And, last he uses the word “confidence.” It really indicates assurance. The three words together form one complete idea that through faith we have free, unrestricted, confident access to God!

 

But wouldn’t you expect that? Surely that’s what Jesus meant when He used the comparison of God as our Heavenly Father and said:

 

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 NIV).