DEAD OR ALIVE!

Art by Christella: http://christellaart.blogspot.com/

Ephesians 2:1

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. . .

In our natural, physical state, death seems so final . . . the end of a life.  And, clearly, there is that aspect to death: finality.  In death our physical bodies cease to live.  The "physical," however, is not all that we are.  Thankfully.  We are also spiritual beings.  As Christians, we believe that we live on even after our physical bodies die.  But the apostle Paul is not talking about a physical death here.  The type of death he is talking about, however, is very real and very present.  It's like living without life.

"As for you" is directed once again to the Gentiles believers.  (Make no mistake, however, the apostle will throw the Jewish believers, himself included, into this mix as well a few verses from now.)  "As for you, [Gentile believers,] you were dead in your transgressions and sins."  Our spirit is the essence of who we are.  It is the most vital part of our personality and it's dead to the most important factor in life -- God.  When we come to the cross we receive new life and the forgiveness of our sins.  The God of the universe, the Creator of our souls, IS life and the only way to real life.  Without the death of our Savior, Jesus, and without the atonement made for us at the cross, we are the walking dead.  We live but we are not alive.  God's mercy and forgiveness have always been available to us, even before Christ walked this earth.  But since Christ came, mercy and forgiveness comes to us by means of the cross -- by the death of Jesus.  When we accept those terms, life begins anew to us.  Our spirits become alive and intrinsically aware of something greater than ourselves.  Our sense of belonging and of being loved awakens.  On the other hand, however, so does our understanding of transgressions and sins.  And so the clean-up process begins.  We have been made aware of our state.  No longer dead.  New life. 

The essence of this verse, however, is not so much about death as it is about life.  Yes, we become aware of the multiplicity of ways in which we have sinned, but we also become aware of the One who has forgiven us these many sins.  We become aware of the life He has given us and multiplicity of ways in which He has shown His love to us.  For those to whom Paul is speaking, Gentile believers, you and me, we were dead but now we live!  Life begins with God

"Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live."  Isaiah 55:3, NIV

Alive!
Kerry

LIVING IN EPHESUS

Before I go on to discussing chapter 2 in the book of Ephesians, let me give you a little background on the city of Ephesus. When the Apostle Paul started the church in Ephesus and at the time of his writing the letter to the Ephesians, the city of Ephesus was a metropolis surrounded by 230 independent communities within the Roman province of Asia.  The harbor of Ephesus was one of the main routes to the eastern empire and the metropolis of Ephesus had few equals.  It ranked with Rome and Corinth and Antioch and Alexandria.

Paul was under house detention in Rome at the time of this writing, but enjoyed the privileges of many visitors.  Many, including representatives from the Jewish community, came to him inquiring about Christianity.  He received visitors from many of the churches he started all wanting instruction and direction regarding problems that had arisen among their congregations.  Although still so new, Christianity was quickly gaining ground.  These new believers and new churches did not hold in their possession the entire word of God as we have it today.  They clung to words of instruction and direction given to them by letters written by the apostle and circulated them from church to church.  As easy as it is for us today to go to the Word and find truth and food for our hungry souls we still get messed up in the way we think and act. You can imagine how difficult it was for these new congregations to stay on the right track having only, in many cases, the remembrance of what the apostle Paul had to say to them from God's heart.

One of the most important aspects of the letter to the Ephesians is its call to unity.  A hymn of unity, one might say.  God's ultimate purpose is "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (1:10)  And, Jesus has been appointed "head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (1:22-23)  Unity was highly sought after in the first century A.D.  The Roman Empire believed they were achieving unity due to the fact that much of the Mediterranean world was unified under its rule.  Because of this fact, they had visions of a universal commonwealth. The philosophers of the day were recognizing an order to the universe and many of the popular cults were offering a sense a oneness in their religious practices.  They were a little obsessed with unity and Paul was trying to teach them that only through Christ, the supreme Head, and through His Lordship will true and lasting unity be found.  All of this is very familiar to us today. Yes?

Through this letter, Paul's desire is to take this group of people, and anyone else who finds this letter, beyond the daily mishaps of church life and beyond the day to day struggle of sin. In this letter, he doesn't deal with particular sins or correct wrong thinking or expose false teaching. Paul's desire is to transcend the every day battles of sin and and to rise above the argument of whether the Church had the right to exist.  It's like he caught a vision of the true body of Christ and the fellowship that is to be among us and how we are to exist in a hostile world. He also caught a vision of reconciliation between the entire universe and Christ. In essence, the apostle wants his readers to rise above and go deeper. Only in true submission to the Head of all things will we find true unity. Only in recognizing the One who is Lord, this one Lord over all who gave us incredible gifts to live well and right, will we overcome the every day struggle of sin. We cannot live as an island but, instead, we must live and function within this body which belongs to Christ, is made up of Christ, is held together by Christ, is filled up with Christ and filled by Christ.  In so doing we understand who we really are.

Rising above and going deeper,
Kerry

FILLED UP!

Ephesians 1:22-23

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. 

These two verses bring chapter 1 to a close. Chapter 1 has revealed a lot about the gifts that God has given to the church. Here's a reminder: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (vs. 3) We have talked about predestination, grace, forgiveness, redemption, wisdom and understanding -- all gifts to us who believe. It doesn't stop there, however. Our verses today reveal another stunning truth. The supremacy of Christ, His Lordship over all, is yet another gift to us. Paul tells us that God appointed Jesus to be our head, our ruler, and He did this for us. Not in spite of us. Not to control us. He did it for us. It is God's gift bestowed on the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and the head over all things on earth and in the heavenly realms, above all rulers and powers and authorities and dominions, and, He is head over the church. Take comfort, friends. Because of this fact, there is nothing that the church cannot overcome -- no opposition that can overtake us because of the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ. That is good news for you and me.

The church IS Chist's body. It is more than symbolic. It is a fact. The church is not an institution, it is an organism. It exists and functions only because of its vital connection and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, who overcame the greatest setback to life there is: death. I love the analogy of the church as a body. All the different pieces working and moving together in perfect synergy. All of it affected when one piece is in pain or not right and all of it working in joyous health when every piece is doing its part and working as it should. Cut off its head, however, and the body falls to the floor -- nothing about it can function or do any more to bring glory to its Creator. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-27) This is the supremacy of Christ for us. He is the head. Without Him, we have no power to function. We have no power to mourn or rejoice, love, laugh, sing or cry. We can no longer give glory to the God who created us. And even beyond His church, He is supreme. Over all.

"...the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." This is a bit elusive to even the greatest theologians out there, but here's what I've gathered. "Fullness" suggests two things. 1) That which is filled with Christ. The church contains the fullness of Him. Jesus is "all in" when it comes to the church. There is no part of Him that He withholds from His believers. 2) That which is filled by Christ. Jesus pours His life, His gifts, His blessings, His inheritance, His presence into us.

The church manifests the presence of Christ in the world, but only as His fullness lives in us and as He fills us every moment and every day. The church is His treasure. The church is who He is. The church is you and me. It's true. The church is a clay jar -- fragile, broken and cracked. But the holes and cracks of a broken pot allow more light to shine through -- the light of Jesus. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7, NIV The Body of Christ is a most beautiful place and His headship is a gift. Take it from someone who has had to leave and come back again, search for its beauty, health and usefulness and struggle to do her part to help the body function.

Filled,
Kerry

HE RULES ALL!

Ephesians 1:19b-21
 

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Who's the strongest person you can think of?  I'm always amazed at how strong my husband is.  He takes me down with no effort and I usually have to trick him somehow in order to escape his grip (this is all done in fun, of course).  I can think of some famous actors whose mighty muscles betray their strength.  Professional wrestlers . . . I wouldn't want to make them mad.  Human beings can make themselves relatively strong.  They can build up their muscle strength to the point of no fear when walking down a dark alley at night.  But, no matter how big and strong our muscles, we cannot and do not compare to God's strength.  1 Corinthians 1:25 says this: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."  No matter how big and strong our muscles, we have no power to raise someone from the dead.

Jesus Christ died on a cross.  He died.  But He did not stay dead.  God raised Him from the dead with His mighty power and strength.  This divine power, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from death to life, is at work in our own lives.  We, too, were dead in our sins.  But now we live! (Eph. 2:1,4-5)  This divine power is at work in us constantly changing us into something better than what we are right now.  It is at work guiding us in His divine will for us (which is ultimately eternity with Him) in spite of ourselves.  "...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:13, NIV

Once Jesus was raised from the dead, God seated Him at His right hand.  No longer among us in human form, He was completely transformed from man to God, from scourged to exalted, from death to life.  God exalted Him higher than anything or anyone.  No matter what title we can come up with to give a person, Jesus Christ ranks higher.  He rules over everything on earth and over everything in the heavens and beneath.  He rules all!  Only God has the power to exalt someone to such a position, and it's THAT same incomparably great power that is exerted in us every day of our lives as we live in Him.  So, live in the strength of the Lord, my friends.

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.  1 Timothy 6:15b-16, NIV

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  Revelation 1:4-6, NIV

In strength,
Kerry

WE HAVE IT ALL!

Ephesians 1:18-19a
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Do you realize how much God has made available to you, dear Believer?  Do you count the promises that are yours in Him who saved you?  If you're like me, you probably go about your day to day life without really considering all that is ours in Christ.  Sometimes in the midst of difficulty, I hope and pray in a rather uncertain way for His word and His promises to be real in my current situation.  "God, are you there?"  "God, do you hear my cry?"   I can't help but wonder, if I lived in this awareness every moment of every day . . . how different I would be and how different would be my sight.  Paul wants his readers to know, to be fully aware, of all that God has made available to those who believe.

The heart is the seat of thought, of understanding, of feeling.  It is in the heart that the Holy Spirit provides that inner awareness of our hope in God, the riches that are ours in Christ, and His power directed toward you.  But let's break it down.  First, that "hope" to which you and I have been called is eternal life.  The hope of something better makes my momentary afflictions seem easier to bear.  First and foremost, our glorious Father wants us to be and remain assured of our future glory. (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:17-20)  Second, we have inherited all the "riches" of God and heaven through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Provision, healing, forgiveness, truth, understanding, wisdom and so much more makes me rich! (2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Peter 1:3-4)  Third, and not at all least, is His "incomparably great power," an unimaginable divine potency that is directed toward all who believe.  (I'll speak more about this power in my next post.)  No power on this earth or below can take me down because my God is more powerful and is always at work in me and surrounding me.  We're marked, remember. (Romans 8:38; 1 Peter 1:5)

Believers, we have it all!  Today I'm praying for the eyes of my heart to be enlightened so that I might know all that God has made available to me.  Today I'm praying for my sight to change.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 NIV

Enlightened,
Kerry

IT'S A REVELATION!

Ephesians 1:15-17 

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

The Ephesians had embraced the word of truth and were sealed with the Holy Spirit and for this reason Paul's thanksgivng for them rises up in prayer.  News had been brought to him in Rome of the Ephesians faith in the Lord and their love for others.  Galatians 5:6 tells us that faith expresses itself in love.  They were on the right track and Paul was expressing his pleasure at what they learned by giving thanks for them and remembering them in his prayers and he was letting the Ephesians know it. The word "remembering" literally means "making mention."  Deeper than that, however, is that it implies that Paul was not just sending up a blanket prayer of thankfulness for the Ephesians as a whole.  Paul was mentioning each one that he knew in the church in Ephesus by name.  The Apostle Paul remained deeply involved in the lives of those with whom he helped to bring to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  He was no slouch when it came to prayer or study. 

The believers in Ephesus have been taught about the Holy Spirit and Paul was helping them to take it a step further . . . to go deeper.  "Revelation" refers to insight into the mysteries of God's divine truth.  Friends, we cannot even receive Christ as our Savior without first receiving a revelation, insight, that Jesus indeed died for our sins.  You know this to be true by how many people out there have heard this truth but do not believe it to be truth.  A revelation is needed and that can only be given by God, the glorious Father.  The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of truth at least 3 times in the Book of John. (John 14:16; 15:23; and 16:13)  I cannot over emphasize the importance of reading and knowing God's word.  It is in the pages of God's word where the mysteries are hidden and the truth is found.  And, it is from the truth found in God's word that the Holy Spirit can begin to open the eyes of your heart.  What Paul wants for the believers at the church in Ephesus, and for us now, is to follow suit.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and revelation into the mysteries of God's word so that we might know Him, the glorious Father who loves us without measure and beyond reason, better.

Please read the following piece from 1 Corinthians 2:7-16 as if the Apostle Paul was writing directly to you as he received it straight from the heart of our glorious Father.

Friends, 
No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 

~Paul 

Following suit,
Kerry 

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED . . . I'M YOURS!

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

In verses 11 and 12 (see previous post), Paul was addressing the Jews alone.  In verses 13 and 14 he addresses the Gentiles.   Paul is not trying to draw any kind of line between the Jews and the Gentiles.  On the contrary, he is reminding the Gentile Christians that they are fully incorporated into the Body of Christ with the Jews. In the previous two verses, he was reminding the Jews that though they were the first to believe it does not mean that they alone get to share in the inheritance of Christ.  He is trying to show that there is no difference now.  We are co-heirs, equal partners, and we have a full share in the inheritance.  We (i.e., all those belonging to God's family) came into it the same way.  We heard the word of truth -- the gospel of our salvation.  Jew and Gentile, alike.  The Jews of the Old Testament started with the promise of a Savior and salvation and it was their job to share that good news with the nations.  They were privileged because they were chosen to take on this task.  They still had to trust God for His grace and mercy just like we do now.  And when Jesus came, they had to accept the word of truth the same as the Gentiles did.  Now we're all privileged and chosen to take on the task of sharing the gospel.

At the moment we believe, God's word says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit -- marked so that it is clear that we belong to Him.  Think of the word "seal" this way: *something affixed to a document to guarantee its genuineness; it indicates ownership and ensures protection; it represents a designation of office in the state of service.  Once you believe, you have the promised Holy Spirit in whom all God's promises are fulfilled.  Once you believe, you are a genuine member of the family of God, you hold a place of belonging and are under God's protection and are assured a place to serve in His kingdom.  What's more, the Holy Spirit is not just a seal, but a deposit.  Think of "deposit" this way: *the first installment in a major purchase; a token payment assuring the vendor that the full amount will eventually follow.  The gift of the Holy Spirit is the first installment of our inheritance.  At the end of the age, God's treasury, heaven itself will be opened up to all who are His in Christ.  God's Holy Spirit is no small deposit.  God gave us His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of His faithfulness to me and to you!  Meanwhile, we wait.  We wait for the rest of the payment and the Holy Spirit is our reminder that God is real and He fulfills His promises!  THIS, my friends, is a GENEROUS GOD!!!

Marked,
Kerry

*Definition taken from Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, pg. 754.