Tag: Ephesians

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We Did Not Learn That Way…

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,
Ephesians 4:20-21 [ESV]

This will be a shorter one today. I really needed the Lord today and He came to my rescue. At work today we had another reorg and as part of that reorg there were some very hard working people laid off. Thank goodness I did not have to manage that message with any of my team members this time…but it was still a heavy day. I was praying my way through talking with my new boss and helping my team navigate the emotions these situations bring. I care for them sooo much!

I am slow walking this last bit of this chapter as I don’t have a ton of time tonight to write and don’t want to launch into the meat of the next several verses yet. But, the verses today make a big set of statements in a few words teeing up the verses to come.

“But that is not the way…” There is only one way to learn of Christ and that is when the Father calls us to Him. The Gentiles mentioned in the preceding verses only reached into their own desires and understanding. They are out for themselves in gratifying their own desires. But when the Ephesians came into the new man, that is, the new community, and sought forgiveness, they entered a new world. Christ did not teach them to be self-focused. They learned a different moral truth and a different way to respond.

To learn Christ involves being affected by his person. The issue here is not only ideas, but also an approach to life. It means learning by example, reflective of the character Jesus reveals.

Application:

The thing that stands out to me is how I can use this passage message to help in my discernment of those I counsel and disciple. There are a lot of intellectual ‘Christians’ out there that don’t actually have genuine salvation. They have worked their way to a self built knowledge of Gods word, knowledge that is human strength alone…there is no Living Word in what they know. These people look like awesome Christians with lots of takes on theology and viewpoints on a Christian worldview. But, there is no relationship with Christ, the person is driven by ‘feeling’ spiritual and when the ‘feeling’ wanes they find themselves spinning. These people ‘believe’ they are saved but they are likely not. I have a soft spot in my heart for these lost people.

Today’s Psalm:

Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

Psalms 37:5-6 [ESV]

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A Direct and Authoritative Command…

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.
Ephesians 4:17-19 [ESV]

Paul now turns to specific application of what the equipping and enablement means for the church. In many ways the tone goes back to and picks up the points made in Eph 2:1–3 and Eph 4:1–3. You can tell that Paul is choosing his words carefully here; drawing on and exhorting the authority of the Lord in his statements. “I say and testify in the Lord” The call is to pull the Ephesian church away from something it was found to be doing…”You must [NO LONGER] walk as the Gentiles do”. Paul then follows this up with clarifying statement of the ‘doing’ with “in the futility of their minds”. The unbeliever’s mind is futile in its ability to discern and comprehend the righteous way of living the ‘New Spirit/Creature’ in us (believers), is inspired to do.

When Paul talks of the Darkness in their understanding, it is the absence of light. So, all of the understanding draws from the darkness…this is bad news — think of the lawlessness of that. Adding on to this, the Gentiles are ‘alienated’ from the life of God. Why? Because of the ignorance that is in them; because of the hardness of their hearts. This hardness is because of callousness generated from refusing the Creator God over and over again. Rather than seeing an Almighty God as being the answer to all of their needs, they choose the sensuality of self-gratification and self-sufficiency. The last line leads us to believe that the unbeliever longs to bring impurity into the mainstream of acceptable behavior. It is amazing at how on the money this is in describing the craziness of what is happening in our own culture and society today.

Application:

I cannot just look at this passage and say that is not me. Although I am a child of God, and capable of leaning into the inner ‘new man’ by putting off the evil things of this world and putting on the obedience in Christ; I can fall…I am in my most dangerous place Spiritually if I stop crucifying the ‘old man’ even for one day. I think this warning and admonishment from Paul to the church at Ephesus should be a wake-up call to not only flee any ‘Gentile Behavior’, but to see the frivolousness of the worldly answers. I know myself, and I need to be in God’s Word EVERYDAY. I must be in a place of easy spontaneous prayer for God’s strength, wisdom, grace, and love so that my mind is saturated with the thoughts how to be more like HIs Son.

Today’s Psalm:

​ Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

Psalms 37:1-2 [ESV]
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Speaking Truth in Love and Growing in Him…

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 4:15-16 [ESV]

Today’s verses are such an awesome culmination of the last block of the Living Word spoken through Paul. Yesterday was a command to not be content to be a baby Christian and to progressively work toward being all that God is equipping us to be in the Body of the Church of His Son.

So, rather than being ‘tossed back and forth by the waves and winds of false doctrine’, we are to speak what truth we have learned, IN love. Growing up in every way INTO Him who is ours and the churches Head. Every single one of us in the church body has been gifted with a purpose to serve in it. I love how Paul talks about this ‘equipping’ of each member being the sinew and ligaments by which the body is held together and working ‘properly’. When the body is working properly, the church builds itself up and grows in love.

Your mind might go to the building or location that you have church and things that happen there, but this passage is about something much bigger. Yes, the local church has a system of support and execution to it that is important, but I think that Paul is talking about the biblical communities of believers that join together for the work of the Lord wherever you are. For me the best set of examples I can give is –> a group of believers in a secular workplace, a neighborhood, or even a vacation destination. You see, what I think Paul is talking about is a lifelong pursuit to be used by God in your biblical community in whatever you are doing or wherever you are. I think this might be lost on most of us…

What we also can’t miss in this passage is how we as the Christ’s Church build up and grow. Paul says it 2 times here in the block of thought –> 1) is through the leaders and teachers God has equipped to lead us and 2) when we work together in how God has designed us in His Spirit for the works of faith.

Application:

The question I have to ask myself is “Am I growing in all the ways God has intended in the context of His Church?” I can answer a lot of yeses, but if I am being honest, I have a lot of opportunities of improvement. Lord God, please reveal to me all the areas I can be used for Your Glory in my church, in my family, at work, and in my regular daily life. I only want to be all that you have called me to be before you take me home to Your Heaven.

Today’s Psalm:

Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Psalms 36:10-12 [ESV]
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Sanctification is a Process…

...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,
Ephesians 4:14-15 [ESV]

I think that this is one of the most important passages on Christian living and growth. It is all about continuous process, grace, encouragement, biblical maturity, community, and love. When we become new believers, it is important to remember 4 things.

  1. You have everything you need in you to grow into the follower of Jesus God desires you to be. The thief on the cross next to Jesus had no time to grow this faith and mature his walk; he went straight to heaven in a matter of hours after Jesus told him he would be with Him in paradise.
  2. Test everything. When we become believers, God places a hunger in us to know Him more. Our gratefulness of what Jesus did for us on the cross, drives us to want to know Him better and our goal is to be more like Him. It can be intimidating to hold the whole of the Word of God in our hands and be overwhelmed with all there is to learn. So, we have a tendency turn to what others say or interpret meanings in the Bible. So, we must test by going to the Word ourselves (Hermeneutical approach) and through fervent prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of His scripture to us. There are a lot of whacky stances out there that take certain passages out of context or even try to put thinking into the bible rather than only pulling out what God is saying alone. A good rule of thumb to use when something is not clear to you, is –> you can’t grasp it yet…not that God’s Word is somehow lacking.
  3. Seek Biblical Community. When I say Biblical community, I mean a Spiritual Maturity diverse group of people to learn with and from. Ensure that you have well-seasoned teachers in your group that can help you to find the places in the Bible to find answers. A good teacher will share but ultimately drive you back to God’s word to allow God Himself to reveal to you what there is learn.
  4. Don’t get discouraged. God’s Word says that somethings we just won’t know. Somethings will be held secret until the Lord is ready to reveal it to you. I believe that our understanding of certain things is a lot of times tied to what God is equipping us to do for His Kingdom…and we just are not ready yet. There are 3 Categories of Theology that we have to keep in mind.
    • First-level issues are most central and essential to Christianity. You can’t deny these teachings and still be a Christian in any meaningful sense. For example, there is one God in three persons; Jesus is fully God and fully human; Jesus sacrificially died for sinners; Jesus rose bodily from the dead; we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone; Jesus is coming back.
    • Second-level issues create reasonable boundaries between Christians, such as different denominations and local churches. These issues will have a bearing on what sort of church you are part of. For example, what’s your view on baptism or church government or God’s sovereignty in salvation or the role of men and women in the church and home? You don’t have to hold one particular view to be a Christian, but it’s challenging for a church to have a healthy unity when its leaders and members disagree on these matters.
    • Third-level issues are disputable matters (also called matters of indifference or matters of conscience). They might involve how you interpret particular passages of the Bible. For example, who are “the sons of God” in Genesis 6? There is more than one viable view. Third-level issues also include many practical questions. For example, how should Christians view the “Sabbath?” . . . Disputable matters aren’t unimportant, but members of the same church should be able to disagree on these issues and still have close fellowship with each other. Disagreement on third-level issues shouldn’t cause disunity in the church family.

Application:

Ok, that was a lot longer than I anticipated it being…What really resonates with me is seeing good people getting ‘tossed about by the waves’ of culturally acceptable doctrine. We are surrounded by false teachers and people who want to twist God’s Word into saying something it is not…or worse, entirely eliminating passages to help conform to one’s personal worldview because it doesn’t align with present day worldly acceptance. I must stay strong and bold in uphold God’s Word as it is written. Every passage matters. That being said, I have to be careful not to move third-level issues into second or first level convictions.

Today’s Psalm

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

Psalms 36:7-9 [ESV]
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Gifts to Equip…

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,
Ephesians 4:11-12 [ESV]

Shorter post today – Paul here is now talking about the ‘gifts’ Jesus has given teaching, prophesying, shepherding, and other gifts to equip believers for the building of the Kingdom. The gifting involves leaders & teachers who guide the church as a catalyst to its internal growth and maturity. The list is clearly specific and selective, given other lists that include gifts of service, not just teaching and guiding (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12).

In verse 12, the key comes in three phrases: for equipping, for ministry, and for edification. The saints as a whole are equipped for ministry, and the edification of the church is the outcome.

Application:

As an elder at Canyon Hills, we take this role seriously. Our by line for CHCC is “Make more and better disciples”. We strive to be vessels used by God to bring more people into the knowledge of Jesus and then equip them for ministry in their lives, family, workplaces, and communities. I pray that the Lord continues to give us wisdom and boldness to do this in today’s crazy society and culture.

Today’s Psalm:

Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.

Psalms 36:1-4

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Giftedness Underscores Unity…

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.”
Ephesians 4:7-8 [ESV]

This is such a cool passage to follow all of the ‘Ones’. Not only are we all connected through the 7 ‘ones’ mentioned yesterday, but today this reading shows that one of the dimensions of preserving unity is for each one of us to live out the giftedness each of us has received. We are tied to each other in part through the gifts God gives us to make the body function effectively. When we exercise those gifts, it allows the church to be what God designed it to be.

In my reading and study, Grace here means a gift freely given. Paul has already noted this context and meaning in Romans 12:3-8. All of us are gifted to serve the church in one way or another. These gifts have been given out according to Christ’s gifting. In Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us they are measured out by God and the Spirit as well. We are all equipped to serve others. None of us is an island in the church. We need the giftedness others possess and they need ours. Christ determines our roles, so as we serve, we honor him.

Paul pointing to Psalm 68:18 is the subject of a lot of theologians because Paul changes the typographical context of the verse. In the Psalms it reads that Jesus received gifts and here in Ephesians he says that He gave gifts. Rather than take you through all the arguments, the main point is that the reading of the verse Paul gives here captures the message of the entirety of Psalm 68 and other Jewish texts of the same passage do the same thing. The main takeaway of the verse is that on his ascension Christ won a victory, and the spoils, the gifts, went to those allied with him.

Application:

Tomorrow we will see some of the gifts that Paul is talking about, but for today it really comes down to recognizing through prayer and searching God’s Word how best to apply the gifts God has given me. Throughout my Christian Walk I can see God’s hand and fingers placing the gifts that He would have me bring into the ministries he has placed before me. Whether that is serving in the media ministry, leading a Life Group, or even being asked to be an elder as I am now; I am to prayerfully consider the roles God has called me to as a member in the greater body of Christ’s church. I am continuing to follow God’s call even now by training to be a Biblical Counselor. I feel so blessed and honored to blessed with the gifts He has given and then use those gifts in service to Him.

Today’s Psalm:

Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore,
“Great is the LORD,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.

Psalms 35:27-28 [ESV]

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One…

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 4:4-6 [ESV]

So, remember, we are just coming off of Paul telling us that keeping unity with peace is huge…even telling us the characteristics of the person who aspires to contribute to that unity. We are One body which has been a theme of this book. That Oneness is reinforced now with all the Ones listed for us.

There are seven uses of ‘One’ here that are interesting:

  1. One Body
  2. One Spirit
  3. One Hope
  4. One Lord
  5. One Faith
  6. One Baptism
  7. One God and Father of all

It is interesting how the Body and the Spirit are linked just as they are in our life as followers of Jesus when we were saved. The One Hope is our key here on earth as it is our calling -> Hope in eternity with Jesus. A freedom in Him here on earth because our victory is already secured IN Him. Together in our unified church we center around One Lord, One Faith (in our Lord Jesus Christ), One Baptism (which I believe is inclusive of both Baptism by the Holy Spirit and Water Baptism), and finally One God and Father over all.

A little more on One Baptism – Christian baptism involves both Spirit baptism and water baptism, which symbolizes it (1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 2:12). These elements are all connected to what Christ accomplished through His death. Some interpretations of the verse might suggest choosing between these, but they likely all play a role. Christian baptism differs from John the Baptist’s baptism, which expressed repentance and readiness for salvation. In Christian baptism, believers participate in the deliverance made possible by their trust in what God did through Christ. This distinction has been evident from the beginning (Acts 19:5).

Application:

In my life as a fellow believer with others in the church, I need to remember that all of these ‘Ones’ bind us together. My genuinely converted Christian believers will have this Oneness built into them from Salvation. Our differing opinions are going to be normal but these ones bring us together in the end every time. I need apply this thinking a realization earlier in my discussions with brothers and sisters so that my Faith and Spirit within my guide in all the ways mentioned yesterday –> Humility, Gentleness, Patience, and Forbearance.

Today’s Psalm:

Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD,
exulting in his salvation.
All my bones shall say,
“O LORD, who is like you,
delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

Psalms 35:9-10 [ESV]
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Goal is to Preserve Peace in Unity…

Prefaces QTVOTD & BITE (Title Attributions) are being deprecated since I have categories that represent those different types of posts.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.    Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3 [NIV

Tacking onto yesterday, our worthy walk has some characteristics Paul calls out here. One thing that stood out to (and what supports the command in verse 3) is that there are no defensive or offensive intent/objectives in the words Paul uses to talk about our walk and the keeping of unity. Instead, he uses “Humility”, “Gentleness”, “Patience”, and “Perseverance” to describe the ‘keeping’ of unity together as a church.

The way we live out our Christian faith truly matters. It’s not about being confrontational, especially with one another. Instead, it’s about embodying these attributes above. We should give each other the benefit of the doubt and bear with one another. Colossians also expounds on these principles in greater detail in Colossians 3:5-17 (especially verse 12). Let’s look at the Biblical meaning of each of these characteristics of the Christian Walk in unity.

HUMILITY:

A lowliness of mind. This was not something that was regarded as a strength during Paul’s time, rather a weakness. But in Old Testament times Judaism did view it positively. It is the opposite of arrogance, a character trait Paul condemns elsewhere (Rom 11:20, 12:16).

GENTLENESS:

Normally gentleness is a term use in the context of conflict. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. Gentleness does not imply weakness, but self-controlled and a tempered spirit.

PATIENCE:

Patience, as described in the Bible, embodies forbearance and self-control. It’s about willingly waiting upon God and aligning ourselves with His will. This steadfastness of character remains unshaken even during trials and tribulations. Patience originates from God, is a fruit of the Spirit, and is closely tied to self-control and godliness. We see Christ exemplifying patience, and it’s through challenges that we grow in this virtue. Gentleness and patience go together hand in hand. In challenging relationships, patience and gentleness band together to not destroy what is there in Christ.

BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER:

Bearing with one another in love enables us to navigate the conflicts that inevitably arise in relationships. It involves enduring certain behaviors and then actively working through them. Unity demands relational tolerance without compromising on truth.

The pursuit of unity within our Christian communities involves applying virtues like humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. Our eagerness to maintain this unity is crucial. It’s not about gaining peace; rather, it’s about actively preserving it. The unity we seek is grounded in the shared Spirit among believers. Love, like a glue, plays a similar role. Colossians 2:19 uses the imagery of ligaments binding the body together. Our intent should be to uphold the unity achieved by Christ’s work in the Spirit.

…and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Colossians 2:19 [ESV]

Application:

Sometimes I can have a sinful response to defending something I firmly believe in that does not threaten the 5 non-negotiables of my faith. 1) God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all GOD. 2) Only Jesus can save us from our sin. 3) The Bible is the infallible, complete, and sufficient to answer every question true Word of God. 4) Everything to the glory of God alone. 5) Only faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus can our sins be forgiven and through that faith be granted (through grace) eternity with Him forever. Everyone in the body of Christ is on their own walk to learn the truths of God through His scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Only the Lord knows the heart and when I respond in a way that is not humble, gentle, patient, or forbearing, then I am the one who needs to be admonished. Lord Jesus, help me to see these failures in myself and help give me the strength turn around my behavior when I do.

Today’s Psalm:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalms 34:19-22 [ESV]
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BITE: Let’s Do Some Application…

​ I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 
Ephesians 4:1 [ESV]

In the first half of this letter, Paul talks about the core elements of the church’s identity. We now start the second half of Ephesians which is all about ‘Application’ so for the Quiet Times for the rest of this letter, I will share the application I take away to my own life from each day’s passage. — Fair warning: this will go slow as I can’t even read one verse without stopping and seeing what I need to take away from it. —

For most of Paul’s ministry he was under some type of bondage in jails or on the run for what he was teaching. So much so that he identifies himself as such, a prisoner. As he opens, Paul exhorts us to ‘walk’ in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Walk is translated in some versions as ‘leading a life’ or ‘living a life’ worthy…but I think that misses out on the ‘Step-by-Step’ aspect of walking. Our process of sanctification is exactly that, a journey of steps that lead to place of being closer to looking like or resembling our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The calling – so what was that again? Well, back in Eph 1.:18 Paul tells us.

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 1:18 [ESV]

The ‘Calling’ is the Hope we receive in and through the Gospel. When we listen to what the Gospel says in Who God is, who we are relative to God’s Holiness, and what Jesus did for us because He loves us, it is the hope of eternal life, saved from a destruction and punishment we deserve. So, the life we live as a step-by-step process should be reflective of that gift we have been given in Jesus.

Application:

Every day of my life must begin with an acknowledgement of the Hope God has called me to through His grace and love. If I start every day this way, then I have an automatic heart condition that is bent toward a gratefulness of what the Lord has done for me. I am nothing, He is Everything. It is because of Him that I am something and that something is an identity IN Jesus. When the God of the universe looks at me, He sees the face of His Son. I have been bought with the ultimate price and my service should be to the One alone Who gave everything for me. That heart condition is powerful! It will affect my tone with my kids, my wife, my friends, my co-workers, and the church body God has called me to guide, guard, and grow.

Today’s Psalm:

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalms 34:15-18 [ESV]
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BITE: Alignment is Power…

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]

The whole of this 3rd chapter of Ephesians has so much packed into it, passage after passage; building on each preceding block of thought. First, Paul talks to the reader about his calling to the gentiles. Then he prays that the church at Ephesus would be strengthened through His Spirit in their inner being. Then drawing on that strength to under the love of Jesus so that they would be filled with the fullness of God. Finally, we come to the last 2 verses in this chapter.

These last 2 verses draw our attention to the goal of being filled with the fullness of God…it is to Glorify God above all else. Now TO HIM Who can do far more than we can ask Him or even think about. TO HIM be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever.

So, in the end, when we align ourselves with the love of Christ, to share that love in service to others, and when we give God all the glory…that is where the real power comes. God’s will can then be completed through us. When we are aligned, our thoughts and desires are God’s thoughts and will. No matter what circumstance or situation we find ourselves in, even if it feels unfair in a ‘worldly’ sense, we will know in our hearts that the Lord is working in and through our circumstances and situations toward His will and purposes. We rest in freedom with our minds and hearts focused on the eternal life we will have with our God and Savior in Heaven.

Today’s Psalm:

Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Psalms 34:11-14 [ESV]