New Life In Christ

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. – Colossians 3:5-11 ESV

How were the believers in Colossae supposed to set their minds on things that are above, instead of things that are on earth? Was Paul suggesting they be so heavenly-minded that they were no earthly good? Paul has just challenged them to adopt a Christ-focused perspective that highlights the eternal aspect of their relationship with Him. Christ is seated at the right hand of His Father in heaven, and one day He will return. His presence at His Father’s side demonstrates that He successfully completed the initial phase of His earthly mission. The apostle Peter addressed the significance of Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation when he delivered his first sermon to the crowds at Pentecost.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us…” – Acts 2:32-33 NLT

Jesus’ death was efficacious. In other words, it accomplished the will of His heavenly Father and required no supplemental aids or add-ons to increase its effectiveness. Paul assured the believers in Rome that because Jesus died and rose again, they were assured of eternal life with Him.

We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:9-11 NLT

Paul picks up the same theme with the believers in Colossae. He wants them to live according to their new status as spiritually transformed and fully adopted children of God. Jesus didn’t die so they could have their best life now but so that they might enjoy glorified life forever. However, Paul knew this future-focused mindset was challenging to maintain while living in the present. That’s why he provides them with practical guidance for navigating life in a fallen world. He is expanding the theme he began back in chapter two.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith… – Colossians 2:6-7 ESV

For Paul, it was always about faith. He firmly believed and persistently taught that faith was the key to our salvation and sanctification, and Jesus Christ is to be the sole focus of that faith. It is through Christ that we have access to the Father, and it is because of Christ that we have the assurance of eternal life. As Paul stated to the believers in Rome, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was made possible because of Christ’s resurrection. Look closely at what Paul told the Roman believers.

Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:11 NLT

Their union with Christ gave them unprecedented power to live godly lives, even in the ungodly environment of Rome. The same thing was true for the Colossian Christians. Paul has already told them, “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world…” (Colossians 2:20 NLT).

Paul constantly admonished believers for their tendency to regress in their faith. They seemed to have no problem believing that Jesus could save them, but they had difficulty trusting that He could keep them saved and help them grow in godliness. So, they kept reverting to their old lifestyles based on human effort and self-righteousness.

So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? – Galatians 4:9 NLT

Paul was calling for complete separation from and dependence upon the things of this world. If Jesus was to be the believer’s sole source of salvation and sustenance, why were they continually turning to the world for satisfaction, fulfillment, significance, and hope? Their actions directly conflicted with their calling and their expressed commitment to Jesus Christ. Their behavior did not accurately reflect their belief in a transformed life. That is why Paul demands that they do an about-face, turning their backs on their former way of life and seeking things above.

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. – Colossians 3:5 NLT

Paul was well aware that his flock in Colossae was struggling with the ongoing presence of their sinful natures. He was not exempt from this internal battle between godliness and wickedness. In his letter to the Romans, he divulged his own struggle with indwelling sin.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? – Romans 7:21-24 NLT

But Paul answered his own pleading question, joyfully declaring, “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25 NLT). The solution to the problem of indwelling sin is Jesus. Because of Jesus, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to say no to sin and yes to God. His divine presence provides us with all we need to put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within us. Peter put it this way: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

Peter was addressing the power and presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Godly living wasn’t a matter of self-control, hard work, and a commitment to keeping a list of rules and religious rituals. Self-effort can only produce self-righteousness. But the kind of righteousness God demands can only be produced by the Spirit of God. That is why Paul told the Galatian church, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT). He went on to say, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there” (Galatians 5:24 NLT).

Because of their relationship with Christ, their former sinful habits had been nailed to the cross with Him. But every believer knows how easy it is to breathe life into those old, dead habits and “resurrect” them again. So, Paul demands that they “put to death” those things. But how? Is he suggesting that this is an ongoing, daily action? Is it the fate of every Christian to live their entire earthly existence in a daily struggle to put sin to death? The answer is found in the grammar of Paul’s statement. When he states, “put to death,” he uses the Aorist Active Imperative (AAM) tense. The action described by the verb indicates that it is a past event. In other words, it has already taken place. Paul is stating that our old sinful habits have already been put to death on the cross. So, we must constantly return them to their rightful place: the cross. Our present action is based on a past reality.

The action Paul commands is a natural byproduct of belief. If we truly believe that Jesus “canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14 NLT), then we should confidently return those sinful habits right where they belong. They are dead to us and no longer possess power over us. Paul is reminding the Colossians that their new life in Christ is meant to reflect a new way of living.

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. – Colossians 3:7-8 NLT

They had been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and were now clothed in His righteousness. Yet, metaphorically,  they were constantly going back to the closet of sin and picking out old, soiled garments to wear. That’s why Paul reminds them that they had already “put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9 ESV) and “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10 ESV). It was a past action that required constant repeating in the present. But they were guilty of putting on the old self. In a sense, they were reaching into the closet of their past life and selecting one of their old, comfortably fitting sins to wear in public. 

In this passage, Paul describes the ongoing nature of sanctification or spiritual growth. The Christian life is not meant to be static or stagnant. Once saved, always saved doesn’t mean that there is no ongoing transformation in the believer’s life. Peter indicates believers are to “grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT). Paul told the Ephesians that they were to grow “in every way more and more like Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT).

Growth in Christlikeness is non-optional for the believer, but it is not a matter of hard work and determination. One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to assist Christians in their knowledge of Christ and their ongoing transformation into His likeness. This transformation is for all believers, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background. Each is to individually experience the Spirit’s transformative power so that, together, we might reflect the nature of Christ and bring glory to God the Father.

…you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. – 1 Peter 2:5 NLT

Jesus made our salvation possible and ensured our ongoing sanctification. Our transformation into His likeness is a supernatural work of God that requires our participation but not our power. We must willingly cooperate with the Spirit by submitting to His will and obeying His promptings. We put off the old nature in His power, not our own. We live to righteousness in His strength, not our own. Our ongoing renewal and reformation is His work, not ours.

Father, thank You for making the process of sanctification not only possible, but completely doable in Your power. I can’t make myself more holy and You don't expect me to. I do not have the strength to manufacture godliness, but You have given me Your Holy Spirit to ensaure that my transformation into the likeness of Christ is achievable. What an incredibe gift You have given to Your children. Never let me take it for granted or try to take on the responsibility for my holiness on own. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Faith That Endures

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. – Colossians 2:1-7 ESV

In verse 29 of chapter one, Paul speaks of his ongoing “struggle” to proclaim the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The Greek word agōnizomai carries the idea of strenuous effort driven by intense zeal. Paul was obsessed with the idea of spiritual formation and expressed his own desire to do whatever was necessary so that every believer achieved full spiritual maturity.

…we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. – Colossians 1:28 NLT

He poured out every ounce of his being to accomplish that goal. Here in Chapter 2, he uses the root word agōn to describe the ongoing “conflict” in which he finds himself engaged, and he confesses that his efforts are on behalf of all those congregations located in the Lycus Valley. The errant teachings concerning Christ had impacted not only the church in Colossae but also the one in nearby Laodicea. Likely, the community of Hierapolis had also come under the influence of teachers making false claims that denied either Jesus’ deity or humanity.

The members of these three congregations had never met Paul face to face because, at the time he wrote this letter, he had not yet set foot in the Lycus Valley. His knowledge of their situation had come to him through Epaphras and others. But like a true shepherd, Paul expressed his loving concern for these distant flocks, declaring his intense desire “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ” (Colossians 2:2 ESV).

Paul was the consummate encourager. Yes, he often displayed a blunt, in-your-face style of confrontational leadership that could be withering in its intensity. Still, his ultimate goal was correction intended to further spiritual growth. Even in these verses, Paul displays the loving concern of a pastor who longs to see his congregants experience the full measure of their salvation. For Paul, coming to faith in Christ was not a one-time event but an ongoing experience that included the believer’s initial reconciliation to God and their ongoing sanctification and ultimate glorification.

The apostle Peter described this full-orbed approach in his first letter, encouraging his readers to “crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT). Paul warned Timothy that “in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons” (1 Timothy 4:1 NLT). In a second letter to Timothy, Paul reiterated his concern about the danger of a feeble and stagnant faith.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

That’s why Paul told Timothy, “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT). And Paul practiced what he preached, patiently correcting, rebuking, and encouraging the church in Colossae so that they might stand firm against the faith-deflating lies of the false teachers.

Throughout his ministry, Paul strived to keep Jesus Christ as the central focus of all his teachings. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, he referred to the doctrine of Jesus as the foundation upon which every other doctrine or teaching must rest.

I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 NLT

The teachings of Jesus were not the foundation; it was Jesus Himself. The deity, humanity, sacrificial death, Spirit-empowered resurrection, and promised return of Jesus formed the firm foundation on which every believer’s faith must rest and remain. But Paul had been forced to confront the Corinthian believers about their propensity to embrace false doctrines about Jesus.

I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily. – 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 BSB

Paul did not want the believers in Colossae to make the same mistake, so he reminded them that in Jesus, “lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3 NLT). Anyone preaching a non-deified Jesus was proclaiming a lie and disseminating foolishness rather than wisdom. Anyone who refuted Jesus' humanity and discounted His sacrificial death on the cross was to be viewed as a liar and not as a messenger from God. 

But Paul realized that many of these false teachers were highly persuasive and used well-crafted, lofty-sounding arguments that seemed to make sense. To make matters worse, these men were operating within the context of the local church in Colossae, while Paul was hundreds of miles away in Rome. He had been placed under house arrest by the emperor and denied the freedom to travel. So, while the false teachers mingled with the flock in Colossae, Paul was restricted to writing a letter. But he reminded them, “Though I am far away from you, my heart is with you” (Colossians 2:5 NLT). They were out of sight but not out of mind, and Paul expressed his joy when Epaphras informed him of their firm commitment to the faith, even in the face of false teaching.

So, Paul exhorts them to remain steadfast and unwavering in their faith. Despite everything happening around them, they had all the truth they needed to survive and thrive. A new version of the gospel was unnecessary, and a different take on Jesus was not required. The key to their survival was not some new doctrine or novel take on Jesus's identity but a continuing faith in the One who had made their salvation possible. Paul pleads with them to stay the course, saying, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6 ESV).

They had received Jesus by faith, and they needed to continue living their lives according to faith. Once again, Paul insists that faith is not a static, one-time act that results in salvation but an ongoing lifestyle of complete dependence upon the saving work of Jesus. True saving faith results in our ongoing transformation into His likeness, which will ultimately result in a future state of sinless perfection that will take place upon His return.

Paul firmly believed that his faith in Christ was active and alive, determining every facet of his earthly existence, which is why he told the Galatian believers, “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20 BSB).

The author of Hebrews describes faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). Faith is not wishful thinking or some baseless, unfounded desire for that which has no substance or chance of fulfillment. Paul uses two powerful words to describe the nature of faith. The first is hypostasis, which means “confidence or assurance.” It carries the idea of something being substantive, real, and having actual existence. The second word is elegchos, which means “proof.” Our faith is based on the belief that God’s promises are real, even when invisible to the human eye. It is based on the trustworthiness of God, not our ability to see or touch what was promised. The Old Testament saints listed in Hebrews 11 each displayed faith because they “died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it” (Hebrews 11:13 NLT). Christians don't operate by the old adage “Seeing is believing,” instead, they live by faith. As Paul said, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV).

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul reminded them that God had promised them “an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLIT). In their earthly lives, they struggled with pain, sorrow, and affliction. But God promised they would one day put on their “heavenly dwelling” and experience new life in His eternal kingdom. Then he assured them, “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:5-7 ESV).

That is why Paul called the Colossians to live their lives focused on Jesus, “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7 ESV). They were to keep their eyes fixed on “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV). Paul did not want them to get distracted or dissuaded from the truth regarding Jesus. They were to remain “rooted” in their faith. Like a healthy, fruitful plant, they were to sink their roots deep into the promises found in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Rootedness results in fruitfulness or, as Paul puts it, being “built up.” Paul uses a Greek word associated with architecture, portraying the steady, sound construction of a structure built upon a solid foundation.

Finally, Paul uses the term “established” to describe the final outcome of our faith. The Greek word means “to make good the promises by the event.” It conveys the idea of the promise being fulfilled, and produces the assurance and conviction that our faith will become reality.

Faith has an object: Jesus Christ. But faith also has an objective: our future glorification. That is why Paul wanted the Colossians to remain firm in their faith. Saving faith is an enduring faith that focuses on the unwavering promises of God despite the vicissitudes and difficulties of this life. The apostle John provides us with a timeless word of encouragement that points us to the day when all the promises of God will be established.

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. – 1 John 3:2-3 NLT

Father, You have intended for faith to be an ongoing and ever-increasing commodity in the believer’s life. We are to never stop displaying faith in Your promises. Even after salvation, we must continue to place our faith in Your ongoing goodness, love, mercy, power, provision, and protection. The gift of salvation promises us eternal life, but it does not immediately produce it. Coming to faith in Christ gives us a new nature but it does not produce a new, sinless body; at least, not yet. When You save us, You didn’t immediately transport us into Your presence, instead, You chose to have us remain here. Even Jesus acknowledged Your plan to have us remain behind, and prayed on our behalf, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:15-17 NLT).

Jesus even told His disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3 NLT). That is where our faith comes in. We must continue to hope and trust in the promise of Your Son’s return and our future glorification. Give us the faith to believe Your promises so that we might remain confident to the end. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Supernatural Mystery of Spiritual Maturity

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. – Colossians 1:24-29 ESV

As a faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul often found his calling to be difficult and, at times, dangerous. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul described in excruciating detail the treatment he had received as a servant of Jesus.

I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. – 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT

Yet, Paul was pleased to suffer for His Lord and Savior. He viewed the trials and tribulations that accompanied his mission to be in keeping with the suffering experienced by Christ as He carried out His own earthly mission. Paul was well-acquainted with the darker side of ministry life. In fact, he wrote his letter to the Colossians while under house arrest in Rome, where he awaited trial before the Emperor.

But when Paul penned his far-from-exhaustive list of trials to the Corinthians, he wasn’t complaining about his lot in life; he was defending his right to be treated as a legitimate spokesman for Jesus Christ. Like His Savior, Paul had faced a barrage of persecution and personal attacks, and, on top of all that, he had been forced to carry “the daily burden of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28 NLT). He was a faithful shepherd and caretaker for the flock of Jesus Christ who took his role seriously and suffered persecution but was able to say, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake…” (Colossians 1:24 ESV).

Paul saw his sufferings as an opportunity to, in some small measure, experience “Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24 ESV). He was eternally grateful for the pain that Jesus endured on his behalf so that he might be freed “from this life that is dominated by sin and death” (Romans 7:24 NLT). And Paul was more than willing to suffer “for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24 ESV). It was the least he could do.

Paul understood that he had been made a gospel minister and was responsible for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the Gentile world. His job, while far from easy, was accompanied by great joy because he was able to witness firsthand the transformative nature of the gospel.

Paul states that his message to the Gentiles was a mystery to God’s chosen people, the Israelites. Their concept of the long-awaited Messiah did not include hope for anyone outside the Jewish community unless they had converted to Judaism. They believed themselves to be God’s treasured possession because that is exactly how He had described them.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

Even Jesus’ 12 disciples found it difficult to watch Him minister to Samaritans, Syrophoenicians, and Romans. In their understanding of the Messiah’s role, they had no category that accommodated a ministry to the Gentiles, and yet, Jesus told them, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:14-16 NLT).

This mystery of Gentile inclusion had remained hidden for generations and had not been revealed until after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they began ministering to those who had gathered in Jerusalem for the annual feast. Luke describes the crowd as being made up of  “Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5 ESV). He goes on to describe them as “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians” (Acts 2:9-11 ESV).

The crowd consisted of native Jews and converts to Judaism from a wide range of nations and ethnic groups. When they heard Peter's gospel message, they responded en masse.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. – Acts 2:41 ESV

Many who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost would return to their native countries, carrying the gospel message with them. The apostle Paul would later join their forces and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the Gentile world. On his missionary journeys, he would encounter converts to Christianity who had heard the message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone from their converted friends and neighbors. As Paul later told the believers in Ephesus, the mystery of Gentiles being grafted into the family tree of Abraham had been revealed and was making an impact on the world.

God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. – Ephesians 3:2-5 NLT

God had always intended to redeem people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. His Son was the Messiah of Israel, but as God had promised Abraham, His offspring would bless the “nations.”

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” – Genesis 12:2-3 ESV

Jesus, a son of Abraham, fulfilled that promise. Although He was a Jew, Jesus came to offer salvation to all men, a fact that Paul expressed to the Gentile believers in Galatia.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. – Galatians 3:9-11 ESV

It was through Jesus, a Jew, that the blessing of Abraham came to the Gentiles, so that they might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14 ESV). Paul proudly declared that message of hope to the Gentile world and gladly endured suffering as he did so; he considered it his privilege and honor. Jesus had died to make salvation possible, so the least Paul could do was suffer to make it available and accessible.

He wanted the Colossian believers to know that their hope was based on the reality of the Spirit’s presence within them. Jesus had died, been raised to life, and was seated at the right hand of God the Father. But following His ascension, Jesus sent the Spirit of God to indwell His followers. In that sense, Jesus would not only be with them but in them.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” – John 14:16-17 NLT

Paul’s mission was to proclaim this life-altering mystery of  “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:28 ESV), and he did so, “struggling with all his energy,” knowing that “he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29 ESV). His ministry and message were comprised of both warnings and teachings. There were dangers to be avoided and lessons to be learned. False teachers would attempt to undermine the hope of the gospel and diminish the witness of God’s people.

Paul’s goal for the Colossian believers was nothing less than spiritual maturity. He would not settle for mediocrity or partial transformation. Since glorification was the ultimate goal of salvation, Paul remained committed to the ongoing sanctification of all those under his care. His lifelong objective was to one day be able to “present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28 ESV). That lofty goal will not be achieved in the believer’s lifetime, but God has promised it will occur. John assured his readers of God’s divine plan for every believer’s ultimate glorification.

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. – 1 John 3:2-3 NLT

According to Paul, our glorification is inevitable and unavoidable because it is the work of God.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6 NLT

Salvation was for Jews and Gentiles alike. This marvelous mystery was proclaimed gladly by Paul, who willingly endured suffering to do so. But for Paul, salvation was to be followed by the believer’s sanctification, their growth in Christlikeness. This was a non-optional requirement for all who believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior. It would not be easy, but it would be well worth the effort because the God-ordained result was their future glorification. That is why Paul worked hard and suffered well. He knew that, one day, he would have the joy of presenting believers as “perfect in their relationship to Christ” (Colossians 1:28 NLT). They would stand before God in sinless perfection, having been transformed into the likeness of Jesus and accepted into the Father’s presence, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9 BSB).

Father, thank You that Your plan of salvation included the hope of sanctification and, ultimately, our glorification. You saved us so that You could transform us into the likeness of Your Son and, one day, we will see that supernatural process finalized with our glorification. You came up with the plan to include Gentiles in Your eternal family long before You made the universe and placed Adam and Eve in it. Before You called Abraham and created the Jewish nation, You had plans to redeem men from every tribe, nation, and tongue, and You included me in that plan. I am forever grateful because I know I did not deserve Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness. I did not earn salvation; it was given to me as a gift of grace. Thank You for the gracious gift of salvation and the supernatural mystery of spiritual maturity. You are faithfully molding me into the likeness of Your Son with each passing day and You have promised to complete the process with my future glorification. I sometimes find it hard to believe, but I know it is true because You are faithful. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Gospel of the God-Man

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. – Colossians 1:21-23 ESV

Paul knew it was essential that the Colossian believers fully understand who Jesus was and what He had done for them. Their concept of Jesus had become confused from allowing false ideas about His identity and accomplishments to filter into their beliefs about Him. After Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, growing speculation arose about His true identity and its implications for mankind. In His absence, His disciples continued to spread the news concerning the coming Kingdom of God and the sole means of gaining entrance into it by placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ.

But others had begun formulating their own ideas about Jesus and the implications of His life and death. The disciples had clearly spread the news that Jesus had risen from the dead and had returned to His Father’s side in heaven. Paul had boldly proclaimed the nature of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to the believers in Corinth.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. – 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NLT

However, some had begun to refute the disciples’ teaching concerning the resurrection, declaring it improbable and even unnecessary. That’s what led Paul to warn the Corinthians about this dangerous heresy.

…if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. – 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 NLT

Others were spreading the idea that Jesus had not been an actual, flesh-and-blood human. They speculated that He only appeared to take on human form. This teaching was propagated by the Docetists who earned their name from the Greek word dokeĩn, which means “to seem.” They rejected John’s teaching that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Because these people deemed the flesh to be inherently evil, they could not accept the idea of deity taking on humanity. So, they rationalized it away by claiming that Jesus had only appeared to have a human body. So, His “death” was just a fiction. But by voiding the humanity of Jesus, these false teachers were actually eliminating the heart of the gospel message. Without Jesus’ humanity, there was no good news. That is why the apostles boldly preached the reality of Jesus’ incarnation.

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. – 1 Peter 2:24 NLT

The doctrine of the bodily death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus became the litmus test for determining the veracity of those claiming to be teachers.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. – 1 John 4:1-3 NLT

So, as Paul continued the introduction of his letter to the Colossian believers, he stressed the humanity of Jesus, reminding them that they had been “reconciled in his body of flesh by his death” (Colossians 1:22 ESV). For Paul, that point was essential because it explained how sinful human beings could be made right with a holy and righteous God. He even stressed the nature of their pre-conversion state, describing them as “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Colossians 1:21 ESV). This concept of alienation and hostility was a common theme for Paul. He repeatedly stressed the former hopeless and helpless condition of those who now enjoyed a right standing with God. He wanted them to consider the almost incomprehensible scope of Christ’s sacrificial death and what it had accomplished on their behalf.

…since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans 5:9-11 NLT

The physical death of Jesus made possible their spiritual transformation from enemies to friends of God. They had been reconciled to a righteous God by the undeserved death of His righteous and sinless Son. Paul reminded the believers in Rome of the remarkable nature of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice of His life.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. – Romans 8:3 NLT

Paul told the believers in Colossae that because Jesus had died in their place, He had been able to present them to God the Father as “holy and blameless and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22 ESV). Jesus had taken upon Himself the penalty for their sins and, in exchange, had placed upon them His own unblemished righteousness. Paul fully understood the significance of this “great exchange” and boldly proclaimed His appreciation for it and his unwavering dependence upon it.

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. – Philippians 3:9 NLT

For Paul, belief in Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection was essential for living the Christian life. He called the Colossians to reject any false teaching that might undermine their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and urged them to remain committed to the good news just as they had heard it from Epaphras.

…you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. – Colossians 1:23 NLT

Paul knew that false teachers would be a constant problem in the church. Each generation of believers would face a new wave of plausible but unreliable doctrines concerning the saving work of Jesus. He also knew that immature and poorly informed Christians would be easy targets for false teachers and end up “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching” and tricked by “lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT). For Paul, the best defense against false teaching was the truth. He declared his firm commitment to continue doing what he had always done: preach the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ to any and all who would listen.

The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. – Colossians 1:23 NLT

Paul wanted the Colossians to know that they had been reconciled to God through the physical death of Jesus Christ. He had been fully divine and wholly human and died a very real, excruciating death on the cross—in their place. By placing their faith in Jesus's substitutionary death, they had been restored to a right relationship with God. Formerly enemies of God, they now enjoyed a new status as His sons and heirs, and no false teacher or faulty doctrine could take that away from them.

Paul will continue to drive home his belief in the humanity of Jesus because it was essential to the gospel message. In the second chapter of his letter, he states, “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness” (Colossians 2:9-10 NLT). For Paul, Jesus’ humanity and deity were inseparable and non-debatable. If Jesus did not become an actual flesh-and-blood human, then His death on the cross was pointless. For Paul, the bodily death and resurrection of Jesus were the key to the gospel message. If Jesus only appeared to be human, then His death was nothing more than a charade. Without an actual body, it would be impossible for Jesus to die, and if Jesus did not die, the resurrection was unnecessary. But in his first letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul debunked this heretical notion.

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. – 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 NLT

Paul was willing to die to protect the integrity of the gospel. He would not tolerate any twisting of the truth or perversion of the message he had received from Jesus because there was too much at stake. The gospel was not up for interpretation or alteration. Yet, Paul constantly had to clean up the mess left behind by false and heretical teachers. He was forced to chastise the believers in Galatia for their lack of discernment and gullibility.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. – Galatians 1:6-9 ESV

There was only one gospel, and it was based on Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. To ensure that his audience understood, Paul unequivocally states, “He has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:22 NLT). 

Father, no man could have come up with the plan You devised for humanity’s redemption. The thought of a deity taking on human flesh is not a novel idea, The Greeks had their pantheon of gods who masqueraded as mere mortals. But Your plan involved Your sinless Son taking on the form of an infant baby and growing up to be a man. As Paul wrote, Jesus, ths Son of God “did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 N:LT). It took a sinless Savior to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful men. But to do it, He had to become like us. He lived among us, suffered hunger and weariness like us, endured rejection by us, and gave us life for us. All so that we could one day become like Him. That was Your plan and it is perfect down to the last detail. Thank You! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Three Indispensable Gifts

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. – Colossians 1:3-8 ESV

Paul describes the believers in Colossae using three of his favorites terms: Faith, hope, and love. He mentions their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints, and he indicates that these two qualities are based on the hope that is laid up for them in heaven. Since they have a secure hope in the future salvation promised to them because of their faith in Jesus Christ, they are able to love others as they have been loved.

This triad of Christian character traits was near and dear to Paul’s heart. In fact, in his great “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, Paul summarizes his statements on love by writing, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT).

For Paul, faith, hope, and love were the non-negotiable essentials of the Christian experience. In writing to the church in Corinth, he expressed his admiration for them and expressed that they had been blessed by God with every spiritual gift.

God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:5-7 NLT

And yet, despite their God-given gifts, the church in Corinth was divided, bickering needlessly over who had the most impressive spiritual gift. They had missed the whole point and were allowing the gifts that God had given them to create a hierarchy of spiritual elitism marked by pride and arrogance.

So, as Paul wrote to the fledgling church in Colossae, he emphasized the three characteristics that were essential to living the Christian life and honoring the name of Christ: Faith, hope, and love. Paul used the same trifecta of godly qualities when addressing the believers in Thessalonica.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 ESV

In Paul’s theology, faith was an ongoing experience, not a one-time, once-for-all action that ushered in one’s salvation. While faith was essential for experiencing God’s saving grace as expressed through Christ’s sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross, it did not stop at the point of salvation. Faith was to be a dynamic and ever-increasing quality in the life of the believer. Paul told the Corinthians believers, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV). He commended the Thessalonian believers for their ever-increasing faith.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. – 2 Thessalonians 1:3 ESV

When speaking of his own life, Paul stated, “the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). Paul no longer relied upon his own strength or his capacity to produce good works in the flesh but, instead, he relied upon the sanctifying work of Christ, by faith. He truly believed what he wrote to the church in Philippi,

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6 ESV

For Paul, love was the greatest proof of a truly transformed life. According to the author of Hebrews, it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). But Paul would qualify that statement by adding, “if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV). Love for others provides demonstrable proof that we have been loved by God and had our hearts transformed by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. As James so eloquently put it, faith that produces no tangible evidence is not really faith at all.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. – James 2:14-17 ESV

James was not inferring that we are saved by works; he was emphasizing that saving faith produces godly fruit, such as love for those in need. The apostle John would echo that sentiment.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. – 1 John 4:20 ESV

According to Paul, both faith and love are founded upon the hope of our future glorification, promised to us by God and provided by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus was proof that there is life after death; this world is not all there is. That is why Paul told the Corinthians, “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV).

And Paul went on to stress the essential nature of Christ’s resurrection. If He has not risen from the dead, then our faith has no meaning whatsoever. It’s little more than a pipe dream.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. – 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 ESV

Ultimately, our faith is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ because it is His resurrection that assures us of our future hope of glorification. Paul went on to assure the Corinthians of the unwavering reliability of God’s plan for our future glorification.

…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”  – 1 Corinthians 15:52-55 ESV

In the present life, we live by faith because we have hope for the future. The God who will fulfill all that He has promised regarding the hereafter is fully capable of meeting all our needs in the here and now. And because we rest in His unfailing love for us, we are able to express that same love to all those around us, including our enemies. And Paul commends the Colossian believers because the gospel continued to bear fruit in their lives.

…it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth… – Colossians 1:6 ESV

Their faith, hope, and love were anything but static; each was increasing daily and being manifested in their lives for the world to see. The missionary work of Epaphras had been productive, resulting in their salvation and ongoing sanctification. Paul wanted the Colossians to know how proud he was of their perseverance and determination to continue to pursue faith, hope, and love, even in the midst of the difficulties and distractions of life in a fallen world.

Father, You have made faith, hope, and love the indispensable marks of every Christ follower. You have loved us with a selfless, sacrificial love, sending Your Son to die on our behalf and providing us with a righteousness we could never have produced on our own. Jesus loved us by giving His life for us and then called us to love others in the same way. To make it possible, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us, and that same Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our future glorification (Ephesians 1:4). He is transforming us now into the likeness of Christ, but He will one day make possible our final glorification that will transform us into the likeness of Christ. That is why we have hope., and it also why our faith continues to grow and mature, even as we face the difficulties of this life. You didn’t just saver us, You are sanctifying us and, one day, You will glorify us. That promise is the solid foundation for our faith and should produce in us an ever-increasing love for You and for others. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Care Package

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father. – Colossians 1:1-2 ESV

The ancient city of Colossae achieved its early prominence and prosperity due to its location along a major trade route that ran through the Lycus River Valley in the Roman province of Asia Minor (in what is today modern-day Turkey). But in time, the nearby and newer city of Laodicea replaced Colossae as the economic engine of the region. While the Co­lossians had made a name for themselves through the manufacture of the much-coveted crimson-colored wool cloth known as colossinum, the once-thriving metropolis was reduced to little more than a small village. It was in this environment that a small congregation of believers sprung up.

When the church in Colossae was founded is unclear. At the time Paul wrote his letter, he had not been to the city of Colossae, but his missionary journeys had taken him to nearby Ephesus where he spent an extended period of time spreading the gospel message and making converts. According to Acts 19:10, “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

It could be that one of the new converts from Ephesus took the good news of Jesus Christ to Colossae or perhaps a visitor from Colossae had been in Ephesus to hear the preaching of Paul. Whatever the case, the gospel made its way there and, in time, a small congregation was formed.

Because of its location along a major trade route, the city of Colossae had a population comprised of Greek colonists and native Phrygians. There would have also been a fairly large number of Jews living in the area because Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) had relocated hundreds of Jewish families from Mesopotamia to this region. So, this local congregation was likely a diverse mixture of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. This hybrid blend of backgrounds, along with the influence of false teachers, was causing a great deal of confusion among the church’s young congregation.

It appears that Paul had received word of the situation in Colossae from Epaphras, a resident of the city. Whether Epaphras visited Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome is unclear, but the fellow minister of the gospel had somehow gotten word to the apostle about the state of affairs in his home city. According to verses 7-8 of Chapter 1, Epaphras had been instrumental in the spread of the gospel to his fellow Colossians.

You learned the gospel from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave—a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf—who also told us of your love in the Spirit. – Colossians 1:7-8 NLT

Epaphras shared with Paul his concern for the spiritual well-being of the church. Without proper leadership and instruction, the fledgling congregation had found itself struggling to resist the temptation to synchronize their old religious ideologies with their new faith in Christ. And some of the Jewish converts were attempting to add their own blend of Judaic ritualism and traditionalism. To top it all off, there were those who had infiltrated the church posing as doctrinal experts and propagating a dangerous brand of false teaching that directly opposed the teachings of Paul and the other apostles. This is what led Paul to open his letter with a statement that established his apostolic credentials.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God… – Colossians 1:1 ESV

While Paul had not been one of the original 12 disciples of Jesus, he had received his apostolic commission directly from the Lord Himself. Early in his life, Paul had been a member of the Pharisees, a powerful and highly influential sect of Judaism. At one point, he described himself as the poster boy for religious extremism and dedication.

I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. – Philippians 3:5-6 NLT

He was an up-and-coming member of the Pharisees who had been given a commission by the high priest to persecute and arrest members of “The Way,” the name given to the cult of followers who worshiped the dead Rabbi, Jesus. As a devout Pharisee, Paul had been a zealous adherent to and defender of the Jewish faith, and he was determined to eradicate the memory of Jesus and eliminate every one of His followers. He would later describe to the Jews how he had been given a commission to hunt down and destroy Christians.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.” – Acts 22:3-5 NLT

But something remarkable happened as Paul made his way to Damascus; he had come face to face with the resurrected Jesus. A blinding light stopped Paul in his tracks and a voice spoke to him, saying, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting” (Acts 22:8 NLT). Unable to see, Paul clearly heard Jesus give him instructions to visit a man named Ananias, who would give him further instructions, and Ananias opened Paul’s eyes and revealed to him his new mission.

“The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.” – Acts 22:14-16 NLT

This “Damascus Road experience” transformed Paul’s life; he went from persecuting Christians to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he was appointed an official apostle or messenger of Jesus Christ, with specific instructions to take the good news of salvation to the Gentiles.

Paul wanted the believers in Colossae to understand that he had divine authority to address the situation taking place within their local congregation. He defended his right to speak on behalf of Christ because there were those who attacked his apostolic credentials. But Paul pushed back on these critics, declaring his God-given authority as a spokesman for the gospel.

I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. – Galatians 1:1 NLT

So many of the churches Paul helped establish were being targeted by men who claimed to be speaking on behalf of God but who were teaching false doctrines and leading the people away from the simplicity and integrity of the gospel. Many of these men were eloquent and influential speakers who derided Paul’s ministry and portrayed him as a charlatan, but Paul refused to let them destroy what God had built.

But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 11:12-13 NLT

So Paul opened his letter to the Colossians with a declaration of his apostleship. He wanted them to know that what he was about to tell them was divinely inspired and not just the thoughts of a man they had never met. The content of his letter would reflect God’s will concerning their situation, so it would pay for them to listen. And Paul let them know that he was not alone in his concern for them. His protégé and fellow minister of the gospel, Timothy, stood with him in his message of encouragement and admonition.

Paul refers to his audience as “saints,” using a Greek term (hagios), which means “those set apart to God.” He wanted to remind them that they had been consecrated by God for His use. They belonged to God and had an obligation to live their lives in keeping with His will and according to His Word. They were not free to establish their own model for righteous living or to create their own system of religious rituals and creeds. They had been set apart by God and were to dedicate their lives to God.

The rest of his letter will address the specifics of their situation and the measures they must take to ensure that they continue to live faithful lives marked by God’s grace and peace.

Father, I am reminded of Paul’s passion for the gospel and his dedication to the well-being of the body of Christ. For him, it was not enough to preach the gospel and teach the truth of God’s Word, he was obsessed with the spiritual well=being of the many congregations he had helped to start. Like a shepherd, he cared deeply for his flock and wanted to help them make the most of their salvation experience. His life had been radically transformed by Jesus and dedicated his life to helping others come to know Him and become increasingly more like Him. Paul wasn’t interested in making religious converts; he was out to produce Spirit-empowered, fruit-producing, Christ-emulating, and grace-filled followers of Jesus who would help spread the gospel through words and deeds. I want to share his passion for preaching the truth of God’s Word and the life-transforming power of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Increase my commitment to Your Word, my love for the lost, and my passion for preserving and protecting the body of Christ. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Costly Commitment

8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) – Philemon 1:8-11 ESV

Bringing up a difficult topic with someone you care about can be tricky. An attempt to point out someone else’s faults, failures, or blind spots, even if done with the best of intentions, can backfire. Confrontation is risky; that’s why most of us choose to avoid the conflict altogether. But Paul loved Philemon too much to remain silent, and he knew that this particular issue had far greater implications than just the relationship between Philemon and his runaway slave, Onesimus.

For Paul, this was about the body of Christ. Yes, he had strong affections for the two men mired in the middle of this situation, but he also had a heart for the spiritual well-being of the church. The relationships among believers within the local body of Christ were vital to the spread of the gospel because they testified to its life-transformative power. There was no place for division or disunity among believers, a message Paul communicated to the church in Corinth.

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. – 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT

So, as Paul prepared to bring up a potentially controversial issue with Philemon, he had the greater good of the body of Christ in mind. He knew that Philemon’s treatment of Onesimus would have a ripple effect on the church. Because of his leadership role in the church, Philemon was admired by its members, and his actions carried weight.

It’s essential to understand the nature of the problem that Paul was about to address with his friend. Philemon was a believer but also a slaveholder. This was not uncommon in those days. In fact, it was quite normal because slavery was a vital part of the Roman economy. In the early days of the church, as the gospel spread throughout the Roman Empire, people from all walks of life were coming to faith in Christ, including slaves. The message of faith in Jesus was non-discriminatory. It was not reserved for the rich or religious, the upper class or the highly educated. As Paul pointed out to the believers in Corinth, the gospel was for the foolish, the powerless, and the despised.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT

It would appear that Philemon was a relatively wealthy individual with a home large enough to host the local fellowship of believers. He also had the financial resources to purchase bondslaves. But while Philemon was well-resourced, he had not purchased his salvation. It had been a gift, a point that Peter makes perfectly clear.

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. – 1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT

But Philemon was having to deal with the impact of the Gospel message on his daily life, just like every other individual who had come to faith in Christ. He was a Christ-follower, but he also remained a businessman with financial obligations. He was also a Roman citizen with certain legal rights and responsibilities. As a slaveholder who recently suffered a financial loss when one of his slaves ran away, he would have known his rights concerning redress and legal recourse.

But little did Philemon know that his escaped slave had run into his friend, the apostle Paul. One of the things I love about this story is the way it so subtly portrays the sovereign will of God. The last thing Philemon expected to hear from Paul was an update on his runaway slave. And yet, here was Paul, getting ready to announce that not only did he know Onesimus, but he considered him his child in the faith. Philemon’s runaway slave had become a fellow follower of Christ and a personal friend of Paul, ministering to him during his imprisonment in Rome.

What a bizarre turn of events. And one can only imagine the look on Philemon’s face as he read this surprising news from Paul. But don’t miss the sovereign hand of God in all of this. At some point, Philemon had made the conscious decision to purchase Philemon as a slave; it had been a fully legal transaction based on sound financial planning. But then, somewhere along the way, Onesimus had come up with a plan of his own. He ran away. He took the risk of seeking his freedom, knowing that, if caught, he would face severe punishment or even death. And at the same time, hundreds of miles away, Paul had pleaded to have his case tried before the emperor in Rome, where he was taken and placed under house arrest.

Each of these decisions was made by a man, but as the book of Proverbs points out, their plans were actually being orchestrated by God. He was operating behind the scenes in ways they could not see or know.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9 NLT

You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail. – Proverbs 19:21 NLT

No details are provided to explain how Onesimus met Paul. But we can rest in the knowledge that God was directing the steps of this young runaway slave so that his path would cross that of Paul’s. God had fully intended for Philemon's slave to encounter Nero's prisoner, and the life of Onesimus would never be the same. But Philemon’s life was also about to undergo a radical realignment as Paul presented him with a paradigm-shifting request.

As an apostle, Paul knew that he had the God-given authority to order Philemon to do the right thing. But instead, he appealed to Philemon’s heart. Paul wanted Philemon to act out of love, not out of obligation or duty. So he let Philemon know that he was making his request “for love's sake.” Paul knew that love alone could heal the broken relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. It would take a miracle for this slaveholder to forgive his former slave. But for Paul, forgiveness would not be enough. He was out to change the relationship between these two men in ways that neither one of them could imagine.

Paul makes an interesting side comment to Philemon, stating that Onesimus “was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me” (Philemon 1:11 ESV). The Greek word Paul used is achrēstos, which means “unprofitable.” It’s unclear what Paul is inferring from this statement, but he could be implying that as long as Onesimus was on the run, he was of no use to Philemon. But in his absence, Onesimus had been extremely beneficial to Paul. This young man had been ministering to Paul during his house arrest. However, I believe there is a more significant meaning behind Paul’s use of this term. As a slave, Onesimus had been little more than property to Philemon. His value was based solely on the work he performed or the price he could bring at auction.

But now, as a brother in Christ, Onesimus was a valuable member of the faith community and an asset to the Kingdom of Christ. At one time, Philemon had considered Onesimus to be foolish, powerless, and despised. But Christ had changed all that. Now, Onesimus was a joint heir with Jesus Christ and a valued member of the body of Christ. He had gifts to share and a part to play in the ongoing spread of the gospel.

Paul wanted Philemon to view his former slave through the lens of the gospel. God was going to use Onesimus, someone the world once “counted as nothing at all…to bring to nothing what the world considers important” (1 Corinthians 1:28 NLT). In the 1st-century world, slavery was a powerful force in the local economy that contributed to Philemon’s livelihood. It was a common practice that few questioned, and virtually all accepted as the status quo. But Jesus had come to replace man’s ways with God’s ways. The gospel was meant to be a game-changer, shining the light of God’s love into the darkness of a fallen world.

Philemon was about to have the light of God’s truth illuminate the recesses of his own heart, revealing yet one more hidden area of sin that needed to be exposed and expelled by the love of Christ.

Father, Your ways are not our ways. Your will for our lives does not mirror that of the world. You have called us out of darkness into the marvelous light of Your grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. As Your Son reminds us, “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world” (John 17:14 NLT). We are aliens and strangers here; citizens of another kingdom who are called to serve as Your ambassadors and emissaries as we await the return of our King. And, as we wait, we are to model Christlikeness in all we do and say. Philemon was operating according to the world’s standards and, according to the legal code of his day, he had every right to demand the return of his “property.” But Paul called him to a higher standard of justice and righteousness. He wanted Philemon to see Onesimus through the eyes of Christ and treat him as a brother and a friend.

Sometimes, You call us to step outside the comfort zone of our cultural context and live according to Your holy will. And, as Jesus said, when we obey Your will, the world will hate us just as it hated Him (John 17:14). But You have called us to live set-apart lives that reflect our status as Your holy people. We are to be lights in the darkness, agents of change, and ministers of reconciliation. Paul was calling Philemon to step up and model Christlikeness in a way that would prove costly to his pocket book and reputation. If he obeyed Paul’s call to treat Onesimus as “a beloved brother” (Philemon 1:16 NLT) instead of a slave, his fellow slaveholders would likely condemn him. His neighbors might mock him. But his actions would model the love of God and declare the life-changing power of the gospel. That is the calling You have placed on all our lives. May I take it seriously and pursue it willingly, so that the world may know that I am Your disciple. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Non-Discriminatory Love

4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. – Philemon 1:4-7 ESV

It’s not hard to recognize Paul’s intense and sincere love for Philemon. These are not the pious-sounding platitudes of a pastor; they are legitimate expressions of love from a close friend. And Paul tells his friend that news of his faith and love causes him to offer up prayers of thanksgiving to God. Paul is grateful for the tangible expressions of life change evident in Philemon’s life. His faith in Jesus Christ’s love for him has resulted in visible displays of selfless love for the people of God.

The apostle John used this same combination of faith in Jesus and love for others in his first letter.

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. – 1 John 3:23 NLT

And John went on to call for a consistent and persistent kind of love that would reflect the believer’s new relationship with their gracious and loving Father, who is the source of all love.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. – 1 John 4:7-8 NLT

John emphasized that the believer’s capacity to love others was evidence of their newfound relationship with God. He had loved them enough to send His Son to die in their place as payment for their sins, and it was His unconditional love that made their love for others possible.

We love each other because he loved us first. – 1 John 4:19 NLT

But while Paul complimented Philemon on his love for others, you can sense that he is setting Philemon up. He is lovingly preparing his friend to hear news that will likely prove difficult to receive. Paul is going to challenge Philemon to love in a way that will test his faith and challenge his sense of right and wrong. Philemon doesn’t know it yet, but Paul has news about Onesimus, Philemon’s long-lost runaway slave.

Paul begins by explaining to Philemon the content of his ongoing prayers for him:

I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. – Philemon 1:6 NLT

Paul has already complimented Philemon on his love for others. Now he wants Philemon to know and experience the full impact of the gospel in his life. Paul deeply desired that his friend’s faith would grow in depth and intensity so that he might know and experience all the fullness of joy promised to him in Christ; the same joy Jesus promised His disciples.

“Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:9-13 ESV

Paul wanted more for Philemon. He was not content to allow his friend to rest on his laurels or to become complacent in his faith. While there was obvious evidence of fruit in Philemon’s life, there would always be room for further growth. Paul wanted Philemon to understand that God’s transformative work would never be complete in this life; it would be ongoing and never-ending. And Paul made it a habit to pray for the continual spiritual enlightenment of all those he loved and to whom he ministered.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 1:18-20 NLT

Paul wanted Philemon to know that his love for others was contagious, having spread far beyond the confines of their local faith community. News of Philemon’s love had reached Paul's ears as he sat under house arrest in Rome. And Paul told him, “I have derived much joy and comfort from your love” (Philemon 1:7 ESV). But why? What was it about Philemon’s actions that caused Paul to rejoice and be encouraged? Paul provides the answer:  “because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you” (Philemon 1:7 ESV).

As an apostle, teacher, and fellow Christ-follower, Paul found great joy in watching believers live out their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. When he witnessed the body of Christ functioning as intended, he couldn’t help but be encouraged. Unity and true community within Christ’s church were important to Paul. That’s why he told the church in Philippi, “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:2-4 ESV).

At this point in the letter, Philemon had no idea what was coming. As he, Apphia, and Archippus read the letter together, he must have been deeply encouraged. But the other shoe was about to drop. Paul was preparing to test Philemon’s faith in a profound way. Philemon’s concept of what it means to love others was going to be stretched, and his ideas regarding justice and mercy were going to be challenged as never before. His secular and sacred worlds were about to collide, causing him to see his faith in a whole new light.

Philemon had a blind spot, but he was not alone. This is likely the reason Paul included Apphia and Archippus as recipients of his letter. The topic Paul was about to bring up would be controversial for every member of the local congregation that met in Philemon’s home. They would have known about Philemon’s runaway slave, and most, if not all of them, would have been familiar with and agreeable to Philemon’s legal rights as a master. In fact, some of them may have been slave owners themselves. But Paul was about to rock their collective world. It is estimated that 30-50 percent of the Roman Empire’s population in the 1st century was comprised of slaves. So, what Paul was about to say would shed unexpected new light on a well-accepted social structure that had become all too familiar.

While the early church seemed to have no problem with slaves coming to faith in Christ and even attending their local fellowships, a social stigma remained. There was a lingering sense of separation and segregation, and Paul addressed this issue repeatedly in his letters to the churches. He was out to tear down the societal standards of his day that were creating division within the body of Christ. In their place, he called for a sense of oneness in Christ.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NLT

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:26-28 NLT

In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. – Colossians 3:11 NLT

While the world outside the doors of the church was practicing segregation, enslavement, and every conceivable form of social prejudice, Paul was calling the body of Christ to practice “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 3:3 ESV). There was no place for division and disunity in God’s family. Everyone stands as equals at the foot of the cross, and, as Paul reminded the believers in Rome, “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11 NLT).

No, in God’s Kingdom, all share the unique and undeserved privilege of adoption as His sons and daughters, regardless of race, creed, color, or social standing.

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 3:4-6 ESV

As Paul prepared to inform Philemon about Onesimus, he wanted his friend to understand that the gospel had radically changed their relationship in ways that Philemon would find difficult to grasp and that the 1st-century world would reject. Philemon had a reputation for loving others, but the real test would be how he loved when he heard his runaway slave was now his brother in Christ. 

Father, I can relate to Philemon. He was a good man who had been transformed by the power of the gospel but he still had blind spots. He loved others but also suffered from selective affection. I doubt that he had a soft spot in his heart for Onisemus. In fact, he had probably placed a bounty on his head and had slave catchers searching for him. For Philemon, the thought of a master loving his slave would have been unheard of. Slaves were little more than property and they had no rights and were undeserving of love.. But Paul was about to radically alter Philemon’s take on reality. The kind of love You demand is non-discriminatory and non-negotiable. Your Son told us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 ESV). It is interesting to note that Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, “Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven” (Colossians 4:1 NLT).

Faith in Christ is to be life-changing and relationship-altering. It is to transform our hearts and alter our perspective on every relationship in our lives. But this call to love others is difficult because it require me to see others through Your eyes. You are impartial in Your love (Romans 2:11). You don’t play favorites and don’t reserve Your love for the lovely and lovable. That is why Jesus called for godly love, “that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:45-48 ESV). Give me the strength to love others as You have loved me. Open my eyes to see that love is a gift I have been given by You and I am to share it with everyone. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Marvelous Grace

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. – Ephesians 6:21-23 ESV

For the first time in his letter, Paul turns his attention to himself. He wrote the letter while under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial. He had been arrested in Jerusalem, having been accused by the Jews of defiling the temple by bringing a Gentile into it (Acts 21:28-30). The Jews were so incensed at Paul that they attempted to kill him, but he was rescued by Roman soldiers. Paul ended up defending himself before the Sanhedrin, the Roman governor, and King Agrippa, and was eventually shipped off to Rome because, as a Roman citizen, he had appealed for a trial before Caesar.

So, while under house arrest, he wrote this letter to the Ephesians. In fact, Paul wrote many of his letters during his Roman imprisonment. He made very good use of his time and continued to minister to the churches he had helped to plant.

Paul had a special place in his heart for the believers in the cities to which he wrote. He viewed them as his spiritual children, and his pastor’s heart worried about their spiritual well-being. He knew they were all under spiritual attack from the enemy and that is why he wrote his many letters. He wanted to educate, encourage, and instruct them in the faith. and desired to see them grow in Christ-likeness and continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ around the world.

Paul knew that the churches to which he had ministered so faithfully worried about him. They were concerned with his well-being, but also depended on him as their spiritual mentor and father in the faith. So Paul regularly updated them about his circumstances. With everything else going on in their lives, he did not want them to worry about him. So he told them he would send Tychicus, “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord,” to bring them up to speed about his status in Rome.

Tychicus was one of Paul’s regular traveling companions, accompanying him on his missionary journeys.

Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. – Acts 20:4 NLT

Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. – Colossians 4:7-8 NLT

I am planning to send either Artemas or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them arrives, do your best to meet me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to stay there for the winter. – Titus 3:12 NLT

Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. – 2 Timothy 4:10-12 NLT

Paul sent Tychicus to travel to these various cities to keep the believers informed of the current status of Paul’s imprisonment and trial. Paul’s main purpose in sending Tychicus was to encourage them and to keep them from worrying about him. He knew that they did not need any more distractions or discouragement.

Paul loved and cared for others and was willing to do whatever it took to see them grow in faith. He could be hard on them, pointing out their weaknesses and flaws, but he could also be passionately compassionate, encouraging them in their weaknesses and to not lose faith. Like a loving parent, Paul wanted what was best for his children, and he was willing to sacrifice his own life to see that the flock of God was healthy and whole.

Paul was a faithful shepherd who modeled his life after “the chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4 ESV). The author of Hebrews described Jesus as “the great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20 ESV). And it was Jesus who said,  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11 ESV).

Paul took his role as a shepherd seriously. He was probably familiar with the words Jesus spoke to Peter just before His ascension.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” – John 21:15-17 NLT

Paul took these words to heart. In fact, prior to heading to Rome to await his trial before Caesar, Paul called for the elders from Ephesus and told them, “So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock – his church, purchased with his own blood – over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders” (Acts 20:28 NLT). Paul had lived out that admonition in his own life, all the way from Rome. He had lived out the words Peter wrote to the elders of the churches throughout Asia Minor.

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly – not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. – 1 Peter 5:2 NLT

In keeping with his role as a shepherd, Paul closed out his letter with a prayer for his flock in Ephesus. He prayed for three things: peace, love, and faith. Peace is not an absence of trouble, but an awareness of God’s presence in times of difficulty. Peace can also refer to harmony between individuals. Paul knew there would be plenty of potential for turmoil in the churches of Ephesus because churches are made up of people. He also knew that peace would be necessary if they were going to grow together and experience the unity that God desired for them. But peace is only possible when love is present; mutual love is the fertile ground in which peace flourishes.

The sacrificial, selfless love for which Paul prayed is unifying, not dividing. It is healing, not hurtful. It is other-oriented, not self-centered. But this kind of love is only possible through faith in Christ. It is not self-manufactured, but is a supernatural manifestation of God’s love for us, demonstrated in the offering of His own Son to die on our behalf.

The apostle John reminds us, “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19 NLT). In fact, peace, love, and faith all come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are divine gifts to the church, and they are to be used for the mutual edification of one another.

Paul closes his letter the same way he opened it, with an emphasis on the grace of God.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. – Ephesians 6:24 ESV

The grace of God, His undeserved favor, is the most remarkable thing any of us has ever received. But it is easy to lose sight of His grace and mistakenly assume that we somehow deserve His love. We can end up thinking that we are worthy of His forgiveness and capable of living the Christian life in our own strength. But Paul would have us remember that it is the grace of God that made our salvation possible, and that same grace makes our sanctification achievable. God’s unmerited gift of grace enables us to love Him and His Son. All that we are and all that we do is made possible by the grace of God, and not only is His grace amazing, but it is marvelous.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin! – Julia H. Johnson, Grace Greater Than Our Sin (1910)

Father, Your grace is marvelous. Your love is unfathomable. Your peace is beyond our comprehension. And You have called us to reflect all of these divine attributes to the world around us. You have commissioned us to serve as Your shepherds to the flock of Jesus Christ. Like Peter, we are to care for them and feed them. We are to provide them with protection and, when needed, correction. And this is not just the role of the full-time paid pastoral staff. Each believer is to view themselves as an undershepherd of the Good Shepherd. We serve on His behalf and act as His hands and feet, lovingly caring for His flock in His absence. Father, show me how to shepherd well. Help me to love like Jesus loved and to serve with the same sense of selfless sacrifice that He demonsrated on my behalf. What a difference it would make in this world if more of took seriously our role as loving shepherds. Give me the determination to take Jesus’ words to heart: “Take care of my sheep” (John 21:16 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Victory In Jesus

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. – Ephesians 6:13-18a ESV

This passage deserves a second look. Paul tells us to “put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

He uses two Greek words, ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi) and ἵστημι (histēmi). The first means “to stand against,” and the other means “to stand” (“G436 - anthistēmi, G2476 - histēmi - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). To “withstand in the evil day” carries the idea of standing your ground in the midst of battle. You are under attack and surrounded by the enemy, but you refuse to surrender your position; instead, you resist. Paul is describing a defensive posture, not an offensive one, because the enemy is bringing the battle to you.

Jesus told Peter, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18 NET). Satan is out to destroy God’s people and is constantly assaulting His church from without and within. But Paul calls us to stand our ground, to resist. James uses the same Greek word, ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi), when he writes, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 ESV).

Paul is calling us to stand firm, immovable, ready, and prepared for action. But how are we to accomplish that? What is the secret to standing firm? Paul makes it quite clear: it is the whole armor of God. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod in the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. These six items comprise the indispensable equipment for every soldier of God. You can’t survive without them. It isn’t a question of whether the enemy will attack; you will see battle, and it will be intense. Satan is bringing the war to your doorstep each and every day, but God has given us all that we need to withstand and stand firm in the heat of the battle.

The belt of truth is the first and most essential piece of equipment. It most likely refers to the truth as revealed in God’s Word. Truth is key to standing up to the enemy's lies. Remember, the goal is to “stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV). That word, “schemes,” means “deceit or trickery.” Jesus confirmed that Satan is a liar.

“He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” – John 8:44 NLT

He is cunning and clever, and he uses falsehood as his primary weapon of choice. So, truth will be one of our greatest assets as believers.

The breastplate of righteousness refers to the righteousness of Christ. Like the armor of a Roman soldier, this breastplate is designed to be the primary source of protection against the enemy’s assaults. A Roman breastplate was designed to shield the main portion of a soldier's body, from the neck to the thighs. As believers, we are covered by the righteousness of Christ. It is His righteousness that has made us right with God. When the enemy attacks and hurls darts of accusation against our self-righteousness, we are protected by the righteousness imputed to us by Christ. Satan can accuse us, but he cannot harm us. We must take up Christ’s righteousness daily and understand that it is what He has given us that protects us from the enemy's assault.

No soldier would go into battle without shoes. How can you stand firm without proper footwear? And Paul describes these shoes as “the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15 ESV). The gospel of peace, the good news, enables us to stand firm without slipping or sliding amid uncertainty or losing our spiritual footing. Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, we have peace with God. We are His, and He is ours. That is why Paul could confidently claim, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV).

The shield of faith is not something you wear, but something you hold. Like all of the other pieces of armor, it is provided by God; it is His armor. Our faith is not self-manufactured; it is a gift of the Spirit, provided for us by a gracious and loving God. As long as we stand behind our faith, we are safe. It is when we set aside our faith that we become vulnerable to the enemy's darts. Faith is our trust in God and in His promises regarding us. The author of Hebrews describes it this way: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (James 11:1 NLT). God has promised to never leave or forsake us. He has assured us that He is preparing a permanent place for us in His eternal Kingdom. He has also promised to fight all our battles for us and has placed His all-powerful Spirit within us. But we must trust in these truths at all times. A weak shield is of little use in the heat of battle. Strong faith in a powerful and faithful God will provide protection every time, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

The helmet of salvation protects our mind. It is the awareness of God’s ongoing saving work in our lives. It refers not only to our coming to faith in Christ but also to our ongoing sanctification and God’s daily saving work. Through His Son’s death, he saved us from sin and death, but He is also saving us from the flesh, the world, and the enemy. Our salvation was not a one-time event; God continues to save and protect us from the enemy's attacks, preserving us for the destiny He has planned for us. But we must remain focused on His saving work regardless of the circumstances we face. We must constantly remind ourselves that He is faithful and strong, and that the battle is already won.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and it is designed for hand-to-hand combat. The Scriptures are what we use when the enemy gets up close and personal. God’s Word provides us with the truth we need to deflect the lies of Satan. It is both a defensive and an offensive weapon, allowing us to protect ourselves and to bring harm to the enemy. Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “when he comes he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8 NLT). The Spirit of God, in conjunction with the Word of God, is essential in our fight against the forces of this world.

Finally, Paul tells us to keep “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18a ESV). Prayer is nothing more than communication with God. Like a soldier on the battlefield, timely communication from headquarters is key to victory. We must listen to our heavenly commander, the Lord of Hosts. He is the captain of the armies of heaven, and He has a battle plan in place. We are not to act as freelance mercenaries, operating on our own agenda and implementing our own battle plan. It is through prayer and the reading of God’s Word that we receive instructions. Prayer provides us with a means of sharing our needs and news from the battlefield. Staying in touch with God is essential to our survival.

The battle is real. The enemy is powerful. But our God is great, and our armor is time-tested and proven reliable in the heat of battle. God has designed it and provided it to us so that we might stand firm in the ongoing spiritual battle we face. And John assures us that we can fight confidently, for our victory is assured by God.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. – 1 John 4:4 NLT

Father, we are the most well-equipped military force on the planet. We have an all-powerful, all-knowing Commander in Chief and have been equipped with the finest defensive and offensive weapons to assist in the battle. We have a training manual that is second to none, a secret source of power in the form of the Holy Spirit, and a battle plan that guarantees our victory. You, the Creator of the universe, have promised to fight alongside us. There is no battle or skirmish we will face that You will not be there with us. And even when we grow weak and tired, Your Holy Spirit will renew our strength and reinvigorate our efforts. As Isaiah said, “those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).

I don’t like to think of life as a battle, but my experience tells me that it is. I have learned that the enemy is real and his assaults produce casualties among God’s people. But it’s not because he is more powerful, it is because we fail to wear the spiritual armor You have provided. Many of us refuse to admit that this world is a war zone. We would rather view it as some kind of extended vacation with a few hiccups and headaches along the way. But this life can be dangerous and deadly, because the enemy is alive and well. He is out to steal, kill, and destroy, and yet, he is a defeated foe because of Christ’s death on the cross. But until Your Son returns, we must continue to stand firm, fight well, and trust faithfully. Then we will be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Redemptive Revolution

5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. – Ephesians 6:5-9 ESV

As Paul continues to discuss the application of what it means to walk as children of light, in love and in submission to one another, he brings up a relationship that is particularly difficult for contemporary believers to understand. He has already addressed the relationships between husbands and wives and between children and their parents. Now he takes on the relationship between slaves and their masters.

There are those who have labeled Paul as a proponent of the institution of slavery because he does not speak out against it. But Paul, like Christ, was not out to revolutionize civil institutions or bring about social upheaval. He was interested in redeeming the lives of those who comprised the existing society. So, while it is true that Paul does not speak out against or condemn the socially accepted practice of slavery in his day, this does not mean he was a supporter of it. In fact, in the letter he wrote to Philemon, Paul appeals to his brother in Christ regarding one of his slaves, a man called Onesimus. Evidently, Onesimus had run away from Philemon, somehow met Paul, and became a believer. This runaway slave ended up ministering to Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome. Paul had encouraged Onesimus to do the right thing and return to his master, Philemon. Slavery was legal in Paul’s day, and Onesimus was obligated to return to Philemon or face severe punishment.

But Paul wrote his letter to Philemon to explain the change that had taken place in Onesimus's life and to ask Philemon to view his former slave as a brother in Christ.

For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. – Philemon 1:15-16 NLT

This is exactly the kind of context Paul has been addressing in his letter to the Ephesians. Slavery was a socially accepted and legally sanctioned part of the culture of the day. Yet Paul was calling slaves and masters who came to faith in Christ to radically change their perspective regarding this institution. It has been estimated that in the 1st century AD, roughly 10 to 20 percent of the entire Roman Empire's population were slaves. In Rome, the estimate jumps to as high as 33 percent. Anyone could become a slave. It was common for prisoners of war to be sold as slaves, yet Roman citizens could also become enslaved if they were unable to pay back a debt. 

It was into this complex cultural milieu that the gospel began to spread. As a result, slaves, who were viewed as property and considered sub-human in many ways, were coming to faith in Christ. Not only that, they were becoming members of local congregations. It was not uncommon for a 1st-century church to include slaves and their masters among its members, and within the church there was a unity and equality unheard of elsewhere in the culture of that day. Which is why Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia: “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28 NLT).

In the context of the body of Christ, everyone was considered equal and to be treated with dignity and honor. But while coming to faith in Christ freed someone like Onesimus from sin, it did not free him from slavery. In fact, Paul wrote to the Corinthians and told them, “Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ” (1 Corinthians 7:20-22 NLT).

Paul was primarily concerned with seeing a change in believers' behavior, not in their social status. He was focused on their walk, the daily living out of their faith within the context of their existing social relationships. He wrote to the church in Ephesus, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ” (Ephesians 6:5 NLT). Once again, Paul insists that their motivation be Christ-centered, as if they were serving Christ. Jesus had become a slave, a servant on their behalf, even dying in their place so that they might be freed from slavery to sin. Now, Paul was calling them to serve their earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Rather than forced subservience, Paul was calling them to willing submission. He even gives them very specific instructions on how their faith should manifest in their relationship with their masters.

Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. – Ephesians 6:6-7 NLT

Notice that Paul encourages them to do God's will with all their heart. What would God's will be in their particular situation? To walk as children of light. To walk in love. To walk in a manner worthy of their calling. Yes, even within their context as slaves because, in reality, they were slaves of Christ. Their earthly situation was temporary. So they could work with enthusiasm, performing their earthly responsibilities as if they were doing it for the Lord, knowing that “the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free” (Ephesians 6:8 NLT).

But Paul is not done. He also addresses those individuals in the Ephesian church who were masters. He tells them, “Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites” (Ephesians 6:9 NLT). Paul does not castigate them for their role as masters or demand the immediate emancipation of their slaves; he calls them to apply their newfound faith to their cultural context. Their faith in Christ was to have a relationship-altering impact on their lives. Masters were to view their slaves as brothers, not property. And, in their role as masters, they were to do everything as unto the Lord. This was a game-changing, life-altering moment for these individuals. Can you imagine what kinds of renewal of the mind and shifts in their paradigm were taking place as they wrestled with the newfound faith in Christ and the reality of the social construct in which they found themselves? This particular relationship between slaves and masters would put the daily application of faith in Christ to the test like no other. 

Jesus did not come to revolutionize the structures of society; He came to transform the lives of the people who make up that society. He did not come to radically alter institutions, but to redeem individuals. Political change and legal sanctions do nothing to remedy the condition of the heart. Overthrowing a society's evil social structures through rebellion or civil disobedience may bring about external change, but it will never fix the problem of sin. Believers, living as children of light in the midst of darkness, loving unconditionally, submitting to one another willingly, and obeying Christ joyfully, are the true change-agents in the world.

Father, we like to fix things. We are wired to right all wrongs and set the record straight on all injustices and inquities. But we live in a fallen world where man’s inhumanity to man is on constant display and unrighteousness seems to be the factory default setting. When Your Son entered the world, He did so at the zenith of Rome’s power. Yet He didn’t rail against the injustices of Roman rule or demand the overthrow of the emperor. He didn’t lead an insurrection or call for a grassroots uprising against the status quo. No, Your Son preached repentance and the need for salvation from sin. He called for heart change, not regime change. And Paul continued to preach Jesus’ message of freedom from slavery to sin and death because he knew that was the key to impacting society. Only changed hearts and lives will produce lasting change in a society. The gospel alone can turn masters into brothers, slaves into servants of Christ, oppressors into encouragers, and persecutors into proponents of the gospel. Jesus’ disciples had hoped He was the Messiah who had come to overthrow the Roman government, but He had come to conquer sin and death. Help me to understand that changing the culture is an inside job that begins within the hearts of people. The gospel is the key to changing the culture, one individual at a time. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Walk the Talk

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV

Once again, Paul brings up the issue of the believer’s walk or how they conduct their life. He has already told his readers “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1 ESV). He has warned them, “You must longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds” (Ephesians 4:17 ESV). In verse one of this chapter, he wrote, “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:1 ESV). And then he gave his readers yet one more admonition: “Walk as children of the light (for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true)” (Ephesians 5:8-9 ESV).

Now, in verse 15, he provides yet one more word about the daily conduct of believers.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time. – Ephesians 5:15 ESV

Paul had a strong conviction that a believer’s belief and behavior were to be inseparable. Faith in Christ was to have a direct impact on every area of life, including the believer’s attitudes and actions. A Christian’s walk and words were to reflect his new nature. But it is interesting to note that the verses above are all imperatives.

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling.

Walk not as the Gentiles do.

Walk in love.

Walk as children of the light.

Walk not as the unwise.

These are commands, not suggestions, and they require forethought and proper consideration. If you want them to be part of your life, you must think about them and plan for them. Like all the commands in Scripture, they are non-optional, yet not always obeyed. We can choose to ignore each of these commands. That is why Paul was so emphatic. He begged his readers not to act thoughtlessly, and he put it in very blunt terms: “Do not be foolish” (Ephesians 5:17 ESV).

To “be foolish” was to act without reason or reflection; to act rashly, without forethought or proper consideration. Living the Christian life requires a bit of brainpower and intellectual capacity. We have to think about what we are doing, and that requires planning and deliberation. In verse 10, Paul wrote, “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10 NLT). That requires thought and consideration. You must stop and consider the deed before you commit to doing it. In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul provided them with a key to making this happen.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:2 NLT

God wants to redeem our thought lives so that we think as He does. But that requires knowing His will or what He would have us do. Which is why Paul said, “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:17 NLT). And just in case his readers couldn’t follow his train of thought, Paul gave them a real-life example.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. – Ephesians 5:18a NLT

Think about it; what good ever comes from getting drunk? Who has ever been proud of their behavior after a night of heavy drinking? Paul suggests that it would be wiser and more beneficial to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18b NLT). It should be obvious that when Paul compares being drunk with wine with being filled with the Spirit, he is talking about control. When one is inebriated, they are under the control of alcohol because it determines their behavior. It causes them to do and say things that are out of character.

To be filled with the Spirit is to choose to let Him dictate and determine your behavior. There is a big difference between being indwelt by the Spirit and filled by the Spirit. Every believer receives the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation. But while we have all of the Spirit all of the time, we are not always “filled” or controlled by the Spirit. We can choose to ignore Him. We can determine to disobey Him. But when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and under His control, our behavior will give evidence. Paul provides a glimpse of what that should look like.

Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:18-20 NLT

Earlier, Paul warned, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30 ESV). We grieve the Spirit when we choose to live our lives apart from His power and without His guidance. When we do so, we rob Him of His primary role in our lives. He exists to assist us as we navigate this fallen world, but when we refuse to live under His control, we deny Him the joy of producing His fruit through us. We end up quenching His fruit-bearing power and produce “bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander” instead (Ephesians 4:31 ESV). The Spirit longs to make us kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, thankful, and submissive to one another, but He will not force His will on us. It is a choice we must make. That is why Paul says, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 NLT).

It is God’s will that we be filled. That is the whole reason He provided the Holy Spirit in the first place. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “For this is God's will: that you become holy” (1 Thessalonians 4:4 NET). But holiness is unachievable without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness of sins is great, but even an absence of sin does not make someone righteous or holy. God’s intention is to transform us from unrighteous to righteous, from unholy to holy. His ultimate goal is our glorification, when we will be set free from all sin and made perfectly righteous.

It is essential that we stop and consider what God is doing in our lives. We must constantly question why we would choose to do anything that is contrary to His will for our lives. He desires for us to be holy, so why would we do anything that prevents that from happening? That is why Paul tells us, “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:17 NLT). We must think before we act.

Father, sometimes I fail to think about what You are doing in my life. It is so easy to take my salvation for granted and rest on the promise of my forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. But You are in the transformation business and Your Spirit is constantly working on my life so that my Christlikeness increases with each passing day. But this is a process I must willfully choose to participate in. That means I must think about it and actively pursue those things that please You, instead of me. You have said that we are to be holy as You are holy. That is a call for us to live set-apart lives that reflect Your character and differentiate us from the rest of the world. But again, that is not something that comes naturally, even after salvation. Without the Spirit’s help, I will always gravitate to my old sinful habits. I will do what pleases me and model my life after this world. But thank You for providing the Holy Spirit who never leaves me and never gives up on me. Without Him, my pursuit of holiness would be hopeless. But with His help, I am becoming more like Christ. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Evidence of a Transformed Life

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:25-32 ESV

What does it look like to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1 ESV)? And what would it mean to “no longer walk as the Gentiles do” (Ephesians 4:17 ESV)? Paul doesn’t leave anything up to our imaginations.

Before coming to know Christ, we had futile minds and a darkened understanding, but all that has changed. We used to be alienated from God and were ignorant of godly things because we had hardened hearts. We were callous, sensual by nature, and greedy for more impurity. That was our old self, but when we came to know Christ, we were given a new nature, a new self, with the capacity to renew and redeem our entire way of thinking. And the way we think has a tremendous impact on the way we live. That is why Paul encouraged his readers to “put on the new self, created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 ESV). Then he described what that should look like in real life.

One of the first characteristics of our new life should be truthfulness. Everything about our life prior to coming to Christ was marked by falsehood and based on lies. Our view of God, if we had one, was false. Our perspective on sin and any need for salvation was flawed and influenced by the lies of Satan. Our perspective of reality was wrong, and our perception of ourselves was faulty, causing us to believe we were good rather than bad. Our view of our own sinfulness was relative, allowing us to see ourselves as somewhat better than others.

But when we came to know Christ, we were suddenly exposed to the truth regarding our sin and the condemnation we deserved. We realized, for the first time, that any hope we had of being restored to a right relationship with God was only possible through Christ. We became aware that we were sinners in need of a Savior and came to grips with the reality of God’s unapproachable holiness and our own unrighteousness. The magnitude of God’s incredible love as revealed through the death of His Son on the cross dawned on our darkened minds and opened our blind eyes to the truth of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

As believers, we are to put away falsehood and deceit. We have to constantly eliminate the false ideas and faulty precepts on which we formerly based our lives. Instead, each of us is to “speak the truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25 ESV). While lying was a natural part of our former lives, it is uncharacteristic of our new status as members of God’s family. We are to exhibit holiness and righteousness. For us, honesty isn’t just the best policy; it is the only one.

While anger was a normal part of our pre-conversion nature, now we should view it as dangerous and destructive. We can’t completely eliminate anger in this life, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can learn to control it. Which is why Paul quoted a Psalm of David.

Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. – Psalm 4:4 ESV

And Paul added a reminder that unresolved anger is how the enemy gets a foothold in our lives. 

…and give no opportunity to the devil. – Ephesians 4;27 ESV

Our old nature will try to justify our anger and defend it by labeling it as “righteous indignation.” But anger simply provides an entry point for the enemy. As believers, love is to be the primary characteristic of our lives. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave His audience a primer on love, hate, and anger.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:44-48 ESV

Salvation is not just about having our sins forgiven and our eternity secured. It is about life change. It includes our ongoing transformation through God’s divine process of sanctification. God doesn’t just free us from the penalty of sin; He liberates us from its power over our lives, allowing us to live radically different lives in the here and now, not just the hereafter. As a result, the thief who comes to faith in Christ is to stop stealing and work for a living. Rather than taking from others, he is to share what he earns with those in need. His whole mindset about life is to change.

As believers, our speech should reflect our new nature. Paul writes, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29 NLT). Again, notice the change in perspective. It is other-oriented, rather than self-obsessed. Our words are to build up, not tear down; they should comfort and encourage as we speak the truth in love. 

As believers, our conduct can grieve the Holy Spirit. When we live as we used to, according to our old nature, we reject the Holy Spirit’s direction for our lives, and this brings Him great sorrow. When bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander mark our lives, it is evidence that we are not living in the power of the Holy Spirit. These are what Paul calls “the works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19 ESV). They are the fruit of our old nature.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. – Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

But when we exhibit kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness to one another, it proves that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, producing His fruit through us. It gives evidence that we are walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. We are living in unity. We are being renewed and putting on our new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, for the good of the body of Christ and the glory of God. 

Father, You are all about life change, from the inside out. Your Son didn’t sacrifice His life just so we could have a sin-free eternity. He also didn’t shed His blood so we could have our best life now, free sorrow, sin, and suffering. In fact, He told us, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT). Eternal life is a wonderful thing and I am looking forward to it, but Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV). That abundant life is not just a promise of eternal life; it is the guarantee of a radically different life even as we live in this fallen world. That seems to be what Paul is talking about in these verses. But, too often, we allow our old way of living to take precedence, causing us to respond with lies, anger, harsh words, and other “works of the flesh.” But Your Son’s offer of abundant life began the moment I placed my faith in Him. He placed His Spirit within me and equipped me with everything I need for living a godly life, right here, right now. I am Your child and my actions should prove it. I have been saved, but I am also being sanctified and my life should be living proof, I am a work in process and I am certain that You, who began the good work within me, will continue Your work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New and Improved

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. 18 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. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. – Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV

Futile minds. Darkened understandings. Alienated from God. Ignorant. Hardened hearts. Callous. Slaves to sensuality. Greedy for more impurity.

Paul doesn’t exactly portray unbelievers in a flattering light. But his purpose seems to be less about exposing the sinful nature of the lost than about reminding the Ephesian believers of their pre-conversion state. Prior to coming to faith in Christ, they had been in the same condition: Lost and alienated from God.

Verse 17 is directly linked to verse 1 of this same chapter. Paul opened up the chapter by telling them, “I…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Now he is telling them how not to walk. The Greek word translated “walk” is περιπατέω (peripateō), which means “to make one's way, progress,” and was most often used by Paul to refer to living life. Paul was encouraging the believers in the church in Ephesus to live differently because they had been called by God. Rather than living selfish, self-gratifying lives like they did before, they were to conduct themselves in such a way that it honored the One who had called them and restored them to a right relationship with Himself.

Paul’s emphasis on his readers’ previous lost condition was intended to emphasize their supernatural calling by God. In their former state, their minds were a big part of the problem. Without Christ, their minds were futile, which in the Greek means “devoid of truth and appropriateness.” Their understanding was darkened. In other words, their thoughts, feelings, and desires were “covered with darkness.” That is why the apostle John opened his gospel with the words, “In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5 NASB).

Without God’s help, men are incapable of seeing the Light. They are covered in and blinded by darkness. Like a person trapped in a dark room who suddenly finds himself exposed to daylight, their eyes are unable to see clearly or distinctly. Their eyes are so accustomed to darkness that the light is painful to them. John goes on to say, “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:8-9 NASB).

Paul reminds his readers that they were once “alienated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18 ESV). The Greek word Paul used means to “shut out from one's fellowship and intimacy” (“G526 - apallotrioō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). They had no concept of what it meant to know God or have a relationship with Him. It was King David who wrote:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
    there is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
    there is none who does good,
    not even one. - Psalm 14:1-3 ESV

No one truly seeks God. They might search for their particular version of God, but they are incapable of seeing or comprehending the one true God. That is why Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:22-23 ESV). And Paul makes it clear to the Ephesians that their former alienation from God had resulted from their own ignorance and hardness of heart. The ignorance Paul speaks of is not just a lack of knowledge, but a moral blindness. And that, coupled with their hardened hearts, rendered them incapable of knowing God or His truth. Their perceptions had been dulled, and their minds blunted. As a result, they found themselves addicted to sensuality and insatiably drawn to increasingly more impurity. 

And Paul’s point seems to be that no one who finds themselves in that condition chooses to seek after God or has the mental wherewithal to choose Christ. No one with a darkened, hardened, futile mind would naturally seek what God has offered to them in Christ; it would make no sense. Which is why Paul told the Corinthian believers, “When we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense” (1 Corinthians 1:23 NLT). Paul told the Ephesians, “That is not the way you learned Christ!” In other words, they had not come to know Jesus through their own human thinking; they learned about Him through what Paul called the foolishness of preaching.

God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. – 1 Corinthians 1:21 NLT

It was the proclamation of the Word of God and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that made the message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ comprehensible to them. Paul reminded them that “the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21 ESV). And that truth called for them to “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT).

Their old natures were corrupt and deceived. Their new natures, provided to them by the indwelling Holy Spirit, were capable of new thoughts, attitudes, and actions. As a result, they were to walk in a manner worthy of their calling – holy, set apart, distinctively different, empowered by the Spirit, and in keeping with the will of God.

Change is non-optional for believers. Spiritual transformation is not up to us to choose or reject. Failure to grow spiritually should raise serious doubts about one’s salvation or, at least, expose an ignorance of Christ’s teachings. That is why Paul added the following phrase: “assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21 ESV). Coming to faith in Christ should produce change. We have been filled with the Holy Spirit and have received new natures that should crave and desire the things of God. He desires that we be holy and righteous, and we should long for the same things.

Our new natures, lived within the context of the body of Christ, should produce a community that is unlike anything the world has ever seen. Called and committed believers, empowered by the Spirit of God and living as brothers and sisters in Christ, should form “a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21 ESV). Our lives, lived together in unity, should prove to the world that the gospel is true and that reconciliation with God brings reconciliation with others. 

Father, You demand Your people to be holy, just as You are. But that isn’t some unattainable goal You’ve set just to frustrate and confuse us. As Peter said, You have given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You have placed Your Holy Spirit within us, provided us with Your Word to teach and guide us, surrounded us with godly individuals to lead us, and created the church as a household of faith to ensure our spiritual well-being. We have been redeemed, renewed, forgiven, cleansed, consecrated, set apart, filled with the Spirit, and transformed into new creations. Yet, many of us live as if nothing has happened and no change has take place. Our lives appear unchanged and remarkably similar to those who don’t know Christ. We cherish our salvation because us promises us eternal life, but we treat it as mothing more than a get-out-of-jail-free card that keeps us out of hell. But Paul would have us remember that salvation should be followed by sanctification; our transformation into the likeness of Christ. That is why he told us to “let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:23-24 NLT). But those were Your words, not his. That is Your desire for each of Your children, and I am one of them. With David I pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 ESV). I want to live as who You have called me to be; right here, right now, and for eternity. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power of One

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 4:1-6 ESV

At one time, God’s divine plan to establish the church as the household of faith was shrouded in mystery, but now that it had been revealed and begun to spread throughout the world, Paul was on a mission to ensure it lived up to its calling. As he continues his letter to the believers in Ephesus, he charges them to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they had been called. 

As part of the ever-expanding church, they were expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the plan God had laid out for them. But when Paul mentions their “walk,” he is talking about a lifestyle, not physical fitness. The NET Bible translates the first two verses as, “I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called.” The calling each believer has received is the same; it is the calling of the Holy Spirit that allowed those who were formerly dead in their sins and blind to the reality of the gospel to hear and respond to the offer of salvation made possible through Jesus Christ.

Jesus quite boldly and matter-of-factly claimed, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44 ESV). The Greek word John used is ἕλκω (helkō) and it means, “to draw by inward power, lead, impel” (“G1670 - helkō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). It was God who had made it possible for those Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s audience to come to faith in Christ. He is the one who called, impelled, and drew them. It was He who placed them in the body of Christ. Now Paul wanted them to live up to that calling. In other words, he expected them to reflect their new nature and standing.

And Paul gets quite specific. He lists out humility, gentleness, patience, and love as four visible characteristics of those who have been called and set apart by God. Each of the four is other-oriented and takes into account those with whom we live within the body of Christ. Each requires a high degree of selflessness. Paul told the “called ones” in Philippi, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT). Then he added: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT).

What was the attitude or mindset of Jesus? First, He was humble and willing to leave behind the glory of heaven and take on human flesh to provide redemption for mankind. Secondly, he had the mindset of a servant. Though He was the Son of God and worthy of honor, He put aside His royal prerogatives and lived among humanity so that He could serve those in bondage to sin and death. Third, He demonstrated patience as He willingly endured ridicule, rejection, taunts, false accusations, and, ultimately, death at the hands of those He came to save. He could have destroyed them, but instead, He died for them. Finally, Jesus exhibited unconditional love even for those who rejected Him. As Paul will point out in the very next chapter of this letter, we are to emulate Christ’s example by living “a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God” (Ephesians 5:2 NLT).

Paul wanted his readers to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 ESV). There is a oneness and unity within the church, unlike anything else in the world. We have all been called by God, and none of us deserved that calling. We were all in the same place before God graciously drew us to Himself. We were lost and dead in our trespasses and sins. We were spiritually blind and separated from God. We were hopeless and totally helpless to do anything about it. Yet God called and placed us within the body of Christ. He unified us despite our differences, giving us a common bond and a shared responsibility to live up to our new status as His children and heirs.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 6:26-28 NLT

Paul told the Colossian believers that he constantly prayed for them, asking God to give them complete knowledge of His will and spiritual wisdom and understanding. As a result of receiving those things, Paul said, “the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better” (Colossians 1:9-10 NLT).

The way they lived their lives would honor and glorify God, and that was Paul’s desire for the believers in Ephesus as well.

In verses 4-6, Paul uses the word “one” seven different times. His repetitive use of this word was to drive home a point. Those believers to whom he was writing all had one thing in common: their calling by God. But that calling was multifaceted. They were all called by one and the same Spirit of God. They were all placed in one body: the body of Christ. They were all called to the very same hope: their future glorification and the promise of eternal life. They all worshiped one Lord, as a result of one factor: faith. They had all experienced the unity of baptism. And all of it had been made possible by the one God and Father of all.

One God, one calling, one hope, one Lord, one church, and one response: To lead a life worthy of your calling.

Father, on the night He was about to be betrayed by one of His own disciples, Jesus uttered these sobering words: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you” (John 17:21 NLT). As He faced the reality of His pending death, He lovingly asked that You would unify all those who You were going to draw to Yourself. He knew His death was necessary and He was willing sacrifice His life so that sinful humanity might be redeemed and restored. He was alluding to His death when He said, “unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives” (John 12:24 NLT). Our unification with You and with one another was made possible by His willing sacrifice of His own life. Speaking of His own crucifixion, Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NLT). This was all Your plan and it was the only way that we could enjoy a restored relationship with You and the one-of-a-kind experiencing the harmony and diversity of the church. But even the unity of the church is impossible to maintain without the unifying power of Your Spirit. So, pour out Your Spirit in abundance, so that we might walk “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” (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Love of God

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 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, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV

Paul picks up where he left off in verse one of this chapter, opening verse 14 with the same phrase: “For this reason…” He repeats that after taking a brief aside to discuss the mystery of the church in verses 2-13. Now he is ready to make some applications regarding God’s unification of Jews and Gentiles into one household of faith.

In Chapter 1, Paul prayed for their spiritual enlightenment, asking that God would give them “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Ephesians 1:17 ESV). Now, in Chapter 3, he tells his audience that he offers another prayer request on their behalf. He prays for their spiritual strength.

…that according to the riches of his glory he [God] may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being. – Ephesians 3:16 ESV

In Chapter 1, he prayed that they might know God. Here he is praying that they would experience “the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19 NLT). Earlier, he prayed that they might know the hope they have in Christ. Here he is praying that their knowledge of that hope would strengthen their faith.

The author of Hebrews described faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). Faith and hope go hand in hand and are inseparable. Faith makes what we hope become as real and tangible as if we already possessed it. But hope is not based on what we can already see. Paul told the Romans, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25 ESV).

Jesus gave His followers the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit. God guaranteed them eternal life. Jesus told His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them. But none of these things can be seen with the human eye. We have no tangible, visible proof of their existence, so they remain unseen by us. But by faith, we believe them to be true and real. Why? Because they have been promised to us by God. We trust His word and rely upon His faithfulness.

For those who are in Christ, the hope of the indwelling Spirit of God has been realized. But the hope of eternal life remains unfulfilled and beyond our present experience. Yet, we believe in it because God has proven Himself to be reliable and trustworthy. 

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? – Numbers 23:19 NLT 

And the Spirit of God provides us with the strength we need to believe, even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. Paul’s desire was that Christ would continue to dwell in their hearts through faith. He was not insinuating that they could somehow lose their salvation; he was concerned that they might begin to lose focus on Christ's sufficiency in their lives. He wanted them to know that they were “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17 ESV), the love of God. They were firmly and securely planted in the love of God through their faith in Christ, and Paul wanted them to fully comprehend that fact. He longed for them to know the same truth he wrote to the believers in Rome.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 NLT

Paul wanted the Holy Spirit to give the Ephesian believers the strength to fully comprehend how powerful and vast God’s love for them really was. It is one thing to have knowledge of God, but another to understand and appreciate the love of God. When we begin to comprehend His incredible love for us, as displayed in His sacrifice of His own Son on our behalf, we are able to view life through His eyes, instead of our own. We stop seeing every little trial as a punishment and start viewing them as opportunities to trust in a loving God who has great plans for us. When we focus on all that God has done for us in the past and all He has promised to do in the future, we feel His love and gain strength for the journey. He has not left us, and He will never forsake us.

For Paul, it all boils down to an understanding of and appreciation for God’s love. It was God who had saved the Ephesians. In the midst of their sinfulness and helplessness, God intervened, sending His Son to die on their behalf. Paul put it in simple, yet profound terms in his letter to the Romans.

…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 ESV

The apostle John adds the important distinction that Jesus did what He did out of love as well.

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. – 1 John 3:16 ESV

The selfless, sacrificial love of the Father and His Son should encourage, empower, and flow through them. Paul prayed that they would be filled with all the fullness of God. This is not a prayer that his readers would become gods, but that the very nature of God, His love, mercy, grace, righteousness, compassion, selflessness, and holiness, would fill them and exude from them.

And Paul had every confidence that what he was asking from God would be provided by God. Why? Because He is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 ESV). God doesn’t just have the power to save; He has the power to sanctify completely, and He has made it possible by placing His Spirit within us. His power is not an external force acting upon us; it is internal and supernatural. The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead resides within us, transforming us from the inside out. His love for us is not static; it is actively revealed in His ongoing activity in and around our lives as He molds us into the likeness of His Son.

God is patiently and lovingly working within individuals and within the church. He is doing things we cannot see. He is accomplishing works that are invisible to our eyes. But in faith we wait expectantly, hope confidently, labor joyously, and endure patiently. We are loved, He is faithful, and He is far from done.

Father, You loved me so much that You sent Your Son to die for me. But His death was not final; it ended with His resurrection and return to Your side in heaven. And You have promised to send Him back one day. His work is not yet complete. Your plan of redemption has not yet been finalized. Your Son loved me enough that He gave His life for me. But His death not only paid the penality for my sins; it paved the way for the Holy Spirit to come and indwell me. His presence in my life provides me with the power to live in obedience to Your will. The Spirit’s love for me is relentless and unwavering. Despite the many times I fail to listen to His promptings or appropriate His power, He has promised never to leave me. He is with me to the end. And because of Your love, my end is secure and my future is set — for eternity.

The love of God is greater far
than tongue or pen can ever tell;
it goes beyond the highest star,
and reaches to the lowest hell;
the guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
and pardoned from his sin. 

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure:
the saints’ and angels’ song! – Frederick M. Lehman (1917)

Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Every Spiritual Blessing

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. – Ephesians 1:1-4 ESV

It is thought that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written between A.D. 60 and 62 while he was under house arrest in Rome. The book of Acts records that Paul had been to Ephesus and spent at least three years there ministering and spreading the gospel throughout Asia Minor. It was while Paul was in Ephesus that his presence caused great concern among the silversmiths who made their living by fashioning idols for the worship of Artemis, their goddess.

It seems that Paul’s success in sharing the gospel had caused a dip in sales and put a dent in the local silversmiths' income. Demetrius decided to do something about Paul and his message. He gathered all the tradesmen and delivered an inflammatory speech designed to turn them against Paul.

“Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” – Acts 19:25-27 ESV

Demetrius’ words whipped the crowd into a frenzy and nearly sparked a riot. But the authorities managed to calm the crowd, and Paul left the town safely. However, he never lost his love for the people of Ephesus or his concern for the local congregation there. So, while under house arrest in Rome, he composed this letter to encourage them to continue in their love for God and one another. He seemed most concerned about the unity of the church.

Like most of the newly formed congregations during that day, the church in Ephesus enjoyed a unique blend of converted Jews and Gentiles, slaves and freemen, wealthy and poor, and educated and uneducated. This strange amalgam of individuals from all walks of life put a tremendous strain on the church's harmony. Paul was writing to call them to live in unity and to display holiness in their individual and corporate lives.

Paul describes himself as an apostle, literally, a “sent one.” He had been sent by Jesus Himself to share the good news of salvation with the Gentiles. What he had done in Ephesus had been based on his commission from Jesus and according to the will of God. Paul was simply the messenger.

He addressed his audience as saints and wanted them to remember that they had been consecrated or set apart by God for His service. By placing their faith in Jesus as their Savior, they had become God's possession; they belonged to Him and were to live their lives in submission to His will and in accordance with His Spirit, whom He had placed within them.

Paul reminds them that God had blessed them “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3 ESV). Paul’s emphasis in this verse is extremely important to understand. He states that God had already blessed them, referring to this act of blessing in the past tense. God had already blessed them with every spiritual blessing, and the important thing to note is that those blessings find their source “in the heavenly places.” Paul is going to expand on that thought in the following verses, but it would appear that he is attempting to get his audience to understand that they had already been blessed beyond measure, and the greatest aspect of their blessing from God was the salvation and justification they received as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ.

To drive home his emphasis on the past, Paul reminds them that God had chosen them “before the foundation of the world,” with the intent that they “should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4 ESV). Their salvation was not happenstance or blind luck; it was not even their decision. Paul tells them that God elected them for salvation long before He created the universe and everything in it. And Paul will expand on that thought in the verses to come.

Salvation was God’s idea, not man’s. The thought that sinful men would choose to have a relationship with a holy God goes against the teachings of the Scriptures. Ever since the fall, mankind has been on a trajectory away from God, not toward Him. The farther man got from the garden, the more hazy his memory of God became. Men stopped seeking the one true God and began replacing Him with gods of their own making. Paul describes this downward trajectory quite well in his letter to the Romans:

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. – Romans 1:22-23 ESV

To make his point, Paul paraphrases Psalm 53:1.

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. – Romans 3:10-12 ESV

Paul wants his readers to comprehend the profound significance of God's choice of them. He made their salvation possible and was the one who justified them through His Son’s death on the cross. His choice of them was not just so that they might escape death and eternal condemnation, but that they might live holy lives. Paul drives home the point that “he chose us in him … that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4 ESV).

God has an unwavering expectation that every believer live holy and blameless because He has equipped them to do so. Our holiness and blamelessness don’t start when we get to heaven; they begin here and now as we live as followers of Christ in this fallen world. We are saints, set-apart ones, who belong to God and are empowered by the Spirit of God to live as lights in a sin-darkened world. We have been chosen by God to reflect His glory and to share His message of grace to all those we meet. As Paul told the Philippian believers: “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (Philippians 2:15 NLT).

Father, our salvation, sanctification, and ultimate glorification were all Your idea, not ours. The magnitude of Your marvelous grace should never cease to amaze us as we consider the hopelessness of our condition without it. We didn’t deserve Your mercy, but You poured it out anyway. We couldn’t earn Your forgiveness, so You provided Your Son as the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. It was all Your doing and, as a result, we are blessed in every conceivable way. We enjoy a restored relationship with You. We are filled with Your Spirit and have access to His life-transforming power every minute of every day. You have given us Your Word to guide and direct our lives. And You have placed us within the body of Christ, where we experience community and unity as we live together as brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank You for all the blessings we have already received and all those yet to come. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

A Man On A Mission

22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. – Romans 15:22-33 ESV

Paul had just said, “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation” (Romans 15:20 ESV). Now he tells them that he hopes to see them, but only in passing as he makes his way to Spain.

Paul was a starter, not a builder. He saw himself as a planter, not a harvester. Yet his many letters, which comprise most of the New Testament canon, prove that he cared deeply about the ongoing maturity of the churches he helped to start. He longed to see believers grow but, more than anything else, he wanted to see the lost come to faith in Christ. So he was always looking for fertile fields in which to sow the seeds of the gospel.

Paul took the words of Jesus seriously.

“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – Luke 10:2 NLT

Paul knew that there were those who would sow and those who would reap the harvest, and his job was to plant so that others might come along and water the new seeds of faith, allowing them to grow to full maturity. That is exactly what he told the Corinthian believers when he heard that they were dividing themselves between those who claimed to be his followers and those who claimed to follow Apollos.

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. – 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NLT

Paul wasn’t looking for glory or trying to establish a name for himself. He simply wanted to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to as many people in as many places as possible. But he also cared deeply about the discipleship of those who came to faith in Christ. He had a passion for the reputation of the body of Christ and the spiritual well-being of the congregations he helped to plant. He was concerned about the unity of the church and the acceptance of his Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ by the leadership in Jerusalem.

When he discovered the division taking place in Corinth, he wrote, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT). Paul wanted to see the body of Christ prove its love by ministering to itself selflessly and lovingly, regardless of location.

Paul had been commissioned by his sending church in Antioch to take up a collection for the believers in Judea.

During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem. – Acts 11:27-30 NLT

The famine had severely impacted that region of the world and left the church in Jerusalem in dire straits. Not only were its members being persecuted for their faith in Christ, but they were struggling to feed themselves. So, on his missionary journeys, Paul collected offerings from the predominantly Gentile congregations to take to the believers in Judea. He told the believers in Rome that he would come to them as soon as he delivered the funds he had collected from all the churches to “the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.” He reminded his Gentile readers that since they “have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings” (Romans 15:27 NLT). The Jewish believers in Jerusalem were suffering and Paul wanted to see the Gentile believers play a part in ministering to them. Paul’s goal was unity and impartiality.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” – 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 NLT

Paul's mission was not just to make converts, but to establish a strong and vibrant church, made up of those who understood the grace of God and were willing to extend that grace to others. For Paul, salvation was not the end-all; he wanted those who claimed to have faith in Christ to demonstrate the life-changing nature of their salvation through their actions. They were to be new creations, exhibiting the characteristics of Christ, living in submission to the Spirit, and expressing the love of God to all those around them.

As verse 31 indicates, he was under constant attack for his unfailing commitment to the cause of Christ. His mission was not an easy one, and his ministry was far from trouble-free. He traveled far, suffered much, failed often, but never lost sight of his mission “to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard” (Romans 15:20 NLT). He even had his eyes set on Spain, which, in those days, was believed to be the literal end of the world. For Paul, Rome was an important destination, but it would not be his final stop along the way. He had ambitious goals to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus had said. And while there is no biblical evidence that Paul ever made it to Spain, the gospel did. Paul’s zeal and determination influenced others to take up the baton and finish the race on his behalf. 

Paul lived out the truth found in Isaiah 40:31.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Father, had Paul not taken his commission seriously, the gospel would never have made it beyond the walls of Jerusalem. He was the first to fulfill Jesus’ command to take the gospel “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NLT). When Jesus charged Paul “to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15 NLT), Paul took His words seriously. Paul obeyed and spent the rest of his life fulfilling his Christ-ordained call, and he let nothing stand in his way. Rejection, imprisonments, constant character assassination, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, and physical ailments could not diminish his zeal or deter him from accomplishing his mission. His faithfulness produced untold fruitfulness, transforming the lives of countless Gentiles and Jews and helping to create a richly diversified family of Christ-followers whose mutual love and affection gave evidence of the gospel’s power to transform lives from the inside out. And the gospel is still making a difference in the world today as Your church continues to carry out the Great Commission. But may we have the same zeal and determination that motivated Paul, so that the gospel will spread and the church will expand until Your Son returans. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

Eyes Wide Open

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. – Romans 13:11-14 ESV

Earlier in his letter, Paul quoted Deuteronomy 29:4, which speaks of the nation of Israel’s spiritual stupor or slumber. Now, he issues a wake-up call to the believers in Rome, urging them to rub the sleep from their own eyes and recognize the urgency of the moment.

This is not the first time Paul has used this kind of language when writing to believers. He told the Corinthians, “Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34 ESV). In essence, Paul was telling them that they should know better. Their relationship with God through Jesus Christ had provided them with a knowledge of God that should have dramatically altered their behavior.

Paul wrote something similar to the believers in Ephesus.

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    rise up from the dead,
    and Christ will give you light.” – Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

There is a sense in which all believers can be lulled into a state of spiritual stupor or slumber, wandering around half-asleep and unaware of what is taking place around us. As believers, we have been called to live in alertness and awareness, with a keen eye on the times in which we live. The apostle Peter wrote, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:89 NLT). Paul challenged the Colossian believers, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (Colossians 4:2 NLT). Even Jesus Himself said, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42 NLT).

When Paul wrote the church in Thessalonica, he used very similar terminology.

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 NLT

There is to be a radical difference in the way in which we conduct our lives on this planet. We are no longer to live as if we were half-asleep and incapable of recognizing the dangers around us. We have had our eyes opened by the gospel, and the truth has been exposed to us. We have no excuse for living as if we are still in the dark about the seriousness of sin or the expectations of God. He has called us to live holy lives, and He has provided His Holy Spirit to make it possible.

Paul says we are to “walk properly as in the daylight” (Romans 13:13 ESV). Those who live in the dark do so to hide their sins. Thieves operate in darkness, not daylight, using the cover of darkness to conceal their actions. But we have been exposed to the Light. Paul would have us remember that the light of Christ shines in us and through us.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT

That is why he told the Roman believers to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12 ESV). There is something protective about living in the light; it illuminates our path, guides our way, and exposes dangers along the way. When light exists, darkness cannot coexist. Paul put it this way:

How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? – 2 Corinthians 6:14 NLT

But the danger we face is allowing the light in our lives to diminish. When we take our eyes off of Jesus and forget the promise of His return, we can become overwhelmed by the darkness of this world. We can also end up compromising our convictions and becoming a “friend of the world,” as James warned.

Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. – James 4:4 NLT

Paul repeatedly used the metaphor of darkness and light to illustrate the believer’s need for living a distinctive, set-apart life. 

Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. – Ephesians 5:7-9 NLT

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 NLT

Salvation should result in sanctification, the ongoing transformation of the believer’s life into the likeness of Jesus, “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). And, as believers, we should constantly consider the promise that our sanctification will one day result in our glorification. We are to live with that end in mind. That is why Paul said, “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 ESV). This is a reference to the culminating act of God’s redemptive plan for His children, their glorification. This is what John meant when he wrote, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3 NLT).

Our hope should be in the promise of our glorification when Christ returns, and we should live in anticipation of that day. Those who don’t know Christ live their lives as if this world is all there is. They remain unenlightened about the reality of eternity. They are asleep, unaware of the danger lurking ahead, and when they finally wake up, they will realize it is too late to respond to the gospel.

But as believers, we know better, and so we should live differently. We have already been issued our wake-up call. Now we are to live fully awake and alert to the dangers around us and the hope that lies ahead of us.

Father, we who once lived in darkness have been exposed to the light of life and have had our lives radically and irrevocably changed. We are Your sons and daughters, children of the light who no longer have to live in the darkness of sin and under the threat of death. We know the truth and it has set us free from condemnation and future judgment. Yet, we can still find ourselves wandering back into the darkness of this world, embracing its ability to cover up what Your Son came to expose. We sometimes find the darkness comforting because it keeps our sins hidden. But Your Son came so that our sins might be exposed and expunged. He said, “God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:19-21 NLT). Give us the strength and determination to seek the light rather than the darkness. Never let us grow complacent with sin and comfortable with the darkness in which it breeds and flourishes. Help us live as people of the light in this sin-darkened world so that others might  discover the Light of Life. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

The Power to Love and Life Differently

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:9-21 ESV

As Paul did in his letter to the believers in Corinth, he follows his discussion of spiritual gifts with an emphasis on love. Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians contains one of Paul’s most detailed treatments of the spiritual gifts, which he follows up with Chapter 13, his well-known and much-beloved exposition on love. And in our verses for today, Paul stresses the need for genuine love within the body of Christ, utilizing our Spirit-endowed gifts in our daily interactions with one another. This is the point in his letter where Paul gets painfully practical, illustrating the characteristics of true Christ-likeness. This section of his letter is filled with a lengthy list of commands that can come across as overly demanding, if not impossible to fulfill.

But he is not demanding adherence to a list of rules or regulations; he is calling for believers to live out their faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not to be some esoteric or academic pursuit, practiced in privacy and lived out in seclusion; it is to be relational and practical. The grace that God has shown us should be evident to and aimed at others. We are to love as we have been loved and to forgive as we have been forgiven, and our love is to be without hypocrisy. The Greek word Paul used is anypokritos and, as you can see, it is very similar to our word “hypocrisy.” In the Greek world, a hypocrite was a literal actor in a play. Through the use of a mask or disguise, the play-actor cleverly fooled his audience into believing he was someone else.   

Paul tells his readers that their love is to be without hypocrisy. There was to be no play-acting or artifice, pretense or pretending. Their love was to be genuine, heartfelt, and highly practical. And to ensure that his readers understood the difference, Paul gave a long list of examples of what that kind of love looks like for the believer.

Interestingly, Paul begins his treatise on love by encouraging his audience to hate all that is evil or wicked. Notice that Paul does not tell them to hate those who do wicked things. Instead, they were to despise the impact their own wickedness has on the lives of others. Their animosity was not directed toward people per se, but against evil itself and its devastating effects. If their love were to be without hypocrisy, they must know the difference between what is truly good and what is evil; they had to see things the way God does.

At its core, wickedness is anything that stands opposed to God and His will. The Book of Proverbs provides a short but decisive list of what God finds offensive and objectionable. 

There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family. – Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT

Notice that these are all relational issues that negatively impact others. In Paul’s list, he provides a counterpoint to these God-despised vices. We are to love one another like brothers. We are to outdo one another in showing honor rather than demanding it for ourselves. We are to be zealous and enthusiastic in serving the Lord by loving, honoring, and serving others. Our lives are to be marked by hope that translates into patience even in the midst of trials. We are to pray, give, and show hospitality to one another.

And here is where it gets really interesting. Paul tells us to bless those who persecute us. This should sound familiar, because Paul is simply expanding the words of Jesus from His Sermon on the Mount,

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.” – Matthew 5:11-12 NLT

And Jesus went on to describe how His followers were expected to live distinctively different lives.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

Jesus was demanding perfection. Yet His Jewish audience had failed to keep the Mosaic Law. How would they live up to Jesus' more exacting and seemingly impossible commands?

Paul knew the answer. He understood that this alternative lifestyle could not be pulled off through sheer willpower. It was only through faith in Christ and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that this new lifestyle could be achieved. He, too, called for a life marked by empathy, harmony, the pursuit of peace, trust in God, and a willingness to suffer for the sake of our faith. These things are not easy, and they run counter to the ways of the world in which we live. But they are the characteristics of Christ. They are at odds with the self-centered focus that marks fallen man.

Yet, God has placed His Spirit within us so that the love and life of Christ may become evident through us. Our faith in Christ should be visible to both believers and non-believers alike by the way we live our lives in front of them. According to James, our faith is to have fruit. 

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? – James 2:14 NLT

Fruitless faith is no faith at all. God saved us in order to transform us into the likeness of His Son. We are to exhibit His character and model His behavior, not through our own self-effort, but through the power of God’s indwelling Spirit. Salvation isn’t just our ticket to heaven but the key to our sanctification. Our holiness is not to be a hypocritical display of self-produced playacting, but a visible demonstration of the Spirit’s presence and power in our lives. It is to be real and discernible to others as our faith produces the fruit of righteousness.

Father, You have called us to a life of holiness, but You do not expect us to pull it off in our own strength. You don’t provide a lengthy list of dos and don’ts and then demand that we keep them all. Instead, You provided Your Spirit to equip and empower us to live in keeping with Your will. As Peter put it, You gave us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You knew obedience was impossible for us to pull off, so You provided us with the power to do the impossible. Your Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness, not us. He alone can transform us into the likeness of Your Son by providing us with the strength to do Your will and to live according to Your ways. Despite our sinful flesh and the constant presence of a sin-stained world, we can live godly lives and not be overcome with evil. Instead, we can overcome evil with good. For the good of others and the glory of Your name. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22