Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:9-10 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:9-10

“What does” he ascended” mean except that he descended to the earthly, lower regions. He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe.”

These verses are full of difficulty in terms of the meaning, and also in terms of Paul’s arguments. Before we get too lost in the details, we should recall that Paul has been talking about the immeasurable extent of Gods grace And it’s implications fool us.

These present verse are an explanation of verse 8, which was about Christ ascending with a victory procession and distributing gifts to people.

Paul then argues that to say that Christ ascended implies that he first descended to the earthly, lower regions.

This can be interpreted in a number of ways .

The first idea is that it refers to the earth itself. Compared to heaven, the earth is so low and inconsequential that it would be considered a descent. If we go with that interpretation, we must remember that Christ did not consider being in the human stay as a great humiliation in itself. The Bible is clear that we have to avoid the kind of dualism that says the heavenly and and spiritual realm is good, but the earthly and physical realm is evil.

Another possible interpretation is that the descent is the descent Into death and the tomb. This fits in well with Paul’s theology of the Cross as being the lowest point of Christ’s humbling. From this place, he was exalted to the highest place (Philippians 2:6-11).

Some people argue that this is a reference to Christ descending to the world of the dead to preach the gospel to those who had died prior to His coming (1 Peter 3:19, 4:6). This matches up with the comment that He then ascended to the highest heaven.

Of these three possibilities, it seems to me that the second is the most likely. Paul is probably referring to Christ descending to the grave, to be truly dead and humiliated in his manner of death, before being raised up to the highest heaven.

Christ descended into the tomb, but was then raised to life, and ascended higher than all the heavens.

The Bible describe three Heavens.

The first heaven (or “firmament” in some translations) is the sky and the air. We might think of it as the area of the cosmos that produces weather on the earth – wind, rain, and so on.

The second heaven is the observable universe where the celestial bodies can be seen – the Son, the Moon, the planets, and the stars.

The third heaven is the place where God lives. Paul speaks about being transported to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), which he describes as Paradise (12:4). We know from other parts of the Bible that angels, cherubim, living creatures, and other heavenly beings surround the throne of God. We know that this is the place where followers of Jesus will live for eternity.

Some other religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and some pagan religions, describe seven heavens. But this is not taught in Scripture.

So Christ ascended to a place that is higher than all the heavens. This is a little exaggeration as Christ clearly had no desire, even if it were possible, to go beyond God the Father. Paul is saying that Christ ascended to the highest possible place of honour and lory .

Christ ascended to the highest place to fill the whole of creation (literally to fill all things).

It was always God’s intention to be present to all of creation- although not literally “in” all things. Sin brought about that big tearing apart of the universe from its Creator, and death entered in.

Now Christ fills the whole universe, and is restoring all things to Himself. As noted previously, we are not to think of Him as being a part of everything, or as dwelling in the created things. No, it is the awareness of Christ in all of creation that is meant here.

Christ is in the highest heaven, and hence he dominates the lower realms. He is truly the Lord of all things and reigns on high.

The rebellion against his reign continues in the form of sin and lawlessness. Human sinners and demonic beings continue to live as if Christ is not in the highest heaven, but this will be rectified on the Day of the Lord.

The One who has ascended is the same one who descended. The exalted Christ whom the church worships is the same Christ who died on the cross at Calvary. He shared our emotions, our victories, our temptations, and our limitations. We have a High Priest who can sympathise with us in our weaknesses.

Key points in these verses

• Christ descended to the grave before he ascended to heaven
• Scripture describes three heavens, and Christ is now in the highest of these, the place where God lives.
• Christ now reigns over all things on earth and in the heavens
• Christ reigns with empathy because He knows what it is like to be human

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:8 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:8

“This is why it says:

when he ascended on high

he led captives in his train

and gave gifts to men.”

Paul uses this verse from Psalm 68:18 to explain his argument that we have all been given a measure of grace as Christ has apportioned it. Paul we’ll see in a few vs go on to list the ministry gifts comma sometimes called the ascension gifts.

Paul is arguing that the grace given to a each of us comes from Christ. This is a gift given to us from Christ’s ascension.

Christ ascended to Heaven forty days after he rose from the dead. We are told in Acts 1:11 that “ this same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Christ ascended “on high,” that is all the way to heaven. It was a physical ascension, so Jesus literally rose up to heaven. it was not just a symbolic or virtual ascension. He will come back in the same way, physically and full of glory.

When the ascension took place, Paul says, He led a train of captives. It was a common practice in ancient times for a conquering general to return with a procession of prisoners of war, captured slaves, and the like.

When Jesus ascended, he led a captive procession of bound demons and the legions of hell. We should not get to caught up with the chronology of events here. It did not occur on the day of ascension. Rather the ascension is, so to speak, the event which seals and foreshadows the literal event.

The cross and the resurrection destroyed the power of Satan to hold humanity in bondage. The fact that sin continues to dominate many people is not a sign of the failure of the cross. The verdict has been pronounced, “Not guilty”, but many people voluntarily return to the guilt of sin and the captivity it engenders.

There will be, on the day of the Lord, a victory procession. Those evil spirits that have sought to undermine the kingdom of God will be the first to be thrown into the Lake of Fire. They will be followed by all who have lived in unrighteousness and refused to bow their knee to the Lord.

So Jesus leads this captive train, this victory procession, rejoicing in the fruit of His death on the cross .

Out of the ascension, also, Jesus has given many gifts and graces to people .

Every one of Christ’s followers has received grace upon grace. We might list some of these gifts:

• Salvation- we have been saved from eternal punishment
• Eternal life- we will live with Christ for ever in the new heavens and the new earth
• Abundant life – a life of purpose and calling in God’s Kingdom
• Holy Spirit – equipping us to be God’s children and blessing us with fellowship with God
• Victory over sin
• Joy
• Fellowship with other believers
• The church
• Gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit
• Victory over every form of violent persecution
• Grace to be Christ’s witnesses and make disciples of all nations

These are some of the gifts, poured out upon people in the ascension of Christ.

Key points in this verse:

• Christ ascended to heaven and will return
• The ascension is a forerunner of a victory parade
• Christ has conquered all the forces of hell
• He has given to us many gifts

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:7 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:7

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

This verse could be more accurately translated: “but grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

By its definition, grace is a gift from God. So this gift was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Paul wants to emphasise here that what you have from God is freely given by Him.

Paul has already written at length about grace in this letter to the Ephesians .

In chapter 1, he talked about the blessings that we received through Christ, having been chosen before we knew him. We have forgiveness and redemption “ according to the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” (1:7).

In chapter two, Paul describes how we were lifted up from the darkness of this age and we are now seated with Christ. “ For it is by grace you have been saved through faith.” (2:8)

In chapter 3, Paul talks about the work of grace in his own life, and the mystery revealed to him. He concludes that chapter with a prayer for the Ephesians that they would receive a greater revelation of the extent of God’s love.

Grace can be defined as God’s love in action. it is freely given to us, and to all people. The heart of the idea is that it comes to us as a gift and not always a something that we seek.

Common grace is the grace that God gives to all people. Jesus said that God sends the rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. In other words, favour and prosperity given are to all people regardless of their salvation or otherwise.

Prevenient grace is the grace that draws us towards God before we are saved. It is God’s gift that makes us open to the gospel message before we come to know Jesus.

Saving grace is a gift that applies the power of the cross to my specific need. it comes as conviction of sin and understanding that God loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me. My sin- addled brain and corrupted heart could never have made that connection, unless the Holy Spirit made it very simple. I could never appropriate the message without the gift of faith.

Sanctifying grace is the ability which the Holy Spirit imparts to us that enables us to cast off our old sinful nature and put on Christ’s nature. Over time, our sins are put to death, and holiness grows in us.

Finally, there is enabling grace. This grace empowers us to work in co-operation with the Holy Spirit to fulfil His calling on our lives. it is grace to love others, whether saved or not yet saved, to receive gifts of the Holy Spirit for ministry, to do ordinary things in ways that are beyond our natural ability.

When Paul says that each one of us has received grace, he is not just limiting this to salvation. It is true that unless we received saving grace we could never have been saved.

Paul is saying here that all of us have sanctifying grace and enabling grace. We have all been given the necessary grace to become all that God has called us to be.

We all have a measure of grace because we all have a measure, so to speak, of the Holy Spirit. if you are a follower of Jesus, you have received the Holy Spirit and you have received grace – indeed grace upon grace.

Each one of us has received grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. What is that measure? The measure is “more than enough.”

Paul is telling us that each of us have grace given by someone who lavishes it on us, who piles up the superlatives and pours it out to us. Can we measure it? No, it is too big.

If I were to compare the grace on my life with the grace on your life (assuming that such a thing were possible), I might find you have received five times more grace than me. But I have received more than enough grace for my need, so I don’t need the same amount you do. There is no need to feel jealous of other believers; nor any need to feel superior because we have more grace .

We all have a measure of grace and the measure of grace is more than we need. This means that we can all pray bold and effective prayers. We can all share the gospel with our friends. We can all exercise spiritual gifts. We can all be ministers of grace .

The reason that God gives us “ more then enough” grace is that there is always plenty to share with our brothers and sisters, and also with those who do not know Jesus yet.

If grace were money, we might imagine that when we get saved we received a billion dollars. So after you buy a new house and a new car, what are you going to do? The only useful thing to do is share it with other people. We might buy them nice things to show the love of God in practical ways. We might pay for somebody’s medical procedure. Even as you give it away you can’t keep up ahead of the supply.

Grace is like that. The more of ourselves we invest in others people, and the more we access the Holy Spirit to do this, and the more that we exercise faith, then we see the kingdom grow and grace multiply.

And each of us has received this more than enough grace.

Key points in this verse:

• We have all received grace from God.
• There are many kinds of grace, but just one giver of grace
• God gives us grace according to the measure of Christ
• God gives more than enough so we can share it with others

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:6 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:6

“… one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all.”

Paul has been listing the things Christians share- one Lord, one faith, one Spirit, one baptism. Now we come to the climax, the one God and Father.

Christians, like Jews, affirm that there is one God. Unlike the pagans who had gods for different cities and localities, trades and professions, christians say there is one God.

Whereas religious ties divide other groups, christians are united by worshipping the one God.

God has revealed himself as a Trinity, that is as three persons in one God. This isn’t to be interpreted as three gods or as three separate modes which God switches between. Part of the mystery of God is that God is both one and three. The unity of God is real, as is the threefold personality.

When we say that God is Father, we may think of several things.

Firstly he is the creator. He brought the whole of creation into existence for His good pleasure. Nothing was made except through the agency of God. He made all things and He made them good .

In this sense, God is Father even of those parts of creation that rebel against Him. He is Father to sinful people in the sense that He created them.

Secondly, God is Father in the sense that he brings new life to those who desire it. He is like a father of children who have gone off the rails and seeks to be reconciled with them. God the Father sent God the Son into the earth in order to reconcile many sons to himself .

Thirdly, to say God is Father is to say He is relational, and that He loves His creation. He is not a distant, impersonal god or force, but a real person who can and does relate to His creation .

Fourthly, God is a Father who works to bring His sons and daughters to maturity. He wants to impart His character to us so that we can become like him in nature. In Ephesians 4:13, Paul says that God gives His gifts to the Body, “ until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

God is over all, through all, and in all. This is language that needs to be thought about carefully .

We need to say first of all that this is not a form of pantheism. God is not identical to the creation. He is not the spirit of the trees and the mountains. God is separate from the creation.

When we say God is everywhere, we do not mean to imply that He is disguised as the animals and the wind. He is present to every part of creation, but separate from it.

It appears that some of the Greek manuscripts try to soften some of the universality of this verse. Some add the word “you”, others added the similar word “us”. God is over all of us, through all of us, and in all of us. As Christians, this would be acceptable, but it is not what Paul wrote.

God is over all people. He is the supreme ruler, whether we believe this or not. He is over all things, directing human and other events to his final purposes.

At the end of time, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10). God is Lord of all right now whether or not this is recognised by all people.

God is “through all.” This seems to mean that God uses all events, all people, all of creation to His glory and to our good. Nothing happens that he is not already aware of before hand .

To say that God is through all means that I can be confident that God is with me in every situation.

Finally God is “in all”. every person carries the image of God, the stamp of God’s ownership. Every person we see is someone whom God loves and created for His glory. If we see the image of God in all people, then we can love them as we love God.

God is also in all things because everything carries his image. While we must not worship the creation, every part of it is infused with God’s beauty and God’s glory. Therefore, every encounter that I have in this creation should draw me to a place of worship .

Key points in this verse:

• Our worship of one God should bind Christians together
• God has revealed himself as a trinity Kama a perfect community of love
• God is Father of all creation, but has a special Father relationship with those who are born again
• God’s presence is revealed in all of creation

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:5 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:5

“… one Lord, one faith, one baptism,… “

Paul continues his list of things that unite christians.

We have one Lord, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our Redeemer .

To confess that Jesus is Lord is to proclaim that he is the supreme ruler in our heart, and in our lives.

To say that Jesus is Lord is to deny every other idol that would seek to become lord in our lives. To say “Jesus is Lord” is to say that money is not our lord, that self is not our lord, the family is not our lord .

For people in the Roman Empire, there was a requirement that all people acknowledge Caesar is lord. This meant to swear allegiance to the emperor as the single entity that united all the tribes and nations under Roman sway.

At various times, under several Emperors, it was compulsory for every person to offer incense and publicly declare “Caesar is Lord.” This was not a problem for most people, and Jews were given an exemption, but for christians this was a big imposition. For christians Jesus is the only Lord, and even Caesar has to submit to Him. This became a flash point between the Kingdom and the Empire leading to widespread persecution .

There is only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ .

To say “Jesus is Lord” is to commit to obeying him in every sector of life. It is about obedience and loyalty. If an employer or a government asks us to do something contrary to God’s plan, then we respectfully refuse. As the apostles said in Acts 5:28, “ we must obey God rather than men.”

There is one faith.

Christ is not divided into denominations, and faith is shared across denominations.

Even where there is a variety of expressions of christianity, it is one faith. Although it often seems that the church is fragmented, the truth is that christians agree on 99% of doctrine, and disagree on relatively minor points .

Issues of church government, eschatology, the use of spiritual gifts, and so on, pale into insignificance compared to the central truth about salvation, the love and holiness of God, the hope we have in Christ, and the Trinity .

There is one faith. We are used to arguing about the marginal details that we forget that there is no disagreement on the important points of doctrine.

When we look at the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, we see a diversity of expressions of faith. There is no hint that the church at Rome is separated from the church at Antioch, even though they operated in very different contexts. They may have had very different worship Styles and doctrinal positions , but they were United in their love for the lord. A deficient faith does not mean no faith.

There is one baptism.

There are so many different beliefs about baptism that it is almost impossible to accept that there is just one baptism. There is infant baptism, adult baptism, sprinkling and full immersion. Some will only baptise in churches, while others will only that baptise in public spaces. Some baptise into the name of Jesus, but others baptise into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Some baptise immediately on profession of faith, but others say that teaching in the ways of the Lord must come first.

In all of that variety, Paul says there is one baptism.

Baptism is about being introduced or Incorporated into the Body of Christ. Whatever and however it is practised, it is a sign that a person has been welcomed into Christ’s Kingdom and therefore into the church .

Baptism is always a faith statement whether it is a child being baptised or an adult. In either case, we cannot see the future of the person, or whether they will remain true to Christ. All we know is that on this day this person (or their parent) is claiming to be a follower of Jesus. We cannot see if that is a true claim, or whether they will persevere to the end. So the church baptises people in faith.

The sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion carry the power of the Holy Spirit in an enhanced way. They are vehicles of God’s grace, and not just religious ceremonies. When the church baptises a person, the Spirit of God is moving.

Baptism represents a person dying and rising to new life in Christ. The old nature is drowned in the water, and the person is raised to eternal life in God. Baptism is about death and resurrection more than it is about cleansing.

This verse has often been invoked to prohibit a person from being re-baptised. This is not the intention here. If a person is baptised and subsequently leaves the fellowship of the church for a time, there is nothing to stop them from being re-baptised. The second occasion is as much a celebration of the “one baptism” as the first occasion .

Key points in this verse

• There is one Lord, Jesus Christ
• Christians must determine that nothing else can be lord in their lives
• We may disagree on doctrines or practice, but there is one faith
• There is one baptism into the one church

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:3 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:3

“Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

In the previous verse, Paul list qualities such as humility, patience, and love which help to keep christians on the same page and living to the high calling God has placed on us.

We might think that these are passive qualities which just bring about Christ-like living by virtue of them being in our lives. But Paul now tells us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.

There are people who think that God has to take all of the steps necessary to make us better people. They speak of striving as a bad thing because it takes away from God’s grace. Yet as we read through Paul’s epistles, he has a very even-handed approach. ”God has done this for you,” he says, “ Therefore you need to do this.”

Paul tells us we have to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit. In other words, we are to strive, work hard, make it our goal to pursue unity in the Spirit.

When Paul talks about unity, he is not meaning uniformity. We can be one in the Spirit without being all the same. There are many gifts but one giver. There are many styles of worship, but one God is worshipped. There are many ways to serve, but just one Saviour.

We must pursue unity in our own congregation. Love has to be practised among the believers in the same faith community. If we have strong disagreements with other believers, we must seek reconciliation. Genuine repentance and true forgiveness are the practices that keep communities together.

We must also show respect and love to believers in other congregations. They may have different worship styles, traditions, and doctrinal emphases than we have, but they are still members of the same body, the Body of Christ.

The phrase unity of the Spirit does not mean that we have to work to keep the Holy Spirit together. When christians fight, it grieves the Holy Spirit, but it does not divide Him. I have the Holy Spirit in me, and you have the Holy Spirit in you, but when we stop talking to each other it does not cut off the Spirit in me from the Spirit in you.

The phrase “the unity of the Holy Spirit” suggests that unity is found in the Holy Spirit, that it comes from the Holy Spirit. This unity is about us being together, not the Holy Spirit being together.

We are to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit through the bond of peace.

In chemistry, a bond is a force that joins atoms together to form molecules. In water, for example, two atoms of hydrogen are bound to an atom of oxygen to form a molecule of water. These bonds can be very hard to break.

When christians are bound by the bond of peace, it means that the peace that comes from the Holy Spirit joins us together and keeps us together regardless of circumstances. This is not something we are forced into, but it is a natural byproduct of the peace of the lord.

In Psalm 46, there is a strong contrast made between the nations which are in turmoil and the peace of the people of God. The nations are in turmoil because they do not know the peace of the Lord.

Peace is more than just an absence of fighting or of noise. Peace, or shalom in Hebrew, carries a sense of harmony, of things being in the right place doing the right thing and all in cooperation or purposefulness .

We experience God’s shalom in four dimensions. Firstly, harmony with God comes when we are in fellowship with Him. Second, there is harmony within. This is the inner peace that comes from knowing that God loves us. Third, there is harmony with others. We no longer have to put ourselves forward or put others down to know that we are valued. Finally, there is harmony with creation as we realise that we are to steward creation and not pillage it.

So the Holy Spirit gives us this peace which transforms us from the inside out, and which enhances every relationship we have. This peace binds us to other people, and makes it possible to work to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Key points in this verse:

• We are to be active in maintaining unity in the Body of Christ
• This is not by human effort alone, but a partnership with the Holy Spirit
• Unity does not mean everyone has to be the same
• The bond of peace is the force that helps to keep christians together
• Peace is harmony that comes from everybody knowing that we are loved and accepted by God

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:2 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:2

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Paul now list some of the characteristics of a life lived in accordance with the calling that we have received in Christ. In this verse, we have some qualities that Christians are supposed to exhibit towards one another, qualities that work positively to building up a community of faith.

Humility is an attitude in which we seek to glory in other people rather than ourselves. In Philippians 3:3, Paul exhorts us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourself.”

Humility is the rare ability to assess honestly our own gifts and limitations. CS Lewis used the analogy of a painter who rejoice is in an artwork regardless of whether it was his own or somebody else’s .

Every christian is a unique creation. We all have different gifts, different willingness to use those gifts, and different ways of expressing those gifts. We are at varying levels of spiritual, emotional, and physical maturity. How can I in any truthful way decide that I am in some way better or more spiritual than another person?

Humility is the way of Jesus – a life marked by serving rather than being served.

Paul says we should be gentle.

Gentleness is the ability to control strength in such a way as to build people up rather than pulling them apart. A parent is gentle with a baby or young child, because they know that the baby is fragile and will be injured if they throw her or stomp on her.

Gentleness is the ability to see the preciousness of another believer and to moderate our words or actions so as not to cause harm .

There are people who have shared my life for decades, with whom I can be direct and tell them exactly what I think. With other people, I need to be careful to use words that encourage, words that coax strength rather than fear.

In gentleness, I take a mental step out of my body and imagine what my words or actions will do to another person. I am not always good at this, but as gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 23), I trust that over time the Holy Spirit is developing this in me.

We are to be patient with other people (or long suffer as older translations put it).

Patience is the ability to wait without anxiety, and to trust that the desired outcome will arrive in its time .

Patience is a fruit of faith as we learn that God provides what we need at the right time. In the same way, He develops in people in His time the potential that we might see now.

Patience is at odds with our culture in many ways. We are surrounded by devices that do things faster; we can buy fast food or heat up precooked meals in minutes in a microwave; we expect instant communication and rapid responses to our wants.

God requires us to be patient because now is not always the right time.

Farmers cannot shorten the time it takes to make a crop – although plant breeders can. Mothers cannot shorten pregnancy .

We always need to recognise that in any collection of believers, some have not been on the journey for as long as we have. Others may face barriers to spiritual growth that we cannot imagine. Others just bloom slowly.

We have to be patient with one another, because God is patient with us.

To bear with one another does not mean that we tolerate them with gritted teeth. Bearing with one another does not mean that we summon enough self-control to not slap that annoying person.

To bear with them means that we recognise their different personalities and quirky ways, and love them regardless.

That person who irritates me with their continual chatter, or that person who is always boasting about their sporting ability, may be the very person who has the ability and time to fix my plumbing problem. They may be the very person that God has sent into my life to teach me love and empathy .

Bearing with other people means learning to see and appreciate who they are as a person uniquely created by God and loved by him .

Over all of these things comes love. This is agape love, God’s perfect love. It is love that makes it possible for the church to exist as the reflection of God’s love for the world.

It is because I have experienced the perfect love of God that I can become a channel of love to others and received their love in return.

We can not bear with others or exercise patience, humility, and gentleness unless God’s love is at work in us. This is the mystery of the church – that people of diverse abilities, backgrounds, personalities, and interests should be united in one body because of the love of Christ.

Key points in this verse:

• We are to be humble and gentle with one another
• We have to put the needs and the weaknesses of others ahead of our own inclinations
• Humility is the way of Jesus
• We are to be patient with one another and bear with one another
• We cannot hurry up God’s work in other people
• Love is the gift from God that enables us to love others, especially those who on the surface a different to us

Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:1 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:1

“As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” [ literally, the calling to which you have been called.]

Paul is a prisoner of the Lord ( or for the Lord), as was discussed previously. This was his calling at the time. He had gone from being an Empire traveller to being locked down to one location for the sake of Christ. The Ephesians were not called to the same calling of imprisonment, but they were called to live in a particular way .

The rest of Ephesians is devoted to the particular principles of following our calling in Christ.

The church is the ekklesia, the “called out ones”. So this idea of being called is central to the faith.

We are called by God, chosen by Him to be His representatives in the world. In Roman Society, the ekklesia were the called out ones, the assembly of people who represented the community and had authority to make decisions for the community.

As christians, our responsibility is to represent Christ to the world – that is our calling. This means that we are to live lives that are holy and honourable and which demonstrate at every level the love of Christ for the world.

Whether we are, like Paul, suffering for our faith or living in freedom, we are to live a life worthy of this calling to represent Christ.

We are to be holy first of all. This means that we must conquer the power of sin in our lives. In Romans 6, Paul tells us that in Christ we have died to sin. We must no longer allow ourselves to be slaves to sin, but rather be slaves to righteousness. The choice is ours, depending on what we choose to obey.

Holiness is not legalism. It does not mean learning a long list of what is and is not allowed. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to change our affections and priorities .

To be holy means to be set apart for God’s purposes. In the same way that sacred vessels in the temple we’re not put to ordinary purposes, we should make sure that our lives are dedicated to glorifying the Lord alone.

A life that is worthy of the calling we have been called to is one that is marked by love for other people. In simple terms, this means that we place the needs of others above our own desires. We look to serve them rather than ourselves .

Paul writes in later chapters how this principle of love should work out in normal relationships.

We should note here that love is a primary calling for all who follow Jesus. The Old Testament principle was to love your neighbour as you love yourself. Jesus gives us a new commandment – that we love one another as He loved us. This is sacrificial love .

Love is laying down our lives for the sake of others. Love is caring for people who can offer nothing in return. Love is standing up for those who are the victims of injustice .

Throughout history, Christians have had the reputation for going beyond the normal sense of duty to a neighbour. In ancient times, when people fled a town on the arrival of plague, christians stayed to minister to the sick and dying at the risk of their own lives. When unwanted babies were abandoned in Roman times, it was christians who recued and adopted them.

These two characteristics of holiness and love guide us in living a life that is worthy of the calling to which we have been called .

Key points in this verse:

• Each Believer has a calling that is both unique and which is shared with other believers
• We are called to a life of holiness that goes beyond legalismWe are called to a life of love for our neighbours which goes beyond society’s norms.
• Love means laying down my life and my personal desires for the sake of other people.

Here is my commentary on Ephesians . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians- Halftime

As we come to the half- way point on this journey through Ephesians, it is good to review what we have seen so far.

As in most of his letters, Paul start with the big picture issues such as the nature of salvation, Jesus, God, the church and so on. Only after talking about these issues does he move on to the practical issues such as relationships in the church, and how to relate to others in the light of what has gone before. In other words, we need good theology to establish good practice.

A few things stand out in the first half of Ephesians.

Firstly, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. There is nothing that the Father would hold back from us. In fact, He can do more for us than we can ask or even imagine. We need to walk in the knowledge that He is a good Father.

Secondly, our relationship with God is His doing, not ours. We were chosen and predestined, and God sent His Son to be our Saviour. All we can do is believe and receive His gift.

Thirdly, God is building His church. In Christ, He has united Jews and Gentiles by providing the one means of salvation, that is, the cross of Christ. The church is the household of God, the temple of the Lord.

Fourth, the Good News of Jesus Christ is a new revelation. In the past, it was a mystery to be revealed. It was clear that we needed a remedy for sin, but nobody could imagine how it would come to pass. There were hints and unclear pictures given in the Old Testament, but after the death and resurrection of Jesus, it became obvious at last.

Finally, in his prayer at the end of chapter 3, the concept of the measureless love of God becomes the focus. We can be rooted and established in this love, and we can gain an appreciation for it. As we learn to receive this love, we can be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.