December 27, 2006
(Ephesians 4
- The Unfathomable Grace of God, Part 4 )
See Entire Series
This Mysterious New Man
Therefore I, the prisoner of
the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling
with which you have been called, with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in
love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. {There is} one body and one Spirit, just as also
you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all
and through all and in all. (Eph 4:1-6)
In Ephesians 1-3 the Apostle Paul lays down what amounts to an
earth shattering mystery – that from one man, the Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth – will fill His created universe and
restore peace and blessing from out of the abundance of His
unfathomable grace. We discover that this one man is none other
than the Incarnate and Resplendent Christ Jesus, the Beloved Son
of His Heavenly and Eternal Father.
Oh what a mystery indeed my brethren; and how it reduces to
infinitesimal specks this puny little concept we have of what
Jesus Christ, Christianity and Church truly embody. We need to
fully and genuinely see this little ones, before we can go any
further, as I am not really sure this is what is being taught in
the church on the corner or the mega-media ministries who are
supposedly speaking for our Lord (and us) at the end of this
age.
Chapter 4 presents a departure or jumping off point in this
letter to the Greek city of Ephesus. “Therefore…” typically
indicates that Paul will now endeavor to convey what it means in
practical terms to these new gentile believers. Deep stuff
indeed, but what does it mean for us as His first fruits? What
does this filling of all things in and by His Son look like as
it is embodied and expressed in the lives of His people?
Paul, inspired as he is by the Holy Spirit, begins to answer
these questions as he considers the effect of God’s gracious
provision and plan as it moves from the macro to the micro; from
the universal to the individual, from the doctrinal or
conceptual, to the practical. In this light, I might offer here
that Paul’s letter to the Colossians greatly augments the one to
the Ephesians in terms of conveying this divine mystery of
Christ.
To enter into and apprehend all that the Father is doing in His
Son - His filling of all things and reconciling of all things -
we must look carefully at what was revealed to Paul as a
wondrous and universe-shaking mystery -
"IF then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For
you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When
Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with
Him in glory." (Col 3:1-4)
We can often gloss over these words - "Christ who is our life"
and "your life is hidden with Christ in God" as some ethereal
religious notion. Yet herein the reality of the new man is made
real and powerful, and it is here where the rubber meets the
road of our newfound existence in the heavenlies (yet still very
much in this world).
Earlier in Colossians, Paul tell us -
"FOR I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you
and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face
in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit
together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full
assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of
God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest
anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am
absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to
see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in
Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so
walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the
faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with
thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy
and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according
to the basic principles of the world, and not according to
Christ." (Col 2:1-8)
To search for "treasure of wisdom and knowledge" anywhere or in
anything or anyone other than the Father and His Son is to
invite delusion, deception and distraction. It is not merely a
question of whether things are right or wrong, scriptural or
not, helpful or not; or whether it appears righteous and other
supposed-Christians nod their heads in agreement.
The only question or consideration is whether it is "ACCORDING
TO CHRIST"! Amen brethren?
It either is or it isn't - and if it isn't then it will be
burned like chaff at the fiery coming of the Lord.
I cannot convey this strongly enough, and this is the only basis
for true spiritual discernment for His saints. To be rooted and
built up in anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ is to lead
to being cheated out of all that is being offered those who
overcome, and to rely on little more than the basic principles
of the world, human tradition and I believe we all know a little
about what these represent - misery-inducing humanism, man-size
religion, quasi-sanctification (the dressing up the old man in a
new suit of clothes), the simulated, pseudo-spiritual life that
has no real power or vitality (only mere activity with
man-honoring results).
All, my friends, and I repeat - ALL - whether it is ministry, or
the renewing of the mind, or the edifying of the saints - has
its beginning and end in the living and loving relationship
between the Father and Son that is filling all things as the
scriptures plainly teach. It is not about us at all - our puny
strength or bright ideas, our intellect or best intentions. Oh
that the children of God would see this more clearly and believe
it once and for all! That is my prayer for all of us! Oh that He
would be magnified in His people, and truly be "our life" from
this day forward, as we walk forward faithfully in Him!
Everything will fall into place once we do little ones; and only
then can religion as we know it hope to give substance to its
transcendent words and promise.
Our faith in the Father and Son must represent more than some
initial affirmation or agreement of a set of gospel-defining
doctrines or theological facts. It is more like entering into
the relationship the Father has with His Son on a
moment-to-moment basis, stretching way back into the farthest
reaches of eternity. I believe this is what Paul is suggesting
when he refers to our "fellowship in this mystery". The Father
in His infinite and all-encompassing love and wisdom has chosen
to solve the problem of a cursed earth and the adamic man by
drawing us up into the heavenlies, where both He and His Son
have been one for all eternity. Jesus Christ will fill all
things, starting first with His Body.
As we fail to see and apprehend this truly with spiritual eyes,
we are tempted to heap up "protectors" and other earth-bound
helpers to aid us in apprehending the blessings we read about in
the Bible. But as many of you know, it doesn't work this way. We
must fully enter into this mystery of a Father’s love for His
Son and the binding of all who believe to the Son if we are to
ever bring honor and glory to our Lord who claims us as His own
out of the world.
And please let me go one step further if I may at the risk of
over-stepping a wee bit (although I don’t believe one can in
this matter as it stretches forth to consume the universe) - it
is only this mystery that fills the angels with awe and the
devil with dread. Very little if anything of what we do down
here as the organized and man-led church threatens Satan in any
practical sense. I believe his one objective is to blind us to
this mystery and to keep us from entering into it. Although the
gospel and the mystery given to Paul are one in agreement,
merely various points along the way in God's ultimate plan, I
believe the devil is very much content to allow us the gospel
(as has been preached in Christendom for the last 1900 years
anyway), but deny us the mystery of entering into the life and
love of the Father and Son. Something to ponder in the spirit
perhaps?
If it is at all unclear to any of you, please go to the Father
now and ask that He would grant His grace such that we can all
truly see His plans and purposes in all their infinite and
eternal wonder. Spend much time if necessary in Ephesians and
Colossians, and in the gospel of John. And read slow (if I may
suggest), taking in every word as the Spirit allows you to chew
on it and be changed by it.
May He bless you with all blessing in the heavenlies dear saints. May
His love fill us that we would truly love one another as His
children! In Christ - Amen.
Let us now return to the 4th
chapter of Ephesians...
But to each one of us grace was given according to the
measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED
ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO
MEN."(Now this {expression,} "He ascended," what does it mean
except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the
earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far
above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) And He
gave some {as} apostles, and some {as} prophets, and some {as}
evangelists, and some {as} pastors and teachers, for the
equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building
up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature
man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness
of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed
here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful
scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in
all {aspects} into Him who is the head, {even} Christ, from whom
the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every
joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building
up of itself in love. (Eph 4:7-16)
Here we find that our Father’s grace gets personal. It is meted
out by His Eternal Wisdom and Purpose, in the form of divine
spiritual gifts unto each one of us, even those who came before
and have since died in the body. And such gifts were given… "for
the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the
building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ." [Note: There is much to say here
touching on the triune essence of God (Father, Son and Spirit)
and man (body, soul and spirit); and the essential unity being
worked out between the component parts, bringing this new man to
fullness and maturity in and by Christ Jesus. Yet, the Spirit
permitting, we will leave this for another time.]
In true carnal and “religious” fashion it seems, the church for
close to 2000 years has focused more on the individual roles and
offices than on why they were granted – to build this new man up
into Christ for the fulfillment of our Father’s ultimate design
and purpose. Indeed, these very gifts are the source of so much
dissension and division, that any truly spirit-born person is
compelled to wonder – Where is the “unity of the faith”? What
about the “fullness of Christ”? What about the “whole body”
being more important than the individual members? What about the
“equipping of the saints for the work of service” and the
attainment of the “mature man”?
Oh Father in Heaven, please help us, for we are desperately
wicked, and oh how we have strayed from the true path, for which
this eternal mystery in Christ Jesus binds us to Him and one
another.
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you
walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility
of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded
from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them,
because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become
callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the
practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did
not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and
have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in
reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old
self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of
deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and
put on the new self, which in {the likeness of} God has been
created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Eph
4:17-24)
Dearest brethren and disciples of the Living Christ – at the
risk of sounding like an echo – how we can we live apart from
the “life of God” and the ‘Way and Truth and Life’ imparted to
us in His Beloved Son, slain from the foundation of the world,
and still hope to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to
live in “righteousness and holiness of the truth”? This Mystery
of the New Man that will fill all the created universe by the
fullness of the Father’s Beloved Son is not merely some
superfluous theological idea – perhaps interesting but of little
practical value to Christians seeking to advance the will of God
in all holiness and truth. Heaven forbid dear saints – for this
is indeed the Spiritual Life that we all seek! This is the
answer to ageless questions such as – How does it all work? How
do we fulfill the will of God, and How will He ultimately reverse that foul and fateful mistake in the garden?
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE {of
you} WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. BE
ANGRY, AND {yet} DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your
anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals
must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with
his own hands what is good, so that he will have {something} to
share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed
from your mouth, but only such {a word} as is good for
edification according to the need {of the moment,} so that it
will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let
all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put
away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also
has forgiven you. (Eph 4:25-32)
Here we see the real value of the unveiling of this divine
mystery, as the Apostle Paul reaches some immensely practical
conclusions flowing out the divine fact that we, as a new man in
Christ Jesus, are “members of one another”. Indeed, how can we
seek to harm or in any manner injure our own body? It makes no
sense, for do we not go to great pains to serve and even advance
our own physical body? Do we not in this modern self-oriented
and hedonistic age rather cherish and nurture it at all cost
apparently? Here we discover that the basis for Christian love
and service and unity even, is rooted in the truth that we are indeed
one in the same; that this profound mystery pertaining to the
fullness in Christ has substantial practical effect. We (the
church and the body) are not one in some ethereal religious and
organizational sense as so many clubs and groups and
affiliations in the world – but we are organically one, and even
more accurately - spiritually one, bound together in He who is
worthy to gather all things in Himself and to subsume all things
in Himself.
We do indeed share the same purpose but it is not
this common purpose that makes us one. We may even share the
same beliefs and values but again, this is not what constitutes
our shared existence in the Holy One - all such things merely
flow out of such unity and singularity of Spirit and Person.
Here again we are confronted with the axiom that all living can
only spring forth from life; that the Christian can only ever be
expressed in and through and from Christ Jesus in all His
fullness. No dear saints, don't think for one minute that this
mystery is something you can either accept or not, with little
practical consequence; that it is secondary to the gospel
perhaps. No indeed, dear ones, for the mystery of Christ in all
His creation-filling fullness, as conveyed in Ephesians and
elsewhere, is the good news and the hope of the world.
Here alone is the culmination
of the Scriptures and the ultimate and eternal work of the
Father, His Son and Holy Spirit. Here is the mystery uncovered
and laid bare before all who will see and taste and enter in.
Here is the unity and life of the Church in its expression and
embodiment of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh Father of All Life! – How small are our thoughts and
how we have limited You so. Forgive us O Lord, and grant us
faith large enough to enter into this most Wondrous Mystery. Let
us stand and walk and live as this New Man before all the world,
and let the angels above and below gaze with wonder at Your
indescribable grace and wisdom, in bringing to maturity someone
worthy to fill all of Your creation. In Jesus’ Holy Name we pray
– Amen.
Please pray for us here at Living-Walk, that we would watch and
see the Master at work, and understand what He would have us be
and do.
Your friend and servant in Christ Jesus,
Wayne
