Month: July 2021

To the praise of Christ – 1:14

From the believer’s perspective there are two consequences of being sealed with the Spirit. Each of these plays out through the conviction of the Spirit within us. Firstly, we are to stop sinning. That is stop doing those things that offend the Spirit within us. Each of us will be challenged according to our own natural personality. However, the Spirit will convict us, especially through bible reading and reflection as well as through the words and lives of Christians we know. Those things that offend the Spirit within us need to be replaced with those things which do good for others, build up the church and worship the Lord. (Hebrews 13:16, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Romans 15:2.) We are not alone in this task, ‘We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.’ ^{1John 5:18}

Secondly the Spirit confirms to us that we do belong to Christ. It is him who keeps our faith secure. ‘The Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God.’ ^{Romans 8:16} ‘And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, ²² and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.’ ^{2 Corinthians1:21-22}

Set me as a seal

Signed, sealed delivered – 1:13-14

When Stevie Wonder sang, “Oooh Baby, here I am, signed sealed delivered, I’m yours”, he wasn’t singing about his Christian faith and relationship with Jesus but he could have been. In Paul’s day, a seal indicated ownership and protection. The Holy Spirit spiritually marks believers as God’s people. Ezekiel was to put a mark on the foreheads of each person who had, ‘grieved and lamented over all the detestable things’ ^{Ezekiel 9:4}that are done in the temple so that they would be protected from destruction. In a similar way the gift of the Holy Spirit marks the believer for salvation. This is not a separated second blessing, the promised Holy Spirit is given when faith commences. God then sees the believer as his, not to be taken away. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of salvation and deliverance into our inheritance as a child of God. This will bring about great praise to God. From God’s perspective the Holy Spirit is a sign that we belong to Christ. ‘But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”’ ^{2 Timothy 2:19}

Only one route to faith – 1:13

If we are to be included in Christ, in one way or another we must hear the message of truth. In Paul’s time by far the dominant way to receive a message was orally, through listening to preaching or conversation. Today the breadth of media opens far more avenues. But whoever we are it is a simple route, hear and respond. It is a leveller, the cleverest person must still follow the same route, a rich person cannot buy their way in, a powerful person cannot force himself into salvation, a corrupt person cannot bribe God into accepting them. We all have to listen and believe or we are sadly not recipients of God’s free gift. Jesus is the supreme example of humble obedience and we must follow the same path. However, that simple route also places a God given responsibility on Jesus’ disciples to lovingly, clearly and faithfully communicate the message of truth. We have received and now we should give. Do we rejoice in the message of truth and how are we engaged in passing it on?

Our salvation – Christ’s glory – 1:12

In verse 12 Paul affirms two things. The historical priority of the Jewish people and God’s ultimate purpose of salvation is the praise of Christ’s glory. Jesus confirmed the historical order of salvation when he spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. ‘You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.’ ^{John 4:22} There has been a tendency amongst Christians to marginalize the God appointed role of the Jewish people because all of the Jewish people did not and still do not accept Christ as the Messiah. Additionally, although Jesus was himself a Jew, it was the Jewish authorities who had him crucified. However, Jesus did set the pattern for evangelization and the spread of the gospel, first to Judea, then to Samaria and onwards to the whole world. It was the Jewish disciples who were the first evangelists and it was upon them that the Holy Spirit first fell at Pentecost. It is therefore appropriate that gospel outreach to the Jewish people should have a special place in the heart of the church.

It is also a great honour for the believer that hope in Christ should bring glory to Jesus. ^v12 The fruitful Christian life is one that brings glory to Christ and the Father. Jesus said, ‘By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.’ ^John15:8 Peter wrote to the churches,‘Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.’ ^{1 Peter 4:11} As we live out each day and are confronted by everyday challenges it is helpful to remind ourselves of our responsibility to live in a way that in the eyes of the Father would bring glory to Christ.

Ephesians 1:11-14

In the letter to the Ephesians Paul spends time expanding on the theme that God has a plan and is working out that plan. There is a purpose to the plan. The plan has existed since before time. Incredibly the plan is so detailed that from the beginning of creation it has included individual humans and as believers we are an integral part of this plan. It is an inclusive plan and as far as we are concerned an unmerited plan and yet we are inheritors of it. Crucially it is his plan not ours and he will and is securing its completion. Ephesus was a pagan city and Paul is contrasting God’s plan through Christ with the pagan God’s worshiped in the city. The pagan gods were often seen as inconsistent or unable to act. Paul however, says that God through Christ is the one, ‘who works all things according to the counsel of his will.’ ^v11 For believers though, how the sovereignty of God and human responsibility works together is a mystery, that we do not fully understand.

DAY 1.

We were also chosen – 1:11

One of the great themes of Ephesians is the unity of the believing Jew and Gentile in Christ. God’s plan has moved on in Christ from the Old Testament position where the nation of Israel was to be a light to the nations of the world bringing glory to God. Now in Christ, all who believe, share in the same hope, assurance and purpose. Paul therefore writes as a Jew who brought the gospel to the Gentile city of Ephesus, a hostile place to the gospel and says remember it was us Jews who were the means by which you heard. This was always God’ plan. It, ‘conformed to the purpose of his will.’ ^v11 How quickly division can set in within the people of God. It occurs when criteria are applied that are not compliant with the gospel. It is when the values of the wider world become integrated into the church. Such things as nationalism, ethnicity, partiality, pride and personal ambition. It happens when we forget that we are undeserving sinners and the only claim we have is the grace of God not personal merit. Are we aware of any way in which we can promote unity in the family of God?