1:8 He lavished (grace) on us with all wisdom and understanding.
With all wisdom. I believe this refers to God’s wisdom. He lavishes grace on us according to his infinite, purposeful wisdom. He is the All Wise One. We can not demand grace. All we can do is receive it. It is our God that pours out his grace on us. Paul points to the fact that God is wise in how he dispenses his grace. This does not mean that God withholds grace from one and pours it on another. No. He knows each person individually and pours out his grace that is appropriate for that person at that moment.
With all understanding. Who understands me? One thing is sure, not me! How can I know myself if I am bound within the parameters of the life that I inhabit? God sees all and knows me through and through. He alone knows how to break my bondages so that I can live at peace in his presence.
He understands me, and all my needs. Knowing that, he pours out his grace. In human terms we might say, God does not waste grace by pouring out where it will not be appropriated! He administers his grace with complete understanding. His grace is always ample, poured out lavishly, but it is poured where it will find a response and so make a difference. Having said that, I am further convinced that God is not stingy in the way he dispenses his grace. He is lavish! Certainly not all his grace is received or even appreciated. But he goes on pouring it out in any case.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Eph. 1:7
7 Redemption through his blood.
Through his blood. Here Paul uses shorthand to explain something that absolutely baffles the mind of anyone who seriously tries to plumb its meaning. His blood catches in a bundle all the wisdom, teaching, healing, self-giving, suffering, joy and resurrection life of Christ and presents it all to us, freely. That, I think, encompasses some of the immense scope of the benefits of the Atonement.
One of the main benefits of his blood, however, is the forgiveness of sins. Not just after death, but right now. Divine forgiveness is not just hope but a concrete actuality. As we consider the meaning of the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us, we are probably at the heart of its meaning when we reach the point where Jesus made it possible for God to forgive sins. Only through the blood of Jesus does God have the right to forgive sins. Having that right, he is eager to bestow that blessing on all of us who believe.
His blood takes away sin, cleanses the sinner then sets him or her free to worship and obey God Almighty. As his blood is applied to my life by sincere confession and implicit faith, I am freed from not only the burden of sin but all of the weight of guilt that hovers over sin. If my sins are washed away in his blood I waste time and effort agonizing over my sin or sins that I have placed “under his blood.”
Any doctrine of Salvation that does not have his Blood as the operative center of forgiveness is not Christian and, indeed, is not true. There is only one way we can be at peace with God, that is if God works out a way to cleanse me of my sin and gives me a new nature.
When I first came to Christ it was not hard or embarrassing to approach God as a desperate sinner. But how about now, decades later? God’s answer to that is clear. He says, “You need the cleansing and renewing blood of Jesus Christ to break and cleanse your sinful nature every day.” Until I die? Absolutely! God has a hard time convincing me that I am a sinner, now. But I am finding that once I see myself as having no need for his Blood as I try to live “the holy life” I am on the downward slope to dryness.
For Paul, the secret to life with God is the enabling power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Every authentic Christian revival is a rediscovery of the astounding power of his blood, shed for all mankind.
7 b In accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Not in accordance with the law and justice of God – but in accordance with the riches of his grace. This grace he “lavished on us.” I seldom use the word, lavish, but I assume it means to pour out in amazing abundance. I know so little of this. But my heart yearns to learn more
Through his blood. Here Paul uses shorthand to explain something that absolutely baffles the mind of anyone who seriously tries to plumb its meaning. His blood catches in a bundle all the wisdom, teaching, healing, self-giving, suffering, joy and resurrection life of Christ and presents it all to us, freely. That, I think, encompasses some of the immense scope of the benefits of the Atonement.
One of the main benefits of his blood, however, is the forgiveness of sins. Not just after death, but right now. Divine forgiveness is not just hope but a concrete actuality. As we consider the meaning of the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us, we are probably at the heart of its meaning when we reach the point where Jesus made it possible for God to forgive sins. Only through the blood of Jesus does God have the right to forgive sins. Having that right, he is eager to bestow that blessing on all of us who believe.
His blood takes away sin, cleanses the sinner then sets him or her free to worship and obey God Almighty. As his blood is applied to my life by sincere confession and implicit faith, I am freed from not only the burden of sin but all of the weight of guilt that hovers over sin. If my sins are washed away in his blood I waste time and effort agonizing over my sin or sins that I have placed “under his blood.”
Any doctrine of Salvation that does not have his Blood as the operative center of forgiveness is not Christian and, indeed, is not true. There is only one way we can be at peace with God, that is if God works out a way to cleanse me of my sin and gives me a new nature.
When I first came to Christ it was not hard or embarrassing to approach God as a desperate sinner. But how about now, decades later? God’s answer to that is clear. He says, “You need the cleansing and renewing blood of Jesus Christ to break and cleanse your sinful nature every day.” Until I die? Absolutely! God has a hard time convincing me that I am a sinner, now. But I am finding that once I see myself as having no need for his Blood as I try to live “the holy life” I am on the downward slope to dryness.
For Paul, the secret to life with God is the enabling power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Every authentic Christian revival is a rediscovery of the astounding power of his blood, shed for all mankind.
7 b In accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Not in accordance with the law and justice of God – but in accordance with the riches of his grace. This grace he “lavished on us.” I seldom use the word, lavish, but I assume it means to pour out in amazing abundance. I know so little of this. But my heart yearns to learn more
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Eph. 1:7, 8
Eph. 1:7, 8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
In him we have redemption through his blood.
“In him.” The grace of God gives us Jesus and all grace is to be found “in him.” Is this not marvelous beyond words, that I, a sinner, can experience life “in Jesus?” Not life in self, or life in culture, or life in a religion or life in self-effort, but life “in” him. Everything I need is “in him.” But how can I get it?
That is not the question, the question is, how can God get me to realize that I need to recalculate, every day, what it means be in Jesus? My challenge is to be in Jesus moment by moment, thinking Jesus’ thoughts, buoyed by his Spirit, broken and repentant. How much of my life do I really live “in him?” It is only by the grace of God that any of us get on in this pilgrimage of faith. We would despair but for the simple fact that we live our entire lives and will live all eternity “in him.” This being “in him” is one of the most comforting realities that has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit of God. I have come to the conclusion that it is futile to try to live as a Christian unless my total life is fully given to live “in him.” If I live in anything else I perish.
Life “in Jesus” is difficult to grasp, fully. I see it but in vague outline. In my own life I believe I started by believing in Jesus. I meant it. But along the way, I realized that something happened, instead of just believing in Jesus, I began to see that I can and should live “in him.” That process continues, even as I write these words. I am still a learner in the school of God’s grace, learning what it means to be in Jesus no matter what.
A further word: when I am “in him” I can see God, the Father of Jesus. I find myself seeing what Jesus sees, feeling what he feels, loving as he loves. Jesus has no problem seeing God’s love – if I am in Jesus I see through though his eyes, not my own, because my eyes filter out everything that I do not want or do not even want to understand. When I stand outside of Jesus and ponder the mighty and deep works of God nothing happens in my soul. If I ponder the glory of God while “in him,” my soul leaps for joy and I find comfort beyond telling.
We have redemption. I suppose we could rephrase this – “We are redeemed.” I think they amount to the same thing. The core meaning is simple, I am justly condemned because of my deeds and because of my rebellious spirit. Someone comes to my rescue, pays what it costs to set me free and then breaks the chains of bondage to sin so that I can willingly serve my “Redeemer.”
This is especially amazing when I remember that the price of my redemption was made long before I felt a need for it. It was always there, so to speak, in the heart of God. It just had to be accomplished by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In him we have redemption through his blood.
“In him.” The grace of God gives us Jesus and all grace is to be found “in him.” Is this not marvelous beyond words, that I, a sinner, can experience life “in Jesus?” Not life in self, or life in culture, or life in a religion or life in self-effort, but life “in” him. Everything I need is “in him.” But how can I get it?
That is not the question, the question is, how can God get me to realize that I need to recalculate, every day, what it means be in Jesus? My challenge is to be in Jesus moment by moment, thinking Jesus’ thoughts, buoyed by his Spirit, broken and repentant. How much of my life do I really live “in him?” It is only by the grace of God that any of us get on in this pilgrimage of faith. We would despair but for the simple fact that we live our entire lives and will live all eternity “in him.” This being “in him” is one of the most comforting realities that has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit of God. I have come to the conclusion that it is futile to try to live as a Christian unless my total life is fully given to live “in him.” If I live in anything else I perish.
Life “in Jesus” is difficult to grasp, fully. I see it but in vague outline. In my own life I believe I started by believing in Jesus. I meant it. But along the way, I realized that something happened, instead of just believing in Jesus, I began to see that I can and should live “in him.” That process continues, even as I write these words. I am still a learner in the school of God’s grace, learning what it means to be in Jesus no matter what.
A further word: when I am “in him” I can see God, the Father of Jesus. I find myself seeing what Jesus sees, feeling what he feels, loving as he loves. Jesus has no problem seeing God’s love – if I am in Jesus I see through though his eyes, not my own, because my eyes filter out everything that I do not want or do not even want to understand. When I stand outside of Jesus and ponder the mighty and deep works of God nothing happens in my soul. If I ponder the glory of God while “in him,” my soul leaps for joy and I find comfort beyond telling.
We have redemption. I suppose we could rephrase this – “We are redeemed.” I think they amount to the same thing. The core meaning is simple, I am justly condemned because of my deeds and because of my rebellious spirit. Someone comes to my rescue, pays what it costs to set me free and then breaks the chains of bondage to sin so that I can willingly serve my “Redeemer.”
This is especially amazing when I remember that the price of my redemption was made long before I felt a need for it. It was always there, so to speak, in the heart of God. It just had to be accomplished by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Eph. 1:6
Eph 1:6 ..to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Once again, with emphasis! LOVE. The source of all grace is nothing less than the love of God. God loves. God is love. God always loves. There is not one wit of unlove in God. It is that compelling love that bound the Father and Son in absolute unity.
In the One he loves. I find it interesting that Paul does not begin with God’s love for us, he begins by reminding us of God’s love for his Son, Jesus Christ. We receive the marvelous flow of grace from God because of his love for Jesus. All other loves follow. God loves me because he loves Jesus. I love God because he loves Jesus. We can trace every love-bond between mankind and God to the love-bond between the Father and the Son. That love is not only the source of all grace but is the love that we have, through the new birth, as we relate not only to God but to one another.
Grace – freely given us. These are key truths. Everything of God comes because of his dynamic love. That is what we call grace. What comes from God to us is not what earn but is a gift of God’s grace. This is marvelous good news to everyone. Every religion believes you must give something to God in order to get something from him. The Gospel shows a better way, God gives to us so that we can give everything back to him! This is the liberating power of the grace of God. There is no bondage in grace, only true freedom to return to God what is his, it is the basis of all spiritual worship.
Once again, with emphasis! LOVE. The source of all grace is nothing less than the love of God. God loves. God is love. God always loves. There is not one wit of unlove in God. It is that compelling love that bound the Father and Son in absolute unity.
In the One he loves. I find it interesting that Paul does not begin with God’s love for us, he begins by reminding us of God’s love for his Son, Jesus Christ. We receive the marvelous flow of grace from God because of his love for Jesus. All other loves follow. God loves me because he loves Jesus. I love God because he loves Jesus. We can trace every love-bond between mankind and God to the love-bond between the Father and the Son. That love is not only the source of all grace but is the love that we have, through the new birth, as we relate not only to God but to one another.
Grace – freely given us. These are key truths. Everything of God comes because of his dynamic love. That is what we call grace. What comes from God to us is not what earn but is a gift of God’s grace. This is marvelous good news to everyone. Every religion believes you must give something to God in order to get something from him. The Gospel shows a better way, God gives to us so that we can give everything back to him! This is the liberating power of the grace of God. There is no bondage in grace, only true freedom to return to God what is his, it is the basis of all spiritual worship.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Eph. 1:5, 6
5 In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Through Jesus Christ. We can be adopted only because of what Jesus did. He made atonement for sins and placed in us a new heart and blessed us with the Holy Spirit to keep us walking with him in the paths of holiness.
Take Jesus out of the picture and one is left with only the wrath of God.
In accordance with his pleasure and will. God wants all people to be saved – not just a few with whom he makes covenant. This was the Jewish blind spot - they thought it was God’s good pleasure to bless them and make them into special agents of God on the earth. No. God loves – he loves all people – Israel was only a means – not an end. That can be said of any human institution or religion, they are only means. The end purpose of God’s love is the blessing of all people everywhere.
6 To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Paul is so thrilled and excited by this revelation into the heart of God that he says, “To the praise of his glorious grace.” Before this magnificent vision – all one in Christ – whose soul is so withered it can not be deeply moved? A note of praise swells up to give God the glory for such a magnificent work – Jesus for all, forever.
The centerpiece of it all is God’s “glorious grace.” That is the only possible explanation. It is certainly not human achievement – we are hopeless. It is surely the grace of God poured out on all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike.
I think this truth is the watershed. It was good news for the Gentiles but, at first, bad news for the Jews who believed that there is a way to truly please God - by strictly obeying his immutable law. That is what they strove for – not some virtue that began in the heart of God – love that loves all people everywhere, always, but a virtue of their own, obedience!
The grand revelation is that it was the purpose of God – as long as God loves – to make a way for all people to have fellowship with God – to fulfill God’s plan – and the desires of all peoples – whose religious and philosophical systems were little more than powerful yearnings to know God. The Gospel declares with boldness, God adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ
Through Jesus Christ. We can be adopted only because of what Jesus did. He made atonement for sins and placed in us a new heart and blessed us with the Holy Spirit to keep us walking with him in the paths of holiness.
Take Jesus out of the picture and one is left with only the wrath of God.
In accordance with his pleasure and will. God wants all people to be saved – not just a few with whom he makes covenant. This was the Jewish blind spot - they thought it was God’s good pleasure to bless them and make them into special agents of God on the earth. No. God loves – he loves all people – Israel was only a means – not an end. That can be said of any human institution or religion, they are only means. The end purpose of God’s love is the blessing of all people everywhere.
6 To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Paul is so thrilled and excited by this revelation into the heart of God that he says, “To the praise of his glorious grace.” Before this magnificent vision – all one in Christ – whose soul is so withered it can not be deeply moved? A note of praise swells up to give God the glory for such a magnificent work – Jesus for all, forever.
The centerpiece of it all is God’s “glorious grace.” That is the only possible explanation. It is certainly not human achievement – we are hopeless. It is surely the grace of God poured out on all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike.
I think this truth is the watershed. It was good news for the Gentiles but, at first, bad news for the Jews who believed that there is a way to truly please God - by strictly obeying his immutable law. That is what they strove for – not some virtue that began in the heart of God – love that loves all people everywhere, always, but a virtue of their own, obedience!
The grand revelation is that it was the purpose of God – as long as God loves – to make a way for all people to have fellowship with God – to fulfill God’s plan – and the desires of all peoples – whose religious and philosophical systems were little more than powerful yearnings to know God. The Gospel declares with boldness, God adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Eph. 1:4b, 5
4b In love he predestinated us. “In love.” I find this theme of God's love appearing again and again. Everything of God is rooted in his love. Because he is love, he is who he is and he did what he did. And because he loves me - and that is even more astounding, he made plans to make it possible to have fellowship with Him - and did everything necessary to make that love do its wonderful work.
5 Adopted. An apt term indeed, because none of us are born actual sons and daughters of God - we are sons and daughters of our parents. In spiritual terms, we are adopted! If we are to get into fellowship with God, it must be at his initiation. He determines to adopt me, not me him. This puts the love of God at the very center of redemption.
His sons. Only Jesus is not adopted - all of us who are in Jesus are. There is absolutely nothing wrong in being adopted. We are lifted upward by adoption into this heavenly family - on earth and in heaven.
Adopted children are bound together by the love of the person who adopted them - in love. No one deserves to be in this family of adoptees. By grace are we among God's privileged adopted sons and daughters
This is precious imagery and full of divine truth. A weak human expression but eterrnally meaningful.
5 Adopted. An apt term indeed, because none of us are born actual sons and daughters of God - we are sons and daughters of our parents. In spiritual terms, we are adopted! If we are to get into fellowship with God, it must be at his initiation. He determines to adopt me, not me him. This puts the love of God at the very center of redemption.
His sons. Only Jesus is not adopted - all of us who are in Jesus are. There is absolutely nothing wrong in being adopted. We are lifted upward by adoption into this heavenly family - on earth and in heaven.
Adopted children are bound together by the love of the person who adopted them - in love. No one deserves to be in this family of adoptees. By grace are we among God's privileged adopted sons and daughters
This is precious imagery and full of divine truth. A weak human expression but eterrnally meaningful.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Eph. 1:4, 5
A Meditation on Ephesians 1:4 and 5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
For he chose us. Both Jews and Gentiles. This is the mystery that Paul happily shared with everyone – Jesus’ atoning work opens the door to God for everyone who comes through Christ. The Covenant in Christ’s blood has no reference whatsoever to Israel or any other nation or culture.
Before the creation of the world. Some may think that God planned that only through the people called Israel would people truly know God. Then when Israel failed to be on an instrument of God’s purposes, he had to abandon that, his first plan and substitute another, less good. No, Paul asserts, the work of Jesus Christ to give himself so that all people everywhere could enjoy the fullness of life with God is not plan B, but was already accomplished in the heavenlies before the first star was hurled into space. Jesus was always the answer.
In Him. That means, “In Jesus.” It was set that Jesus is God’s sacrificial Lamb who, by the willful shedding of his blood, will break the power of sin and pronounce full forgiveness. This determination preceeded the calling of Abraham or the Law of Moses.
He chose us. Both Jews and Gentiles. We are all adopted. God has no "natural children" on the earth.
The purpose of God’s calling is not primarily to work for him or even to serve him but the calling of God, the choosing of God, is that we might be “holy and blameless” in his sight. Our calling is the call of a lover to come, walk closely with Him. It is a call of love, prompted by love, made possible by love and fulfilled in love. It is not perfection of the character – holiness is a love relationship that is so strong and firm that all of life revolves around that central, core relationship, God and me.
Of course, it is impossible to be holy and blameless by our own strength and determination. We need Jesus in whom to hide. He becomes our holiness, our blamelessness. Jesus was holy and blameless – now it is up to us to exhibit that same character, flawed though we may be.
In love he predestinated us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. Again, it all flows from God’s love, unfathomable yet as real and as essential as anything can possibly be.
It is difficult to describe the love of God because all we have are human, earth-bound words and concepts. We will need to wait until we are lifted into a realm where the “divine vocabulary” is used to describe the virtues of our wonderful God. In the meanwhile we use weak terms – like father/son to tell of the wonders of God’s love.
He predestinated us. It all begins in his loving heart. We can not choose. We can only accept or reject God. He alone does the choosing.
The more I think about this the more I am convinced that Paul is describing the nature of Jesus’ Kingdom – the door is completely open to anyone. We enter because of and through the atoning work of Jesus.
This choosing does not imply a flip side to the coin, on one side choosing and on the other side, rejecting. Jesus made it very clear that all who believe in Jesus are received – by grace. In a way, God chooses every person to believe in Jesus but not all do. I think I must abandon the thought that Jesus – God in his love – rejects people simply because he wills it to be so. That is contrary to all Scripture. The choosing, I am convinced, that Paul is referring to here, has to do with God leveling the ground by the antoning work of Jesus so that both Jews and Gentiles enter in precisely the same way, through the finished work of Jesus. There is no other way possible.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
For he chose us. Both Jews and Gentiles. This is the mystery that Paul happily shared with everyone – Jesus’ atoning work opens the door to God for everyone who comes through Christ. The Covenant in Christ’s blood has no reference whatsoever to Israel or any other nation or culture.
Before the creation of the world. Some may think that God planned that only through the people called Israel would people truly know God. Then when Israel failed to be on an instrument of God’s purposes, he had to abandon that, his first plan and substitute another, less good. No, Paul asserts, the work of Jesus Christ to give himself so that all people everywhere could enjoy the fullness of life with God is not plan B, but was already accomplished in the heavenlies before the first star was hurled into space. Jesus was always the answer.
In Him. That means, “In Jesus.” It was set that Jesus is God’s sacrificial Lamb who, by the willful shedding of his blood, will break the power of sin and pronounce full forgiveness. This determination preceeded the calling of Abraham or the Law of Moses.
He chose us. Both Jews and Gentiles. We are all adopted. God has no "natural children" on the earth.
The purpose of God’s calling is not primarily to work for him or even to serve him but the calling of God, the choosing of God, is that we might be “holy and blameless” in his sight. Our calling is the call of a lover to come, walk closely with Him. It is a call of love, prompted by love, made possible by love and fulfilled in love. It is not perfection of the character – holiness is a love relationship that is so strong and firm that all of life revolves around that central, core relationship, God and me.
Of course, it is impossible to be holy and blameless by our own strength and determination. We need Jesus in whom to hide. He becomes our holiness, our blamelessness. Jesus was holy and blameless – now it is up to us to exhibit that same character, flawed though we may be.
In love he predestinated us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. Again, it all flows from God’s love, unfathomable yet as real and as essential as anything can possibly be.
It is difficult to describe the love of God because all we have are human, earth-bound words and concepts. We will need to wait until we are lifted into a realm where the “divine vocabulary” is used to describe the virtues of our wonderful God. In the meanwhile we use weak terms – like father/son to tell of the wonders of God’s love.
He predestinated us. It all begins in his loving heart. We can not choose. We can only accept or reject God. He alone does the choosing.
The more I think about this the more I am convinced that Paul is describing the nature of Jesus’ Kingdom – the door is completely open to anyone. We enter because of and through the atoning work of Jesus.
This choosing does not imply a flip side to the coin, on one side choosing and on the other side, rejecting. Jesus made it very clear that all who believe in Jesus are received – by grace. In a way, God chooses every person to believe in Jesus but not all do. I think I must abandon the thought that Jesus – God in his love – rejects people simply because he wills it to be so. That is contrary to all Scripture. The choosing, I am convinced, that Paul is referring to here, has to do with God leveling the ground by the antoning work of Jesus so that both Jews and Gentiles enter in precisely the same way, through the finished work of Jesus. There is no other way possible.
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