You have an enemy. Whether you are a follow of Christ or not you have an enemy, but if you are a follower you are in the war against him and his minions. Paul wraps up his letter with some powerful and meaty teaching about it. Verses 10-12 read,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Paul tells us to be strong, not in our own strength, talent, or wisdom, but in the Lord. We re exhorted to be strong in the Lord. But what does that mean? Remember this, who you are in Christ is different than who you were outside of Him. He gave you gifts. He has trained you, grown you, and moved you through trials. Exercise the faith, wisdom and discernment He gave you and use the gifts He endowed to you. Walk with God, remembering He is alongside you, within you, and you are in Him.

The next verse tells us further how to be strong in the Lord, we are to put on the whole armor of God. It is a choice to use all the gifts and tools we have been equipped with or to let them rust with inactivity. We are all in the battle, but we have a choice in regards to fighting or cowering, and to fight well or poorly.

This isn’t just any fight. We’re not fighting the lost people. They have the same enemy we do, they just don’t know he’s their enemy. It is important to remember that our enemies are not men and women. The lost the prisoners of war. Our enemy is Satan and his underlings the demons who infiltrate, do his bidding, and put the chains on those prisoners. They fight to keep you weak. They fight to keep you ineffective. They do whatever they can to stop you from breaking the POWs out of their prisons and to ensure the captives have no idea they are bound.

But know that you have nothing to fear from Satan much less his demons. You are not called to cower or recoil. You are called to be strong in the Lord and put on His protection. Paul says in verse 13,

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

If we put on all of God’s protection we will withstand and if we use His strength to be active in the war, we will stand firm. We will remain effective fighting warriors allowing Jesus to set the captives free. Let’s take a brief look at the armor we are to wear. And don’t worry it isn’t cumbersome, every piece helps us to stand and fight.

Verse 14,

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”

The belt of truth is the first piece of armor. The belt held up the soldiers’ tunic allowing him to run and move freely. The truth does that for us. John 8:44 describes Satan as a liar and murderer,

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Satan can only lie. And he lies well. He can make lies sound truthful, good, and beautiful. His lies can trip us up, keep us from believing we can fight, leave us tangled in the web of deceit unable to join in the battle. When we know the truth, we don’t have to second guess and trip over the lies that scoundrel tells. We don’t even have to listen to them!

One lie he likes to tell you is that we are not worthy to fight with Jesus, that you are too sinful to dare fight in the Lord’s army. But he’s wrong. The next piece of armor is the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate protected the soldier’s vital organs and kept him alive and able to use his weapons for fighting instead of trying to constantly protect his life. You do not have your own righteousness. But you do have Jesus’ righteousness. Romans 4:22-24 read,

“That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

We were credited with Jesus’ righteousness, not because of any work, not because we fight in the war, not because we pleased God but because we had faith, believed and live with Jesus as our Lord. Jesus’ righteousness gives us eternal life. Our heart is new, it is the temple of God and it is protected. The enemy can’t have our heart. It belongs to God.

Does it bring you joy and excitement to think about your salvation? It does me. Being saved, I want the POWs to be saved as well. And freeing the captives is one of our most important missions. So our next piece of armor is used for that assignment. Verse 15 reads,

“and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

You need shoes to walk well and far. Walking barefoot eventually your feet become bruised and painful, causing you to limp. Your feet need shoes to allow you to keep walking with God rather than limping along. Knowing the truth of the gospel, what you believe and why you believe it keeps you walking rather than limping.

Your feet are fitted with the readiness. What does that mean? 1 Peter 3:15 says,

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

You have to know what you believe and why you believe it. You have to keep Christ honored as your Lord. Your life should show that you belong to Jesus and cause people to ask about the hope, the difference they see in you. You should be able to answer them. You should be able to point them to Jesus, to the Gospel.

The lost have no idea they can have peace with God. They don’t know that God wants to reconcile with them, heal their wounds, and give them freedom and rest. It is our mission as operatives to tell them. We can’t tell them by standing still, we have to go and on order to go, we have to move our feet and travel to them.  Romans 10:13-15 read,

“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Verse 16 reads,

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

The shield allowed the soldier to stop weapons from hitting him. He kept it on him always and used it to stop the blows that might have injured him, weakened him and stopped him from being useful in the battle. Our shield is our faith. Faith means you know who God is. We trust completely in His power and strength. We believe He is our Savior, Creator, and the whole world and everything in it is His.

The enemy shoots a fiery arrow your way, but faith in God keeps it from touching you. 1 John 5:4-5 reads,

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

We know how the war ends. God wins, we win! We are already victorious and we keep fighting to complete our mission to free the captives with the gospel of peace. So as hard as the enemy wants to try and hurt us, he can’t. Keep the faith in all circumstances. All the arrows the devil throws our way bounce off the shield of faith and don’t even singe us. Satan can’t even get close to us, he has to fling arrows and hope we are not holding up our faith in order to hurt us. He only has the power to hurt us, if we let him.

Verse 17 reads,

“and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”

The helmet is the most important part of our protection. The breastplate covers the heart and lungs, but the helmet protects the brain. The brain is the control center for our entire body. It coordinates everything in order for us to live.

We can’t be in the Lord’s army unless we have Jesus’ Salvation. That salvation is what directs the faith, gospel, righteousness and truth to work together for our victory. Without salvation we can’t have faith. We can’t reconcile people to god, if we are not reconciled to Him. We have no righteousness without salvation. We do not know the truth.

The next part of our armor is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. The sword is the weapon of our armor. It takes training to use a sword well. It requires up close combat to use a sword. Unlike the enemy who fling mendacious arrows at us from a safe distance, we are fully involved with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.

The Spirit is powerful and He is Truth. When we read the word, He reveals it to us and helps us to understand it. He brings it back to us when we need to hear it. He speaks to us and guides us through every circumstance. But to use the sword well, we must be trained in it. He can’t remind us what He has said, if we never read it or listened to Him. We won’t even recognize His voice if we don’t spend time with Him.

The Word of God is powerful if we use it properly. Remember our mission is to free the captives and reconcile them to God. We have to get in there and use the sword as it was meant to be used. Remember just how powerful the Spirit is. He raised Christ from the dead. He brings people to their knees. He can and does do more than we imagine. He speaks to God for us when we don’t know how.

The word of God is a weapon more powerful than we realize Hebrews 4:12 describes it like this,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

In Jeremiah 23:29 God describes His word.

“Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

That is an amazing weapon. What good is it laying by your side? Pick it up, handle it, and use it. The truth of the Gospel is in the Word. The Love of God in the Word. Read it, hear it, speak it and do it.

One of the ways we use the sword of the Spirit is through prayer. Yes! Prayer is wielding the sword of the Spirit. Speaking to the Lord and hearing His Word and doing His Word through obedience makes a difference. Verses 18-20 read,

“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

When we pray we are actively exercising the powerful weapon we’ve been given. Asking the Lord to help us and help others, strengthens us, encourages us, equips us, and unites us. Paul ends this letter with verses 23-24.

“Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”

Love incorruptible. Nothing can sully God’s love, nothing can damage or rust it. The armor of God, like God is incorruptible. Have faith in Everlasting Awesome God. Be strong.

Ephesians Chapter 6 Verses 5-9

How’s your relationship with those in authority over you? How’s your relationship with those over whom you hold power or sway? God has something to say about these relationships, just like He had something to say about marriage and parent-child relationships. And like those, this earthly situation teaches us about heavenly things.

Even if you do not have a job, you probably have to nod to someone else’s control in some areas of your life. And regardless if you hold a supervisory position you likely have people who turn to you for decisions and direction from time to time.

Verse 5 reads,

“Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,”

That is asking a lot! You are supposed to obey your boss the way you would Christ? Has Paul met your boss? She is arrogant, knows not even half as much as you do, and only got her position because of nepotism. You’re right, your boss is not perfect. Neither are you. God gave her that position and He gave her that authority. Proverbs 8:15-16 read,

“By me kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.”

He tells us we are to submit to the powers He puts in place 1 Peter 2:13-14 read,

“Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good”

Just a few verses down 1 Peter 2:18-19 read,

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.”

So even if your boss is evil incarnate, even if she makes your life a living hell, God expects you to obey her.

Ephesians 6 goes on to say that you are not only supposed to act nice, humble, and obedient in front of your boss, you are supposed to strive do to well and please her when she can’t see you. Verses 6-7 put it like this,

“not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,”

Recognizing that it is God who gave her the position and power allows you to see that serving her is really serving God. What can your humble attitude teach her? What can your consistent kindness and enthusiastic obedience demonstrate to her? Although it is difficult to serve a tyrannical person, it is hard to be kind to someone who views you as less than themselves, God promises your sacrifice will be honored. It may never be noted by your boss, but God does see it. Verse 8 reads,

“knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.”

God isn’t saying, every day that you are nice to you the boss you’ll come home to a lollipop, He is saying that the good you do has a return and a reward. God is paying attention. The world is paying attention. Maybe your boss will not ever care about your good attitude. Or maybe she will note it and you will be given a better position, higher pay and a better relationship with her. Perhaps your good attitude will have her or your co-workers asking about Jesus. Maybe you are storing treasures in Heaven.

When your boss is awful to you, when you are punished unjustly and you react with humility and goodness there is a reward not only for you but for everyone watching. 1 Peter 2:20-21 says,

“For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

You are the example of Christ to the world. Your interactions, responses, and attitude can lead people to Him or away from Him.

It is not only those who are over us we have to treat well. We have to make sure that we glorify God in our interactions with those under us as well. Verse 9 says,

“Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”

Paul doesn’t have to spell it all out, he says, “Masters, do the same to them.” Treat them as if they are Jesus with sincerity, do the will of God and please God. Paul adds “stop your threatening” to his statement. I think that many of us in trying to exert authority, really try to wield control and revert to threats to get our way. Do you do that? Is your management more like bullying? Have you intimidated someone with punishment to exercise dominance? That isn’t how God works with us and He doesn’t want us to oppress someone into docility and submission.

God warns of the real consequences that happen if we follow Him. He gives us free will to choose to follow or go our own way. He then lets the natural consequences take effect. He also forgives completely and freely every single transgression, every sin from bad thought to serial murder just for the asking.

He is merciful. He expects the same of us. God doesn’t think Billy Graham is a better person than Charles Manson. They are both the same except that Billy Graham accepted the free gift of grace and when God looks at Mr. Graham He sees him through Jesus’ blood. There is no preference or favoritism with God. The rules are the same for everyone! You believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you are saved whether you are a heroin addicted hooker or a nun feeding the poor in India.

He asks us to be merciful as well. We are to treat people equally without bias. One person doesn’t get our favor, while another gets ignored if we truly seek to please God. God doesn’t pick and choose whom He will save. He gives every person the same choice and same opportunity.

Glorify God by showing the same fairness and open-mindedness to every person you come into contact with, especially those under your authority. Remember who gave that position to you.

As children of God and Followers of Christ filled with the Holy Spirit, we are expected to conduct ourselves in a certain way. We've discussed that over the last several days. Our relationship with God should also be reflected in our relationships with people. If we say we love God but that love doesn't manifest in our earthly relationships, then we are kidding ourselves. John put it like this in 1 John 4:19-21

“We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

He calls us liars! He says we can’t love God if we can’t love our brothers. In fact loving our brothers is how we prove our love for God. Loving others is the command that Jesus gave us that encompasses all the law of the new covenant. In John 13:3-35 Jesus said,

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We can see the importance of our earthly relationships to Jesus. It is clear that they have meaning. In Ephesians chapter 5 Paul taught that the marriage relationship was a mirror of our relationship with Christ. Now He talks about a couple of other types of relationships. He begins chapter 6 of his letter talking about the parent-child relationship. Verses 1-4 read,

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Since other relationships and earthly things echo heavenly things, I believe this relationship teaches us about our relationship with the Father. The difference being that our human fathers and mothers are not perfect. God’s love is complete perfect and flawless. Our dads are only human. We cannot expect our mortal dads to be our Abba Father. But we still strive to live this relationship the way God meant for us to.

The first thing Paul says is, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” Obedience to one’s parents is not always easy. When we are young we are still learning and we have to obey blindly. Daddy says a stern “No” when we reach for the interesting electrical outlet and if we ignore him and try to touch it anyway, we get a quick punishment. We have no idea why we are not allowed to touch the outlet. We don’t know why Mommy won’t let us touch the pretty candle and its flickering flame but she won’t. But one day we learn one of the reasons behind the bizarre rules. One day when Mommy doesn't notice we reach up to the high shelf for that beautiful thing she is always saying “do not touch.” And as we get our excited and curious little fingers on it, it falls off the shelf, and hits us on the head before falling to the floor and breaking. Mommy doesn't have to say “no” this time. Our head hurts, our foot is bleeding where we stepped on a piece of the broken figurine. The consequences told us the what we didn't know before. We should have listened and trusted.

As we grow up, obeying remains difficult because now although we often understand the reasons behind the rules. We want to break out from the rules and discover ourselves. Too often as adolescents we think our parents do not understand us. But the truth is our parents know us better than we know ourselves. They understand because they were once our age. They no longer have the raging hormones wreaking havoc on their minds or emotions, but even if they don’t remember how difficult it was, they know it is happening. Now they teach us by giving us the rules and letting the consequences of breaking or keeping them teach us. They try to talk to us and guide us through this very difficult time and sometimes we let them in and sometimes we don’t.

When we are finally mature we can look back and see our parent’s wisdom and love in their methods. We can establish a new deeper relationship with them as adults.

Can you see your relationship and path with God exhibited in the relationship with your parents? Learning to trust your parents taught you to easier trust your Heavenly Father. He teaches us and guides us to help us to mature in Him and become like Him. How many times have you surprised yourself to see your mother or father displayed in your actions and dealings? I've spoken and realized the words I spoke were my father’s words. I've looked in the mirror and seen my mother’s face.

God knows best. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows you better than your parents know you. He made you. He brought you into this world. He made you. Psalm 139:13-14 reads,

“For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.”

He has known you and chosen you from the moment He created you. Psalm 71:5-6 reads,

“For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.”

Paul next tells us to Honor our mother and father. He also says, this command comes with a promise. If you honor your parents “it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” It doesn’t say you will live a long life. It says you may live long in the land. You will know God sooner and you will live in the Kingdom of God longer than a person who rebelled, refused to honor his earthly parents and had to come to the promise of grace and rest from further away. Lost is lost. It doesn’t matter if you are ½ mile off course or 100 miles off course, you are still lost. But the person who is not as far away from the target he is seeking will probably find it sooner than the person out in the wilderness searching.

If you honor your parents, you are that much closer to understanding how to honor God. Do you honor your parents? Do you say, “But my parents are not worth honoring?” God still wants you to honor them. Find it in you to see this, God chose them to be your parents. He picked them. They had exactly the right qualities to create exactly the right you. He chose them because the life they gave you shaped your personality just as much as the DNA they gave you. God honored them by electing them to give you life. And they did. You may not like the life they provided, but God chose them. He was with you through every step of your life from conception to now. Psalm 22:9-11 reads,

“Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.”

Whether you had a good childhood or not, God has asked you to honor your parents. It is the 5th commandment of “the big 10.” The first after the commandments that direct how we are to interact with God. The first of the commandments that tell us how to interact with the world. It comes before telling us not to murder, lie, steal, commit adultery, or covet. That is a big deal.

So how do we honor our parents? What does that mean? To honor means to value, respect, or esteem. It means to understand and acknowledge their worth. We honor God by obeying Him. We honor God by loving Him and praising His name. We honor Him by living and walking in the manner He has asked us to, a manner that reflects or imitates who He is. We honor our parents then by recognizing the value they have to God and to us. Remember they gave us life. Obey them. Make them proud by living a good life. We honor our parents by loving them. God loves them. God chose them for you. You honor God, by honoring your parents.

This chapter section is entitled “Wives and Husbands” and I know that I personally have skimmed it because I didn’t feel it pertained to me since I am single. But it does affect me. I know some people who felt it did concern them but misused it, or ignored it because they didn’t like what it said. But they are reading it through fleshly eyes and not spiritual eyes.

Verses 22-24 read,

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”

Are the more barbarous husbands cheering? Are the feminists groaning? Let’s dig in together and find out what this means. Verse 32 reads,

“This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”

God gave us marriage as a picture of Christ and the church. The church is often referred to as the Bride of Christ. We are His beloved bride and He is our Redeemer and Bridegroom. So when wives are commanded to submit to their husbands as the head, they are being commanded to reflect the relationship they have with Christ.

Does Jesus order us about and make life difficult? Does He shout and yell to get His way? Does He force His will on ours? Never. Submission to Christ is easy, because we know He loves us deeply and completely. We know He wants what is best for us. We let Him do the leading, because He is leading us into a deeper relationship with Him, He is leading us to a place of spiritual purity, and He is leading us down a path that requires a guide. We couldn’t go there without Him.

We serve Him out of joy and gratitude. We gladly do what we can for Him. He gives is gifts, we use them for Him. We honor Him as our Lord and leader. We don’t nag. We don’t tell Him His ways are wrong. We lean on Him and depend on Him. Are you doing the same for your husband? Do you openly listen to him and follow his lead?

It is easier for us to grasp the idea of submission when we can see a concrete example of it. Marriage provides that illustration. When you are married, you understand that you have to give up many of the desires you had before you joined your life to another. You get better goals in return. Did you always want to visit Machu Picchu when you were single? Getting married meant that you might have had to sacrifice that dream because your budget couldn’t save for a home and travel to exotic places. You gave up Machu Picchu and took the family to Disney World instead. Would you really rather have remained single and childless in order to see some mountain? Disney World with your husband and children is probably something you would never give up now, even if you never thought you wanted it before.

Submission to Christ is like that. We give Him the reigns of our lives. We find that things we used to want get changed and we want what He wants. He gives us new, better, different opportunities and experiences we would never have known before we followed Him. I lived my life desperate to be a wife and mother. But in submission to Jesus that dream dissipated and now I am an author, I have a street ministry, a blog, a volunteer position, and the honor of helping my parents in their home. Had I been married, I couldn’t have done any of those things the way I do them now. My old goal is gone replaced with a better path.

The Neanderthals that quote verses 22-24 to their wives like to ignore the next section. While wives are told to submit to husbands as the church to Christ, husbands are commanded to love their wives like Christ loves the church. To me, it seems the husbands have much more to do and live up to in this relationship. Verse 25 reads,

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”

How did Jesus love the church? He gave up His godhood and humbled Himself to be born a man. He lived perfectly. He served people. He sacrificed His life. Husbands do you love your wife like that? Are you the king of your home, expecting to be treated as such? Or are you like Jesus humble and gentle and serving? Do you endeavor to imitate God and follow Jesus completely so that you can lead your wife properly? Are you your wife’s redeemer? Do you protect, rescue, and provide for her completely? Does she need to nag you? Or do you actively listen to her and give her what she needs (including your friendship)?

Jesus’ love for us sanctified us and made us able to receive the rewards of the promise of eternity. His love for us made us like Him, perfect and without blemish. Even though we are flawed, Jesus love sees us through the cover of His blood and we are made worthy to have a relationship with God.

Jesus’ love for us guides us into more wisdom and conformity to His image. The longer we are in the relationship, the more we look like Him and behave like Him. Do you act and behave in a way that you want your wife to act? Do you lead by example?

Jesus’ love leads us into a continually deepening relationship with Him. His love is so big, so all encompassing and amazing. His love causes us to love Him more and more. Husbands, does your love for your wife cause her to love you more every day or make her regret the choice to marry you? Do you speak together often? Do you watch out for her, keep her safe and provided for? Jesus’ love for you does that, your love for your wife should be the same.

Are you and your spouse united completely? Are you so united that you are one flesh and inseparable? Verses 28-31 read,

“In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Under the old covenant a man could divorce his wife if he chose to. Under the new covenant Jesus in Matthew 5:31-32 says, “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Under the new covenant, there is no divorce except for sexual immorality. You cannot be separated from communion with Christ and you cannot be separated from your spouse. Rather than divorce, you forgive, you work through the problems. You work out your marriage with sweat and perseverance. You can’t throw it away. Sexual immorality is grounds for divorce because sexual immorality is a sin against oneself. But even in that case, Jesus doesn’t divorce us. In fact in John 8:1-11 Jesus forgave an adulterous woman. In His example even adultery should be forgiven and divorce shouldn’t happen.

Jesus’ love forgave every sin and every flaw and sees us as perfect. Husband, does your love of your wife forgive her completely or does it hold onto infidelities and other transgressions? If it does then you are not loving your wife as Jesus loves you. For a more complete look at what Jesus love for you looks like read 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

Verses 32-33 end this chapter,

“This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband”

Both husbands and wives have an active role in the relationship with one another. Just as in our relationship with God, we and Jesus have active roles. Submit to Jesus. Respect Him. And remember that you are the temple of God. He resides in you and you are the demonstration of Jesus to the world. So love others the way Jesus loves you.

Ephesians 5:1-21

Although I do not condone following a list of rules, or conforming to the image of the “Stepford Christian,” I do think that our heart condition will exhibit itself in our behavior. If we are all walking together being conformed to the image of Christ, then we will resemble one another as we resemble Jesus. There is the harvest of the Spirit, and the harvest of the flesh. I also believe that we must strive to choose which fruit will be produced.

These verses compare two types of behavior, how we as Christ Followers and imitators of God should conduct ourselves and how we should not. Our conduct has an effect on us and others.

Verses 3-4 read,

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

Dirty jokes and talk put sexually immoral thoughts in people’s minds, those thoughts if held unchecked lead to lust, and even acting on that lust. We’re better than that. We are not a bunch of sex-obsessed construction workers or hormone-ridden adolescents, we are saints, God’s children and friends, followers of Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit.  Our behavior and words reflect our hearts. If we have Jesus in our hearts, if we have the Spirit within us, shouldn’t our behavior and words reflect Him?

Our entire lives should indicate that we are children of God. What we do in front of the church should be the same as what we do in the midst of friends and behind closed doors in secret. Verses 11-12 read,

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.”

If you have those shameful secrets there is one sure way to eliminate them. Confess them and give them to Jesus. Appropriately sharing them with trusted Brothers or Sisters in Christ exposes them to the light. When you no longer have to hide your shame, you can repent. You will have the Spirit helping you and encouraging you and you will have your fellow believers encouraging you as well. There is no condemnation in Christ. Baring the secrets that keep you chained to sin lets the Light of Christ shine down and show you those chains can’t hold you. You applied them after Christ freed you. Sin has no power over you when the Light of Christ shines through you. Verses 13-14 read,

“But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Exposing your sin brings you closer to Jesus, glorifies Him, and because of that can actually bring others to Christ.

As saints, our behavior should be based on wisdom, love and truth, not on gratifying our whims and flesh. We are the children of God. Our manner reflects Him. Glorifying God means rather than indulge our flesh we seek to please God and fulfil His desires and will. Verses 15-16 read,

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

What is the will of the God? He wants us to love one another. He wants everyone to come to a relationship with Him. He wants you to know Him deeply. When we act in accordance with His will, our demeanor will be like Him. Verses 18-21 put it like this,

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

This is not a list of rules to follow. 1. Address one another in psalms. Check! 2. Make melody to the Lord. Check! 3. Give thanks always. Check! It is the consequence of being filled with the Holy Spirit of being in love with Him and wanting what He wants. When we revere Christ, we not only love one another we submit to one another. We would rather satisfy one another’s wishes over our own. What is it to revere? It is show devoted deferential honor, to regard as worthy, to admire, respect and worship.

When we are filled with the Spirit rather than meet up, speak crudely, and encourage one another to sin. We meet up, greet each other in love, walk beside one another in love, and encourage one another to a deeper walk with Christ.

Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 1-2

In Ephesians chapter 4 we read about unity and about choosing to walk like Jesus rather than look and act like the lost. In chapter 5 Paul expounds on that idea. Verse 1reads,

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”

Be imitators of God, as beloved children! What? How can I imitate God? How can I emulate my Father? Verse 2 continues,

 “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

We emulate the Father by following Christ, by walking how He did, doing what He did, and loving as He did. We love. In a dilemma we choose to love. Every day we decide to intentionally love. We love others as Jesus loved us. We have His example to follow. He loved others perfectly. The gospels recorded His birth, His ministry, His death, and His resurrection and ascension. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote His words for us, they wrote about various situations and how Jesus dealt with them. We have His example. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7 gives us His words and thoughts on a number of topics.

John 15:12 reads,

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

This is one of my favorite verses. But you may ask, what it means to love as Jesus loves. Well He expands on that in the very next verses 13-17

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

Jesus gave up His life for us. His love for you and me made Him sacrifice Himself for our good. We may not be called on to surrender our lives but we are called to give sacrifice for each other or for the commonwealth of believers. My friend and pastor Robert Gordon, demonstrated Jesus’ love for me one night when he sacrificed precious time with his family and a good night’s sleep to comfort me in the hospital. My friend Teresa sacrificed money she had put away for other things to buy my sisters groceries when they had nothing. I sacrificed my pride when I forgave a person who had wounded me deeply and caused me to lose my job and position. Time, money, pride, and possessions are only some of what we forfeit in love for one another.

We love others by being obedient to God and serving Him. Servitude to God is not like service to a worldly king. He is not a tyrant. He is Love. And He considers His children as friends. He doesn’t just shoot out orders and expect obedience, He partners with us, and He lets us in on the plans and the secrets.

He asks us to bear fruit, not just any fruit, but fruit that will remain. Permanent fruit like the transformation He works in us, like more disciples, and changed lives are the fruit that abides.

He gives us an amazing promise when we intentionally love others as He loved us. That promise is also another way we manifest His Spirit and Love others. He promises that whatever we ask in His name, as His representatives in love, will be given to us! That is pretty big!

Do you say, but Jesus is the Son of God! How can I love the way He loved? He is God, He did amazing things like heal, raise people from the dead, and speak with truth and authority. In John 14:12-17 Jesus said,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

Jesus said whoever believes in Him will do what He did and greater! He didn't say a few people, like my Apostles, will do the works I do and greater. He said whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and greater. Just ask as Jesus’ delegate, in His name and He will do it! You can do what Jesus did because He gave you His Spirit. He is living in you, He is with you. He allows you to know the truth and look at the world with His eyes, love them with His heart and hands, and do what Jesus did, even greater works than Jesus did are possible because you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. The Holy Spirit teaches you to do what Jesus would do and makes it possible for you to do what He did.

So today I encourage you, Believer to imitate God, follow Christ, and manifest the Spirit. I encourage you to make your life a fragrant offering to the Lord.

Ephesians 4:17-32

Are you a covert Christian? Do you live like the world? Are you indistinguishable from an unbeliever? That just shouldn’t be the case. I’m not saying you have to follow church traditions. I’m not saying you can’t drink, smoke, cuss, or whatever. I’m not even saying you can’t go out get a hooker and cheat on your spouse. What I am saying is, when you became a Christ Follower, God entered you. He indwells you. The Holy Spirit in His infinite power, wisdom, and love began working in you, changing, you and conforming you to the image of Christ. You should be discernable from the world. You should be distinctly different from them. The Holy Spirit does the work, but you choose to embrace the change or to bury it. It is a choice to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in you, and to exhibit His power, gifts, and fruit.

In verse 17 Paul says,

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.”

Paul says we must no longer walk as the Gentiles (unbelievers) do. It is a choice, do you walk left or right. Do you meet your needs or your neighbors? Do you speak gossip about your co-worker or do you abstain from the group and the activity? Do you let your anger fly and cuss out or speak harshly to the gossiper or do you speak encouragement and truth to her? These are choices.

If you want to sing, you do not simply sit and hope an aria pours out of your mouth, you open your mouth and sing. If you want to sing well, you take lessons, you practice, and you rehearse. If you want to truly demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, you choose to exercise love, kindness, peace, joy, goodness, gentleness, faith, patience, and self-control.

The world can’t choose to exercise those qualities in earnest because they don’t have the Spirit. He is not at work inside them, He is at work outside them through you. They seek to serve themselves, even when it seems they are selfless. Their selflessness often meets their own needs and desires. Everyone wants to be happy. Most people want to be healthy and comfortable. The world seeks to fill those desires. We are different. We have the Father. We have Christ. We have the Holy Spirt. He is actively molding us to the image of Christ. He has made us a new creation. Verses 20-24 read,

“But that is not the way you learned Christ!--21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Once again the choice is there. You choose to put off who you used to be and how you used to live. You choose to stop seeking your own desires and instead desire what God does. You let God renew your mind, changing your will from the former selfishness to the new mind created in the likeness of God. It is not a false goodness, a fake piety, or a phony selflessness. Our new mind is the mind of Christ, true righteousness and holiness.

Paul says, just put away all the sins of your past. Stop living as if you are not God’s child, saved by Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit! He says you can stop living the way you used to live. Were you a liar? Stop lying and be honest with people, seek truth and speak truth. (Verse 25). Were you stealing? Work hard, earn your living honestly. (Verse 28).

One of the most common ways that we give into our self-centered flesh is by giving into our anger. Anger in itself is not a sin. Sometimes we are angry over something we should be angry about, like injustices against those who are not strong enough to stand up for themselves. Sometimes our anger is more selfish, things didn’t work out how we hoped. But how you express your anger, what you do with it, and how long you stew in it can be sinful. When you hold onto your anger and play with it, you give the enemy a chance to come in and tempt you to sin, and avalanche your sin and self-seeking nature. Verses 26-27 read,

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.”

How can you not sin in your anger? Express it appropriately, express it in your new self with the fruit of the Spirit. Use self-control. Don’t seek to mollify yourself but seek to right the wrong that angered you or you seek to learn from the situation. And if what angered you was because you didn’t get your own way, then repent and let that go. Put off your old self. Forgive whoever angered you just as God forgave you.

The tongue is another way many of us look and act like the world. I’ve caught myself saying, “I can’t help it.” But I can. You can! We have self-control! We have a choice. We can choose to speak or remain quiet. We can choose to speak goodness or wickedness. Verse 29 says,

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Is what you say going to break down and hurt someone or help them and build them up? Are your words like acid that debase a person or are they truth and love that build on or offer the foundation of Christ? God was graceful to you, you should be graceful to those around you. Truthful words and harsh words are not the same. Exhortation and criticism are vastly different. Don’t give into the lie that you are being frank and speaking with “tough love,” when you are really just being callous, unforgiving, and mean. There are occasions and people that can handle more exhortation than others. Those occasions are with a person whom you love and loves you just as much, when you both are Christ followers and you are not in public. Then you may say, “Brother, I’ve noticed you’re hurting and may be drinking too much” or “Sister, I understand you’ve been stressed, but I think the way you spoke to our sister was insensitive, and she’s very hurt.”

Verses 30-31 read,

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

Holding onto your past self and giving excuses to your selfish behavior grieves the Holy Spirit. It makes His work seem meaningless when you ignore it and choose to live like the world. So instead, let it go. Let your old self die. Your old self was crucified with Christ, stop resurrecting it.

Verse 32 ends the chapter with advice you can choose to follow. Advice to intentionally exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:7-16

Believer, you have at least one spiritual gift, and you were given it for a reason.  Verses 7-10 read,

“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

When Jesus ascended to Heaven after His earthly life and resurrection, He gave believers the gift of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:4-7 Jesus told the disciples about Him.

“But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

 “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

Earlier Jesus spoke to the disciples about The Holy Spirit as well. John 14:15-20 reads,

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”

Because of Jesus’ grace, He gave you the Comforter. But only followers of Jesus can receive Him. Jesus told His followers that they knew Him. How could they know Him, if He wasn’t there yet? Because He, Jesus was with them and they knew Him. Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit are all One. They are God, the same perfectly unified God.

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended to fill Christians. He brought gifts as well. He not only filled us with His inexhaustible power, His magnificent glory, and His vast wisdom, but He also brought with Him spiritual gifts and gave each of us at least one.

Verse 11 reads,

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,”

There are lists of gifts found in several passages of Scripture including here, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Romans 12:5-8, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. These are not the only places they are mentioned but they give us a list of about 16 gifts (what I gleaned and I know I missed some. I highly recommend you find out what your gift is and that you use it.

Finding out what your gift is gives you more confidence in using it and makes you want to use it more. We were given these gifts for a reason. Several, in fact. We are not meant to sit and waste them. 1 Peter 4:10 says we are to be good stewards of the gifts, meaning we are to use them. 1 Corinthians 12:7 calls the spiritual gifts manifestations of the Spirit. They are the demonstration of God in us.

Why are we given these great gifts? What are we supposed to do with them? Ephesians 4 verses 12-14 tell us,

“to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

God equips us, He prepares us for the work of ministry. Yes, you are expected to and are capable to do the work of ministry. He also gives us the tools for building up the body of Christ. That means using our gifts for the benefit of our fellow believers as we all grow closer to God. We continue maturing together, becoming more faithful, more discerning and more loving, in other words, more like Christ until we are completely like Him. When will we have reached the measure of the fullness of Christ? Does it usually take two weeks, two years, or twenty years? We will reach fullness or completion on the Day when we reach New Jerusalem and enjoy eternity with Christ. We will be transformed in a moment and finally we will be perfected.

But we strive for it now. We don’t want to live life like the world chasing every new idea and taking up this doctrine or that creed, and then dropping it for the next wise sounding guru. We are founded on Christ. He never changes. He has stayed the same forever.

Our gifts help us to mature and become more Christ like because they are the expression and materialization of God in us. The Holy Spirit is not a good feeling. He is God. He is not a powerful high. He is God. He dwells within us. He works in us and changes us, and He makes it possible for us to join Him in the ministry of reconciliation and bring the lost to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).

If we are all more like Christ and we have common goals then we are joined together in our work and in our mindset. Verses 15-16 read,

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

We are joined or fused together. We are integrated. We are armed with our spiritual gifts and with The Spirit Himself. So that we will continue to grow closer, more mature, more loving, and even more united.

The Spirit allows us to speak to each other the truth in love. We can be transparent, completely honest with each other because of the love in us and for each other. We don’t have to be defensive because there is no condemnation in Christ. (Romans 8:1). We don’t have to be prideful because His is a spirit of humility and gentleness. (Matthew 11:29). That allows us to work together, not with one trying to be more important than another or one trying to get more glory than another, but together as one body. The only thing we are supposed to outdo each other in is loving and honoring each other. (Romans 12:10).

 

Ephesians 3 14-21

This amazing section consists of two sentences in eight verses, but they are intense. There is so much depth I imagine I could spend days or weeks on them and not extract all the treasure they hold. I encourage to read the section for yourself and see that you may mine different gold than I have. I will spend a little time on each verse today and quarry a nugget or two to encourage us through the day and give us even more reason to praise the Lord.

Verses 14-15 read,

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,”

We worship and submit to God because of the salvation He gave us and is offering to anyone who asks. He is our Father. We are named for God, Jesus. We are in His Family, adopted to be His heirs. Because we are named for Him, we represent Him and our family throughout our lives. What we do and how we react is reflected on our brothers and sisters all over the world. It is reflected on God. We are Christians, we are Children of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and we have a name in Heaven that we don’t know yet. (Revelation 2:17). Names have meaning. In the Bible, people’s names said something about them, their personality, their purpose, or their relationship with God. So our names also have meaning, the name we will receive in Heaven, the name that identifies us as Believers, and the name that denotes us as belonging to God. These names are an honor and we should reflect that honor.

Verse 16 reads,

“that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

God has an endless depth of triumph, brilliance, and beauty and from that glory He strengthens us through His Spirit. Whatever we go through, no matter how weak we feel, He is with us and His power gives us the strength to endure. His presence is the power that allows us to persevere and overcome every obstacle and further glorifies God. He is not glorified when we depend on our own limited strength. He is glorified when we let Him be our strength and our power. His strength is immeasurable. It never ends. It never gives in. He gives that might to us. It is God who makes us potent.

Verse 17 reads,

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”

Because we submitted to the Father and He gave us a new name and identity and the Spirit indwelled us with strength and faith, Christ abides in the essence of our being, our hearts. Jesus who is the personification of perfect love lives in us and gives us a new foundation. Our Cornerstone, our Rock gives us the base and substance of love. We are able to love like He loves because of His love. We can love because He loved us first.

Verses 18-19 say,

“may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

It takes that power, it requires the Spirit to even begin to grasp the vastness and completeness of Christ’s love. Because we have the Holy Spirit we can realize it, but without Him, no one can know it. And we can never completely know it in the present. So we always seek it more and first. Dioko Agape.

In seeking His perfect, abundant, and infinite love God fills us with His fullness. We are filled with His Spirit, with His glory, with His desires and joys. We share in His nature, gifts, and power. We are filled with His richness, completeness, and abundance. We are not simply given a portion or shadow but are stuffed to overflowing with the fullness of God.

Verses 20-21 read,

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

The lives we live glorify God forever and through every generation after us. His power is infinite. He can do more than we can ever dream and more than we can consider asking for. Nothing is outside the realm of possibilities with God. We don’t even know what to ask for, but God knows what is best for us and what will bring about our transformation and His glory. So He works within us and that work is huge. Look back at your salvation. Consider your transformation. Think about the miracles, provision, and protection over your life and your heart. The power that did that is incalculable. The authority and force that accomplished that is within you. God, the Holy Spirit in your spirit, God, the Son, Jesus Christ in your core has done that.

What more does He have in store for you? I encourage you to continue pursuing to know Him more, to carry on seeking to love Him more and love others with His love, and to take joy in His fullness by making use of it and glorifying God everywhere and every moment.

Ephesians 3 1-13

You have a mission, should you choose to accept it. You are in possession of secrets. You must choose what to do with those confidences.

When you were saved The Holy Spirit revealed things to you. What is mysterious to the world, what doesn’t make sense and is even foolish to them, God made understandable to you. One of those mysteries is that Salvation is available to everyone. The law was given to Israel and they thought that only they would be able to have a full relationship with God. They were His chosen people, His children, given special protection, promises, and the covenant of Law. But through Christ, any one regardless of their origins may come to know God and can be saved. Paul puts it this way in verse 6,

“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

You may think that is obvious and not the slightest bit enigmatic but to those without The Holy Spirit, it is baffling. It is inexplicable that God would offer them rescue from death and hopelessness without strings attached. It doesn’t make sense to them that He loves them so dearly that He gave up His only begotten Son to be able to adopt them as sons. It is beyond understanding that we are heirs to the One True and Living Almighty God.

That secret was revealed to you though and you are not meant to keep it confidential. You were given a job, a mission to share it with someone. You were made specifically for a ministry. Paul’s ministry was groundbreaking at the time. He was to preach Jesus to the gentiles, or those who were not Jewish. At the time it was unheard of. Verses 7-9 describe it this way.

“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,”

Peter’s ministry was to the Jewish people. Timothy was pastor of the church in Ephesus. You were given a ministry as well. When you received the gift of God’s grace it came with responsibility. You were made a steward or manager of that grace. Now you might not be called to lead a church or start an orphanage but your ministry is no less important. You may not be Billy Graham but you are no less able. Maybe you don’t have John’s eloquence, Peter’s passion, or Paul’s candor but you do have spiritual gifts and talents and most of all you have the Holy Spirit. You have His amazing power. You have a soft spot for someone. Is it prisoners, single parents, or teenagers? That is who you were given a ministry to share the gospel with. Is your talent baking? Is your gift kindness? That is how you are meant to share the truth of God’s love. You have confidence because you have the ability to communicate with God anytime. You have the promises of salvation. Do you need anything else?

Why should you share the gospel of Jesus Christ? Verse 10 answers,

“so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

Because God wants everyone to know His deep love, His inexhaustible grace, promises, and love. Because when you become a good guardian of the treasure of grace and love God gave you, you administer it wisely and it increases hugely. It becomes so big that even the angels will talk about it.

You have a mission but it is not impossible. You have a mission but rather than keep secret and work covertly, you are to reveal the secret and work overtly. You have a mission whether you choose to accept it or not.