Author: SFJ Bible

Ephesians 4

Unity in the Body of Christ

4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 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.”¹

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?² 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds³ and teachers,⁴ 12 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,⁵ 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. 15 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.

The New Life

17 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. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 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,⁶ 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.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 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. 30 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. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Footnotes

[1] 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women

[2] 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?

[3] 4:11 Or pastors

[4] 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers

[5] 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man

[6] 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24

(ESV)

Ephesians 3

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is¹ that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 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 in² God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family³ in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 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.

20 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.

Footnotes

[1] 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4

[2] 3:9 Or by

[3] 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

(ESV)

Ephesians 2

By Grace Through Faith

2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body¹ and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.² 4 But³ God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,⁴ but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by⁵ the Spirit.

Footnotes

[1] 2:3 Greek flesh

[2] 2:3 Greek like the rest

[3] 2:4 Or And

[4] 2:19 Or sojourners

[5] 2:22 Or in

(ESV)

Ephesians 1

Greeting

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful¹ in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us² for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known³ to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee⁴ of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,⁵ to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love⁶ toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Footnotes

[1] 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)

[2] 1:5 Or before him in love, 5having predestined us

[3] 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known . . .

[4] 1:14 Or down payment

[5] 1:14 Or until God redeems his possession

[6] 1:15 Some manuscripts omit your love

(ESV)

Going Deeper

Galatians 2-6 (1.12.19)

Grab your Bible, and let’s go deeper into Galatians 6.

Read: Galatians 6:1-5

Right out the door, we see Paul is speaking to Christians who are or have been falling into sin (verse 1), working through suffering and troubles (verse 2) and struggling with jealousy and comparisons (verses 3-5). What Paul is doing here is building on chapter five’s teaching on “those who walk in the Spirit will have the fruit of the spirit.” He is now saying to those Spirit filled Christians, “Here are some practical responses of how the Spirit through you cares for people who are struggling in these matters.”

Let’s break it down: Who is Paul saying we should help?

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression …

We should help a brother or sister in Christ! As a general rule, Christians are not to confront non-Christians about sinful behavior, because what they need to change is not accountability. They need the power to change, which only comes in Christ. They need Jesus—not reprimand.

Accountability and exhortation are for the redeemed family of God. Non-believers cannot understand the ways of godly living because they are spiritually dead. Their entire spiritual solar system is out of whack. To become a Christian is to gain a completely new center to your solar system. It is only through Christ that godly living is understandable and doable.

Accountability is for a brother or sister in Christ who is caught in any transgression or “caught in sin.” This is sin that is repeated, being practiced unrepentantly, or sin that is clearly evident. “Caught” means the person is in a state of blindness or denial, as they somehow persist in believing they are not out of step with the gospel. They need to be woken from their drunken stupor of sin. Side note: If a person brings up their own sin, they are not caught; they are seeking repentance and help, and this is different. The person you catch in sin must be woken up. This typically means a more direct and serious consequence.

First of all, who should do this restoring? “… you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” You who are spiritual.

This is not saying the spiritually elite, the robe wearers, those who have “tenure” in their faith. This is not left only to the leaders and overseers of our organization. No, “you who are spiritual” is anyone who is walking in Holy Spirit. Anyone who is walking in the Holy Spirit can and should do this. Why? Because the Spirit will lead and not your pride! It is someone who is “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18), “walking by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16, 25), “bearing the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22, 23).

He is saying, “If you are walking by the Spirit and as a result the fruit of the Spirit is coming out of you, there is work to be done. An assignment has been given to you: brothers and sisters in Christ who need your humble, kind, patient service to come alongside them.”  This is how God has set the table for us to be able to thrive in the midst of a bloody and hard battle.

What is Paul saying we, “who are Spiritual,” should do?  Answer: The Ministry of Truth and the Ministry of Tears. As the fruit of the Spirit moves through us, it is beneficial to our bothers and sisters in Christ and propels us into two ministries or responses to sin or struggle in the family. One is when we are direct in love with truth, and the other is when we are empathetic in love with tears.

The Ministry of Truth

In John 11, Mary and Martha are found mourning Lazarus’s death. Upon Jesus’ arrival, Martha says to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus says, “He will live.” She says, “Yes, on resurrection day.”  Jesus looks at her and says, “I am the Resurrection!” He sets her straight. This is the Ministry of TRUTH. Sometimes we just need the truth, plain and simple. Because God is Truth! The Church is called to admonish each other in the TRUTH of God. This is the foundation of what we, the body of Christ, are to do.

Colossians 1:28 (NASB) We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.

The Ministry of Truth is this: you who are spiritual should “restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” Restore, in Greek (ka-tart-izo), translates as “to return to former condition; to set a dislocated bone back into place.” Now we don’t run up to each other every time we see what looks like a sin or struggle and look to set them straight in God’s truth. Only when another believer is caught or the sin is evident do we seek this approach. 1 Corinthians 13:7 teaches us that love gives the benefit of the doubt..” Many of us need to work on this.

Warning: As we approach our brothers and sisters in Christ to correct and admonish and restore, our flesh can wrongfully motivate us to do this pridefully. Paul warms of this in Galatians 6:3-5: “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.” This is not a warning against correcting and admonishing and restoring a person; it is a warning against doing it arrogantly. He says, “Since we all struggle with pride, make every effort to humble yourself when you point out someone else’s sin.” The way to avoid pride as you confront a brother about his sin is to act only in the power of the Spirit. Remember you are a basket case of sin apart from God’s gracious Spirit.

On Monday, we read in Galatians 2 about Paul admonishing Peter for being out of step with the gospel. Paul was loving Peter enough to set the bone straight and return him to truth. This is the Ministry of Truth. But some of you are thinking, “That is just not me. I just am not comfortable telling someone else they are out of place or out of line.” This is very common! And this brings up the question:

Why should we admonish one another?

1. Because we are command to.

• Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom …
• Luke 17:3 “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Whether it’s a formal process in response to some egregious error or misstep or the informal, everyday exhortations that are to happen in the life of Christian community, all biblical correction aims at repentance of sin and restoration unto God-honoring righteousness! Let me give a big example of each:

An example of formal admonishment, rebuke, and reproof can be found in Matthew 18:15-17.

An example of daily admonishment, rebuke, and reproof can be found in Hebrews 3:12-13.

2. Because It is loving and kind to do so! Any righteous rebuke is a kindness. Psalm 141:5 says, “Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it …” The psalmist is saying it is kindness to be admonished. Why? Because it is not loving to leave people in their mess. One of the most loving things you can do for someone is tell them when they’re wrong.

Now, back to Galatians, and let’s look at the other ministry we are to practice.

The Ministry of Tears

Mary also comes up to Jesus at Lazarus’s death and says, “If you had only been here.” Jesus’ response to Mary is different than His response to Martha. What does he say? Nothing! He weeps with her.  John 11:35 says, “Jesus Wept.” With this, we see the Ministry of Tears. Sometimes what our brother or sister needs is for us to help them carry the burden they are feeling by empathetically understanding their pain and struggle.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens …

First of all, burdens are different than the transgressions we find in verse 1. Burdens are not sin; they are the basic hardships that come with life. “Bear one another’s burdens” means if a Christian brother or sister is weighed down or menaced by some burden or threat, we must be alert to quickly do something to help. Don’t let them be crushed.  Don’t let them be destroyed. Don’t be like the Scribes and Pharisees to them. Jesus warned us of their ways when he said in Matthew 23:4, “They bind heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.”

To help bear the burden means you help carry it; you join them in the struggle. Examples of this could be helping paying a bill, sitting at the hospital, helping with projects, loaning a car or bike, taking someone into your home, giving someone something you have that they need more, praying with them, and more.

Wouldn’t it be great to belong to a family of believers who loved each other so much that they simply could not look the other way while a brother or sister hardens into a habit of sin or is overwhelmed by life? Let’s be that family! If we are not, we will not fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Now, a critical question is how can we do this for each other without it overwhelming us? The reason we can bear each other’s burdens is because of Jesus. Jesus was crushed for our iniquities, our transgressions. Psalm 34:18-19 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Jesus was crushed for our iniquities—our transgressions—so we could fulfill the law of Christ, which is to practice other-centered love.

What exactly is the LAW of Christ? The law of Christ is the principle of LOVE!  Jesus said in John 13:34, “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.” So, in Christ, we fulfill the law of Christ, which is  sacrificial love! It is this love that causes us to practice the Ministry of Truth and the Ministry of Tears.

Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Christ was crushed for our iniquities and transgressions so that we could bear each other’s burdens in His power and not our own, with Him getting the credit and not ourselves, with His glory in mind and not our own. It is Christ’s victory in us. It is His work that restores us so that we can, in His power, help restore others!

There is no other gospel! There is no other GOOD NEWS! There is no other lasting JOY. There is no other way to gain transformation from addiction and slavery and death. There is no other way to truly change from the inside out and grow the fruit of the Spirit. There is nothing you can add to Jesus to make this life better. It’s Jesus. And Jesus alone! AMEN?

This is who we boast in. I have done nothing! You have done nothing to earn ANY of it. We have nothing to boast in but Jesus!

Galatians 6:14 (NASB) … may it never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ …

This means no boasting, no exulting, no rejoicing, no thanksgiving in anything except in the cross. Why? Because every dream dreamed for our future and every plan formed, and every disciple raised up and every soul saved by God is blood-bought mercy for us redeemed sinners, because apart from the cross all we deserve is condemnation. Therefore, every exultation, every thanksgiving, every boast, every joy is in Jesus!

Boasting in the cross happens when you have taken up your cross.

Galatians 6:14 (NASB) But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

In other words, the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world. Why?

The best verse in all of Galatians:

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul was ravished by the love of Christ. He was utterly mastered—held captive–by one great scene in history: a cross on Golgotha, and on it the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us.

May it be this way for us also! May we live out a Ministry of Truth and Tears.

I conclude with what Paul concludes with in Galatians:

Galatians 6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

By His grace and for His glory,

-Shepherd

Soldiers for Jesus MC