August 8, 2009. Ephesians 4:1-5:2.
Paul wrote 4 letters while he was a prisoner in Rome. 1 was a general
letter to churches in the area of Ephesus where he spent 2 years. It does
not deal with problems or persecutions. It is a letter to lead them into a
greater grasp of God's grace and apply His grace in life. The 25ยข word for
that idea is 'sanctification'.
Christians use that word in 2 ways. In a WIDE SENSE, it is the work of
the Holy Spirit by which He brings us to (and keeps us in) faith (thru Word
and Sacraments) and He enables Christians to lead godly lives [LSC-E Q156].
By God's plan in eternity, we are chosen to be holy (1:4ff), though once
lost and dead in sin (2:1, 5). We are saved by grace thru His gift of faith
(2:8-10).
In a NARROW SENSE, it is spiritual growth that follows justification
[i.e., God has declared us totally forgiven in Christ]. Put another way, we
live this new life God gives us.
"Thru the Holy Spirit's work faith is increased daily, love is
strengthened, and the image of God is renewed" and thereby in that sense
Christians 'cooperate with God' (LC75). We use the faith God gives to no
longer live like unbelieving people, but live as Christians.
"Everything that a child of God does, speaks, or thinks IN FAITH -
according to the Ten Commandments, for the glory of God AND for the benefit
of his or her neighbor is a good work." [LSC-E Q163]. God works this in us,
and He will finalize it when He calls us home to heaven (Philippians 1:6;
Revelation 21:4-7 etc.). Having said all that: an example is in order.
Shawn Johnson is a gymnast with great balance. If she is too much one
way or another on the mat, the beam, or the dance floor: things go badly.
She works very hard to make it look easy. God gave her abilities: she
concentrates, practices, works very hard, and does not give up.
Sanctification (narrow) is a balancing act. Christians often fall off
ONE WAY feeling they "can sin more so grace will abound - God forbid!"
(Romans 6). You can't tell they are a Christian by the way they live. "If
they were on trial for being Christian, they'd be dismissed for lack of
evidence" as one man quipped.
You expect sinful behavior from non-Christians. When a person claims
to be a believer, yet won't be (1:2) "completely humble and gentle; patient,
bearing with one another in love", and won't (4:31-32) "get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger, fighting and slander, along with every form of
malice, (and won't) be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another (entirely) as God in Christ forgave (them)". then they need to have
a serious heart-to-heart prayer to God. If you or they refuse to live as a
child of God, you may lose your faith. (Matthew 7:21, etc.)
When a person is living in sin, ANY public sin against the 10
Commandments (example), yet has NO desire to repent, they are in danger of
hell. As Hebrews 10 puts it: "if we keep on sinning deliberately after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice
for sins, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a
fierceness of fire which shall devour all enemies of God."
So we sin when we feel we don't have to worry about sin and feel we can
sin all we want since God forgives. We ignore what God's Word clearly says.
But we can fall off balance another way too, and sin. Instead of acting
like the fallen world, we sin by thinking we can be better than others - and
even perfect (without sin)!
Some Christians feel if they just make a sincere enough pledge and work
hard enough, they can overcome ALL sin in their lives. This idea ignores
God's Word and is wrong, too.
It always goes in 1 of 2 ways. First, the person may feel they have
defeated the devil or are a superior Christian. The 1st century name for
that is "Pharisee", a person who uses a code to decide they are better than
others. In the times of Luther, these included monks and nuns who believed
their holy lives would get them into heaven. Today? You know the type of
person I mean, so I won't expand on that idea. They obey God's Word as they
interpret it, often add extra laws, and try to make others "less holy" more
miserable.
The second way this "over-sanctification" acts is it makes you lose
hope because you see how really UNHOLY you are. Just as a mountain climber
can see more scenery the higher they climb, the more you try to climb a
personal holiness hill the more sins you will see. You try harder to be
holy, but you see more sin. Many of these folks give up entirely on Christ;
and even life!
When we are off-balance this way, we need to recall two verses from God's
Word. "If we say we have NO sin, we deceive (only) ourselves and there is
no truth in us" (1 John 1:8). * "The good I SHOULD do, I don't; but the
evil which I should NOT do - I practice" (Romans 7). Paul cries out, "Who
can save me from this body of death? Give thanks to God, thru Jesus
Christ!"
Again, Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a letter to lead Christians
into a greater grasp of God's grace and apply His grace in life. God
declares us holy by the blood of His only Son Jesus Christ. He sends His
Spirit so we will believe His Word and live godly lives (LSC-TLP, I, II).
As God's beloved children, for whom Christ died, Paul urges us to mimic
or imitate God, and daily live in the love we have in Christ Jesus, Who gave
Himself up for all people as the final sacrifice for all our sins.
Paul makes it clear for us that the old sinful nature in us all wants
to drag us down into sin and death. This side of eternity, we all must
fight that day-in and day-out. Your battle against sin will not be over
until you stand before His holy Throne on Judgment Day.
Many people read this letter and only see do and don't, as if
sanctification (or: being holy before God) depends on what we do or don't
do. But that is Law, and the Law can never save us. What WE do can never
save us or make us holy (Romans 3:20).
Only the Gospel can save us. The Good News is that Jesus completed the
Law in our place. He paid for all our unholiness on Calvary. In Him we are
declared holy.
The Gospel is, as verse 24 records, "the new self, created after the
likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." It is the covering you
received in Holy Baptism.
The Gospel is the power of the Holy Spirit, by Whom you were sealed for
the Day of Redemption (30). You are sealed or protected by God.
The Gospel is "in Christ, God forgave you" (32): totally, completely,
eternally, so Christ "may live in us and we in Him" as you and I prayed in
today's Collect.
The Gospel is that you and I are referred to, or called: "beloved
children of God" (5:1). Not 'sinful souls God puts up with,' or even
'tolerated brats', but rather: dearly loved, and children. "Beloved
child:" that's you!
The Gospel is (5:2) "Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us." The
Gospel is the Holy Supper in which "we receive forgiveness of sins, life,
and salvation." (TLS-II). By the power of the Gospel we hear what God's
Word says, and we believe it. An outcome or fruit of the Gospel in us is a
changed heart and life.
How critical it is that we never take our hearts off the Gospel! If we
build our faith on our own good actions, or holy living, or religious
experience we will have failed to believe, love, and trust in God's grace
alone. Yes, we should make every effort to gladly hear God's Word and keep
it (Luke 11:28), trying to imitate God and walk in love. But salvation
depends entirely on God alone, thru Christ.
As I have often said: we are saved (declared holy) NOT because WE are
good, but because GOD is good. The mighty goodness God pours into our lives
thru His Word overflows into the world around us thru our actions. May you
and I, as beloved children of God, live rejoicing in His salvation! Amen.
Guide to Abbreviations:
LSC = Luther's Small Catechism, CPH 2005; with either question numbers or
memory work quotes
LC = Lutheran Cyclopedia, CPH 1975
#:# = Ephesians quotes in last 3 week's lessons other Bible quotes
attributed in place.
________________
(fits with 1/2" margins, two columns, 13pt type Times New Roman; suitable
for handing-out or for devotion)
{This written in response to an anti-orthodox radio sermon that made me
shudder. It was 100% Law and implied that if you don't straighten up and
fly right you will crash into hell -- but if you DO straighten up and fly
right, you will certainly land safely in heaven! Just follow the steps God
gives us in Ephesians! ARRG! But don't print this part out, please.} :)
Pastor Michael Harman,
FW`87
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA - 7 1/2 years
currently serving vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy - 2 years
First Evangelical, Fonda - 2 years
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