SHOWERS

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Luke 17:1

Last week, our post dealt with how to forgive and how to take authority over our emotions, bringing them into alignment with God's purposes. So, that takes care of past offences. But what about the future?

Going forward, how do we handle offences and conflicts?  Are we doomed to our prior cycles of getting offended, harboring a grudge and then becoming exhausted by it until we finally make it right?  Or, does God have something better in mind?

The answer is yes, he does!  This post will look at how God instructs us to handle offences/conflicts going forward. For many of us, that will be different from how we have handled them in the past.  It is not God's will for us to be trapped by offence; rather it is his will for us to handle the offences that come our way in a manner that brings glory to him and blessing to us. 

Luke 17:1 -Then said he unto the disciples, it is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

To be sure, offences are coming.  So what do you think – are offences a negative thing?  If you could make them disappear, would you?  I think most of us would eliminate them from life entirely, if we could.  Yet, God doesn't do that.  Why does he allow offences to come?

Before we get to that, let me make this significant point:  offences are a temptation for us to sin, and as such, God does not cause them. 

James 1:13-14 - When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Offences do not come from God; they stem from our own evil desires.  However, God will use them as teaching and growing moments.

God has big plans for the offences/conflicts that come your way.

God uses the pressure of conflict/offence to help you grow and mature spiritually. God's highest purpose for you is not to make you comfortable, wealthy or happy in this life.  If you have put your faith in him, he as something far, far more incredible in mind for you – he is working to conform you to the image and likeness of Christ and offence is one of the tools God will use to accomplish his purpose for you.

If we are aware of that, if we are looking for it, we can quickly begin to manage offences/conflict instead of allowing it to managing us.  When conflict comes, take your eyes off yourself, and look to God.  Figure out what he is trying to change in you, and work with him, not against him!

Conflict/offence provides an opportunity to sin, but it also provides an opportunity to glorify God.  It gives us a chance to bring Him praise and honor by showing who He is, what He is like and what He is doing. We can glorify God in the midst of conflict by drawing attention to him - his undeserved love, mercy, forgiveness, strength and wisdom.  We can be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters, or a witness to the lost if we handle conflict correctly.

II Corinthians 6:19-20- (God)�has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us�

What an honor to be made Christ's ambassador; to represent him in the world!  The lost around us are in desperate need of the true savior, Jesus Christ.  Most likely, you will not get them to listen to a sermon. However, they can't help but pay attention when they see Christ reflected through you – through the way you think, the way you speak, the way you act, and the way you react to others, particularly when handling offences.  Actions speak louder than words. 

In the past, offences have been all about us� how we were wronged, how we suffered, how we were not treated fairly, etc.  All of our focus is directed toward me, me, me.  Here's a radical idea: Can we turn our thinking upside down? Rather than seeing ourselves as a victim in any given offence, let's begin to see ourselves as God's ambassador or God's steward in that offence.

Sometimes the steward manages good things like big harvests or profitable business deals or lavish parties.  But he also manages problems and difficulties like coyotes killing the cattle, or labor strikes, or 'we're out of wing sauce', or whatever the problem may be.

I dare say that if you are like me, there are areas of your life where you are the best steward on the planet.  You do certain things very well, every single time. They may not even be a challenge anymore.

But there are other areas that we are not really managing at all.  Those situations are managing us. For many, forgiveness/handling offence is one of those areas.  What do we need to learn about managing offences?  A good first step is to see if the offence is a door for you to serve and help others.

You can be offended and unforgiving in this situation, if you choose.  You can replay the offence in your mind, dwelling on how unfair it is to you.  You can retaliate or gossip about your neighbor, making a mountain out of the mole hill. Satan would love it if you handled your conflict this way.

Or, you can approach your neighbor and ask about the situation, face to face, neighbor to neighbor, in a nonjudgmental way.  You may be surprised by the situation your neighbor is experiencing.  Maybe a health problem is preventing him from raking the leaves.  Maybe he is emotionally distraught by a family tragedy and he needs a Christian to offer him hope and salvation. 

You see, God may give you an opportunity to carry your opponent's burdens whether spiritual, emotional or material. I understand that is contrary to the world's view of "look out for number one", but God's ways are not our ways.

What if you offer to help rake the leaves and that simple act of loving your neighbor opens the door to share the love of Christ? 

My point is this: God has plans for the offences in our lives. Let's start stewarding/managing those offences in a way that brings glory to God and blessing to us.

You should know that offences fall into one of two categories:

Material – this category involves property, money, rights and responsibilities. (Should we build a new church?  How much money does Lancelot owe me? Did Sally breach the contract?)

Personal – this category relates to what goes on inside or between persons. (You are trying to cheat me. I don't like the way you are criticizing me.  You are unreasonable and stubborn, you're treating me badly because you're jealous.)

It would be nice if these two were always clearly separated, but in many offences or conflicts, they will both be present.

Luke 12:13-15 - And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.

In this case, both types of offence or conflict are present.  The material conflict is how the family inheritance should be divided.  The personal conflict is the brother's greed and estrangement over the inheritance.

In our biblical example, each brother is being stubborn and greedy.  Until they forgive each other and reconcile, they won't be able to settle the estate.  If they fail to reconcile, they may end up in court which will probably permanently sever their relationship and cost them a bunch of the inheritance anyway.

So, step one is finding the point of personal offence.  The next step is to decide if the offence is a minor one that can be overlooked, or a major one that cannot.

Overlooking minor offences

Proverbs 19:11- A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence.

Proverbs 12:16 - A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

It's Biblical to overlook or let go of a minor offence. How do we determine if it is minor?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is this really worth fighting for?
2. Is this sin bringing significant dishonor to God?
3. Is it damaging your relationship (does it happen repeatedly,as opposed to a one time/pushed-over-the-edge scenario)?
4. Is it resulting in significant harm to others?
5. Is the sin causing significant harm to the offender?

Based on these criteria, decide if you can overlook the offence or if you need to pursue resolution.

In our biblical example of the two brothers, is the personal offense a minor one?  No, it is not.  The brothers are both greedy and they are fighting over the family money.  Their relationship with each other is broken.  Is that bringing dishonor to God – Yes.  Is it damaging their relationship – yes.  Is their relationship as brothers worth fighting for – yes.  So, they should not let this offence go.  They should work to resolve it and once this offence is ironed out, they can proceed to divide the estate.

In our example of the neighbors, is the personal offence a minor one?  Yes, it is.  One neighbor is allowing his leaves to blow into another neighbor's lawn.  Is this an issue that is really worth fighting for – no.  Is this sin bringing significant dishonor to God – no.  Is it resulting in significant harm to others – no.   It is a minor offence.  The neighbor should let this go, and move on to seeing how he can use this as an opportunity to exemplify the love of Christ.  

If you decide to overlook the offence, do you suppose you can just put it behind you and that will be that? The answer is yes, especially after some practice.  But be aware that you also may find the enemy knocking at the door of your emotions trying to upset you.

And what do you do when Satan comes and tries to trick you into going back to old habits? The solution is pretty much the same thing that we looked at last week for letting go of old offences which was found in Philippians:

Philippians 4:2-3 - I entreat Euodias, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.  Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel�

These two women are having some kind of offence/conflict which does not appear to be major.  Perhaps they are trying to overlook it, but Satan is hindering them.  What does Paul tell them to do?

Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Tell the Lord that you want to overlook the office, then begin to praise God for the good in your life.  When you begin to praise God, those negative feelings disappear because they can't hang out with thanksgiving. 

Let's suppose that some dead leaves blow into your yard on Monday.  You overlook that and move on.  But by Tuesday morning, there are more.  And there are more on Thursday and Friday.  Each time, it gets harder to put the offence behind you.  You can gain victory by praising God for all the good in your life, like your home, your health, your job, etc.  Once you begin to praise God, the leaves will once again be reduced to the minor offence that they really are and you can put them aside.

So again, if it is a minor offence and you decide to let go, give it to God and then turn to praise.  Any resistance to forgiving will disappear because delving into prayer and praise puts you in God's presence.  Your anger and hurt will soon disappear, and the peace of God will descend on you.

That's how we overlook an offence.  However, there will be cases where you cannot overlook.  Sometimes an offence has to be addressed. If that is the case, how do we biblically handle that?

Pursuing resolution for offences that are not minor.

First of all, pursing resolution is clearly biblical.

Matthew 18:15-16 – If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

When pursing resolution, speak with your adversary first.  In other words, go directly to your brother.  Do not pass 'GO'.  Do not stop at "Gossip Corner" or "Revenge Ave" or "Mocking Lane".

Keep your mouth shut, unless you are speaking directly to the person involved in the matter.  Tell the person that you are offended by something they did.  Try to clear the air with them.  The best case scenario is that the two of you will resolve the situation on your own, just between you.

However, if they are unwilling to resolve the matter, take the next step and bring in an impartial Christian to help facilitate the healing process.  A church pastor or elder is a good choice. The general principle here is to involve as few people as possible for as long as possible.

What is the role of the mediator?  His primary role will be to help you and your opponent make the decisions needed to restore peace. They may simple facilitate communication, they may examine the facts themselves and gather additional information. They may give advice or offer biblically based solutions to the problem. They may encourage repentance and confession on both sides of the dispute.

If the situation is still not resolved, they become witnesses and should report the situation to the church, according to Matthew 18. That does not mean standing up on Sunday morning and airing all your grievances in the Sunday service.  It means telling the leadership of the church about the problem, so they can assist in promoting justice and peace.

Keep this in mind:  According to Matthew, the church's decision is intended to be binding on its members, whether they like it or not, so do all you can not to arrive at this point.

The issue of forgiveness is one that touches us all, and will continue to impact our lives until the day we are called home to be with Christ.  In the past, we may have responded to offences and conflict on an emotional basis, which often results in unforgiveness, gossip, bitterness, broken relationships and loss of peace and material possessions. It will destroy those closest to us and it can even render us unusable by God.

Let me give you some relief:  You no longer have to be burdened or bound by offenses.  Following the principles outlined in the bible, we can be set free from offences and live in peace.

Let me offer you some encouragement:  You are an over comer! You can manage your offences, instead of your offences and emotions managing you.  What was once a weakness in your life can be turned into a strength.

Let me give you some strength:  It is time to begin dealing with offence and conflict biblically.  In so doing, our conflicts, those things which used to destroy us, can actually become opportunities to minister to others and to show the world the love of Christ. They can also be used by God to make us mature and aid in the growth of fruit in our lives.  What an amazing turn around that will be!

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Colossians 3:12-14

Colossians 3:12-14 – Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.   And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

We determined last week that God commands us to forgive others, mainly for our own benefit.  We understand it with our minds, and yet, if we are honest, we will admit that we have trouble doing that.  Often times that is because there is a huge emotional response that goes along with being offended.  We can't forgive because we literally cannot let go or get past our emotions.

Some of you have been consumed by unforgiveness and bitterness for so long, you don't remember what life was like before that situation.  For some of you, the offence, the rejection or the betrayal you experienced is so deep and so painful, that you see no chance of ever letting it go.  You figure that you will have to carry it until eternity.  You may think your situation is hopeless.  You may think you have been permanently and irreparably scarred.

But let me give you some good news.  Let me offer you a sure word of hope and victory, from God our Savior:

Isaiah 53:3-5 – He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Did you see it?  "He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows" and "by his wounds we are healed."  Where did we ever get the ridiculous idea that this healing is only for our physical bodies?  Does God only care about the physical body that you have for maybe 75 years or so?  Does he want you to have a healthy body so you can carry around the sorrow and pain of damaged emotions for your entire lifetime?  No, of course not!  His stripes provide healing for the body, the spirit, the mind and the emotions.  God's healing is for all parts of you.  The price for your emotional healing has already been paid!!  Your savior is waiting to set you free from the captivity of unforgiveness and emotional pain.  

Luke 4:18 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised�

Do you have a broken heart/broken emotions? Jesus came to heal you.  Are you being held captive in the prison of unforgiveness?  Jesus came to deliver you.  Are your emotions battered and bruised? Jesus has come to set you at liberty.

The question is not "can" we be healed and set free from the cycle of unforgiveness, but rather "how" does it happen? How do we appropriate or apply the healing that Jesus has provided for us? How do we break the cycle of unforgiveness and get rid of all that extra baggage we are carrying around?  How do we take control of our emotions and force them into line with God's will?

Let's begin by examining the way God has created us in a broad sense; this is stuff you probably already know.

God has created us with a mind, a will and emotions.  When used properly (according to the pattern set by God himself), this combination of factors will allow us to experience God's best for us.  Improper use of these factors, or using them in a pattern other than the one God set up, opens us up to the bondage and destruction of Satan.

Here is how it works:

• GOD = MIND...WILL...EMOTIONS
• SATAN = EMOTIONS...WILL...MIND

God's way is the mind/understanding first, the will second in support of the mind/truth, emotions fall into place behind the mind and will.

God wants us to make our decisions and base our actions on truth, not emotion.

Instantly, you know that you will not touch that money, but you will return it to its owner and you decide to walk it down to the police station and turn it in.

What just happened? In the blink of an eye, almost without conscious thought, your mind knew the truth (thou shalt not steal/love your neighbor).

You will was already committed to allowing the mind to dictate your actions. Therefore, you instantly decided to return the money; you never even considered taking it.

What's going on with your emotions as you continue walking down the street to the police station?  You are probably joyful about helping someone in a meaningful way.  You are happy to do the right thing.  Why?  Because a righteous man is joyful when he does the right thing. Doing the right thing results in peace and joy because you are exhibiting the character of his savior.

We just saw that God wants you to operate with the mind/truth first, your will second in support of the truth and the emotions last. 

Satan wants the opposite.  He wants you to react with your emotions, put your will in full support of your feelings and ignore the mind/truth. 

Instantly, you know you are going to keep the money.  You quickly put it in your pocket and head to the police station to turn in the wallet.  You are probably joyful.  Why?  Because you are busy thinking about all the plans you are making for your unexpected wind fall.

What just happened? In the blink of an eye, almost without conscious thought, your emotions took over.  Your emotions became so excited, they just bubbled over.  You think:  Wow! This is my lucky day! My ship has finally come in! This is just what I need�.

Your will was already committed to allowing your emotions to dictate your actions.  Therefore, you instantly decided to keep the money.

Catch this:  If your will is supporting your emotions, your mind has no choice but to justify your behavior (This guy won't miss that $1K.  After all, he owes me a reward for returning those credit cards.  Think how bad it would have been to cancel those. I deserve this money.  I need this money more than he does).

Do you see the difference? God wants us to put our will behind his truth, and when we do our emotions will fall into place.  Our emotions will rejoice when we do right.  Satan wants the opposite.  He wants us to put our will behind or emotions, and ignore the truth.  In so doing, we will destroy ourselves because our emotions were never designed to lead the way in our lives.  

Now, apply what we just learned to forgiveness:

Your cousin does you wrong.  You fold your arms over your chest and adamantly declare "I cannot forgive Lancelot! No way � it's not going to happen after the way he hurt me!"  In this instance, whose life pattern are you following?  [HINT: You are putting your will behind your emotions, ignoring the truth.]

That's right� you are following Satan.  And what do you reap? Based on what we learned in the last blog post, you get God's discipline as well as the destruction of your relationships.  You kill the work of the Holy Spirit in your life and you become unusable in God's kingdom.  Eventually you become angry and bitter. Even your physical health is affected.  In short, you reap bondage and destruction.  Sadly, this is the situation some of you find yourself in today.  However, there is hope, if you are willing to change.

First, do you see the truth?  Do you understand that in the past, you placed your will behind your emotions, instead of behind the truth?  Do you want to change?

Are you ready to turn this pattern around and receive/apply the healing that God has for you?

THREE STEPS FOR HEALING YOUR EMOTIONS/FORGIVING YOUR ADVERSARY:

Renew your mind; reject the lie that you cannot forgive, instead come to the realization that you CAN forgive.

Romans 12:1-2  - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

As we begin to meditate on the truth presented in the scriptures, it will transform us. It will allow us to change the pattern we are living by. What truth should we be meditating on?

The truth as found in Luke is this:

Luke 1:37 -  For nothing is impossible with God.

Or if you prefer, as Jesus says to the disciples in Matthew 19:26  With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The truth is that with God's help, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO FORGIVE. It is possible for you to let go of the offence and emotions you are holding onto, and receive freedom from anger and bitterness.  

Hebrews 13:20-21 -  May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back to life from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.

God doesn't just tell you to forgive and then shut the door in your face and leave you to it.  Rather the Holy Spirit has promised to equip you with whatever you need to get the job done and he further promises to work with you/in you until the work is accomplished.  That's his job – to bring the will of God into fruition in your life.  He will see it done.

Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Not only that, he promises to walk with you through the experience.

Psalms 23:3-4  - He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Isaiah 43:1-2 - �Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you�

Here's the bottom line:  In step one, the renewing of your mind, you start bringing your life into proper order/pattern by meditating on the truth and changing the way you think.  Satan will tell you that you can't change but that is a lie. Search the scriptures, find those that deal with forgiveness, and begin to recite them out loud several times a day. Memorizing them would be great.  Recite them in your car, listen to them on your phone.  

The truth is, forgiveness IS possible, regardless of how long you have been carrying that burden around. God promises to equip you with everything you need for doing what is pleasing to him, including forgiving others. He promises to walk through the process with you. He also promises to continue to work in you until the work is complete. He won't give up on you!  Will you commit your way to him?  

Step Two: Put you will behind the truth; release the person from the debt you think they owe.

Colossians 10:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

That is pretty straightforward and simple to understand, but what does that look like practically?

Charles Stanley in his book, "The Gift of Forgiveness", makes this suggestion: Make a specific list of wrongs that you recognize.  For instance, Lancelot, cheated me out of 10% of the profits from our widget company. Lancelot lied to me.  Lancelot gossiped about me.  Lancelot ruined my reputation, etc.  Then, take your list into your prayer closet and bring it before the Lord. Humble yourself before him.  Confess that you want to forgive Lancelot specifically, for each and every offence.  Confess any part that you had in the offence. (You might as well admit it.  During this conflict, you probably responded in anger or retaliated for the wrong, or caused an escalation of the situation.  Just confess it.  God knows about it anyway.)  Confess all the anger, bitterness and hate that you are carrying around because of those offences.

It's important for you to speak out loud (more on that in a minute).  When you speak it out loud, in essence you are casting it away from you, and at the same time giving it to God.

Psalms 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

What if you don't "feel" like forgiving Lancelot, and what if you don't "feel" delivered at the end of your prayer?

You may not feel like forgiving him at that moment, but you are planting a spiritual seed.  Joyce Meyer, in her book "Do Yourself a Favor – Forgive", instructs us to forgive with clenched teeth if we need to!  

When you do that, when you humble yourself before God and ask him to help you walk the path of righteousness and forgive, you are putting your emotions where they belong – in back of your will.  At first, they won't like it.  They don't want to give up power.  But eventually they will fall into place.  If you feel like you need to cast the offences to God a second time, go ahead. Remember: as you forgive and release your emotions to God, you must ask the Holy Spirit to give you the capacity to truly do it from your heart.  You cannot get through this by sheer willpower, but you can be victorious through the Holy Spirit.   

Zechariah 4:6 -  This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.

What was true for Zerubbabel is true for us.  In order to reverse the pattern in your life, you must work with the Holy Spirit to forgive.  Corinthians 10:13 says to "forgive as the Lord forgave you".  If you are having trouble "feeling" like forgiving, remember some of the things you were forgiven for�

How long does the process take? Well, it will be different for each one of us, and different depending on how grievous the offence was.  Maybe the chains will fall off instantaneously, and you will be freed immediately. Other times, it will be a process over time.

How will you know when you have truly forgiven? Several things will occur when the forgiveness process is complete. 

1. You will feel a release of your burden. Once you finally let go of that all consuming unforgiving attitude, God's peace and joy can return to you.
2. Negative feelings about the other person will disappear.  You will not feel that instant anger or fear or bitterness you used to experience when you met them at the gas station or heard their name.
3. You will find it easier to accept people who have hurt you without feeling the need to change them.  You will be willing to take them as they are, faults and all.
4. Concern for the spiritual and physical needs of these people will outweigh your concerns about what they did to you. When you care about them and their needs as opposed to you and your feelings, you have truly forgiven.

Don't be surprised if Satan comes by at some random time and tries to bring that offence back to the forefront of your mind.  He will try his best to ignite those old emotions again.  When he does, reject it.  Cast it out from your mind.  Do not dwell on it.  Turn it back to God. 

II Corinthians 10:5 – We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When those thoughts try to come back, take them captive, then push them out of your mind. Tell Satan he is not going to bind you again.  Remind yourself that you have already handled that situation, and it is done.  Then, focus your mind on appropriate things, like praise and worship or other good things.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

When you are thinking of those things, evil thoughts will flee because they can't stay in that environment.

When you truly feel that you have forgiven and you have been delivered from your bondage, you are ready for step three.

Step three: Reconciliation.

Matthew 5:23-24 - Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Unforgivness is a wall that hinders the relationship between us and someone else.  Many times when that wall has disappeared through forgiveness, we can become reconciled to our estranged friends and family.  Sometimes all it takes is a visit for a face to face talk.  Find your estranged cousin.  Say to him, 'Lancelot, I know we have had issues in our past, but I want to share something with you.  I forgive you for XYZ, and I apologize to you, for any part I had in our estrangement.  Can we be friends going forward?'  Sometimes it's that simple.

Other times, reconciliation is neither possible nor appropriate.  For example, when the actual physical distance between you is too great (perhaps Lancelot move to Italy), or the other person is dead, reconciliation is impossible.  Also, there are situations where the other person is hostile and will probably not receive what you are saying (like divorce.  You can forgive, but you can't control what your ex chooses to do).  There may be other situations when reconciliation is inappropriate, as in some cases of abuse.  

Let's talk about verbally speaking things out loud for a moment.  In step one (renewing your mind), step two (confession) and step three (reconciliation) we mentioned speaking the word out loud and confessing things out loud.  Why would we need to do that?   There is something about your verbal confession that makes a difference.

Mark 11:23 -  Truly, I [Jesus] say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Is it fair to say that the burden of destructive emotions and unforgiveness that you are carrying around are like a mountain in your life?  Jesus says that part of casting that away from you and into the sea, is to speak out loud to it.

If that seems weird to you, then you must think Jesus is weird, because he did the same thing.

Mark 11:12-14, 20 - The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree "May no one ever eat fruit from you again". And his disciples heard him say it.  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

Spoken words can curse things, but they can also restore life – case in point: Lazarus.

John 11:43-44  - When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice "Lazarus, come out!".  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Proverbs 18:20 - From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

Do you want to eat and be satisfied with forgiveness and reconciliation and healed emotions? Do you want the word of the Lord to renew your life? Then speak out the words.

Joel Osteen, in his book "I Declare", says this: "�the moment you speak to your mountains, something happens. In the unseen realm the forces of heaven go to work. God moves, sending healing, sending breakthrough, sending victory. You may not see what God has done for some time. That mountain may look just as big and permanent and strong as it was before, but � one day, all of a sudden, you will see that the mountain has been removed".

So take a deep breath and speak out loud!

Now, this process brings up a further question.  How do I treat the people I have forgiven?  First off, we need to have wisdom in our future dealings. Just because we have forgiven someone, does NOT mean that we have to trust them unconditionally.

If I forgive Lancelot today and a month from now he comes and asks to partner with me on a new widget company, there better be giant red warning flags waving in my face, and I better pay attention.

Secondly, when you are in a situation where you have been wronged or offended, it is important to remember that forgiveness is for our benefit. The other person's behavior may NEVER change. It is up to God, not us, to change them. Our part is to forgive and trust in God.

So, we need to accept others as they are; recognize that they are essentially tools in our lives God is using to aid us in growth. 

 Joseph is a prime example.  His brothers had certainly wronged him.  He had the opportunity to be angry and bitter, but he did not fall into that trap. Later, when he was reconciled to his brothers, he did not try to change them.  Instead, he loved and accepted them as they were and acknowledged that God was using them to accomplish his purposes in Joseph's life.

Genesis 50: 20- You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

God is not the author or cause of sin or offence.  He does not command or even tempt someone to sin against someone else. Those are the tricks of Satan.  What God will do is use that circumstance to bring you closer to him, to develop your character, and to fulfill his ultimate plan for your life.  God will use the people you have forgiven to shape you into his image.  Satan has plans to destroy you, but God will turn that plan around and use it to bless you.

So, let me give you some encouragement:  Forgiveness is a process that can be painful and at times seem unending.  But whatever our pain, whatever our situation, we cannot afford to hold onto an unforgiving spirit for even on more minute.  Right now, we must begin to renew our minds with the truth of God, we must set our will to follow God's truth and we must force our emotions to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.  It may be difficult, but it will be worth it.

Let me give you some relief from that burden you are carrying around:  When we set ourselves to truly forgive as the Lord forgave us, we will experience complete healing/restoration of our emotions.

Let me offer you some strength:  You can break the cycle of unforgiveness in your life, if you partner with God to get it done.  Start the process today and see where God will take you.  Remember, God specializes in bringing the dead back to life and restoring what has been lost!  

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Luke 17:1-4

Luke 17:1-4 -  Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says 'I repent,' forgive him."

I want to acknowledge that forgiveness is a very emotional issue.  Just the mention of it will send some of us into fits of rage/anger, some will experience great sadness or tears, some feel fear or frustration and many will be tempted to run away or avoid this topic for any number of reasons.

Some of you might cross your arms and say, "Sure I'll forgive her�When Gehenna freezes over."  Or, "How dare you tell me to forgive? You have NO IDEA what heinous and evil offences someone else has perpetrated against me or my loved one."

I'm going to answer this:  "You're right� I don't.  If I did it would probably make me just as angry as you are.  It would probably make me sick to my stomach.  

I assure you, your heavenly father, your savior, your redeemer, your shelter, your rock, your king, is not oblivious to the emotional, financial or physical damage that has been done to you.  In fact, right now, he is waiting for you to turn to him. He desires to heal you, to restore you and to set you free.  

Hebrews 4:15-16 -  For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

My next post, 'Forgiveness Part II' will be dealing with all the emotions that go with forgiveness.  We will find out how to rule our emotions instead of them ruling us.  We will see that God has healing for our emotions.

In the meantime, let's begin to draw near to his throne.  Let's receive the grace and mercy we need to guide us through the sometimes difficult mandate of forgiving others.  

 This week, as hard as it may be, I want you to read this post with your intellect, not your emotions.

Let's start with this question:  Is it permissible for me as a Christian not to forgive?  Is that an option? Is there really a choice to forgive or not?

Matthew 6:14-15 -  For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.   

If we take Matthew 6:14-15 by itself, it may appear that there is no option. On the surface, it would seem that unforgiveness would send you to hell, but that is not the case.

Correct interpretation of scripture requires that all scriptures be interpreted in the context of the Bible as a whole. So let's look at forgiveness/salvation scriptures in general.

Mark 16:15-16 -  And he said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 16:30-31 – [The Phillipian jailer] brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?   And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

So we can see from these three scriptures (and others) that although there are many good reasons for you to forgive, your salvation is not dependent on forgiving others.

 Salvation comes by acknowledging/believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that his blood cleanses us from all sin. Notice the verses below, which remind us that God saved us by his great mercy and the power of Jesus, not by any work which we have done.

2 Timothy 1:8-9  - Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord� who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Titus 3:4-6 - But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  whom He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior�

Think of it this way - If you had to forgive every single person who ever wronged you, or if you had to let go of every single grudge you ever held in order to be saved, then your salvation would in part be determined by your own works.  And that is not possible, is it?

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.

You may find this shocking, but unforgiveness is not an unpardonable sin that will cast you into hell or cause you to forfeit your salvation. Rather, unforgiveness falls under the category of any other sin we commit, such as adultery, theft, gossip, envy, etc. Like any other sin, it needs to be confessed, dealt with and overcome.

So, you can harbor unforgiveness in your heart and still be saved.  There really is a choice to forgive or not.  BUT (notice the capital letters.  It's a BIG but)� Just as with any other sin, there will be consequences. There will be a price to pay.  What will unforgiveness cost me? What can I expect if I choose not to forgive?

I want to make you aware of five consequences of unforgiveness:

Matthew 18:21-22 - Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Here's the deal: Jesus commands us to forgive. If we don't, we are disobedient. Disobedience is sin.  Sin is not an action against an impersonal set of rules; it is rebellion against God's personal desires and requirements. Because God loves you, disobedience will always bring correction.

Hebrews 12:5-8 - And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?  If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

You consider yourself a child of God, right?  Then at some point you can expect to be disciplined if you do not forgive.  That is not to say that God is up in heaven with a whip giving you 10 seconds to forgive.  The path to forgiveness is sometimes very short and uneventful, but at other times it is a twisting and crooked road that takes a long time to navigate. 

Revelation 3:19 -  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Do you want to dwell under the rod of God's correction? Do you enjoy hardship? Do you want to be permanently grounded? That is where you will live, if you choose not to forgive.

Alternatively, you can choose to walk in God's ways.  You can choose forgive and live under God's blessing.  

Psalms 128:1-2 - Blessed are all who fear the Lord; who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Don't suffer because you won't forgive.  It isn't worth it.  Choose to actively seek and participate in forgiving others.  God will walk with you and bless you for it.

Matthew 5:25-26  - Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be put in prison.  Truly I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Instead of forgiving one another and trying to work it out, they choose to allow prison to severe their relationship. But here's the thing� not all prisons are brick and mortar.

Unforgiveness or unresolved conflict can lead to many types of prisons, and can exact penalties you never imagined in your worst nightmares.

Think about the last time someone offended you for any reason. It's like a wall between you and them, isn't it?  It damages the relationship.  If you are determined not to forgive, you will go to any lengths not to ask him/her for help. You would rather die than do one nice thing for them. You don't want to be generous or share with them. You will do anything possible to avoid that person; possibly you will go out of your way to cause them grief. You'll bad mouth them. You'll stab them in the back. If we are honest, we cannot deny that an unforgiven offence hinders or even kills our relationship with the one we hold a grudge against.

That is no way to live!  Don't let your relationships with friends and family be damaged or severed because of unforgiveness. 

Think about that wall of unforgiveness. What is that wall made of? The number one building block is anger.  If you have been wronged by another person, or even think you have been wronged by them, 99% of the time, you are angry.  It's not the only building block in the wall. Anger is never a lone wolf.  It always hangs out in packs with its friends like gossip, deceit, revenge, resentment, envy, rage, hate, hypocrisy, bitterness, even murder.

Remind yourself of the fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:25 - If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.

Think back to the last time you were wronged by another person. Did you feel like loving that person? Did you have an overwhelming desire to show them kindness or goodness? How was your self-control that day, especially your tongue? Were you experiencing joy and peace? [I doubt it!] 

The truth (which will set you free) is this: unforgiveness prevents you from consistently walking in the Spirit.  Therefore, the only choice open to you is to walk according to the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-17  - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Again, the choice is yours.  You can choose to forgive and walk in the Spirit, or you can choose not to forgive and walk according to the flesh. You can do one or the other, but not both.  If you choose the flesh, be aware that:

Galatians 6:7-8  - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption�.

Corruption is a departure from what is pure or correct.  It is synonymous with depravity, decay, rot, spoilage.

Does a rotten, depraved, fruitless, frustrating life sound good to you?  Do you want to infect not only your relationships but your own self with decay, depravity and evil?  No problem. Walk according to the flesh. Walk in unforgiveness; it will take you there.

Or, do you desire satisfaction and fruitfulness and fulfillment in all of your life?  If so, it's best to follow Paul's advice in Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:31-32 - Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.

Here's the kicker:  If you are harboring unforgiveness, it will eat you up on the inside, and will eventually spill out and touch your loved ones. The people you love the most will suffer right along with yourself and your perceived enemy.  Your spouse, your kids, your siblings, your boss, your coworkers, your church family, will all suffer to some degree from the unforgiveness you are harboring towards another.  You can't stop it. You can't control it.

Luke 6:45  - The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Charles Stanley in his book "The gift of forgiveness" says this: "The destructive nature of an unforgiving Spirit is such that it is not limited to one relationship. Resentment and other negative feelings spill over into other relationships. Unfortunately, people are rarely aware when hostility from one relationship affects their ability to get along with others. Eventually� they hurt people they love the most."

You may not want to hurt those you love, but that is one of the consequences of unforgiveness.  What will you choose to do?

This should be obvious, based on what we already examined. If you are walking according to the flesh, by default you are not walking with the Spirit. You are out of intimate fellowship with God. You are putting a wall between you and God. You are blocked from his blessing and he is blocked from using you to your fullest extent in his kingdom.

Remember the parable of the sower? Some seed falls on the wayside, some on the rocky soil, some among the thorns, some on good soil. 

Mark 4:7 - And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

Jesus interprets the parable this way:

Mark 4:18-19 - Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

We most often consider the desire for other things to mean material possessions, but that is not its only interpretation.

Your desire to hold on to unforgiveness will choke the word in your life, rendering you unfruitful in the kingdom of Christ.  You can deny it all you want, but God himself says it is so.  I don't care how busy or involved you are in the church. If you are walking the road of unforgiveness, at best you are spinning your wheels. At worst, you are creating strife and division in the church.   

How can we convincingly talk to others about the forgiveness of God when we refuse to forgive those who have wronged us? We can't!

Joyce Meyer in her book "Do yourself a favor – Forgive" concludes this:  Unforgiveness "renders you unusable by God."

Is that a place you want to be? Unusable by God?  Then hold onto unforgiveness.

Or would you prefer to be used of God?

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Want to do those good works?  They are on the path or forgiveness.

Consider the words of Christ:

Matthew 5:23-24 -  Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

• What are gifts? In essence, they are a form of fellowship. 
• Do we give gifts to strangers? No, we give them to friends and family. 
• In what context?  Let's get together for your birthday, or Christmas, or a graduation party. 
• What happens when we get together? We visit and communicate and find out what is going on with each other.  We laugh and eat and make new memories. 
• We give gifts to each other. In short, we fellowship.  

Gifts are also a form of fellowship in our relationship with God (money, worship, praise, time spent in his presence). God desires our fellowship more than we realize. He died in order to attain it.  It is precious to him and important to him.  In fact, it's the culmination of this age.

Revelation 21:2-4  - I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Fellowship with man is one of God's ultimate plans. It was his plan in the garden of Eden. It's his plan at the end of this present age.  And yet, as much as God wants and desires fellowship with us, what did he say back in Matthew 5?  God says: I choose to defer fellowship with you until you are in right standing with other people.  Then and only then, can we have intimacy with him and experience his manifest presence.

When you have been offended or wronged, it hurts you or makes you angry.  God does not always wave his hand and immediately change your painful circumstances. But what he does always do, is sustain us through them. Sometimes you still have to pass through the water or fire, but God promises to be with us.  

Job lost all he had� children, livestock, money, home, health, all of it.  Then his wife encourages him to curse God and die, and his friends accuse him of sin.  But as we know, Job was innocent. If anybody had an opportunity to be offended, it was him. He had an opportunity to be mad at God, mad at his wife and made at his friends. But at the end of Job's trials, he makes a very interesting statement about God.

Job 42:5 - My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.

In other words, before this trial, before these offences and hurts slapped me in the face, I knew about God.  But now that I have walked through this experience, now I truly know you in a more personal intimate kind of way. You will experience the same intimacy with God if you choose to walk the path of forgiveness.

Based on the facts presented here today (not on emotion but on fact), are you ready to choose to forgive those who have wronged you?

Let me give you some encouragement:  All things are possible with God.  Eventually, with his help, you will be able to forgive and move on in life.  It may be a long road, but God is with you every step of the way.  Who knows more about forgiveness than he does? 

Let me give you some relief: Forgiveness is often a process. It takes time to release the feelings of anger, hurt and betrayal you may be feeling.  That's okay.  Lean on God.  Confess to him that you desire or choose to forgive, and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

Let me give you some strength:  Despite what others have done to you, God has a perfect plan for you.  It is his desire to use forgiveness to set you free. He wants you to have life and have it more abundantly. He wants to give you peace that passes all understanding. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  Healing, blessing, reward and abundant life are waiting for you on the road of forgiveness.

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Lesson #1

Ephesians 5:1-2 - Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

These first two verses of chapter 5 should have been at the tail end of chapter 4.  In 4:32 the apostle ends by admonishing the Ephesians to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you". 

He then goes on in 5:1-2 to say therefore or because God has been so exceedingly good and merciful in pardoning your sin, you should imitate him and forgive others showing kindness and love at all times.  Christ is to be our example and we are to imitate him, just as any small child will imitate what she sees her earthly father doing. 

The word 'sacrifice' implies the shedding of blood.  The life of every living creature is in its blood.  By spilling the blood of the animal during sacrifice, the sinner recognized and acknowledged that he was the one who deserved to die, but a substitution was being made on his behalf.

An offering is simply a gift given to God and the implication is that the gift is bloodless.

Here in Ephesians, Jesus is described as both.  His life was an offering to God because he was in perfect obedience, saying and doing only what the Father directed. He offered his own will and his own desires as an offering to the heavenly father.  As you are already aware, his life was a bloody sacrifice as he died on the cross. 

Jesus' offering and sacrifice were a sweet smelling savor to God.  This phrase is found in the Old Testament and refers to a smell of satisfaction; a gift well pleasing to God not only because of what was given, but also because of the attitude or spirit in which it was offered.

I like that last bit� the offering is pleasing to God because of the attitude or spirit in which it was offered.  In second Corinthians Paul says that God loves a cheerful giver.  If you give something grudgingly, it taints or ruins the gift.  Have you ever given a tainted gift?

What kind of sacrifices have you made to God recently?  Have you considered surrendering your will and your desires to him?

Ephesians 5:3-4 - But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Have you ever been driving down the road in your car, just enjoying the day, listening to the radio when all of a sudden a horrible smell hits you?  Then you try to decide what they smell is; maybe farm animal excrement or a skunk or a dead deer. You might even check to see if it is the one of the passengers in your car!  You keep driving hoping the awful fumes will soon dissipate!    

(Sexual impurity and greed seem like two entirely different things but in reality they are not.  Both vices exhibit dissatisfaction for what God says is proper and an unnatural craving for more than what you should have).

Verse four is a warning against unseemly talk.  The Bible has an awful lot to say about our speech.  We could do a whole study on it, but we won't.  James sums it up nicely when he says in 3:10, "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be so".  This is the same point Paul is making.  As saints of God, we are to avoid any manner of speech that is not encouraging, edifying or thankful. 

Ephesians 5:5-6 - For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure or who is covetous (that is an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

In the next few verses the apostle gives us reason and motivation to choose what is holy and reject that which is evil. 

He begins in verse five by warning that idolaters of any kind have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.  An idol is anything that we put in the place of God. In our generation, it could be money, our kids, TV, our job, sports, electronics, the pursuit of a hobby, etc.  Since idolatry can keep us from entering heaven, we must anxiously examine our own lives and make sure we are free of the sin of idolatry.

Others will tell you that idolatry is harmless and God will overlook it. Don't fall into that trap!  God's mercy will allow the sinner multiple opportunities for repentance.  Do not mistake His delay of judgment as an approval of sin, for in due course his wrath will come upon those who are disobedient.  If you find that you have an idol in your life, repent right away.  Then begin to take steps to get rid of it without delay!

Ephesians 5:7-10 - Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

At one time, the Ephesian believers were slaves to sin.  They were ignorant of the ways of God and practiced the abominations that are being discussed here.  But, now that they have been enlightened [redeemed] by Christ and been made aware of the evil of idolatry, evil speaking, etc, they are expected to forsake these practices and live [walk] as true children of God. 

Those who are redeemed have the Holy Spirit living in them.  The working of the Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in the life of the believer.  This fruit is listed in Galatians:

Galatians 5:22-23 -  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control: against such there is no law.

Every believer, who lives by the gospel and has the indwelling Holy Spirit, should be well able to please the Lord.  This includes you and I.  Each of us should be able to examine ourselves and see if we have the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  We should pray for him to reveal to us areas in which we are prone to idolatry.  The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our comforter and our guide in this life.  Let's willingly partner with him.  

Ephesians 5:11-12 -  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 

The Ephesians were greatly involved in the practices of magic and sorcery which included secret rites and incantations.  The initiates of these rites were obliged to keep the group's secrets, on pain of death (see Acts 19:17-19).  This is probably what Paul is referring to when he speaks of shameful things they do in secret.  Obviously, these works of darkness are unfruitful because they are devoid of any true wisdom or power.  They do not draw men closer to God, but drive them further away.  Paul implies that by concealing or ignoring these practices, we too are sinning. He maintains that it is the duty of the true Christian to expose or testify against these practices and stand for the truth of the gospel. 

How do you feel about that?  Do you think you are sinning if you say nothing in the face of such evil as abortion, gay marriage, and other sins of our society?   

Ephesians 5:13-14 -  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you".

The overall meaning of these verses is that when you shed the light of truth [expose or testify against] on the works of darkness, their true nature is demonstrated or made known.  This is what the gospel does – expose sin for what it really is. 

A spiritual sleeper is someone who allows sin to live in the dark places of their lives.  They do not expose those sins to the light of the gospel so that they can be dealt with. 

How do you know if you are a spiritual 'sleeper'? 

• If you engage in things you know to be sin (sexual sins, unforgiveness, fraud, drunkenness, anger, etc) without your conscience bothering you, you are asleep.
• If you never feel any conflict with temptation, you are asleep.
• If you are too busy to pray, you are asleep. 
• If you never feel convicted by reading the word of God, you are asleep.
• If you have no compassion for others, you are asleep.
• If you never hear God speaking to you, you are asleep.
• If your life looks exactly like the life of unbelievers, you are asleep.

If you find yourself in any of these situations, WAKE UP!  Repent and call upon God to enlighten you.  He specializes in bringing the dead to life, and he will restore you spiritually.

 

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Chapter 4, Lesson 1

Ephesians 4:1-3  - I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,

In the first three chapters of this letter, Paul shared numerous high and lofty truths with the Ephesian church concerning their admission into the body of Christ and the spiritual blessings that God has given them. The remaining three chapters consist of practical applications of these truths.

First of all, they are to live their daily lives (walk) in a manner that reflects the grace of God. They are also to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  While that sounds simple, I doubt it was.  Remember, the Ephesian church was composed of both Gentiles and converted Jews. Based on the history between the two groups, we might expect frequent differences that were more likely to produce argument and division rather than peace and harmony.

Paul wants to stop that from happening, so he admonishes them to "eagerly" work for peace and unity.  The Greek word for 'eager' means intense, diligent or industrious.  The clear indication is that this peace and unity will not happen naturally or magically.  They are going to have to work at it.  It is going to take some effort on their part. So it is for the church of today.  We should allow the Holy Spirit to direct the way we think, speak and act towards our fellow believers.  We would do well to focus on those points on which we agree, not so much on our points of difference.

The bond of peace is an outward manifestation that is visible to the lost world around us.  Why would the world want to be part of an organization that has infighting and quarreling?  They have enough of that already! It is peace and love that will show them we are different.       

 So, practically speaking, how is the church to keep unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?

Paul says it begins with humility or lowliness, which is the opposite of pride and arrogance.  It means to have a modest estimation of our own worth; it means we are willing to waive our rights and take a place or station that might be lower than what we are due.  Jesus gives us an excellent example of humility in the book of John.

John 13:3-5 - Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper.  He laid aside his outer garments and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet�

If we are willing to keep an attitude of humility, it will go a long way to creating a bond of peace in the church.  

Gentleness or meekness is also needed in forming the unity of Spirit and bond of peace.  My favorite definition of meekness is "power under control".  It relates to the manner in which we respond when someone else injures or insults or attacks us.  We are to bear that injury patiently, without retaliating or seeking revenge.  Best example?  Jesus on the cross.  He had the power to obliterate those who were crucifying and humiliating him, yet he had perfect control of that power and he did not retaliate.     

Lastly, Paul says we are going to need longsuffering (with patience).  It is defined as 'bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient endurance'.  Example?  You guessed it – God.  God is longsuffering towards sinners.  He patiently waits until we acknowledge him and accept salvation.

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Obviously, we cannot control the actions of others (Bummer! That would really come in handy sometimes).  The Christian traits of humility, meekness and long suffering do not mean that we will all become like identical robots with the same sentiments, the same opinions and the same decisions.  Rather, it means that we should strive to interact with others without giving offence or taking offence.  We should avoid contention when we don't get our way.  If we can do this, our different personalities and intellects will bond us together in peace. The world needs to see that peace and unity in the church.

Ephesians 4:4-6  - There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all.

I have been accused of beating a dead horse on more than one occasion, but obviously, I am not the only one!  Here Paul stresses the need for unity by pointing out that the church is one body, with one head (Jesus).  We are all quickened by one and the same Holy Spirit.  All of us are called to one hope, which is eternal life in heaven.  We have one faith which is the gospel message.  We have one baptism, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We have one Father who has ultimate dominion over all things.  In light of this, we clearly need to conduct ourselves in unity.  Given this list, there should be more to unite us than to divide us.

Ephesians 4:7 - But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 

No one person has it all, therefore, the members of the church must pool their gifts together so that everyone can have what is sufficient for maintaining their place in the body.  For example, we need worship leaders, but not everyone can lead worship or play an instrument or sing.  We need pastors, but not everyone is called to pastor.  We need teachers, administrators, sound technicians, carpenters and electricians, grass cutters, janitors, ushers, etc.  Notice that regardless of how big or how small a person's gift may be, it is still a gift.  We did not manufacture it on our own, it was gifted to us by God.  In God's infinite wisdom, he made us dependent upon each other, which promotes unity, strength and harmony in the church.

Ephesians 4:8-10 - Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men".  (In saying, "he ascended", what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things).

In verse 8, Paul is referencing Psalms 68:18.  He is not actually quoting it.  The 68^th Psalm is considered a Psalm of triumph, written by David to celebrate the time when the ark was brought up to Jerusalem.  It also has Messianic overtones which we are not going to examine at length in this study.  For our purposes we only need to know that the bringing of the ark up to Jerusalem was a picture or shadow of the triumph of Christ's victory over Satan in Jerusalem.  

They would chain or bind the most prominent captives from the battle and force them to walk behind the victor's chariot in shame.  Everyone would see and mock the captives.  At the same time, the commander would throw spoils/money/coins out into the crowd of people who came to celebrate his victorious return. 

Colossians 2:14-15 – [Jesus cancelling] the record of the debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, mailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him [the cross].

So, what we see in verse 8-10 is Paul comparing Jesus to Psalm 18 and the victorious commander.  Jesus descended first to earth, then to hell, defeated Satan, took the keys of death, hell and the grave, then rose victorious.  He paraded Satan around as a defeated foe and gave gifts to the church. This ties in with the subject in Ephesians, which is the victorious Christ giving gifts to his people the church.  In fact, the victorious Jesus is the fountain of all blessings to the church.  He dispenses his blessings to whom he wills, in the measure he wills, to the different members of his body, both Jews and Gentiles.  The greatest gift of all, obviously, is the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:11-13  - And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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.    

Having established that Jesus has given gifts to the church and that the church must function in unity to be fully equipped, Paul goes on to discuss specific offices in the church.   It seems odd that Paul would discuss offices of the church instead of gifts, but the obvious answer is that when God calls you to an office, he equips you with the gifts necessary to fulfill that office.  If you are a true pastor, then God has given you the gifts and abilities necessary for that office.  The same is true of all the offices. 

Scholars agree that the powers exercised by the leaders of the early church were not as well defined and systematically arranged as they are in today's church.  Their duties varied depending on the circumstances and the people who exercised them.  Therefore, rather than dissecting the differences between the offices listed, we are going to focus on the ultimate purpose of these offices in the body of Christ.

We want to begin by noting that HE gave� in other words, the office of true Christian leadership in ministry is based on divine authority.

We further note that the appointment of apostles, pastors, etc, is given for specific purposes.

The first of these purposes is "to equip the saints for the work of ministry" (your translation may say 'for perfecting of the saints').  The word for equip or perfect means to restore to its place/putting in order; making complete or completing what is unfinished.  The meaning is that apostles, pastors, etc have been ordained by Christ to bring individual members of the body to maturity, thus making the whole church complete or perfect.  Maturity includes instruction, purification, holiness, etc.  

The second purpose of church leadership is "for building up the body of Christ" (your translation may say '(for the edifying of the body of Christ).  This phrase refers to the growth or maturity of the church body as a whole, in contrast to the individual members as mentioned above.  We note that the church belongs to Jesus.  He could have edified it any way he wanted; he chose to do it by the outward preaching of the word by people.  When individuals claim that they do not need to attend church or be part of a body, they are saying that they know better than God! 

Jesus has decided to use leaders to help bring the individual members of the body to maturity, but they cannot do this alone.  The believer must desire to come to maturity and work in conjunction with the leadership and the Holy Spirit.  Are you doing your part?  Are you meditating on the word, spending time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to identify the parts of your life that need to be perfected, working towards a more holy life?  Or are you just coming to church every week waiting for the pastor to spoon feed you like a baby?

No person is excluded from this hierarchy.  A person who claims that they do not need to be planted in a body of believers is really in a form of rebellion to Christ.  If any person feels they have arrived at maturity, then they should be an active part of the body by helping those who are still immature believers.  There is plenty of work to be done – who will rise up to mentor or disciple the new believers?

Mistakes will be made.  Despite the calling and gifts they have been given, spiritual leaders are themselves fallen humans who are not perfect.  In addition, as each individual member increases in maturity, they will begin to take a bigger role in the church.  They too, will make mistakes.  If we react with criticism and strife, division will result; this is the opposite of unity.  However, the body should have enough love for one another to work through these difficulties.  The only perfect workers are the ones who do nothing but warm the seats!

Speaking of workers, keep in mind that all the members of the body are essential.  What is your call, your gift, your ministry?  If you don't know, I suggest you start by filling a need you see in the body.  If that is not where you belong, God will move you towards something else.  Just get started!

Ephesians 4:14-15 -  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.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ�

Paul goes on to illustrate another reason for spiritual leaders. The leaders guard against childish behavior or mistakes in the ignorant and inexperienced of the faith.  Until the believer becomes firmly rooted in truth, they are in danger of being led into false doctrine or beliefs by any crafty or deceitful person who professes to be a Christian teacher.  The spiritual leaders are to oversee the flock as they grow from babes to mature believers. 

Romans 16:17-18 – I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the na�ve.

Speaking the truth in love – in this instance, truth is the whole gospel doctrine.  They are to teach and preach the truth as opposed to the false doctrine as noted above. Truth is the element in which the Christian is to live at all times.  But, truth should be inseparable from love.  While God is certainly a just judge, he is not to be portrayed as harsh task master, waiting for his subjects to fail so he can bring punishment.

Ephesians 4:16 – 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.

Just as the physical human body is formed by a union of all its parts, with the head in charge, so the church is formed by the union of its members with Jesus in charge.  Both the physical body and the spiritual body (the church) arrive at maturity when each individual part begins to function as it should. 

What is your place in the body of Christ?  Are you rooted in a local church? If not, why?  Are you diligently working for unity in the body?  Have you prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to help you mature in Christ?  How much to you think you have grown spiritually in the last three months?  In the last six months?  

 

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Lesson 1

Ephesians 3:1-3  -  For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles – assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.

In chapter 3, Paul gives an account of himself to the Ephesians.  He stresses the fact that he was appointed by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles and that he was called to reveal the ancient mystery of the gospel.  Why do you think he did this?  Why did Paul feel this was necessary?

[Hum your favorite game show music now. Possibly the theme to 'Jeopardy'].

Do you have your answer?  There is a clue in verse one.  Paul was in prison.  For the purposes of our study, the reason for his imprisonment is most significant.  Paul is not in prison for committing a crime or for being a debtor or a war captive; he is in prison for sharing the gospel with Gentiles.  Specifically, Paul asserted that the privileges of justification and salvation through Christ belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, even though the Gentiles were uncircumcised in the flesh and they did not adhere to the law. 

Many Jews were consumed with anger over this issue.  As we discussed in prior lessons, they were unwilling to accept the Gentiles into the family of God.  Beginning in Acts 21, we find an account of the Jews attempting to lynch Paul.  When they were prevented from beating him to death, they changed tactics and brought formal charges against him.  Eventually, this led to Paul being imprisoned in Rome. He wrote the letter to the Ephesians from the Roman prison.

Paul's adversaries (mainly the devout Jews) claimed that his imprisonment was proof that he was essentially a liar and a blasphemer.  After all, if God really wanted the Gentiles to be saved, why weren't things going well for Paul?  On the other hand, Paul's supporters assert that his imprisonment was a confirmation of the truth. If the other apostles suffered persecution and imprisonment for sharing the gospel, why not Paul? 

Therefore, Paul gives an account of himself to the Ephesians so that they can know with certainty that God called him to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  He wants to make sure that they fully understand that God has welcomed them into his family not as second class citizens, but as full sons and daughters. Paul will also make it clear that inclusion of the Gentiles was God's intention from the very beginning.

Did you correctly answer the question of why Paul gave an account of himself to the Ephesians? If so, enjoy your reward as you continue reading. If not, don't worry - another quiz question is coming soon!

Who do you think was driving this separation of the Jews and Gentiles?  The obvious answer is Satan [that was not the quiz question.  Put the candy down and back away slowly].  Only Satan could be fueling the hatred that we see tearing these two groups apart. 

Do you have an answer?  Compare it to what Jesus says in Mark 3:24-25 - If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

That means that Jesus, who is head of the church, would have two bodies!  Have you ever seen two bodies that shared the same head?  Of course not!  A person like that would soon die.  Likewise, the church would die if it did not unite as one.  That is why Satan fought so hard to divide the two groups. 

What are the implications of that today?  I believe that Satan still tries to divide the church by pitting different denominations against one another.  Personally, I believe he is at least partially successful in getting us to fight each other instead of uniting to fight against him!  Let's try to remember that we may differ from others in minor beliefs, but as long as we all believe in salvation through the blood of Christ, we are brothers and sisters!

Sadly, we even have disputes and divisions within individual churches!  Satan has not changed – he still seeks to divide and conquer, but if we allow a bond of love to unite us, we can overlook our differences and serve Christ in harmony.

Ephesians 3:4-6 -  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 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.  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.

The mystery is that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in the kingdom of heaven. Both are heirs of Christ.  Both are included in the body of Christ.  Both are entitled to the same spiritual benefits including salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The really mysterious part (to the Jews at least) was that the Gentiles could be included without the works of the law.  The Gentiles did not need to be circumcised or keep the Sabbath day or observe any of the Jewish festivals, or dietary laws, yet they still were equal in the kingdom! Admittedly, this is not much of a mystery to us, but during the early days of the church, this was a shocking revelation. 

Paul says that the mystery was "not made known" or in other words, it was hidden from earlier generations. This seems odd to us, because clearly God always intended to include the Gentiles in his plan of salvation.

Psalms 22:27 – All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

Daniel 7:13-14 – I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

 

John 10:16 – I [Jesus] have other sheep that are not of this fold.  I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.  So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Well, the mystery was not so much the fact that it would happen, the mystery was how and when and in what manner it would come to pass. 

Until it actually happened, the Jews had no clue that God was going to repeal the ceremonial law, tear the veil in two and allow all believers access to his presence.  They believed that God was going to make all the Gentiles into Jews first, then, once they were established in the law, they could receive salvation.  When it didn't happen that way, the Jews were angry and confused.  Little did they realize that God's plan was so much greater and deeper and more magnificent then they could understand!   

So then, God revealed his astonishing plan to his prophets and apostles (including Paul) by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  It was their job to instruct or explain this mystery to the church.

Ephesians 3:7-9 - 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.  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, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.  

I am not sure what your opinion is, but I don't see Paul as the "least of all the saints".  Nevertheless, as he abases himself, the grace of God becomes more highly exalted.  He does not want the Ephesians' attention on himself, but on the gift of God. 

Also, we want to note that Paul's humility essentially disarms his enemies.  You can easily picture the hostile Jews pointing to Paul and saying, "Who does he think he is?  Why would God reveal mysteries to him?" But since Paul admits up front that he is unworthy apart from the grace of God, his enemies have no point of attack against him.

Ephesians 3:10 – so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

The overall meaning of the verse is this: The church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is a mirror in which angles behold the astonishing wisdom of God, displayed in a manner previously unknown to them. 

Ephesians 3:11-13 – This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.  So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

 Now, what about you?  How does it feel to know that God thought about you in ages past, and he wanted to give you an opportunity to be joined to him?  He wanted it so much, that he died for you.  Does this fact make you feel a certain boldness to approach him?  It should!  Do you have confidence that he hears your prayers?  You should! Does this fact cause worship to rise up within you?  I sure hope so!

Let me ask you this:  Do you think there are other mysteries that God will reveal to future generations?  Does the scripture speak of other things or events without revealing how and when and in what manner they may come to pass?  Please write and share your insights with us!   

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Prayer

Let's continue on with our study of the prayer of Paul in the first chapter of Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:19b-20   - �according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

What do you picture when you read this?  Do you picture God on a magnificent throne with Jesus sitting on another throne at his right side?  What if I told you that mental picture may not be entirely accurate?

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Here on earth, in bygone days, it was the highest honor to be seated at the right hand of the king or the right hand of a prince. Hence, our mental picture of two side-by-side thrones.  However, what the phrase truly signifies is someone who is in a position of supreme honor.  It is entirely possible (and many scholars say probable) that the right hand of God is not a particular place and Jesus is not sitting there as we think in the natural realm.  Rather, the phrase is used to give earthly men an understandable picture of the honor, respect, dignity and authority that has been bestowed on Jesus. 

Let's examine some of the finer points involved in the exaltation of Jesus. We know that Satan did not take Jesus' life from him; Jesus willingly laid it down for us of his own accord.

John 10:17 & 18 – For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes is from me, but I lay it down o my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.  This is the charge I have received from my Father.

  Once his sacrifice was complete, Jesus was raised from the dead by the immeasurable greatness of God's power, mentioned in verse 19.  His resurrection took him from the deepest humiliation of hell to the highest honor of heaven.  The scripture tells us that the announcement of Jesus' earthly birth was accompanied by "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13-14).  If heaven was so excited at the prospect of Jesus' sacrifice and temporary humiliation, can you imagine how it rocked with his praise when God's immeasurable power raised him from the dead and brought him home to heaven?  

Jesus' resurrection is a miracle.  It is incontestable evidence of the truth of Christianity.  It is the basis of our assurance that his blood cleanses us from sin. The power of God not only converts us from Satan's slaves to co-heirs with Christ, it carries on the work of grace until we are called home to heaven.  His power is supreme; therefore, his power is greater than any force that might try to stop the work of grace in our lives.  His power is greater than Satan, the world, sin, death and our own failures. His power never runs out; it extends through all eternity.  His power works in us by the mighty Holy Spirit.  Oh, that we would willingly give the Spirit control in our lives!

We have already mentioned that Jesus now occupies the position of supreme honor, respect and dignity in heaven.  Paul also tells us that ultimate authority has been bestowed upon him.

Ephesians 1:21 - �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. 

The phrase 'rule and authority and power and dominion' is intended to include all possible forms of power, including things in heaven, things in earth and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10-11).  This would cover all the governments of the earth, the authority of Satan and all angelic beings whether good or evil.  Not even the collective authority of all these could come anywhere near the authority of the Son of God; his authority is FAR above them.  This state of ultimate authority will never end.  It is true in this age and will be true in eternity.  The name of Jesus is above every other name that will ever be named.  

Ephesians 1:22-23 - And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body; the fullness of him who fills all in all.

What does it mean to have all things under his feet?  Our first thought would be a victorious king who actually put his foot on the necks of his defeated enemies.  But the apostle's language goes deeper than just that.  It includes the whole of creation and all that is found in it; not just earth but all of the universe.  This means that all of creation is at his disposal to use as he sees fit, regardless of whether it/they submit willingly or unwillingly.

God has also honored Jesus by making him the head of the church, which is his body.  This is a common theme throughout the New Testament scriptures.

And so Paul enumerates for us four of the glories of Christ:

• His resurrection.
• His exaltation to God's right hand.
• His supreme dominion.
• His headship of the church, his body, which is filled with his fullness. 

These glories were all obtained by his death on the cross.  Clearly, he abased himself that he might be exalted.

  Hebrews 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In conclusion, we find that Paul prays that each individual believer might have his/her spiritual eyes opened so that we can begin to perceive the incredible hope we have in Christ, the eternal unmatched riches of our inheritance in him, and the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe.

If our eyes were truly opened to these truths, it would affect the way we think, talk and live.  It would influence the way we treat our fellow man, how we spend our time and what we do with our money.

Are you willing to take a step towards spiritual maturity?  Do you desire to know Christ in a deeper more intimate way?  Can you pray this prayer for yourself, until you notice a change?

What are your thoughts on this prayer?  How does the hope of a future with Christ give you strength in this life? Have you seen a demonstration of God's incredible power in your life?  Please write in and share your thoughts and experiences with us, so that others may be encouraged! 

Thank you for studying with us!

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Prayer, continued

So� did you have a chance to meditate on prayer for a while?  Before we begin today's lesson, stop and consider your own prayer life. 

• How often do you pray?
• Do your prayers focus mainly on you and the things you are asking God to give you?
• Has there been any kind of change/maturity in your prayer life over the last year, or are your prayers still basically the same?

Ephesians chapter one gives us some wonderful insight into prayer.  Please consider these verses carefully and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about your own personal prayer life.

Ephesians 1:17-  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�

Previously, under the Old Testament covenant, God was commonly known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But notice the way Paul refers to God in this verse – as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This title reflects the change of covenants that took place when Jesus rose from the dead.  In this instance, the focus is on Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant and the one who intercedes for us with the Father.

Now, let's start by looking at what Paul did NOT ask God to give them.  He did not ask God to keep them from persecution and trouble.  He did not ask God to give them fame or wealth.  He did not ask God to grant them happiness or an easy life. 

What he DID ask God to give them was the Holy Spirit who bestows to the believer wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.  In other words, Paul prays for these believers that their spiritual eyes would be opened and focused so that spiritual realities will be clearer, more easily seen and more understandable by their minds.  Likewise, he prays for the Holy Spirit to quicken our spirits making them more sensitive to spiritual things. 

Why would Paul pray that for believers?

Well for one thing, if we are honest, we will admit that we can be easily distracted.  Our every waking moment is a constant barrage of things from the physical world that compete for our time and attention.  Personally, I think the situation is worse now that it has ever been.  Modern electronics like the cell phone, hand held video games, electronic readers and computer tablets spew entertainment and information like an active volcano.  It literally never ceases.  If we are not careful, our spiritual eyes and ears will become dull and useless.  We will lose our sensitivity to the voice of God.  We should regularly be praying that the Holy Spirit quickens our spiritual man.

For another thing, no matter how mature we have grown in Christ, we have still not arrived at perfection.  No matter how much we know of God, no matter how much we have experienced of him, there are still unfathomable depths of wisdom and knowledge to be found in him.

Ephesians 1:18-19a – 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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,

The 'eyes of your heart' refers to your mind or your understanding.  Our understanding of God and spiritual principles have been blinded or distorted by sin.  Unless it is touched by the Spirit, the mind cannot comprehend spiritual truths. If you are a Christian, you have already had your mind/understanding enlightened by the Spirit to some degree; it was a revelation of sin that prompted you to accept Christ as Savior.  However, the entire Christian life is one of gradual maturing.  The revelation of truth that we experienced during salvation is not the full revelation of God.  Our understanding needs to be further enlightened because there are more and deeper spiritual truths to be understood.   

1 Corinthians 2:14 -  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Paul prays for the Spirit to enlighten our minds, that we might discover three great truths.

One, that we may know what is the hope to which he has called us:  Christianity is the hope to which we are called.  Hope is a powerful thing; in fact, it's a game changer.  It spurs us on during difficult times, it calms our sorrows, it lessens the effects of persecution and temptation, it renews our focus on the prize and it sustains us during the long haul of life.  Hope makes our work and sacrifice worthwhile.  Paul wants the Spirit to give us a greater understanding of the hope to which he has called us, so that it can work powerfully in us during our time on earth.

 

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.     

Two, that we might know what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints:  In other words, the glorious abundance of spiritual things to which you are entitled as a consequence of being children of God.  As discussed earlier in this chapter, we are not completely sinless, painless, perfect, righteous, etc, right now, but someday we will be.  At this time, we can enter into God's presence through praise and worship, but one day we will behold his face as we sing praises around his throne. One day we will rule and reign with Christ.  The more we understand the riches of our inheritance, the more motivated we will be to serve our King and the more joy we will have during our service here.   

Was there ever a time in life when you longed to have something and you wanted it so much that you constantly daydreamed about it? When you finally got it, was it all that you expected or were your daydreams better than the real thing?

Sometimes we disappoint ourselves because the thing we long for winds up being less than we imagined it would be.  In the case of our inheritance in Christ, the opposite will be true.  No matter how wonderful we imagine heaven to be, it will be infinitely better!

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

 

Three, that we might understand the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us: God's immeasurable power is at work in every stage of the Christian life.  Once we were dead in sin, but his great power converted us.  His power is still at work in us right now; he has branded us as his own and he watches over us as we mature in Christ.  One day that same great power will raise up our dead bodies in newness of eternal life, when we will find the fulfillment of our hope, our glorious inheritance in Christ!

Are you excited about the prayer that the apostle Paul prayed for you?  The things he asks God to grant you are far, far greater than anything earthly that we could ask for.

I encourage you to begin to earnestly pray this same prayer for yourself over the next few weeks.  See how the Holy Spirit changes your life!

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Ephesians 1:11-12 – In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the council of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

I hate to beat a dead horse (where do some of these expressions come from?), but since Paul did it first, I am going to follow suit.  These verses say that we have obtained an eternal inheritance in Christ, which was planned in advance, before the world was created.  As adopted children we are the praise of his glory in two ways.

One, in a passive manner.  This involves us being the undeserving recipients of grace.  We are a testimony to God's grace, because we did nothing to deserve it. Praise and worship should be our natural reaction to this gift.  

Two, in an active manner.  This involves personal holiness, obedience to God's commands and the bearing of fruit for the kingdom God.

Paul speaks of those who were the first to hope in Christ.  We would assume that the apostles were among the first to believe, having heard the gospel from Jesus himself. They spread the good news first to their own countrymen (the Jews) and then the gospel went out to the Gentiles as well. The scripture describes the gospel as radiating out from Jerusalem until it reaches the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

While the apostles may have been the first fruits of faith in Jesus, they were certainly not the last!

Ephesians 1:13-14 – 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

These verses start by saying that the Ephesians (and later you and I) have also believed in Jesus, after we heard the word of truth/gospel of salvation.  Note that the same gospel produces salvation in all men, whether Jew or Gentile, whether born in 1 AD or 2019 AD. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His word is a firm foundation that will stand for all time.  It does not change. Just as all men believe and are saved through the same gospel, so all believers have a share in the heavenly inheritance, and all believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which was promised long ago. 

Let's examine the idea of being sealed.  Webster defines a seal as "something that confirms, ratifies or makes secure:  A guarantee, an assurance". 

In our culture, we seal documents to prove or confirm they are authentic.  Have you ever taken a legal document to a notary?  Normally, you sign the document in the presence of the notary, who then signs and places a seal on your document.  The notary is confirming, guaranteeing or assuring others that the signature on the document is authentic.

Another example of sealing would be a brand.  Have you ever seen a cow that has been branded by its owner?  The brand creates a permanent mark that distinguishes that particular animal as belonging to a single, specific owner.  Even if the animal is mixed with other cows, a simple glance can identify who it belongs to; the mark is a guarantee or an assurance of ownership.

The scripture tells us that when we accept Christ as savior, we are sealed or branded by the Holy Spirit, which confirms that we belong to Christ. 

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which establishes us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  

We can see from these scriptures that the Holy Spirit seals or marks us as belonging to God.  However, according to verse 14, he does so much more!! 

We are using the English Standard Version of the Bible in this study, but in this case, I think the King James Version is clearer.  It says:

Ephesians 1:14 - Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Pop Quiz:  Do you know what earnest money is?

Earnest money, also called good faith deposit, is a sum of money that a buyer pays to the seller at the time of entering a contract. Its primary purpose is to make sure that the buyer is serious about following through on the contract. Typically used in real estate transactions, earnest money may be used to give the home buyer more time before closing. It provides the seller with incentive to continue with the transaction.

The analogy of earnest money can help you and I better understand what the Holy Spirit is doing for us when he seals/brands us as belonging to Christ.

When God redeems us, he buys us back from sin.  When we accept his offer of salvation, he gives us the Holy Spirit as an earnest, which is a piece of our spiritual inheritance.   It shows that he is serious about following through with our redemption contract.  The earnest of the Holy Spirit is upon us until God 'closes the deal' of our redemption, which will occur when he returns for us at the second coming. At that time, we will receive our entire inheritance.  The Holy Spirit gives us incentive to stand firm until our redemption is complete.

We all recognize that our redemption is not complete at this time.  But rest assured, a day will come when God will deliver us from all sin, evil, temptation, sorrow, pain and frustration.  

• A day will come when we hear 'well done, good and faithful servant'. 
• A day will come when we inherit eternal life. 
• A day will come when the church will be presented to Jesus as a bride, without spot or wrinkle.
• A day will come when we sit with him at the marriage supper of the lamb.
• A day will come when we see our redeemer face to face.
• A day will come when we stand around his throne singing his glorious praise.  
• A day will come when we receive a new body and home (and a job) in heaven. 
• A day will come when the old will pass away and all things will become new!!   

I  Corinthians 2:9 – �no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

Notice that verse 14 also tells us that these things are "to the praise of his glory".  We did not earn any of these things; God freely gave them to us because of his great love and grace.  Therefore, redemption is an eternal testimony of God's great love to mankind.  All created beings (including us) should forever be praising and glorifying him for this indescribable gift! 

I encourage you to dwell on these thoughts for a while.  You may find that you are encouraged.  You may find that life's momentary difficulties pale in comparison to what God has in store for you! You may find yourself bursting with praise for his mighty name!  Allow that praise to well up inside you and come forth audibly.  Pray and ask the Father to fill you to overflowing with the promised Holy Spirit!

Ephesians 1:15-16 – For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

Paul gives thanks to God for the Ephesian church.  He also prays for them.  Next time we will examine this prayer, which is found in verses 17-23.

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Ephesians 1:5-6 – In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

In times past, God had chosen one man, Abraham, as the father of the Jewish race [Genesis 12].  God made three distinct promises to Abraham regarding the Jewish nation.  Do you know what they were?

1. The Jews would be a great nation; that is, in terms of numbers.  Genesis 12:2, Genesis 15:4-5.
2. They would inherit a promised land. Genesis 12:5-7, Genesis 15:7.
3. They would be a blessing to ALL the families on earth. Genesis 12:3, Genesis 28:14.

Did you answer correctly?  If so, award yourself a piece of candy!

Now, it is this third promise that we want to consider.  How were the Jews to be a blessing to all the families on earth?  They were to be an example of God's love to mankind.  They were to exemplify or display God's provision, his grace, his forgiveness, his great power, his love, etc.  Their relationship with God was to be a living example to all the nations of the earth of the love of God.    

The culmination of that love and promised blessing was a savior or messiah, who would be a member of the Jewish race, and who would die for the sins of man.  Through this messiah, ALL men could be freed from the bondage of sin and be restored to a right relationship with God.  Through the savior Jesus Christ, ALL men (not just the Jews) could be adopted as sons and daughters of God.  God had predestined or predetermined to do this in ages past. (Predestine means 'to set bounds beforehand', or 'to predetermine').  God gave us glimpses of this great plan numerous times through the prophets.  For instance:

Isaiah 49:6  - And he [God] said, It is too small a thing that you [the Messiah] should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

So, we know that from the very beginning, God planned, or intended, or predestined to redeem mankind; to adopt ALL men, Jews and Gentiles alike, as sons and daughters.  This is what Paul refers to when he says "he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ". 

This was done 'according to the purpose of his will'.  In other words, it had nothing to do with any merit on our part.  In times past, God chose the Jews, not because they had any outstanding merit in themselves, but because of the purposes of his will.  In the same way, Gentiles are now called to salvation/adoption as sons of God, not because of any outstanding merits on the part of the Gentiles, but according to God's will and purpose.

This was a very radical and somewhat controversial idea in the early days of Christianity.  The Jews were convinced that they had exclusive rights to being the sons of God.  Even after Jesus died and was resurrected, they felt it was only for them.  It was extremely difficult for them to embrace the idea that the Gentiles could be admitted into the kingdom of God.  As you recall, God made his intentions crystal clear in Acts 10 when he calls Peter to preach in the house of the Gentile Cornelius.  All the Gentiles in that house were saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized in water.  Peter proclaims:

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:   But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

Thus, there can be no stepchildren in the kingdom of God.  All who accept him are equal sons and daughters; all are coheirs with Christ.  

Further, Paul tells us that this adoption of all men as sons was done not only according to the purpose of his will, but 'to the praise of his glorious grace'.  In other words, God is drawing attention to his Divine Grace.  He wants the world to see how rich, how deep, how boundless/abundant his grace is towards all men.  God's grace knows no limits! All sin can be forgiven!  All can be restored into relationship with Him!  All can experience the depth and love of Christ! All can be filled with the Holy Spirit!  

Maybe you are reading this and thinking that you are excluded from that grace for some reason.  I assure you, there are NO exceptions!!  The Bible says:

John 6:37  - �he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

Romans 8:32 -  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  

My guess is that as you meditate on the vast love God has shown to you personally, by forgiving your sin and adopting you as a son/daughter, you are feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside, aren't you?  You are feeling special, aren't you?  Being one of God's children along with all its privileges is delightful, isn't it?  Kind of like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows, after you've been outside shoveling snow. [If you live someplace warm, maybe it's like a cold shot of air conditioning after mowing the grass, but I live in Ohio, so for me it's more like the hot cocoa!]  I want you to hold on to that warm, fuzzy feeling as we take a closer look at how that manifests in our everyday lives.      

When we consider that God has chosen to adopt us as sons and daughters, solely by his infinite grace and love (not based on any good within ourselves), what should our reaction be?  PRAISE!

As we mentioned in an earlier lesson, praise is not limited to our mouths or our music.  We also praise God with our actions or conduct. We should be living lives that reflect and display our thanksgiving of God's glorious grace. 

So, since God freely forgave us without strings attached, we need to be forgiving others in the same way.  We are praising him when our conduct reflects his love and mercy!

  Uh oh�do I detect a cold silence in the air?  Have you lost the warm fuzzies already?  Do you instantly have the word "but" on your lips?  Please don't close your browser in my face.  Just hear me out.

I understand that forgiveness is probably the MOST challenging thing that we are called to do.  Some of you reading this have suffered abuse that would make the rest of us vomit.  Some of you have experienced unspeakable loss or a betrayal that reaches to your innermost being.  As far as I can tell, the violence of man knows no limits.  I can never understand what you have endured, but I assure you there is One who knows; our God, the same God who gave his only son for you, knows and understands.  He has healing for you.

Forgiveness does not happen instantaneously or easily, for any of us. However, I believe that when we are willing and when we seek to praise God with our conduct, we can take steps towards forgiveness. 

The first step would be to acknowledge that God asks us to forgive others. This is well documented throughout scripture.

  Matthew 18:21-22 - Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.

I would encourage you to talk to God in prayer.  Tell him that you know you need to forgive, but you just cannot at this point.  He will lead you as you walk down the path of forgiveness with him. You may benefit from help from a Christian counselor.  Eventually, you will be able to do what seems impossible right now.  Be assured that the Bible also tells us "nothing is impossible with God" Luke 1:37.

For some of you, the problem presents differently.  Some of you, for your part, have forgiven and want to restore a relationship with someone else, but they refuse to do so.  Again, your best action is to go to God in prayer.  Ask him how to give you wisdom.  Pray that you can reflect God's love and grace to this other person.  God can make restoration of the relationship possible, although patience may be required. 

James 1:5 -  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him.

Going back to our text, we have seen that God has planned ahead (predestined) for ALL people (Jews and Gentiles) to be adopted into his eternal family as the direct result of his will and loving grace (not according to anything good in us), so that we can reflect his praise (with our mouths and with our conduct).  Paul goes on to say that we have been "blessed in the beloved".  What does that mean?  It refers to Jesus, the beloved Son of God.  The meaning is that through Jesus the mercies and blessings we have been discussing have been conferred on us.

Ephesians 1:7-10 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

The mystery of God's will is salvation by faith through Jesus, apart from the law.  It was hidden in the law; not clearly seen or understood by those who came before Christ.  But now God has revealed his plan to unite all things in heaven and on earth under the authority of Christ. Aren't you glad to be a part of that?  The prophets of old desired to know these mysteries, but they were prevented from doing so. From our perspective, we can see all the types, shadows, prophesies and promises have culminated in the person of Jesus, the Messiah!  Let us be thankful for what God has done in the age of grace!

Are you especially thankful for God's forgiveness? Was there a time when you felt you could never forgive an offence but through the help of Jesus you did it? Please subscribe to our blog and share your comments with us!