Maturity through Speaking

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…”

(Eph 4:15, ESV)

The typical emphasis in this verse is on the word, ‘love’.  “When you’re going to tell someone the cold, hard facts you better tell them in love, otherwise they’re just not going to hear you.”  Sure, this is true.  But learning this verse in context, it seems that Paul is making a much more significant point.

The ‘rather’ with which this verse begins sets itself up in contrast to the concept of the previous verse: that of being children tossed to and fro by every wave.  Either we live as anchor-less children, or we grow to mature manhood (vs 12) in the likeness of Christ.  We start as vulnerable children.  Our calling is to look like Christ.  The way to grow up is to speak the truth in love.

Suddenly this “speaking the truth in love” is no longer just a strategy for making hard-headed people hear me.  Properly understood, the aim of speaking the truth in love isn’t so much to transform other people as it is to transform me.

I can see that.  Somehow the commitment of verbalizing a truth does something inside me.  The very act of speaking a truth makes me believe it more.  The more I believe a truth, the more my life lines up with it and the more I begin to look like Christ.

“We are called to be the holy temple of God,” is a truth emphasized in the first half of the book of Ephesians.  If I am to free the full potency of this fact in my life and in the lives of those around me, there is no better way than to talk about it lovingly.  Keeping this truth as a conversation topic does two things:  first it re-aligns my internal value system; secondly it leads me to think of its implications and practical ways to live it out.  Then these two transformations play off each other:  since I internally start to value this ‘holy temple calling’, I actually have the desire to start living out these implications.

There is yet another way in which speaking the truth in love grows me up to be like Christ.  It is the very act of practicing this truth and love filled speech that matures me.  The best way to be a better piano player?  Play the piano.  The best way to be a better pray-er?  Practice praying.  The best way to be like Christ in speech?  Speak like Christ.  Practice is never easy.  It is an unglamorous path filled with failed attempts.  But it really is the only way; no short-cuts to personal perfection.

So, what areas of my life need transformation?  What relationships have I that can use more Kingdom presence?  First, let me seek out the appropriate Biblical truth that longs to flourish in that life situation.  Then, let me practice speaking it lovingly and let the transformation begin with me.

Calling Redefining Failure

So what difference does it make, that my calling is so clear?  Everything seems to be redefined now that I see my calling simply as the place where God resides.

Funny how Paul begins this second half of Ephesians by reminding us that he is a prisoner.  “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,…”  It is as if he is saying, “Listen to me.  Because I am imprisoned I know what I am talking about.”

Every now and then I see billboards inviting me to go hear a motivational talk from the likes of Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani and other apparently successful people.  Their success proves that what they have to say is valid.  Politicians are quick to add celebrity to their campaigns to bolster credibility.  Makes sense.

Somehow though, Paul’s message that we are called to be the living temple of God is proved credible because he ended up in jail.  I’m not sure if Paul necessarily saw his imprisonment as a success.  But he certainly did not see it as a failure.  How is this possible?

Part of the answer seems to be in the kind of instructions Paul delivers in response to this calling.  From Ephesians 4 right through the end, the instructions are all about how to live in line with God’s character.  Makes sense: if we’re to be the living reality of God, then we better be living the reality of his character.

How we live our lives becomes the ends and not just a means.  Where we end up in life does not matter half as much how we get there.  Perhaps that is why Paul emphasizes that he is not just any prisoner, but a prisoner for the Lord.

Another reason why this calling redefines failure is that suddenly life is not just about me.  Sure, everyone knows that it is better to give than to receive.  But why?  And as a minister from a family of ministers, an outlook of service is pretty much ingrained into the fiber of my being.  But to what ends?

If I’m honest, my fear of failing to ‘make an impact’ is grounded mostly in my fear of people’s negative perception of me.  But if I am to fully embrace my calling of being but one part of Christ’s body, then how people perceive me is not half as important as how they perceive Christ in His fullness.  A farmer’s hands are rarely praised as objects of beauty.  But the abuse they take is essential to the farmer living out a life of integrity and respectable hard work.

Oh Lord, let me understand and fear true failure and not the failure of the world.  May the success I pursue be the success of dying to myself to coming alive in your body, your temple.  Thank you for calling me to an eternal purpose.  Amen.

Clarity of Calling

How much time do I burn up, wondering if I am I truly following God’s call for my life? How many conversations have I had with College students, trying to figure out if their degree is really in line with their life’s calling?

My dear friend Tyrone struggles to keep a job and pay rent. He is currently homeless. He commented to me recently, “I heard that everyone has a call. I wish I had call. Do you think I have a call?”

Are callings just for the College-educated? Just for people who are self-aware enough to know their true strengths?

Paul closes Ephesians 1, commenting that the Church is Christ’s body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  Ephesians 2 finishes by reminding us that the Spirit is building us into a dwelling place for God.  Chapter 3 closes with a prayer that we be filled with all the fullness of God.

Of course there were no chapters when Paul penned this letter.  But it is clearly a foundational point he repeatedly makes throughout the first half of the epistle.  So when — at the beginning of chapter 4 — he transitions  into the practical half of the letter, all the  instruction is based on a very clear calling.

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” (Eph 4:1)  All my actions are to be based on this calling:  to be God’s vessel of manifestation.

My calling is both a place and a direction.  It defines who I am now and where I am going.  I am a currently a part of the dwelling place for God, here on earth.  I am headed to the place of being more and more filled by Him.

Oh Lord, may I remember moment by moment this calling.  May I live as a response to Your presence; as a response to being Your presence.

Blessing or Burden

“…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him.”   –Ephesians 1:4

Funny how my first inclination is to understand this as a burden and not a blessing.  Yes, I know that being holy and blameless is a good thing.  Yes, I know that being chosen is a good thing.  But somehow my mind interprets this phrase as, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should pursue a life that is holy and blameless.”  As much as I might assent that holiness and blamelessness are worthy pursuits, they remain seemingly impossible pursuits and are therefore a burden.

But no, Paul obviously meant this holiness and blamelessness before God to be considered a blessing and not a burden.  Beginning the phrase with ‘even’ means that he is comparing the ‘every blessing in Christ’ from the previous verse with the blessings of being holy and blameless.  In fact, it is as if Paul makes the case that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing based upon the fact that we are chosen to be holy and blameless before God.

I like to shave before I go out in public — put my best foot forward, make a good impression and all that.  But before God who sees much deeper below the surface of my skin, the challenge of making a good impression on my own is impossible.  Blessing of blessings — before any star was hung in place, I was picked out to be beautiful in perfect purity in the sight of God.

And this blessed holiness of mine?  Not something to be pursued, but something that is done in Christ.  The only right response is to receive it.

Yes, I know I am speaking simply of the Gospel.  It never ceases to amaze me, catch me off guard and lead me to a life at peace.

The Glory Category

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

Ephesians 3:20-21

I have recited theses final lines of Paul’s prayer several hundred times.  It is an amazing prayer conclusion; a lot more colorful than the typical, “In Jesus name, amen.”  It is good to be reminded that God can do more than we can imagine.  It is startling that the power source for this unimaginable activity is at work within us.  These are verses that are rightfully used to uplift when things are not going our way.

But until this morning, the essence of this passage has escaped me.

The question we need to be asking is, “In what way is God seeking to do more than we can imagine?”  It is not that I am trying to restrict God or our understanding of Him.  But unless we ask such clarifying questions, we are stuck with only vague notions of God doing abundant things, beyond our imagination.  Or, if we do imagine something specifically amazing for God to do …is it really in line with His program?

It is the repeated word pairing, “to him,” that reveals the essential meaning .  But of course!  Taking a second look, we see that the words between the two “to hims” are really secondary in meaning.  Collapsing those words out, we are left with ” Now to him … be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus…”

To him be glory.  How simple.  How obvious.  The category in which God seeks to do far more abundantly than all that we can ask or imagine according to the power at work within us — is the category of bringing him glory.

This truth brings my imagination and therefore my prayers into focus.

Yes, Lord God, be at work in power within me and in my family — but do so only for your glory.  Amen.

The Head

“And he (God) put all things under his (Jesus) 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.”
-Ephesians 1:22,23

A couple weeks ago I realized that my primary interpretation of this passage was wrong.  “Since Jesus’ all-encompassing power is given me,” I would think, “then I have the authority to order my world to be reshaped in any fashion I see fit.”  But some prophecy in Ezekiel about benevolent princes got me thinking otherwise.

It wasn’t until meditating this morning on the theme of walking throughout the book of Ephesians that the correct emphasis of these verses was made clear to me.  The emphasis really should be on the headship of Jesus.  How silly of me to think otherwise.

My role as a body part is to respond to the head’s command.  It is difficult to respond to any command when all I am focused on is all the authority that is given me by being a part of Jesus’ body.

Of course, listening first for commands from Jesus my Head only increases the effectiveness of the authority that has been given me.  But it will come only as I shift my focus from accomplishing things to listening to Jesus.

The other beautiful side-effect to this re-prioritization is a lowered stress level.  Accomplishing things is not my responsibility; responding is.

What a good arrangement this is.  It is only right that Jesus with His perfect perspective be given such command.

Sacred Access

Explicitly or indirectly, Ephesians is filled with the ‘unsearchable riches of Christ.’   They are so packed in there that it is easy to gloss over these promises.  Worse yet, my familliarity to the story and the Western culture in which I swim often leave me oblivious to the shocking realities exposed in the text.

Both Ephesians 2:18 and 3:12 speak of the access we have to the Father through Jesus.  How many times have I read this, affirming numbly, ‘Yes this is good and true.’  But wait.  If only through Jesus do we have access to the Father, then without Christ, we have no access.  And maybe the ability to approach God is actually a big deal.

How many cultures would have their people shudder in fear at the very thought of entering the creator God’s throne room?  How many people fearfully think they’ve got to get their act together before they can even consider prayer?  Without Jesus, these are indeed legitimate fears.

As much as I love to give and help out people, it is concerning when someone gets a sense of entitlement.  If I had infinite resources, it would be no trouble and maybe even a joy to supply the needs of the homeless.  But as I have seen in some street people, their lifestyle leads to a sense of entitlement and lack of gratitude.

Paul speaks of the confidence and the boldness with which we have access to God through Christ.  But, is it possible that my lifestyle has led to an attitude of an access with presumption to God?  Could my culture’s insistence of individual self-expression lead me to a sense of entitlement that God actually hear me …just because I have the right to be heard?

Could be.

The ironic thing is that this access with presumption and entitlement is really no access at all.  I can endlessly give to someone in need but for a lack of gratitude on their part never enter into true relationship with them.  Likewise, true relationship with God is impossible without humility and gratitude on my part; recognizing that but for Christ Jesus, access to God would be unthinkable.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him…” Psalm 25:14

Living the Back Story

A work of art is usually much more meaningful when its history or context is known.  “Wow, he was in the depths of depression when he painted that?”  “I never knew he was nearly deaf when he wrote that amazing music!”  Likewise a person is naturally given more honour when it is known what tragedies they have overcome.

In Ephesians 2:6,7 it speaks how God has in Christ raised us up and seated us with him in the heavenly places “…so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasureable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Basically, this is saying that for eons to come the universe will be in wonder at how much God has done for us in Christ.  Ours is a rags to riches story on such a cosmic scale that it will be the talk of heaven deep into eternity.

Ten million years from now an angel from the farthest corners of the universe will visit God’s throne room for the first time.  “See that countless mass of humanity, so near the throne?’ Gabriel will mention to the visiting angel.  “Sure, what of them?”  And Gabriel will go on to recount the story of our creation, rebellion, restoration in the cross and the riches of our inheritance.  The visiting angel’s eyes will grow wide with wonder.

To think that right now I am living the story that will raise praise to God’s grace for ages to come.  It makes me want to walk with nobility.  It makes me want to stay even closer to Jesus, to see how close to the plot I can get.

Workmanship in Context

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Every time I have heard a teaching on Ephesians 2:10, the emphasis is usually on the word workmanship.  The idea that we are unique masterpieces — walking poems — is emphasized.  Also often highlighted is the point that it was beforehand that God prepared the good stuff for us to do;  the application being that we don’t need to fret about leading a purposeless life when God has it already figured out.

These are wonderful, life affirming and God honouring truths.

But in studying this passage in context, it is suddenly so clear that the emphasis is not on ‘workmanship’ but on ‘his’.  Verses 8 and 9 which naturally precede this passage are famed for their clarity on the role of grace, faith and works in the act of salvation.  The grace and even the faith required to receive salvation are all from God.  Works — our achievenments — play no role in our salvation.

So verse 10 comes along as an explanation as to why this is true.  We can never work for salvation from God because we are creations who belong to God.  In many ways, the truth of Ephesians 2:10 is very much the same as the truth of Isaiah 29:16.  How can the clay formed say anything to its potter?  How could it do anything to be received by its creator, when already the thing formed is owned by the creator?

And then, the rest of Eph 2:10 puts the role of works in the rightful place, not as a way to achieve salvation, but as something that is the natural outworking of being moulded by God, the master craftsman.  In the same way that plot and storyline are inseperable, neither can my actions be separated from my identity as one who is created in Christ.

In this light, and looking back to Eph 2:7 — the idea of being saved from something might not be as complete as the idea of being saved to something.  But this thought begins to stray from the topic of this post.  I will have to explore it another day.

Back to the topic at hand, what difference does it make to me if the focus of this verse is actually more about God’s grace than about the works He has prepared for us?  In the clarity ofthe vision, my heart is stirred to deeper worship, stronger faith.

Whose Inheritance?

Ephesians 1:15-21 is one long, run-on sentence of a prayer.  At least, that is how it reads in the ESV.  But we see that among other things, Paul is effectively praying that the Ephesians would know what are the riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints.

The revelation I see this morning is that this inheritance belongs to God!

Earlier, in verse 11, another inheritance — one that belongs to us — is mentioned.  But  the more I look at this v. 18 inheritance, the more sure I am that this one belongs to God.

Now the concept of God receiving the saints as His inheritance is not new to me.  Somehow though, I did not expect to see it here.  And looking at the context of this inheritance for God passage, there are two things that I find stunning.

First, of all the things that Paul could pray for the Ephesians, this made the short list.  Somehow, it is of extreme importance that we saints of God know that we are His inheritance.  Of all the things I have prayed, I don’t think I have ever prayed that a believer would better know that God is receiving the saints as an inheritance.

Secondly, how amazing to think that this inheritance that God is receiving is described as being rich and glorious.  Can this passage be actually talking about adding riches and glory to God!?  Is it possible for God to become more rich, more glorious?  More specifically, is He really becoming more rich and glorious through the addition of me and other saints to Himself?  Wow, it seems like an almost blasphemous idea. 

At the very least, it is clear that God is receiving something He didn’t have before —  something is so rich and so glorious that we need a special revelation from God to expand our imaginations wide enough to envision it.  And this incredible something that God is ineriting includes me and so many countless other people who are typically seen as messed up, poor and far from glorious.

Wow, with ideas so big, I can see why Paul had difficulty keeping his sentences short.

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Post Scritpt (May 2/2010):

On the point of us adding riches and glory to God, I am becoming less sure.  This will require more thought, more prayer and more consulting with other saints.