Obedient Love

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
(2 John 6)

John declares again that love is obedience and that there is no way to have love without that love being expressed in obedience to the will of God. God has commandments that we must obey, and John says that his readers have known this from the beginning of their knowledge of Christ.

Lord, give us more of the genuine love we ought to have for you and for your people, and help us to do your will.

The Battleground Of Body and Mind

As Paul tracks the path of spiritual death, he doesn't lay all of the blame on the world around us, neither on the corrosive fellowship of unbelievers nor on the might of Satan and all his cohorts. He tells us of the enemy within---our own physical and intellectual nature. We are the battlefield. Sometimes when an emotional flare-up has broken a relationship, we hear, "But that is just the way I am. I can't help being this way."

Of course that's the way they are. Who would dispute it? But it is tragic to remain that way when the spirit of God is available and willing to enter our lives.

Not only do we find some kind of relief from our rationalizations about ourselves, but we also look around us to rationalize the whole world's behavior. We may even be better than the people around us. After all, who wouldn't like to compare his own virtues with another's vices. As they say, "In the world of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." In Ephesus, as in much of the world today, believers were a minority. It seems always so. The world around us is no excuse for the world within us. In our day of sociological stereotypes, it's easy to say, "Change the environment, and you will change the people." Nature should teach us. A lily blooming in a muddy pool is as white as one in the florist's window.

A fish living in a world of salt water still needs to be salted before becoming tasty. Lionel Arrington once wrote a song that reminded us that all the water in the world wasn't enough to sink us unless the water got inside the boat.

One of the words Paul uses, carries more significance than we usually give it: "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past ." (Eph. 2:3). Rightly understood, the word conversation means "citizenship." ("Life in association with others, in the everyday intercourse of society." Interpreter's Bible, 1953, Vol. 10; p. 641.) Citizenship was a cherished word to Paul. He was a Roman citizen, even when he was far from Rome or any Roman province. As such, he demanded and got the special recognition and privilege of the empire. Now he talks of his former citizenship in the world of iniquity. This has changed. He is now a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Later in this chapter he speaks of being "aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12).

It is impossible to carry two spiritual passports---you must both choose and be chosen.

Fortunately, God has already chosen, so now we must choose.

The Brain-Body War

Mark Twain said, "Man is the only animal that blushes.or needs to." All other animals can live correctly by obeying their animal instincts. Humans cannot.

It's impossible for an animal to change his nature, not that he needs to do so. "Can the leopard (change) his spots?" asks God, in Jer. 13:23. The leopard fulfills his destiny by obeying the desires of his flesh, his physical nature---not so with humans.

If we were merely animals, we could do what comes "naturally," but when we do that, we act worse than animals. Who ever heard of a homosexual chimpanzee? Or a rebellious sheep? But human? They defy description in the level to which they can descend.

Not only is this true physically, but mentally as well. If we let our appetite run away with itself, we can become terribly overweight or seriously ill. If we let our minds become undisciplined, anxiety and depression are the result.

The law of nature makes the animal kingdom harmonious: the law of nature (according to Paul) decrees that those who follow their basic, undisciplined desires become the "children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3)

Anyone can prove his three-fold nature. If you don't believe that you have a soul, try living as though you are only a body. Or, try living as though you do not have a body, and you will become ill---your ignored nature will cry out for attention. Soul, mind, and body---these three are the three sides of the human triangle---remove one side and the other two collapse.

This three-sided pattern shows up in three distinct ways in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: (1) Past-present-future; (2) Body-mind-soul; (3) God-ourselves-others.

At this point in Paul's letter, the secret, the mystery, and the hidden wisdom began to clear up. It is God's eternal purpose to bring all these different (and sometimes warring) elements together to create unity. Ah, yes, to create not only compatibility, but unity.

We might even insert a modern word---synergy. The law of synergy says that three things brought together become more than the sum of the parts-they create something new.

To illustrate: A pile of bricks is not a house; a hundred bags of mortar mix are not a house; a mason is not a house. But a mason takes the bricks and mortar and creates a house. The three elements must be brought together to create something that no one could do by itself.

As Paul contemplates this, he is overwhelmed with the miracle: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 24-6).

Deception

Matt 24:24-25 says, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect -- if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time." It's the devil's business to provoke as much unbelief and confusion as possible regarding the coming of Christ so that people might face that day unprepared.

During his time among us, Jesus said a number of things about his promised return. These things have been understood and interpreted to fit in with the many various belief systems that have arisen concerning the Bible and truth. Often, these belief systems act like "glasses" in that they cause people to read their beliefs into what Jesus said instead of seeing what is actually there. Jesus' words are thus forced to conform to someone's theological system. I believe that there is a simplicity in many of the statements made by Jesus about his coming that is missed by many of today's teachers. What would be wrong in just reading what Jesus said? Certainly not everything he said is clear and simple but many of his sayings are. Wouldn't such clear statements be a good place to start in understanding the things Jesus wants us to know about his coming?

There are many examples of how people's theology complicates the simplicity of Jesus' teaching. One that comes readily to mind is the widely popular doctrinal system that has Jesus returning to earth not once, but at least three times! This system teaches a very complicated view of earth's history and a belief in this view forces one to separate the things Jesus said and to apply them to these three different supposed comings.

Jesus simply said, "I will come back," and he told of a number of things that would happen when he did. There's no hint in anything he said that he would return three times over a span of more than 1000 years -- unless you already subscribe to a belief system that forces you to twist his simple words to fit into the system. Let's be encouraged to take another look at some of "these things" Jesus said -- and ask the Lord, as we do, to help us to remove our theological glasses and simply see what the Word says.

He Makes Us Worthy

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy... Luke 21: 36 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, II Thessalonians 1:11

Lots of times Satan would have us believe we are the "worst of the lowest", the scum of the earth. He uses the Word to beat us down and pile such a load of Guilt on us that we can hardly lift our heads to pray, never mind live a triumphant life. We go through our days under such a burden of guilt and unworthiness that he has us defeated before we ever endeavor to triumph.

He uses tangled scriptures to make us feel that we can never live a life free of sin, that we simply are such foul, fallen, fleshly creatures that we have no chance of ever being anything more. He tells us that it is only the grace of God that saves us since we have to go on sinning because of our nature.

We must keep in mind however, that Christ died to make us worthy. He died to make us the sons of God and heirs to His Blessings. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3: 5 - 6, 27 If we have put on Christ we have an new nature, no longer that foul and unworthy one to whom Christ extended His mercy before we ever knew him, but we are become heirs and co-heirs with Christ. And as such we can lift our heads and rejoice in the power of God in us. Because our worthiness doesn't stand in ourselves but instead... That [our] faith ... not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

It is to Satan's benefit that we walk constantly under a burden of powerlessness and guilt. We must spend thus our prayer time seeking forgiveness for our secret sins and unknowing sins, constantly petitioning the Father to have compassion on "our sinful nature". We have no strength to do a work for God. We have no confidence to rebuke the powers of Satan because we have no victory over our own unworthiness. And in so doing we deny the very power that God wants to give us.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. II Corinthians 4:7 Our earthen vessel may indeed be weak, but the excellency of the power that allows us to live triumphantly and worthily is of God!

Hidden Treasure

This is indeed a great mystery; called by Jesus in Matt. 13:44, the "treasure hid in a field." The field is a type of the earth from whence God fashioned the body of Adam in the beginning. This is why Paul says, "...we have this treasure in earthen vessels...." II Cor. 4:7.

The field is not the whole earth, but a very small and particular portion that has been chosen and prepared to bring forth fruit. John 15:16. Heb. 6:7-8. This field is that very small remnant of humanity whose earthen vessels hold the treasure that is Christ.

It is very difficult for man to find this treasure because of where it is hid. When man thinks of God he looks to past religious history, the prophetic future or the mystical God of heaven. He looks in every direction but the right one. He knows too many negative things about the flesh of man to look in that direction. It is beyond human conception to think that God would clothe himself in sinful human flesh.

This is the great mystery that has to be revealed by God himself. This is also why Satan constantly works to make the church look bad. He knows that the natural, sense-governed man cannot see Christ come in the flesh because of the flesh itself.

It makes no difference how good or righteous a man might be, the natural man is prone to place all flesh in the same category. Unbelief sees only evil and human infirmity. This is why the masses of humanity could not see God in Christ. This is also why unbelieving man, controlled by the spirit of anti-christ, will never find this treasure nor understand this great mystery.

Until "the church" regains a knowledge of the truth hidden in the "great mystery" of Eph. 5:30-32, it will remain weak and anemic. This truth, walked in, will set us free. John 8:31-32. God alone can reveal this great mystery to us. Thank God for Psa. 25:14 which says, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant."

Like the healing waters of Ezekiel 47:1-12, as the tide of truth rises higher and higher it will bring healing to every thing it touches. Beyond doubt, one of our greatest problems is failure to discern the body of Christ.

Alien Air Power

"The Prince of the Power of the Air" (Eph. 2:2)---who or what is it? Are there men arriving in spaceships to invade our earth? Many think there are such creatures. Whether or not such beings exist, we know that there's a negative power---a field of power, if you will---that militates against our spiritual progress. It's a little like the principle of gravity. Gravity is no immediate problem as long as you're not trying to lift something. But when you try to move a large stone, the force of gravity is very real. In the same way, if you're not trying to live by spiritual laws, you don't feel the pressure of the power of evil. But when you make a serious attempt to pray, to fast, to study God's word, or to witness, you feel the resistance of something---or someone.

Paul calls this the Prince of the Power of the Air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.

In our world, the devil is caricatured as having a red suit, a pointed tail, and horns like a young goat. If he were so attired, we could "laugh him away" and tell him that the masquerade party was in the next apartment. But it's not that easy.

Disobedience is the door by which he enters, or perhaps he's the one who knocks on the door of disobedience, making us believe that it's the door of opportunity. At any rate, we disobey not only because of who we are, but because of who he is.

In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul, in celebrating the power of Christ, says: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come (Eph. 1:21).

Obviously there are powers all around us. Jesus gives us victory over them, but let's not imagine that we're free from conflict.

If disobedience (at every level) is all around us, there must be an author of it. Not only must we wrestle against our humanity (our nature), but we also must wrestle against these powers. Later in this letter, Paul gets specific:

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:11-12).

There'd be no victory without a struggle. And without the power of God's spirit, there would be no victory. The "gravity of the world" drags us down and the power of the ultimate adversary shoots us down. Only in Christ do we triumph!

Journey Into Joy

(Philippians)

Even though Paul is a prisoner, he's written out of a heart of love and happiness. We detect a note of positive, affirmative faith. Out of the abounding joy he had found in Jesus and the Church, Paul sent this letter from prison to the people of God. Its lasting value was recognized by the early church and it was reproduced, protected, cherished, and finally included in the canon of the New Testament.

Quotations from this letter help us express our gratitude to God, help bring the Church together in true untiy, and help us find strength as we live out our discipleship day by day.

Paul has reminded us of our importance to one another as we love the way God has directed us. He helps us achieve a new perspective from which to understand our own lives and from which to derive our purpose for living.

The joy of knowing Jesus, Paul tells us, allows us to "rejoice always." This joy is born in relationship to God, nurtured in humility, lived out in unity within the Church, exercised in compatibility, and multiplied in reciprocity through willingness to risk.

Remember, there's joy in the Lord!

What Paul Saw That He Couldn't Tell

"I knew a man . (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell)" Paul said, describing his vision in the letter to the Corinthian church (2 Cor. 12:2).

The fact that he didn't have words to describe what he had seen didn't keep him from trying. Like a dog tied with a short rope, he keeps stretching words to the breaking point, although he knows they will short. Evidently he had a glimpse of the cosmos-the universe-everything that ever was and ever will be.

He's not the only one who was ever enchanted by such a vision. As far as we know, he is the only one who ever actually saw it. Speculations are as frequent as sunrises. Theories abound. Philosophers develop theories and scientists probe the secrets of the world's beginning. But it's no use. Rarely will a scientist's theories last as long as his life. That is not to say that scientists are stupid, or that they are wrongly motivated. Indeed, I have nothing but admiration for the inquisitive minds that have probed earth's mysteries. It's simply that humans can't get out of themselves to look at themselves. The brain that analyzes the brain is still a brain. Being immersed in the world means that we can't see the world. A fish in the ocean doesn't know that he's wet.

But Paul rose above the world, into the "heavenlies." It is doubtless more difficult for us to understand that journey than it was for the people of Paul's day. The devout Jew believed that there were three heavens: (1) the heavens where the birds fly and the clouds are; (2) the heavens where the stars are and, (3) the heavens where God is.

Even in our day, we can understand the difference in vision when we rise to the first heaven. Flying on a plane, we can look down upon whole cities at once, we can see the twisting courses of rivers and we see both sides of town at once. If we were astronauts (which most of us are not), we could see the earth in space, much like the full moon appears to us now. But we can't rise above the earth and the planets and constellations to see eternity, to see the place where time begins. We can see the evidence of creation, but we cannot see the mind of the creator.

Daring scientists can speculate about the earth's origin, but Paul was able to see what there was before the foundation of the world. He saw what was in the mind of God. No wonder he ran out of words.

He could simply tell us how he was able to see with spiritual eyes things beyond the realm of the natural. He tells us how we can see some of these same things. But it's not easy. We're bound by time-consciousness. As I write these words I'm a guest in the home of Kreston and Lenora Norholm in Oklahoma. In the living room from which I have just come are eight clocks, all running. While I was in the room, wearing my watch, there were nine timepieces. Not one of these clocks can tell how much time there has been or how much time there will be. We are locked into time. Paul saw beyond it.

"Before the foundation of the world," he wrote that God had predestinated us (Eph. 1:4). Our end was determined before our beginning.

Today, as in Paul's day, God is calling us to fulfill our destiny. And as Paul assures us in another of his writings, "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24). What God has called you to be he can give you the power to become. If you had never seen it happen, could you believe that an oak tree resides in a tiny acorn? An "oft repeated" proverb says, "Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but no one can count the apples in a seed."

Are there secrets to discovering this power? Of course there are. Again and again Paul speaks of a mystery, a secret, a secret hidden for the ages, until now. He speaks of revelation (uncovering) and insight.

While in an earlier writing, I spoke disparagingly of the goddess Diana, I have to admit that the idea of such a person might have been highly attractive to me had I lived in Ephesus at that time. The image of Diana was said to have come to the earth-even to Ephesus-from heaven. She was a link with the infinite. Who would not like to be on her good side? Even pagans want to hear from some eternal place.

Are not our papers periodically denying the reality of UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects)? Whether pointy-headed little men actually come to earth on flying saucers may be open to question, but the desire to see such creatures is certainly beyond question. If there are no messengers from outer space, we certainly seem to wish there were.

At the moment, a wave of "New Age" mentality is filtering into our culture. Turbaned gurus and bejeweled mystics ride in limousines and live in million-dollar houses because common people want to hear about "their former lives" or their beyond-time experiences.

How simple it would be if we would believe God's word! We can go beyond time. We can be linked with the eternal. We can be energized with mystic power, the power of the Spirit. We can be united with not only the mind of the universe, but also the mind behind the universe---God. Can you want more than this?

Can you trust divine revelation more than human imagination? Even the most fertile human imagination cannot picture what God has planned for you. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit" (1 Cor. 2:9).

If you do not listen to the Spirit of God, you will not know what treasures are promised you. For example, blind men in Ali Baba's cave would be as content to carry out a handful of rocks as a handful of rubies.

Small wonder Paul prays for the opening of our eyes! When our eyes become opened enough to realize that they must see more than we are capable of seeing, we can look only at God's promise. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly "above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph. 3:20).

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