We've been in Ephesians together for a few weeks now. We've talked about all the "blessing" God has poured into us through Jesus Christ; about God's eternal plan to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under the authority of Christ; about the gift of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the inheritance in store for those of us "in Christ"; about how salvation is a gift from God, by grace and not by "works"--even faith itself is a gift; about how Christ brings peace/reconciliation to those who are separated (Jews & Gentiles) and gives us all our identity as citizens of God's kingdom, members of God's family, and the temple where God's Spirit lives.
From the past few weeks, what do you want to talk about some more? Or what new thoughts or questions do you have, that we didn't get to address in depth already?
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One of the things that jumps out at me, especially when reading Paul's epistles (letters), is the language that seems to suggest that there is a conflict between works & grace. Typically, this has been taken as "you can 'earn' your salvation" but there has been good reason to challenge such readings.
ReplyDeletePaul was a lover of the Law, just like the Psalmist who rejoiced over it and to whom it brought joy to live it out. Paul, like any other ancient Israelite, wasn't adverse to keepign the Law. Just as well, he didn't believe that one could 'earn' salvation by keeping it. Instead, when Paul rants against the Law, he seems to be suggesting something completely different.
The context seems to be that the Israelites/Jews were harboring a sense of nationalism. In other words, they were saying to the Gentiles something like: "We are more special than you, we are God's chosen because God gave our forefather Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai. He didn't give it to you Gentiles but to us! Therefore, if you want to be part of God's chosen, then you must join us. To prove that you are part of us, get circumsized!"
What Paul appears to be saying, is: "Gentiles, don't listen to what these Israelites are saying. Yes, God chose to give Israel the Law through Moses. Yet, even before God did that, He promised that all people's would come together to God via the same means (Gen. 11-15). That means has finally come and it is Christ. And it is through Christ, not the Law, that all people are now considered part of the chosen. This is because Christ is for everyone!"
In sum, Paul was a Law-loving, Law-abiding Jew and he never thought that by loving the law or by doing it, he could earn salvation. Like other Israelites, he did at one time believe that by virtue of being part of those to whom the Law was given, he was a shoe-in for being God's chosen. However, he realized that it was through Christ and not the law that persons become part of God's chosen...as God promised.
Anyway, this might be too long of a response and might not be interesting to anyone else at all but it is something that makes a lot of sense to me. And I think it challenges our views on division and even more, nationalism and patriotism today. It raises a lot of questions about these things, which I'm very interested in. I'm wondering if anyone else has thoughts on this?
Anyway, keep up the good work, Tim, you're great!
I agree... I'm guilty as well. There are certain people in my life i just dont bother explaining my relationship with Jesus to. I just assume they "wont get it", or something about them bothers me and i build up all this righteousness because im "on Jesus' side now". that's backwards thinking on my part however because im just as bad as they are! Sometimes that really gets away from me and i need to remember that I'm not any higher than the people without Jesus. I'm just thankful for his bottomless grace!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to both posts above. T. Michael, wish you were around for our book group of "Myth of a Christian Nation" by Boyd. It has some great insight regarding patriotism, nationalism, culture with relation to the message of Christ...
ReplyDeleteOne topic that we went over Sunday was "identity". The passage (Ephesians 2:11-22) seemed to get to the heart of this question "who are you?"
I tend to have the same conversations with my close Christian and "non-Christian" friends. The past few weeks I have been smacked upside the head with the simple question "who are you?". So I shared this with them. The strange thing is that most of the time anyone, whatever faith they hold, come up with the same answers. Name, rank, occupation, hobbies, and the like. When pressed further, the answer is simply "I don't know" or some variation of "I'm a decent person, I guess". Much to my dismay, my answer is the same. More I don't know than decent person. Even worse, my answer might depend on who is asking. Is it my mom or a police officer? Is it that kid that beat me up in 8th grade? Or is it my girlfriend? What about my future girlfriend? What if all of these people that cross my mind were gathered in a lecture hall and I was at the podium with a notecard that read "Tell these people who you are." I want to break out in hives just imagining that.
So, I think this passage begins to explain in clear terms our identity as followers of Christ. Of course, all of our circumstances are vastly different. But is there a definite foundational answer to who we are? I believe the answer is yes. It has been told to us in a myriad of ways throughout the Word. Can we live and breath this identity to everyone we know and don't know without hesitation? Sure. Look at Paul before Felix (or rather Felix before Paul!).
Not that I aspire to be as great as Paul or anything. But does my mind automatically defer to the gospel when I think about my personal identity here in Kalamazoo in 2009? It should. Does it? Not even close.
Just some thoughts longer that I expected! Please pray for me, brothers and sisters. Peace!
Spud, Where are you discussing the Boyd book? I love Boyd! Good thoughts!
ReplyDeleteKirk, I relate to your comment. I listened to a sermon online this week, where the pastor pointed out that Christians shouldn't be surprised to find that non-Christians are often "better people" than they are. Our inclusion in Christ is based on grace, as you say, and not on anything in us. That's really the point of ch. 2 in Ephesians. That truth is meant to cultivate humility in us, and eliminate self-righteousness.
ReplyDeleteMichael's point takes it another step: just as ancient Jews took pride in their "chosen" status and figured the possession of the law made them a shoe-in for God's kingdom, we ought to check our own tendencies to take pride in our religious pedigree or status. Being a Christian is not a label of spiritual superiority. It's a confession of spiritual bankruptcy and utter helplessness without Christ.
I wonder how Christians, and churches, could better communicate that reality to people who assume that they will be looked down upon and judged if they ever stepped foot in a Christian gathering...
Ahhh, see Tim, that's what I love about you, sound, solid answers like that; right on the money! Well said, friend, well said!
ReplyDelete