Today’s blog covers the Apostle Paul’s Letters to the Ephesians. He wrote this Letter while he was in prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Letter to the Ephesians contains in-depth teaching on the nature of Christ’s Church.
Being “In Christ”
The Church and Christ are so closely identified with each other that one of the most common New Testament images used to describe the Church is the Body of Christ. For example, in Ephesians 5:22-33, the Apostle Paul gives instruction to husbands and wives. In short, Paul exhorts husbands to sacrificially love their wives like Christ loves the Church. And wives are to respect and submit to their husbands like the Church does to its Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the husband and wife are said to be one body or flesh (Eph. 5:28-31, referring to Gen. 2:24), just as Jesus and the Church, His body, are one (Eph. 5:32). The oneness of the husband and wife is the basis for their mutual responsibilities to one another.
The oneness that exists between Jesus and His disciples is so important to Paul, that he uses the phrase “in Christ” to describe the Christian’s new standing before God many times in his Letters. For example, in Paul’s introductory address to the Ephesian Christians, he opens the Letter in this typical manner: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…….To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 1:1). Even though followers of Christ may be citizens of cities like Ephesus or Windsor, and even though we may be teachers or accountants, and even though we may be male or female, the most fundamental part of our identity and position is that we are Christians and we are positioned in Christ.
For instance, in Galatians 3:28 we read these words: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Furthermore, every spiritual blessing we possess and experience in our lives is because we are in this covenantal relationship of union with our Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus. In Eph. 1:3, we read these words: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” The Christian’s most important and intimate relationship is to be with Jesus
Living Out Of Our Union With Christ
As the Christian lives out this union with the resurrected Christ by faith and obedience to Him, he/she is able to walk in victory over his/her sinful and selfish desires, and bear fruit for God (see also Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:1-14). We don’t live a victorious and holy Christian life by trying harder in our own ego strength. This will only bear the fruit of defeat and frustration (i.e. spiritual death). No, we live a victorious and fruitful Christian life, as we learn to live out by faith, our union with Christ, through yielding to His indwelling Holy Spirit.
It is on the basis of this standing and position in Christ that we are enabled to do what Paul exhorts us to do in Ephesians 4:22-24:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
As we seek to live out this new reality of being new creations in Christ, Paul then instructs the Christians to put off falsehood and to speak truthfully to our neighbor, since we are members of the same Body (Eph. 4:25). We are to not let anger become malice and vengeful behavior; we are not to steal, but work and share with others (Eph. 4:26-28). In Paul’s Letters, the Christian’s ethical behavior always flows from his/her position and standing in Christ.
Furthermore, the basis of being able to engage victoriously in spiritual warfare is fighting from our position in Christ. In Ephesians 6:10-20, we have Paul’s most in-depth teaching on spiritual warfare. He begins this section with these words: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:10,11). It is out of our relationship with the Lord, and the spiritual possessions that He provides, that we will be able to stand firm in our position over the powers of darkness (Eph. 6:12-18).
QOTD: Are you actively experiencing the love and power of your covenantal union with Christ in your day-to-day life?