How many times have I read Ephesians through a lens of what I had been taught regarding a man-centered, works orientation. At some point, I started reading it for what it said…not for what religion has said about it. It makes a huge difference. I kept being drawn there.
As I did some preliminary study on Ephesians, I found the standard outline of what is being said theologically. What is missing is the awe about who God is, what He has done, and who we are in Christ. I realize that an outline of any theology is probably not going to have the awe of the message.
I pretty much grew up with the theology, It was not until recently that I discovered the awe of the message, and sharing that awe is my purpose in writing these thoughts. I really doubt that I am the only one that has missed the awe and love all these years. To be told that Christians should lead holy lives that honor God, and that Paul gives guidelines for right living, while true, misses the awe and turns the freedom that God is granting His children into a man-centered work.
As I did some preliminary study on Ephesians, I found the standard outline of what is being said theologically. What is missing is the awe about who God is, what He has done, and who we are in Christ. I realize that an outline of any theology is probably not going to have the awe of the message.
I pretty much grew up with the theology, It was not until recently that I discovered the awe of the message, and sharing that awe is my purpose in writing these thoughts. I really doubt that I am the only one that has missed the awe and love all these years. To be told that Christians should lead holy lives that honor God, and that Paul gives guidelines for right living, while true, misses the awe and turns the freedom that God is granting His children into a man-centered work.
Ephesus was a prosperous port city in the Roman province of Asia Minor, and enjoyed an international trade, a thriving silversmith guild, and a theater that seated 20,000 people. Paul was in prison at Rome but was free to preach the gospel. The traditional view is that Ephesians was written about 61 AD during that imprisonment (Acts 28). Jesus Christ is central to its themes. The teaching about Christ and His work expanded as the Jewish church developed into a more Gentile church. The expansion of the church also brought a developing new culture and Paul refers to the revelation of God as mystery…not previously known.
Paul’s conversion experience brings a supernatural edge to things. After his conversion he spent 3 years in Arabia and Damascus, and except for a short visit with Peter and James (brother of Jesus), he spent another fourteen years on his journeys where the people just heard about him working with them instead of against them (see Galatians 1). I find this very interesting and wonder if his absence is saying traditional religion is done. He preaches that Christ brings together all things in heaven and on earth. Given that, he has very little to do with the traditional organization and often speaks against those who are trying to bring in Judaism. And yet, he speaks of the “body of Christ” having oneness.
Paul goes from the mystery of God to the practical, down-to-earth relationship issues. Yet, these are an example of what has gone before. You have the giving of the ten commandments by God and then the giving of the ceremonial law by Moses. The first was God on the mountain, and the second was God in real life relationships showing what the ten commandments looked liked lived out. Then you have this mirrored in the giving of the Beatitudes…the big picture…and the verses that follow in the Sermon on the Mount show us what these mean. All three examples show us that the laws are to be lived out but from a standpoint of relationship. Otherwise, the effort becomes a check list of man-centered works.
Paul developed his teaching about grace expressed in Christ. Our lives and our vision of the majesty and glory of God would be minimized without Paul’s work in the letter of Ephesians. Probably, it was meant to go the all those churches in Asia Minor. Speaking to us on oneness, it seems likely that it was meant for the church as a whole. People often talk about oneness and mean sameness. I end this with a quote from one of my favorite writers, A. W. Tozer,
“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”
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