I'll Take "S" Words for $500, Alex

...submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph 5:21).

There’s a classic skit from Saturday Night Live where celebrities play “Jeopardy.”  Darrell Hammond does hilarious job of impersonating Sean Connery.  In the bit, Connery continually stumbles over the various category names.  When choosing his next question, he tells Alex Trebek (played by Will Farrell), “I’ll take ‘Swords’ for $500.”  The only problem is that it’s the category is actually “‘S’ Words.”  Here in his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul drops the “S” word.  Submission.  Few words strike fear into the hearts of Christians than the “S” word.  Can we all just take a deep breath and relax?  Better?  OK.  Let’s dive in.

If Jesus personally told you to do something, would you do it?  What if our Savior called you and gave you specific instructions, wouldn’t you obey?  Do you have such deep love and respect for Christ that you would be ready and willing to do what He says?  In many ways, that’s how Paul approaches the idea of mutual submission among believers.  One very important act of worship for Jesus’ followers is by “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (v21).

YIKES!!!  There it is!!  The “S” word!  Submission has become one of the real land mines in the church over the last few decades.  It’s a dirty word in our nation that lives and breathes rugged individualism, pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and you’d better give me my R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Submit?  You gotta be kidding me!!  Don’t you see my “Don’t tread on me” bumper sticker?!?

But Paul tells his friends back in Ephesus that mutual submission is a critical quality to be exhibited by Jesus’ followers in the church, in the home and in the workplace.  This command is NOT based on the qualifications of the one we’re submitting to.  This command IS based on the qualifications of the One who’s asking us to submit.  And if you missed it, that’s Jesus.  If you need a quick refresher, He’s the One who willingly set aside the pleasures of the heavenly palace and His rights to exercise His very Godness to come to earth and save you and me (Phil 2:6-8).  He didn’t have to.  But He did.  He submitted.  Because Jesus voluntarily submitted to the will of His Dad, He’s asking us to stop demanding our way when interacting with people.  Submission is a call to live a “me third” lifestyle.  God first.  Others second.  Me third.

In writing the word “submitting,” Paul uses the Greek verb hupotasso.  It means to put under, arrange under, subordinate, be subject to the control of another, voluntarily giving in and cooperating.  This is actually a military term that describes the lining up of troops into formation under their commanding officer.  The term literally means “place” (-tasso) “under” (hupo-).  It’s voluntarily giving up your will or rights in your relationships with others and placing yourself under them.  Check out a couple of other interesting uses of the “S” word.  Despite being both fully God and fully man, Jesus voluntarily cooperated and obeyed his earthly parents “and was submissive (Gr. hupotasso) to them” (Lk 2:51).  The apostle told Titus to remind Jesus’ followers to be good citizens and “be submissive (Gr. hupotasso) to rulers and authorities” (Titus 3:1).

A big part of the problem is how just about every Bible translator has ended the paragraph with this verse.  It’s cut off from the the verses that follow about submission in the home and workplace.  Here’s the deal.  In the original letters, there are no paragraphs.  As a matter of fact, there’s no punctuation.  Parchment was at such a premium that you didn’t waste any of it with blank spaces.  Writers used every stinkin’ inch.  So if you were reading this in the Ephesian church, there’s no break at the end of the verse.  Just to make sure you know I’m not going rogue on this idea, Robertson says that it’s possible to start a new paragraph here.  The idea of our mutual submission sets the stage for all that follows in Eph 5:22-6:9.  In a news story, this would be the lead sentence.  It’s really too bad that the paragraphs and chapters have fallen like they have.

So why am I to willingly hand over all my rights?  Who’s gonna make me?  Paul says that this is “out of reverence for Christ” (v21).  Oh.  My bad.  Again, this has absolutely nothing to do with any qualification, status or performance of the one I’m submitting to.  It has EVERYTHING to do with Jesus, the One who’s asking me to submit.  I’m to give up my place because of my  “reverence” to my Savior.  This is the Greek noun phobos.  It means respect and fear.  Reverence of God is critical to my relationship with Him.  Solomon taught his kids that everything starts with a proper view of God and a healthy “fear of the LORD” (Prov 1:7; 9:10).

But fear Jesus?  Gentle Jesus?  The same Jesus that carries that cute little lamb on His shoulders in the flannel graph picture?  Well, we need to remember who Jesus really is.  Don’t limit Him to just how you want to see Him.  Check out how His best friend John saw Jesus.  At dinner, John and Jesus were such good friends that the apostle would actually lean back on the Rabbi/Carpenter (Jn 13:23).  I don’t know about you, but there aren’t too many people who would allow me to invade their personal space during dinner!  But this very same John “fell at His feet as though dead” when he laid eyes on the glorious risen Christ (Rev 1:17).  Johnny had, shall we say, a robust view of Christ Jesus.  He loves his best Friend.  He worships his awe-inspiring God!  

Meanwhile, back at the “S” word.  Our attitude of submission has nothing to do with the person I’m submitting to.  It has everything to do with the One asking me to submit.  I set my will aside out of my love for my best Friend Jesus.  I voluntarily give up any privilege I might have as an act of worship to my God Jesus. 

I’ll take “S” words for $500, Alex.

Well, what do you think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Drop a comment below and let's chat.

An Attitude of Gratitude

...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20).

How do you see life?  Are you a pessimist?  Or an optimist?  Is your glass half empty?  Are you sure somebody’s gonna knock it over?  Or is it half full?  Are you expecting someone to swing by and top it off?  Paul tells us here that when we step back and realize all that Jesus has done for us, we can’t help but be grateful.  That means “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v20).  Think of it this way.  Take another look at that half-full glass.  According to the Bible we don’t deserve the glass much less the water.  Be thankful to God for all that you do have.

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

In one short verse, Paul gives us simple and direct instructions.  The what, the when, the why and the who.  The what: give thanks.   The when: always.  The why: for everything.  The who: To God and Jesus.  If I look back one verse, I see the how: with music (Eph 5:19).  And because of the when (always) and the why (everything), the where is obvious.  EVERYWHERE!  Stop looking at what I don’t have.  Start looking at what I do have.  

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

This all centers around the Greek verb eucharisteo.  It means to be thankful, express gratitude and recognize benefits and blessings.  If you grew up in the Catholic church, this word probably looks pretty familiar.  It’s where we get the Eucharist, the part of the mass where we express our thanks to God for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  I find it very interesting that if you drill down in the original language, the term literally means to prosper due to grace.  To lean into the blessing.  When I start to realize that everything I truly need I already have in Christ, I am overwhelmed by thanksgiving.  It’s not a one time moment.  It’s not even an annual holiday of turkey, dressing and football (and I am VERY thankful for that!).  It’s an outlook.  It’s a lifestyle.  It’s an attitude.

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

The apostle continually encourages Jesus’ followers to count their blessings.  Check out just a few of the 41 times we find this word in the NT.  “Give thanks (Gr. eucharisteo) in all circumstances” (1Th 5:18).  Paul never stopped thanking God for his friends in Ephesus (Eph 1:16).  He was incredibly grateful that Priscilla and Aquila stuck their necks out for him (Rom 16:4).  We’re to pray to God with a thankful heart (Phil 4:6).  And as we serve Jesus in everything we do, we’re to be a non-stop thanksgiving machine (Col 3:17).

In many ways, this is the point of the entire letter to the church at Ephesus.  I need to step back and realize who God is and what He’s done for me.  Be swept away by His “Tsunami of Blessings” (Eph 1:3-14).  We can’t begin to wrap our brains around what God’s goodness.  He handpicked us before creation.  He pre-loved us.  He adopted us.  He redeemed us.  He forgave us.  He revealed His will to us in Jesus.  He gave us a fabulous inheritance.  He sealed us with His Spirit.  This passage chapter one is one amazing run-on sentence in Greek.  Paul gets going telling us about all that God has done for Jesus’ followers and he just can’t stop!  He desperately wants us to be thankful.

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

The apostle then tells the Ephesians that he’s continually praying that God will throw their eyes open to everything they have in Jesus (Eph 1:18-20).  The hope.  The riches.  The inheritance.  The mind-blowing power that works in our favor.  Part of our thankfulness is understanding where we would be without God’s blessings.  We were literally the walking dead, stumbling around at Satan’s command (Eph 2:1-2).  All we wanted was to satisfy our own wants and lusts while we shook our fists at heaven (Eph 2:3).  We were the ultimate outsiders (Eph 2:11-12).  Cut off from Christ.  Aliens.  Hopeless.  Without God.  Unless we realize where we were before Jesus, we can’t appreciate all that we have with Him.  Life “BC,” was death.  Before Christ, we had an attitude all right.  A nasty ‘tude.  Chew on that for just a minute.

It was at just that moment that we experienced divine intervention that Paul sums up in two simple words: “But God” (Eph 2:4-10).  But God loved us.  But God made us alive with Jesus.  But God saved us with His descending one-way love called grace.  But God raised us up with Jesus.  But God sat us down right next to Christ in the heavenly seat of honor.  And we didn’t do a stinkin’ thing to earn or deserve all of God’s goodness.  “It is THE gift of God” (Eph 2:8, emphasis added).  Paul continues to remind us of all the blessings we have in Jesus.  And if that’s not all, God “is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Eph 3:20).  Remember the core of the Gospel.  Jesus lived the perfect life that I completely failed to live.  He died the brutal and bloody death for MY sin that I should have died.  He rose to glorious new life that I absolutely do not deserve.  Remember all that God has done.  Realize that He’s going to do.  

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

There’s a HUGE reason why Paul wants the folks in Ephesus to take this ‘tude.  Just down the road in towns like Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea, a church-wrecking heresy is on the loose.  A team of spiritual hucksters have duped Jesus’ followers into believing He’s good but not God.  According to these goobers, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter might be able to get us into God’s kingdom but He can’t keep us there.  The only way to ensure our salvation is to follow their complicated list of religious rules.  After writing a letter correcting the Colossians, the apostle fires off another one to the Ephesians.  He knows that once we understand the incredible blessings we already have in Jesus, we’ll explode in thanksgiving.  We won’t buy the heretical snake oil these false teachers are peddling.  We don’t need anything else.  Everything we need we already have in Jesus.  We’ll be grateful.  We’ll be thankful.

It’s an attitude of gratitude.

This is the part where you jump in.  What do you think?  What are you grateful for?  Drop a comment below and join the conversation.

It Goes to Eleven

...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart (Eph 5:19).

In the classic mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap,” a reporter asks lead guitar player Nigel Tufnel about the volume knob on his amps.  Nigel points out that his are louder than the garden variety gear used by most bands.  Instead of simply stopping at ten, “these go to eleven.”  Here in his letter to the folks back in Ephesus, Paul writes about the level of praise and worship that should be heard in a church filled with God’s Spirit.  We should be “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (v19).  Our praise should be loud.  

It should go to eleven.

The apostle makes it clear that music is to be a very important part to each believer and every local church.  That truth is impossible to avoid.  He lists three different kinds of tunes we’re to use in our praise of Jesus.  “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (v19).  The first is the word psalmos.  This Greek word gives us the title for the OT songbook we know as the Psalms.  Paul is almost certainly talking about singing these classic number one hits composed by dudes like David.  We see the term used elsewhere for songs of praise or sacred tunes.  But the psalmos literally describes a specific kind of instrumental music.  It’s the plucking the strings on a harp or lyre.  It’s string music.

Hmm.  Stringed instruments?  Sure sounds like that could include...bum, bum, BUM...the guitar.  Sorry to my friends in the Church of Christ but Paul is talking about using musical instruments as part of our worship.  We all know about the worship wars being fought over both styles and instruments used to praise God.  But I think it’s clear that the only thing that God really cares about are the lyrics and our hearts.  Whether it’s belting out great old hymns like “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” or rockin’ to the latest from Lecrae, it just doesn’t matter.  Instruments and styles are just tools in God’s toolbox.  Don’t throw somebody under the bus just because they don’t sing in your style.  Do the lyrics honor Jesus?  Is your heart focused on Christ?  That’s all that really matters.

The second kind of tunes are “hymns” (v19).  This is humnos, a song praising God expressing thanksgiving, a piece of music used to indicate faith or a song of celebration.  It comes from a word that means to celebrate.  Paul is NOT talking about turning to number 489 and singing verses one, two and four from the hymnal.  They didn’t have books like that in the back of pews in the first century.  These are songs of celebration.  Songs that praise God for who He is.  Songs that thank God for what He’s done.  Music was clearly an important component of these first gatherings.

Smart dudes who tuck their shirts in say there’s a good chance that Paul quotes from some of these first century praise songs in his letters.  That’s really not too surprising.  The apostle had a habit of dropping pop culture references into his teaching when it helped drive his point across (Acts 17:28-29; Titus 1:12).  Just as preachers today will use song lyrics in their sermons, Paul does the same.  Look back at Ephesians 5:14.  It probably comes from a hit song Jesus’ followers sang when they got together for worship.  Check out Philippians 2:6-11 for another.  These words celebrate Jesus’ great sacrifice for our sin that results in His glory.  Flip over to Colossians 1:15-20 for one of the greatest lyrics about our Lord ever written.  When believers would sing this tune, it reminded them that Jesus is more God than we can wrap our brains around on this side of eternity.  And in his final letter just before his execution, the apostle drops a lyric about Christ’s unwavering faithfulness despite our continual lack of faith (2Tim 2:11-13).  

Batting third in this lineup of tune types are “spiritual songs” (v19).  This idea is a little harder to peg.  It could mean songs sung with passion and from the gut.  But chances are that the apostle is referring to singing tunes when under the influence of God’s Spirit.  Remember, he’s just told us to “be filled with the Spirit” instead of getting wasted (Eph 5:18).  In other words, don’t get drunk and sing karaoke.  Allow God to fill you to the brim with His Holy Spirit and bust out in song.  This could well be what our charismatic friends call singing in the spirit.  Pentecostals will freestyle their own lyrics while the band plays on.  I admit this can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never experienced this before.  But think of it as writing your own personal note onto a greeting card.  You’re adding something from your heart to what someone else has written.  

Just in case you try to dismiss Paul’s encouragement to sing as not your style, he makes it perfectly clear as he continues to crank it up in the remainder of the verse.  Think of this last part as the face-melting guitar solo toward the end of the song.  He tells us that we should be “singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (v19).  “Singing” is just that.  Cut it loose.  So you don’t have a good voice?  Don’t let that stop you.  Consider it practice for that glorious day when you’ll be belting it out in the heavenly choir.  Let’s face it, some of us make a little noisier joyful noise than others.

It should go to eleven.

We should be “making melody” to praise Jesus (v19).  Here Paul uses the verb form of the noun “psalms.”  It literally means to strum the strings.  My personal opinion is that we’re encouraged to both sing with our voices and play our instruments as key part of our worship.  I certainly don’t think the man from Tarsus is limiting us to first century lyres and harps.  Use what works in your cultural context.  An organ and piano.  Nice.  An orchestra.  Awesome.  A rock band.  Sweet.  Two turntables and a microphone.  Fantastic.  A djembe and a pan flute.  Tremendous.  The instruments aren’t the focus.  The One we’re worshiping is.  No matter what we’re using, let’s crank it up.  

It should go to eleven.

Let’s not miss the last three words.  “With your heart” (v19).  None of the above matters if my heart’s not in it.  If I’m not mentally and emotionally engaged as I sing, then I’m wasting my time.  Remember who Jesus.  Remember what He’s done.  We sing to Him because He’s lived the perfect life that we completely bungled.  We sing to Him because He died the death for our sin that we should have died.  We sing to Him because He rose to the glorious new life that we certainly don’t deserve.  We sing to Him because everything we need we already have in Him!  Let that fill your heart.  You can’t help but explode in celebration and thankfulness!!  Let’s crank our passion all the way up.  I’m not talking specifically about volume.  I’m talking about your heart and mine.

It should go to eleven.

So what do you think?  Yeah, you.  Agree?  Disagree?  Do you think guitars and drums are the devil's rhythm section?  Drop a comment below and let's talk.

Under the Influence

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18).

Are you under the influence?  Let me rephrase that.  We’re ALL under the influence of something or someone.  What controls you?  What drives you?  Paul tells us that we should avoid any sort of activity that fogs our brain and dulls our senses.  Instead we’re to load ourselves up on the Spirit of God.  “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (v18).  See, here’s the deal.  Whatever fills you, controls you.  What some folks called “controlled substances” are actually controlling substances.  We’re not just talking about booze.  It’s anything that steals the wheel of command of your life.  Pills.  Drugs.  Weed.  Food.  Sex.  If we’re to be under the influence of anything, let’s make it the Holy Spirit.  

Are you under the influence?  Are you under His influence?

Paul knows all about life in Ephesus.  He knows the impact that alcohol has on folks who live there.  He spent three incredible years there telling everyone about Jesus (Acts 20:31).  Dr. Luke spends an entire chapter of his sequel telling us all about it (Acts 19).  As a key seaport, there’s no doubt that hooch was a big part of daily life in the city.  Ephesus was also the home to a huge temple to the Greek god Artemis.  Worship at the temple was nothing more than a drunken “Eyes Wide Shut” party.  So-called “worshipers” would get liquored up and have sex with the temple hookers.  That’s why local merchants blew their stacks when Paul and his crew started ruining business associated with temple worship by spreading the Good News.  Ephesians were coming under the control of God’s Spirit instead of the booze of pagan idols.  

The apostle continues to describe what life looks like for those who’ve been saved by God’s grace.  What it looks like to “be imitators of God” (Eph 5:1).  What it looks like to “walk in love” like Jesus (Eph 5:2).  What it looks like to “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).  What it looks like to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17).  One thing that it DOESN’T look like is to get hammered.  “Do not get drunk with wine” (v18).  The Greek verb here is methusko.  It means to become intoxicated and inebriated, drink or consume anything with no limits.  It’s being unrestrained in any activity, no just drugs and alcohol.  When Jesus cranks up the wedding reception by turning water into fine wine, the host is blown away.  The host knows that after people have “drunk freely (Gr. methusko)” and gotten toasted, folks typically bust out the cheap wine (Jn 2:10).  Christ warns against losing hope in His return and becoming a mean drunk, physically abusing the people who work for you (Lk 12:45).  Paul uses this same word when he cautions the Thessalonians against getting wasted, passing out and missing Christ’s big return (1Th 5:7).  Paul knows that when I hammered, I give up control.  Remember, whatever fills me, controls me.  If I want to be under the control of anything, it should be Jesus and His Spirit.

Are you under the influence?  Are you under His influence?

The Bible is loaded (pun VERY much intended) with warnings against getting drunk (Prov 23:20-21, 29-35; 31:4-5; Is 5:11-12; 28:7-8; 1Cor 5:11; 1Pet 4:3).  We don’t read too far into Genesis before we find the first person getting completely trashed.  Noah drank himself stupid and passed out buck nekkid (Gen 9:21).  Why do you think they call it “getting wasted?”  It’s a complete waste of time.

Let’s be clear about something.  It’s very tough to make a scriptural case against complete drinking alcohol.  Wine is a part of daily life in both the Old and New Testaments.  As a matter of fact, Jesus’ very first miracle was to keep the party going in Cana with more wine (Jn 2:1-11).  Wine is a central piece of the Lord’s Supper.  But God is VERY clear that wine and alcohol must be used in moderation.  It must not take control of our lives.  It’s clear that the sovereign God of the universe knows the strength and damage done by addiction.  The consumption of alcohol is a personal choice with the very important input of the Holy Spirit.  You may realize that you cannot control how much you drink.  If so, the Spirit will lead you to stay away from it.  It’s all about influence.  It’s all about control.  

Are you under the influence?  Are you under His influence?

Paul warns us that a life fueled by alcohol leads to “debauchery” (v18).  The word asotia describes reckless living, rampant immorality and pursuing life with no moral or ethical boundaries.  This is complete lack of concern about the consequences of any action.  It’s very interesting to understand that the Greek term is actually the very opposite of being saved and made whole.  Elders must not live a life out of control (Titus 1:6).  To quote the great philosopher and theologian Zach Galifinakis, “You better check yourself before you wreck yourself.”  When I give up control of my life to mind-altering substances, I lose my boundaries.  What fills me, controls me.  It’s no coincidence that the Apostle Pete talks about how getting liquored up inevitably leads to reckless living.  He says followers of Jesus should avoid “drunkenness (Gr. methusko)” and the “debauchery (Gr. asotia)” which mark the lives of unbelievers (1Pet 4:3-4).

Instead we’re to be “filled with the Spirit” (v18).  We’re to be controlled by His Spirit.  We’re to be under His influence.  Every follower of Jesus receives His Holy Spirit when we trust in Him (1Cor 12:13).  That only happens once (Eph 4:5).  But there are times when we set aside our own wants and desires and God can fill us with more of Himself.  Think of it as topping off the tank.  The Bible is filled with Spirit-filled people.  Old Testament prophets.  New Testament believers.  Jesus Himself is the ultimate example of being filled by the Spirit.  John the Dunker probably said it best.  “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).  John knew Whose control he should be under.  He wanted to be completely under the influence.

Are you under the influence?  Are you under His influence?

Engage Your Brain

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is (Eph 5:17).

Confession time.  I never really learned to drive a stick shift.  (Pause for eye rolling.)  Despite several lessons from some great teachers, I never, ever got the hang of that whole clutch/shift deal.  I have nightmares about the time I drove my dad’s manual transmission Bronco and it died like a beached whale in the middle of a busy intersection.  There’s a rhythm to pressing the clutch and shifting the stick to engage the transmission.  What does this have to with Ephesians?  Well, Paul’s not giving us lessons in driving a stick but in wrapping our heads around God’s will.  “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is” (v17).  In other words, the followers of Jesus shouldn’t coast through life in neutral.  Make sure you engage your brain.

Over and over again in his letter to the folks in Ephesus, Paul pleads with them to stay focused on Jesus.  Live in the light of who He is and what He’s done.  The apostle spends most of this note reminding us of truth of who we are in Christ.  Let His “Tsunami of Blessings” absolutely wash over you (Eph 1:3-14).  Remember that we were as good as dead when God reached down and “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4-5).  Remember that we bring absolutely nothing to the table when it comes to our salvation.  It’s only through the grace of God.  “It is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8-9).

Don’t forget who you are and what Jesus has done.  Paul tells us to “walk in a manner worthy of our calling” (Eph 4:1).  Stop living like an outsider (Eph 4:17).  Imitate God by living like Jesus (Eph 5:1-2).  Once Jesus saves you, engage your brain.  Remember.  Know.  Understand.  Don’t stumble around.  Live on purpose.  And in case you’ve missed it, the apostle says it again a different way.  “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is” (v17).  Think.  Put the pieces together.  If you want to follow God’s will, engage your brain.

This is VERY practical to the Ephesians.  A destructive heresy has done great damage just down the road in towns like Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea.  A group of spiritual hucksters have duped Jesus’ followers into believing that He might be good but He’s not God.  According to them, the only way to ensure salvation is to follow a list of religious rules that they just happened to have.  After writing a letter to the Colossian church to get them back on track, the apostle fires off another one to his friends in Ephesus.  Don’t fall for that garbage.  Think.  Put the pieces together.  Engage your brain.

From his cell in a Roman slammer, the apostle tells us to “not be foolish” (v17).  This is the Greek word aphron.  It literally means to not use your brain.  Lacking reason, senseless, stupid, silly, without reflection or intelligence, ignorant, unwise or acting rashly.  It’s living with no mind.  Your noggin’s in neutral.  One translation (Young’s Literal Translation) actually renders it as “unthinking one” (Lk 12:20).  Jesus slammed religious know-it-alls for being knuckleheads obsessed with image and unconcerned about the heart.  “You fools (Gr. aphron)!” (Lk 11:40).  Paul said that anyone who teaches self-salvation through the law is “an instructor of the foolish (Gr. aphron)” (Rom 2:18-20).  Many critics of Christianity see our faith as brainless and unthinking.  Let’s face it, we haven’t actually done much over the past few centuries to dispel this idea.  But God invites us to engage our brains.  “Come now, let us reason together” (Is 1:18).  The Apostle Paul was clearly one of the smartest dudes on the planet.  And believers like C.S. Lewis were absolutely brilliant.  These are folks who weren’t afraid of engaging their brains.

Instead of playing the fool, Paul tells us to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (v17).  He uses the Greek verb suniemi, which means to comprehend thoroughly, perceive clearly and have deep insight into something.  Originally it meant to bring things together.  In other words, gather everything you know about something together and put them together.  Think of a jigsaw puzzle.  Put all the pieces together and what do you see?  When all the various clues come together, the answer comes into focus.  Suddenly, you can see what’s really going on.  But that requires that you engage your brain.  After Jesus freaked out his boys by water skiing without a boat, they still didn’t “understand (Gr. suniemi) about the loaves” (Mk 6:52).  They still couldn’t put the pieces together from the feeding of the big crowd of who Jesus really is.  Paul told his young assistant Tim that Jesus is the one who “will give you understanding (Gr. suniemi) in everything” (2Tim 2:7).  Clearly Jesus wants us to think.  To contemplate.  To understand.  To perceive.  To comprehend.  He wants us to engage our brains.

We’re to fire up our grey matter in order to unwrap “the will of the Lord” (v17).  This is thelema.  It’s the result of what one has decided, choice, desire, intent, inclination or what one wishes or has determined to do.  Very simply, it is the very purpose of God.  It’s what He wants.  Paul is Jesus’ handpicked representative “by the will (Gr. thelema) of God” (1Cor 1:1; 2Cor 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 2Tim 1:1).  The man from Tarsus has loaded this letter to Ephesus with this word and idea.  “He predestined us for adoptions as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will (Gr. thelema)” (Eph 1:5).  God revealed “the mystery of His will (Gr. thelema)” in Jesus (Eph 1:11).  Before God intervened in our lives, we were obsessed with “carrying out the desires (Gr. thelema) of the body” (Eph 2:3).  Employees must realize that they’re working for Jesus, “doing the will (Gr. thelema) of God from the heart” (Eph 6:6).

So what is God’s will?  You often hear folks ask, “What is God’s will for my life?”  What does He want you to do?  What does He want me to do?  Does Jesus care about what car I buy, where I work or who I marry?  Sure He does.  And He should be such an integral part of my life that I’m continually checking with Him about such decisions.  But God’s will for you and me is much less about specific decisions as it is living a life of love toward the Lord.  He wants us to understand that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us “according to the will of our God and Father” (Gal 1:4).  God “desires all people to be saved” (1Tim 2:3).  A big part of our spiritual growth is to stay far away from sexual sin and porn.  “This is the will (Gr. thelema) of God, your sanctification” (1Th 4:3).  We’re to always rejoice, always praying and always thankful “for this is the will (Gr. thelema) of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1Th 5:18).  As God transforms us and gives us a new way of thinking by reading and studying His Word, we will are able to “discern what is the will (Gr. thelema) of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).  The more we dig in, the better we’ll hear a consistent message from Him.  So a HUGE piece of the puzzle in understanding God’s will is to read God’s Word.  That’s key when it comes to engaging the brain.

Are you more than a little overwhelmed by all the things we’re to do  and to be in the center of God’s will?  Well, I am!  Here’s the good news.  Or should I say Good News?!?  Jesus was always right smack dab in the heart of our heavenly Dad’s will.  He always does what His Father wants Him to do.  Jesus made it clear that the reason His Dad sent Him was to do His will (Jn 5:30).  And when He faced the most terrifying decision of His earthly life and begged His Father for a way out, our Savior willingly submitted to die the brutal and bloody death for our sin (Lk 22:42).  Jesus was always in the center of God’s will.

When we place our trust in Jesus, we’re placing our trust in His perfect obedience to our heavenly Father’s will.  He’s perfectly obedient when we’re not.  He lived the sinless life that we completely failed to live.  He died the death for our sin that we should have died.  He rose to new life that we don’t deserve.  Our obedience to God’s desire and design will always fall short on this side of eternity.  That’s why we must place our trust in what Jesus did that we could never do.

As we follow Jesus, don’t forget to use your head.  Don’t blindly fall for any teaching that someone offers up.  Don’t leave your noggin in neutral.  Know His Word.  Know His truth.  Know THE Truth.  Know Jesus.  Engage your brain.

So what do YOU think about this?  Agree?  Disagree?  Drop a comment below and let me know.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

...making the best use of the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:16).

If you’re a fan of Jack Bauer, you know that familiar yet ominous ticking clock of the TV show “24.”  Each episode is one hour of real time making up each of the 24 hours in one day.  Every season, Jack frantically works against the clock to save the world from evil.  He doesn’t waste a single second.  The situation is too important, too dire, too desperate to take a breather.  Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul encourages his friends to live life with a Jack Bauer-like focus and intensity, “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (v16).  Let’s be clear, he’s NOT telling his readers to grab their Glock and take out anything or anyone standing in their way.  You do understand that, right?  Good.  But he is pointing to the clock.  That nonstop ticking clock.  He wants us to understand that there’s a limited amount of time remaining.  Don’t waste a single second.  Use it with urgency.

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.

From a Roman prison cell, Paul writes to his friends in Ephesus to tell them what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus.  We need to realize the amazing things that God has already done for us (Eph 1:3-14).  From walking dead to alive in Jesus (Eph 2:1-6).  He graciously did for us what we could never do for ourselves (Eph 2:8-9).  We’re now on the move in a brand new way.  Walking in the good works God has prepared for us (Eph 2:10).  Walking in a way that honors His calling on our lives (Eph 4:1).  No longer walking like outsiders (Eph 4:17).  Walking in love (Eph 5:2).  Walking the light of our loving heavenly Dad (Eph 5:8).  Walking wisely (Eph 5:15).  We walk with purpose.  We walk with focus.  We walk because the clock is ticking.

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.

The apostle tells us that we’re to walk wisely, “making the best use of our time” (v16).  This is the Greek verb exagorazo.  It means to redeem, buy back or pay to recover from the power of another.  It’s a compound word that literally means “out of” (ex-) “the market” (-agorazo).  Jesus bought us from our slavery to sin at the cross and “redeemed (Gr. exagorazo) us from the curse of the law” (Ga 3:13).  Picture yourself standing as a piece of property in the slave market.  Jesus steps up to pay full price for you in order to free you from the slavery of self-salvation.  He takes you out of the market.

Two other times, Paul uses this same term to encourage us to not waste a single second.  Over in Colossians, a letter that he wrote and mailed at the same time as this note to Ephesus, he describes that dealing wisely with unbelievers is a key way to use the time we have.  “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use (Gr. exagorazo) of the time” (Col 4:5).  Think of buying time.  Empty your pockets.  Open your wallet.  Drain your bank account.  Purchase as much time remaining as you can.  People need to know about Jesus.  Redeem your limited seconds, days and hours remaining and leverage it for eternity.  The clock is ticking.

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.

We’re to invest our “time” (Gr. kairos).  This is a fixed, measured, allocated amount of time.  In the Greco-Roman world, people also considered kairos to be the supreme moment.  The opportunity you’ve been waiting for.  It’s a limited window.  Think of an hour glass with grains of sand slowly but steadily trickling down.  Once Jesus gets ahold of me, I only have a limited amount of time left walking around on the third rock from the sun.  I’m not sure how much I have.  Could be another 50 years.  Could be another 50 seconds.  One thing the writers of the Bible want us to understand is that in comparison with eternity, this part of our life goes quicker than a New York minute.  The psalmist reminsd himself, “Remember how short my time is!” (Ps 89:47).  Jesus’ little brother Jimmy warns that we don’t have a clue what will happen tomorrow.  “What is your life?  For you are mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 1:14).  If my life is just like puff of smoke, what am I going to do with the time I have left on the clock?  

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.

Paul then gives us a curious little reason why we need to make our time purchase.  “Because the days are evil” (v16).  He says that the days we inhabit are painful, good-for-nothing and in a bad way.  But it’s even worse than that.  The days are wicked.  The days are corrupt.  The days are malicious.  They’re out to do hurt you.  They’re out to get you.  Jesus told the crowd about the days of evil and the importance of living in the moment.  “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Mt 6:34).  We desperately need to buy back the time remaining so we can leverage it for God’s kingdom.  

Recently, my pastor Mike Lee mentioned something a good friend often says.  We can either make good time or make time good.  In other words, we can fly through life with little focus on the now, completely consumed with ultimate destination.  Any dad who’s been behind the wheel of the family car on vacation knows all about making good time.  Gotta get there.  Gotta make time.  That means drive-thru burgers and gas station restrooms.  Gotta make time.  While the clock is certainly ticking, we need to take the time to make the time good.  Don’t get so obsessed with the destination that you miss the joy of the journey.  The gift of now.  The gift of the present.  We have a choice with the time we have.  We can make good time.  Or we can make time good.  One thing for sure.  The clock is ticking.

Tick.  Tock.  Tick.  Tock.

This is the part where you get involved.  What do you think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Drop a comment below.  I would love to hear from you.  No, really.

Walking Wisely

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise (Eph 5:15).

If anybody knows about walking, it’s Paul.  The dude knows how to get around.  He may have been riding a horse to Damascus when Jesus blindsided him (Acts 9:3).  He hopped aboard ships several times to get from point A to point B to tell folks about Jesus (Acts 13:4, 13; 14:26).  And you’ve probably heard about that wild voyage to Rome that made Gilligan’s three-hour tour look like a paddle boat ride on a farm pond (Acts 27:1-28:13).  But mostly he walked.  He beat feet.  He hoofed it.  Sometimes solo.  Sometimes with a posse.  Paul knows all about putting one foot in front of the other.  He knows what it means to walk and do it well.  To walk with purpose.  To walk in the right direction.  To walk efficiently.  He knows what it means to walk wisely.  So when he tells us how to walk, we really ought to listen.  “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” (v15).

The apostle loves to talk about walking.  He uses this idea seven times in this little letter alone.  This is the Greek verb peripateo.  It’s a compound word, peri- (around) pateo (walk).  It means to walk around, go about, progress and make one’s way.  Jesus was “was walking (Gr. peripateo) by the Sea of Galilee” when saw Pete and Andy after a long day of fishing (Mt 4:18).  Mark used peripateo when he wrote of Christ strolling around the temple courts (Mk 11:27).  

But Hebrews in the first century, of which Paul is one, used this idea to describe living life.  And he drops it seven times in this note to his friends back in Ephesus.  He reminds us that we used to be among the Walking Dead.  “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked (Gr. peripateo)” (Eph 2:2).  We need to stop stumbling around like unbelievers and “no longer walk (Gr. peripateo) as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds” (Eph 4:17).  As followers of Jesus, God has carefully prepared stuff for us to do and “we should walk (Gr. peripateo) in them” (Eph 2:10).  We’re also to “walk (Gr. peripateo) in a manner worthy of the calling” (Eph 4:1).  One important way to look at how to live is to “walk (Gr. peripateo) in love” by living a sacrificial life like our Savior (Eph 5:2).  We need to stop stumbling around in the dark and “walk (Gr. peripateo) as children of light” (Eph 5:8).  I’m tellin’ you, this guy knows his stuff when it comes to walking.

Now we come to the last time the apostle uses the term in Ephesians.  He tells us to walk and live our lives “carefully” (v15).  This is akribos, which means diligently, accurately, exactly, precisely and strictly.  It’s doing something thoroughly with great attention to detail.  Herod asks the three foreign travelers to “search diligently (Gr. akribos)” for the baby king (Mt 2:7) so he could worship Him too (yeah, right!).  Dr. Luke tells his boss Theophilus that he’s investigated Jesus story thoroughly and “carefully (Gr. akribos)” (Lk 1:3).  So when we walk and follow Jesus, we must be diligent.  We must be accurate.  We must be precise.  We must be thorough.  

First Paul lets us know how NOT to walk.  Don’t plod along “as unwise” (v15).  The original text literally says “not wise.”  But it carries the idea of foolish, silly and senseless.  Remember the classic Monty Python sketch “The Ministry of Silly Walks” with John Cleese?  The apostle knew all about the foolishness of that 2,000 years before the Flying Circus cooked up that bit.  Once I realize who Jesus is and what He’s done for me, it’s time to stop walking like a fool.  It’s time to stop living like I don’t have a clue.  It’s time to stop the silly walks.

Instead, we’re to walk as “wise” (v15).  This is the Greek word sophos.  It’s being skilled, clever, learned or experienced.  Wisdom is acquired intelligence put into practice.  The ability to practically apply knowledge.  It’s knowing what to do and then actually doing it.  Someone who is wise is an expert.  Paul worked painstakingly as a “wise (Gr. sophos) master builder” to craft local churches (1Cor 3:10).  We’re to walk in wisdom.  We’re walk as experts.  We’re to put into practice what we know about Jesus.  We’re to apply it to our everyday lives.  We’re to walk wisely.

Before we take another step, we need to understand something critical about God’s wisdom.  Jesus is turning everything upside down.  Actually, He’s turning right side up.  He’s restoring things to the way the were before we jacked the whole thing up.  What the world thinks is smart and successful is actually foolish and failure.  “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1Cor 1:25).  God continually proves His own wisdom and power by using what the world considers knuckleheads and morons to build His kingdom.  “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (1Cor 1:27).  That’s because He does things in ways that are WAY beyond our feeble minds (Is 55:8).  There are entire books of the OT dedicated to the practical application of God’s wisdom in our lives.  Proverbs.  Job.  Ecclesiastes.  Song of Songs.  Huge sections of Psalms.  Even James, the first book written in the NT.  These books instruct us as to what it looks like to walk in God’s wisdom.  They help us understand what it means to walk wisely.

To walk in wisdom, the apostle wants us to live in the light of who Jesus is and what He’s done.  He wants us to know that there’s not a cotton pickin’ thing we can do add to what our Savior has already done for us.  To walk wisely is to let His Tsunami of Blessing wash all over you (Eph 1:3-14).  God has already blessed us, chose us, predestined us, adopted us, redeemed us, forgiven us, lavished His wisdom on us, revealed to us His purpose in Jesus and sealed us with His Spirit.  There’s not a dad-blamed thing we can add to that!  To walk wisely is to remember that we were among the walking dead before God made us alive in Jesus (Eph 2:1-9).  He did it for us because of His great love for us.  NOT because we were such hot stuff.  We bring nothing to the table except the sin that makes our salvation absolutely necessary.  He saves us when we place our trust in Jesus.  He lived the perfect life that we completely failed to live.  He died the bloody death for our sin that we should have died.  He rose to the spectacular new life that we certainly don’t deserve.  That’s what we trust.  That’s WHOM we trust.  That’s walking wisely!  

Tullian Tchividjian says that the key to our continuing growth in Christ, what really wise dudes call sanctification, is continually remembering what Jesus did to save us in the first place, our justification.  Walking wisely is realizing that His Gospel doesn’t just get us into His kingdom.  It keeps us in.  Walking unwisely is the goofball idea that once Jesus has saved me, I can take it from here.  Now THAT’S a silly walk!!  Walking wisely is understanding the now power of the Gospel.  Walking wisely is humbly knowing that I need Jesus and His salvation every single, stinkin’ moment of my life.  I need Him not just to save me once but to keep on saving me.  Think I’m joking?  Just check out the progression of Paul’s maturity.  In one of his early letters, he calls himself “the least of the apostles” (1Cor 15:9).  A little later in his life he admits to be “the very least of all the saints” (Eph 3:8).  And not long before his death, he understood himself to number one in the sinner rankings (1Tim 1:15).  Walking wisely isn’t getting so good at the Christian life that you don’t need Jesus anymore.  Walking wisely is the knee-buckling realization that you desperately need Him every moment of every single day.

Paul knows a lot about walking.  We ought to listen to what he has to say.

I was wondering what you think about this.  Do you agree?  Or do you think I need to take a long walk?  Drop a comment below and let me know.

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!

For anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Eph 5:14).

Why do I get my best sleep right before the alarm goes off?  I may toss and turn all night long, but there’s nothing like those last few minutes of sweet slumber before my clock/radio so rudely interrupts me.  The temptation each morning is to hit the snooze button and roll back over and catch a few more zzz’s.  But I know if I do, I’ll be in trouble.  BIG trouble.  I need to wake up.  NOW.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul flips on the lights and sends a wake up call for believers there.  “For anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you’” (v14).  Get up!  Wake up, sleepy head!  Don’t hit the snooze button and roll back over.  Open your eyes and realize what’s going on.  Understand the reality of the situation.  The bad is a whole lot worse than you realize.  The good is a so much better than you understand.  

Wake up and smell the coffee! 

The apostle is wrapping up a section where he talks about what it looks like to “be imitators of God” (Eph 5:1) and to “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).  His big point here is to live in the light (pun VERY much intended!) of the reality of what Jesus has done for us.  We used to stumble around in pitch dark (Eph 5:8).  Then Jesus, the Light of the World, kicked on the spiritual switch in our lives.  Whatever you do, don’t walk back into the dark!  Don’t turn off the lights and walk back into the darkness of your sinful lifestyle.  As a matter of fact, use that light to lovingly and gently show others their own blind spots (Eph 5:11).  Light helps us see the reality of the situation.  Don’t roll back over.  Get up!  Open your eyes!

Wake up and smell the coffee!

You’ll notice that this verse is set apart with a little indentation in your Bible.  What’s up with that?  Well, Paul is probably quoting the lyrics of one of the hit praise and worship songs of the first century.  Someone has taken the ancient and inspired words of Isaiah 60:1-2 and paraphrased them and put them to music.  Just like your pastor might quote something written by Hillsong United to make a point, the apostle drops a line from one of his favorite worship tunes.  The man from Tarsus repeatedly uses songs, poems and pop culture to tell folks about Jesus.  He did it in Athens on Mars Hill (Acts 17:28).  And he’s doing it again.

Flip back to Isaiah for just a minute.  This prophet’s pen absolutely drips with the Good News.  Kinda like talk of the Fifth Beatle, some folks describe this OT book as the Fifth Gospel.  Ike is absolutely obsessed with God’s promise of Messiah.  If Isaiah 53 isn’t talking about Jesus, who else could it be?  Check out Isaiah 60:1-2.  “Arise, shine, for the light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you...the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.”  These are the verses that inspired some first century worship leader to write these lyrics.  And part of that is to connect the dots between what Isaiah predicted and what God fulfilled in Christ.  Paul gives that his personal and apostolic stamp of approval.  He confirms that Isaiah was 100% correct when he was writing about Jesus!  What a great reminder that the entire Bible is about the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth.  He is THE Hero of THE Story.  

Paul tells each of us to “awake” (v14).  This is the Greek verb egeiro, which means to wake up, rouse, rise, stand up and pay attention.  There’s an urgency to it.  There’s an immediacy to it.  Open your eyes!  And I mean NOW!  When Jesus’ posse freaked as He snoozed in the boat during the big storm, “they went and woke (Gr. egeiro) Him” (Mt 8:25).  He needed to wake up RIGHT NOW!!  And it’s the very same word Christ uses to describe stone cold corpses brought back to life.  The Lord sent His boys out to “heal the sick, raise (Gr. egeiro) the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons” (Mt 10:8).  Jesus predicted His own spectacular comeback when He told the religious hardliners, “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise (Gr. egeiro) it up” (Jn 2:19).  An angel is a shiny white suit broke the news to the women that looking for Jesus in the graveyard is a waste of time.  “He’s not here; He has been raised (Gr. egeiro)” (Mt 28:6).

The lyrics of the praise song shake the shoulders of someone fast asleep, “O sleeper” (v14).  The terminology here tells us that they aren’t just resting their eyes and taking a power nap.  They’re snoozing.  Out cold.  REM sleep.  Matt uses this description of sleepy time too when writing about Jesus’ adoptive dad-to-be Joe sawing serious zzz’s when God’s messenger tells him what to do in a dream (Mt 1:24).  The term tells of such a deep sleep that it’s also used for folks who are dead (1Th 4:15; 5:10).  Before God got involved, I was dead (Eph 2:1).  It’s what Raymond Chandler called “The Big Sleep.”  The dirt nap.  But because of His grace, I’m now alive and awake (Eph 2:4-5).  Wake up, sleepy head!

If you any have doubts about this imagery of sleep as death, Paul makes that clear when he writes, “Arise from the dead” (v14).  He uses the Greek term nekros, meaning something lifeless.  A corpse.  A stiff.  It’s where we get the prefix “nerco-” in words like necrophilia and necropsy.  The apostle isn’t just shaking the shoulders of napping friend.  He’s pounding on a closed coffin.  Kinda gross, huh?  But it gets his point across, doesn’t it?  Only Jesus has the life-giving power to pull off that kind of miracle.  Just ask Lazarus when you see him (Jn 11:38-44).

Paul desperately wants his readers (and that includes you and me!) to wake up and smell the coffee.  For unbelievers, it’s time to open your eyes to who Jesus is and what He’s done.  You can’t save yourself.  Only He can.  Please wake up!  And for those of us who call ourselves His followers, it’s time to open our eyes wide to the reality of the oh so abundant life (Jn 10:10).  Wake up to what He’s given you!  “The hour has come for you to wake up from your sleep.  For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom 13:11).  Wake up and understand the desperate situation of those around us!  “Let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1Th 5:6).  Get up!  Wake up, sleepy head!  Don’t hit the snooze button and roll back over.  Open your eyes and realize what’s going on.  Understand the reality of the situation.  The bad is a whole lot worse than you realize.  The good is a so much better than you understand.  

Wake up and smell the coffee! 

So what do you think?  Yes, I'm talkin' to YOU!  Agree or disagree?  Drop a comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Flipping on the Lights

For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible (Eph 5:12-13).

Ever flip on the lights and see cockroaches run for the shadows?  Kinda makes your skin crawl just thinking about it, doesn’t it?  Yech!  Just typing it makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit.  Paul tells the folks back in Ephesus that this is a picture of what happens when the light of God’s truth reveals sin.  “For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible” (v12-13).  Think of sin as a ninja.  Sin loves the dark.  The searchlight of God and His truth allows no darkness for sin to hide.

Let’s back up just a bit for a little perspective of what’s going on here.  Paul is writing a letter to his friends in the big port city of Ephesus.  They are members of the church he planted there during his second missionary expedition (Acts 19).  He set up shop in that city for three years (Acts 20:31), longer than he stayed anywhere else during his Gospel tours.  One of the big reasons for this letter is what’s going down just 100 miles away in the towns of Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea.  A team of spiritual hucksters have duped Jesus’ followers into falling for a counterfeit gospel.  Jesus might be good but He’s not God, they said.  The only real hope of salvation is self-salvation, they said.  You save yourself through obeying a complicated list of religious rules and regulations, they said.  

The apostle has just fired off a letter to the Colossian church to set them straight.  Those religious rules are a complete waste of time (Col 2:16-23).  Jesus is indeed God.  As a matter of fact, He’s more God than we can ever wrap our puny brains around (Col 1:15-20).  He’s the ONLY one who saves.  If we have any role at all, it’s to “seek the things that are above” and “set our minds on things that are above” (Col 3:1-2).  In other words, stay focused on who Jesus and what He’s done.  After licking the envelope on the letter to the Colossians, Paul writes a second one to the Ephesian church.  Think of the first as a treatment for a heretical disease and this one as an inoculation against it.  The Gospel vaccine is to keep on keeping on in Christ.  We didn’t do a stinkin’ thing to save ourselves!  God did it all by Himself (Eph 2:-8-9)!  Let God’s “Tsunami of Blessing” overwhelm you (Eph 1:3-14).  Keep walking “in a manner worthy of the calling” of Jesus (Eph 4:1).  Keep working on your God imitation (Eph 5:1).  “Walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).  Walking in the light of Christ will expose any spiritual snake oil salesmen and the false gospel their peddling.

In the previous verse, Paul told us that a big part of living in community with other Christ followers is to gently show each other our blind spots (Eph 5:11).  Here he goes on to warn us about killing and disposing of what we find in those blind spots.  First of all, we don’t need to spend a lot of time discussing and analyzing the crap that’s destroying people.  It’s “shameful” (Gr. aischros).  Ugly.  Deformed.  Disgraceful.  Dishonorable.  Dishonest.  Filthy.  Those are just some of the nasty terms used to define this word.  Kinda makes you wanna take a shower, huh?  

And there’s no intent to let anyone know about out nasty practices.  They’re being done in “secret” (v12).  This is the Greek word kruphe, which means privately, while hidden and concealed and completely unknown by the public.  It’s the only time we see it used in the NT.  It’s covert.  It’s in the closet.  It’s behind closed doors.  It’s behind locked doors.  But here’s the deal.  If I think my secret sin will remain secret, I’ve got another thing coming.  The Big Mo warned the Israelites, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23).  Remember the lie you told yourself when you were a kid (and maybe now that you’re an adult!): “What I can’t see won’t hurt me.”  Well, there’s another big lie we tell ourselves: “What they can’t see won’t hurt me.”  Sin does hurt.  Sin causes pain.  God flips on His light to expose our secret sins done in the dark for our own good and His own glory.

Paul goes on to say something that seems rather obvious.  “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible” (v13).  At first glance, my response is, “Well DUH!”  But let’s take a closer look.  He says that when God shines His divine light, we see things that we didn’t see before.  This is the verb phanero'o.  It means to make known, reveal, show, make evident or plain.  God is doing more than just kicking on the lights quickly and turning them back off.  He’s bringing truth to light and in some detail.  Take a closer look at that nasty stuff.  Take a long look.  I don’t like what I see.  I don’t like it at all.

The writers of the Bible use this verb throughout the NT.  God has pulled back the curtain on who He is and what He’s done even to those who reject His salvation.  “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown (Gr. phanero'o) it to them” (Rom 1:28).  Jesus promised that He would lovingly show Himself to anyone who willingly submits to His leadership (Jn 14:21).  John tells his readers about the day that the resurrected Jesus showed up out of nowhere and “revealed (Gr. phanero'o) Himself” while they were out fishing (Jn 21:1).  God reads me like an open book.  “What we are is fully known (Gr. phanero'o) to God” (2Cor 5:11).  And He knows and reveals hidden sin (Rom 7:13).

God is in the revealing business.  When the Light of the Word powers up, things get revealed.  He reveals Himself.  He reveals His plan.  He reveals who I really am.  He reveals my sin.  God is the Revealer.  When He flips on the lights, the cockroaches of our sin scurry for the shadows.

So do you agree?  Disagree?  Would love to hear what you have to say.  Drop a comment below to get things started.