Graduate 194: Advent & Ephesians, Day 21

"...and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.

Yesterday we focused on the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a manifestation and expression of God's power, which has also been made available to everyone who has been adopted into God's family. Paul is praying that the Ephesian Christians would come to understand (1) the hope of God's calling, (2) the riches of the glory of Christ's inheritance, given to the saints, and (3) the greatness of the Holy Spirit's power exercised on their behalf. These are all in accordance with the strength of God's might that was exercised when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of God's heavenly throne. Yesterday we looked at Christ's resurrection. Today we look at His ascension and enthronement.

For additional insight into the significance of this event, I want to look at the following passage from Hebrews 8: "Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." Christ's ascension and enthronement are major themes in the book of Hebrews. Especially significant is the idea that Christ has been seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty. What is implied by this image is that Jesus has completed His work and is now at rest. The work is done. It is finished.

This may be hard for us to understand because, from our earthly, temporal perspective, the work seems to be very much ongoing. Souls still need to be saved, creation has yet to be fully redeemed and restored to its original intention. God's reign is not fully experienced--not in the way that Philippians 2 describes. Yet there is a sense in which the work has already been completed. The end has already been written. There is no doubt or question about how things will turn out.

The present situation is also brought out by the author of Hebrews in a contrast that He draws between the practices of priests in the Old Testament with the work that Christ accomplished on the cross. Every year, under the old covenant, on the day of atonement, the high priest would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. He would bring the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant resided. That ritual had to be performed every year. The work of atonement was never completed. But the author of Hebrews emphasizes that the work of Christ is complete, so that further sacrifice is no longer required. He has fulfilled the role of priest in the most perfect and complete way.

Here, again, we see the power of God manifested. Christ accomplished what no one else could. And the power that was exerted in that mighty and final act is the same power and might that are made available to the believer. A power and might that is above every other ruler, authority, power, and dominion--in this age and in the age to come.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 193: Advent & Ephesians, Day 20

"These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead,..."

In this section, Paul draws our attention to a couple important aspects of the gospel narrative that have not been raised yet in this chapter and that, actually, many Christians tend to overlook. They are Christ's resurrection and ascension (with His enthronement being included in the latter). In v. 7, Paul says, "In Him [that is, Jesus,] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses". Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross is an integral part of God's gracious work in history--let us make no mistake about that. But that is not the whole story. If Christ had died and remained dead, His death would not have had the significance that it does.

Francis Foulkes says, on this point: "Most frequently the New Testament describes the resurrection as the work of God the Father (see Acts 2:24, 32, etc.). His raising his Son from the dead is the mark of his approval, the acknowledgment of him as his Son, and the declaration of him as Lord of all (Acts 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 17:31; Rom. 1:4). But it is also the manifestation of the Father's power. ... To Paul, and in the New Testament generally, the cross, the resurrection and the ascension are considered as three parts of one great act of God." (Foulkes, 71)

Paul writes, in 1 Corinthians 15, "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." (vv.12-19)

Paul understood that our hope for resurrection, for complete redemption of body and soul, for final release from the power of sin and death, was to be found in the resurrection of Jesus. On the cross, the Father laid the sins of the world and their penalty on His Son, Jesus. A burden that was beyond the capacity of anyone else to handle, Jesus took upon Himself. To borrow an idea from one of my favorite teachers: Jesus went as low as a human being (perhaps any being) could go. But, remarkably, that was not the end of the story. God the Father reached down into that deepest and darkest of depths and lifted His Son out of it. Sin and death could not keep Him down. It's one thing to exact the just penalty for sin. It is quite another to bring someone back from that depth into fully restored relationship and fellowship in the Trinity. God did both.

Because God did this, we have reason for an unshakeable hope and confidence. The God who lifted up, redeemed, and even exalted the one who bore all the sins of the world, can certainly lift up, redeem, and even exalt those of us who place our trust in Him. That there is nothing beyond His reach or power or ability is demonstrated by the resurrection. Peter sounds a similar note in his first letter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Paul also comments on this same theme in his letter to the Philippians, where he explicitly exhorts them to imitate Christ: "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

Jesus lived in perfect obedience to His heavenly Father, and that obedience led Him to the cross. One might get the impression, on that model, that obedience to God is not such a good idea. If obedience to God can lead to things like the cross, oughtn't we to avoid it? Paul says, "No." Even though obedience to God may lead us into difficult and dark places, we have the assurance that God is able to overcome anything.

The author of Hebrews makes a similar point: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) The author of Hebrews focuses on Christ's exaltation and enthronement (which we shall look at tomorrow) more than on the resurrection, but the point is the same. God's work will often lead us into difficult places. Indeed, any project that is truly worthwhile will tax us in incredible ways. But the power that God exerted in raising His Son from the dead, in turning the darkest of situations into the highest of hopes, in taking the faithful sacrifice of His Son and turning it to the ultimate good, is also available to us.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 192: Advent & Ephesians, Day 19

"...what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

It may be a bit of a stretch to see a Trinitarian structure to Paul's prayer in vv. 18 and 19. At the same time, it is not difficult at all to draw connections between what Paul says here and other passages in Ephesians 1 and in the rest of Paul's writings. Paul prays that the eyes of the Ephesians' hearts would be enlightened:

(1) "So that you may know what is the hope of His calling...". Notice, first, that Paul is speaking of God's calling. He is emphasizing that God is the initiator. In v. 4, Paul reminded the Ephesians that God "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world". In his second letter to Timothy, Paul makes the same point in the course of exhorting that young pastor:

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of my His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher." (2 Timothy 1:8-11)

In his letter to the Roman church, he speaks of both the calling and the hope that comes from it. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30) Those who have received God's calling have the guarantee that He will work all things together for the good. That on top of the other blessings that come with His choice, His calling, His election.

(2) "What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...". In v. 11, Paul writes, "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will..."

Our status as heirs and as recipients of a divine inheritance is found in Jesus Christ, who is, Himself, a recipient of God's favor and blessings for all eternity. Paul writes, in his letter to the Romans: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8:16-17)

One of my favorite passages is found in Galatians where Paul draws a tight connection between the identity of Jesus Christ, the Son, and us, as sons of God. "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." (Galatians 4:4-7) Paul also describes Christians as heirs in His letter to Titus: "He [God] saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7)

Again, the riches that accompany this inheritance are being delineated throughout chapter one of Ephesians and throughout these other passages.

(3) "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." This passage reminds me of Jesus' words to His disciples about the Holy Spirit. On the Mount of Ascension, before Jesus was taken up into Heaven, the disciples asked Him, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" They were asking whether Jesus would restore political autonomy and authority to the nation of Israel. Jesus' answer is interesting: "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:6, 7-8) The power of God that is directed at us and given to us is given by or in the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not promise the disciples political authority or material prosperity or comfortable lives, but He did promise them power. The same kind of power that was present in His own life--for Jesus was also anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Some other passages from Paul's writings: "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)

"For God has not given us a spirit (Spirit?) of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

Francis Foulkes writes: "The burden of the prayer in fact is that the mighty power of God may be known in experience by its operation in us who believe (cf. 3:20); and the apostle is confident that it belongs to men and women on this simple condition of their believing, that is, their laying hold of it, accepting it from him, as a gift that he wants them to have." (Foulkes, 71)

So much more needs to be said about each of these dimensions and what they involve. But here are some references just to get things started.

Remember, that each dimension is God's own: His (the Father's) calling, His (the Son's) inheritance, His (the Holy Spirit's) power. He has given them all to us, and Paul's prayer is that we would come to a deeper and deeper understanding of the greatness and import of these incredible blessings and gifts.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 191: Advent & Ephesians, Day 18

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling,..."

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians continues. First he asked that God would give them a "spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him." Now he prays, "that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling."

Enlightenment. Illumination. John writes, in his gospel, "In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ... With light comes clear perception and understanding. Light enables one to see the world clearly and as it is, whereas darkness obscures and hides. And in this particular case, light enables one to see and to know the hope that is to be found in God's calling.

As we pointed out yesterday, the kind of knowledge that comes with this divine illumination is not purely intellectual. Paul captures this very point explicitly through his prayer that "the eyes of your heart" may be enlightened. Francis Foulkes puts the point this way: "The verse speaks specifically of the eyes of your hearts and we need to remember that in biblical expression the heart is not simply the seat of the emotions, nor the seat of the intellect or 'understanding (AV), but as Masson puts it 'the centre of the personality', to which God speaks, 'the inner man in his entirety' (Barry)." (Foulkes, 69) Paul is not praying that the Ephesians would come to a heady knowledge of God's nature and character. Nor is he praying that they would be seized by a strong emotional fervor. Rather, he is praying that they would come to an apprehension and awareness of God in the very core of their personality--an awareness that would invariably touch every other dimension of their lives.

Many people, unfortunately, don't have this kind of deep awareness of God in mind when they think about what the Christian experience is supposed to involve. They think that what Christianity is about just is a shallow intellectual consent or a succession of moments of intense emotional experience. The consequence: that they don't enjoy all the benefits (blessings) that come with being a child of God--because their not expecting any of them and so not looking for them and so not doing what it takes to access them. How very needful it is that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened. How very needful it is that we would know what is the hope of His calling.

This great hope is just what Paul has been delineating in the first part of chapter one. These are points upon which we need to meditate. It's very easy to read the words, to skim over them, and to miss completely their significance and import. Meditation is required. Reflection is necessary. Dwelling on the text is indispensable. Life transformation always takes time. There's no way around it. And if you desire to be impacted by God's gracious revelation in anything like the way that Paul was, you would do well to spend time thinking about what he says.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 190: Advent & Ephesians, Day 17

"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."

Over the next couple days, we'll look at what Paul prays for the Ephesian Christians. In light of the abundant blessings that God has conferred on His people in Christ, what does Paul ask for on behalf of the Ephesias? First, he asks and prays that they would receive "a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of [God]."

'Spirit,' here, may refer to a quality of mind or soul, or it may refer to the Holy Spirit, Himself. In either case, Paul recognizes that the wisdom and revelation of which he speaks comes only by the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Francis Foulkes is helpful on this point: "Such wisdom and revelation, moreover, come, not simply as such higher intelligence is given from God, but by the knowledge of him, the personal knowledge of God himself, which in the Bible always connotes the experience of life in union and fellowship with him (see on 4:13). Paul put the prayer for wisdom first because to him the gospel was so wonderful that it was impossible for people to see the glory of it unless they were taught by God, and also because he knew that the knowledge of God was life itself (cf. Jn. 17:3; Phil. 3:10)." (Foulkes, 68-69)

The close connection between knowledge of God and life in union and fellowship with God is absolutely essential. Many Christians run into problems because they have only an intellectual or heady knowledge of God. But because they don't have the personal experience and because they don't enjoy the personal interaction and fellowship, that knowledge does them very little good. But the knowledge that comes from union and fellowship with God is nothing less than life itself.

What do we mean by that? What does Jesus mean when he says, "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent"? (John 17:3) To understand this passage, we need to understand that "life" is about more than mere existence. When we speak of 'life' in a purely biological or medical sense, we contrast 'being alive' only with 'being dead'. But there is a more important sense in which we speak of life that is relevant to this passage. So, for instance, you might hear someone say something like, "You haven't lived until you've tried my grandma's apple pie." Or, "You haven't lived until you've seen the Grand Canyon." When a person says that, he is not suggesting that prior to trying his grandma's apple pie, you have not been biologically alive. He is not saying something so absurd as that you have not existed until the moment you tried his grandma's apple pie. He is saying something different. His statement presupposes the possibility of being alive without living--that is, of being alive (biologically) without living (in a more existential sense). When speaking of a person who spends all his time sitting in front of the TV and eating junk food and never leaves his home or has meaningful human interaction--we might say something like, "He's not really living." When we say that, we don't mean, "He's not actually biologically alive." Of course he is. What we are saying is that he is lacking something that is crucial for enjoying a full, robust human life.

This naturally leads us to ask the question, What is required for a flourishing human life? Obviously more than mere biological life and existence is required for a robust human life. After all, human beings share mere biological life with animals and plants and fungi. Relationships would seem to be an important part of fully human life; the exercise of one's intellectual and rational faculties would seem to be important. Perhaps significant forms of self-expression as in art or music. But we need to be careful because there are many 'ordinary' people who are unable to enjoy all of these activities. Depending on how we define human life it will end up being the case that some human beings are not enjoying human life. What is essential to full, flourishing human life, then? Jesus says, "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." Jesus says that true, full life comes in relationship with God and with Jesus. Andyone who enjoys that relationship has the full life. In fact, anyone who enjoys that relationship participates in the same kind of life that Jesus and God the Father enjoy. What higher calling or opportunity could there be?

Consider, then, the import and significance of Paul's prayer. He asks that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him". This is no small prayer. And God is eager to answer.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 189: Advent & Ephesians, Day 16

"...do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;..."

In light of all that God has done and the many blessings that He has poured out on the Ephesian Christians, and because He has heard such wonderful reports of their faith and conduct and love for all the saints, Paul is led to thank God for the Ephesian Christians and to pray fervently on their behalf.

Thanksgiving is an integral part of the life of prayer for Paul and always accompanies intercession. In Philippians 4:6, he writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, he writes, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Even in his first letter to the church at Corinth, where there were numerous problems and conflicts that he had to deal with, he begins by saying, "I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1:4-8) Notice how in that letter and in his letter to the Ephesians (v. 15), the basis for his thanksgiving is the action and goodness of God.

This practice of constantly giving thanks is no less important than the ground or basis of that thanksgiving. Sometimes well-meaning Christians exhort and encourage one another to give thanks in the midst of hardship, but without a clear understanding of what is the proper basis for that thanksgiving. The result is that they come across as naive or as encouraging a pie-in-the-sky polly-annie-ish silly empty-headed notion of happiness. Christians are not called to be thankful because the world is such a happy-go-lucky place or because they are shutting their eyes to reality. Rather, it is because of the awareness of a much deeper, more pervasive, and foundational reality that they can be thankful even in the midst of suffering. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ... What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us." (Romans 8:28, 31) It is because of who God is that we are prompted to give thanks--not because everything in our life is good in itself, but because the good and the bad will all be turned to the glory of God and our own betterment if we will allow God to take control of it. This is the confidence that informs Paul's thanksgiving and it can inform ours as well.

Not only is Paul given to constant thanksgiving, but to constant prayer on behalf of his fellow Christians. This is also a practice we would do well to adopt--hopefully understanding why we are doing it. The idea of praying constantly and continuously and fervently for someone or something puzzles some people. After all, they say, doesn't God already know what I need before I ask? Why do I need to ask Him? And why do I need to ask Him over and over? What's the point?

Many different answers could be given at this point. But here is one that I have found particularly helpful: What is your conception of prayer? What is prayer about? What is it accomplishing? Your answers to these questions will have a big impact on how fervently you approach prayer. So consider this: Prayer is a way of partnering and working with God. When we pray, we are not removing our hands from a situation and dropping it at the feet of God. Rather we are inviting God to enter into that situation with us. I like this picture because it matches well with a broader picture of how God is working with us generally. God's desire for human beings is that they be in relationship with Him. His overarching aim and desire is to partner with human beings to accomplish His work. So it makes sense that prayer would not be a way of eliminating our role in what God accomplishes. Rather, prayer just is a way of coming alongside God in what He is doing. Doesn't it make more sense, on this picture, that Paul would exhort us to pray without ceasing, and that Paul himself would pray for the Ephesian church without ceasing? Think about it and about how you are being related to God.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 188: Advent & Ephesians, Day 15

"For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints,..."

Having concluded the great doxology of verses 3-14, Paul now turns more directly to address the church of Ephesus. As he prepares to speak about His prayers for the Ephesian Christians, there are two things in the background: the first is the list of numerous blessings that he has just delineated in the last twelve verses. "For this reason," he says. Because the Ephesian Christians have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, because God chose them, because they had been predestined, because they had been adopted and made recipients of incredible grace in the Beloved, because they had been redeemed through Christ's blood, because they had been forgiven, because God had revealed His will to them, because they were looking forward to the future administration and summing up of all things in Christ, because of the inheritance that they had obtained, because they had heard and received the gospel of salvation and been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and were looking forward to the future redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory, because of all this Paul offers prayers with thanksgiving for these Ephesian Christians. We shall see that his prayer is that they would continue in what they have already begun.

Paul does not just focus on what God has done for them but also on their response. "[H]aving heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints". It would be easy to overlook such a simple line, but we should actually pay attention to it. Paul has heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and of their love for all the saints. Apparently people have been talking about their faith and their love for all the saints. Reports have been circulating and have gotten back to Paul about the Ephesian Christians' faith and their love for all the saints. What would these reports consist in? Just the news that the Ephesian Christians were saying that they believed in Jesus? Surely not. Rather, these were reports of how the faith of the Ephesian Christians was being worked out and manifested in good works and help given to all the saints.

This should cause us to pause and consider: are people hearing of our faith in the Lord Jesus and of our love for all the saints? Are reports of our good deeds and transformed lives going out? And this is not an invitation to start a massive advertising campaign. I am not recommending that we start broadcasting all our good deeds. But if our lives are really being transformed. If we are loving others in a manner radically different from the way the ordinary people love others, then you can be sure that people will hear about it. Because this is exactly what the world wants and needs--people who love radically, people who are willing to go above and beyond mere duty, people whose faith is being demonstrated by how they act and behave twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This is the kind of difference that only comes from the work of the Holy Spirit and is so needed by our world and that Jesus came to announce and offer to those who would actually follow Him in that way.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 187: Advent & Ephesians, Day 14

"...who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."

You may not have noticed, if you've just been reading each of these entries individually, but vv. 3-14 are actually very carefully and thoroughly structured. There is a past-present-future progression that runs from Paul's speaking about predestination to his treatment of our current redemption to his contemplation of Christ's future administration. There is also a Trinitarian progression that begins by focusing on the Father in vv. 3-4, the Son in vv. 5-12, and the Holy Spirit in vv. 13-14.

We've already alluded to the importance of the Father-Son relationship within the Trinity and its significance for us as adopted sons and daughters in God's family. But this picture would not be complete without the action of the Holy Spirit. Here Paul emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is the seal that marks believers and identifies them as belonging to God. Paul goes on to expand upon this basic metaphor by talking about how the Holy Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance. Not only does the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives point to a present reality. It also directs our attention to a future hope.

Yet we must be careful not to distinguish these present and future elements too sharply for they are closely connected. Foulkes writes, "Christians' experience of the Spirit now is a foretaste and pledge of what will be theirs when they fully possess their God-given inheritance." (Foulkes, 65) What does that experience of the Spirit's presence consist in, then? This is a point that is puzzling to many believers. What does it mean to be 'indwelt' by the Holy Spirit and what is the evidence of this indwelling. At different times, people have tended to focus on particular manifestations, especially in the form of certain spiritual gifts. But I think that if one wants to understand what the influence of the Holy Spirit looks like, one should first look at the example of Jesus Christ and then at the example of His followers. And when we do this we see that the Spirit's manifestations are extremely rich on not limited to a narrow range of activities or events.

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus' spoke about the Holy Spirit's influence on His life. He quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are downtrodden,
To proclaim the favorable years of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19)

During His last night with His disciples, before His crucifixion, Jesus told His followers:

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him." (John 14:16-21)

Later, the Apostle Paul, speaking to the Galatian church, says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." (5:22-23)

There are many more passages that we could go to for information about the role and activities of the Holy Spirit. But I think the following may be useful for our basic understanding now: the principle evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit is a transformed life. When we choose to put our faith in Jesus Christ--when we choose to follow Him, to apprentice ourselves to Him, to follow His example and instructions, then the Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives to change and transform us. The result is that our lives become characterized increasingly by love, joy, peace, etc. The Holy Spirit's presence and activity is indispensable. Not only does God work to change our dispositions and attitudes, but He also works in our circumstances. Relationship with God, after all, is about more than just behavior modification; it is fundamentally about entrance into the kingdom of God--a realm and domain in which God's will is efficacious in our lives and in our circumstances. Only if the Holy Spirit is present and working do we see all these kinds of changes. And when we see these kinds of changes, we know that God's Spirit is working in us. For those who have not experienced this, the kind of assurance that I am talking about can seem mysterious, but for those who have submitted themselves to the will of God in a way that actually affects how they live their lives, they will see the different results.

This present activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives also points to a future reality and hope. But this future reality will not be so radically different from the present reality as some suppose. This future reality will consist just in a deepening and strengthening of the relationship with God that we enjoy now. The shift will be radical in many ways, but there will also be a strong continuity between then and now. Jesus, Himself, said that Eternal Life just is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. (John 17:3) The knowledge that He refers to is knowledge that comes from interactive relationship. And that interactive relationship is something that we can enjoy, in some measure, now, and will enjoy most fully after the final redemption.

What does this future redemption consist in? Paul has already spoken of our having been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. However, the process of redemption will not be complete until the end when all things are brought under the authority of Jesus Christ. (See v. 10.) And all of this will also be to the praise of His glory.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 186: Advent & Ephesians, Day 13

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,..."

Having just emphasized how God's purpose has been carried out in the nation of Israel, Paul now turns to celebrate the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's glorious and redemptive work. How did they come to be included? Paul emphasizes two key steps: first, they listened to the message of truth, the gospel; second, they believed.

Paul takes up this same theme in the book of Romans, when he writes:

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek [i.e. Gentile]; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for 'Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.' How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!' ... So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (10:12-15, 17)

Proclamation and communication are essential. We in the Christian community need to take this seriously. Often we bow to the cultural pressure that wants to discourage us from announcing the good news and the hope that is available through Jesus Christ alone. But the good news that Paul proclaims is not the sort of thing that should remain hidden. Moreover, we need to be very clear about what we are announcing--the gospel of salvation. Not just salvation from punishment in hell for failing to abide by the standards and expectations of Almighty God (though that's important), but also (and even, primarily) salvation from a way of life that leads nowhere, that doesn't really satisfy, and that is actually self-destructive. When we hear the word 'gospel,' our minds may tend to automatically move in one direction, but we need to think about what Paul meant when he spoke of 'gospel,' and what Jesus meant when He spoke of 'gospel'. The gospel that Jesus and Paul proclaimed was the gospel of the kingdom of heaven--the good news of the present availability of God to His people and the opportunity for relationship now with God.

I like how Francis Foulkes puts this point: "Firstly, they had heard the word of truth, i.e. the word that brought them the knowledge of ultimate reality, the revelation of God in his Son (cf. 4:21; Col. 1:15). And secondly, that truth was the gospel or good news, because it was not only revelation, but also the message of the love and mercy and salvation of God for sinful humanity (cf. Rom. 1:16)." (Foulkes, 64) Talk of 'ultimate reality' can sound so abstract, but actually it is absolutely practical. What you believe about ultimate reality will have a profound effect upon how you live. The difficulty comes in that what you believe about ultimate reality is not always reflected in what you say you believe. But the truth is that connecting with ultimate reality has profound practical implications. We have to be clear about this or we will not understand how the second step--belief--is supposed to work.

Belief is about more than intellectual assent to a set of propositions. 'Trust' is about more than saying that I trust something. Belief involves making an active response to the truth that has been revealed in the gospel. We've talked in previous entries about what that active response looks like--the active endeavoring to include Jesus in all aspects of my life. When we do that, then we are sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

What does it mean to be "sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise"? "In the ancient world the seal was the personal sign of the owner or the sender of something important, and thus, as in a letter, it distinguished what was true from what was spurious. It was also the guarantee that the thing sealed had been carried intact." (Foulkes, 64) An individual or official would seal a letter or official document with wax imprinted with his seal. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then, plays an analogous role in our lives. It marks the believer as belonging to God and is the mark of His presence and activity in our lives. Not only does the Holy Spirit's presence point to a present reality, but it also points forward to a future hope, which we will discuss tomorrow.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 185: Advent & Ephesians, Day 12

"...to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory."

If you read ahead to v. 13, you'll see a shift in the orientation of Paul's address. V. 12 concludes, "to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory." V. 13, then opens, "In Him, you also,...". The shift probably refers to the two main groups that comprised the Ephesian church: Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Yesterday, I mentioned how God's redemptive plan began with the people of Israel. The gospel--the good news that people could be in relationship with God--was first revealed to the Jews. But from the very beginning, God's plan has been to reach the entire world.

In Genesis 12, where God first calls Abraham (then, Abram) into a new land, He says to him:

"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (vv. 1-3, emphasis mine.)

In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul talks about how the covenant that God made with Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

"Even so Abraham 'believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel before hand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations shall be blessed in you." So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. ... Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He [i.e. the author] does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ." (3:6-9, 16)

The foundation of the relationship that the people of Israel enjoyed with God was faith. God instructed Abraham to go and He went. He gave the people of Israel His laws, and they agreed to follow them. He invited the people of Israel, over and over again, to trust Him, and when they did, they got to see God work on their behalf.

In the New Testament, and in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the opportunity to have that relationship with God is extended to all peoples. It is no longer confined to those who belong to the nation of Israel. It is no longer defined by the law that Moses gave to them. Rather, people from all over the world are invited to enjoy a personal relationship with the God of the universe. The end result of the fulfillment of the plan that God put into motion way back in the Old Testament.

It's important to keep in mind how this fulfillment of God's plan in the nation of Israel redounds to His glory, but I also want to draw our attention to the way in which our own lives also work to the praise of His glory. How does the experience of the Jewish people contribute to the praise and glory of God? How do our own lives contribute to the praise and glory of God? Sometimes these notions can seem so abstract to us. Are we just supposed to feel warm emotions of gratitude whenever good things happen? Are we supposed to mentally say a, "Thank you, God," whenever something good happens? That often winds up being pretty artificial. Yet, for the person who has put his or her faith in God and experiences His presence and activity, praise is very much the natural response.

Those who really put their trust in God--who commit to following Him in faithful obedience in everything that they do--invariably begin to see Him working in their lives and circumstances. That's certainly what happened for the people of Israel. It was usually very clear when God was abiding with His people and when He was not. In the same way, when God is active and involved in our lives, the fruits are always very evident. Often we don't see this kind of result because we don't take seriously that God really does want to enter into the substance of our everyday lives. We don't trust Him with our families, jobs, mortgage payments, morning and evening commute, conflicts with neighbors, etc. In many cases, it may not be clear to us how to go about trusting God with these things. But if we are not trusting God with all these areas of our lives, then we are probably not going to see Him working there. On the other hand, if we choose to trust God in all these areas, then we will see Him work. Not only will we see Him work but we will see how much better God's way is than anything we could come up with on our own. And when God's goodness and kindness and generosity and patience and mercy and graciousness are manifested to us and in us--when we see God changing and transforming us in truly remarkable ways--the natural response really will be praise of His glory.

Most of the men and women of faith whom God called had little or no conception of the grand work that God was accomplishing. They had no clue that they were part of this cosmic plan. Occasionally they caught glimpses of it. God told Abraham that He would be the source of blessing to the nations. Joseph knew that God had sent him into Egypt so that his family would be saved. David and Solomon were told that they would have an enduring legacy. But Ruth probably didn't understand how her decision to move to Israel would lead her to be part of the lineage of the Messiah. Rahab didn't understand how significant was her decision to protect the Israelite spies. In fact, it's pretty rare that God shows us, in detail, how our daily decisions to follow Him in the little things impact the course of history that He is unfolding. But as they chose and we choose to follow God, He works all those different threads together. And the end result is that He is brought more and more glory--here and now and in the future.

--

God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 184: Advent & Ephesians, Day 11

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,..."

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For those who have been trying to follow these entries as I've been posting them, I apologize for continuing to get them up late. I keep on trying to play catch-up, but keep getting behind. I'm also sorry that I'm not able to do more editing before posting. In some ways, it would probably be better if I put a cap on the number of words (like I did with my last advent series)--and I may still do that. I'm very excited about the ideas that I'm talking about, but I'm also aware that I tend to get carried away, and the presentation is not always clear and, in some cases, I am not, myself, completely clear about the ideas that I am trying to communicate. Because of that, I just want to remind the reader to stay alert when you read. Of course, I never want to say anything incorrect or misleading or contrary to Scripture, but I'm also fallible. So keep your mind engaged as you read. Please excuse any sloppiness on my part. And I hope that these entries are encouraging to you as you prepare for and celebrate the gift of God in Jesus Christ.

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So far, the Apostle Paul has talked about how we have been chosen, predestined and adopted, redeemed and forgiven, and granted insight into the mystery of His will. In this next part, He focuses on the idea that we have received an inheritance.

Actually there is an ambiguity in the proper interpretation of this passage that leads to two different but complementary interpretations of this passage. The line, "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance," can also be translated, "In Him also we were made a heritage". The first translation places emphasis on the way in which we are recipients of an inheritance. The second highlights how we have become part of an inheritance or heritage that belongs to God.

For allusions to the second idea, we can look to passages referring to God's redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt. In Deuteronomy 4:20, Moses writes, "But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today." When Moses prays to God on behalf of the people, He reminds God, "Yet they are Thy people, even Thine inheritance, whom Thou hast brought out by Thy great power and Thine outstretched arm." (9:29) Much later in Israel's history, after it's many rebellions and troubles, the prophet Zechariah prophesied that, "[T]he LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." (2:12)

Whether we emphasize (1) the way in which our adoption as sons and daughters of God makes us heirs or (2) the way in which we have been adopted and redeemed and chosen to be the people of God, the end result is very much the same. We are made to be recipients of incredible blessings and grace. Those gifts come as we align our lives with the will and purposes of God that were even at work in our adoption and redemption. As we recognize God's unfolding plan and His power and goodness, we are led to trust Him more and more. Again, Paul emphasizes that this gift of God comes to us, "having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will".

Tomorrow, we will talk a little more about how the plan that God began to unfold in His interaction with the people of Israel is brought to fulfillment in the New Testament age.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 183: Tusculan Disputations

I just finished spending an absolutely wonderful day with a bunch of philosophers here at UCR on the last day of finals week. Who would have thought? On the last day of finals week, I expect, most people who are actually still around are only thinking about how much longer they have to wait until they can actually leave. But I got to sit in on a meeting of the Southern California Phenomenology Circle and listen to a series of paper presentations. The first was on Husserl's concept of hyletic data, the second on Heidegger's treatment of technology and enframing, and the third on Husserl ideas about we-subjectivity. If that doesn't mean a lot to you, that's fine. Part of what's exciting to me is just the fact that they all did mean something to me. Oh, the joys of being a philosophy graduate student.

About an hour from now a couple friends are taking me out for a birthday dinner.

And I'm looking forward to the weekend and to the upcoming Christmas break.

I do have forty essay exams sitting on my computer now that will need to be graded. I guess I'll attend to that in due time.

Oh, and one more piece of good news: I passed my Latin language proficiency exam this week.

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As part of my doctoral program, I have to satisfy a language proficiency requirement. The exam involved translating three pages of Cicero.

I definitely did not pass with flying colors, but I did pass.

Just for the fun of it (i.e. because I'm a nerd that way), I decided to copy a short passage (one of the stronger ones) from my translation so that people could see the comparison between it and other established translations.

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Marcus Tullius Cicero
Tusculan Disputations, II, xii.

Sed quid poetis irascimur? Virtutis magistri, philosophi, [1] inventi sunt qui summum malum dolorem dicerent. At tu, adolescens, cum id tibi paullo ante dixisses videri, rogatus a me etiamne maius quam dedecus, verbo de sententia destitisti. [2] Roga hoc idem Epicurum: maius dicet esse malum mediocrem dolorem quam maximum dedecus; in ipso enim dedecore mali nihil esse, nisi sequantur dolores. Quis igitur Epicurum sequitur dolor, cum hoc ipsum dicit, summum malum esse dolorem? quo dedecus maius a philosopho nullum exspecto. [3] Qua re satis mihi dedisti, cum respondisti maius tibi videri malum dedecus quam dolorem. Hoc ipsum enim si tenebis, intelliges quam sit obsistendum dolori; nec tam quaerendum est dolor malumne sit quam firmandus animus ad dolorem ferendum.

Translated by Luis Montes.
But why do we grow angry with the poets? Teachers of virtue, and philosophers, [1] were found who say that the greatest evil is pain. But you, young man, although you would have said a little earlier that this seems right to you, having been asked by me whether pain is even more evil than dishonor, you gave up the proverb that came from that way of thinking. [2] Ask Epicurus about this same thing: he will say that moderate pain is more evil than the greatest dishonor; for in dishonor itself there is nothing evil, unless pain follows it. What pain, then, follows Epicurus, when he says this very thing, that the greatest evil is pain? On account of which I expect no dishonor greater from a philosopher. [3] By which thing you gave me enough, when you answered that dishonor seems to you to be more evil than pain. For if you will hold this very thing, you will understand how one should be opposed to pain; and one is not so much to inquire about whether pain is an evil as the spirit is to be strengthened for the bearing of pain.

Translated by J. E. King. 1927.
But why are we angry with the poets? Philosophers, the teachers of virtue, [1] have been found ready to say that pain was the highest evil. But you, young man, after saying a little while ago that you shared this view, when asked by me whether you thought that it was a greater evil even than disgrace, at a word abandoned your opinion. [2] Put the same question to Epicurus: he will say that a moderate degree of pain is worse evil than the deepest disgrace, for no evil is involved in disgrace alone, unless it should be attended by painful circumstances. What pain then does Epicurus feel when he actually affirms that pain is the greatest evil? And yet I cannot look to find any worse disgrace than such a sentiment in the mouth of a philosopher. [3] You therefore gave me all I wanted when you replied that you regarded disgrace as a greater evil than pain. For if you hold fast simply to this truth you will realize the resistance which must be offered to pain, and we must not endeavour so much to ask whether pain be an evil as to strengthen the soul for the endurance of pain."

Translated by C. D. Yonge. 1888.
But why are we angry with the poets? We may find some philosophers, those masters of virtue, [1] who have taught that pain was the greatest of evils. But you, young man, when you said but just now that it appeared so to you, upon being asked by me what appeared greater than infamy, gave up that opinion at a word. [2] Suppose I ask Epicurus the same question. He will answer that a trifling degree of pain is a greater evil than the greatest infamy; for that there is no evil in infamy itself, unless attended with pain. What pain, then, attends Epicurus, when he says that very thing, that pain is the greatest evil! And yet nothing can be a greater disgrace to a philosopher than to talk thus. [3] Therefore, you allowed enough when you admitted that infamy appeared to you to be a greater evil than pain. And if you abide by this admission you will see how far pain should be resisted; and that our inquiry should be not so much whether pain be an evil, as how the mind may be fortified for resisting it.

[1] I definitely goofed on this one. I should have realized that "teachers of virtue" and "philosophers" refer to the same group of people. Also, there's no conjunction ("and") in that opening line.

[2] King and Yonge translated "verbo" (ablative) as "at a word." I'm not sure whether my studies prepared me for that, but I can see how it might work.

[3] I can sort of see how they translated this line, but it is definitely far from obvious. "quo dedecus maius a philosopho nullum exspecto." There are no words corresponding to the expressions, "cannot look" or "such a sentiment in the mouth of" [King's translation] in the Latin. One could only get the full construal from a clear understanding of the context and discussion. That's basically what it takes to do well at translating any language.

So I'll keep working on Latin. Next term I'm also going to start working on learning German. Woo!

--

God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 182: Advent & Ephesians, Day 10

"...with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth."

In yesterday's entry, I think I got a little carried away. When I really start to think about what is involved in the idea of being caught up into the very life of the Trinity--into the fellowship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--I do get a little overwhelmed. I think it is very worthwhile to take some time to just meditate on all that is encompassed in that. It really is marvelous. At the same time, however, there is a danger that we need to watch out for.

Sometimes the excitement that comes from thinking about these truths remains very abstract. And I think that is a problem. This truth about our life in God is not the sort of thing that we're supposed to just think about and enjoy or even just meditate on or just dwell on. Sometimes, unfortunately, the people who are most ready to talk loudly and enthusiastically about life in God are the same people who are most ineffective in bringing that truth to bear on everyday life. But it is only when those truths actually do touch our everyday life that we begin to grasp them in their fullest extent.

What does it mean to partake of the divine nature? What does it look like to be united to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Again, our answer comes in the example of Jesus Christ. The kind of life that He lived, the things He did, the way He related to people, the healing power of His words, the comfort of His touch, the grace in His manner, the confidence He exemplified, the sincerity and genuineness of His heart, the strength of His convictions, and the pervading goodness of His whole life--all of these came from the life that He enjoyed in relationship with the Father and the Spirit.

When we become united to Christ, in salvation, that is the first step in a process whose ultimate goal is the complete re-ordering of our life after the pattern of the life of Christ and of God. Apart from God, we do our best to order our lives in a way that is good. We look for happiness, wholeness, wellness, security, fulfillment, and blessedness. But when our lives are separated from God, it is impossible to achieve the order that is required to reach those goals. We are constantly threatened by various dangers and forces that would undermine our goals. We are constrained to expend enormous quantities of time and energy to try and get what we want. We constantly have to manage our resources, our environment, other people, and ourselves in order to get by. In many cases, we are forced to compromise our principles and ideals in order to stay in control. And there's no guarantee, when all is said and done, that we will have accomplished what we set out to do.

But when we lay down this project of trying to control our own lives, and, instead, choose to follow the way of Jesus Christ and come under His authority, then our lives begin to move in a new pattern and rhythm. Jesus invites us into a relationship that is, in its core and essence, good and full of love, grace, peace, mercy, safety, and strength. Everything that we really wanted are to be found in God alone, who is good. And when our lives are ordered and oriented with God at the center, then our lives will also be good.

This is God's plan and recipe for a good world: that it be ordered and centered around Him. Is that ego-centric? No. Because that really is the best possible way that everything could be. Because at the center of God's nature is goodness. So, we see in the text, that God made known to us the mystery of His will "with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth."

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So God's plan for His people--the mystery of His intention to bring people into relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; His choice, adoption, redemption, and forgiveness--is part of this larger plan to bring all things together in Christ. That is God's intention and purpose (see v. 9).

A couple interesting things to note: Paul's reference to the "fullness of time" completes an arch that began in v. 4 where he speaks of a time before the foundation of the world. Paul has been emphasizing throughout these verses how God has been carefully and deliberately unfolding a plan that began "before the foundation of the world" and will be completed in "the fullness of time." The idea is that God has been in control at every stage and that every stage has been purposeful. There is an emphasis, again, placed on God's sovereignty, but also on His goodness. God has a plan; it is a good plan; and you can be sure that He will bring it to completion.

The completion of that plan will involve the establishment of a suitable "administration" and the "summing up of all things in Christ." Here metaphors of stewardship and oversight are appropriate. Christ will be placed as head over all things. (Cf. Philippians 2:9-11) God is already ordering the events and circumstances of history to lead them to this final end. And what this final end consists in is just the ordering of all things in the cosmos under the authority of the Son of God. Francis Foulkes puts the point this way: "All things were created in Christ (Col. 1:16). Through sin endless disorder and disintegration have come into the world; but in the end all things will be restored to their intended function and to their unity by being brought back to the obedience of Christ (cf. Col. 1:20)." (Foulkes, 61-62)

And here, again, we are brought back to the practical application that I was discussing at the beginning of this entry. When Paul talks about all things being summed up in Christ, he clarifies that statement by saying, "things in the heavens and things upon the earth." Nothing is to be excluded. The spiritual and the physical, the sacred and the secular, the lofty and the mundane--everything--is to be brought under the authority of Jesus Christ and ordered according to His will. That is the goal. And as we move towards that goal--as we direct and order our lives according to that plan--we will increasingly experience how good that way of living really is. That was Jesus' reason for coming--so that we would no longer be cut off from the source of life and love and hope and power. Now, through Jesus Christ, we can partake of those gifts and begin to enjoy the life that God intended for us in relationship with Him.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 181: Advent & Ephesians, Day 9

"In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him..."

Two other passages in the letter to the Ephesians offer insight into what Paul has in mind when he speaks of the "mystery" of God's will. In ch. 3, he writes:

"And by referring to this [i.e. Paul's calling], when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel... . To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things... ." (vv. 4-6, 8-9)

And in ch. 5, when speaking of marriage, Paul says the following:

"So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church." (vv. 28-32)

In general, I think it is helpful to think of the mysteries in Scripture as referring to the gospel and to those elements of the gospel that were only revealed and made available through the Incarnation, Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Long before Jesus came to earth, God has established a special covenant relationship with the people of Israel. He adopted them as His children, His chosen people. His relationship to them was unique and importantly salvific, but God's big-picture plan and the part that Israel had to play in that plan was never fully understood by the people of Israel prior to Christ's coming.

The people of Israel knew what it meant to be chosen of God, but they did not understand the full extent and significance of that choice. They knew what it meant to be adopted as children of God, but we saw on days 5 and 6 that our conception of what it means to be a child of God becomes massively enlarged when we take Jesus Christ as our example. They knew that God had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, but they did not fully grasp God's desire to redeem them from all the powers of sin. The fullness of God's vision for His people was not revealed until the coming of Jesus Christ.

One of the big parts of God's plan that was not well-understood before the coming of Christ was that God wanted to reach the entire world with His redemptive plan. This is what Paul speaks of in the Ephesians 3 passage quoted above. God had selected the nation of Israel to be His special chosen people; they had a very special role to play in God's overall plan. But God's ultimate desire was that even non-Jews would become part of His family and kingdom.

Another part of that plan, from Ephesians 5, has to do with the joining of Christ and the church. Within the Christian community, we may be so familiar with language that refers to the church as the bride of Christ and talks about union with Christ that it no longer seems mysterious to us. And there are some who think that the "mysteries" that Paul refers to have been completely de-mystified in Christ Jesus and the New Testament age. The idea is that these things were mysteries to the people who preceded Christ but are no longer mysteries to those who follow after Christ. And certainly I think that there is something right about this picture. And yet, when I think about these saving mysteries, even though I can talk about being chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, made fellow-heirs with the Jewish people, and brought into union with Christ--there are things about these that remain mysterious.

I'm having a bit of trouble articulating my point, here. I think I can get at it in a round-about way by talking a little about what I take to be one of the most central elements of the gospel message--of salvation. We've talked about how God chooses us, adopts us, redeems us, forgives us. These are all amazing realities. Especially when we talk about adoption, and about how Jesus is our example of what it is like to be a child of God--that is just so incredible and amazing. And yet, I think, there are even more amazing things to be had when we start to think seriously about what the Bible has to say about being unified with Christ.

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Here I am departing a bit more from the actual text of Ephesians 1:9. My purpose in doing so is to try and give a fuller sense of what is involved in the saving mystery to which Paul refers. Actually, talking about union with Christ does not take us so far from this text, because that is exactly what is being referred to when Paul talks about being "in Christ." To be in Christ is to be united with Christ.

What does it mean to be "in Christ" or to be "united with Christ". Wayne Grudem, in his Systematic Theology highlights a number of important points. To be "in Christ," he says, is to be part of and included in God's eternal plan. To be "in Christ" means that Christ acts as our representative in various capacities. For instance, in His perfection and in His sacrifice, God the Father finds an adequate atonement and propitiation for our sin. To be "in Christ" means that we share in His activities and in His works. To be "in Christ" means that the power and Spirit and life that were (and are) available to Jesus Christ area also available to us. (Remember days 5 and 6.)

There is so much to be said here and so many verses that could be referenced regarding these and other related themes. But I want to move on to the climax: because of our relationship to Jesus Christ--because we are united to Him and live in Him--it follows that we are also brought into close relationship and even union with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Here, Grudem writes, "Because we are in union with Christ in these several relationships, we also are brought into union with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. We are in the Father (John 17:21; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; 1 John 2:24; 4:15-16; 5:20) and in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:14). The Father is in us (John 14:23) and the Holy Spirit is in us (Rom. 8:9, 11). We are like the Father (Matt. 5:44-45, 48; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:10; 1 Peter 1:15-16) and like the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4-6; Gal. 5:22-23; John 16:13). We have fellowship with the Father (1 John 1:3; Matt. 6:9; 2 Cor. 6:16-18) and with the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16; Acts 15:28; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:30)." (Grudem, 847)

What does all of this mean? Through salvation we are brought into fellowship and union with the very Trinity itself! When Jesus Christ saved us, He did not just forgive us of our sins, He did not just give us a free pass to unending life in Heaven, He did not just confer upon us special power through the Holy Spirit. Rather, He invited into fellowship and relationship and union with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He invited us to partake of and enjoy a life and existence that previously had only existed within the fellowship of the Trinity. God gave that to us!

St. Peter echoes a similar note in the opening of his second epistle. He writes, "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (1:1-4)

Peter says that God has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. And His reason for doing so was that we would come to partake of the divine nature! It really is incomprehensible what God has set up for us--that we, created human beings, despite our limitations, imperfections, failings, inadequacies, shortcomings, weaknesses, liabilities, etc., etc., etc.--that we would be given the privilege of partaking of the divine nature, of entering into fellowship and relationship and even union with the members of the Trinity and enjoy the benefits and privileges that come from that kind of life. Amazing!

The people of Israel, prior to Christ's coming had no idea what God had in store for them. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul refers to the prophet Isaiah: "but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him." (2:9) The people of Israel, prior to Christ's coming had no idea what God had in store for them. It was a mystery. And that mystery has since been disclosed and revealed and unveiled. "In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will." And yet, I think, there's a lot about that that is still mysterious. How marvelous! How awesome! How unfathomable! All the more reason to give honor and glory and praise to God who has blessed us beyond measure and accomplished what would seem to us to be wholly inconceivable--to bring us even into relationship and union with God!

And, again, we are reminded that God did all this "according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him...". We'll talk more about that intention and purpose in the next entry.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 180: Advent & Ephesians, Day 8

"...according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us."

The forgiveness and redemption that God offers to us--described in the last entry--are offered to us "according to the riches of [God's] grace." Again, our attention is drawn back to the superabundance of God's generosity, of His power active in our lives, of His gifts, and of His favor--far beyond human understanding and infinitely beyond any earthly wealth. Francis Foulkes writes, "Six times in this letter the apostle speaks thus of the riches of God, revealed and made available, the wealth of his grace and mercy and glory (v. 18; 2:4, 7; 3:8, 16), and the expression is characteristically Pauline (cf. Rom. 2:4; 9:23; 11:33; 2 Cor. 8:9; Col. 1:27; 2:2)." (Foulkes, 59)

The forgiveness that we receive from God through Jesus Christ for our sins and trespasses is probably the manifestation of God's grace that is most familiar to us. And the picture of him lavishing us with His grace is so important. Sometimes, unfortunately, we can get this picture in our minds of God begrudgingly offering forgiveness or mercy. Certainly, in our own lives, it's not often that we are really eager to offer forgiveness and mercy. When someone hurts us, our first impulse is probably not to seek restoration of relationship with them. Our first impulse is probably to feel anger or hurt, sometimes shame or offense, resentment, bitterness, indignation, even rage. Even if they apologize to us, we may think twice about really mending the relationship. We'll, at the very least, keep them at a comfortable distance for a while. Give it a little while and we might come 'round to embracing them again, but they'll have to prove themselves first and we won't give them the benefit of the doubt again.

This almost certainly isn't a perfect representation of our psychology in these kinds of moments. The point is that when someone hurts us, we often carefully regulate our gifts of forgiveness and acceptance. Unfortunately, because we are like this, we often think that God is like this too. But nothing could be further from the truth. The grace that God demonstrated through his forgiveness and redemption--Paul says that grace is lavished upon us. Liberally, extravagantly, without reservation, freely, excessively, he lavishes His grace upon us. It's almost offensive the way that God is so free and generous with His grace. Surely that person doesn't deserve that much grace! How could Jesus forgive that man or woman?!? And, of course, that's exactly the point. He doesn't deserve it. Neither does she. Neither do you. And neither do I.

None of us deserves even the smallest part of God's grace and kindness and goodness toward us, and yet He has seen fit to open the flood-gates of heaven and pour forth blessings and grace on us. And He invites us to do the same thing with those around us. On the night of His betrayal, when He would be offered up as the perfect sacrifice for the redemption of the world and the forgiveness of sins by death on a cross, Jesus gave His disciples this instruction:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35; cf. 1 John 4:7-21)

The love that we receive from God should lead to our loving other people in the same way. That's not the statement of a legalistic requirement that God places on our shoulders. Rather, it is a description of the kind of character and way of living that naturally follows from the experience of God's overwhelming generosity. In fact, if you will allow yourself to be led by God, you will come to realize that forgiving someone is one of the greatest, most thrilling, most blessing-filled things that you can do. It's not always easy; I understand that. But we also need to realize that something very powerful goes on when I choose to release a person from the grip and weight of condemnation and guilt. ...when I realize that I am so rich in Christ that the hurt or offense that was done to me seems miniscule by comparison. ...when I find myself so desiring to love and be in relationship with this person that even I want to push aside any hindrance or barrier that would stand in the way of our being joined in friendship.

The way our world deals with hurt and pain and resentment and bitterness and grudges and guilt is so messed up. That's the simple truth of it. It's a terrible way of trying to manage people's behavior and minimize the extent to which I get hurt and make sure that my rights are protected and that wrong-doers get what they deserve. Some of these things are important. But ultimately there is no power in this system to redeem, to restore, or to revitalize. The only way that can happen is when we start to draw upon that fountain of overflowing, excessive, too-much-to-handle, and more-than-we-deserve grace of God.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 179: Advent & Ephesians, Day 7

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,..."

How has God blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places? (1) He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, (2) He predestined us to adoption as sons, and (3) He has given us "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses."

There really is so much caught up in this idea of redemption that we can miss if we focus just on the idea that Christ's atoning death paid the penalty of our sin so that we can get into heaven some day. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel understood that they were a "redeemed people."

This is what Francis Foulkes says about it: "The people of Israel,... were themselves essentially a redeemed people. They had been slaves in Egypt, and later, through their own sinfulness, in Babylon as well. Yet God had redeemed them, and by redemption they were made his people (Ex. 15:13; Dt. 7:8; Is. 48:20; 52:9). The fundamental idea of redemption is that of the setting free of a thing or a person that has come to belong to another." (Foulkes, 58)

In Colossians 1, Paul speaks of our having been rescued from the "domain of darkness" and placed in the "kingdom of His beloved Son." In Romans 6, he talks about how we used to be slaves of sin, resulting in death, but have become slaves of righteousness. In several places, the language of 'enslavement to sin' is used to describe our condition apart from Christ. But just as God redeemed the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt, so He also redeems us from enslavement to sin and allows us to enter the kingdom of His Son. In the last two entries, we talked about what it means to become a child of God. We can get at some of those same ideas by thinking about what is involved in becoming the citizen of a country or nation. When Christ redeems us, He invites us into His kingdom and gives us all the rights and privileges of citizens of that kingdom.

Paul reminds us, though, that this redemption came at a cost. It is "through His blood" that we are redeemed. Even in the Old Testament, the God's people understood that relationship with God came at a cost. They regularly offered sacrifices to atone for sins--for the various ways in which they strayed from God's commands and will. Something similar takes place in Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross. He is the one, perfect sacrifice, offered for all time and all people.

When we talk about 'prices,' this conjures images of things like business transactions. Such imagery is not inappropriate, but we must remember that much more is going on. God did not just arbitrarily decide that atonement for sin was required for fellowship with Him. This is especially clear when we start to get at the full extent of God's intent and desire for us. Fellowship with God consists in God indwelling us. He offers to us a relationship and intimacy to which no human relationship can even come close. But in order to have that kind of relationship, we must be in the right condition. Living water cannot flow through a pipe that has become completely blocked with the things of this world. The power of God (like the power of a nuclear reactor--and keep in mind that God is the one who created all the nuclear reactions that take place in every star in every one of the millions of galaxies in our universe) cannot flow through wires that are too small and can't handle the amperage. There's always a cost associated with cleaning the plumbing or reinforcing the wiring, and the amazing thing is that God pays that price entirely.

Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we can receive forgiveness of all our sins. Not only forgiveness, but also freedom. And not just freedom from sin, but the freedom to enjoy fully that relationship with God that He has always desired for us. This is the free gift of God to us, if only we will accept it.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 178: Advent & Ephesians, Day 6

"...to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. "

Paul's presentation of the various blessings that we receive through Jesus Christ is interspersed with comments about the purpose of those blessings. We are told that He chose us "that we should be holy and blameless before Him." And in v. 6 we are told that He predestined us to adoption as sons "to the praise of the glory of His grace".

What is the proper result of the great blessing of adoption that we have received? Praising and giving thanks and glory to God. Again, I think that as Paul is contemplating God's incredible generosity, he is just driven to greater and greater wonder at God's goodness.

Not only are we called to marvel at His generosity, but also at His power. Remember that grace is about more than just being saved from punishment for sin. Grace can refer to all the ways in which God moves in our lives and interacts with us. From creation, to redemption and salvation, to glorification--all of these are works of the grace of God. He doesn't owe us anything. He's not obligated to treat us kindly or well--especially given our rebellion. But He has chosen not to remain distant.

In fact, He went so far as to send His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ--"the Beloved"--, in human flesh, into the world to be our savior. Not only is that a clear manifestation of God's generosity but also of His power. Again, God was not constrained to do this. Rather, He did so "freely".

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One of the things that I'm coming, more and more, to appreciate, is the close connection between Christ's Incarnation and our adoption as sons and daughters of God. Jesus is the model or the paradigm or the perfect example of how God wants to be related to us, and it involves His Spirit indwelling our human bodies. This is why the doctrine of Christ's dual nature--that Jesus was fully God and fully man--is so important. When people talk about that doctrine, they tend to focus on Christ's sacrifice. Jesus had to be fully man or His death could not atone for the sins of human beings. He had to be God because only in that way could His sacrifice be effective for all people. And that is certainly right. But there is so much more that is going on in Christ's dual nature.

If Jesus had not been both fully man and fully God, then He could not serve as that model for us of fellowship with God. Jesus' death is not the only source of hope for us. His life is also a source of hope, because in His life he demonstrated that these human vessels were capable of deep and intimate fellowship with God. Does that boggle your mind? It should. God has created the human body in such a way that it is actually capable of interacting with the Spirit and power of God. When we are saved and receive the Spirit of God, it's amazing that our bodies don't just overload--like sending all the power from a nuclear reactor through a 40-watt light bulb. Jesus showed that we could enjoy the very deepest relationship with our heavenly Father and He opened the way for us to do so. His grace and generosity really are amazing.

[This and the next couple entries are being posted late because I was incapacitated by the flu bug. I'm doing better now, but am not fully recovered, so I'm working on catching up.]

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 177: Advent & Ephesians, Day 5

"In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,..."

I mentioned on Day 3, that vv. 3-14 of Ephesians 1 actually comprise a single long sentence in the original Greek. Because of the difficulties associated with translating such a long and complex sentence, most English translations, including the New American Standard Version, which is what I use, break that long sentence down into several shorter sentences. This does make things more manageable, but it would be wise, as you read through these entries, that you keep in mind the ideas being discussed are not separate and independent from one another.

In delineating the various blessings that we have received "in the heavenly places in Christ," Paul began by talking about how God "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." In v. 5, he says that God "predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself." As in v. 4, the fact that we were predestined to this means that all the glory and credit and praise for this wonderful blessing should be directed at God. Paul goes on to say that God brought this about, "according to the kind intention [or "good pleasure"] of His will." God out of his overflowing generosity and kindness and goodness has given us the privilege of being adopted into His family. For the remainder of this entry, we'll focus on what that means.

The idea of Christians being adopted into God's family appears throughout the New Testament. Paul writes, in Romans 8:14-17,

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."

Paul also writes, "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through [the gracious act of] God." (Galatians 4:4-7)

As a final example, John writes in his first epistle, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." (1 John 3:1-2)

Each of these verses (and the others that touch this same theme) brings out some different aspects of what it means to be a son or daughter of God. But if we want to just get a general sense of what it means and what it is like to be a child of God, the best way to learn is by looking at Jesus. Jesus was and is the only begotten Son of God. He has lived in fellowship and community with God the Father for all of eternity. And when He came to earth as a human being, He displayed, in Himself, what it looks like to live as a child of God because He was (and is) the Son of God.

While He was on earth, Jesus enjoyed a vibrant relationship with His heavenly Father. He spent long stretches of time in prayer, talking and communing with His Father. He always did the will of His Father. The places He went, the things He said, the miracles He performed--were all at the direction of His Father. He was constantly drawing upon the power and resources of His Father's kingdom. Why was Jesus able to do the amazing things that He did? Because of His relationship with His Father. Why was Jesus' life so radically different from other people's? Because of His relationship with His Father? Why were people so powerfully and redemptively transformed by interacting with Jesus? Because of His relationship with His Father.

And now, get this, He has become your Heavenly Father, as well. Does that mean that you will do exactly the same things that Jesus did? Probably not. After all, no Father treats all his children in exactly the same way--because each of the children is different. But God is ready to offer to us, as adopted sons and daughters, the same kind of generosity that He offered to His only begotten Son.

Jesus says, in John 5:26, "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself." In Luke 10:22, He says, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father,..." In Ephesians 1:3, Paul says that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," and in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, he says, "For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God."

Some of these cases are helpfully instructive. Jesus says that God has given Him "life in Himself"--that is, self-subsisting, self-sustaining existence. Now does God give that to us? I think the answer is, 'No.' But he does give us 'eternal life' and eternal life is the closest thing that finite, created beings can have to the kind of life that God alone is able to enjoy in Himself. Again, God is treating His children differently because the children are different, but He is the same generous Father, in each case, who holds nothing back.

I've diverted a little from the main point to touch on this theological point. Hopefully this doesn't trip anyone up. The main thing that we need to remember is the privilege that has been conferred on us because we have been adopted as sons and daughters of God the Father. Are you enjoying those privileges to the fullest extent? How is your relationship with your Heavenly Father? How much time are you spending in prayer? Are you doing the will of your Father? Are your actions being guided by the direction of the Father? Are you drawing upon the power and resources of your Father's kingdom?

Take some time to think about this. It can be a radical thought--not familiar to many Christians, unfortunately--that we are sons and daughters of God the Father. Look at what the Scripture has to say about that. And remember how Galatians 4, above, connects that to the Incarnation of Christ which we are celebrating during this holiday season.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.