Reflections on “In Christ Jesus”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:3-6)

Father, how wonderful and overwhelming are all the many splendid things that you declare from your word! If you did not reveal them, I would never imagine them. You bless me through every single thing you’ve purposed in Jesus Christ, your son! You chose me in him. I participate in your divine work in his life. You adopted me by means of your son. He is the ground from which my son-ship exists. You freely and fully love your son, and you abundantly pour out your grace to me through him whom you love! You, Father, bless me with every spiritual blessing. I am—in truth—holy and blameless in your sight, not because of my worth or merit but because your decision and because of your son. All this, and so much more, to the praise of the glory of your grace! Father, I praise you and thank you for this divine work considered and secured before ever there was a world. In love you predestined my relationship with you through Jesus Christ. On account of the good pleasure of your will, and your love for your son, I experience and understand all these things little by little as the days and years advance. A time will come when I finally leave this earth all tired and worn, and I will then be more infused with life than ever I could on earth conceive. I will finally be with you; the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have life, love and all spiritual blessings! May I never think or say I am not sufficiently loved!

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: ‘I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.’ And again: ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ And again: ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.’” (Heb 2:10-13)

Lord Jesus, suffering was your way. Why? I do not pretend to adequately understand. But in the wisdom of God, your Father, He knew that through suffering you would be complete, reach your designed purpose and end, and you would be best set apart for the work He intended for you: the God-man; Mediator of the new covenant. As I reflect on the Ephesians passages above, I understand that I am with you. My identity is termed “in Christ.” Hebrews 2 tells me that we are one: sanctified, set apart. I hear your song of praise, trusting, understanding my being given by the Father to you, thinking even of John 10 and how you say that you and the Father are one! Lord Jesus, the Father has done so much in and through you, and I am with you in those works. I seem to be the passive beneficiary of His actions with you. I could never achieve such a position on my own. I would never conceive it. May I never account such blessings as mere earthly trinkets that I squander along life’s road and which leads to eventual loss and ruin. I am glad that you are not ashamed to call me one of your brethren! You must see me as the Father does. That you do is clear. Yet, you understand me as I am, for you know my nature. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your love for the Father and your willingness to suffer and bring many to sons to glory! I rejoice that you have declared His name to me. I am glad we are all of one! Of those given to you by your Father, God, you lose not one. (Jn 6:39, 10:28)


“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to 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 your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Gal 4:4-6)

Father, you purposed the adoption. I am one of your adopted children. I have no doubts about this relationship. At the appointed time, you sent forth your son to liberate and clear the way to life; to you. You sent him, and he came down. You sent not an angel, but your son. The work you designed and purposed could not be accomplished by an angel. You desired your son to be glorified and his image to be manifest through eternity as that comes forward in the lives of those you adopted in him. This is that relationship that you predetermined to be. Lord Jesus, in you this work was obtained. I understand that as a result of my actual adoption as a child of the Father, I share your voice of testimony regarding the Father. You are His son. You know him. You came from Him and returned to Him. Then, He sent Your Spirit into the hearts of all those who have been and ever will be adopted through you to Him. While you walked the earth, your spirit directed you to always be moving toward Him and to live in conscious awareness of Him. His testimony was that He was pleased with you. May that be also my experience, as your spirit in my heart overtakes all other spirits (those of self, sin, demonic or worldly passions), so that He from whom my life is now derived would be my chief desire and end. Father, you sent your son and you sent the Spirit of your son. Not only do you see me in Christ, but you hear me in Christ. I share his spirit. I send up his cry, “Abba Father!”

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God . . . For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren . . . nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro 8:16-19, 29, 39)

My Father, the collection of scriptures assembled above that I have prayed through are like successive waves of the sea rolling ashore. Each one lands its message and truth on the shore of my mind and heart. You gave me the Spirit of your son. The Holy Spirit impress upon me that I am your child. I have that witness. But you have purposed that I understand and experience more. You make it known to me that I am an heir with your son in all that you purposed to accomplish through him. He rules and inherits. I do not understand all this, but I believe it. As your child, adopted in Christ Jesus, you have predetermined that what happens in my life works to shape and bring forth your son’s likeness in my life. That must be a divine work! Sin too wants to master me. Conformity to its image is an effortless decent. Your work to conform me to the image of your son is a mighty work! A glorious work! A heavenly work! I am no longer defined by who I am in Adam. Nor do I bear the image of the devil. I am your child, and I am being transformed to reflect the image of your son! You desire what is glorious in him to be manifest among those many brethren. Father, Lord Jesus, let me always remember that your love is the environment of my existence. You have purposed that I would, in Christ, live before you in love; now and forever. Nothing of earth, or any other created dimension, can alter this fact!

My God, as I close, it is abundantly clear that You love me. This is so, certainly because I am “in Christ,” but also shown to me in other various ways related to experience. It is also clear that I have not been abandoned, and I am not alone, regardless of what my inner thoughts and imaginations want me to believe, or what the voices of the world try to convince me of to the contrary. They lie. And God, you are trustworthy. I am to rest in you and your goodness always. The world cannot know these things, and if the world hears them they scoff in disbelief. But those who are your children in Christ Jesus, Father, these know; for you have given them the Spirit of your son in their hearts. The Holy Spirit witnesses to us also. That testimony is firm. Thank you for your wonderful works in Christ Jesus and for the witness of these things from your word by which my mind, my heart, and my life are strengthened and your name exalted. Amen

Christ Our Mediator and Prayer

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim 2:5) “Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” (Lk 11:3-4) “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt 6:14-15)

Father, without Jesus, Your Son, I would have no access to You, no fellowship, no intimacy. I would be left to myself, separated from You, without hope. Because of Him, I see You, and I see myself as before You. He instructs me in Your Word. Even in this, He acts as Mediator for us. It is He who teaches me about prayer: petition, with gratitude, for physical sustenance and forgiveness of my sin. These are my minimal daily needs, as creature and sinner—food and forgiveness. Living in Your presence, I understand dependency, I see my sin, and I pursue forgiveness with You through Your Son. He is our Mediator. He is also Your Son. As I know myself, I know others. You forgive me, so I forgive them. If my heart is closed toward them, then I will feel Your’s as closed toward me. Thank You, Father, for Your Son, prayer, and forgiveness.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (Jn 17:20-21) “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Ro 8:34)

Father, Your Son Jesus prayed for me before He left this earth. He has returned to You and sits at Your side. As Mediator, He opened and secured the way to You. He is the living way. He teaches me to pray by praying Himself. He petitioned You for our unity and for the world to know You sent Him. You dealt with sin. You answered His prayer. From this oneness, may the world hear from me (even if in only a small way) that You sent Him. Might they believe. May they hear more. Jesus has ascended to Your side. You hear His voice and know His heart continually. Your Son never tires. Mediator between You and men while on the earth. I am grateful He continues as that for me day after day. Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Son. I’m glad You have answered His prayer. You always hear Him.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Lk 11: 9-10) “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (v. 13) “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Ro 8:26)

Father, Your Son, as Mediator, instructs me to pursue the best from You; Your Holy Spirit. I ask. I seek. I knock. I will receive. Thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. Father, what if no one prayed for me? What if each person had to carry that load his or her self? We hardly pray now. How would we endure? What if I never prayed for my true need but only superficial wants? What would be my end? I thank You, Father, that You did not leave these cares to me alone, but the Spirit, Whom You gave me, prays for me according to my true need. I do pray, LORD, but I do not pray enough or as I ought. I count on Your Spirit. I am unable to approach You apart from Your Son. He is the new and living way into Your presence. I am grateful, Father, that You hear Him, Your Spirit, and me. You have infinite capacity to receive our combined and ongoing petitions, and You show infinite delight in the chorus of our voices; each different, yet each toward You. Father, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. He knows Your mind, Your Heart, my weakness and need, and Your language. You hear Your Son. You hear Your Spirit. Both are Your gift, as is prayer. Christ mediates for us. He instructs me. I believe. Thank You. Amen.

Reminders About the Holy Spirit and the Life of Godliness (III)

Greetings, Friend.

We come now to the third of four parts in the series Reminders About the Holy Spirit and the Life of Godliness: The Presence of the Holy Spirit.

Part One, The Person of the Holy Spirit, introduced Relationship with God’s Spirit, and in specific that Christians can and do grieve, sadden, and disappoint Him. (Eph 4:30) We evidence our tragic failure in not knowing God and understanding the gift of His Spirit when we discount or dismiss Him. Obviously, this is to our harm, detriment, and loss. But the consequences go far beyond our lives, for we do not live in isolation. Whatever the causes are for our grieving the Spirit, we must understand and correct them. Nonetheless, God the Spirit remains committed, for He has a divine commission.

Part Two, The Power of the Holy Spirit, emphasized not simply the Spirit’s Power, but that God the Spirit with His power engages our natural dispositions, the flesh, at the critical front where what we desire and do in life is determined. God’s Spirit is positioned and abides with us at that fountain, our life’s core, with our spirit, our soul, at the final seat of our individuality. Here our nature is found and life’s issues come forth. That persistent foe our flesh hides there under the cloak of Self, natural passions and desires churning, influencing mind and heart; ultimately, sin’s source. (Gal 5:17, Rom 7:17-25, Js 1:14-15) Thankfully, God’s Spirit, Who cannot be corrupted by evil or our fallen nature, is focused right there to lift us from slavery to self, bring us out of sin, and, in turn, enlighten and empower us to live God glorifying lives. If we dismiss His person (the Relationship), we forfeit His power (Positioned where we need it most).

And now, Part Three: The Presence of the Holy Spirit.

I find it very difficult to begin this third part for at least two reasons. First, because of the volume of information I desire to share, I struggle to pick the best starting point through which to access everything else. This said, I begin by discussing the Christian’s heart and God’s Spirit, then I work into discussing the collective Christian heart (the Church) and God’s Spirit. By the Holy Spirit’s “presence,” I mean the Spirit’s role and influence, not necessarily location. The Holy Spirit does so much, but what I want to show is the Spirit’s role in bringing and promoting a specific quality of life: Godliness.

The second difficulty concerns the notion of godliness itself. If I confessed that I do not know what godliness means, how would you react? Perhaps I am on the right track, even if I am not completely in agreement with the ideal. It is easy for someone to comprehend the meaning of the word “godliness” as found in 1 and 2 Timothy and 2 Peter, for example, but godliness is really understood when one lives it. Godliness is holy living, and this presents the challenge. Examine your own life and the lives of Christians closest to you. Does godliness describe your life and theirs? If not, why not? I can tell you that while I do struggle with holy living, I also understand that the condition and orientation of my heart, in large measure, determines whether I will live godly or not. So, in conjunction with God’s truth, I look deeply into the heart, and I understand its nature and condition. If I am to live godly, I must pursue God’s word, self-reflection, and prayer. What follows from here are more thoughts on this subject. May we understand our hearts and our lives be changed to live godly in this present age for God’s glory and the good of others.

In Matthew 15, Jesus comments on the heart. From the heart come those things which defile a person. (v. 17-20) Proverbs 4:23 provides a similar view: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” The word “life” means many things to us; physical existence, for instance. In the New Testament, physical life is sometimes described by the term “flesh.” (Jn 1:13-14, Mt 19:6) Flesh also refers to the observable life of a person. (Jn 8:15) It is a way of life. (Rom 8:4-6) But there is more. Interestingly, the flesh is said to have its own lusts and desires. (Rom 13:14, Gal 5:16, 24) It is dynamic. Going even further, there is a link between the flesh and the heart. The flesh, according to its unique nature, works desires into the heart; for example, selfish ambition. (Gal 5:20, Js 3.14) One can conclude, then, that to be “identified with the flesh” is a valid generalization of someone’s life.

But Jesus tells of another life—spiritual. In John 3, he contrasts the physical with the spiritual, speaks of two births, summing it all up with the descriptions “of the flesh” and “of the spirit.” Here, the flesh is natural birth and natural life. In contrast, spiritual birth brings spiritual life. Spiritual birth is from God, heavenly, and given to us as a gift. This life comes through the Spirit Himself. (Jn 3:3-7, Gal 4:29) We find the heart connected to this spiritual life. The heart obeys a form of doctrine which leads to salvation. (Rom 6:17) With the heart one believes to righteousness. (10:10) The heart is where the Spirit brings God’s love. (5:5) And, it is from the heart that rivers of living water, by the Spirit, flow. (Jn 7:37-39) From this, one can conclude that to be “identified with the Spirit” can be a generalization for one’s life. (Gal 5:25)

For our purposes, the heart is that reservoir in each of us from which the issues of life come forth. The heart is influenced by stirrings, desires and ideas according to a nature. Desires working in heart and mind hunger for action by the will. As the proverb implies, from the heart comes that which makes the life. Both the flesh and the Spirit represent distinct origins and natures. One is earthly; one is heavenly. Each engages the heart and fosters a different expression of life. Jesus states the flesh profits nothing, but that the Spirit gives life. His words are life. (6:63) Jesus is pointing us away from the flesh toward the Spirit. God’s Spirit brings this spiritual life to us and also labors to grow it in us. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit—the Trinity—together do the initial redemptive work setting life with God in motion (Titus 3:4-6); and, as I’ll later show, together they sustain it.

God’s Spirit is not only with or for us, but in us. (Jn 14:17, 2 Tim 1:14) His presence is life. (Jn 7:37-39, 6:63) He jealously works to free us from our original fleshly nature and bring us more fully into the new spiritual life. He pursues this by confronting our flesh and presenting to us the realities of God’s grace which correspond to the new nature. (Js 4:5, Gal 5:16f) Thus, I argue, for the Christian, godliness is the expression or outcome of living according to one’s new true nature, new identity, in unison with the Spirit. (Titus 1:1-2, 2 Pet 1:2-8, 3:11, Rom 8:9-14, Gal 5:25)

From the human point of view, the task sounds daunting and efforts futile. You and I readily know that we do not consistently live according to our new nature. Our old nature, the flesh, is too persuasive and we easily acquiesce to the flesh’s ways. The transition from being mindful of God to fulfilling desires of the flesh is to us invisible and seamless. Even if we are aware of all the distinctions between the flesh and the Spirit, we constantly feel the weight of the flesh with our every breath. Escape seems hopeless. Sometimes this is suffocating to our conscience. (Rom 7:24) Yet, such awareness combined with faith in God actually works to our benefit by reducing self-sufficiency and increasing our dependency on Christ. (v. 25) While the life God has called us to is difficult, the underlying principle of living from one’s new identity, not the old, is simple. It is also something the Spirit exercise great care for, and so should we.

Now I must sharpen our focus on the Holy Spirit and the way He works in us this spiritual life. I will highlight connections between what has been discussed regarding the Christian’s heart with another work of the Holy Spirit that also targets the Christian heart. I revisit and expand on the notion of grieving the Holy Spirit. (Eph 4:30) And I will elevate the Trinity. I labor to show that The Person of the Spirit (the Relationship), The Power of the Spirit (the Positioning against the flesh), and The Presence of the Spirit (the Life) find their unity in the Christian’s heart and in Christ Himself.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” (Jn 15:26)

Read Jesus’ words again and think upon what they are really saying. The message is critical, and we must carry it with us. The verses before and following John 15:26 pitch the disciples against a world that will reject them and their message. Jesus spoke these words to His disciples just before His death and departure to His Father. Once with the Father, He sent the Spirit. Observations: the Spirit is from (given by, and some would say “out of”) the Father; Jesus dispatched the Spirit; the Spirit is concerned with truth; the Spirit testifies of Jesus. The first conclusion is the Holy Spirit’s job is to testify of Jesus. The Spirit does this in various ways. (See also John 16:1-15) A second conclusion is that each member of the Trinity is present and actively engaged in the testimony of Christ. The Spirit gives testimony to the disciples and the world, with the result that people will trust in Jesus and the church will live throughout the ages. The Trinity is committed to this work. That which is revealed in John 15:26 supports what is described in Titus 3:4-6. We will see the Trinity’s joint labor again.

In Part One, I referenced Ephesians 4:30: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” Blaspheming God’s Spirit, the unforgivable sin recorded in Matthew 12, was also addressed. We understand that blaspheming and grieving God’s Spirit are vastly different. As Christians, we need to keep in mind our capacity to grieve or sorrow God’s Spirit. Thankfully, we do not face the same judgment and condemnation for grieving God’s Spirit as do those who blaspheme Him. The actions are dissimilar, but it is the same Spirit. The comparison, hopefully, works to sober us regarding our own relationship with God’s Spirit. We must realize who He is and His divine work. It is the Spirit who brings us life. (Jn 6:63, Gal 4:29) If we truly believed this, we would passionately pursue the Spirit and all He has for us. As Christians, our lives begin with the Spirit, thus it should follow that we live and walk in the Spirit. (Gal 3.3, 5:25)

Others were not so fortunate. Isaiah 63:10 says regarding Israel’s relation with God, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.” Dear Christian, under the New Covenant, God does not suddenly become our enemy if we grieve His Spirit. But for all He’s done for us in Christ Jesus, such rejection must pain Him deeply. Grieving God’s Spirit is evidence of a unique and alarming heart condition. We must not equate grieving God’s Spirit to anything else in our lives, especially things which we casually dismiss as irrelevant or may even consider harmful. For many of us, this is another Christian truth we’ve lost track of through business or sin. Yes, our hearts and minds are divided at best (Js 4:8, 1:8), but that does not preclude movement in a helpful direction over time to limit such consequence and loss. If we seek a remedy, and we should, we must understand more clearly what it means to grieve the Spirit. I do not claim to grasp this fully, but I share what I believe helpful.

Each of us must come to grips with the fact that what grieves God’s Spirit is our lives. As individuals, “we” do that. You and me. But Ephesians 4 informs us that we are not alone in grieving the Holy Spirit. The chapter takes us from considering God’s Spirit being grieved by the individual only to God’s Spirit being grieved by a church, a local assembly of believers, or other Christian relationships. It is here that we must make a transition to what I believe is Paul’s greater message regarding Ephesians 4:30. Paul’s counsel in that chapter is addressed to the church at Ephesus. They, as a body of believers (a unified whole) are subject to grieving the Holy Spirit. The local assembly of Christians, comprised of individual believers, creates a unified identity which has the potential as such to grieve God’s Spirit corporately.

Together you and I may live in such a manner that denies the life of the Spirit. To prevent this, we must settle into a way of life where we keep in mind both our heart and conduct, as well as our congregation’s heart and conduct (and, this we must do without legalism; 2 Cor 3:2-6, Rom 7:6). It is our individual lives and the life of our Christian assembly that the Spirit pursues. The life of godliness applies to both. The Spirit’s work includes us, but it goes far beyond us. This is evidenced by the Spirit’s oversight of spiritual gifts to the church. (1 Cor 12-14)

A term frequently used for describing one’s course of life is “walking.” It summarizes or unifies all the major themes and parts of one’s life, and it characterizes one’s behavior or conduct. The term is used by both the apostle Paul and Peter. Paul uses it often in Ephesians 4 through 6, where he describes Christian attitudes and actions. Many read these as a list of Christian “Does” and “Don’ts,” a sort of Christian Law; that is, “prescriptions.” I see them as “descriptions” of the life which should naturally flow from the new and uniquely Christian spiritual nature. Clearly, if one lives from, by and for the flesh (the old nature), one is not living for the things of the Spirit and the new nature. (Rom 8:5) Here one would be described as “walking in the flesh,” not the Spirit. Godliness would not follow. If this condition describes you, consult the apostle Peter’s counsel in 2 Peter 1:9-10.

To the flesh, the things of God are not only difficult to live but they are undesirable. Why would the flesh want to live for the things of the Spirit? These two natures are contrary to one another. (Gal 5:17) For instance, a subject found in the verses closest to Ephesians 4:30 is communication. Emphasis is on speech that builds up and imparts grace, and kindness, tenderness and forgiveness. Evil speaking should disappear or be absent all together among Christians, because it comes from a different motive and has a different effect; it destroys and tears apart. Ask, in contrast, what motive could produce positive edifying speech that flows willingly and freely between Christians that actually does good? We should all know this. These admonitions are descriptive of a life the Ephesians should experience amongst themselves because of who they are in Christ. Their life was to flow from His life, and the life principle was the Spirit. (Rom 8:2, Eph 4:15-20, Rom 6:4, 6, 13, 19) Christ centeredness and the leading of God’s Spirit should characterize our lives as well.

The church is comprised of individuals who must themselves not grieve God’s Spirit. We usually go only so far as to apply this verse, Ephesians 4:30, to ourselves; our individual hearts. But looking again, the more obvious meaning of the grieving passage, I believe, is that of the Body grieving the Spirit; Our collective heart. If Christ is the Head and the church His Body, why would the Body ever grieve the Spirit whom Jesus sent to testify of Himself? This makes no sense unless one understands self and sin. Life would be denied access. When a Christian assembly manifests relational behaviors from hardened hearts or selfish preferences related to the old way of life, the Spirit is grieved on a community-wide scale. The Spirit’s work of testifying of Jesus would find closed hearts. Ephesians 4 reinforces the fact that the presence of the Holy Spirit is necessary for the cohesive fabric of a church body and the community life God designed the church to express. (Eph 4:3-4) God’s Spirit is the basis for expressed corporate unity. Only from this Spirit-based oneness will a specific type of life be present corporately. The Spirit brings spiritual life to individuals, but the Spirit also fosters a unified expression of this life in and through Christian community.

I stated earlier that a walk equates to or describes a life. Ephesians 4:30 is bracketed by two essential “walking” passages. The Ephesians were exhorted “to have a walk worthy of the calling with which” they were called. One characteristic of this calling is love. (4:1-2) Then they were told to “walk in love as Christ also loved” them, giving Himself for them. (5:2) Love is the essential ingredient to define and energize the walk. Love is also the contrary motive that would prevent evil speaking and tearing relationships between Christians apart. Love unifies. It is the Spirit that puts God’s love in hearts. (Rom 5:5) The unity stemming from each member’s walk in love flows from the Spirit. Love, then, would be the hallmark of their community life, one quality which would characterize them having a godly walk or a godly life. (See also 2 Pet 1:3-7) In addition, their loving themselves and others would reflect something essential of God. (Eph 2:4, Jn 3:16, Eph 5:2, Rom 5:5) The Trinity labors after conversion to manifest the love of God in people’s lives. (1 Jn 4:9-10, Jn 17:22, 26, Ro 5:5, Gal 5:22, Eph 1:4)

A contrastive view to love is expressed in Ephesians 4:17, where Paul stresses the Ephesians “should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind,” and whose hearts are hardened past feeling. (v. 18) Sound thinking is essential to godly living, but as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13, one can be most knowledgeable but fail to love. The mind can store data and reason very well, even argue above all others, but unity between godly thoughts and godly actions will not happen when one’s heart is hard and God’s love absent. Self-rule, self-centeredness, and pride are the anchor of the flesh. And, if the flesh dominates the heart, as with the Gentiles, it will only emit hardness. It knows only an ungodly self-love.

The Ephesians were encouraged to speak the truth in love, build themselves up in love (4:15-16), and, as already referenced, walk in love. (4:1-2, 5:2) The conclusion I draw is that grieving God’s Spirit, which denies or destroys the unity of the body, occurs both individually and corporately when what I term “godly love” is neither the means nor the end in Christian relationships. I consider Ephesians 5:22-33 additional support, if one understands what Paul is saying there about the church. There we see a desirable self-love (Eph 5:28-29, 4:16), one that looks beyond itself to others who share the same salvation and relation with God.

Paul stresses to the Ephesians their identity in Christ and what they already understood about that. (4:17-24) As Christians, they were separate from the remainder of the Gentile world. Their understanding could secure their walk, their conduct, their life. But, as you and I know, simply acknowledging certain beliefs does not guarantee a particular life outcome. Where love is the necessary motive, the heart must be engaged and constantly on guard. It was God’s love which moved Him with mercy and to save sinners. (Eph 2:4, 1:4) As we’ve already seen, there is a war in the heart between our flesh and God’s Spirit. One loves itself for itself, according to the corrupt nature. The other loves itself for itself, according to the new nature of the Spirit, but in the end for much more than itself. Godly love must rule.

The unity of the Body is linked to the Spirit, which depends on the individual’s heart that is also linked to the Spirit. God’s Spirit brings new life to the Christian, He labors against the flesh in the Christian, and He is the ground for relational unity among Christians as community. (See also 2 Cor 13:14) There is one body, a unity for the Body, and one Spirit supporting it all. (Eph 4:1-6) This heart work and Christian unity is a chief responsibility of the Spirit throughout the church age. From the heart comes Christian fruit, of which love is a component. (Gal 5:22, Rom 5:5) The Father’s desire is that Jesus’ disciples bear much fruit. (Jn 15:1-11) Only a heart comprised of good ground will actually have any. (Matt 13:1-23) In God’s kingdom, “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” are what matters (Ro 14:17), not a self-constructed legalism.

This work of the Spirit is larger than I pretend to fully grasp, but I will attempt to show you one way the Spirit, and the Trinity, work to keep the hearts of individual Christians on track, so that the Church as community, with its unified heart, will walk in love and not grieve the Spirit. In this way, we reach our end—manifesting a life of godliness as individuals and as community. Matthew 28:19 will transition us into a brief discussion of the Trinity’s work in growing the spiritual life implanted in the Christian’s heart to fuller life.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20)

Here we have the divine signature. Jesus unites the Father, Himself, and the Spirit in name. There is nothing more descriptive of their unity than the singularity of name. A common identity, a common relationship, and a common work: the reconciliation of sinners to God. Each member supports the overall work, and each member supports the other’s work. The Father sent the Son. The Son testified of the Father and introduced the Spirit. The Father and the Son sent the Spirit. The Spirit testifies of Christ. Christ is the way to the Father. Whether one begins with the Father or with the Spirit, the unity is found; and, that is through Jesus.

I have previously referenced Titus 3:4-6 and John 15:26, but I do so again here because I will add another verse then discuss the three.

"But when the kindness and the love of God [the Father] our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." (Jn 15:26)

It is clear from these verses that the members of the Trinity are committed to the salvation of souls. The Father is the source. Jesus is the Mediator of the work, and we depend on His merits. The Spirit is the Agent affecting this salvation in people’s lives. Familiar to most people may be John 3:16, where the Father out of love gives His Son for salvation. Jesus testifies of the Spirit. (Jn 3:3-7, 6:63, 15:26) The Spirit bears witness to Jesus. (Acts 2, 7:55-56, Jn 15:26) If one starts with the Spirit (Jn 14:26, 15:26), He bears witness to Jesus. Salvation is found in Christ alone, and Jesus is the way to the Father. (Acts 4:12, 1 Tim 2:5, Jn 14:6) The order in the divine signature makes sense, and what I just described seems clear and simplistic. Yet, our reason for easy agreement with belief in the Trinity working in concert to bring reconciliation between God and mankind may be because it is often detached or only theoretical: belief statements. For most, “the Trinity” is just an idea and will ever remain so. Instead, we should engage what these biblical statements tell us about God and our faith with both the mind and heart and live with God as Trinity.

The apostle Paul had to go beyond theory. He was concerned with people’s lives. No doubt, he knew correct understanding mattered. But Paul takes what is theoretical and moves that into real Christian life. When he does so, we again witness the Trinity. What you see is the same Member responsibility as displayed in Titus 3:4-7 and John 15:26, but what is new in the verses below is the revealed depth of engagement by the Trinity in the lives of individual Christians and the Church community. The end of the work for which Paul prays is godliness. He knows this is a divine work.

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love . . ." (Eph 3:14-17)

I want to clarify something. The comments I’ll make concerning Ephesians 3:14-17 could be understood as applying to Christian sanctification. And, clearly, the Trinity is involved in Christian sanctification: the Father (Jn 17:16-17); the Son (1 Cor 1:2, 30-31, Heb 2:11, 10:8f); the Spirit (1 Pet 1:1, Rom 15:15f). I will not argue against this. Salvation and sanctification are both God’s work. There are other verses showing Christian effort in sanctification. Certainly Paul is concerned about “the walk” of Christians in Ephesus. But, my objective is discussing the Presence of Holy Spirit and how the Spirit’s presence is life for the individual Christian and the church.

As with the divine signature, so to here in Ephesians 3:14-17. Paul prays to the Father. The Spirit’s origin, with respect to salvation, is with the Father. (Jn 14:26, 15:26) It is “His” Spirit. The Spirit has might, or power, which is what the Christians in Ephesus needed. The target for the Spirit’s power is “the inner man,” also understood as the heart. The objective? That, first, Christ would dwell in their hearts, but, second, that they would be established in love. The two go together. Call this divine work sanctification, if you will. It is the glorious Trinity at work in lives after salvation to bring forward the riches of the Fathers glory—love unleashed! The Spirit’s work aims toward life and unity through love.

From this high-point of divine petition and praise, Paul transitions into what we’ve covered in Ephesians 4. They are to walk in love and build each other up in love. Christ must be present in the heart before this will happen. Christ in the heart individually and corporately alters the heart because of our experiencing divine love personally, then being able to love God and others. If Christ be not in the heart, the only person there will be us. Then, the love of our hearts will be self-love. This will not do. The Trinity places Christ there. The Spirit is present in person and power to deal with the corrupt nature and the flesh, and fulfill His commission of pointing to Christ. (Jn 15:26, Rom 8:2)

The Father has not only saved, but sent His Spirit with power to see that Christ rules. The apostle Paul understands all these things and, in love, lays them out for those at Ephesus. He prays effectively for them individually and corporately to “in love” glorify God. Paul ends the letter, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” (5:24) My friend, his words should force us to pause and see that here another love is shown to us: our love for Jesus. Here the circle of love completes. You must answer for yourself the level of your love for the Lord Jesus Christ. If sincerity be lacking, I direct you to 1 Peter 1:1-10 for thoughtful reflection.

So far in this series Reminders About the Holy Spirit and the Life of Godliness, we have considered the Person, Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit. In the next and final part, I will show how those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity will join the Spirit in The Petition of the Holy Spirit.

God’s best.

Carl
5-13-11