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Tag: Letter to Ephesians

That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

Why does Paul pray “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18)?

In Ephesians 1:15–23, the apostle Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to be filled with spiritual insight to know Jesus better and understand the fullness of God’s blessings in Christ: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (verses 17–19).

Throughout the Bible, the “heart” often represents the center of a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life—the whole inner person, encompassing the mind, will, and emotions. Thus, “the eyes of your heart” refers to our inner perception. Our “inner eyes” are “enlightened” when they open and light is cast on them, allowing them to see and understand the things of the Spirit.

Paul prays for the Father to give believers the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” True spiritual enlightenment can only come from the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; John 14:25–26; 16:12–14; 1 Corinthians 2:9–16). The natural mind cannot comprehend the things of God. Christians “have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12, NLT). The Spirit of God opens the eyes of the heart to see, receive, and understand the truth in God’s Word (Psalm 19:8; 119:18).

Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” because he wants all believers to comprehend the great hope, riches, and power they have received in Jesus Christ. Paul himself would have remained a blind Pharisee had the eyes of his heart not been opened on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:1 says Paul (then Saul) was “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (ESV). While on his way to arrest followers of Jesus in the city of Damascus, Paul was struck down by a blinding light. He heard the voice of Jesus calling him to salvation. Three days later, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and his sight was restored (Acts 9:17–19). The restoration of physical eyesight symbolized Paul’s inner transformation as the eyes of his heart were enlightened to see the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Paul tells the believers in Corinth that the same God who spoke light into existence in Genesis 1:3 “has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT). The apostle wants Christians to grasp three things: the hope of our calling (Romans 8:30; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Philippians 3:14), the riches of our glorious inheritance (Colossians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14), and the matchless power that is available to us who believe (Ephesians 3:7, 16; Philippians 3:21; 4:19).

The Christian life is an ongoing experience of growing in our faith, knowledge, and understanding of God and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Before salvation, we lived in darkness until the true light of the world shined in our hearts (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; John 1:9; John 8:12; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 5:8). But once we come to know Him through salvation, the eyes of our hearts are opened (John 17:3; Hebrews 6:4). He becomes our Savior and Lord. Jesus says to us, “Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear” Matthew 13:16 (NLT).

If we keep seeking the Lord throughout our lives, we will increasingly get to know Him through experiential sanctification (Philippians 3:10–16). We will discover that He is our “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15), “Good Shepherd” (John 10:10–16; 1 Peter 5:1–4), and “Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). We will slowly transform into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:22–24; Colossians 3:9–10) until one day the eyes of our hearts are fully enlightened, and we know Him “face to face” in complete perfection (1 Corinthians 13:9–12).

Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What does it mean that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13)?

If you need a reason to celebrate, consider Paul’s word in Ephesians 1:13: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (NKJV). One of the many key points found in the book of Ephesians is that believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.

A seal, both in the past and today, serves as an identifying mark to establish ownership. It’s similar to a stamp, though seals carry a more binding significance. Seals were employed on letters and documents, and, when a king issued a decree, a seal made it legally binding (see Daniel 6:7–9). In the ancient world, seals were also used on animals and even slaves. What sets Christians apart is the nature of our seal. Rather than a mere mark, Christians are sealed with a Person.

The Holy Spirit dwelling within us serves as a form of identification, a seal that demonstrates our belonging to God. The New Living Translation renders Ephesians 1:13 in straightforward terms: “And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago” (emphasis added).

We belong to Christ when we have the Holy Spirit living in us as a seal, a mark of identification. Paul reaffirms this truth in multiple places, including Romans 8:9, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Also see 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19–20; Galatians 4:6.) It is impossible to claim that you belong to Christ without the Holy Spirit. The seal, promised by Jesus and prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:28–29), can also be considered a gift (Acts 2:38). What a privilege to have God’s Spirit dwelling in us!

The Holy Spirit provides both internal and external assurance that we are secure in Christ. Internally, the Holy Spirit generates a desire to please God, a deeper conviction, and even a transformed purpose for our lives. While new believers may often experience a joy and enthusiasm akin to the infatuation of a new relationship, this is not always the case. Some may find assurance through a quiet conviction. Externally, our assurance is derived from God’s Word. As we read, study, and meditate on Scripture, the Spirit confirms our salvation. The external assurance is especially valuable during times when the flesh seems to prevail.

So, how should we respond to the reality of the Holy Spirit sealing us? First, we should rejoice that anyone in Christ is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and a temple, regenerated and inhabited by the Spirit. It logically follows that we ought to live differently and treat ourselves as temples, staying away from anything that defiles us (1 Corinthians 6:19). Paul summarized the Christian life in one sentence: “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20).

The Holy Spirit, as a seal, provides us with the confidence that we belong to God and that our salvation is secure. The Spirit guides us, illuminating Scripture, bestowing gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ, and empowering us to fulfill God’s will.

Renewed in the spirit of your mind

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23)?

In a challenging teaching on holy living (Ephesians 4:17—5:21), the apostle Paul emphasized the importance of the believer’s mental outlook. He reminded the Ephesian Christians what they had learned in their relationship with Christ: “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness“ (Ephesians 4:22–24, ESV).The phrase be renewed is derived from the Greek verb (ananeousthai), meaning “to be or become reestablished in a new and often improved manner.” By entering a relationship with Jesus, the believer is reestablished in an improved standing as a “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). At the same time, Christians are daily, continually being renewed by the indwelling Spirit of God: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).“The spirit of your mind” refers to the believer’s thoughts and attitudes. In the New Living Translation, Ephesians 4:23 says, “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” The mind is the arena where the Holy Spirit constantly works on renewal. Paul urged the Romans, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).Spending time daily in fellowship with Jesus Christ is vital to being renewed in the spirit of our minds. We are renewed in our internal nature as we “learn to know [our] Creator and become like him” (Colossians 3:10, NLT). In fact, this is the believer’s destiny: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29, NLT; see also John 13:15; Philippians 2:5).The more we know Jesus, who reflects the very nature of God (Philippians 2:6), the better we can see and understand the heavenly Father (see Colossians 1:15). “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). As we follow in Christ’s footsteps and arm ourselves with the same attitude He had, our lives become a pleasing “sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:21; Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1).God’s Word is essential to being renewed in the spirit of our minds. Jesus prayed to the Father for all believers, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17, NLT). As we develop in our understanding of the truth in Scripture, our minds are renewed and transformed by God’s Spirit, and our lives reflect that change.“Physically, you are what you eat, but spiritually, you are what you think,” writes Warren Wiersbe in The Bible Exposition Commentary (Vol. 2, Victor Books, 1996, p. 40). As we meditate on God’s Word “day and night” and “delight in the law of the Lord,” we become firmly reestablished “like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1–3, NLT).Prayer is also necessary to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. Paul prayed for the Colossians to be filled “with the knowledge of [God’s] will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9–10). After David confessed his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, he prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, ESV).As you seek the Lord in relationship with Jesus, in the truth of His Word and in prayer, you are renewed in the spirit of your mind: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, NLT). Renewal brings a new mindset of trust, peace, and humble obedience (Isaiah 26:3; Romans 8:5; Philippians 4:8–9; Colossians 3:1–2).

Without spot or wrinkle

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the church should be without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27)?

In a discussion about marriage using Christ and the church as a metaphor, Paul writes of Christ’s sacrifice in Ephesians 5:25. He then explains the purpose of Christ’s death on behalf of the church: “‭‭He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault” (verse 27, ‭NLT‬‬).

‬‬‬ Ephesians 5:27 is part of broader instructions given to husbands, who are directed to love their wives in the same way that Christ loved the church—with a self-sacrificing love (verse 25). Paul explains that Christ’s sacrifice was intended to “make her [the church] holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (verse 26). Having been cleansed, the church will be “glorious . . ., without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish” (verse 26, NLT).

When Scripture states that the church should be without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, it signifies the church’s complete holiness, as the remainder of Ephesians 5:27 shows: “She will be holy and without fault” (NLT). Here, spots, wrinkles, and blemishes symbolize impurity—not a physical deformity, but a spiritual impurity caused by sin. The church is already positionally holy through Christ’s perfect sacrifice. She is presently being sanctified, progressively set apart from the power and practice of sin, and in eternity she will be freed from the presence of sin. All these transformative processes are achieved through Christ.

It is evident in Ephesians 5 that the church holds a special place in Christ’s heart. Regardless of the mishaps and imperfections of the church, Christ’s work of sanctification remains steadfast. Those who are concerned about the many issues faced by the church today should recognize that Christ continues to work, even in the chaos. He intimately knows His bride and is committed to completing the work He has started.

Christ’s sanctifying work also has implications at the individual level. As children of God, we are positionally sanctified. We are currently being transformed to become more like Jesus, and we must remember this as we engage in spiritual disciplines such as prayer and feeding on the Word. We can be confident that the Son lavishes unconditional love on His bride. Just as a devoted husband would not dream of abandoning his wife, Jesus will not forsake His bride or the promises He made to her. This assurance provides us with ample motivation to lead a holy life, knowing that God is actively working in us to conform us to His image (Philippians 2:13)

The love that Christ has for His church and His commitment to cleanse her of spots and blemishes should serve as a model for our marriages, especially for husbands. The husband loves his wife with the aim of “sanctifying” her. He should care for her, keep her best interests in mind, and be genuinely concerned about her growth in all aspects, including her spiritual well-being.

Breadth and length and height and depth

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to comprehend the “breadth and length and height and depth” in Ephesians 3:18?

In Ephesians 3, Paul expresses his desire and prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Part of what he prays for is “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you . . . may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19, ESV). Paul here is explaining that, although he was suffering for the sake of the gospel (verses 1, 13), it was worth it if they could only grasp the magnitude of Christ’s love for them.

The Greek word translated as “comprehend” or “understand” implies more than a mental understanding. It literally means “to take hold of something and make it one’s own.” In order for the Ephesian Christians to truly understand the “love that surpasses knowledge,” they needed to go beyond hearsay. This kind of comprehension is experiential. It requires us to take hold of a truth and define ourselves by it. Paul was encouraging them—and all saints everywhere—to meditate on what it means to be fully loved by God for the sake of Christ. He wanted them to grasp God’s love in all its fullness; to know “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

Jesus had already defined love as it was demonstrated by both Father and Son. Of Himself He said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Of the Father He said, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). God’s love is all-encompassing, far exceeding our ability to comprehend. Its breadth and length and height and depth are staggering. It requires meditation, soul-searching, and honesty in order to draw near enough to God to comprehend His nature (James 4:8). And that was what Paul urged them, and all Christians, to do: consider the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ for His church. Later in his epistle, Paul again alludes to the love of Christ when he urges husbands to love their wives in the same way Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25–27).

Paul’s use of dimensional language to describe the love of Christ suggests a vastness to Christ’s love. The Redeemer’s love for His people is so great, of such magnitude, as to be almost beyond comprehension. The four-fold description of length-width-height-depth carries with it shades of Psalm 103:11–12, which also uses dimensional language:
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

There is absolutely nothing at all that can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38–39). When we learn to bask in that love (1 John 3:1), celebrate His delight in us (Psalm 37:23), and rest in His faithfulness (Psalm 136:1), we enjoy relationship, not religion. Only a relational God could love us so much that we can barely comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of it.

Unsearchable riches

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What are the unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8)?

The phrase unsearchable riches of Christ comes from Ephesians 3:8–9: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (ESV). The Greek for “unsearchable riches” is translated “boundless riches” in the NIV.

The Greek word translated “unsearchable” describes something that cannot be fully comprehended or explored. In other words, there is no limit to the riches of Christ; they are past finding out. Try as we might, we can never plumb the depths of Christ’s worth. Paul delineates some of these riches in Ephesians 1:7–14: redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, the knowledge of the mystery of His will, the message of truth, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the guarantee of our inheritance. These are spiritual riches with eternal benefits, and we cannot fully comprehend them.

Jesus taught two short parables that emphasize the value of eternal life and the kingdom of God: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44–46). Like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, admission to the kingdom is of incalculable worth—and it is Jesus Christ who grants the admission. The unsearchable riches of Christ are on display in every believer’s heart.

The unsearchable riches of Christ cannot be fully traced out. “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9), so the riches of Christ include all that God is. The unsearchable riches of Christ are the Glory of God, the Truth of God, the Wisdom of God, the Life of God, and the Love of God. In Christ, God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). In Christ are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). In Christ, God “has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).

In Ephesians 3:8 Paul refers to himself as “less than the least of all the Lord’s people.” This humble statement is then contrasted with “the boundless riches of Christ.” Paul describes himself as the lowest of believers while lifting Jesus up as the greatest of all. Every believer, in like humility, acknowledges the all-surpassing goodness and grace of God: “The LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11).

Christ’s riches that He makes available to us are not material but spiritual. The unsearchable riches of Christ provide salvation to everyone who believes (John 3:16; Romans 1:16). We may be the worst of sinners, yet Jesus can forgive us and transform our lives (Romans 12:1–2). It is the gift that truly keeps on giving, as we are changed, by God’s Spirit, into “loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled” people (Galatians 5:22–23, CEV).

King Solomon was a man of great riches and wisdom, and his fame spread throughout the known world. Dignitaries from other countries came to hear his wisdom and see his lavish display of wealth (1 Kings 10:24). Scripture says that Solomon had no equal in the earth at that time: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (verse 23). Yet, for all that, Solomon’s riches were not unsearchable. They could be quantified; the gold bars could be counted, and he had no inexhaustible supply of silver. Besides that, Solomon’s riches were only the temporal treasures of this world. Jesus is “greater than Solomon” (Luke 11:31). The treasures of Christ are inexhaustible, they are unsearchable, and they are forever.

Tossed to and fro

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

How can we not be tossed to and fro (Ephesians 4:14)?

In Ephesians 4:11, the apostle Paul presents five types of “office gifts,” or gifted persons, given to the church by God: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Their purpose is “to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ” so that individual believers and Christ’s body can all grow spiritually and in the unity of faith (Ephesians 4:12–13). The goal, Paul states, is “that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes,” and that we may “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:14–15, ESV).

The phrase tossed to and fro is rendered from a nautical term in Greek meaning “to be waved-pitched; to move abruptly here and there due to the violence of waves.” God has given ministry gifts to His church to form a stabilizing anchor that will keep us from being tossed to and fro like immature, gullible infants, susceptible to every flashy new human teaching and clever trick of the enemy. We can avoid being thrashed about and shipwrecked in our faith like tiny, untethered boats if we stay plugged into the body of Christ, receiving encouragement and strength from fellow saints gifted to equip us and build us up in Jesus Christ.

For growth to happen, we must remain involved in the process by which the whole body is “fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16, NLT). Loner Christians cannot minister to others or be ministered to by others. God’s gifts of equipping and building up cannot be exercised in isolation.

Paul taught the Colossians to stay rooted and established in the faith so that no one would deceive them with “well-crafted arguments” (Colossians 2:4, NLT). Mature believers understand that, to follow Christ, they must continually feast on God’s Word as they remain in fellowship with other believers: “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:4,6–8, NLT).

Only when we are secure in God’s truth and committed to the body of Christ can we learn to recognize false teachers and steer clear of their dishonest doctrines. James said, “Be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6, NLT). Jude warned of the false teachers’ cunning: “When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots” (Jude 1:12, NLT; see also Acts 20:29–31; Romans 16:17–18; Hebrews 13:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3–4).

Members of Christ’s body grow strong and stable—no longer tossed to and fro—when they stay rooted and grounded in God’s Word and minister to one another through loving, cooperative involvement in the church. We belong to one another and need each other to grow (1 Corinthians 12:12–31). Each one of us serves a purpose in the corporate whole. As the body grows up together, each member grows stronger individually. Warren Wiersbe notes Paul’s emphasis on love in the process (see Ephesians 4:2, 15, 16): “The body grows as the individual members grow, and they grow as they feed on the Word and minister to each other. . . . Love is the circulatory system of the body. It has been discovered that isolated, unloved babies do not grow properly and are especially susceptible to disease, while babies who are loved and handled grow normally and are stronger. So it is with the children of God” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2, Victor Books, 1996, pp. 38–39).