Ephesians

     How many religions are there in the world today?  How many so-called gods are there and how many ways have been invented to reach them?
     And how many people are there who think that any one of these religions is just as good as any other?  How many claim that we can get to heaven any way we want to?
     In Acts chapter 19 Paul arrives in the city of Ephesus.
     With a population of about 250,000, Ephesus was recognized as the greatest city of Asia Minor and the third most important in the world after Rome and Alexandria.  It was also acclaimed as the "light of Asia," the "Market of Asia," the "Capital of Asia" and the "Metropolis of Asia."
     Some of the outstanding landmarks of Ephesus were the theater, the port and the temple of Diana or Artemis.  Measuring 425 feet long and 220 feet wide, the temple was four times as large as the Parthenon.
     The first structure, which took 100 years to build, was finished in 400 BC.  Herostratus set fire to the building on the night that Alexander the Great was born.  The women of the city gave their jewelry to help with the reconstruction.
     On his way back from his Eastern campaign, Alexander offered all the riches from the campaign to have his name carved on one of the temple pillars.  This created a dilemma for the people, since they could not grant this request, nor could they refuse the request from so powerful a ruler.  "If we put the name of another god on Diana's temple," they wisely replied, "it might make her jealous."  Alexander accepted their decision.
     There were 127 marble pillars 60 feet tall, each one the gift of a king.  Thirty six were overlaid with gold.  The temple was destroyed and even its exact location was unknown until modern times.
     The temple had great religious and commercial significance (Acts 18:24-41), but it provided much more.  It was a source of personal and financial security.  Temples were also treasuries, so this was one of the greatest banking centers in the area.  And no one could be arrested within a bow-shot of the temple, providing asylum for those who could escape there.  It's not hard to imagine the atmosphere near the temple.
     This same temple is the reason for a conflict during Paul's visit.  Silversmiths in the city make a living by selling shrines of Diana.  One of these craftsmen, Demetrius, initiates a riot when he rallies other workmen against the teaching of Paul.  He has no trouble understanding that Christianity and the worship of Diana are mutually exclusive.
     As we consider Paul's epistle to the Christians in Ephesus, however, we have to wonder whether or not these people understand the distinction as well as Demetrius.  These people seem to be struggling with the question, "How many ways are there to get to God?"  Paul devotes much of his letter to setting the record straight.
     "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," we read in Ephesians 1:3, "who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."
     Let's draw an imaginary circle to represent Christ.  Then let's place inside the circle everything that, according to this chapter, we find in or through Christ.  So far we have every spiritual blessing.
     Verse four tells us that we are chosen in Christ.  According to the next verse we are adopted as sons through Christ.  Verse seven adds redemption and forgiveness of our trespasses.
     In verse nine we note that God's will is purposed in Christ.  In fact, verse 10 adds, all things are summed up in Him.
     In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, we read in verses 10 and 11.  We can add our hope from verse 12.  In Christ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, the thirteenth verse observes.
     There is faith in verse 15 and knowledge in verse 17.  In verses 19 and 20 we encounter the working of the strength of God's might.  We could go on to other chapters, but this is enough to understand the point.
     Look at the circle.  What is inside?  What is left for those who are outside?  If everything is in Christ, then what is left for all of those other ways that people propose for reaching God?

     What is in Christ?  Everything.  What is outside of Christ?  Nothing.  But what do we mean when we say something is in Christ?
     "And He put all things in subjection under His feet," Ephesians 1:22-23 explains, "and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all."
     The church is Christ's body.  To be in Christ is to be in the church.  This doesn't give any support to those who claim to be Christians without having anything to do with any church, does it?  To be in Christ is to be in the church.  Everything is in Christ.  What does that leave for those on the outside?
     Read the second chapter of Ephesians and see whether or not it agrees with the first.
     "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints," Ephesians 2:19-22 stresses, "and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."
     Read the third chapter of Ephesians and see whether or not it agrees with the first and second.
     "That the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel," we read in Ephesians 3:6.
     According to verse 10, the manifold wisdom of God is made known through the church.
     To be in Christ means to be in the church.  But what do we mean by the church?  Do the thousands of denominations with opposing doctrines fit the picture we find in Paul's letter to the Ephesians?
     "There is one body and one Spirit," Paul claims in Ephesians 4:4-6, "just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and though all and in all."
     "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers," Paul continues with verse 11, "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ."
     Does one mean one or does it mean several?  Does unity mean unity or does it mean compromise?  Demetrius was on the wrong side of the fence, but at least he knew there was a fence.  He knew that what he was doing was not compatible with Christianity.  In our rush to not offend anyone, have we lost the word "conviction" from our vocabulary?
     First of all, have we lost the commitment that results in one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one Father?  Have we lost the commitment that results in our taking a stand about moral issues in our society?  Are Christians really expected to live in a certain way?
     One of the best discussions in the entire Bible concerning the Christian life begins in Ephesians 4:20 and continues to the end of the book.  Here we find instructions for parents and children; for employers and workers.  Anyone who is interested in what the Bible has to teach about life should study these verses.
     Toward the close of the letter Paul paints the picture of a Christian who is committed.  This Christian is ready not for physical battle but rather for spiritual warfare.
     "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might," Paul begins in Ephesians 6:10.
     "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."
     "Stand firm therefore," Paul picks up in verse 14, "having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.
     "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
     Let's take a stand.  Let's take a stand to be in Christ.  Let's take a stand to make our lives conform to what God wants.  Let's take a stand with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, the truth that will set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)