Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20030706.htm

EPHESIANS: GOD'S SURE PLAN FOR INSECURE TIMES
Part V: Settled Relationships With Fellow Believers By God's Provisions
(Ephesians 2:11-22 with 4:1-3 and 1 John 2:10-11; 1:5-7)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

In Ephesians 4:1-3, God calls us Christians to preserve the unity the Holy Spirit has produced in our midst in a spirit of humility.

However, many DEEP differences regarding holiness between Christians exist, making such unity seem entirely unworkable:

(1) A Lutheran Pastor, Thorkild Grosboel in Denmark was quoted in a recent interview to say: "there is no heavenly God, there is no eternal life, there is no resurrection.'" (World , June 21, 03, p. 10) Though his bishop suspended him, Denmark's state-church system will ultimately determine what happens to Pastor Grosboel.

Well, how are believers in Pastor Grosboel's church to keep the unity of the HOLY Spirit if officials protect his job so he can preach against God's existence, eternal life and the resurrection?

(2) We have similar challenges in America. Lynn Vincent's article, "Shifting sand?" in the May 10 issue of World magazine critiqued Calvin College's tolerance of theistic evolution. It cited the school's president who said: "We deal with a variety of approaches to origins; we don't teach any of these as the only way to look at it.'" (World, "Mailbag," 6/28/03, p. 32)

The article led to a bunch of letters to World's "Mailbag" section with most of them supporting Vincent's critique. Jim and Liz Paauw of Grand Rapids, Michigan wrote: "We're Calvin College graduates and have past, current, and future Calvin College students among our kids . . . We send our kids there because Calvin College offers a great education, but with a strong warning to beware of . . . (the theological influence of the school . . .)" (Ibid., p. 33)

HOW then are Jim and Liz Paauw with their long ties to Calvin College supposed to keep the unity of the HOLY Spirit in relating to Calvin College's professors when the BASIS of such a unity has been hurt by an UNHOLY DOCTRINAL drift in them?

(3) There are divisions on holiness among believers at our own level: in our Church meeting last Sunday, deep concerns over the unholy practices of another area Evangelical Church were voiced!

How can we keep the unity of the HOLY Spirit with other Evangelical churches in our own AREA with such deep divides on HOLINESS in beliefs and/or practices affected these differences?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "In view of the DEEP divisions over HOLINESS that DIVIDE believers in Christendom, how we can heed Ephesians 4:1-3 that calls us to KEEP the unity of God's HOLY Spirit in the Church! WHY does this problem exist and HOW may we righteously respond to it?"
  1. Paul realized his Ephesians Christian readers had a GREAT need for HOLY spiritual UNITY in their local church body:
    1. When Paul had met with the Ephesian elders at Miletus prior to his current imprisonment [Eph. 3:1 with Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., "Intro. to . . . Ephesians," p. 1672], he prophesied adult males [ andres] would arise from within their own group, that is, from the ELDERSHIP itself, and divide the Church, Acts 20:30 (UBS Grk. N.T. , p.499; Arndt & Ging., A Grk.-Engl. Lex. of the N.T., p. 65-66).
    2. These trusted elders would speak "crooked" [diestrammena, Ibid.] things, injuring Christian unity by leading people in the Church who trusted them into apostasy, Acts 20:30; T.D.N.T., vol. VII, p. 718.
    3. Accordingly, Paul knew the Church needed a HOLY unity in Christ!
  2. Accordingly, Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians along with other New Testament Scriptures reveal God's SUPERNATURAL PROVISIONS for HOLY Christian UNITY in PRACTICE:
    1. In Ephesians, Paul revealed God's gracious positional provisions for settled holy relationships within the local church, Eph. 2:11-22; 4:1-3:
      1. At the cross, Jesus Christ removed the barrier we Gentiles faced to gaining access to God's blessings for His people, Eph. 2:11-13.
      2. In so doing, God created a new category of "Christian" where believing Jews and Gentiles belong to the same Body, 2:14-18.
      3. As a result, Gentiles and Jews are members of the same spiritual household of which God is the Father and they are being built up together into a "holy temple" in the Lord, Eph. 2:19-22 KJV.
      4. Consequently, we believers are to seek to preserve in practice this holy positional unity we enjoy in the Holy Spirit, and that with humility and love in the bond of peace, Ephesians 4:1-3.
    2. Yet, in view of the spiritual EVIL even sound local churches [like Ephesus] face as predicted by Paul in Acts 20:30, insight for victory in gaining SETTLED relationships with fellow believers in PRACTICE is offered in 1 John 2:10-11 with 1 John 1:7 (as follows):
      1. A GREAT challenge to Christian UNITY exists in PRACTICE:
        1. It is a sad but true fact that believers who "walk in darkness" actually have an unholy hate of fellow believers, 1 John 2:10f.
        2. We know from Isaiah 8:20-9:6 that John [from Galilee (Mk. 1:16-20) where this passage applies (cf. Isa. 9:1)] meant those who "walk in darkness" were those who did not heed written Scripture. Thus, John revealed when believers fail to HEED written Scripture, they come to HATE the brethren, Jn. 3:20f.
        3. Then, apostates who DEEPLY "walk in darkness" can gain followers from believers who fail to heed Scripture, a group with a false fellowship, cf. John 15:18-19 with Acts 20:29.
        4. In time, even church ELDERS who fail to heed Scripture can fall in line with apostates, and lead people who trust them in the congregation into apostasy just like Acts 20:30 predicts!
      2. Hence, John identified the means of a practical and HOLY unity with SETTLED relationships among fellow believers as follows:
        1. As individual believers obey written Scripture in their lives, they have precious, practical and holy Christian unity with one another and they unitedly fellowship with God, 1 John 1:7a.
        2. Then, God in holiness constantly purifies them of all sin, 1:7b.
Application: To enjoy settled unity with fellow believers, (1) we must FIRST be indwelt by the unifying, HOLY Spirit through becoming a TRUE Christian by faith in Christ as Savior, John 1:11-13; Rom. 8:9b. (2) Then, we HEED Scripture in life by the Holy Spirit's power (Gal. 5:16-23), finding practical and HOLY unity with other believers who ALSO apply God's Word, Eph. 2:11-22; 4:1-3; 1 John 1:7. (3) Since (a) SOME believers DISOBEY Scripture and HATE the upright (1 John 2:10-11) or even (b) heed apostates (Acts 20:29-30 and 2 Thess. 2:3), (c) God calls us to preserve the unity the HOLY Spirit POSITIONALLY arranges in the Body by HEEDING His Word in PRACTICE along with OTHERS who HEED it (2 Tim. 2:16-22). (d) Thus, we do NOT fret over our lack of PRACTICAL unity EVEN with BELIEVERS who WALK IN DARKNESS, 2 Cor. 6:14-18!

Lesson: (1) The deep differences between believers in Christendom are caused by (a) the DISOBEDIENCE to WRITTEN SCRIPTURE in SOME of them, (b) and that at times FUELED by APOSTATES. (2) In response, (a) though we pray for an awakening, (b) Scripture predicts the APOSTASY of all Christendom (Acts 20:29-30; Matt. 13:33); (c) thus, we can ONLY heed the Word in our OWN walk and fellowship with believers of LIKE FAITH who ALSO HEED Scripture in holiness, 2 Cor. 6:14-18!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 As I was typing up this message, Marge Kacir stopped by the Church in the process of conducting her Church Treasurer duties and shared with me a conversation she had experienced over a doctrinal difference with another believer (outside our Church).

This believer had told Marge: "We need to learn to forgive ourselves!" in an effort to lighten the pain of her sense of guilt.

Marge knew this statement needed correction, for we as human beings are accountable to a holy God, and only HE can forgive sins, cf. Mark 2:7b. Accordingly, Marge responded to this lady, saying, "We actually can not forgive ourselves, for only God can forgive sin. The way to handle the pain of our guilt is to believe on Christ and be forgiven by Him or, as believers, to confess our sins and be cleansed from all unrighteousness by Him; in that way, God graciously forgives us, so we can relax in His TRUE forgiveness of our sins!" (cf. Colossians 1:14 with John 3:16 and 1 John 1:9).

After a clarifying this insight with this lady who turned out to be a believer who was yet untaught, due to this lady's growth in understanding the truth, a greater fellowship resulted between her and Marge! That event occurred since their fellowship was based on a mutual commitment to righteousness and truth in their walk with God. Marge wanted me to know of that growth in fellowship she had with this lady as encouragement of what a deeper commitment to the TRUTH of God's Word can and will do in Christian relationships in holiness!



True, the Holy Spirit has produced a POSITIONAL BASIS for PRACTICAL unity among us believers, but that BASIS can not itself produce unity in our PRACTICE: ONLY as we MUTUALLY "walk in the light" of holding and applying the TRUTH of written Scripture in our BELIEFS and LIVES can there be a BASIS for EXPERIENTIALLY HOLY UNITY in our RELATIONSHIPS with one another in the HOLY Spirit.

1 John 5:3 tells us: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments . . ." May we ADHERE God's written Word in our BELIEFS and LIVES that we might have the LOVE of God PERFECTED in our RELATIONSHIPS, 1 John 2:5.