“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you when I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him, – since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened – so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength. This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above every 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. And God put all things under Christʼs feet, and he gave him to the church as head over all things. Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15-23

In verses 19-20 Paul writes that the power and strength which G-d exercised or “energized” is the power that G-d worked first when G-d raised Christ from the dead. What gives this statement its bite is the subtle presumption, like in John’s Gospel, that Christ’s exaltation and Lordship proceed from and are brought to completion upon his cross — upon his suffering and death.

That word “exercise” or “energize” is typically translated as “work” or “work out” in the Greek language. The Greek word commonly was used to refer to the influencing power of god in the Stoic system — in other words the power of god that permeates and works itself out in the details of life. By stating that G-d’s energizing power is the very power that raised Christ from the dead, Paul proclaims that G-d’s triumph through Christ and the cross is what energizes all people and and gives them new existence born out of Christ’s suffering and death. In raising Christ, God did not communicate that the suffering and death of Jesus was a bad mistake made by the world that killed him. Rather, Paul proclaims, G-d validated the suffering and death of Jesus as the defining act for G-d and for the very existence of those who live “in Christ.”

Thus Paul will continue to encourage his churches, and us, to always live “In Christ”.

Pastor Dave

“Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. Carry one anotherʼs burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else. For each one will carry his own load. Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it. Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.” Galatians 6:1–10

In the first part of chapter six, Paul describes what life in community looks like when we live in the freedom Christ gives and then use that freedom to serve one another. Paul offers the example of dealing with a member of the community detected in a transgression. “You who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness”. Gentleness, after all, is one of the fruits of the Spirit just mentioned at the end of chapter 5. The goal of dealing with the transgressor is restoration and healing. The verb “katartizo” (in Greek) is often used as a medical term, to refer to setting a bone or joint right so that proper healing can occur. As such, while seeking to restore the transgressor, community members are to take care that they themselves are not tempted by a false evaluation of the self in comparison to the fallen brother or sister — in other words, as the Pharisee prays, “Thank G-d I am not a sinner like that person” (Luke 18:11).

Instead, we are to “Bear one another’s burdens,” Paul says, “and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. Paul has a radical understanding of the responsibility believers should have for one another. They are to share all burdens, even the burdens of guilt and shame when one of them goes astray (another way of fulfilling the command to love neighbor as self). Loving our neighbor this way means resisting self-deception, recognizing that I am every bit as vulnerable to temptation as my neighbor, and every bit as dependent upon the grace of G-d. It means that rather than comparing myself to my neighbor, rather I should engage in self-examination: and we all know which is harder, Amen?

Pastor Dave