Christ - Wisdom of God

In the third chapter of Ephesians Paul says, "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Here we see Paul teaching that God is using the church on earth as a means by which to display his power to the angels--those who are the "principalities and powers in heavenly places." Paul says that by the church--the bride of Jesus Christ--the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the angels. The "wisdom of God" encompasses a great many things, but namely it is none other than the incarnate Jesus Christ, the God-Man, "the heir of all things, by whom [God] made the world" (Heb 1:2). "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:23-24).

Humanity teaching angels is no small thing to overlook, for it marks an important development in the maturation in the sons of Adam. In former times God used angels as means by which to deliver his word to humans (Hebrews 2:2). However, after the first advent of Jesus Christ, who is the Second Adam, we see that true humanity--the church/bride of Jesus Christ--delivers a word to the angels, a message which makes "manifold [much variegated; a wide spectrum like colors] the wisdom of God."

Humanity is maturing, and Jesus Christ is both the reason and the proof that humanity is maturing. How so? God eternally purposed to reveal Jesus Christ--"the manifold wisdom of God"--by the church. You cannot talk about Son of God--Jesus Christ the God-Man--without talking about the church, and vice versa. In times past God spoke to humanity by the angels and prophets, however, now the Lord speaks to us (humanity) by his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1). Thus, now true humanity--the church--teaches the angels about the "manifold wisdom of God." Because of Jesus Christ humanity has been transformed from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18). Humanity has put on the new man: Col 3:10--"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Truly humanity in Jesus Christ (and united to Jesus Christ and counted righteous in Jesus Christ) is maturing, for in putting on the new man we are "created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph 4:24).

So, humanity is growing up because true-humanity/the Church knows Jesus Christ. We know Him, He who is the Son and Wisdom of God. Humanity: we are maturing, we are growing up, we are becoming wiser. Praise God!

Christian Ministers: Preaching Grace

Salvation is by grace. Salvation is ουκ εξ εργων, not of works. A Christian Minister's job is to preach salvation by grace by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christian preaching is not of works. For a minister, preaching and theology must walk hand in hand; the content of the message (grace) should characterize the mode (preaching done by grace and not of works). Otherwise, a minister will never make Christ "all."

Christian Worship: Christian Traits

‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ Ephesians 5:18-21

Christian living ought to look like biblical worship. When Christians participate in worship they are both anticipating the eschatological reality of the Christian future and participating in that Christian future. At the end of the Lord’s Service the Saints are commissioned and receive a benediction—in the name of the Triune God they are blessed and sent forth into the world as God-worshippers shaped by Godly-worship. The Saints will conduct dominion-work during the week, and the aroma and ethos of that work should be typified by Lord’s Day worship. That being the case, Christian living should be identified by the traits of Christian worship. What traits are in the Lord’s Service?

Ephesians 5:18-21 describes a trait—those filled with the Spirit will sing. Singing is a trait of those who love God (Not obnoxious singing, or inappropriate singing, like singing at the top of your lungs in Wal-Mart).

God speaks to us through his Spirit and we respond. This is what we do in the Lord’s Service (The Word is spoken to us and we respond in song.). If our worship does look like this, then so will our life.

But isn’t it interesting that the author contrasts drunkards with believers? This is not an ultimate dualism; actually there are several similar points. The drunkard singing in a bar is a convention that resonates in antiquity. Christians will share traits with a drunkard, constantly singing and talking about the things that are going on, however, rather than singing about your sinfulness or greed or lasciviousness and your dread of pain and agony, instead you will sing about God’s faithfulness to you, your family, and His providential care for you and Christ’s Bride, the Church, in all things, which includes the pains, temptations, and the vale of tears that oftentimes comprises this world.

Christians should be singing. Therefore, Christian worship and living, to add to James K. A. Smith’s observation, may look more like the singing and participatory movements in Moulin Rouge or the local pub than the talking-heads on the 700 Club, or their silent, stoic viewers sitting at home in their Lazy-Boys.

Yes, Christian living ought to look like biblical worship. However, this does not mean that biblical worship is charismatic/Pentecostal “anything goes”--“slain/laughing/nobody-knows-what-is-happening in the Spirit” showbiz. Biblical worship will be filled with the Spirit and will be identified by Fruit –specifically – sober mindedness and self control...oh yeah, and singing.