I do not even judge myself

We started a bible study in Ephesians 1 on Friday at my house. The book is enormously important to the Christian as it begins with some incredibly important theology that is meant to establish the relationship between God and His children. It allows us to know who we are not from who we think we are, or from who others say we are, but from God in heaven. That is why in 1 Corinthians 4:3 the Apostle Paul refuses to claim any authority over himself. Pay attention to his words: "...it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." He is making the case that God is his judge and, because of that, he has no authority to claim his own identity. This is important because we clearly derive our identity from that which owns us. If we are God's then He tells us who we are. If we are slaves to sin, then such reveals our owner.

So who does God say we are? We need to look at His promises in Ephesians 1 to find out. Here is Paul's exposition of the spiritual blessings of God upon His children:

1) We are chosen by Him for eternal life before the foundation of the world (vs. 4)

2) We stand holy and blameless before Him (vs. 4)

3) We were predestined to be adopted as sons - a term connotative not of gender but of inheritance (vs. 5)

4) We are redeemed from slavery by Jesus' blood and forgiven of all our sin (vs. 7)

5) He has revealed to us the mystery of His will - the uniting of all things in Him (vs. 10)

6) We have been given the inheritance of Christ - or all things the Father has given Him (vs. 11)

7) Our inheritance of eternal life is guaranteed by the deposit of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (vs. 13-14)

This predestination along with the forgiveness granted by the power of God is critical to establish us in the firm hand of God. In fact, the power that the Holy Spirit has placed in our hearts is the same "that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named..." (vs. 20-21).

We have been made alive and if our identity in any way comes from our continued effort to define ourselves then we cannot rest assured in the spiritual blessings of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. You are either forgiven or you are not. You are either a son of God or you are not. You have eternal life or you do not. IT IS FINISHED! There is no middle ground that leaves us any wiggle room. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead does not leave any power for death to win. Once you are given the life of Jesus you cannot lose it. You cannot commit spiritual suicide when
you do not even own your life! Once God has called you His son you cannot just stop being His son. We have no power to rename ourselves once God has named us. That is why verse 21 establishes our identity "above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." Your name depends not upon your work but upon the work of Jesus.

The Little Boy in Every Man; The Wounded Girl in Every Woman

I've spent a large portion of my life living as a passive man, enviously cynical at many times of the adventures seen in hero stories: A fair maiden is held by a maleficent evil, an heroic adventurer fights the injustice, vanquishing the wickedness and winning the lady's heart. But I've come to realize that the fight is all too real and I've missed the point of the parable entirely.

As a man, I was made to strike a blow against evil. I was formed from the dust and filled with the very breath of God to be that valiant man. But long ago before I even knew God, evil struck at my manhood and tried to rob me of my life through the lust of passivity.

"You don't really need to fight for a woman."

"You're not a man.You're just a weak little boy."

"Look at all the times you've failed. That makes you a failure."

I gave in to these lies for so long. But God, who is rich in mercy and love, found me drowning in the mire of my own guilt and rescued me. For eleven years now He has spoken truth to me.

"You are my son. I am pleased with you."

"I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness."

"You are more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves you."

Eleven years. The fight has been brutal at times with very little rest. But my Lord spoke to me today and said, "You may fight with your body but it is my armaments you use. You can do nothing without Me."

My eyes are open. I will fight the war with faith that the words of God are true and the words of the Evil One are deceitful. There is more at stake than just my life. The life of every person trapped behind walls is also at stake. The walls of the imprisoned maiden are not always built by a villainous character. Often the bricks of her imprisonment are handed to her and she builds her own prison. These bricks are named by the Evil One to strike at the heart of the damsel:

"You are not beautiful."

"There is no one who will fight for you."

"Love is just a lie meant to break your heart with false hope."

The abused maiden is in need of a Truth that will set her free. The crushed man is in need of the same. It is God's design that the true identity of man and woman would complement one another and the Evil One's design that they should be torn asunder. It is war and importantly one every man must fight.

As a man of God, it is my calling to rise up and fight. I want to fulfill my desire to be knight in shining armor for a damsel in distress. So I bombard the Enemy's position and set the captives free with every truth from the Word of God. The Evil One may have bricks, but I have artillery:

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."

"To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."

Dear friend, find your identity in Christ. He is the strength for the weary and broken-hearted. All who cry out to Him in faith will be rescued. Men, end your passivity. Surrender to the power of God and He will train you to be a mighty warrior. In the words of Gil Bailie, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Jesus is the giver of life.