Tuesday, May 24, 2016

134. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY CHURCH? – Interruption (a) – What does it mean for a church to be ‘in the Lord’?

In the current meditations we reflect on the question: is the full armour of God of which Paul talks in Ephesians 6:10-17 only meant for individual Christians or also for the local church as a whole? Does God’s armour only protect Christ’s life in us personally against Satan’s assaults? Does it equally protect Christ’s life within the local church which is the Body of Christ? So far we have seen that Jesus wants to manifest His life in our churches through our passionate love for God and for each other. We have realized that God’s Spirit is well able to produce this Christlike love in our hearts and in our congregations. However, the question remains: how do we protect Jesus’ life in our churches against Satan’s attacks?

To protect His Church against Satan’s onslaught, God commands His people through the apostle Paul, saying: “Be (or: grow, become) strong in the Lord...” (Ephesians 6:10**)

Before we can talk about the question how our churches can grow strong in the Lord, we need to ask the question: what does it mean for a church to be ‘in the Lord’?

Paul often uses the term “in the Lord” in his letters. Here are some examples:

---  “Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord.” (Romans 16:8**)

--- “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” (Ephesians 4:17**)

--- “I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.” (Philippians 2:24**)

--- “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.” (Philippians 3:1**)

However, for our meditation we need to limit our search for Paul’s use of this expression to texts in which he describes the state of an individual or a church as being ‘in the Lord’. Thereby Paul speaks of (1) being chosen in the Lord; (2) having fellowship in the Lord; (3) working or labouring in the Lord.


(1) To be chosen ‘in the Lord’, ‘in Christ’, ‘in the Spirit’ or ‘through the work of God’s Spirit’ means to be called out of the world en brought into union with Christ and each other.

When Paul finishes his letter to the church in Rome, he sends greetings to Rufus and writes: “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.” (Romans 16:13**)
The Greek text says literally: “Greet Rufus, the chosen one in the Lord...” Rufus was a man, called out of the world and chosen by God to live a life in union with Christ.

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus (Turkey): “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.” (Ephesians 1:4*) All God’s children, called out of the world and reborn by His Spirit, are meant to live a life in union with Christ.

In his second letter to the church in Thessalonica (Greece), the apostle tells the church that God chose to save them through the intervening act of His Spirit: “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13**)

Paul reminds Jesus’ followers in Corinth how they started their Christian life: For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13, Berean Study Bible). Here the apostle shows that their lives as redeemed children of God had actually started with the gift of God’s Spirit. Consequently, they were intertwined as members of the Body of Christ.  

It seems that in these texts the expressions ‘in the Lord’, ‘in Christ’ and ‘in or through the Spirit’ are interchangeable. They all indicate that the start of a redeemed life is characterised by Christ’s saving work through His Spirit.


(2) To have fellowship ‘in the Lord’, ‘in Christ’ or ‘in the Spirit’ means to live in union with Christ and each other.

In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul designates himself as someone who has fellowship with Christ. Therefore he calls himself “one who is in the Lord Jesus (Romans 14:14**).

The same expression the apostle uses in this letter for those Christians who belong to the household of Narcissus: Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.” (Romans 16:11**)
   
When Paul writes to the followers of Jesus in Ephesus (Turkey), he reminds them of their former life in the world and their new life in union with Jesus: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8**)

The apostle Paul is probably imprisoned in Rome when he writes to the church in Philippi (Greece). In his letter he mentions the bold witness of the Roman Christians: “Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:14**). He calls them ‘brothers in the Lord’, because they live – like Paul - in union with Christ. Therefore they belong with him to the family of Jesus.

Paul speaks to the Roman Christians about their union with Christ that intertwined them as members of one body: “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5**)

In his letter to the Christians in Galatia (Turkey), Paul identifies them as belonging to God’s family through their union with Christ: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28**)

The apostle Paul tells the church in Colosse (Turkey) that his colleague Epaphras was deeply impressed by the love that ruled their congregation. That love was produced by God’s Spirit who lived in their hearts: “Epaphras also told us of your love in the Spirit.” (Colossians 1:8**)

Again we see that in all these examples, the expressions ‘in the Lord’, ‘in Christ’ and ‘in the Spirit’ are interchangeable. They all denote the unifying work of Christ through His Spirit in the lives of individuals and of the church.


(3) To work or labour ‘in the Lord’ means to serve Christ in the power of His Spirit.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul sends special greetings to some outstanding Christians: “Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.” (Romans 16:12**)

The expression ‘to work in the Lord’ means to be empowered by the Lord through His Spirit to do the work He has called us to do. That is the way these saints in Rome served the Lord.

It was also the way Paul himself served the Lord. He testifies to the church in Colosse: “So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. I work very hard at this, as I depend on Christ's mighty power that works within me.” (Colossians 1:28-29*)

Paul reminds the church in Corinth in his first letter that their existence is the result of the ministry to which Christ empowered him by His Spirit: “Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1**)

Later in the same letter Paul encourages the church in Corinth to follow his example. Their service to Christ, empowered by God’s Spirit will certainly bear fruit: “My dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58**)

Paul recommends his precious colleague Tychicus to the church in Ephesus because of the latter’s faithful ministry empowered by Christ through His Spirit:  “Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.” (Ephesians 6:21**)

Finally, in his letter to the church in Colosse the apostle urges the believers that they encourage Archippus to finish the ministry that Christ had given him by His Spirit: “Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.’” (Colossians 4:17**)

In all these texts, we see that the expressions ‘in the Lord’, in Christ’ and ‘in the Spirit’ point to the fact that God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son work in individuals and in congregations through the Holy Spirit. That is the true Trinitarian way Christian life starts. That is the true Trinitarian way authentic Christian unity in the church operates and that is the true Trinitarian way genuine Christian work is done.

Jesus already spoke in John’s Gospel about this Trinitarian mission:

-- “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive Him, because it isn't looking for Him and doesn't recognize Him. But you do, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:16-17*)

-- “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23**)

-- “The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26**)

-- “I will send you the Counselor-- the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about Me. And you must also tell others about Me because you have been with Me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27*)

-- “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. ..... Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1.4.5*)

This may all still sound a bit theoretical. So, now the question is: how does a church that wants to grow strong ‘in the Lord’ practically look like? That will be the theme for the coming ‘Interruptions’. So hold on!


Translations: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version.


About “Who is the Holy Spirit and what is His ministry?”, see meditations 27-33.
About "God's major project: Transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ", see meditations 44-48.
About “Personal, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see meditations 56-62.
About “Corporate, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see meditations 63-99.
About “The Church as a ‘Corporate Personality’, see meditation 63-65.
About “The two Tracks of Maturing in Christlikeness”, see meditation 100.
About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life?”, see meditations 101-119.
About “How do I protect Jesus’ life within me against Satan’s attacks?”, see meditations 120-133.

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