Monday 20 October 2008
- Bible Book:
- Ephesians
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life." (v.8-10)
Background
First century Ephesus was a major centre in the ancient world -the site of the Temple of Artemis (or Diana). People saw theirlives as heavily influenced by spirits and divine beings and wentto great lengths to gain their favour, and the cult of the goddessArtemis was very important to the Ephesians. It governed theirlives in all kinds of ways, as did all the major cults in thecities of the Roman Empire. Fear of displeasing the gods, and thehope of blessing and eternal reward, shaped their world-view andthe pattern of their daily lives. And this, says Paul (or whoeverwrote 'Ephesians' - we're not entirely sure), is a kind of livingdeath by being trapped in fear and ignorance.
What a contrast then, to the god whose mercy and great love, graceand kindness, has been revealed to the world in the life, death andresurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a god who only wants the verybest for creation, both now and in "the ages to come". And thatmeans setting people free and bringing them back to the life Godintends for them, which, says this writer, God has already done.This life is experienced not through the demands of religiousritual ("works") but through faith in Jesus Christ. That meansbelief and trust in him as the way to being truly alive. And italso means leaving behind the old way of life of "following thedesires of flesh and senses" and instead doing "good works".
This passage then, is about the opportunity - and the need - torelocate from the world of Ephesus (in Asia Minor - roughlymodern-day Turkey) to the "heavenly places in Christ Jesus", beingset free from a world of fear, ignorance and superstition andentering the world that God intends for God's creation. The viewfrom here, suggests the writer to the Ephesians, is verydifferent.
To Ponder
You probably don't share the Ephesians'world-view as a devotee of Artemis, so what kind of world-viewmight a Christian writer challenge today, and why?
What kind of Christian world-view would makesense to your non-Christian friends today?
How important to you are 'good works'? Think ofsome examples.