Ephesians 6:23-24

6:23

Peace – right relationship: God, others and self. This is the beginning of a 3-part benediction, blessing, for the Ephesians and for me. Benediction: good words, words meant to bring certain benefits into the recipients’ lives. Here Paul pronounces peace, love and grace into my life.

to the brothers – fellow believers

and love –words and actions that demonstrate the worth of someone else

with faith – seeing the invisible; touching the non-physical

love with faith from God – confusing phrasing. Love from God with faith? Love accompanied by faith, the latter of which comes from God? Or love and faith both coming from God? Not sure it makes much difference. We know from other Bible passages that both come from God and that all good gifts come from Him. So why does Paul specifically link faith to love? Nancy and I read a couple readings from Oswald Chambers each night. One of the sections last night dealt with loving others as God loves us. Part of his point was that God brings difficult people into my life. This gives me the opportunity to love them as God loves me. He loved me when I was hateful to Him. He loves me in spite of my struggles and weaknesses. He believes (exercises faith) that I will keep growing into the likeness of Christ.

Is that why Paul ties faith to love? Whom do I need to love today? In whom do I need to see with faith-eyes the likeness of Christ fighting to come out?
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – My world gives the impression that I can love people and believe in people all on my own. It’s just a matter of how I think, how I train my mind to process data. “We’re all one big family; so let’s all get along and be happy.” Or, “I can do anything I set my mind on; I just have to believe.”

But the love and faith demonstrated by God in Christ involved a hill and a cross, a death and a resurrection. The love and faith expected by God in Christ from me will physically look different from how it looked in Christ Himself. But at its essence it will call for ugly suffering and symbolic death and resurrection. This kind of love and faith in action cannot be manufactured by my willpower. I can only get this from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:24

Grace – I am on a long-term campaign to expand our understanding of this term. I am told that Calvin said grace is unmerited favor. (I am not a Calvin scholar; but many people say this.) To this I say: “True, but incomplete.” In recent years, preachers and teachers have introduced the acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. To this I say: “Cute, but incomplete.” Any adequate definition of grace must take into account Paul’s statement in Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It [grace] teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age….”

In other words, any adequate explanation of grace must include its effect on my lifestyle. In addition to unmerited favor from God, grace impels me to obedience.

to all – the entire fellowship of believers. As at the beginning, this letter is meant for the group, the community of faith. While I have sought to apply it personally, it is written in the context of community—the community of faith in Jesus Christ.

who love our Lord Jesus Christ – again I find myself arrested by this word “love.” My world calls it a feeling, something I fall into. But my Bible demonstrates love as an action: An action that includes pain, death, faith and rebirth. I have asked before about whom there might be to whom I can show love today.

This phrase turns that question on end: How can I demonstrate my love for the Lord Jesus Christ today? What actions can I take that will express His worth, His importance, in my life? True, I can never adequately show His importance in my life. But I can do what I can do.

with an undying love – The love I express for Christ will never end. So after I die, I will have an eternity in which to keep showing Him my love!