Practice Principle

Ephesians 1:15 (ESV):

15For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,



As we continue to look at Ephesians 1:13 – 23 and determine the principles needed to experience the “fullness” (v. 23) of Christ as “head” (v. 22) of the church, we will look at what Paul says is the second important principle.

Last week, Paul stated that in order to truly experience Christ as head of the church, the church must be made up of believers (v. 13 – 14). One cannot understand nor fully comprehend the true power of the church until Christ is Lord and Savior. I call this the Position Principle.

This week, we will look at what I call the Practice Principle. Look into verse 15. Paul says that the Ephesian church has put two important things into practice: Faith and Love.

First, Paul states that they have faith and that he has heard of their faith. Very possibly, the church in Ephesus put their faith into action. James (James 1:22 – 27) tells us that we must show our faith:

"22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Notice the sequence however; their working faith is step 2. A person cannot show true faith without salvation. Works religion is a dead religion.

Secondly, Paul says the church at Ephesus practices “love toward all the saints,” They loved other Christians and showed that love.
Christ told his disciples in John 13:34 – 35:

"34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

We are to love other Christians, whether they are of our “fellowship” (local church) or not. If they claim the name of Christ, we are to show our love for them. Notice, Paul states that the Ephesian church had love for ALL “the saints”.

So, this week we must strive to put the Practice Principle into action. Show your faith and demonstrate Christ in the way you live first and foremost; secondly, show your love for other Christians: say a kind word of encouragement, help them with a task, pray together, and help them with a problem. Love them!

May God bless you richly this week.

No God...Know God...

This does not surprise me much. The link below is to a Fox News report concerning the “status of religion” in the United States:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506849,00.html

According to the article, 15% of Americans say they have no religion. The article highlights how this aspect has increased over the last 19+ years, going back to a study in 1990.

This leads me to a question: why is this trend happening? Most who participate on the blog will easily answer this question. But I wanted to pose it anyway.

John MacArthur has a quote in several sermons and interviews: “Hard preaching makes soft people”; conversely, “Soft preaching makes hard people and hearts”. The world is having a hard time distinguishing between truly redeemed and from those who want to call themselves “Christian”…thus, giving people no true reason to look unto Christ. They see no need. The preaching and teaching is swallow, the music only appeals to the ears and not to the heart, and the people do not show the life of the redeemed.

This article is disturbing but also encouraging to me. As encouraging because I personally know men who are dedicated to preaching the true Word of God, staying true to the Scriptures, and proclaiming “Thus sayeth the Lord…”

So to my brothers on this blog, the harvest is white. You have my prayers that your ministries will counter this trend.