Majesty in the Mundane

Introduction

We're going to use this piece to look at Paul's letter to Ephesus. This "Queen of Epistles" so-called, one of the general epistles, given lack of personal references and manuscript evidence, was probably originally intended for general circulation.

Context

Martyn-Lloyd Jones, esteemed former, now-glorified, minister of Westminster Chapel in London, U.K., on post-war, Friday nights, preached over 1,600 sermons on this book. I'll try to brief & take just one article.

Majestic Doctrine in Ephesians 1:1-3:21

After briefest opening remarks, that stress the sovereign will of God towards His faithful saints, grateful praise is raised to the God of grace, who has lavished on His Church all spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. We were chosen before creation, predestined for adoption, redeemed by His blood, made heavenly heirs, sealed by the Spirit & taught of His plan to unite the cosmos under Living Head Jesus. Paul wants the Church to grasp the stupendous fact that the same divine energy, that raised & exalted Christ, is at work through His fullness, His body. both now & evermore (1:1-23).

Once wicked, wayward, worldly, Jews & Gentile, like the rest of humankind, were dead in sin at birth, held in Satan's grip & slaves to fleshly lusts. But, by the mighty action of lavish, loving, sovereign, grace, God intervened & has given us irreversible life, by uniting us to Christ - we have been & now stay saved by grace, apart from works through faith, as objects of divine art, remodelled in Jesus to pursue a path of good works (the proof). The Ceremonial Law, which had served as a religious divide, to partition the human race, & deprive nations of covenant membership & means of gracious privileges, was pulled to the ground by Christ - the stated reason was so that those near & far, could be gathered in One Head, joined in One Temple, to serve the living God, by the peace-making message of the Blood of His Cross. That we have become citizens of God's Kingdom, worshippers in His House, & members of His body, centred on cornerstone Christ is a mystery now revealed & another great truth to grasp - the vast dimensions of God's most-wise, eternal, purpose is now made known to heavenly rulers & realms by the Church, to the glory of His grace (2:1-3:21).

Mundane Practice in Ephesians 4:1-6:24

It is because of the central, strategic, importance of the Church, to the eternal purpose of God in Christ - it is the vehicle of communicating the glories of grace to cosmic powers & princes - that believers are urged to maintain blood-bought, Spirit-bonded, peace & unity in God's body: they must do all they can to bear with one another in love, maintaining one Gospel doctrine, employing all spiritual gifts, poured out by Jesus at Pentecost, through the officers of the Church - the Word must be faithfully and powerfully preached to safeguard against error, prevent schism, outwit Satan & reach maturity - doctrine is vital to proper functioning of all members in this living organism of the Church, the Body of Christ the Head, which He spiritually animates & interconnects. Beyond doctrinal unity, the Gospel must be applied: through our union with the death & resurrection of Jesus, the old man is put off, and the new man is put on, in renewed Christ-like holiness. The Blood of Jesus is to be applied to truthful speech, tantrum avoidance, earning wages, holy conversation, banished malice, tender heartedness & mutual forgiveness - magnificently mundane. Having dealt with general godliness, Gospel doctrine is then applied to love-filled lives, sexual fidelity, fleeing idolatry, edifying worship & illuminated ethics which set aside the deeds of darkness. Specific relationships come into focus - submission to the Mediatorial Lordship of Jesus, is to be worked out in reverence for Christ: husbands & wives are to style their marriages  after the pattern of the sacrifice of Christ for a now-obedient Church. Divine order is restored to Christian homes - harshness and insubordination are put away in a loving environment, where parents love kids who are eager to obey. Gospel respect also governs the "New Society" workplace, with bosses mindful of God, and workers knowing that Jesus sees when they clock-off and clock-on & how they do their work. And, to that end, that areas in the humdrum of daily life adorn the Gospel of God, the doctrines of sovereign grace are to be put-on like kevlar suits with prayer, as spiritual power for the offence & defense of the Church, is supplied by the Lord: bended knees pull down evil forts & ward off fiery darts. Saints zealously commit to diligent use of public & private means of grace - that preachers, far & near, declare the glory of grace, below & above, to the astounded audience.

Conclusion

Perhaps you should get your hands of some of the studies of Lloyd Jones. The Shorter Catechism will help you gird your mental loins with truth. Marvel at the grace of being members of God's Church. Delight in the Most Wise plan that predestined you in love to be beloved sons of God in holiness. Use all means of grace to fortify your heart. Keep precious peace bought by the blood of Christ. Let the magnificent work out in the mundane.