Posted on 09/19/2005 9:13:46 AM PDT by xzins
I'm not sure what a commentary on Ephesians is suppose to do for me. Let's pare this down: After we have put on the whole armour of God, what is the one thing we are commanded to do?
Is it: run off and engage in an epic battle against Satan's dominion and strongholds?
Or is it, as Ephesians 6:14 says "Stand."
For those of us doing as we are commanded, it is actually often knee slapping funny to watch everyone else get all frothy running here and there fighting Satan.
As Dr. Eckleburg so aptly noted: It does give them something to do. Hey, sister, pass the tea. I'm working up a sweat just watching them.
BTW, this nutty thought just hit me: If it is called prayer to God (I'm thinking of that other command found in 6:18) how come so many Christians spend their time speaking TO Satan and binding him?
***Christ Himself tells you to "be of good cheer" and you would rather be nervous about the outcome?***
Like I noted before, to be nervous about the outcome seems to belie a shaky faith.
If Calvinism wasn't born until the Reformation, then what, using this analogy, would Arminianism be?
No, the gospel has not always had the nickname Calvinism, but the gospel has always been the gospel, given to man in the Garden. I note that God did not tell Adam to go and shed blood and provide an acceptable representative covering for himself (Arminian man centered theology). Even while the man was hiding and blaming his wife, the first tokens of the gospel were presented by God to the man in the form of the covering for his sin (Calvinistic God centered theology). Salvation is of the Lord.
Our theology is at least 6000 years old.
12. "For we wrestle not. To impress them still more deeply with their danger, he points out the nature of the enemy, which he illustrates by a comparative statement, Not against flesh and blood. The meaning is, that our difficulties are far greater than if we had to fight with men. There we resist human strength, sword is opposed to sword, man contends with man, force is met by force, and skill by skill; but here the case is widely different. All amounts to this, that our enemies are such as no human power can withstand. By flesh and blood the apostle denotes men, who are so denominated in order to contrast them with spiritual assailants. This is no bodily struggle.
Let us remember this when the injurious treatment of others provokes us to revenge. Our natural disposition would lead us to direct all our exertions against the men themselves; but this foolish desire will be restrained by the consideration that the men who annoy us are nothing more than darts thrown by the hand of Satan. While we are employed in destroying those darts, we lay ourselves open to be wounded on all sides.
To wrestle with flesh and blood will not only be useless, but highly pernicious. We must go straight to the enemy, who attacks and wounds us from his concealment, — who slays before he appears. But to return to Paul. He describes our enemy as formidable, not to overwhelm us with fear, but to quicken our diligence and earnestness; for there is a middle course to be observed. When the enemy is neglected, he does his utmost to oppress us with sloth, and afterwards disarms us by terror; so that, ere the engagement has commenced, we are vanquished.
By speaking of the power of the enemy, Paul labors to keep us more on the alert. He had already called him the devil, but now employs a variety of epithets, to make the reader understand that this is not an enemy who may be safely despised. Against principalities, against powers. Still, his object in producing alarm is not to fill us with dismay, but to excite us to caution. He calls them princes of the world; but he explains himself more fully by adding — of the darkness of the world. The devil reigns in the world, because the world is nothing else than darkness. Hence it follows, that the corruption of the world gives way to the kingdom of the devil; for he could not reside in a pure and upright creature of God, but all arises from the sinfulness of men."
This excerpt from the commentary post should at least cause you to question your "triumphalism". Satan is not bound now according to the writer , but is a real and potent enemy now. You make fun of those who take him seriously, "binding" him as you say, but at least they have not sold him short during these times he is prowling around seeking those whom he may devour. I assume their "binding" is from the same understanding that you have that Christ defeated the enemy and they are standing on that victory and reminding the enemy of it.
I wish that I wasn't nervous, but I just can't help it. The future is bright as we look to the resurrection, but there are bumps along the way, and I don't have much faith in myself.
Christ seemed a little nervous as the cross drew near, so I feel I am in good company.
How is there any difference in 1 and 2?
2) God is in control of His creation but He has allowed Satan to blind the eyes of those very people who He [God] is trying to save. God give prevenient grace so that He can open those eyes again so they may make a decision. (Buggman/neener’s view #499)
There is a distinct difference between 1 and 2 in a) who blinds the people; b) the purpose of their blindness; and c) how they are rescued. In #1 God does it all. In #2 others are involved.
And if we could be vanquished (which earlier you have agreed is ultimately impossible), perhaps this would be true.
But with the Holy Ghost as our inerrant guide, it is not possible for believers in the Triune God to be defeated. Christ has promised us that very thing. "Believe and you shall be saved."
In your heart, b-d, I don't think you are fearful for your salvation. Fearful of Almighty God, yes. But truly fearful of Satan, not you. Not me. Not any Christian who understands the battle has already been won by His resurrection. BC/AD. The whole world was transformed by His birth.
We need to be strong, confident, wary of Satan and incorruptible to his lies, ashamed of our weaknesses and diligent in our faith, all by the grace of God.
And from an evangelical standpoint, how much more productive is it to declare "Fight on because we win," rather than "Stumble on because we might lose?"
If Christ has "overcome the world," and He is in us, what do we really fear?
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." -- Galatians 2:20-21"I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips! :O)
Which historic creeds?
Sure, but where would that leave the Messianic Jews?
The times when I am most nervous or worried are the times I am most certain of my faith because it is the only thing left to sustain me. During the darkness of night His promise not to lose me shines most brightly.
"When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you rest your head." -- Charles Spurgeon
Nervous??
nervous(adj): In a state of anxiety or uneasiness.
If the Bible says to be anxious for nothing, how could Christ be nervious (anxious)?
Uhh...no. What you're basically saying is that the Nicene Council decided what was orthodoxy rather than affirming what was already accepted as orthodoxy in the church.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
There is no implication of any gap. Final judgement for everybody happens at His coming.
And it isn't whether or not I say so; it's what the scripture itself says.
If they want to come along there is room in the Gospel Blimp.
Have you ever blown up a balloon? The balloon is completely filled with air, and yet it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger...
Look, Sunday is coming and I have to finish preparing for two classes I have to teach and quite frankly, I don't want us to leave tonight still debating something we all agree on, except we interpret it in different terms because of our experiences and teachings. The quote from the commentary is from Calvin's "Sermons on Ephesians". As you can see he takes the warfare seriously as I'm sure all of us here do or we would not be so serious about the weapons of our warfare and the security of knowing that no matter how intense the fight with the enemy, our Captain will never leave us on the field defenseless, or unsure of the ultimate victory.
Be sure to thank Him in the morning for keeping us safe during the night when we are most vulnerable.
I figured it was either Calvin or Luther. We know you too well. 8~)
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