Friends,

Here is Common Christianity column #828 (9-27-22), “What Are You Waiting For?” Don’t shrink from the difficult teachings of Paul, nor dismiss his simple statements, either.  We are raised up and seated with God … even now.  Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #828

September 27, 2022

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

What Are You Waiting For?

By Bob Walters

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus …” – Paul in Ephesians 2:6-9

My Bible mentor George Bebawi used to joke that as much as he looked forward to meeting Jesus in heaven, he feared his first reaction to meeting the Apostle Paul might be to “catch (grab) him by his throat” and demand, “Why did you write such difficult things?”

I sat under George’s teaching for 14 years on Wednesday evenings at East 91^st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, organizing class and formatting notes. This after George retired from the Divinity faculty at Cambridge University, England, in May 2004. 

Born Jewish in Eastern Europe – though he grew up in Cairo, Egypt and converted to a life in Christ in his late teens – George to me personified what I thought Paul might have been like: a brilliant, feisty, thoroughly educated Jew who later brilliantly – with force and authority – shared his faith in and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I imagined George probably looked, and possibly even acted, like Paul.

George taught Paul’s letters – and many other things – with depth, clarity, and thematic discernment.  Paul’s Book of Ephesians, George maintained, was the first place a believing Christian should go to for a proper refresher course in Christianity 101.

That said, today’s specific passage in Ephesians 2 points to something crystal clear but obliquely overlooked by many believing, serving, loving, sincere Christians about salvation, forgiveness, and the “heavenly realms”: we already possess them.

We await the day of the Lord, our day of Judgement, and our entry into eternity as future events.  And they are.  But examine Ephesians 2, verse 6 – “God raised us up” with Christ “and seated us” with him in the heavenly realms.  It’s already real.

This “salvation” so many Christians anticipate in “the next life” is the salvation we already have – now – by being “born again” in Jesus Christ.  Paul says in Romans 6:10, “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive in Christ.”  Never overlook that … or wait for it.

Believers in Christ can live our lives now in the joy of Jesus.  Not by “betting on the come” of rewards and glory far off in another mysterious life and sphere, but in the vibrant, visible, eyes-wide-open reality of today, with thankfulness and full knowledge of instruction Jesus preached: to love God, love others, and to trust Him, Jesus, as Lord

Why? Because Paul says so in verse 6, and then says this in verse 7: “…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Jesus Christ.”  These coming ages are going to be quite a show.

But we know a piece of it now: these “heavenly realms.”  They are real, a part of our current existence, and because of Jesus’s resurrection, we know it for sure. Yet we doubt our worthiness: What about my sins and the icky parts of my life behaviors? 

Paul goes on (verse 8), “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –”.  Do you wonder if you have earned this gift?  Don’t wonder … you haven’t.  See verse 9: “…not by works, so that no one can boast.”  Accept the gift, live the life, read Ephesians, and note the grammar.

The Bible covers past, present, and future, and Jesus covers our sin.  Already.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes: Non-believers are missing a large part of life. And ... George passed away in February 2021.  I'm curious how the meeting went with Paul.

Spirituality Column #387
April 15, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville

By Bob Walters

Spirituality Column #309
October 16, 2012
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers – Zionsville

Forgive Me for Asking, But …
By Bob Walters

When asked “What’s Jesus done for you?” many Christians quickly answer, “He died on the cross to forgive my sins.”

True enough.

But if we honestly believe that answer – that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins – why do so many of us still pray daily for God’s forgiveness?  Forgiveness has already happened, and that idea is as plainly and clearly presented as any in the Bible.  Over and over (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, 10:2, Jude 1:3, etc.) the New Testament instructs us that Jesus died “once for all” – for all mankind, for the forgiveness of all sin, and for the restoration of all creation.

My email pen pal Bob recently opined that asking Jesus for forgiveness again and again is akin to asking Jesus to go to the cross again and again.  Jesus has been there, done that, and is sitting in Heaven with the scars to prove it.  We’re forgiven, already; not by our request but by God’s grace and Jesus on the cross.

In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly offers forgiveness (Matthew 9:2), claims the authority to forgive (Matthew 9:6), and commands us to forgive (Matthew 18:35).  But humanity asking “for forgiveness” is not something Jesus ever mentions.  Nor is it something mankind ever thought of asking for.  The Jews of Jesus’ time believed their divine deliverer would provide spectacular, triumphant, and righteous military power, not humble, servant-hearted, and righteous forgiveness of sinners.

Jesus tells us to pray, repent, be baptized, and to follow him (Mark 1).  For our salvation we are to love God, trust Jesus, rely on the Holy Spirit, and both love and forgive our neighbor.  But from the cross, our forgiveness through Christ is eternal and ongoing – a “done deal.”  Continuing to ask Jesus “for forgiveness” seems ungracious, tantamount to doubting His word, His promise, His authority, His power, His love.

But still … we sin, feel guilty, and reflexively pray for forgiveness.  Isn’t it far better to recognize and repent of sin, and then – with faith and perseverance – strengthen our relationship with the one risen Lord?  We do that by building, growing, learning, nurturing and trusting in Jesus Christ: that He is who He says He is, has done what He says He has done, and will do what He has promised to do.

My teacher George recently remarked that many Christians are addicted to praying for forgiveness.  I’d never heard it put quite like that.  Certainly, prayer is good, but our prayers should reflect our total trust in the grace of Christ Jesus.

For what is grace if not forgiveness?

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) doesn’t pray for God’s forgiveness; he thanks God that His forgiveness is eternal.  Peace and mercy to all.