Ephesians 2:1-10
God has given us many things and many gifts. We already know that
we are born naked (Ecc 5:15). As such, and we own nothing when we came into
this world (1 Tim 6:7; Job 1:21). But as we grew from babyhood, we were given
strength (Ps 28:7), abilities and opportunities to work (Deut 8:17-18), and
even wealth and honor (1 Chron 29:12). We were given material things, like our
homes, cars, and other properties. We were given parents and children, and
friends who can help us and comfort us. We were given education and knowledge
to deal with the world. We were also given gifts and talents: some with music,
arts, computers, speech, drama, etc.
We have come a long ways from the time we were born, owning
nothing, so cute, but also fragile, weak, destitute, dependent. When we compare
where we came from and where we are today, we can say that we are actually and
absolutely spoiled. Indeed, we can all testify with the Psalmist that “the Lord is
gracious and compassionate” (Ps 145:8).
Like Joseph, we can say that we were shown kindness and we were granted favor
(Gen 39:21). Like Jeremiah, we can all proclaim that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his
mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23).
And in all these things that God has given us, we are held
accountable as stewards.
But the greatest gift we have received from Him is the gift of
salvation, which Paul spells in Ephesians 2:1-10:
“As
for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in
which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the
ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are
disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying
the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the
rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is
rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in
order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his
grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For
we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Such is the grace of God for us that we are given such a
marvelous gift. All the other gifts pale
in comparison to the fact that we have received forgiveness of sins (Eph
1:7-8). From being people “separate
from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the
covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” we are now in Christ (Eph 2:12-13). From being
enemies of God (Rom 5:10), we are reconciled to Him and have become his friends
(2 Cor 5:18-19; John 15:15). We are also born again and have become new
creation (John 3:3, 5; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Peter 1:3-4). We have also received the
right to become children of God (John 1:12). We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,… called out of
darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
But like all other gifts we have received from God, we are also
called to be good stewards of the gift of salvation. Basically, we are
accountable for everything we have received from God, and because the most
important gift to us is the gift of salvation, it is this gift that we must be
extra careful and vigilant in being good stewards.
So the question is: How do we become good stewards of the gift of
salvation?
Stewardship through Nurture
Salvation is a gift. There is no doubt about it. But it is a gift
that needs to be nurtured and cared for. Let us remember that one of the
metaphors of salvation is being born again. When we are born again, we become
like new born babies. We know very little about the Christian faith. We do not
know what and how to pray. We probably did not know that there were 66 books in
the Bible. We did not know many things. We were babies in knowledge and
practice. But from being babies, we are admonished to grow. Being “infants
in Christ” is derogatory (1 Cor 3:1-2;
Heb 5:12), because “anyone who lives
on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness” (Heb 5:13). We are not meant to be baby-damulags, whose lives are characterized by
foolishness and senselessness, skillfulness in doing evil, and ignorance in how
to do good (Prov 22:15; Jer 4:22). Peter wrote: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so
that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).
Instead of remaining infants, we
are admonished to mature: “Brothers and
sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your
thinking be adult” (1 Cor 14:20). As Paul beautifully described, “When I was a
child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” (1 Cor 13:11).
We must continue to “purify ourselves
from anything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence
for God” (2 Cor 7:1).
There is no time to slack off in the Christian life. We must be eager to
achieve the things that God wants for us to their fullness (2 Cor 8:11).
Although we have already received the seed of righteousness in our hearts, we
must ask the Lord to “enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Cor 9:8).
We need our faith and love to grow more and more (2 Thess 1:3). We are
aware that when Paul wrote that Christians are meant to grow “in every aspect” (Eph 4:15),
he was talking about the holistic nature of the human person. We are meant to “be fully restored” (2 Cor 13:9) in
the totality of our being, standing “firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Col 4:12). This is our sanctification “through
and through,”
with every aspect of our lives “kept blameless”
(1 Thess 5:23). This growth must continue till we die. There is not
stopping point. For example, even when Paul praised the Thessalonian Christians
because of their already commendable love to God and His people, he still urged
them “to
do so more and more” (1 Thess 4:10).
The problem is this: there are
many nominal Christians around the world who care less about maturity. Wilbur
Rees’ poem describes many Christians
today:
I would like to buy $3 worth
of God, please.
Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep,
but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine.
I don’t
want enough of God to make me love a black man
or pick beets with a migrant.
I want ecstasy, not transformation.
I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
We are called to be stewards of the salvation we have received.
This means that we are to nurture our Christian life in personal disciples, by
communal disciples, and by allowing others to nurture us. All three are
important, and not one should be neglected; otherwise, our progress to maturity
is compromised.
Stewardship through Bearing Fruit
It
is not enough for a plant to grow. No matter how sturdy a tree becomes, even
though it stands the test of time and typhoons, it does not please its owner if
it is not bearing fruit. If a tree is being nurtured, watered, and even
fertilized, it is expected that it should bear fruit. A tree that sucks in all
the nutrients it can get and only converts these nutrients for its own sake,
never even producing flowers or bearing fruit, is useless to the owner, and
will be cut down for firewood.
The
law of life on planet earth is give and take. Plants receive sunlight and
carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen in the process. Humans consume nutrients
from food, then the body converts these nutrients into energy, so that the body
may move and do something. Everything that we take in that is not used in our
daily affairs become poison. They become juggly bellies, extra fat or weight,
and make us prone to certain diseases. Crudely, every food that we take in
through our mouths must always go out of our rectum.
The
same principle is applicable in our stewardship of the salvation that we
received from God. To grow is important, and to suck in spiritual nourishment
through bible readings, prayers, communal services, and other spiritual
disciples is not bad; but it is also not enough. As we “continue to work out
our salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12), our salvation in Christ
must bear fruit.
What
are these fruits?
1.
Righteousness: “May
you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character
produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and
praise to God” (Phil 1:11, NLT).
2. Good works: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10).
James is right that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead” (James 2:17).
3.
Love. Because we are born of the
Spirit (John 3:5, 7), we must live in the fruit of the Spirit: “the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).
4. Humility: “Be
completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”
(Eph 4:2; Phil 2:5-8).
5. Harmonious relationship with others: “Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do
not be conceited” (Rom 12:16).
6.
Witness: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because
it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”
(Rom 1:16). We must not be ashamed to live differently from
others. We must be honest, kind, selfless, not greedy, not gossipers. We talk
differently. We decide differently. We act differently. Brennan Manning once
said: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians
who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by
their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
It
is true that we are stewards of time, treasures, and talents. But we are also
stewards of our faith. We are stewards of salvation. We are stewards of great
blessings and rewards. We are stewards of eternal life, and we have a part in
who receives it or not. We are stewards of miracles: miracles of the
forgiveness of sins, of friendship with God, and of reconciling love. We are
stewards of the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 19:19), and we have a part
on who enters the kingdom. We have such great power, but with great power comes
great responsibility.
If
we look at ourselves in the mirror, and honestly scrutinize our being, we will
realize that we are weak and fragile creatures. On top of this, in the words of
the son, we are
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love
Even
if we stack all our gifts and talents and strengths altogether, our weaknesses
still outweigh our perceived worth. There is nothing about us that we should be
entrusted by God to be his stewards of faith and salvation. But the mystery of
the gospel is that we are chosen by God to be stewards of salvation. He sees
something in us that we probably do not see in ourselves. He entrusts us with
something great and expects us to accomplish His will. We do not deserve such a
trust and confidence, and yet God chooses each one of us as His stewards. In
gratitude and humility, our response should only be that of the lyrics of the
song Potter’s Hand:
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
No comments:
Post a Comment