The Ephesians’ New Way of Life vs. Their New Life in the Spirit
19:1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Acts 19:1–3 ESV Read More
John the Baptist came before Jesus and called people to repent. Tax collectors should quit taking too much money, soldiers should quit being bullies, and people that thought they were close to God should bear fruit in their lives to show it. His message was “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!”
The people of Ephesus heard that they should repent, and they heard that Jesus came. They even knew that Jesus had raised from the dead. They were in the spot that a lot of people experience. They believe this stuff is true, they want to do right, but there is still something missing.
Somehow Paul could tell that something was missing. They might have been burned out from trying too hard, lost the joy of their original hope in Christ, or more concerned with doing Christian things than being Christian people.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was a “Helper” that would guide us in all truth. The Holy Spirit would come and “you will receive power then the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” The Holy Spirit is the matterless and intangible aspect of God that is able to be in your person. Whoever you are, there is room in that identity for another. Because Jesus died on the cross and took away our sin, God, who cannot dwell with evil, can now come and live in us.
The Ephesians were trying to live the Christian life by their own strength. If you are worried about heaven and hell, they probably had the saving faith for heaven all figured out. But the full Christian life that really bears fruit happens when we can say what Paul said to the Galatians:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESV
This is the new creation life. This is the abundant life, the living water flowing out of you life, and the powerful life that Jesus talks about. It’s a new identity and a new spirit and heart in who we are to guide us in the things we do.
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