DAY 19
"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,..." Ephesians 1:15
What is the point of all of that blessing? Why would God so freely lavish His grace on us in such a way that we would receive every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus? Paul provides for us the "so what".
He again uses the term saints. In verse 1 Paul addressed his letter to the saints. Here he reminds them who he is speaking to when he says he has heard of "your" faith- that of the saints themselves. The faith of the saints is, however, manifested in a particular testimony. He has heard of their faith expressing itself in their "love for all of the saints."
While the first half of the chapter describes our identity in Christ, the second half, beginning with this verse, explains that who we are should come out in our actions. If you have been accepted, then you should act with love. If you are prudent in Christ, then you should act with wisdom for others. If you have been purchased, then you should act on behalf of the One who purchased you.
Who we are determines what we do. Paul begins teaching the meaning of who they are by pointing out what has naturally come out of their lives as saints - love for the other saints. Love and ministry should naturally come out of our lives because of who we are. Being a saint means being set apart. Set apart for what - ministry and love to others.
Consider today how natural ministry is for you. Do you love as second nature? Is ministry a part of who you are right now? Ask the Holy Spirit, since you are not alone, to help you evaluate whether your faith is manifesting itself in love that matches with your identity in Christ.
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