Psslm 16:2
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Ephesians 5 (Psalm 23:2a). Typically, I am drawn to verses 18-33, but today I found myself feeding in verses 1-21. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in several places throughout the chapter. But in verses 5 and 9, I sensed the strongest drawing of the Spirit into communion with Him:
Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Jesus spoke of those who would be invited into the Kingdom and of the “children of the kingdom” that would be cast out (Matthew 8:10-13). He indicated that the believing Gentile —the Roman Centurion— would sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom. In contrast, the “children” of the kingdom promised to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be dismissed for their unbelief (Romans 11:11-17). Entry would be secured through one’s connection to Abraham by faith and not by any connection to Abraham by the flesh (Galatians 3:7-9, 23-29).
Along the still waters (Psalm 23:2b), I reflected on these things. The Gospel declares we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), not by grace through the flesh. We are not “chosen” in an election premised on the flesh. Our election is premised on faith. It is by grace through faith that we are made His “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). It is “the fruit of the Spirit … in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). Jesus said the nation that will receive the Kingdom will be the nation that brings forth the fruit of the kingdom (Matthew 21:43). Therefore, “no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:5).
The Spirit exhorted me to remember that what I was I am no longer:
1Corinthians 6:9 ¶ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1Corinthians 6:12 ¶ All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
In Matthew 21:43, Jesus promised the kingdom would be given to “a nation” that brings forth “the fruit thereof.” The Gospel produces that fruit of righteousness God seeks (James 3:13-18), for we are made a new man in Christ Jesus, which after God is. created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24), with the promise that His truth makes us free (John 8:32), and His Spirit brings liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).
We are “the children of the kingdom.” Beware, we cannot receive “the kingdom” if we walk in unbelief, if we return to the darkness from which we have been delivered: “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things (whoremongering, uncleanness, covetousness) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6). Don’t be fooled, for “ye were (past tense) sometiimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8). Therefore, “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8b). There would be no need to exhort us to “walk as children of light” if the fact that we are children of light meant we could no longer walk in the darkness from which we turned away when we turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18).
We have come into the inheritance of the kingdom from which the unbelieving children fell (Matthew 21:33-44). Let us not “fall after the same example of unbelief” (Hebrews 4:11).
I speak of the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5), and the promise “on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14), described in the parables of the kingdom (Matthew 13; Luke 19), into which we were translated by Christ when we believed and were delivered from darkness (Colossians 1:12-13). And we will enjoy the power and privileges of the kingdom if “we have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). For “all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light” (Ephesians 5:12).
And if we, who are the light, could never again walk in darkness, there would be no need to exhort us to “see then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). The Spirit would have no cause to exhort us “Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is,” or to command us, “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:19-21).
We who have the Spirit must take care that the Spirit has us. Else we will walk in the flesh, and not in faith. And the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of GOD (1 Corinthians 15:50). Selah!
In the valley (Psalm 23:4), kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I carefully examined myself in the light of His reproofs (Ephesians 5:1-21. And the Spirit reminded me that His mission here is to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:7-11), that the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) does this by the Scripture of truth (Daniel 10:21; John 17:17) through me (John 7:38-39) as I live and speak truth (Zechariah 8:16; Ephesians 4:25).
At the table (Psalm 23:5-6), He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace, and called goodness and mercy to follow me as I followed Him into His harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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