Faint Not

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. – Ephesians 3:13 KJV

The Apostle Paul encourages a church of central importance with a letter written to followers looking toward an uncertain future. His comforting call from one saint to another urges them to not lose heart over his tribulations.

Ephesians

Paul writes to believers of perhaps the most important church of the first century, the church at Ephesus. Hearers of Paul’s letter know it is from a leader viewed as defeated, banished and vilified by former power-brokers of the faith. Yet we hold up examples of Paul and the Apostles with little consideration of their tribulations at the time. Paul was once a jew among jews. Saul of Tarsus confesses his conversion by the grace of the Messiah Jesus.

Who do you follow? What do you hope to hear from your leaders? Do they have concern for your issues? Are you overconcerned for the tribulations of a leader in whom you place your faith?

When our mortal leaders in faith or politics suffer setbacks or defeats, how quickly we abandon our faith for what we once so zealously affirmed. Such was the plight of Paul, so frequently persecuted, so intentionally discredited, suffering pain, disgraced in the synagogues and the courts of public opinion. The Apostle held dearly to fellowships of the church, those who risked all to stand before an unbelieving world proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord.

He lived in nearly three years in Ephesus, capital of its Roman state, home to a half-million people at about AD 53-57 and probably wrote his Letter to the Ephesians from prison, having it delivered to Ephesus as encouragement for believers. Would you listen to a letter from a leader in prison?

So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. – Ephesians 3:13 ESV

Ephesus – place of the addressees of Paul’s letter

Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians would bless you with a wonderful overview of the Christian faith by reading it in its entirety, a brief, letter-length book of just six short chapters. (I might also mention here one of my favorite ways to hear the Bible is to listen to a good reading, this one of Ephesians by Max McLean.)

The people of Ephesus live far from Syria, Galilee, Samaria, Judea and Idumea, more than 1000 miles [1600 km] by road and ferry. Ephesus  [pictured above], Roman capital of Asia, overlooks the Aegean Sea and eastern trade routes beyond Asia Minor in modern day Turkey.

Introduction to Paul’s letter

Paul begins:

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Paul does not send a political proclamation to everyone in this important Roman capital city. He does not ask them to send money for his well-known missionary journeys. Paul does not address those in the city with pagan beliefs where most of them worshiped idols. In fact, Christianity was a small, minority religion, as it is in Turkey even today.

Paul thanks God for his spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. He tells these Ephesians,

“Eph. 1:15.. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers..

Do we do that? Do we have faith in Jesus as our Lord, showing His love toward all the saints of the church? Surely we are a church of troubled souls and differing tribulations.

The church in Ephesus and all churches consist of men, women and children of a multitude of backgrounds and everyday trials. Paul opens his loving letter to those members of the church in Ephesus with praise and confirmation of prayer on their behalf.

Paul continues to remind us:

Eph 2: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world,

… following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— …

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—

– by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:5b

God did not have to save everyone.

God did not have to save foreigners (like Greeks and Romans or like me and you). Paul includes himself with you and me in reminding us that we all sin. If God wants to save us He will, even though we do not deserve it. If God does not choose to save us, no work or sacrifice can redeem us from a single sin or our continual unfaithfulness.

Paul reveals the mystery that God has chosen him to preach the good news (gospel) to the gentiles (non-jews).

Eph. 3:10 … so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Paul then states the reason for his letter:

13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

He then assures the church members at Ephesus that he prays for those he has led to Christ. His reason:

“..so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints.. and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Unity in the church, love & relationships

The Apostle outlines God’s plan of love for the church, including our family and social relationships. Paul begins in

Ephesians 3: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience
• Bearing with one another in love
• Eager to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace.

Without elaboration on the identifiable characteristics of the saints (Christians), this short list suffices for a start to ‘equip the saints for the work of ministry’ [v.12].

The Apostle instructs us in the love of Christ as it relates to believers and unbelievers, husband and wife, parent and child, masters and servants. Most importantly Paul tells us how our redeemed lives ought to look:

Ephesians 4: 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Some questions for the saints

Have you sweetened the bitterness of your sufferings? Has the wrath of self-righteousness and pressed-down anger of your tribulations been quenched in the love of our Lord?

I was never kind nor did my heart show tenderness toward those who trampled my fragile esteem. Paul reminds the saints of God that the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, descended to us.

Who does not have tribulation and suffering? For even Christ suffered for our sakes, that we might be redeemed by the blood of His sacrifice.

Ephesians 5:

“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Paul closes suggesting the whole armor of God for the saints of the church.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Heed the imagery of righteousness before the Lord. For few events of life turn one so quickly against God as our own tribulations and sufferings.

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To be continued