I found this slightly strange picture on Flickr, entitled 'Yoga for Geeks @ Penguin Day- Seattle'. Having recently returned from a visit to this city, where I was very blessed to meet a great bunch of Christians at Maple Leaf Evangelical Church, and at John Brewer's Mars Hill community group, I found this picture very revealing. The Christians I met (and my atheist friend, who I was staying with) all informed me that Seattle is famous for being very liberal- politically and religiously. Whilst there are (as I happily discovered) some great truth-teaching churches in this city, there is much opposition to Christianity. Yet this Yoga picture perfectly illustrates the fact that people are still searching for spiritual fulfilment. They may have rejected Christianity, but, unlike Dawkins, they have not rejected the concept of spirituality. The modern popularity of yoga and Buddhism in the West reflects our desire for the spiritual on our own terms. We are prepared to give up an hour of our week for a yoga class, to make us feel better about ourselves, but no extremist religion here please!
The Bible speaks in such a fresh and relevant way into our spiritually searching culture. This chapter in Ephesians basically says that there is one way to be spiritually fulfilled: in Jesus Christ.
Paul declares that God has blessed us with 'every spiritual blessing in Christ' (3). EVERY spiritual blessing- not just one or two. As Christians we are complete in Jesus. As non-Christians we can never be spiritually complete.
It is important to note that in this passage, true spirituality is not about meditating for long hours, or cranking up a list of good charity works, or praying facedown for a certain amount of time. If God has blessed us with 'every spiritual blessing in Christ', then there is no higher realm of spiritual experience to attain, but to know Him. There is no hierarchy of holiness- we are all the same to God in Christ, for we all have HIS status of being 'holy and blameless' (4). Every Christian was 'predestined to be adopted' as a child of God 'through Jesus Christ' (5)- and we are blessed with an equal status before God because of Jesus' perfection. Every Christian's sins are COMPLETELY forgiven and redeemed in Jesus (7). This is an amazing privilege, but it is one which Christians have thankfully received, and it is available to those who are not yet Christians too.
So there is one level of spiritual fulfilment: knowing Jesus. But within this, there are definitely different degrees of 'oneness' with Him. My husband and I have recently been reading 'Every Man's Marriage' by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker. The book suggests that 'oneness' is the goal of marriage, and it happens on two levels. On the one hand, at your wedding, you are declared one with your spouse. But on the other hand, real marital unity takes a lot of time and effort over the years you have together.
When you come to believe in Jesus and give your heart to Him, deciding to treasure Him above all other things in this universe, you are 'united with Christ' (Phil 2:1). But over the course of your life, this involves growing in faith and love of Him. Paul prays this for the Ephesians- that they may 'know Him better' (17)- for knowing Him better means loving Him more. We need to pray that God will open our minds and hearts to know 'the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe' (18-19).
This is given to us through Jesus! He is the means, or the channel, through whom God has blessed us. And what blessings! A heavenly inheritance- a mansion in eternity, living in God's perfect community.
And our love for Jesus grows as we see Him exalted, 'far above all rule and authority' (21) with everything 'under His feet' (22). The mighty Jesus cares for US. Knowing that brings spiritual fulfilment.
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