Can Christians ultimately lose their faith if they doubt?

Matthew 14:25-32 "And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Introduction:

What does it mean to doubt? This is the question I have had on my mind as of late. Christians will at some points in their Christian walk grapple with doubt. 

If a Christian doubts Jesus at any point in their Christian walk, can they ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? Questions such as these will be explored in today's post. The passage featured at the beginning of today's post depicts the famous account of Jesus walking on the water. 

Stepping out on faith in the wee hours of the morning

The winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee were threatening to swallow the disciples. Jesus had sent them ahead to the other side while He went up to the mountain to pray. Between 3:00-6:00a.m modern time, Jesus sensed His disciples were in trouble, and so He went out to them. The disciples saw Jesus and Peter shouted out to Jesus that if He were truly Jesus, then He was to bid Peter to step out of the boat and come out to meet Him. We can look at Peter's actions as impetuous. Nevertheless there appeared to be no doubt in Peter. His faith seemed at that moment to be bigger than the waves and stronger than the winds. So he stepped out - onto the water - and began to walk towards Jesus.

What led to Peter's doubt - anxiety

Doubt seemed a million miles away from this scene. Then it happened. Matthew 14:31 reads - "But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Peter "saw" the wind - that is to say - he saw the affects that the wind was producing. Peter's gaze shifted from the Master of the seas to the sea. He began to sink. What was it that made Peter doubt? One word: anxiety. Peter's anxiousness about the situation overuled (at least temporarily) what little faith He had. 

Taking a closer look at the doubt expressed by Peter

But now we must ask: what is doubt? The cause in this passage is anxiety. But what is there about doubt that distinguishes it? I ask this because the particular Greek word translated "doubt" in Matthew 14:31 occurs only one other time in the entire New Testament - Matthew 28:17. Whenever I see a word appearing once or twice in the entire New Testament, and only one author using that word, that gets my attention. In these two spots we find the puzzling fact that where doubt would seem to be the least to be (situations where Jesus is clearly demonstrating His Sovereignty), doubt is present. 

In Matthew 14:31, the word translated "doubt" refers to the uncertainty that arises when a person is toggling back and forth between one focal point and then another.1 Peter stepped out of the boat with his focus completely on Jesus. However, the strong winds began to divert his attention. Peter began to toggle and to waver. The spiritual eyes of the heart operate on a similar principle as our physical eyes - namely we can only give our full attention to one thing at a time. 

So in thinking about Peter, we can say that he perceived his ability to walk on the water to Jesus to exceed the possibility of sinking. Such a conviction derived from the faith that was already in Peter. How much Peter had exercised his faith prior to that point was going to be tested in this episode. Faith's perception is sculpted by what is unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The moment our perception of truth is informed more by what is seen, we have moved over into anti-faith or "doubt". Peter's anxiety (an expression of his switch to perceiving things with physical eyes) fueled the doubt that led him to begin sinking into the water. 

When Christians doubt, what keeps them from losing faith all together

I think it is important before closing out today's post to see whether or not Peter lost faith. Its one thing to have one foot in doubt and another in faith versus the condition of people prior to conversion, whereby they have both feet firmly planted in doubt and unbelief. What pulled him up? His faith or the object of His faith? Notice Matthew 14:30-31 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus pulled Peter up out of the water by the thin rope of faith. Peter had let go, yet the object to which His faith was tied to did not. 

Though Peter's hand of trust had let go of the line of faith, little did Peter realize that His faith was around the waist of his heart so-to-speak. God had given him the gift of faith to sustain him as a life-preserver. Even though his faith was "little" - nearly out of air - yet it was tied to the Sovereign Lord who pulled him out of those angry waves. This is what Christian theologians have historically referred to as the "perseverance of the saints" or "preservation by God".

Author John Piper writes in his book: "When the Darkness Will Not Life", pages 38-39 - "All the great doctors of the soul have distinguished between faith and its full assurance. The reason for that is that we are saved by the work of God causing us to be born again and bringing us to faith. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Piper later writes: "...which means that God is at the bottom of my faith; and when it disappears for a season from my own view, God may yet be there sustaining its root in the new birth and protecting the seed from destruction."

So as we see in this episode in Matthew 14, Jesus came out to the middle of the sea to sustain the small faith of a man who was willing to step out. I find it interesting that Peter was unable to answer Jesus' question: "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" There was no good reason. It didn't make sense. Christian doubts never do. Despite that reality, how the episode ends demonstrates the reality and superiority of true saving faith over doubt in the long run. The scene ends with the disciples (including Peter) affirming the Deity of Jesus in the boat. 

Doubts may come and go - and can and will - in the Christian life. Yet, true faith will affirm and overule the doubt that for a season attempted to clip its moorings from the Anchor - Jesus Christ. 

Final thoughts

We began today's post by asking the question: can a Christian ultimately lose their faith if they doubt? In our exploration of the account of Jesus' walking on the water and Peter's doubt, we saw that the short answer is "no". Why? Peter was sustained not by his faith, but rather by Jesus who was sustaining it. It is one thing to have doubt for a season. However, a true Christian won't persist and stay camped in such doubt without calling out for the Lord to come save them. Faith that is momentarily submerged under the seas of doubt will pop back up like a buoy and ring the bell for the Master of the sea to come and save it. I close with this reminder to Christians who are experiencing wavering faith in 1 Peter 1:5 "who are protected by the power of Godthrough faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Endnotes:

1. When we speak of faith or doubt, we are talking about being persuaded about the truthfulness of an idea or more specifically, a statement that is called a "proposition". For example, the proposition "2+2=4" is true, regardless of how a person may feel. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 355, notes the following in it's article about religious doubt: "It should be noted that the proposition in question may in fact be true and even verified. Doubt or uncertainty relates to whether or not the proposition has been perceived to be true." The article then goes on to say: "The subjective attitude (of the person evaluating the proposition) need not have anything to do with the certainty (the degree to which a proposition has been verified or even to its truthfulness."

How the Christian finds hope when doubt, fear and worry arise in the heart

Philippians 4:6-7  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and yourminds in Christ Jesus."

Introduction:
We began yesterday defining the triple weaponry of the enemy as doubt, worry and fear - and how we can defeat them with the Bible.  We also noted that all three are attitudes of unbelief towards who God is and what he has said.  Doubt is when I have belief about what God has said to me in the past, worry is unbelief about who He is to me in the present and fear is unbelief about what He will do or say in the future.  Will God come through?  That’s the question of fear.  Is God still with me?  That’s the question of worry.  Did God really say that? That’s the question of doubt. 

In today's blog we will be concerned about the place where these three issues arise - the heart.  David wrote Psalm 39, explaining all of the doubt, worries and fears he was grappling with in his situation.  You and I can’t tell what he is dealing with in this Psalm, however all of the emotions and stresses He is articulating are well known.  For instance He states in Psalm 39:3 – “My heart was hot within me; while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.”  This certainly describes how I have felt at times.  How about you?  Do you ever feel like you’re going to explode?  The Hebrew phrase for “the fire burned” carries with it the meaning of feeling like we’re going to explode. 

What do you do when doubt about what God said, worry about the present or fear of whether or not He’ll come through threatens the very fabric of your faith?  In other words – How do you deal with doubt, worry and fear in your heart?  Let’s follow the Psalmist’s thoughts in this Psalm and into the next Psalm.  If you are going to defeat doubt, worry and fear in your heart, you need to….

1. Hand your self-sufficiency to God 39:1-6

At first David thought it would be best to keep his mouth shut.  In 39:1-2 he attempted to “bridle his tongue” and “be dumb with silence”.  Very often the reason why you and I choose not to tell those close to us our deepest struggles is because of our self-sufficiency.  We believe it is best to deal with it on our own.  However, God has a way of breaking that down.  Our own self-perceived strength is our greatest enemy.  God is trying to remind you as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “His strength is made perfect in weakness”. 

David could no longer hold it in.  He cried out to God, asking God to give him an eternal perspective on his own frailty.  As painful as it was, he asked God to show him in verse 4: “make me know my end.”  As a desperate patient pleading with the surgeon: “Doc, do whatever you need to do to rid me of this disease”, so David appealed to the Great Physician.  David realized that his life truly is but the width of a man’s hand (verse 5) and that men at their very best are but vanity (also verse 5).  Self had to die.  Self-sufficiency is but a mirage in the life of the creature.  Only when we stop clinching our fists, hanging onto what is most dear – ourselves, and only when we open our hands towards heaven to that which is most precious – God alone – will we find true sufficiency. 

2. Hasten to see God as your sole desire 39:7-11

Psalm 39:7 indicates a major shift in this Psalm, note what it says: “And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.”  David shifts from reflecting on how bad things were to how hopeful He is now.  Did his circumstance change?  Not yet.  However his perspective did change.  How?  Having lost all hope in himself, He found all his hope in God.  I so identify with what he is writing here.  In the verse following the struggle is still taking place.  Clearly his inability to explain what He is going through is God’s doing (37:9).

In fact, God illuminates to David that it is He who is testing David.  David actually refers to God as a moth who consumes whatever is beautiful in his life in 39:11.  It sounds so cruel at first- why would God take away what is “beautiful and desirable” in my life?”  The only answer is that God must be the object of my affections and desire above all things.  He alone endures.  All other goods and beauties deteriorate and fail after the passage of time, however, God is the fixed constant, the true Good, never changing nor varying (Malachi 3:6). All goods and beautiful things are given so that through them we can see God who is Good and beautiful.  It is all a matter of keeping everything in its proper order.  Only when God becomes the sole focus can we see the ability to overcome the doubt, worry and fear.  Thus…

3. Have confidence that God is hearing you 39:12-40:5

As we close this blog today, let’s see whether or not God came through for David.   In reading Psalm 39 and 40, it is my conviction that both Psalms are being written about the same event.  After all the struggle and tears of Psalm 39, we need to know: Did God show up for David?  Psalm 40:1 answers – “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”  In fact the remaining verses detail David’s testimony of how God had indeed came through for Him. 

As an added bonus, David will write a prophecy Psalm 40 about the coming of Christ into this world, as spoken by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:4-5.  It truly was worth it.  Christ was seen more clearly in the end than at the beginning.  So what about you?  Are you and I going to make it?  Is God going to come through?  Have confidence, dear friend.  If you truly know Christ as Savior, Lord and Treasure, place you hand in His, for His other hand is connected to God the Father (1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:20).  Know this:  God hears the cries of his saints.   He is greater than your doubt, worry and fear. 

Defeating the triple threat of doubt, fear and worry

Romans 15:4 tells us: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” 

Introduction:
What is the difference between doubt, worry and fear in the Christian life?  Doubt has to do with resistance to past insights from God and His Word spoken to me in the past.  Fear has to do with my hesitation in responding to God and His Word in the present.  If doubt has to do with what God said in the past, and fear has to do with how I’m relating to Him in the present, then worry deals with my perceptions of what He will do in the future. Dr. Adrian Rogers has noted that worry is a mild form of atheism. When one really thinks about it - doubt, fear and worry are species of unbelief. 

These three emotional and spiritual states are weaponry used by the enemy to plague the people of God.  The Christian's spiritual warfare includes battling these species of unbelief that want to run uncorralled in the human heart. When left untamed, doubt, fear and worry will contribute to blurring our vision of God and His character.  

Like all of those reading this blog, I can tell you first-hand the countless wrestlings I've had against these three dreaded foes.  Thankfully, God has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Sovereignty Lordship of Jesus Christ and the scriptures to combat these and other devices used by the enemy of our souls.  Thus we will considering some key passages from one of the great chapters in the Bible - Psalm 37.

So where are you finding yourself doubting, worrying or fearing?  I would encourage you to read the scriptures out loud.  What Paul writes in Romans 10:17 concerning the beginnings of saving faith also applies to how one is kept in saving faith: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  

I would encourage you to turn to Psalm 37 note some incredible verses that gives the believer the arsenal needed to defeat doubt, worry and fear.  

1. Warnings to heed

Psalm 37:8 states: “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”  Notice that underlined word “fret”?  At least three times we find it mentioned in this Psalm.  In the Hebrew language this word “fret” is translated for the term “chara”.  "Chara" refers to literally getting oneself all hot and bothered or stirring up oneself into a heated frenzy.  Does that describe how you are feeling and dealing with life?  Do you feel pressure building in your gut, like you are going to explode?  That’s the Psalmist's warning to us.  So what is the solution? Consider the next thought.

2. Walk in the rest of God

Psalm 37:1-8 acts as a series of bullets that you can use when that disturbing, troubling notion grips your heart.  Note how God gives a series of commands.  Commands are particularly important, since for every command in scripture there is always a provision of grace to carry them out.  God’s commands are not given because I’m simply able to do them.  Many people get discouraged when trying to carry out God’s commands.  They will say: “They are just too hard”.  Dear friend, the commands of God are not hard, they are impossible – that is, if you are not taking advantage of God’s provision of grace. 

Note how we are given instruction on resting is God in the following verses: “Fret not” in 37:1; “Trust” in verse 3; “Delight in the Lord” in verse 4; “Commit your way” in verse 5.  With these commands we see the provision of grace in verse 6: “And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”  

So if you are in the midst of darkness, note that God’s word gives you provision to enjoy an open heaven, a noonday sun despite the midnight of your circumstance.  Psalm 37:7 tells us to “rest in the Lord” and in verse 8 to “cease from anger”.  We are not promised immunity from trouble, however we are given the “rest of God” whereby we can rise above doubt, worry and fear. 

3. Winning the battle (by knowing that God is fighting for you)

Psalm 37:40 states: “And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”  What is remarkable about this Psalm is that it begins with the command not to fret, and it ends with the confidence of victorious faith.  This is not a “pie in the sky, sweet by and by” theology, this is real life doctrine.  Knowing that God will never leave me, not forsake me, is more than enough to overcome doubt, worry and fear.

A personal testimony on being filled with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit."

I rarely share anything of a personal nature in this blog. My tendency is to avoid poitning too much attention to myself. The goal of every post in this blog is to point the way to Jesus by providing Christian resources for the practical, doctrinal and supernatural aspects of the Christian walk. With that said, I felt that perhaps some readers would benefit from a personal testimony, since we have been exploring the Spirit-filled life for the past week. It must be stated from the onset that my experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit will differ in the details from another Christian. Nonetheless, every truth and principle expounded upon in these last several posts undergird every Christian's experience of the Spirit-filled life. 

To begin, I was converted to Jesus Christ in saving faith when I was but 10 years old. Two years later my family and me moved on to another church. At age 12 or 13 I was baptized by immersion in obedience to what Jesus tells every new Christian to do in Matthew 28:18-20 and as per the pattern in Acts 2:38-41, Romans 6:4-11 and other passages. 

I understood in the simplest of terms what it meant to become born-again and I was able to discern the purpose of baptism. Our family went to several churches in my teen years, with seasons and stretches of me not going to church. In short, I understood the Christian life to be nothing more than me believing on Jesus and getting baptized. Regarding what I was to do beyond the baptistry, I had no idea. I knew at that point I should probably read my Bible, but I didn't know where to begin. Furthermore, my prayer life mainly was at meals. My scant knowledge of what to do as a Christian would be challenged through my teenage years.

By the time I was 17, I had been studying computer repair at the vocational technical school in our area. I had reached my Senior year of highschool and had no real idea of what my purpose was in life. My parents desired for me to go further in the computer field, however at the time I had a keen interest in auto-mechanics. Here I was, a Christian who had been saved for 6 years, and yet I evidenced little growth. I had tried to fit in with my friends, but found myself becoming more miserable.

I became involved in a Bible club after about a month into my Senior year. For the first time I witnessed young people my age reading their Bibles and praying. My parents had started us going to a new church and the time in my life seemed ripe for change. 

As I got involved in the Bible club in school, God began to show me how lax I had become. Near the end of that particular month, I was in my room at home and began to pray to God. At that poin I had no idea what to pray, since it had been so long since I had prayed! Nevertheless I asked God to forgive me for neglecting Him and I then asked for Him to open my heart to whatever He had for me. Suddenly I had the strong desire to pick-up my Bible and begin reading! I began at Genesis 1:1 and read for the next four hours! I promise you that the day before, I had hardly any thought I truly wanting to read the Bible, but the Lord turned on the switch inside of me. 

I was getting into Deuteronomy and I honestly thought: "The Bible is bigger than I thought!" So I decided to flip to the New Testament and kept thumbing through various books of the Bible until I arrived at 2 Timothy. My logic was that it was sort-of-near-the-end. 

As I neared the end of 2 Timothy I came to 2 Timothy 4:2 which states - "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." As I read that verse, it was as if time stood still. I stared at the verse and suddenly I found myself weeping. The power and presence of God filled me and those words "preach the word" lept off the page and I literally felt like God was calling me to do that very thing. God poured into me in that moment the equivalent amount of desire for Him that I should have had the six years prior. I knew I could not go back to the compromising teenager that I had been. There were no tongues nor flickering of the lights in my room. All I knew was that the Holy Spirit of God brought to me the power of His presence and implanted in my heart a greater desire for Jesus Christ. 

I cannot tell you when I finally fell asleep that night, but all I can tell you is the next morning I woke up as a new 17 year-old young man. I can look back and truly identify that moment as the first time I experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit. Over the course of the next several months God began to shape my desires. I wish I could say I had stopped sinning. I didn't. However how I viewed my sin changed. I hated everytime I chose to sin. I found that God had given me the desire to share my faith and with my dad's help and my grandmother's aid, I began to better understand the Bible. Although I stumbled in ackwardness at times, the Lord was gracious and patient with me. Several months later God gave me opportunties to begin preaching and by the Autumn of the following year I was enrolled in Bible College. 

Since that time nearly 25 years ago, I have had many more opportunities to experience the Spirit's filling ministry. Each time has been a little different and at times not as dramatic as that initial experience. In other cases, the Spirit of God has filled me in the tough seasons of life. If anything, the times of greatest difficulty have been the seasons wherein I have went from experiences of the Spirit's filling to understanding it as an ongoing lifestyle. I wish I could say that I have never stumbled nor given God a hard time since those early days. Trust me, God has had to break my will and even to this day is continuing to refine my character to be more like Jesus. With that said, I cannot imagine living daily for Jesus nor serving Him without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Closing thoughts

One of my favorite authors and preachers, A.W. Tozer, has aided me greatly throughout the years. I one time heard him speak on how one can practically and regularly experience the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit. I leave today's post with his simple outline, which I think represents the Biblical teaching on the Spirit-filled life and approximates what I have experienced in my own life:

1. Present. Come to God as a child. Simply present yourself to God. Romans 12:1-2

2. Ask. Request God to fill you with the Spirit. Luke 11:13

3. Obey. The Spirit-filled life occurs in the context of obedience. Acts 5:32

4. Have faith. Believe that God will fill you with the Spirit and that the Spirit will lead you in accordance to the continual exercise of you faith. Galatians 3:2. 

The practical consequences of being filled with the Holy Spirit - Ephesians 5:19-6:20

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children"

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit"

Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints"

Introduction:

Lately I have been focusing on the Spirit-filled life. Why? Simply because in so many cases (at least in Baptist circles or Evangelical church circles), Christians rarely think about the kind of experience they are to have with God beyond the baptismal tank. Let me explain. It is probably a fair assessment that too often, the excitement of those first few days or weeks following one's conversion is marked rightly by believer's baptism. The ordinance of believer's baptism is afterall the first major step of Christian obedience. 

However, what is there after water baptism? I know for me growing up as a teenager, after having been converted and water baptized, there was no further instruction. My concept of the Christian life consisted of trying to get by and biding my time until either Jesus returned or when I died. Such a vision of Christianity does not consider the wonderful life of sanctification, and more specifically, the Spirit-led, controlled and filled life. It was not until 17 years of age, nearly six years after my conversion and nearly 5 years after water baptism that I experienced what we have been laboring for in these past several posts - namely the Spirit-filled life. 

Such an experience is entered upon by first of all positioning oneself to imitate God and walk in love, as explained in Ephesians 5:1-2. Next, obedience to God, or at least the desire to do so, is the second step. Thirdly, hatred for sin, or at least the desire to put away from oneself unconfessed sin, is also vital. Such convictions are covered in Ephesians 5:1-14 and comprise the call to the Spirit-filled life. 

As we already saw in yesterday's post, the Spirit-filled life is not optional, but commanded (Ephesians 5:15-18). So then, what about the practical consequences that flow from a Christian who not just once, but repeatedly lives in commitment to being led by and filled by the Holy Spirit? What can be expected in terms of fruit? What difference does it make whether or one is filled with the Holy Spirit?

Such questions will be answered in this final installment of our study of Ephesians 5:1-6:20 as we consider the consequences of being filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The consequences of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:19-6:20
The Spirit-filled life is as much practical as it is supernatural and doctrinal. Empowerment that derives from increased influence by the Holy Spirit is not just for the self-edification of the Christian. The Spirit-filled life is a ministry granted by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing to others. We saw already the one key theme to Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled living - namely holiness (Ephesians 5:1-14). We can now add another practical theme - that of submission. Submitting oneself to the Lord Jesus Christ, the authority of the scriptures and the Spirit's leading are pre-requisite to the filling work of the Spirit. How then can one continue to walk in the Spirit - as so commanded in Galatians 5:16 and 5:25? One word - submission. The practical consequences our outcomes of the Spirit-filled life are as follows in Ephesians 5:19-6:20.

1. Spirit-filled worship. Ephesians 5:19-21
Here we see commands given to the entire church body to "speak to one another" and "submit to one another". The songs of praise and worship result in the overflow of the individual Spirit-filled Christians coming together in either a corporate worship setting or smalller groups. Like live coals in a BBQ, as one Spirit-filled Christian fellowships with another Spirit-filled Christian, the worship quickly escalates to that level of worship that can only be described as "other-worldly". A sweetness fills the air and the focus becomes absolutely Christ-centered. Churches benefit from church members who regularly make the Spirit-filled life their priority. 

2. Spirit-filled marriages. Ephesians 5:22-33
In the flesh, the idea of "submission" is viewed negatively. Moreover, the possibility of loving one's wife as Christ loved the church - i.e putting her needs ahead of my own, willing to die if need be, being the spiritual leader - is too-tall of an order in the flesh. Only the Spirit-filled wife and husband can achieve what is expected here in Ephesians 5:22-33. Harmony and unity result when both spouses are regularly led by the Holy Spirit. Just as we saw in the example of the Spirit-filled church, the Spirit-filled marriage will focus on Jesus Christ. 

3. Spirit-filled parenting. Ephesians 6:1-4
I find it interesting that the entire argument for the Spirit-filled life is not only for adult believers, but young Christians too. Parenting in the way God has prescribed can often be an exhausting chore. However when I yield myself to the Spirit's leading by way of daily time in the scripture, praying for my child and denying self - parenting in the name of Jesus becomes a delight. Conversely, whenever a little Christian child is taught to submit themselves to the Lord by practicing daily time in the Word, asking the Lord to lead them and most-importantly of all, mom and dad having Spirit-filled lives, the growing pains of child-hood can be greatly dampened.

I think at this point it is vital to remember that Spirit-filled living must not be conceived of as having immunity from pain, sorrow, difficulty, dissapointments and spiritual warfare. If anything, those negatives only increase due to the fact that Spirit-filled living cuts across the grain of natural human tendency. This is why the Spirit-filled life is a repeated experience post-conversion. Just as your car needs repeated fill-ups, so does the Christian walk. Perhaps this observation is no more realized than in the context of parenting.

4. Spirit-filled employment. Ephesians 6:5-10
Working on the job tests the patience of employees and employers alike. How can either make Godly decisions or treat each other in such a way that honors Christ? In the context of the work-a-day world, where there is often more unbelievers and believers, the Spirit-filled life is an utmost necessity. If an employee finds themselves as the only Christian among dozens (I've been there) or working for a boss who regularly pressures them to attempt things that are contrary to biblical convictions (I've been there as well), then the only way in which successful navigation can occur is the Spirit-filled life. To walk away from temptations, or opportunities to be lazy when the boss is not looking requires a Christian to be daily yielded to the Spirit of God. 

5. Spirit-filled spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:11-20.
We have seen the practical consequences of the Spirit-filled life, and the need for such a lifestyle, in the areas of worship (Ephesians 5:19-21); marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33); parenting (Ephesians 6:1-4) and the workplace (Ephesians 6:5-10). But now what about spiritual warfare? It becomes quickly appparent that the conflict we have in daily life is ultimately not just with people, but with spiritual forces influencing such people (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:11-12). Unless Christians are regularly availing themselves of the Holy Spirit's control in their lives, they will find themselves living in regular defeat. The Christian life balances on a razor thin edge between two realities: on the one hand we will sin (not by necessity but by choice) and on the other hand we can overcome any sin. Struggle accompanies the Christian life. I think too many times Christian focus only on this particular point. Struggle exists for the sake of victory, since one cannot overcome something that they first have not had to battle. To conceive of victorious Christian living without struggle and warfare is to live out of one's imagination. On the other hand, to conceive of a Christian life where one is constantly being defeated and with no-way-out is to have an incomplete theology. 

Paul's final section of Ephesians 6:11-20 takes these two sub-themes of struggle and victory and reveals that in the Spirit-filled life, there is going to be a great warfare. However, the sweet fruits of victory can be enjoyed in this life. Though we may never reach the point of sinless perfection in this life, yet the last time the Christian sinned, they didn't have to. Hatred for sin can only come about in direct proportion to my increasing love for Christ and imitation of the Father (sound familiar? see Ephesians 5:1-2).

Closing thoughts
Today we considered the practical consequences of the Spirit-filled life in the following areas: worship (Ephesians 5:19-21); marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33); parenting (Ephesians 6:1-4); the workplace (Ephesians 6:5-10) and spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:11-20). My prayer is that these series of posts, as well as the previous series, as opened up new vistas of realization for the reader. I close with Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:18-20 - "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in thesaints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."

The command to be Spirit-filled - Ephesians 5:15-18

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children"

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit"

Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints"

Introduction:

The reader can note that the above three verses constitute what are key points in Paul's overall argument for the necessity of the Spirit-filled or Spirit-controlled life. In yesterday's post we considered the calling of the Spirit-filled life in terms of the practical holiness. In all reality, practical holiness (positively having to do with one's imitation of God and walking in love with Christ and negatively having to do with rejecting sin and worldliness) is requisite to being led and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Amos 3:3 reminds us - "Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?" All Christians are Spirit dwelt, however not all Christians are Spirit-filled. The Spirit's desire to fill (that is, control, influence, lead) is a calling and as we will see today, a command for all Christians. All Christians have access to the Spirit-filled life. However, not all Christians avail themselves of it nor do all Christians consistently walk in the Spirit, which is why it is a repeated experience following one's conversion experience. 

Like yesterday's post, the aim of today's post is to grasp what Paul is communicating through this key section in God's Word on the Spirit-filled life. We will first offer a brief outline of the passage and then offer a few comments on the second point. First, the outline...

Spirit-filled living - Ephesians 5:1-6:18. Notice....

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14

2. The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

3. The consequences of the Spirit-filled life. Ephesians 5:19-6:18.

To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the control, influence and leading of Him. Is this type of life only available to a select few Christians? Is the Spirit-filled life optional? What does such a life look-like in the practical areas of everyday life such as marriage, parenting, employment and one's prayer time? Today's post will consider the second of these three headings.

The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

Ephesians 5:15-18 comprise a set of three parallel commands that in all reality express one central idea: "Be filled with the Holy Spirit". It is in this particular section of Ephesians 5:1-6:20 that we see the non-optional character of the Spirit-filled life. But what exactly does such a life look like? How can we know that we are a Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled people. The commands themselves yield the clues in answering such questions.

1. Spirit-filled Christians are careful in their conduct. 

Ephesians 5:15 "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise." Just as someone carrying a hot cup of coffee is careful in how they walk (so as to not spill a drop!), the Spirit-filled Christian is more careful in how they carry their Christian testimony. Carelessness and neglect are as notorious for getting Christians out of step with fellowship with God as willful sin. Both patterns are species of carnality or walking according to one's fleshly desires. Whenever the Spirit is influencing our minds, emotions and wills, we will be a more careful, sober-minded people. 

2. Spirit-filled Christians maximize the use of their time.

Ephesians 5:16 "making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Christians who are more Spirit-led than carnally led will be more mindful of eternal things (Colossians 3:1-2). Maximizing one's time for Jesus' sake means not being idle and lazy. Conversely, the Spirit-filled Christian knows how to find rest, which is just as needful as industry in the affairs of God. 

3. Spirit-filled people are able to understand God's revealed will (in His word).

Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. God's will can be subdivided into three headings: unrevealed and revealed (Deuteronomy 29:29) and permissive will (James 4:15). Only God's revealed will (the scriptures) that is given to us marks the domain of our responsibility. Do we know God's word or unrevealed will. The Holy Spirit leading the Christian enables them to unlock the truths of God for themselves (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). To understand God's will in the scripture is equated with hearing God and thus following after God.

4. Spirit-filled people are under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.
Just as someone who has injested alcohol is "under the influence", so is the Christian who is filled with the Spirit. The great thing about being filled with the Spirit is that I get the same calming effect without the hangover. The HCSB rendering of this verse brings out even further clarity - "And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit". 

As we can see, these commands all approach the Spirit-filled life from different angles. To be a Spirit-filled Christian affects me morally, intellectually and gives true power for living! Therefore having observed the calling to the Spirit-filled life in holiness of sanctification in Ephesians 5:1-14 and the command(s) to be Spirit-filled in Ephesians 5:15-18, we will look tomorrow at the consequences of being Spirit-filled. In otherwords, why should one be a Spirit-filled Christian?

More tomorrow....

The call to be Spirit-filled in sanctification (i.e practical holiness) - Ephesians 5:1-14

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children"

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit"

Ephesians 6:18 "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with allperseverance and petition for all the saints"

Introduction:

Yesterday we concluded a two part post series on what occurs at the beginning of salvation and what ought to follow one's conversion to Christ in saving faith. We closed out yesterday's post by looking at Ephesians 5:1-6:20. I felt it necessary to take that block of scripture and unpack what the Holy Ghost is saying to us through it. The heart of Ephesians 5-6 centers around the heart of post-conversion sanctification - the Spirit-filled life. Such a life is available and expected of every Christian. Sadly, there are more Christians who regularly operate by the desires of self and the flesh than by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The aim of today's post is to grasp what Paul is communicating through this key section in God's Word on the Spirit-filled life. We will first offer a brief outline of the passage and then offer a few comments on each point. First, the outline...

Spirit-filled living - Ephesians 5:1-6:18. Notice....

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14

2. The command(s) to be Spirit-filled Ephesians 5:15-18 

3. The consequences of the Spirit-filled life. Ephesians 5:19-6:18.

These truths mark out what ought to occur after salvation as begun in regeneration/conversion. Considered all together, we can truly see how great our salvation is in both it's beginning and progression through this life! To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the control, influence and leading of Him. Is this type of life only available to a select few Christians? Is the Spirit-filled life optional? What does such a life look-like in the practical areas of everyday life such as marriage, parenting, employment and one's prayer time? Let us now consider each heading in brief.

1. The call to be Spirit-filled in our sanctification (i.e practical holiness). Ephesians 5:1-14
We saw yesterday that sanctification is the progressive work of the Holy Spirit, following from and beginning from the moment of conversion. In sanctification, the Christian is cooperating with God by becoming in experience who they are declared by God to be in position. Central to the Christian's progress in sanctification or post-conversion Christian growth is the repeated experience of the Spirit-filled life. What do we learn about this experience? How is it entered into by the Christian? We learn here in Ephesians 5:1-14 that the Spirit-filled life is a call from God to a deeper walk with Him. 

Ephesians 5:1-2 headlines the theme of the call to the Spirit-filled life - holiness: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as afragrant aroma." The commentator R.C.H Lenski notes about these verses: "The sins against which he warns are seen in their true light when they are viewed as Paul views them, against the whole background of our holy life in God and in Christ." 

As we are called to holiness in the Spirit-filled life, such holiness expresses itself positively in relationship to God and negatively in its rejection of sin. Lenski notes concerning our imitation of God as dearly beloved children: "To be sure, our Father loves us; but 'beloved' makes evident our normal relation. Some ordinary children are unnatural; they act in such a manner that one would scarcely believe that they belong to their parents. Not so 'children beloved.' This word 'beloved' strikes the note of this paragraph: our love is to imitate God's love." Like a small child who desires to bring pleasure to the parent that they love and are loved by, a Christian ought to be so inclined to imitate God in their attitudes and actions. Little children become greatly saddened when even the thought of doing something contrary to their parents wishes crosses their minds. Such a reverence or healthy "fear" of bringing displeasure to the parent corresponds to what the scripture calls "the fear of God" (see Proverbs 8:13).

Holiness then is first and foremost a positive effort in being like the Lord Jesus Christ. By themselves, Christians cannot ever hope to attain to such a high-calling. The Spirit-filled life is what supplies the Christian the power to heed the call given here in Ephesians 5:1-2. 

As we already noted, the holiness of conduct and life headlining the call of the Spirit-filled life expresses itself positively in desiring to imitate God and walk in love in Jesus Christ. Such a positive, Spirit-filled desire should naturally correspond to the negative expression of avoiding and combatting sin. If we as Christians think of practical holiness as having to do with imitating God and Christ in the power of the Spirit - the hatred for sin will be a supernatural by-product of such love.

Negative commands in the scripture can sometimes be better understood when we re-state them postively in our application of them. In brief, notice the key commands to hate sin in Ephesians 5:3-14:

Ephesians 5:3 "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." When we restate this text positively for our application, it can look like the following, namely that Godly morality and generosity out to be named among you, as this is proper among the saints. Or consider Ephesians 5:6-7 "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them." When restated positively for our application, such a command to holy living in the call to the Spirit-filled life could look-like this: Be influenced only by full words of truth from God's word and share in the partaking of such words with others. 

One more example should suffice to show how holiness is the headline theme in the call to the Spirit-filled life. Consequently, this final example will also validate our method of taking a negatively stated command (a "do not" command) and restating it positively for application and understanding. Consider Ephesians 5:11-12 "Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret." The Holy Spirit Himself inspired Paul to take this thought and re-express it positively in Ephesians 5:14 "For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

When we try to heed this call of holiness in the Spirit-filled life in our own strength or flesh, we fail. Such a call exceeds natural ability. Only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, influencing and controlling the Christian from the inside/out can attain to and achieve such a call. 

More tomorrow.............