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Category Archives: The Church

Spiritual Relationships

29 May
Spiritual Relationships

Life as a believer should be very different from that of the world. Unfortunately, with so many people it’s hard to see the difference. Paul continues in Ephesians, talking about how we should act around one another.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Ephesians 5:3 NIV

Here the apostle reminds us that we are God’s set apart people. We’re called according to His purpose.

The fact is that there are many single men and women who think that the purpose of the church is find them dates. Their highest goal is to meet others for romantic connections.

Yes, I’m aware that many people have found their mates while attending church. However, that’s not the main reason for attending. We’re in the body to encourage and strengthen one another.

Along with that, he talks about greed. We need to understand that the church was not established just to give you prospects for your multi-level marketing schemes. Again, it might be that the Lord brings together some divine connections, but it should be orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Ephesians 5:4 NIV

This deals with how we interact with each other. We have to be careful with our joking. Sexual jokes or references shouldn’t be a part of our normal conversations. Neither should there be any colorful interjections based upon bodily functions.

I believe that all of those things are a part of foolish talk – the talk of fools. Foolishness is acting as if God is not a part of everything that we do (Psalm 53:1). How would you talk if you were speaking to Jesus Christ, Himself?

The phrase, coarse joking, seems to include sharp sarcasm. I say that, knowing that my humor can be very sarcastic at times. I’ve had to learn to let the Holy Spirit temper that to the extent that it’s no longer hurtful to those around me.

In the church, we have to be careful to keep our relationships pure before the Lord who searches our hearts.

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

Ephesians 5:5-7 NIV

This verse clearly warns us not to act as the world does. It’s not saying that you’ll lose your salvation over it. However, your inheritance – the rewards and blessings of sonship – will be affected by your actions.

When we act and talk like the world, we’re behaving like those who are going to be judged. Our goal should be to please God. I don’t want to constantly be asking forgiveness. I want God to look upon me with joy for how His Holy Spirit is transforming me.

Allow the Spirit of Christ to make a difference in you. Walk in the purity that befits a child of God.

Question: How different is your life now than when you first came to Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 29, 2023 in Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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How Do You Smell?

26 May
How Do You Smell?

Paul continues to show us the way we need to live as a part of the body of Christ. As we start chapter 5, we see one of the most important aspects of this journey.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV

This has got to be one of the most incredible commands in all of Scripture. It’s so simple to read, yet the implications are enormous.

“Be imitators of God”. The Greek word for imitator is the word from which we get the English words, mime, and mimic. That doesn’t imply that we’re almost like Him. It means that our goal is to look, speak and act exactly like the Lord.

I know it would be easy to ignore this verse. We might say that Paul got a little carried away as he was writing. However, that’s not the case. Jesus Christ, Himself told us almost the same thing.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 NIV

Of course, this doesn’t mean perfect in the sense of never making a mistake. That word literally means to be mature and of full age. It’s telling us that we need to grow up and live at a spiritually mature level.

This is an important concept for us to understand. Many people enjoy living at a level well below what they should have grown into. Even in the natural, there are adults who still want to act like adolescents.

The fact is that God wants us to grow up into our full level of maturity. That’s what brings glory to His name. When that world sees an example of who the Lord is, it makes them want to move closer to Christ.

That brings us to the second part of the above verse from Ephesians. We need to truly learn to live a life of love. That’s the agape-love of Christ. It’s the choice to participate in a positive way in someone else’s life.

And that brings us to the biggest problem with this type of lifestyle. To truly love in this way involves sacrifice.

I have my own agenda. There are things that I want to do, see, and accomplish. I don’t want to put my plans on hold in order to be a blessing to someone else.

But that’s why Paul used two different words for the sacrifice that’s required of us. He said that we need to be willing to be an offering and a sacrifice.

The word, offering, deals with the presentation of a gift. In this context it’s all about availability. Am I willing to be available to God for the benefit of others?

There are many who won’t even go that far. They basically put God on hold until a more convenient time arises. In most cases, it’s never convenient to obey the Lord.

But even so, the presentation is not enough. There are many who say, “I’m there for you.” or “I’ve got your back.” But then, when you need them, they’re not around, or too busy to help.

The next word, sacrifice, deals with that aspect. It means the actual sacrificial animal itself. It’s the putting aside of myself to take on the responsibility of helping the other person. It goes beyond words and loves through actions.

According to the above verse, that becomes a sweet-smelling perfume to God’s senses. Of course, that begs the question, what does it smell like when we ignore this command of the Lord?

Our goal should be a sweet-smelling body. We put on deodorant, perfumes, and fragrances all the time with our physical bodies. It’s time that we make the church of Jesus Christ a sweet-smelling place.

Question: When have you needed to put aside your plans for someone else’s needs.

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 26, 2023 in Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Giving Grief to the Holy Spirit

24 May
Giving Grief to the Holy Spirit

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Ephesians. Paul is giving some instructions about the walk of maturity.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28 NIV

I realize that there’s an obvious understanding of this verse. Don’t live as a thief. Be a contributing member of society and the church. But I want to take it a bit further.

In the church, down through the ages, there are many Christians who are “takers”. I’m sure you know the type of person I’m talking about. They’re the ones who always seem to need something.

From their attitudes, it looks like they believe the only reason for the church, is to take care of them. It could be money, encouragement, prayer, rides, or many other things.

I’m not saying that we as God’s people shouldn’t be helping those in need. However, if the only thing you do in the church is look for help, then there’s something wrong. All of us, no matter our situation, have something to offer.

If I never do anything for others, then I’m not fulfilling my callings in Christ. Don’t be a taker. Make sure that you’re doing your part as a member of the body of Christ.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Ephesians 4:29-30 NIV

If I’m going to be a giver, then I must be careful what I’m giving out. That’s especially true in the area of my speaking. My goal should be the building up of the body.

That’s why I need to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. I want to build people up according to what they need, not my own agenda. The Spirit allows me to go beyond my own ability to help.

The word, benefit, in the above passage is important. It literally says that your words should be grace to those who hear you. That’s where the power of the Holy Spirit comes into the picture.

He wants to see the body of Christ built up. It grieves Him when we don’t walk according to His unity.

I know that many times we preach about grieving the Holy Spirit by our personal sins. But, in the context of Ephesians, this verse is in the middle of a section about how we’re supposed to treat each other. I believe that the Holy Spirit gets more grief over our treatment of others than our sin. The next couple of verses bears this out.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV

When we don’t treat others the way God treated us, it grieves His heart. Many times, we, as church people, are guilty of one or all of the above problems. We can’t allow that to continue, as much as we’re able.

Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you today. If there are any things that you’ve done, or been a part of, that grieves the Spirit, take care of it right now. If repentance is needed, then do so. Sometimes it will require us to humble ourselves before another Christian.

Whatever it takes, clear the path of God’s blessing to fill your life. Then, allow it to spill over into the lives of others around you.

Question: How do you keep your relationships pure before God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 24, 2023 in Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Anger Without Sin

22 May
Anger Without Sin

We’re continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. He’s explained that we’re now one body in Christ. Also, we’re working at putting on the new man. Because of this, there are some things that should be evident as a part of our Christian walk.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:25 NIV

First, Paul deals with deception. In the world, people are all looking out for their own betterment. Many times that involves being untrue to those around us.

That’s not to be the case in the body of Christ. We’re all members together. We need to learn the transparency and vulnerability that brings us closer together.

Yes, I know that there are those who would use this against us. Not all believers have pure motives. However, as for ourselves, we need to make sure that we’re walking correctly before God.

The next thing he talks about is anger. That’s something that always needs to be dealt with.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV

There are some important truths here in regard to anger. First of all, anger, in and of itself, is not a sin. Anger is a passionate part of our emotional make-up. Even God expresses His anger (Hebrews 3:10-11).

So the problem isn’t about stopping anger. What we need to do is learn to use it appropriately. There’s a right and wrong way to be angry.

What this passage tells us is to be angry, but don’t let that anger cause you to miss the mark. Anger itself can be a very useful tool. It can be a passion that drives you to change things for the better. It can force you seek God’s wisdom concerning a bad situation.

The key is that our anger needs to be submitted to the Holy Spirit working within us. What causes problems is when we let anger have free reign and we do or say things without thinking. That’s when hurts or bitterness can result.

One thing that this Scripture makes clear is that anger has to be resolved quickly. That doesn’t mean that the passionate emotion goes away. It just means that we are on the right path to a solution.

Paul tells us that we cannot let the sun go down on our unresolved anger. This is especially true in our relationships.

This is one area that my wife and I agreed together about from the start of our marriage. We committed to each other that we would never go to sleep with unresolved anger. Of course, there have been some long nights where we were up until 1 or 2 in the morning! But our relationship was stronger because of this.

Paul tells us why this resolution is so important. When we go to sleep with unresolved anger, we tend to forget about it by morning. Sometime the strong passion that we felt has dissipated.

On the surface this seems like a good thing, but it’s actually a ticking time-bomb. Any unresolved anger becomes a piece of ground that the devil – the accuser – has a claim to in your life or relationship.

Then, even years later, the enemy can use this as a base of attack against your marriage, family, or church relationships. If we allow this pattern to continue, the devil can have multiple areas to attack from, causing divorces or church splits.

As members of the body of Christ, we need to be constantly aware of the evil one’s tactics. Don’t give away any ground to the enemy’s kingdom. Allow the Holy Spirit to have total control over your anger. Use that passion constructively, and don’t let it lead you into sin.

Question: How can your anger move you forward toward your destiny in Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2023 in Encouragement, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Were We Taught?

08 May
Were We Taught?

In my last post, we started looking at Paul’s exhortation to us about knowing Christ intimately. I want to continue our talk on this subject.

God wants us to understand that living for Him is not just a single decision, but an ongoing walk. Sometimes I think that the modern church has lost sight of the spiritual life that the early church walked in. It’s a principle that many believers in former generations understood. We need to relearn some of the truths that we’ve let slip over time.

I like looking at church history. I read how those in the past lived for Christ. Sometimes the walk of these early Christians, and even my grandparents, amazes me. I see a walk of righteousness that we only dream about. It causes me to ask, why do we struggle with things that they overcame on a daily basis?

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ve lost something over time. In the above verse Paul said, “You were taught…” What was it that they were taught? I believe it was how to walk according to the Spirit.

It’s not something you just grow into. You don’t just wake up one day mature in the Lord. These are things that we need to be taught. More than that, we must accept, apply and perform them.

We sometimes get in trouble theologically because we rip things out of context. We apply things to our lives that are not for us or that we haven’t attained to yet. We need to know who this verse was written to.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus…

Ephesians 1:1 NIV

We need to understand that Scripture wasn’t written in a vacuum. There were things surrounding what was written. The letter to the Ephesian church was sent to a group of mature, faithful believers who were walking in the truths Paul was writing about. They understood these things – and I’m convinced that many of us in the modern church don’t.

Here’s what happens. We read the words in chapter 4, above, and we think that it’s true about us. We think that Paul is writing these words to us. No, on the contrary, he’s writing to a people who are living it; as an example to us.

If the things Paul wrote in that verse were true of us, then we would be experiencing it in our daily walk. Why then are we still corrupted by our deceitful desires? Why do so many in the church still have the same attitudes as the world? Why, in the church today, do we still not live like Jesus, with the same love and works that He operated in?

I believe it’s because we’ve lost some of the truth that these other generations possessed. There are three things in the above verses that need to be done. Paul said that they put off their old man, renewed their minds and put on the new man.

I’m convinced that these milestones are worked on after our initial salvation. Paul makes it clear that these were things that they were taught. Teaching requires time, and I don’t think it was time spent being taught before they received Christ.

This has been on my heart for a while now. I’m burdened not only for myself but for the church as a whole to experience this renewal. Because of that, I may be posting about this subject for longer than I normally take for a couple of verses. But I really think that it’s needed and relevant to the church today.

Question: What would the church look like if we were “like God in true righteousness and holiness”?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 8, 2023 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Growing in Love

01 May
Growing in Love

We’re continuing through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. He’s been teaching about our growth from infancy to maturity. This is where the Lord wants to bring us to.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV

This passage is key to our growth as God’s people. It shows some things that we really need to concentrate on in our generation.

The first thing I see is pretty obvious. We need to be speaking the truth. But, the word Paul uses here is important. This word for truth also contains the thought of it being unconcealed truth. If we only tell half the truth, is it really the truth?

In our generation, we have a problem with many of the Scriptural teachings. We stay silent because we don’t want to “rock the boat” of society around us.

We miss the key. This verse literally says that we speak the unconcealed truth, BUT, IN LOVE. That’s the important part. So often we either stay silent or we speak the truth as if it were a baseball bat to knock people around.

Once we know the truth, we need to seek the wisdom of God for how to present it. The Lord loves all people. His goal is always relationship and restoration. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who portray hatred and judgment.

We need to walk the narrow path that Jesus exemplified so wonderfully in His life in earth. He was able to tell someone, “I’m not condemning you, but you need to leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)

It’s obvious from these two verses that the important part is our love. We need to be speaking in love. But the body of Christ also has to be growing in love.

The language here is important for us to understand. It literally speaks of the body parts being joined and forced together. That’s an important concept for us to lay hold of. Especially after COVID, there are so many people who have left church and never returned.

We all need to be active members of the body of Christ. What do I mean by that? I’ve talked to many people, especially those who are of younger generations than me. (I’m 66 years old)

Many younger believers have left organized churches because of their frustration with “big box” religion. They don’t like seeing all of the money being poured into salaries and building maintenance. I get that.

However, the commands of Scripture still stand that we need to be meeting together, in-person, as the body of Christ. I don’t know what the church of Jesus Christ (not the denomination) is going to look like in ten years. We’re going through a time of transition right now.

But, there needs to be a meeting together. Whether that turns out to be in homes, like the first century church, or coffee shops, libraries, etc. Somehow we must come back together, face to face. That’s what we’re being called to do.

The passage above give us the result that each part is doing its work. We’re all called to some work for the Lord. The fact is that you’ll only find it when you know where you’re attached to the body. That’s the progression. Speaking the truth in love – joined and forced together – finding the work you’re called to do.

My prayer is that you’ll seek God for His wisdom. That’s what we need in the times we find ourselves in. Knowing the Scripture and applying it properly are two parts of the whole. It takes time spent with the Holy Spirit to live above the problems of the world around us.

Question: Where do you find yourself in the above passage?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2023 in Encouragement, Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, The Church

 

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On to Maturity

26 Apr
On to Maturity

I’ve been going through the letter to the Ephesian church. In it, Paul writes about our ministry as the body of Christ on earth. In my last post I talked about the five-fold ministry.

That’s the group of leaders that serve on a global level. They are the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. According to Paul, they’re given for a specific purpose.

…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:12-13 NIV

This word, mature, also means to be complete. This is God’s desire for His people. That we attain to the same level of maturity as Christ.

The unfortunate thing is that many teach that this is impossible. Over and over, we’re told that to walk like Jesus is beyond our reach. I don’t buy into this type of reasoning.

When I see the lives of the Apostles in the book of Acts, I don’t get the idea that they’re immature. I see the same signs and wonders that were performed by the Lord. I see thousands of people drawn to, and changed by, the Word of God. If it was possible for them, then the same is true for us – if we’re willing to walk the same road they walked to get there.

One of the key ingredients to us reaching this level is the ministry gifts God has given to the body of Christ. In talking about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, Paul said that they were given as gifts to the church. They have a very clear purpose.

The goal of the five-fold ministry is the maturing of the saints. The level of that maturity is beyond question. It is that we would live and minister as the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Why would the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to write these words if it were not possible? We need to stop making excuses and start working towards the walk of maturity.

Paul understood this aspect of his work as an apostle of Christ.

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Colossians 1:28-29 NIV

That’s the goal of the ministry. We are here to present everyone – not just a select few – perfect and mature in Christ. This requires supernatural strength and wisdom. We cannot hope to perform this on a merely human level. As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I need to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this great task.

The belief that this is impossible to achieve in our lifetime only serves to undermine the Lord’s goal for us. We need to recognize where He’s leading us to, and cooperate with the Lord’s program for our development. After all, He’s bringing us on an incredible spiritual journey.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:4 NIV

In the book of James, we’re shown the path it takes to get to maturity. The final piece he talks about is perseverance. But I want us to see the result of this work. What happens once you reach this mature walk?

James clearly states, from the Holy Spirit and his experience, that when you walk in maturity you lack nothing. Lacking nothing – that’s what the church is striving for in this generation.

If we’re going to operate at this level, then we need the spiritual walk of maturity.

Question: What would the ministry of a spiritually mature believer look like?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 26, 2023 in Leadership, Ministry, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Unique Gifts

24 Apr
Unique Gifts

We’re continuing to walk through the book of Ephesians. Having showed us the strength of our unity, Paul now talks about the unique gifts we have in the church.

Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7-8 Berean Literal Bible (BLB)

This is great news. Even though we walk in unity as a church, God still deals with us individually. We are each given grace that has been personalized for us by Christ.

That’s why I can’t judge you by what God is doing in me. The Lord works differently in all of us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. His grace is uniquely catered to each one of us.

But there’s a purpose to all of this.

This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…

Ephesians 4:8-11 NIV

This passage tells me that when Christ rose from the dead, His desire was for the blessing of His people. He gave grace to some for the purpose of being a gift to the church.

This grouping is commonly called the “five-fold” ministry. Just as the USA has a federal Government and a state government, these ministries are like the federal level. Their influence is more far reaching than a single local church.

Unfortunately, many turn around what Paul is saying here. As a pastor, I understand that my life has been given as a gift to bless God’s people. Too often there are those who think that the church is a gift to them, to further their desires.

Each of these ministries is uniquely qualified to enhance the church in some way. Apostles are the first. We have little understanding of these in the modern church. Their job is to start and establish churches on a firm foundation of truth.

Then there are prophets. These men and women are used by the Holy Spirit to speak on behalf of Christ. They keep us in order, if we’ll listen to them.

Of course, there are many who put “apostle” or “prophet” on their business cards who never received that calling from God. The only way to know for sure is to judge them by the work they’re doing for Christ.

Next are evangelists. We’ve used that word in the modern church as a catch-all for anyone who goes around preaching. That’s not the meaning of this word. An evangelist is specifically someone who brings the Good News of Christ, not merely preaching about the Bible.

Teachers are those who take the truths of the Scripture and make them readily understandable to the congregation. It’s through the anointed teaching of God’s Word that we can hear and apply those things that can truly change our lives.

The word, pastor, literally means shepherd. They are the leaders of local congregations of believers. They’re responsible, not only to minister to the needs of the local community, but to be aware of what God is doing on a global level.

These ministries are gifts to the body of Christ. They’re needed for our growth and maturity. In my next post we’ll see what exactly God wants them to accomplish in His people.

Question: How have you seen the five-fold ministry function in the church?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2023 in Anointing, Leadership, Ministry, The Church

 

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Unity – Not Just a Suggestion

21 Apr
Unity – Not Just a Suggestion

As we go through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we’re seeing how we are to function as a body of believers. We’re called to guard the spirit of unity that Christ brought us into. Paul continues with that thought.

There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV

I’m amazed that the Holy Spirit felt the need to emphasize the fact that there’s only one body and only one Spirit. Too often we think of the church as a group of different entities. Each denomination has its own structure and belief system.

That’s not how the Lord planned it to work. When He looks at the earth, Christ sees one body of believers. We’re the ones who place these virtual divisions into His church.

This verse literally says that we were called with one hope of our calling. To understand what he’s saying, you have to know the biblical definition of hope.

It has nothing to do with the modern concept of wishful thinking. We’re not just “trusting that everything will turn out alright”.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

The Scripture is clear. We’re not just wishing that God will do what He says. We fully expect to see God’s will accomplished in us.

That’s what hope is all about in the Bible. It’s an expectation that we’ll see the manifestation of God’s promises.

So, when we read the above verse in Ephesians, we understand that there’s only one calling. That’s because the word, you, is plural in the Greek. We are called with one calling and one expectation of that calling.

That’s why it annoys me so much when someone says that they are personally called to do something for God. Then, they proceed to push themselves forward and walk over other believers in their attempt to “fulfill their calling”.

There is only one call and one hope. Each of us has a role to play in accomplishing it. But we’re called to work together, just as our body functions as a unit.

It would be foolish to think that my right hand had a goal that only it could do by itself. That would be outside the realm of reality. But, in the church, we act like that very often.

Paul continues to clarify this thought. There is only one Lord – one Commander-in-Chief. He’s the one giving us our marching orders. His plan includes everybody.

This means that there’s only one who we put our trust in. We don’t trust any human leader or even positive thinking. We place our trust and our hope firmly in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then we’re told that there’s one baptism – that’s a word that’s too religious. It’s a Greek word that means immersion. We are all immersed into one thing – the body of Christ. That’s why Paul makes it clear that God the Father is over all, through all, and in all.

If we’re going to accomplish the work that God has called us to, then we need to ignore all of our man-made differences. We must focus on the calling of the church. Then, we find our place in God’s plan and obey His instructions to us.

That’s actually what Paul is going to get into as he continues in this epistle. So, over the next few weeks, we’ll see how this progresses.

Question: Where do you see yourself in the body of Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 21, 2023 in Ministry, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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The Unity of the Spirit

19 Apr
The Unity of the Spirit

As we go through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we must keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is beginning to emphasize our corporate walk. He’s showing us how to function together as the body of Christ on earth. This thought continues.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3

In order to grasp this, we must first define the term, unity. We must understand that there’s a big difference between unity and agreement. Most Christians use these two terms interchangeably. Actually, they’re two very different truths.

The Word of God is clear that agreement is when we think and believe the same way.

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 18:19

In this verse, the Greek word that’s translated, agree, is sumphoneo. It’s where we get our English word symphony. It literally means to sound together. You agree on the facts, so you speak the same thing.

This means that if I believe Jesus is Healer, and you believe Jesus is Healer, we’ll sound the same when we speak. In that case, we’re in agreement. That makes it a function of our soul.

Unity is a whole different thing. Look at the above verse from Ephesians again.

In the same way that agreement is a function of our soul, unity is a function of our spirits. What we need to realize is that we’ve already been made one in Christ. It’s now our job to keep or guard the unity of the spirit.

In the Greek, the phrase, make every effort, means to use prompt and earnest effort. This tells me that it requires work on our part. There’s something we need to do. In order to keep this unity, it will require the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

It’s all about allowing the Lord to connect me to those around me in the body of Christ. Only then can we fulfill our calling together. Listen to Paul’s exhortation to the Philippian church.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel…

Philippians 1:27 NIV

Whenever I read this verse, I have to change the tone of my voice. This should be read like a general encouraging his troops on the eve of battle. Their goal is to have complete victory over their enemy.

It’s the same for the church of Jesus Christ. Everyday should be considered life on a battleground. As a matter of fact, Paul will get into that further on in this letter to the Ephesians.

Too many believers don’t understand this fact. They think that they can float through life caring only for themselves. That’s a recipe for defeat.

The Lord, Himself, as well as the apostles make it clear that we’re in a spiritual battle. If that’s the case, then it’s impossible to win this victory all by ourselves.

Paul’s commands are perfectly clear. We are to stand firm in one spirit. That’s the only way that we can be contending as one man for the Gospel. In order to do that, we need to line up our spirits with the Holy Spirit.

I believe that this means we need to be praying in the spirit. It’s this prayer in the spirit that unifies us for the spiritual war that we face each day. This is the unifying factor in the church.

Question: How often are you involved in corporate prayer in the spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 19, 2023 in Fellowship, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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