The Prison Epistles

God doesn’t offer forgiveness according to our performance. He offers forgiveness because He has an abundance of it.

We are saints. I am a saint. A holy one. Consecrated. Why? Simply because I am called by God and have chosen to put my faith in Jesus Christ.

The Church is a house, each of us a building block, with “Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Christ himself is the unifier. 

He erased my previous identities of sinful, broken and prideful and replaced them. There is no going back to my old identities for he has rid them of me. God has intervened on my behalf to call me Redeemed and Loved.

It’s not me in my own strength, willing myself to make the change and be strengthen but a “glorious inner strength” from Christ’s dwelling in us that will do all the molding of our hearts. So come on in Jesus, you are welcome here.

I am so quick to forget my new identity and calling, and revert back to a way of living that isn’t worthy of my new identity and calling. And it is not that I consciously decide, “I’d like to go back to living as the ‘old man’ today,” and then I start cursing at the traffic in front of me.

As I read Ephesians 4, there is no doubt in my mind that Paul is saying that our lives should look different if we follow Jesus; however, I need to pause and remind myself that my life looks different because of what He has done, not what I can do. 

It is critical that we first and foremost give our lives to Jesus and recognize Him as our Lord. But that's not the end. We are then called to live as "imitators of God, as beloved children" (v1). Not going to sugarcoat it: this seems really daunting. An imitator of our holy and glorious God? No pressure or anything!!

When I look back on the days of quarantine, I want to know that I used it as a time to speak light into the darkness, truth where there is untruth, and to have encouraged the people God put in my path rather than add to the chaos and confusion.

Doesn’t it feel like life is always a battle? There is always something we are battling—worrying about what others think, stepping out of our comfort zones, fighting against sin, uncertainty, unsettling feelings, negative thoughts, fear, and so much more. And it can get tiring for sure. It sure seems like life would be a lot easier if God was like a genie and we could just wish all of our battles away, doesn’t it? 

The gospel is a great mystery that continues to unfold to those who seek the Lord. Paul asks in Ephesians 6, “that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.” It was not a mistake that he asked for the words to be given to him. The gospel is so rich, full, and deep, that we need words given to us to truly proclaim it.

How would your life change if you knew the truth? Most people think they know, but if we’re being honest, it’s tough to be certain about the truth. But how can this be? We have more knowledge at our fingertips today than ever in history, we absorb so much with our eyes and our hearts and our minds, but hardly any of it is the truth. Most of it is false.

It is such a beautiful thing to read how Paul wants to be involved with his community even while being in prison. He wants to see them thrive!

What does it look like—in the turmoil of our present world, amidst the uprising of an oppressed people group—to humble ourselves and consider the interests of others over our own interests? Jesus was born with privileges, at least in the spiritual realm. So why would he deny those privileges and “empty himself by assuming the form of a servant”?

Paul helps us understand what becoming “like Christ” means and looks like. In verses 6-11 we learn the gospel truth of what Christ did. He humbled himself, came to earth, and died on a cross for us and our sins. WOAH! Let that sink in for a second! Can you imagine doing that for someone, even someone you love? I know I can’t.

Anxiety so easily creeps into my heart and mind and tells me I need to take control in order to see success in my life. It only takes a minute of surrender to remember how small I am and how big God is and that he has everything I could possibly need. He is more than enough.

Paul clarifies that having great achievements or “checking all the boxes” of what we think pleases God is not really having a genuine relationship with Christ Jesus our Savior . . . So basically those of us who worship God in the power and freedom of the Holy Spirit, not in the laws and religious duties, are the ones who please God.