Definitely Converted or Just Deceptively Close?

 

Ephesians 1:15-23  For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Some of the richest portions of Paul's letters are those containing his prayers for the saints.

Over these next few weeks we shall have a quick look at Paul's prayers in Ephesians and so complete our series in Ephesians.

Paul was a man of prayer; he prayed.  The Christian life began for Paul in prayer, when he was struck blind he submitted to Jesus as Lord in prayer.  It goes together. 

Today we are faced as a church, with a great need for prayer.  We pray for Elijah, John's grandson, we pray for Saya, We pray for John S, and Rob K and Thys and so many that are going through great problems with illnesses.  People close to us.  And we know that they need our prayers. 

Paul's prayer is found in Ephesians 1 just after He has talked about every blessing which is ours in Christ Jesus.

He has spoken about election, predestination, redemption, sanctification, sealing with the Spirit.

The one condition is faith in the good news of the gospel.

And now he says  "'Wherefore" "For this reason"   Because of these blessings that God has wrought, how do you and  I make sure we have a part in it?  We know we ought to pray!! "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!"  There is no doubt that these blessings are ours in salvation. But how do we know for sure that salvation has come to us? What are the marks of the prayer that saves?

Paul prays that conversion is real.  He is going to talk later in Ephesians 2 about how you have been delivered from the domain of darkness; walking after the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air, walking in ways that only lead to the wrath of God, and how God stepped in and converted us, raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.

This conversion isn't a mere mental intellectual conversion… There are many sorts of intellectual and emotional conversions… Many who are converted to Christianity fall out the back door.

The Lord Jesus said Matthew 7 : 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

There are other kinds of conversion too:

Conversions to being Green!  Conversions to communism! Political conversions, religious conversions, conversions to cults.

All of these reorganise and recategorise the way people think. They become burning hot zealots for their particular mental conversion.   These conversions all have emotional aspects and attachments.  The followers of Pol Pot were so emotionally charged over their conversion to communism that they killed all those who had a high school education or higher. They killed doctors nurses, teachers anyone! And particularly Christians.  Why? Because these folk could cast doubts on the nature of their conversion to communism.

The same is true with Hamas. Did you know that the Hamas fighters were given a drug to emotionalise them to their creed and to deemotionalise them to the horrific acts that they performed? Hamas attacks noncombatants, intentionally targeting young children, elementary schools, and a youth center. Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan wrote: "Butchering people was the aim. It was what they set out to do." US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Hamas "vividly reminds me of ISIS: bloodthirsty, fanatical, and hateful."

A powerful drug was found in the pockets of Hamas terrorists who participated in the attack against Israel. The drug, also called "Jihad drug" was also used by the terrorists of the ISIS organization. Captagon is a powerful stimulant reportedly found in the pockets of dead or captured Hamas terrorists who attacked Israel on October 7. Captagon is an amphetamine (a stimulant drug that acts on the neurotransmitters) originally created in the 1960s in Germany to combat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and narcolepsy (sleeping disorder). while stimulating the central nervous system. Most countries stopped using captagon in 1986 due to its addictive properties and negative effects. But its popularity remains strong in the Middle East despite the drug being banned by Middle Eastern governments.

"It has become very popular for the leaders of various terrorist organizations to give them to people, first of all, to break them mentally and indoctrinate them, and in particular before operations because it makes them more hyperactive, more cruel and merciless."

Irina Zuckerman, a geopolitical analyst says that the terrorist organizations use the drug to control the fighters. They become more obedient, more open to suggestions, and more addicted.

"The main function of the drug is to increase the willingness to fight. And you can even see it from watching some of these terrorists, from their videos that they took with their body cameras, they seemed much more alert, and much more hyperactive."

Although the use of the drug is prohibited in the Middle East, terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah produce it cheaply and easily. They smuggle it through different ports. Experts believe most production takes place in Syria, where captagon exports are estimated to be worth $3.5 billion in 2020.

 

Alister McGrath describes his experience of conversion in similar terms: "At Oxford — to my surprise — I discovered Christianity. It was the intellectually most exhilarating and spiritually stimulating thing I could ever hope to describe — better than chemistry, a wonderful subject that I had thought to be the love of my life and my future career. I went on to gain a doctorate for research in molecular biophysics from Oxford, and found that immensely exciting and satisfying. But I knew I had found something better — like the pearl of great price that Jesus talks about in the Gospel, which is so beautiful and precious that it overshadows everything. It was intellectually satisfying, imaginatively engaging, and aesthetically exciting."

The mere fact that we think we say we are Christians is not enough; the fact that other people may say that we are Christians is not enough. There must be some test. If we are to have real and solid assurance, then we must have some valid tests to apply; and fortunately for us the Apostle provides them for us here. There are many such tests provided for the Christian in the New Testament. The First Epistle of John was undoubtedly written with the specific purpose that we might be able to test ourselves to know whether we are in the faith. The Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthians, saying: 'Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves' (2 Corinthians 13:5). So, we need to carefully consider what conversion really means, and how the true God truly converts men and women and children to Himself.

'Wherefore"  For this reason!  

The Apostle starts with the doctrinal statement in the beginning of Chapter 1.  He lists every spiritual blessing and he begins with the greatest magnitude, Chosen in Christ, predestined before the foundation of the world, adopted  into the family of God, redeemed  by the blood of God the Son poured out at Calvary 2000 years ago.. Next he thanks God that the Ephesians are involved in all the blessings he has named, and are partakers of them. Then, because of that, he is praying to God constantly for them, and asking that their understanding of the faith may increase and develop, and that they may experience it more and more. And that their love to each other may be better informed.  For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints.

'No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Spirit' (v. 3). The natural man does not believe this; the princes of this world did not recognize Him, 'for had they known (him) they would not have crucified the Lord of glory' (1 Corinthians 2:8). They thought He was a man only, a carpenter, Jesus; they did not realize that He was the Lord. In this expression, 'Lord Jesus', we have the 'mystery of godliness', namely, that 'God was manifest in the flesh', together with all that followed the birth at Bethlehem.

The apostle Paul by God's grace, enables us to understand in this prayer that there is a deeper 

Faith  in the Lord Jesus  and  Love.

How Do You Know If Your Conversion Is Real?

1. You Are Making Progress in the Christian life. 

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe Col 1:10 "…growing in the knowledge of God", and the operative word is "growing". Paul longed that Christians should grow.  Growth is the sign of life.

Paul is saying if there is not growth in these ways there may be no true spiritual life!

D. A. Carson says, "What is the greatest need in the church today?  The one thing we need in Western Christendom is a deeper knowledge of God. We need to know God better" (Call, 15). In Colossians 1:9-10 Paul prays for God to give them wisdom so they may continue "growing in the knowledge of God." The beginning, middle, and end of the Christian life is about knowing God. Beginning: Jesus says, "This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ" (John 17:3). Jesus told some who were doing ministry in His name, "I never knew you! Depart from Me" (Matt 7:22-23). Middle: Paul writes, "My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection" (Phil 3:10). John writes, "We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). The Christian's life is moving toward the visio dei, when we will see Christ. The Christian life is about knowing God and making Him known to others.

Spurgeon says it well: "I go back to my home, many a time, mourning that I cannot preach my Master even as I myself know Him, and what I know of Him is very little compared with the matchlessness of His grace. Would that I knew more of Him, and that I could tell it out better!" ("The Great Change"). J. I. Packer, in his classic book, Knowing God, says that those who know God have four characteristics: great energy for God, great thoughts of God, great boldness for God, and great contentment in God (Knowing God, 27–31). Let us pray that God will open our eyes that we may know Him better.

How Do You Know If Your Conversion Is Real?

2.  You Have Been Given Spiritual Perception. 

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe Paul prayed that God would fill the Colossians 1:9 "with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding."  We have no greater need than for spiritual enlightenment in order that we might know the will of God and do it. By nature we cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14 and John 3:2-3).  How many Christians lack spiritual understanding (1 John 2:20)!

Hope (1:18a). Paul asks God to open their eyes to know the hope to which He called them. In eternity past He called us. Then we believed in the present. And our hope also has a future dimension. We look forward to God summing up all things in Christ. Our salvation is marked by massive hope.

Paul prays that they may now grasp the hope of this calling. In Romans Paul describes our hope as involving sharing in the glory of God (Rom 5:2). He also speaks in other places of the hope of "salvation" (1 Thess 5:8), "righteousness" (Gal 5:5), resurrection of an incorruptible body (1 Cor 15:19,52-55), and "eternal life" (Titus 1:2; 3:7). This hope is rich, and it is varied in the New Testament. To put it simply, God has called us to a distinct way of life with a glorious future hope. When we hold out the gospel to people, we are essentially holding out hope to people (cf. Col 1:5). There is much suffering in this life; there are many dangers, toils, and snares, but glory is coming.

You Have An inward Confidence of an eternal Inheritance (1:18b).

How Do You Know If Your Conversion Is Real?

3. You Are Being Made Aware of His Power. 

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe

Power (1:19-20a). This third request is the climactic request in the prayer. That is made evident by how Paul expands on power in the following verses (vv. 20-23) and by the incredible labels Paul applies to God's power: "immeasurable greatness," "power" (dynamis), "working" (energeia), and "vast strength." Paul says God's almighty power is available to His saints! Only by God's power will we be able to engage in the spiritual battle described in Ephesians 6. Only by God's power will we arrive safely into His heavenly kingdom, and His power is given to "us who believe" (v. 19).

Some were formerly caught up in magic, the Artemis cult, astrology, and emperor worship. Their lives were dark and perverted (Eph 4:17-19) until Christ saved them. The people of this culture lived in fear of hostile spiritual forces (O'Brien, Ephesians, 138). Paul is assuring them that God's power is supreme over all their enemies!

We need not fear when we have superior power. The power of the risen Christ is ours to do battle against worry, temptation, doubt, and demonic warfare. Why do we often fail to rely on this mighty power? Added to the exalted view of self and diminished view of God is the failure to understand the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.

The evil one and his host hate us. They hate our faith. They hate the church, our marriages, and our mission. That is why we must lean into Christ and pray for His resurrection power to strengthen us and empower us to live for God's glory.

Col 1:11  "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might…" 

Potentially, the power of the Holy Spirit has been given to us – but what about experimentally?

according to the working of his great might20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

You Are Aware of His Power In Christ's Resurrection (1:20a)

God, raised Jesus from the dead! Death is a bitter enemy we will all face. Yet because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we do not have to fear death. Jesus has crushed it!

You Are Aware of His Power In Christ's Enthronement (1:20b)

Jesus is not only alive forevermore, but He is also reigning forevermore.

What does that mean for us? It means everything. Everything is under the reign of the seated King!  He is the Lord Jesus.  His throne is above the principalities and powers. He is above creation. He is above Satan and his system. He is above everyone and every ruler. Paul mentions His supremacy over all earthly powers. He mentions Christ's supremacy over every title or name (cf. Phil 2:6-11). And then he mentions Christ's supremacy over all His enemies with the phrase "under His feet." Paul is saying here that not only is every power inferior to Christ, they are also subject to Him (O'Brien, Ephesians, 145).

You Are Aware of His Power In Christ's Headship (1:22b-23)

Christ and His church. Only the church, not all creation, is said to be His body. Consequently, the church should be important to us! Jesus identifies Himself with it! He is head over it. The church should be important to us because it is important to Jesus. He is head over it. And consequently, he has a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus!  'faith in the Lord Jesus'.

D Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote: "You cannot separate the Lord and Jesus. The Person is one and indivisible. He is always the Lord. There is no such thing as 'coming to Jesus'. In one sense, a man cannot even come to Christ. He can only come to the Lord Jesus. If this doctrine is true a man cannot accept Him as Saviour only, and then perhaps later decide to accept Him as Lord, for He is always the Lord. The One who died for our sins is the Lord. And He died for our sins because sin is under the wrath of God; it is transgression against the law, it is enmity against God, so it must be punished. If I say that I need a Saviour it is because I need a Saviour from sin, including deliverance from the power of sin and everything connected with sin. If I have a true conception of sin I cannot only ask to be forgiven. I must desire to be delivered from its power and pollution as well. We cannot believe in 'Jesus' and leave out 'the Lord'. We believe in one indivisible Person. In Him there are two natures in one Person; and when we believe in Him we believe in Him as the Lord of glory and the Lord of our life. When we believe in Him we believe that He died for our sins, that He has brought us, purchased us, ransomed us. When we believe that, we give ourselves to Him. We do not 'come to Jesus', and we do not believe in Jesus: we come to the Lord Jesus, we believe in Him as He is. The Apostle is always careful about this matter. For instance, we find it written in his Epistle to the Colossians: 'As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him' (2:6). We cannot receive Him as anything but the Lord, and therefore the Lord of our life."

How Do You Know Your Conversion is real? 

4. You Exercise Loving Prayer For Others!

It is not only a sincere faith, but also love from a pure heart.   1 Tim 1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  

What was Paul's prayer like?   It was about praying in  love toward all the saints,

Prayer That Is Marked by Persistency. 

¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers Col 1:9, "We have not stopped praying for you…" tell us that Paul knew something about unceasing prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and compare Luke 18:1.  Prayer is a warfare (Ephesians 6:12); and if we give up when we are praying the battle goes to the enemy. We need the grace of continuance 1 Samuel 12:23 God forbid that I should cease to pray for you.  ,

Prayer That Is Marked by Intensity. Paul was passionate in his praying – he was filled with a deep longing. ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

Prayer That Is Marked by Praise. 

¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers

It is very important to notice the difference between praise and prayer. There are some things for which we are to pray, which we have noticed; but there are other great blessings to thank God for, because He has already given them to us.  What are they?

Thank God for His Provision  He has given us an "inheritance" 1 Peter 1:4.

Thank God for His Power.  He has rescued us from and brought us into.

Thank God for His Pardon. How we should thank God that all our sins have been removed from us, swept away, hurled into the depths of the sea, and that God will remember them against us no more! – Psalm 103:12.

 

Growth Group Questions

1. Why should Christians pray—Intensely, Joyfully and Persistently?
2. What in this passage taught you the most about conversion?
3. What kinds of requests are brought up at your prayer meetings? How are Paul's petitions for the believers in Ephesus different?
4. Why do we need divine illumination?
5. What differences would it make if we understood our hope, inheritance, and power better?