Ephesians 3:20-21 English Standard Version

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Are these verses to be a preamble? While powerful and true, are they a preparatory statement for what follows?

Ephesians 4:1-6 English Standard Version

Unity in the Body of Christ

¹ I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Up until this point everything that has happened in us was about change. Being this new creation in Christ was about discovering who we are in Christ. Now seeing that we are just one part of the universal body of Christ, it becomes a matter of unity of faith and working with others. Acknowledging that Christ is in others is necessary for unity of the Spirit.

We need not have faith in others but faith in the One who abides in others. Being over, through and in every member of the body of Christ means much more than just being a church member. Trying to do all that is spoken of in verse 2 is impossible without the preamble from chapter 3. It is God in us that not only allows it to happen, He causes it to happen.

We are just willing cooperative body parts.

1 Corinthians 8:2 English Standard Version (ESV) If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

1 Corinthians 8:2 King James Version (KJV) And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

The mind is a powerful tool but it is just a tool. Imaginations are not real. Thinking that you know a thing simply because you have the power to reason does not make it true. Hearing God is a spiritual gift activated by faith because it pleases God to do so.

Men can be very convincing. Their reasoning skills can be very persuasive. Does that make them the voice of God? No, only the Holy Spirit is the voice of God. His ability to speak to us is by faith and is a revelation not mental reasoning.

Bringing things into remembrance sounds like a memory skill but it comes from a different place. His indwelling is the new heart not the renewed mind. His affirmation of truth is a yes and amen which comes to us by faith and not by reasoning. When a pastor or teacher speaks truth the spirit confirms by faith not by reasoning.

Reading God’s Holy Word without thinking about what it means is our first encounter with hearing by faith.

Romans 10:17 English Standard Version (ESV) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Nowhere in that verse is there a reference to our reasoning skills. It is a spiritual exercise. We fool ourselves if we tell ourselves that our reasoning skills brings us to His truth. He reveals truth from the heart which is the seat of true choice. That is His abiding place. He does not occupy our mind.

We are not puppets. We must choose to hear and obey. That is an exercise of our free will.

Choose to love God.