SEPARATED TO CHRIST
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:17).
This chapter will come as a challenge to many readers as to whether they really mean business with God. So many people play at "being Christians," dressing up for the part, learning their words, correcting their exits and entrances, so that as they strut on the world's stage they play their part very well — they become good actors. But when the costliness of the Christian life is considered, they shrink from the consequences.
Some one has said that, concerning the Christian life, the entrance charge is nothing but the annual subscription is everything.
Let this chapter then search your heart so that you may experience a deeper relationship with your Lord. To be a real Christian certainly can be costly, but the wonderful, glorious thrill of knowing Christ abiding in the heart is treasure beyond compare.
Man in innocency lived his perfect dependent life before God. We saw that, as in Genesis 2:7: "man became a living soul," so the Holy Spirit in man's human spirit was able to move into the area of his soul, or heart, controlling and guiding man's mind, emotions, and will. There was thus a unity of peace and purpose, and the Holy Spirit was manifest in man's human body.
But when man believed the lie of the devil he died, spiritually, and the Holy Spirit was no longer controlling and guiding in the trinity of the heart. Man had been promised freedom by the devil but the human heart became a kingdom without a king; there was a throne unoccupied. It was then that man became "as gods." The big "I" took over the kingdom of the heart, and self sat upon the throne.
The plan of God's redemption, as it affected man, was two-fold. First to deal with the sinfulness of the situation, and secondly to restore life to the spirit of man in order to re-establish the communion first broken by Adam. That plan has been fulfilled at the cross of Calvary, as we read in I Peter 1:19, 20 that we were redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you."
Ephesians 3:14-21 contains the prayer of progress in practical Christianity. In verse 14 Paul says — "For this cause" — this is the reason for his prayer. Notice also how in verse 16 he asks a blessing — "according to the riches of His glory" — not out of His riches but according to. A father who was in deep poverty might struggle hard to get enough to buy his child a Christmas present. He might eventually buy something very cheap, but the child would be satisfied. If a millionaire was to give his child a similar present, the child would despise it. He would want a gift according to his father's riches. Both would give their best according to their riches — but how different the best would be. So, with God, He gives according to His riches.
In verse 16, Paul asks that we might be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that into the human spirit may come the strengthening, reinforcing, mighty power, of the Spirit. Remember that the Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of His" (Romans 8:9). Jesus said in John 10:10: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." This is the life, Christ Himself. The coming of the new life means the coming of a new birth so the man is born again.
When Christ is received by faith, then that soul is born of God. Whether they realize or understand this or not, this is what happened when any soul receives Christ as Saviour — into the human spirit comes the mighty power of the Holy Spirit of Christ.
The receiving of life in the human spirit is only the beginning of the prayer. Paul then goes on in verse 17 — "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." If this also takes place then there would be a restoration of the blessed relationship as at first. The Holy Spirit would then be free to move into the human heart to guide and control in the affairs of mind, emotion, and will. Unfortunately, what often happens is that the sinner in all his need eagerly accepts the forgiveness offered by God. He is happy to be born again. But then comes a full stop. The big "I" is still on the throne, choosing and deciding — possibly not now in lusts of the flesh but choosing the directing of the spiritual life. "I" gets busy planning and preparing, using all the resources of mind, emotions and will to put on a good show and live the Christian life.
It is at this point that the first big challenge can come.
Verse 17 says: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts. . . ." — dwell there, abide, settle down, live there.
Depending on our own personality, we can have different ways of inviting people into our own homes. If someone knocks on the door and we go to find a complete stranger, we will probably leave him outside while we attend to his request.
Perhaps someone may come who lives in our street, way down at the other end, and when we open the door to greet them we react differently. The visitor is not a complete stranger, but a semi-acquaintance, and so we invite them in, but only "just in." We ask them to wait there — on that spot — while we attend to their request.
Possibly when the door is opened another time, we find someone we know from the office or store. Here there is a progression in acquaintanceship, so there is a progression into the house. Possibly they will be invited into a room — but only one room.
But, of course, if the visitor is one of the family and he abides in the house, he doesn't knock. He walks in and goes where he wants because the house is his.
How far does Jesus Christ get into your house? Paul prayed: "That Christ may dwell, or abide, in your hearts." The chapter of fruitfulness taught us that: "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). The vital point is whether Christ abides in me so that there can be "much fruit." Paul prayed that this blessed experience could be ours — but here is the challenge — the greatest challenge any soul can face. It will bring a new standard of values — His standards — for He said: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:14).
If Christ comes to abide in my heart something will have to happen. Jesus Christ will have to have complete control of my mind, my thoughts, my ambitions. He will want to control what comes into my mind — what books I read, what T.V. programs I see. He will want to control where I go, and with whom I am friends.
2 Corinthians 10:5 faces us with a tremendous challenge — "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
Christ in control means thoughts in captivity. Nothing impure or unholy can stay where He is. This is the price of purity of mind — that Jesus Christ shall cleanse and remove all that offends Him. Our prayer should be — "Come in to my mind, blessed Lord, show what is false and impure and cleanse it by Thy Holy Spirit. Set a watch at the door so that all that enters has first been brought to You, for Your divine approval."
If we really mean business, and truly want Christ to abide in our hearts, we must realize that there are many things that will need to go.
If Christ is to abide in my heart, not only will He control my mind but also my affections must be at His disposal. If I think of my emotions as a piano keyboard, we can well see the full range from a bass of bitter anger, right through to a tranquil treble.
But if Christ played the melodies on the strings of my emotions some of our regular "concert pieces" would never be heard again. The peace of Christ abiding in my heart would demonstrate the love of Christ in my daily living. Possibly in no other sphere is Christ's presence more quickly shown than in the emotions. Hand over your quick temper and bitter tongue for Christ to deal with. Make apologies, obey parents, respect teachers! As Christ dwells in us, His Spirit gives us the power to carry out His commands.
The will is like the finger on the trigger of my response — a slight pressure and unending trouble can follow. Christ must abide in my will, also, and just as He could say to His Father: "Not my will but Yours be done," so I must say the same to Him.
The will is the throne of the heart, but with many Christians "I" is still in control. If Christ is to abide, then he must be on the throne. "If Christ is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all."
Paul continues his prayer: "to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19).
This means our spirits, souls and bodies — all filled for Him.
And we should not fear what this could mean for verses 20 and 21 say:
Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
All God desires from us is a willingness to be obedient. He will do above all we ask or think by the power of the indwelling Christ. As we open the door of our hearts, allowing Him to move from room to room cleansing, purifying, burning out, we shall experience the truth of the Lord's words in Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God."
Our continual prayer should be: "Blessed Saviour, You have died to redeem me to Yourself. Show me now my utter selfishness and unworthiness. By Your Holy Spirit, create in me a hunger for Your abiding presence. Make me willing to open every door in my heart to Your searching gaze, then show me Your will for my life. Finally, give me Your willingness to do, Your courage to dare, and Your joy to set my heart rejoicing. Amen."
