“But Now”

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13

I’m cycling through my third time in Ephesians. Initially, I was somewhat puzzled as to the major thesis of the book. In other words, why did Paul write this and what is the main thing he wants the readers to come away with.

There’s a whole lot here than meets the eye at first blush. It isn’t my intent to get into all of that here. I will be preaching about it this Shabbat. So, if you want “the rest of the story” you’ll be able to find it on our website as soon as it’s posted.

Here’s a clue: “for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” Eph. 2:15

However, for now …

At times when I read I like to slow things down just enough to be able to pause and meditate upon the words of the verses. That’s what I was doing this morning and was blessed by the two words “But now.”

These two words infer a difference in what once was and what now is. It’s a clear statement emphasizing a break from something in order to embark upon something new, different from what had been before.

In short, Paul is stating what had happened to the believers in Ephesus. He’s reiterating what, by faith in Yeshua, they’d already come to know through personal experience. They knew something supernatural had taken place inside them at the point of their salvation. Paul, by recalling this fact, seeks to encourage them in their walk of faith in Yeshua. It would be wonderful if they, from that point in time, “lived happily ever after” in their newfound faith, but ….

We all know the wonderful change that has happened within us individually. We were there when our transformation took place. And, from then on, we sort of “saw” things, physically and spiritually, that we never were aware of prior to our salvation. “But now” things are drastically different: all for the good, but some unexpected other things found their way into our new life.

What’s that? There’s a whole new dimension of interaction we had no idea we signed up for. Paul talks about that in chapter 6.

There’s a new opponent, oppositional force, we have to contend against: “ against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (6:12)

Did you catch the key word that was mentioned? It’s the word “AGAINST.”

It truly is amazingly wonderful that we’ve been transformed in Yeshua and have been “delivered … from the power of darkness, and hath [been] translated into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13)

But there’s a problem …

The “powers” that lost us from their grips ain’t too happy about it. As a matter of fact, they are downright furious … and they intend to do their dead level best to make us pay for it.

I do wish we were all floating around on the Good Ship Lollipop, but that’s not now; that’s for later. “But Now” we have to buckle down, dig in and slug it out. That’s the hard reality. As a matter of fact, that’s the hard reality of the whole narrative of the Bible.

We didn’t sign up for a lifetime cruise upon a luxury yacht. We signed up for the trenches. That’s why Paul talks in chapter six about such things as: “whole armor,” “to stand against,” “wrestle,” “wiles (schemes/tactics) of the devil.”

We have to learn to live in the “But Now” the Scriptures have laid out for us. Yes, there is coming that day the hymn talks about …

“When we all get to heaven,

what a day of rejoicing that will be!

When we all see Jesus

we'll sing and shout the victory.”

And for that day we cry out saying, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

“But Now,” until then, let’s set our faces like flint to:

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” I Timothy 6:12)