September 29, 2008

Theology of the Blues Brothers...sort of

From the first verse through 2:10, Paul is quite clear in his letter to the Ephesians that there is nothing that goes on in our process of redemption that doesn't have God's fingerprint all over it. He is the author of life, not just our physical life, but also our spiritual life, even suggesting that our wisdom and knowledge of God is due to God's supernatural enlightening of our "hearts."

The attention to the details of our salvation by grace through faith is joined by an emphatic declaration that it is not by anything we have done that we can claim to be saved. We haven't been given life in Christ according to our own good works, but by God for good works "that we should walk in them" (2:10).

We can agree with Jake and Elwood that we are "on a mission from God." But that is where we should discontinue any comparison with the Chicago nobility of '70's folklore.

What we need to think about is the plural nature of these good works and our responsibility to "walk in them." Our sanctification is synergistic in that we comply with the Spirit and revelation of God in willing obedience. So while you live life, pursuing matters of this world, it should be with the desire to imitate God--imitate His holiness.
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