God's Love Experienced

Two weeks ago I asked the question do you have a relationship with the Father?

I went one step further and asked how well do you know the Father?

Do you actually experience that relationship?

In Chapter One verses Thirteen thru Twenty-Two, Paul prayed that we might come to know the Father through Jesus by way of the Spirit.

That’s a prayer we should all have for ourselves and for each other. Far too many Christians can recite Bible verse after Bible verse in discussions with other Christians. And wield that sword with non-Christians. All without having an experienced relationship with the Father.

I have done this and witnessed others do this too. I’m sure all of you have done this and witnessed it done as well.

I remember, several years ago, where I watched a “well established” Christian do this with a non-Christian. The non-Christian was pro-gay and pro-abortion.

The Christian started throwing out Bible verses as if they were throwing Wonder Woman’s Lasso. If they could just wrap that person up in Bible verses they would be forced to see the truth.

You can imagine how well that encounter went. Later, I approached that same non-Christian to try and improve their view of Christians.

That person would have nothing to do with my conversation. I wasn’t even discussing any of the social issues. I was just trying to apologize for the actions of the other Christian. I wanted them to feel Christ centered love.

There would have been no way of reaching that person at that point and all I could do was apologize on behalf of the Christian community and walk away.

I’m not saying Scripture memorization is a bad thing. It’s an important part of our new humanity in Christ. But, it must lead us to a deep down, in the soul, experiential relationship with the Father.

Paul knew that just knowing the Father wasn’t enough. He knew that just getting there wasn’t enough.

We’re picking up our series through Ephesians in Chapter Three verses Fourteen thru Twenty-One.

In verse one Paul started an intercessory prayer before he was interrupted by a captive thought, and took a deep dive into the divine mystery of Christ.

Now, he picks that prayer back up and reports three requests he’s asking on behalf of Ephesians.

Strength

Experience God’s Love

Fullness of God

Strength

Paul begins his prayer in verses Fourteen and Fifteen.

Ephesians 3:14–15 NKJV

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Paul doesn’t just tell the Ephesians he’s praying for them. He expresses how he’s praying by describing his posture.

You see despite modern belief, the most common posture for prayer was actually standing, with eyes turned upward. The posture of kneeling was done to communicate humble submission and worship. Often used when prayers were offered in utter desperation.

Imagine now if you will being one of the Ephesians reading or hearing this letter. Paul’s telling them what you’re about to read. What comes next is my humble submission before the Father. It’s a desperate prayer for you.

He’s not admonishing them by any means. He’s saying I desperately want you to experience God the Father.

The Father whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The Greek word translated family is only used in two other places in the New Testament.

It means family as derived from the father. Specifically the father’s family tree. It is also used to convey country, tribe, or nation.

Some translations say “the whole family” while others say “every family.”

Without geeking you out on the particulars of the Greek, the best translation is every family.

Paul is saying every group, tribe, or nation has their origin in, and owes their existence to, God the Father.

God brought all things into existence. That means all things owe their life and significance to the Father.

Think about this! Satan and his demonic minions are dependent upon the Father. not just for their existence, but for their significance.

You want to make Satan mad? Remind him of that. How does God give Satan significance?

Have you ever been through some trials and when you emerge from them you have a deeper understanding of God?

Have any trials ever been an experience you’re able to use in your witness to others?

Scripture tells us that there is nothing any person will ever experience that Jesus did not experience. Satan’s significance is that God might be known better through our trials.

Which could be why Paul’s first request is for strength.

Ephesians 3:16 NKJV

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

Strengthened is a passive verb, meaning the Ephesians aren’t the source of the strength. Paul wants the readers to understand that the strength comes from the Father, not themselves.

The Greek word applies to a psychological strength. The word implies that believers are strong enough to dominate evil. It’s a strength of the inner being.

Note Paul says, “with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”

Our strength is made mighty because it comes from the Father through the Spirit. The inner man is talking about our soul. We are given God’s mighty strength, through the Spirit, deep in our souls.

How could anyone have God’s strength, touch deep in their soul, and not experience God’s power?

You see, our soul is the epicenter of our personal nature. It defines our consciousness, our moral being.

We often think strength means we have the power to resist sin. How many times have we said or heard someone say, “not today Satan?”

Paul’s description of strength here is far deeper than that. He’s talking about experiencing the Father. He’s talking about transforming our conscience and our moral character.

Our souls, being transformed, so we begin to take on the character traits of God, is our strength. We have less desire for our flesh and more desire of the Spirit.

Why is that so important to Paul?

Because the result, found in the first part of verse 17, is: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

This might seem strange to us, because Christ is in believers from the moment of conversion. That’s true, but we have to allow Him to influence our lives.

How many Christians do you know that are not influenced by Christ in their lives? Far too many right?

The Greek word Paul uses for “dwell” indicates a permanent residence. Paul wants Christ’s influential presence constantly and permanently dwelling in the hearts of believers.

The word translated hearts is also a reference to the “inner most being.” But it carries a special emphasis upon thoughts.

Christ should permanently, without ceasing, always be the dominant part of our thoughts. Every thought we have should be the nature, character, and moral code of Christ.

Is your soul that transformed? Is your inner being so transformed by the Spirit, that your every thought is Christ’s character?

Yeah, I’m not there either. But that’s Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. That’s Paul’s prayer for all believers. Do we pray for that ourselves? Do we pray that others have that strength?

Paul wants believers to experience God’s power, and Christ’s influential presence, deep in our souls. Not just once, at conversion, but in every moment of our lives.

That takes an unwavering, unabated, keep your eyes focused on Jesus, kind of faith. We must trust Jesus and God so much that we completely let all our guards down. We must give them 100% access.

Access to even the deepest darkest places in our hearts, minds, and souls.

I find it completely crazy that we actually think that we are keeping God from knowing anything.

That’s why we put up those walls right? We say, “nope, you can’t have access there, that’s private and off limits.”

Do we really think God doesn’t know?

Or, just maybe, the reason we won’t let Him in is more sinister than that?

We want to keep that immoral part of ourselves! We want to hold onto that selfish fleshly pleasure!

Our free will allows us to keep God out of certain parts of our lives. Out of the deepest parts of our souls that define our moral being. That make up our thoughts.

God’s more than willing to let us keep Him out of those places. But, if you think He doesn’t know what’s in there!

God knows the sins we harbor deep in our souls. Our fleshly desires that we refuse to give up. He loves us so much that He’s willing to let us keep those desires.

He could force us to give them up. But, then we wouldn’t have the freedom to choose God over our sins. That’s the definition of loving God. God desires to be in every part of our souls.

You see, Paul is talking about the place that determines our moral character. He wants us to let God and Jesus into our entire soul so that we will actually experience God’s Love.

Experience God’s Love

In the last part of verse Seventeen through the first part of verse Nineteen Paul says he’s prayerfully requesting, not just that the Ephesians understand God’s love. But actually experience God’s love.

Ephesians 3:17–19 (NKJV)

17 that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;

Have you ever had such a close relationship with someone that you find yourself saying or doing things they say or do?

You start taking on their character traits!

If you’re like me sometimes it isn’t always their best character traits.

Once again Paul uses interesting word choices.

The word translated rooted is an agricultural word talking about plants taking root. They are so rooted that they survive even the toughest droughts.

The word translated grounded is an architectural word. A building is grounded on a solid foundation. The building can withstand almost anything.

So when Paul says rooted and grounded in love. He’s actually talking about God’s love toward the Ephesians.

The Ephesians are rooted deep, and grounded solid, by God’s love. When our souls are rooted deep in the Spirit. When our conscience and moral character are transformed.

When our every thought, in every moment, is Christ’s character. That is God’s love pouring into our souls. Our strength is God’s love transforming our souls.

Our strength is our transformed souls capturing every thought so it is Christ.

Our souls, by the Spirit, with Christ’s character, have deep roots in God’s love. They can withstand our times of trials where we might not hear God in our lives.

Even when God is silent our conscience and deepest moral character are God’s character. Our every thought is still Christ’s character.

Our souls, by the Spirit, with Christ’s character, are grounded in God’s love. They can withstand even the strongest onslaught of Satan’s temptations.

This is the strength Paul refers to when he says, that you may have the strength to comprehend what is the width, and length, and depth, and height— and to know the love of Christ. A love that surpasses knowledge.

Because strength here means to be fully able; to be completely capable of doing or experiencing something.

The Greek word translated comprehend “to seize” or “to grasp.” It carries the idea to truly understand.

What are we to be capable of fully understanding?

Paul uses four dimensions width, length, depth, and height, not each separate, standing on its own. Rather, they are one unit to be considered altogether.

Totally unified they convey the enormous immensity of Christ’s love. All the saints (that means every believer) should be fully capable of having complete understanding of the enormous immensity of Christ’s love.

Have you got that?

Good, because Paul also prays that we know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

Okay I have to admit, I had a really hard time not going down a deep rabbit hole here.

The Greek word translated know is what we might think. It’s an intellectual comprehension about something. It means to possess information about.

The word knowledge also carries the same intellectual comprehension about something. It means what is known.

Think about what this verse is saying. Paul says, I’m praying that you might comprehend the incomprehensible.

Talk about an oxymoron!

How does one comprehend the incomprehensible?

How does one know that which surpasses what is known?

Because the passive strength. The strength that comes by way of the Spirit. That strength is capable of searching the depths of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10–11 ESV

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Paul isn’t trying to express to the Ephesians that they need to love Christ more. Although that is also paramount to our faith. Paul expressing that they understand Christ’s love for them.

That understanding can only come by experiencing that love by the Spirit. It only comes as the Holy Spirit enlightens our souls as the He searches the depths of God.

When we can experience the love of Christ that way we have the fullness of God.

Fullness of God

“That you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

It’s places like this in Scripture, when I start discussing them with my wife, that she tells me to save that conversation for my pastor friends.

In fact this entire passage could be a long, deep, Bible study that is theologically rich.

Sorry got side tracked. What does Paul mean when he says that?

The word filled plays off the passive word for strength. It is God’s action not ours. The Greek word translated all, no I’m not using Corey’s version that says it means all.

It’s an alternative form that’s formed from a word that means “increasing,” “strengthening.” and a related word that means “to possess,” “strengthened by.”

I hope I’m not diving in too deep here. I’ll explain in laymen’s terms in minute, but it’s important to understand how I come to that explanation.

Fullness denotes God’s perfect, moral character. That includes His presence, life, power, and especially in this context His limitless love.

God is in reference to the whole of the triune God. Father, Son, and Spirit all together. Paul wants us to experience the fullness of the Father, Son, and Spirit combined.

We will not completely know the limitless bounds of God’s power and love. But we have been given Christ that we might have access to it. And we have been given the Spirit to search the depths of God and give us enlightenment.

Paul’s unique medley of words paints a glorious and wonderful picture.

The Father, through the love of Christ, by the working of the Spirit fills us (that means takes action).

That action is to possess our souls that we may be increasingly transformed by the Spirit. All so we can experience the power, love, and grace of the entire triune God.

Our salvation isn’t just a place in heaven. Our salvation isn’t just an escape from hell. No, our salvation is a deeply experienced, intimate relationship with a triune God.

Only we can decide how deeply we experience our salvation. Only we can decide how intimate our relationship becomes with the triune God.

Only we can decide how much of our souls we are willing to give up. How much are we willing to give up?

Have you experienced all the fullness of God?

It’s an experience that will leave you on your knees, humbly glorifying God.

It’s also and experience that will leave you boldly confident as you serve Him.

It’s an experience that completely transforms your character, thoughts, and actions.

It completely transforms how you view others and all of God’s creation.

Questions to ponder for the week.

What parts of your soul are you keeping God out?

What fleshly desires are you refusing to give up?

What fleshly desires do you struggle to give up?