Hosanna Restoration Church

Life in the Kingdom of God is the life to live. We have been called by God. We have been invited by the Holy Spirit to join the family through faith in Christ Jesus and so we are encouraged to live like we are part of the family. Remember, it is not something that we work our way into. It is a gift given to us by the grace of God.

This is a hard thing to accept, but it is true. Because of our leaning toward the idea of works, it takes some serious contemplation on our part before we are willing to accept the simplicity of the teachings of Christ. Paul spends his time writing to the Ephesians explaining just what God has done through Christ and if we can believe it, it was written just as much for us today as it was for them when Paul penned it.

People who have a leaning toward darkness have a hard time accepting light. In Paul’s day, those who preferred the darkness or the death contained in the Law rejected the truth. Jesus warned that if they rejected Him, and He is the truth, then they will reject all who love the truth.

In verse 18, Paul explains that their minds are full of darkness and they wander far from the life that God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. The religious leaders would not believe it then, any more than those in the present day who fight against the revelation of God will believe it now.

To clarify, if a person is one who enjoys the failures of others, they are a person who has a leaning toward darkness. Because of this, they will seldom believe anything good that anyone has to say. They will just keep looking for more bad things to spread.

Think about it, if you know anyone who is loves to gossip and spread rumors, what happens if you suggest that the rumor may not be true? That person is liable to start a big argument or simply stomp away, because they are not really interested in the truth.

We need to be willing to search our hearts and minds and see if we fit into this category. Do we have a leaning toward the light and the truth, or have we hardened our hearts against God. Are we more comfortable searching for the failures of people or seeking the Lord for the truth?

Do we live a life filled with love as Paul suggests in chapter five, or is our strongest love for ourselves and what we want? What thrills you most? Do you enjoy good news and do your best to overcome darkness with light, or are you more thrilled to spread tales? Is your relationship with the Spirit of God strong enough overcome the evil with good? Jesus came that we might have life and give life and that is what we should desire.