‘Ephesitis’
We were two final year medical students on a medical elective in Uganda, working at Mengo Mission hospital in Kampala. Both of us had held senior positions in the London Hospital Christian Union. One afternoon we decided to ascend Namirmbe Hill to visit the Anglican Cathedral at the top. As we walked up the road a local clergyman was walking down the other side. He was wearing the widest dog collar I had even seen.
When we came closer and he said ‘Hello’, his face radiating a lovely broad smile. We crossed the road and he started to talk. After a few pleasantries he asked
“What are you doing in Uganda?”
“We are working at Mengo Mission Hospital.”
“That’s wonderful. Does that mean you are Christians then?”
“Yes, we are,” we replied simply. Perhaps he had noted something in the way we talked.
“That’s wonderful. But tell me, how are you getting on with Jesus?”
That was a question I had never been asked before. However being well brought up I was able to reply,
“Very well thank you, and you?”
He was clearly a very experienced personal worker. He must have seen our embarrassment so he started to tell us about himself.
“I became a Christian when I was twenty-nine years old. I was a local school master at the time so quickly I was given responsibilities in the church. But somehow my walk with Jesus became distant with all my activities for the church. Then I learned what was wrong. I had to keep close to Jesus and keep him busy. This meant that every time I failed him and did something wrong, I had to say sorry to the Lord Jesus quickly and every time something good or exciting happened I had thank the Lord Jesus.”
He then looked at his watch and said,
“ I am sorry but I must leave you, but don’t forget “Do keep Jesus busy.”
At that point he walked away but what he said has for ever remained a reminder and encouragement to me. He was right. Other priorities, however noble they may be, can separate me from my Lord and Saviour.
In Britain today the church is becoming weaker and insipid in many areas. The vibrancy and determination of some churches in developing countries is often lacking. People may still hold to theoretical doctrines but they have lost their first love, that zeal for our Saviour. This is why this article is headed ‘Ephesitis’, it is a very serious disease but all too commonly under-diagnosed. God wrote to the church at Ephesus,
“Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.” Revelation 2:5
If this is true then we should be emphasising the problem of our underlying disease above all else and work to correct this. Zeal to please Jesus can so easily evaporate from Christians and his churches whilst good works continue.
When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he had the same concern as this Ugandan minister. He longed that members of the Philippian church should have a close walk with Jesus and this is the reason for the letter. He doesn’t want them to lose the joy that comes from living in a close relationship with Jesus. The whole letter is full of the joy that comes from such a harmonious walk.
Bishop J.C.Ryle, the godly bishop of Liverpool in Victorian times, wrote,
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough - a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice-which costs nothing, and is worth nothing.”
One important way of understanding the key message of a book is to note the key words. There is no doubt what is key is in the book of Philippians. It is ‘Jesus Christ’ – he is mentioned eighteen times in the first chapter alone and the second chapter centres on him in a similar way. One of the symptoms of Christian organisations and Christian individuals who are drifting from Christ is what interests them, what they talk most about, does not centre on glorifying Christ. So for doctors an emphasis on good ethical medicine can actually betray a spiritual problem.
Professor David Short of Aberdeen was the Queens Physician in Scotland. He was very eminent and highly regarded. One day he overheard some people talking about him: they were saying what a great person he was in so many areas. But he noticed that they did not mention his being a Christian. He then realised that much of what he had done in medicine had been for his glory and not for the glory of the Lord Jesus. We have been chosen to be Christians in order that we might glorify Christ and nothing less.
Symptoms and Signs of living in Christ
The opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians gives a beautiful summary of those features that will characterise a person living in Christ.
1. Mindset
Paul and Timothy see themselves as being sold out to live for Christ. They are his slaves or servants and there is no better way to start a letter than this?
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:1
They were not primarily bolstering their reputations but that of Jesus Christ. Every morning we should all remind ourselves of this fact. We are here for him. High standards and Biblical ethics count for little if Jesus is not clearly the reason for them. Bishop J.C.Ryle wrote,
“Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God's judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word.”
What does a life of holiness involve?
1. A Church centred life
It is so easy to see the focus of my Christian life as being myself or my own family. Paul’s concern is for the church. Because he is a servant of Christ he sees himself as a servant of the church. It is easy for this to become twisted. We naturally like to ‘get in’ with the influential people in the church. Paul and Timothy, as servants of the church see that everybody matters. They address this letter,
“To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi . . . ,”
and then adds an afterthought,
“ . . . together with the overseers and deacons.” Philippians 1:1
This is a good test of my walk with the Lord, am I more concerned to be recognised by church leaders or is my prime concern to serve the ordinary people in the church?
Paul was able to say a little later,
“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.” Philippians 1:7
2. A Prayer centred life
Paul recognised that everything that happened to him and others was in God’s control.
“In all my prayers for all of you . . .” Philippians 1:4
“And this is my prayer . . .’ Philippians 1:9
“. . . for I know that through your prayers . . . “ Philippians 1:19
If I am ‘keeping Jesus busy’ in my prayer life then the rest of life should follow naturally. Forgetting to pray is a sure sign that my relationship with Christ is going cold.
Prayer is a vital part of a Christian’s life. Failure to pray is a symptom of a life slipping away from Christ. Bishop J.C.Ryle astutely wrote the following in ‘A Call to Prayer’,
“Just as the first sign of life in an infant when born into the world is the act of breathing, so the first act of men and women when they are born again is praying.”
“Praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer.”
“Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to life. How a man can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a man can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.”
3. A Bible centred life
What Paul prayed for is important.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may about more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” Philippians 1:9
This is a constant theme throughout the New Testament. We must all learn to think as Jesus and his apostles did, and this will only happen when Christians immerse themselves in the Bible which are ‘the very words of God’ (Romans 3:2) and its teaching. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church he said,
“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13
J.C.Ryle also stressed this need in his book, ‘Practical Religion’,
“Next to praying there is nothing so important in practical religion as Bible reading. By reading that book we may learn what to believe, what to be, and what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace.
Happy is that man who possesses a Bible! Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it, but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice!”
So why don’t cold Christians spend time in the Bible? Bishop Ryle made this conclusion,
“Be very sure of this,-people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it only too well; they understand that it condemns their own behaviour; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment.”
4. A Gospel focused life
Throughout the New Testament this is a major requirement of Christians. We are to be a holy people committed to passing on the message about how people can be saved by becoming followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ Great Commission’ was,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
Peter wrote to scattered Christians, shortly before he was executed,
“But you are a chosen people . . . that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Being convinced about who Christ is does carry obligations. Paul wrote to the Corinthians,
“Since , then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” 2 Corinthians 5:11
The Philippian Christians clearly understood this.
“I always pray with joy because of you partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:4-5
Paul certainly put the advancement of the gospel at the centre.
“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. . . . The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” Philippians 3:12-18
Christians should live at all times in ways that promote the gospel.
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then . . . I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.” Philippians 1:27-28
So the question is not “Should we try to convince people about their need for Jesus?” but “How should we convince people about their need for Jesus. We want people to turn to him and not away from him because of our efforts. There is a war on against Satanic powers and some will be hurt, just as all the apostles were. J.C.Ryle wrote in his great book, ‘Holiness’,
“Better to confess Christ 1000 times now and be despised by men, than be disowned by Christ before God on the day of Judgment.”
“My chief desire in all my writings is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him beautiful and glorious in the eyes of people; and to promote the increase of repentance, faith, and holiness upon earth.”
“A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within. He may be known by his warfare as well as by his peace.”
5. A future focused hope
It is so easy to make living for this world our emphasis. It is good that some Christians battle to prevent the laws of our countries degenerate from what God wants into secular experimentation. In the same way it is good for all people to work hard at their jobs. But these worthy goals are the most important goal. A Christian’s goal should be that the Lord Jesus is honoured and recognised. God works through his people today but our focus must be an eternal one - on heaven. Paul wrote,
“ . . . being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
“ . . so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:10-11
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
“I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;” Philippians 1:23
There is a judgment to come, Those who oppose Jesus and his church,
“ . . . will be destroyed,” but those living in Christ “will be saved.” Philippians 1:28
Eternity is a Christian’s focus; this is why even death has lost its sting. We are now living for Christ.
J.C.Ryle wrote in ‘Practical Religion’,
“The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look for his return. They looked backward to the cross and the atonement for sin, and rejoiced in Christ crucified. They looked upward to Christ at the right hand of God, and rejoiced in Christ interceding. They looked forward to the promised return of their Master, and rejoiced in the thought that they would see him again. And we ought to do the same”
6. A willingness to suffer for him.
The only people who suffer for Christ are those who put their heads above the parapet and speak for him. This is a repeated theme throughout the New Testament. Paul writes,
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for him . . .” Philippians 1:29
7. A life where Christ is everything
It is so easy for Christians and Christian groups to move away from the basics of the gospel. This we must never do. We are all naturally prone to drift away from out reliance on Christ and a determination to make him the purpose of our life here on earth. Let summarise the emphasis Paul puts on living for the glory of Christ.
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,” Philippians 1:1
“I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:8
“ . . . filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:11
“I am in chains for Christ.” Philippians 1:13
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus; Who being i very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, byt made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11
“The important thing is that . . . Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” Philippians 1:18
“Whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27
How the church needs men and women today who are Christ filled and who long to spend their lives living for the glory of Christ. Wherever we work, he is the object of our life. J.C.Ryle recognised this need in his day,
“A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed-up in one thing — and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives — or whether he dies; whether he has health — or whether he has sickness; whether he is rich — or whether he is poor; whether he pleases man — or whether he gives offence; whether he is thought wise — or whether he is thought foolish; whether he gets blame — or whether he gets praise; whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame — for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing — and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning — he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn, and if consumed in burning — he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, and work, and give money — he will cry, and sigh, and pray. Yes, if he is only a pauper, on a perpetual bed of sickness — he will make the wheels of sin around him drive heavily, by continually interceding against it. If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua — then he will do the prayer-work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill. (Exod. 17:9-13.) If he is cut off from working himself — he will give the Lord no rest until help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of "zeal" in religion.”
Paul put this so succinctly,
“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
And what about me today, am I still zealous for Christ? Am I still ‘keeping Jesus busy?’.
