“The fire continues burning”
In whom ye also trusted…. —Ephesians 1:13
Read Ephesians 1:1-14
The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians from a prison cell in Rome. Ephesus was the capital city of Asia Minor and a prosperous Christian congregation had developed there. On his second and third journeys, Paul visited this city while the congregation was gathered there. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul emphasized and reconfirmed what he had preached to them. In particular, Paul sought to address those who undervalued the grace given them. In beautiful and glowing terms, he spoke to the Ephesians of the benefits given to them. He directed their attention in verse 4 to their election, in verse 5 to their acceptance, in verse 7 to their redemption, and in verse 8 to their calling. And then in verse 13 he speaks about the theme of our text: salvation. The Ephesians who believed in Christ belong to this category. They were heirs of a wonderful inheritance. What a miracle it was that God, through His Word and Spirit, entered the pagan world! These former heathens received salvation after they believed. Through faith, they received the Holy Spirit, by which their “old man” was renewed.
The Spirit continues His work, as promised to us in verse 13. Even through the darkest days of our times and Satan’s efforts to quench Him, the Spirit continues His work through the fire of His love. This letter must have been of great comfort to the Ephesian believers, especially since Paul took pains to write to them from his prison cell in Rome. How beautifully he recounted their privileges! It may also be of great comfort to us that the fire of the Spirit and the fire of His grace still burn today.
How do you understand the term “the fire of the Holy Spirit”?