Take the Right Road (Ephesians 2:1; 1:21-23)

"If you don't know where you're going...any road will get you there"

Many people pursue career options based on some form of monetary return; job security; company benefits; or some other perceived gain but miss actual fulfillment in what they do, and more often than not, end up toiling in their occupation or profession, for the rest of their lives.

Ephesians 2:1 says, "...and you  who were dead in trespasses and sins..."

The first thing to note concerning this text is that it is a continuation of the thoughts and concepts from the previous verses. The book of Ephesians was not originally written in chapters and verses but was divided that way by the translators to provide some sort of cognitive order, in an attempt to assist us in comprehending what was written more readily. Sometimes these chapter and verse divisions are a great help in separating the changes in what is presented and at other times these arbitrary punctuations break up the flow of what is being communicated.

It is important to remember that all of the epistles were not written as a book, with headings and chapters and footnote commentary, but rather, these were and are letters from the heart of the Spirit of God, penned through Paul, or one of those assisting him.   

The emphasis from the previous verses is that the Lord Jesus Christ has been exalted to the highest level of authority and power and ALL is under His feet and He is the head over ALL to the (ekklesia), or rather THROUGH the (ekklesia), which is His body, the fullness of Him that is fulfilling ALL in ALL (Eph.1:22-23).

The reality is that the authority and power of the Lord Jesus Christ are invested in His body, and His body carries out and fulfills His will, His way. To the same extent that He is invested with all power and authority, so that same position of authority and responsibility rests in His people, which is His body.

Your body doesn't operate and function independently of your head, nor can your head, on its own, fulfill its thoughts and intentions without working through its own hands and feet; the body, to accomplish what needs to be done.

The bottom line is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church  [the ekklesia], or the governing "body", and they are "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named" (1:21) and have "ALL under [their] feet" (1:22).

This (ekklesia), the body of Believers, are the ones "who were dead in trespasses and sins". These two words, "trespasses", and "sins", are common references to the faults and failures that prevent us from experiencing the best that God, our Father, intends for us.

TRESPASSES

In Greek, the first word is (paratoma). It has the visual imagery of walking down a path or road, and stumbling, or slipping in your footing so that you veer from that path or road. What is implied in this imagery is that, at some point, you were going in the right direction, but faltered from the path. In other words, it was not your initial intention to go off the path or road, but due to your actions [for which you are still responsible], you ended up off the track you were on. 

What also seems to be implicit, is that this deals more with an "event" or "action", but not necessarily a way of life. You made a choice, or choices, that diverted you off course and off the road you were on; and need to get back on track.

The second meaning or import of this word is that there is some implication of knowing what the right path is and an underlying desire or intention, to get back on the road that will take you in the right direction to where you want to go and need to go, to arrive at your destination.

This is the same word that is used in Galatians 6:1 speaking of restoring, completely and thoroughly, someone who is overtaken in a "fault" (paratoma). In other words, let's help the individual get back on track.

SIN

The second word translated "sin", is (hamartia). This word comes from the imagery of shooting an arrow, or throwing a spear, at a target, and missing. This word is more all-encompassing and speaks more of a way of life; a way of thinking; a consistent pattern of behavior that results in a total missing of the target that is the intentional aim or outcome. The spear thrown, [ or the arrow shot], is representative of your life, and where it lands is the ultimate destination or endpoint.  

We often categorize "sin" seemingly as lessor or greater, and maybe even rate them by the seemingly significant or insignificant impact they may or may not have on others. Murder would, in a rating system, definitely be a more serious offense, while lying may seem trivial by comparison. Adultery may seem a travesty of far-reaching relational consequence while stealing could perhaps be of a lesser note. While all of these actions have repercussions, and all would be considered "sin", this is not the full import of the word (hamartia).

If you have ever been traveling on holidays; a business trip; or off to visit a friend or relative, and somehow, you received the wrong directions as to where you were supposed to go, and in fact, not only did you not end up where it was intended for you to arrive at, but you are pretty much in the opposite direction of where you needed to be. You may have taken the wrong flight; got on the wrong bus, or the taxi driver misunderstood the address you were trying to communicate.

TAXI RIDE

Several years ago, my family had vehicle problems and had to take a taxi back home. We told the driver where we wanted to go, but after a few minutes it became very apparent that it was not the scenic route that they were taking us on, but rather, though the destinations sounded similar and initially both started out heading West, we ended up going North, while our address was actually South. This may be an imperfect illustration, but it conveys the meaning of the word (hamartia).

Considering all the devastating effects of "sin", none can be more tragic than to live your life and never reach your full potential, to die with your music still in you, or to simply never fulfill what God's intent and purpose are for your life so that you totally "miss the mark" or the targeted intended direction in which He wanted you to go.

Every person is to be an extension of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Body, the church, and to fulfill their function and their purpose, within that position of authority. To miss that calling, and never get to where you are supposed to be going in life is not only a waste but ends up, ultimately, in eternal separation from the Father and the intended destiny for your life.

"If you don't know where you're going...any road will get you there", but you do have a purpose, a calling, and a destiny to fulfill, and the main focus of your life needs to be, to find that path, and get on it as soon as possible, and then stay on it, so that you don't get diverted, and lose direction, stumbling off aimlessly, but with laser focus, you hit the target for your life, within the realm of authority He has already given to you.

You Are God's Best and God's Best is Yours