The Call to Stand
THIRD QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #12
SEPTEMBER 16, 2023
“THE CALL TO STAND”
Our lesson this week is the first of a 2-week study on Ephesians 6:10-20. The author rightly believes that this passage in Ephesians deserves 2 weeks of our time – although it would seem hard to choose one particular passage in Ephesians that deserves 2 weeks out of so many beautiful and vital passages.
Our memory verse this week is also the first verse of the passage we will be studying this week.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10, NKJV).
Paul calls us to be “strong” in the Lord and in the “power” of His “might.” With all these words like strength, power, and might, one might believe that in God’s kingdom, the powerful and mighty may have prominence! And yet we’re told in Jeremiah 9:23, “Let not the mighty man glory in his might,” or as some versions say, “Let not the strong man glory in his strength.”
In what sense are we to be “strong” in God’s “power” and “might”? Not by accident, the root word for “strong” in Ephesians 6:10 is the same as the root word in Romans 1:16 where we are told, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God.”
Notice how the word connections need to be made in the original Greek, as the Greek word “dynamis” is translated “strong” in the first text, and “power” in the latter. The word “power” in the former is the Greek word “kratos,” from which we get our English words like bureaucrat, plutocrat, aristocrat, etc. The “crat” part comes from the Greek “kratos,” meaning one who has strength, influence or power in a certain area.
The connection between Romans 1:16 and our passage in Ephesians 6:10 should give us a clue to what it means to “be strong in the Lord” to which we will come back to shortly.
The second phrase of our memory verse says we are to be strong, “in the power of His might.” Said another way, God’s “might” has “power,” which seems like a bit of an odd phrasing in English. What would it mean that the Lord’s “might” has “power”? According to Paul in this verse, “power” springs from, or proceeds out of, God’s “might.” God’s “might” is the cause, which produces an effect, “power” (kratos).
It is well for us to ask, what is His “might” from which comes the “power” we need? The Greek word for “might” here is “ischys,” and can be translated as ability, strength, power, might, etc. The important connection for us who love the 1888 message is that “ischys” appears in Revelation 18:2, the so-called 4th angel’s message, which is really a strengthening and reiteration of the 3 angels’ messages, and which Ellen White identifies with the 1888 message.
“And he cried mightily (ishcys) with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,”
“The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth. For it is the work of every one to whom the message of warning has come, to lift up Jesus, . . . Search the Scriptures; for they are they that testify of him.” —Ellen G. White, The 1888 Materials, p. 1073.
God’s “might” (ischys) is in His messages! Whether we are speaking of the 3rd angel of Revelation 14, or the 4th angel of Revelation 18, or the gospel message of Romans 1 – power and might and strength proceed forth from “the message(s)” that God has given us in the gospel story of Jesus, and in the present truth messages that we are called in the end-time to proclaim.
There are many in Christianity and Adventism who are looking for might and power. They judge the presence of power and might in their experience by the emotions that they feel in any given moment. If I feel “good,” then I’m having “power” and “might” in my experience. But our memory verse today says that we are to “be strong” – 1. “in the Lord”, and, 2. “in the power of His might.” Said another way, there is a powerful gospel story about the Lord that is contained in the messages He has sent us as “present truth” and in the message and story of Jesus Christ.
We are told three times in this week’s passage the result of “being strong in the Lord and the power of His might” is that we will stand (v. 11), withstand and stand (v. 13), and stand (v. 14). The present truth messages and the gospel story combined will enable us to stand. Stand against temptation (v. 11 & 16). Stand against the powers of evil in the great controversy (v. 12). And stand against the strong current of popular contemporary culture (v.13).
Despite the strength we have “in the Lord and in the power of His might(y)” messages, we may fall at times – and not stand – as we ought. But the Bible tells us that:
“Though a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up” (Proverbs 24:16, CSB).
Yes, the righteous person does fall, sometimes completely (7x). But righteousness is demonstrated not in the falling, but in the rising. Despite God having given us Himself (be strong in the Lord – Ephesian 6:10a), and messages of truth and hope (and in the strength of His might – 6:10b), we may fall. But based on those same truths, we will rise again. And, finally, by the grace of God, we will rise again to fall no more.
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless” (Jude 1:24, NKJV).
“Which would you rather have, the completeness, the perfect fulness of Jesus Christ or have less than that with some of your sins covered up that you never know of? [Congregation: "His fulness."] . . . And so He has got to dig down to the deep places we never dreamed of, because we cannot understand our hearts. But the Lord knows the heart. He tries the conscience. He will cleanse the heart, and bring up the last vestige of wickedness. Let Him go on, brethren; let Him keep on His searching work. and when He does bring our sins before us, let the heart say, 'Lord, thou gavest Thyself for my sins. Oh, I take Thee instead of them. They are gone, and I rejoice in the Lord.’” — A. T. Jones, General Conference Daily Bulletin, February 26, 1893, p. 404, emphasis supplied.
“Our work is an aggressive one, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus, we must bear the blood-stained banner into the very strongholds of the enemy. ‘We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ If we will consent to lay down our arms, to lower the blood-stained banner, to become the captives and servants of Satan, we may be released from the conflict and the suffering. But this peace will be gained only at the loss of Christ and heaven. We cannot accept peace on such conditions. Let it be war, war, to the end of earth's history, rather than peace through apostasy and sin.” — Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, May 8, 1888, par. 9.
May we “stand.” May we “be strong in the Lord.” May we “be strong … in the power of His might(y)” messages. When we fall may we say, “I’d rather have Jesus than that.” May we be worthy of the name Christian. He will never leave or forsake us. May we never leave or forsake Him.
~Bob Hunsaker