Ps 34:1-8
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 41-51
(I suggest actually reading Ephesians to experience the depth of what is there, but my sermon provides a brief overview of some key points and texts)
Salvation is Orthodox "psycho" "therapy"—or Christian soul healing—the process of theosis, union with God. Ephesians provides us with the blueprint and language.
Ephesians
1:4-5 reveals that 'God chose us in Christ, adopting us as His children—to be
holy and blameless.' We are adopted into the divine life in Christ. While we
are made in the image of God, Ephesians 2 addresses the human crisis: we are
born fallen and sinful; 'dead and under the power of the world and evil
spirits.' Ephesians 2:3 brings it to a sharp point: “All of us once lived among
them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and
mind and we were by nature children of wrath like everyone else.” Things
are not as they were intended, the world is fallen and hostile to God, each
mind and heart twisted by the passions. So, Ephesians says, God graciously sends
Jesus to dwell in our hearts through faith; and we are commanded (4:1ff)
"to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called....to
grow in every way into Him who is the head—Jesus Christ.” Salvation is a slow
process of growing into Christ: theosis takes time.
Growing
is a gift but also a struggle, as we leave behind the false self. Ephesians
4:17ff “you must no longer live as the Gentiles, in the futility of their
minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God
because of their ignorance and hardness of heart... You were taught to be
renewed in the spirit of your minds and to clothe yourself with the new self,
created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness...
So then, putting away all falsehood, speak the truth…”
Falsehood….
Satan has spoken lies into your heart since you were a baby. The World’s lies
affect every community, even the church. Our doubts and fears are a barrier to
trusting God. So we try to find a way to save ourselves. The Jews called idols “False
Things” and we entrust our salvation to our own idols daily.
Disease
is disease, but there are different types, right? Treating heart ailments is different
from cancer. And heart ailments and cancers are also further differentiated. The passions are a spiritual cancer in each of
us, but you need to know which type you have. The darkened mind is a learning
disability in each of us, but you must diagnose what the problem is. We all
suffer from a heart malady—our spirit heart needs healing—but how is your heart
broken or sick?
We are
driven by different fears and different needs—find out what yours are. We all
keep our personal secrets—ask the Holy Spirit to reveal yours. We are each
deluded and lead astray in a particular way—ask Jesus to guide you from the path
onto His path. The journey to theosis
requires the receiving saving grace by painful repentance and conversion. I
suggested Enneagram last week, if you don’t like that, then find another tool
to help you become the New Self, the True Self, in union with God.
********************************************************************************addendum
Last week we offered the Exodus narrative as a revelation from God about our spiritual journey to theosis union with God. We spoke of Salvation as a process of leaving Egypt/slavery to sin, being purified in the desert and going to the Promised Land into freedom from the passions into union with God. This week Ephesians talks of the darkened mind/heart and the Gentile life which parallels Egypt! The New Self is the Promised Land. The Bible reveals the basic truth of salvation is myriad ways.
If interested in enneagram here are some online tests.
https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test
https://enneagramtest.net/
http://www.9types.com/rheti/index.php
Here is a great overview of the types which should help you clarify
http://www.9types.com/descr/
These are but three of the many excellent books out there.
"The Road Back to You" Ian Cron & Suzanne Stabile (they have lots of podcasts as well)
"The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective" Richard Rohr & Andreas Ebert (Rohr has a website and lots of information)
"The Sacred Enneagram" Christopher Heuertz
The import of the Enneagram is to understand the Passion/Deadly Sin secretly at work within your own soul. It cannot capture all there is to know about you. As you answer questions you might not be consistent or accurate. Reading the descriptions will probably clarify things, or at least narrow down the possibilities. Most people find it to be very useful.
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