Active Ingredients
according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience Ephesians 2:2
Working – We are quite familiar with this Greek word. It is energeo, our root for energy. Please notice that the focus is on activity, not cognition. The expressions of the ruler of this age are demonstrated in the actions taken by those under his influence. These actions show up in production, work, operations and effectiveness. What Paul says is that we can literally see the effects of disobedience by what disobedience produces – and it’s not always moral corruption, as we will discover.
It’s very difficult to step outside the presuppositions of our own culture in order to examine the atmosphere we live in. Because it flows almost unconsciously through the processes and systems of our world, we assume that this is just the way things are done. It’s like thinking that God moved the day of worship from the Sabbath to Sunday when the truth is that the Holy Roman Catholic Church and the emperor deliberately changed the day nearly 1700 years ago. Now it seems so much a part of worship that we don’t even realize we are breaking a commandment. The same is true for many elements of the actions of the disobedient. It seems perfectly normal to think that more information and better technology will be a benefit to mankind. That is the mantra of the new society. But history suggests that “more” is not the panacea we thought it would be. We are awash in information, but our lives are not better for it. In fact, the sheer volume of information directly contributes to the feelings of helplessness and meaninglessness that plagues us. Progress isn’t necessarily good. We progressed from the bow and arrow to the nuclear bomb. Are we better off as a result? We moved from the Word of God to God’s words in a dozen different translations. Does that make knowing Him easier? Or does it move us toward bickering, dissension and general discouragement about ever knowing what God really said?
One of the characteristics of the energy working in the sons of disobedience shows itself in the belief that information itself is good. But just knowing more and more leads to less and less connectedness. This is the inevitable consequence of the Greek metaphysics of human measurement. If Man is the true measure of all things, then there is no information unworthy of knowing, since I alone give information its value. The end of this game is the bankruptcy of knowing. I may know more and more, but I end up with mountains of useless facts because none of it is connected to a purpose greater than me, and information disconnected from purpose is garbage. Unless we have a guide to what is valuable and what is not valuable, the world’s system of information overload will drown all of us in a sea of free-floating bits and bytes. Now you know why Paul (and the Bible) restricts the amount of information that is good for us. The Greek mind has no boundaries on knowledge, but the Bible absolutely does. Some things are not worth knowing.
Part of the temptation of Havvah (Eve) is the seductive appeal to be able to decide this question by ourselves. Greek metaphysics is a lot older than Greece. If you want to see the end result of all this, take a hard look at the current world chaos. We know more and more about everything that doesn’t matter. We have lost our mooring lines because we have decided that we will determine what is worth knowing. The Bible teaches something quite different, but if you believe what the Bible teaches, you will have to stand up against a tidal wave of the systems of this world. You will be called “antiquated,” “irrelevant” or “obstructionist.” You will be considered old fashioned or a fanatic. The sons of disobedience do not like restrictions on anything.
Perhaps it’s worth a little reflection to ask yourself if you are determining the value of information by yourself or if you are paying attention to the guidelines that come from God. What are the active ingredients in your choices, His Words or your assessments?
Topical Index: disobedience, Ephesians 2:2, paradigms
Hi Skip,
I’ve been perusing the site and searching out some of what we were discussing recently, this article is excellent, and expresses a “burden” of mine for a few years now. Information without purpose… it’s like a flood from a sewerpipe washing the whole world down the wadi…
Thanks
Bruce
Glad you thought it useful. I forgot what I wrote so long ago now.
Skip, one of the reasons i think we forget – even when the time is not so far in between like 2008 – is because in all reality – we are not writing it – HE is/the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is in us using our minds & our hands/fingers to write His will & enlighten us – I’m not so sure the Bible/Logos in not ongoing within all of us… ♥
jan
Well, I hope you don’t mind me commenting on the older posts…
I’m still seeking….
Skip, Bruce, others that will read, Yes, three years after the first post of this that I appreciated then, it is even now more relevant to me personally. I read it to Ed just now, and we discussed it, so much of what we have been thinking and speaking, pondering.
May I zero in on the next to last paragraph, then the last three sentences in it.– ” You will be called ‘antiquated’ irrelevant’, or ‘obstructionist. You will be considered old fashioned, or a fanatic. The sons of disobedience do not like restrictions on anything.” —–what truth!
We personally so needed to hear this from someone years younger than us, even some of our closest family members have so labeled us all of these words it seems. Since I do the writing, naturally I get the brunt of it, but my husband has agreed with me in what I have written and stated. All the facts to support what I was speaking, writing, were researched and done with great care, and thoughtfulness. As stated, to see younger people write such an article as this gave us a real boost.
God has kept us afloat though, even in the severe heat and drought–water rationing started today, in our area–our yard, grass, garden, plants will now suffer even more. But, Our son, who lives in Tucson, was here for the week-end, and his presence brought us great joy. He is 57, and he and two others have owned a small avionics engineering service there for about 20 years, after working for the large companies previously. His work is productive, and his wife and him and–now two grown sons, have been very active in music, teaching, pagents, etc. in a church that values Messianic teachings and leanings. We are so grateful to the Lord for the showers of blessings that He sends! Thanks again– L.B. and Ed, too
Bruce – I have to tell you that I love your very small statement in reply to Skip…”I’m still seeking.” Reminds me immediately of two Scripture passages. The first verse is the first “red-letter” statement made by Yeshua in John’s gospel. Couple of disciples heard John say “Look, the Lamb of God!” so they trailed Yeshua and Yeshua turned around and at least in the NIV asked” “What do you want? (my translation “What are you seeking?”) Desire and where we hook our desire is hugely important. They then followed this by saying, Yeshua, where are you staying? And Yeshua merely said, “Come and you will see.” Following Yeshua is seldom reaching a destination as if we have somehow “arrived” but rather, it is hooking ourselves to the One Who is worthy of being followed and journeying with Him….Many scholars and theologians who have “arrived” and have all of their theological boxes marked, checked and cross-checked for cognitive compatibility and reasoned understanding and who then label all of these boxes for themselves and for others, often, seems to me, have missed the fact that if we believe we have somehow arrived and are not always continuing to seek, what they just might be describing is self-righteousness rather than following the One Who will ultimately help us “to see.” Understanding is not about a mental exercise of cognition; turns out it is about a Person, and an ongoing relationship with that Person, Jesus Christ. And then of course, there is that great passage of faith in Hebrews 11:6 where faith is described not as a destination but rather as an ever-present and ongoing exercise of “earnestly seeking Him” – because He ultimately is our reward…So I join you in your statement “I’m still seeking…”