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What does it mean to be saved? According to Ephesians 2, salvation is so much more than simply going to heaven after you die. God’s salvation through Christ begins to transform your life right now, in this age and this world . . . or at least it should. Because God has saved you, you can begin to live differently in this moment, wherever you are; at work or at home, in a boardroom or a classroom, in your workshop or your studio, your church or your neighborhood, with colleagues or your family, with friends or strangers.

According to Ephesians 2, through Christ we are already in Heaven in a sense. Yet we are still very much of this earth. We live in a mixed reality, experiencing God through the fullness of the Spirit and at the same time experiencing the limitations and pains of our physical existence. Yet, as we sample a bit of Heaven in advance, we are inspired by the certain hope of God’s good future.

Jesus proclaimed the new wine of the kingdom of God, adding that new wine requires new wineskins. This is true today as well. The message of God’s grace, mercy, justice, and love in Jesus challenges us to new ways of living in each generation. We ask: How does the gospel impel us to act in time of a global pandemic? How does the reign of God impact our efforts to bring racial justice to our society? How might I learn to love my neighbors in new ways?

Sometimes Jesus calls people to follow him by leaving their current lives behind and starting over again in a brand new location. This happened to the first disciples of Jesus, for example. For most of us, however, following Jesus is something we do in our familiar cities, families, and workplaces. To be sure, following Jesus still requires plenty of leaving behind. Jesus will ask us to discard our worldly values, unjust practices, prejudicial biases, selfish materialism, and inborn “me first” attitude. We will come to see our whole life, including our daily work and everyday relationships, as contexts in which can follow Jesus faithfully.

In the biblical Gospels we see Jesus calling those who will be his disciples. They respond by following him, literally. Today, we also respond to the call of Jesus. We are disciples in response to his initiative. Jesus calls us into relationship with himself and into a life of service. Following Jesus changes the way we work and live each day.

When our times feel certain, when things are going as we had planned, it’s easy to trust in our circumstances or our own ability to control them. But in uncertain times, we recognize our own limitations. We realize just how much we need God to be “the stability of our times.” Only in him will we find a solid, trustworthy foundation on which to build our lives.

I believe that we, as Christians, are called to confront the evil of slavery until it exists no longer in our world. If we live in certain parts of the world, it’s easy to assume that slavery is a thing of the past. Yet for millions of people across the globe today, even the Western world, it is a present reality.

Though the evidence from other passages in Ephesians is persuasive, I still want to look very closely at the text of Ephesians 5 to see what it actually says about what the husband should do as the head of his wife. We get a hint of this in verse 23, where Christ as the head of the church is its Savior. Verse 25 makes clear the implications of verse 23. There, husbands are to love their wives, “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (5:25). When Ephesians talks about Christ as the head of the church, the emphasis is upon his sacrificial love and care for the church (see also Ephesians 5:29). Nothing is said about his Lordship over the church in this context, though this is a core truth of our faith (see Ephesians 4:5). Therefore, husbands, living out their Christ-like headship, are told to love their wives. They are not instructed in this passage to exercise authority. Rather, they are told to love in the sacrificial, self-giving way of Christ.