Conflict Management in Light of the Riches of Christ

I was recently challenged to read Ephesians 3:14-21 in light of some current painful conflict with another person.

In about an hour of reflection, prayer, rereading the passages, and letting the Holy Spirit guide my thoughts, I came up with several impressions and insights.

The passage begins with “For this reason”. I needed to understand the preceding portion, so I went back to the beginning of Chapter 3. This also begins with “For this reason”. I ended up starting with Chapter 1 since there were several other statements hinging on the prior context.

Level ground

The people I listed in my current struggles are all believers themselves. Therefore, everything that I found to be true about me from God’s word is also true of them. Chapter 1 describes the glorious things that Christ has done for us and the incredible riches of grace, love, and belonging we have in the Lord. We are all on level ground, both in our riches in Christ and the places of darkness and hostility to God from whence we came (Chapter 2).

Like a brilliant tapestry, the first three chapters of the letter interweave the human condition in which we desire our own way contrasted with the reality of God’s love, power, and work in our hearts. He has cancelled our enmity, reconciling us to Himself through Christ, and He breaks down the walls of hostility between God’s people. Together, we are all being built into a Holy Temple as the Lord’s dwelling.

The fullness of God . . . and so much more

Each depiction of God’s incredible mercies and gifts mushrooms more expansively and gloriously than the former, and we are catapulted into Paul’s prayer for us to know the full extent of Christ’s unfathomable love. It doesn’t stop there, and Paul ecstatically asks we may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Even this is not the ultimate end, for the next verse empowers us to envision God going far beyond even being filled with his fullness.

Power to live in love and peace

From this framework, how do I look at my struggles with people? The very next verse, Ephesians 4:1, compels us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ. Each believer has everything that is needed for walking in love, grace, and peace with others. Even when the other does not take advantage of this incredible opportunity, you and I are called to and equipped for that purpose.

Dare we believe we can live that way with our spouses, our children, our neighbors who are different in whatever way? Could this approach possibly give an answer to racism and classism? How might our world turn around if the people who are called by God’s name seriously applied the principles in Ephesians 1-3 with the practical out-workings described in the rest of the book?

I believe this mindset positions us to truly be transformed into the image of Christ so that we can fulfill His purposes on earth. It is, of course, only possible by daily surrendering our ways so the Holy Spirit can renew our minds.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9

How might these Scriptures be helpful in dealing with your struggles?