Tag: Artemis

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Cultural Emulation

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.” Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In Paul’s letter to the churches in Ephesus, he writes this very strong exhortation to not imitate the Gentiles, the heathens. It’s not that they were godless, Ephesus had plenty of gods. It’s that their gods were all after the same thing – deceiving and leading them away from the one true God. Their gods were their appetites, their lusts, and their self-determined will. Paul says, “Don’t walk (peripateó) where they walk, in the futility (mataiotés), the empty, vain, depravity of their mind.”

Then Paul tells us why! Why we shouldn’t be behaving like the “ethnos” of the culture. Because it is a darkening (skotoó), a blinding of the mind. It is an alienation (apallotrioó), an estrangement from God. Meaning it’s an alignment with the gods in rebellion against God. This is caused by an ignorance (agnoia), a moral unawareness of who God is and what He wants for us. This ignorance, this lack of truth is not because God is hiding from us, or avoiding us. It is because God gives us the freedom to choose what we want, when we want it. He allows us to follow our own heart, even when it leads away from Him and His will!

In Ephesus, the religious fervor surrounding Artemis was deeply serious to the average citizen. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and Ephesus functioned as a pilgrimage economy; her cult drove tourism, temple offerings, souvenir sales (those silver shrines), banking, and civic prestige. Being “Artemis’s city” was Ephesus’s brand, their entire reputation. Open A.I. says, “idolatry that’s economically load-bearing, means the “god” and the GDP are the same system.” There was something much deeper and darker going on in Ephesus – Paul understood this. Do we see how relevant that is today, in our culture?

We have a powerful, highly influential media machine, driving a “futility of depravity.” Not just because it is destructive to social and civil structures throughout history, but it is clearly an advocate of giving oneself over to “aselgeia”: Licentiousness, debauchery, sensuality, and lewdness. “Follow wherever your heart leads,” and chant the mantra of your own personal truth. Paul says that the “Gentiles” became “apalgeó,” They became apathetic and callous in their conscience – even to the point of “kautériazó” searing or cauterizing their moral compass (Paul tells Timothy).

This is our current culture. And instead of being ashamed of it, or fearing what we’ve become, it is celebrated as the epitome of human experience. Believing that one is highly educated, advanced and informed in believing these lies is literally living in the upside down world and calling it beautiful!

Get this: Bishop Timothy at 80 years old was martyred by a mob of pagan worshipers after he protested against the worship of the goddess Diana during a festival parade. He was reportedly beaten to death for his efforts to stop the procession honoring the goddess. The crowd beat and killed an 80 year old man justifying their actions to obey a false god.

Isaiah predicted this for the end of days in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” The Bible identifies Satan as the personification of evil, a deceiver and adversary who opposes God’s purposes. Jesus describes him as “a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44).

Prayer

​Dad,
I look around at our culture today and I see examples of what Isaiah and Paul wrote about thousands of years ago. Yet, even as I see the moral reversal of all things good becoming all things willfully wicked, I also see a need for your grace and mercy when people’s eyes are open and they see that they’ve been deceived and lied to. And in that moment, I believe they will see you and see their need for you. The one true God that is always just, true, right and equally merciful, kind and forgiving.

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God hears and answers.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. ‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John answers the question many new believers often ask after praying or being led to repent and/or repeating a prayer by another. For some, the idea of a simple prayer holding such immediate and meaningful change in their life is hard to believe and understand. Of course the words are important, but God is looking and listening to our hearts! God knows the status of our need, faith and honest conversion.

John’s words here to the churches, likely in the Ephesus region, are an admonition, an encouragement to continue to follow through with faith, in “parrésia,” boldness, confidence that God is listening and active in our salvation. It is faith that pleases God, so beginning to grow and practice faith, right from the start is critical. Given those kinds of request, earnest and aligning with God’s desires (will), John is confident that God will give us what we ask for. This is good news! Not only that God hears us, but also is at work to answer those requests.

Our whole existence is an exercise and expression of faith. Jesus said, “we have not because we don’t ask.” Jesus also asked, what father doesn’t want to give good gifts? When a child asks for something they need does a good Dad trick them and give them a snake, stone or scorpion instead? No, good Dads only give good gifts! God only gives us good!

These are reminders for those who have walked with Jesus for many years or they are just starting their journey. Asking and believing for eternal life is just the beginning of a long, lasting relationship with our eternal and gracious God. Each prayer, matched with God’s answers help us grow in our faith and grow in our ability to share truth experiences with others. If these letters were written to the believers in Ephesus, this confidence, these moments of faith, plus watching God answer those requests would be quite the powerful testimony.

This is especially important in light of the city where the majority placed their lives and livelihoods in the hands of the fake god – Diana (Artemis). The cultural wars within the city would have as big as the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Except in this case, instead of a massive gathering with fire consuming the altar, the people John is writing to would be shining their light one miracle at a time.

This is another example of Jesus commanding his followers to both BE a disciple and MAKE disciples. Being a disciple is growing in faith, confidently asking God for what we need. Making disciples is sharing the good news that the one and only living God does more than just listen – God answers our requests!

Prayer

​Dad,
I knew that you heard me when I pray, when I ask for help, guidance or specific needs. John’s encouragement to the churches in Ephesus remind me that you also answer! It reminds me that you are always working in and through my life. But even more, that those answers to my prayers become a way to share with believers and unbelievers alike. To those in the church it becomes a testimony, and encourages others to pray as well. To those who are curious about you or are frustrated talking to the “universe,” useless statues or believing they are their own god. Hearing my faith stories allows them to experience truth. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers! Amen.