Results 1 - 2 of 2
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | in christ according to Ephesians | Ephesians | JCrichton | 121486 | ||
Hi, Watchman! Part 1 of 2 Ephesians is a great book! It is full of teachings and admonitions: The salutation is fantastic (no not as in incredible, but as in wonderful, grandiose: 1:1 - faithful in their life in union with Christ--Paul is emphasizing that only in Christ can we be faithful to the Father! The whole of chapter 1 is Paul's breakdown of that special relationship and why it is important to keep it fresh and alive in our hearts and minds: Jesus was God's means to bring us to Salvation. Salvation is not a right but a gift granted to us through Christ by the Grace of God who sealed us with His Power, the Holy Spirit! Paul also introduces the Church as the body of Christ... through the Holy Spirit the Church becomes part of Christ--with Christ Jesus being her Head! In chapter 2 Paul digs into our spirituality: In the past you were spiritually dead... But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great... For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith... God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. Paul brings us from the slavery of a sinful state to the life of freedom in Christ Jesus. He explains how both the Jews, who were the chosen people of God, and the Gentiles, who were the people without God, have a commonality, a bond, that brings us both salvation: Christ Jesus! ...you are now citizens together with God's people and members of the family of God. You, too, are build upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus himself. Isn't that wonderful! In union with Christ we are, both Jews and Gentiles, family: the family of God! In chapter 3 Paul reveals his vocation: chosen by the Holy Spirit (who makes friends of God in the heart of men), he is the Apostle to the Gentile. He introduces part of his platform: God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages, in order that at the present time, by means of the church, the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might learn of his wisdom in all its different forms. Paul not only teaches and preaches but he lives a prayerful life begging for our spiritual enlightenment and growth: and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love so that together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love. In chapter 4 Paul comes back to the Body of Christ: the Church. He open with admonitions (be: humble, gentle, patient, loving, tolerant, united in the Holy Spirit); he emphasizes the special relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope in which God has called you. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is one God and Father of all people; who is Lord of all, works through all, and is in all. In this chapter Paul also breaks down the reason for the incarnation of the Word: Not only did Jesus rescued us from sin but He risen to fulfill the completeness of Creation: So the one who came down is the same one who went up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with his presence. It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers. He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ. Paul also admonishes his listeners (and us) about the change that we must commit to in Christ: Get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to--the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. He emphasizes that, in the Holy Spirit, God has ordained us to be: ...kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ. This thought introduces the arguments in chapter 5: we are to live in the Light, not just say we are of the Light! And he warns about how we are to enter the Kingdom of God: you may be sure that no one who is immoral, indecent, or greedy (for greed is a form of idolatry) will ever receive a share in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. |
||||||
2 | in christ according to Ephesians | Ephesians | JCrichton | 121487 | ||
Part 2 of 2 Of course, Paul is not insinuating that there are two Kingdoms; rather Paul is unifying Christ with the Father: One Kingdom: One King: One Savior: One God! He also calls us to action as he warns that we are to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to us by the Lord. Paul wants us to be actively involved in the Church... we are not called to just simply wait about for salvation!: "Wake up sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you." So be careful how you live... Make good use of every opportunity you have... try to find out what the Lord wants you to do... In Ephesians 5:21-33 Paul introduces a special relationship between Christ and the Church and those who are called to serve in the Sacrament of Matrimony: husbands and wives are not merely married to each other as the pagans marry onto one another... the Christian marriage is, above all, a special relationship with Christ, who set our goal in His exemplary Love of the Church!: Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ... as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it... There is a deep secret truth... applying to Christ and the church. But it also applies to you. In chapter 6 Paul continues setting the examples of how we are to treat one another in the faith--as the times dictated, Paul also address the issues of slaves and master: there is no distinction between one and the other in Christ, so both are to treat the other in Christ's love and justice. Then Paul breaks into a strong revelation about the battles that we, as Christians, must fight... It is a spiritual battle and we do not have the means to engage it, let alone win it: build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power... So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Sprit gives you. Do all this in prayer asking for God's help. Paul begins and ends Ephesians with that special relationship of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Father. He emphasizes our dependence in God, our obligations as Christians, and God's command that we unify in Christ for the Glory of His Kingdom! God Bless! Angel |
||||||