God's Word promises riches Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Character of God, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. But those who do not make use of God's available power live miserable, defeated lives. Even though God has opened our eyes to see and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we still must seek Him to enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we will come to a deeper understanding of these crucial truths. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Letters: Ephesians 1:18 Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (Ephes. (Hurley, V. Speaker's Sourcebook of New Illustrations Dallas: Word Publishers). Knowing with absolute certainty where we are going should give believers the confidence to live as more than conquerors now (Ro 8:37). ANSWER -Ephesians 1contains Pauls amazing prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Hoehner adds this description on elpis -In Greek thought hope consists merely of a consoling dream of the imagination designed to forget the present troubles but yet leaving one with many uncertainties. Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Jul 18, 2019 (message contributor) . 2:14). We have been called, chosen, justified, and glorified for we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and are become his chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Click for multiple Scriptures dealing with the other view (#2) that the inheritance refers to what believers will inherit one day by virtue of their position in Christ. How did God respond to Pauls prayer to remove his thorn in the flesh? Spirit, soul, and body must be freely yielded to the great Husbandman. When He is seated at the right hand of God, so are we, in Christ. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. 3:1421). Salem Media Group. It is not as under the laws of primogeniture, that one child takes all, while the younger children are dismissed with meagre allowances. Jesus was buried and remained in the tomb for three days (John 19:42). Having all our needs met by God (Philippians 4:19) (see note), The "wisdom and knowledge of God" (Romans 11:33) (see note). Rather, if we are the called according to Gods purpose, then we know that He is actively working all things together for our good, both in time and in eternity (Rom. You have given us freedom, Johnson asks "What is the greatness of the power to us what who believe? The man was powerfully built, and Fuller visualized how he must have looked in the ring. It gives off light, but it doesnt strike anything in particular. -- when His heart shall be fully satisfied in His inheritance, for His glory shall be perfectly manifested in the saints. Ezra 9:8 But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. God can. Eyes (3788) (ophthalmos) is literally the organ of vision but in Paul's use is obviously figurative. 12)? But, as we do with so many owners manuals, we read it superficially or hardly at all and then wonder why the Christian life isnt working the way its supposed to! Hope, expectation, trust, confidence. 2 Timothy For example, Jesus said that evil thoughts come out of the heart (Matt. It will be too depressing, we say to ourselves. Then ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation. Yes, there are dark spiritual powers at work behind the problems Paul discusses in Ephesiansanger, stealing, bitterness, slander, sexual immorality, greed, deception, and so on. Illustration - Brian Harbour - Back many years ago, a young boy accompanied his father and mother as they took the wagon into town for supplies. Many of us skim the manual quickly (at best), or never bother to read it at all. Where do we find the power to overcome anger, resist greed, offer forgiveness, or pursue sexual purity? 15:13). Writing to the Thessalonians, Paul reminded them, Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1 Thess. 2 Samuel If I were to put you in a barrel and put that barrel in the Mississippi River, where would you be? Our Lord gave us an object lesson on this truth when He spoke about faith as a grain of mustard seed. 1 John That's what Paul is praying for here. 19:8; 2 Ki. 2. the rich inheritance that he possesses in them, and Not a portion of but proportionate to! Faith must be exercised in all areas of Christian growth. Exodus Power for You-Today! 4:20; 7:6; 9:26, 29; 1 Kings 8:51, 53 Ps. 2:89), and we live by grace, through faith (1Cor. All rights reserved. And given the fact that the truth of "in Christ" is transcendent, we should always pray this prayer for ourselves and others (remember that Eph 1:16 "making mention" is present tense= continuously) and of course the only way we can possibly "pray without ceasing" (1Th 5:17+) is by the Spirit's enabling power. He makes a circuit of its bounds; he ascends its loftiest hills; he crosses and recrosses it, that he may know all that has come into his ownership. I have total trust in You. Others are called to be pastors, teachers, worship leaders, Bible translators, or to a host of other avenues that honor the Lord. Finally, the context both here and throughout Ephesians seems to emphasize the motif of light as a property belonging to believers. We shall never know the far-away springs of the Niles and Congo's of his nature; we shall never unravel the innermost secret of his being. I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, When He died, we died. You have given us freedom (You set us free), I have resurrection power living on the inside (You set us free) The succession of ideas follows the order of conversion--first, "calling;" then acceptance to "inheritance;" lastly, "inward working of divine power" in the accepted. The giant trees are cut down; and their roots burnt out, or extracted by a team of horses. Young's Literal: and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power of His might, AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE: kai ti to huperballon (PAPNSN) megethos tes dunameos autou eis hemas tous pisteuontas (PAPMPA). This certainty is provided in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:15-23 Possessing the Possessions in Christ). How might Pauls response influence you when you face difficulties? At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. We have been called by grace, to glory. In hours of weakness they drew on God's power; in those of suffering, on his patience; in those of misunderstanding and hatred, on his vindication; in those of apparent defeat and despair, on the promises that gleam over the smoke of the battle, as the Cross before the gaze of Constantine; in death itself, on the life and immortality which find their home in the being of Jehovah. They will give us the strength to persevere in godliness. The Message Canvas Bible: Coloring and Journaling the Story of God, Spring Palette, The Message Large-Print Devotional Bible, softcover, The Message, Large Print, Brown Trio Leather-Look, Message Slimline Bible--soft leather-look, brown/tan, Pause - The Message//REMIX: A Daily Reading Bible - eBook, The Message New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs - eBook. The church, like Samson in the lap of a harlot, has divulged the secret of strength and is shorn of power. As an introduction to mentioning the many afflictions he had endured for the Lord, Paul commented, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves (2 Cor. 6:4; Heb. All who receive it respond in faith. Isaiah 46:911is the cornerstone passage that removes all doubt aboutGods sovereignty. For Further Study: Read Genesis 2733, noting how God used the events of Jacobs life to transform his weak spiritual commitment to one that was strong and unconditional (see especially Gen. 28:2022; 32:912). No matter where she was, Victoria was governed by the fact that she sat on the throne of England. Even so, we will reign with Christ! With that thought in mind a more accurate rendering is that of Wuest who has "the eyes of your heart being in an enlightened state with a view to your knowing what is the hope of His calling." When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. Jesus, You have given us freedom On the way home, the father asked the boy why he didn't reach his own hand into the jar. No sooner has the emigrant reached his estate, than he commences to prospect it. Song of Solomon 1:3), you are less likely to succumb to temptation. This was true for the Ephesians, and it is true for us today. The NTs concept of hope is built on the OT and has the elements of expectation, a trust in God, and the patient waiting for Gods outworking of his plan. Ephesians 1:18-23The Message. One needs to realize that subjective hope is based on objective hope, a hope that looks back to Gods work of redemption in 1:314, especially in 1:910 where Paul relates that all things are going to be headed up in Christ. Let that motivate you to praise your rich and glorious God for His rich and glorious inheritance! observe fully, consider attentively denotes action of mind apprehending certain facts about a thing) wonderful (amazing, astounding, marvelous, extraordinary or even difficult - things beyond human capability) things from Thy law. Leon Tucker wrote the following words back in 1917: "Power is the one thing the church of God needs most and has least. Paul presents a fourfold demonstration of the very same power which God makes available to believers - God raised Him from the dead (Ep 1:20 -note), seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies (Ephesians 1:20), subjected all things under His feet (Ep 1:22-note), and gave Him as head over the church (Ephesians 1:22). Once on the mission field, he is willing to suffer hardships and separation from family and friends because the call of God is his greatest motivation. BGT . (Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary)(Bolding added), Lehman Strauss-The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Here Paul prays that we might have a full appreciation of our worth to God. The idea is that it is the active efficacy of the might that is inherent in God, His indwelling strength. And what is he attempting to describe? Some have learnt the happy art of receiving and utilizing every square inch if we may use the expression of that knowledge of God which has been revealed to them. 5:2; 12:21, 25, 28, 30; 16:27f; 29:11f; 2 Chr. The Holy Spirit reveals truth to us from the Word, and then gives us the wisdom to understand and apply it. As we develop sensitivity to His voice, we move forward with what we know. Ye may know what is the hope of his calling. THE POWER OF GOD IN THE ASCENSION LIFE. You have the reason why there is so little of vivid, vibrant joy in the things of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. It is possible to excel in mechanics and fail in dynamic. See the blood-mark upon all the chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the Lord knoweth them that are his"; (2Ti 2:19) he forgetteth none of those whom he has redeemed from among men; he counts the sheep for whom he laid down his life (Jn 10:14-15), and remembers well the Church for which he gave himself. God glories in his saints. But heaven seems so far away, you say. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. There is no mortgage on his estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court (1Co 6:20, Rev 5:9), and the Church is the Lord's freehold for ever. And so he prays that these saints might be able to grasp the breadth and length and height and depth (Eph 3:18) of the great truths in chapter one, so that they might be enabled by the indwelling Spirit and the riches of God's grace (DOCTRINAL TRUTH IN CHAPTERS 1-3) to order their steps so that they "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called." Open the compasses of your faith to measure this measureless abyss; and then marvel at the power which bore your Lord across it, and know that that same power is towards you, if you believe, waiting to do as much for you in your daily experience if you will but let it have its blessed way. I suppose its all right to pray for that addition to a new Sunday School wing. Why is it important to know what is the hope of His calling? This simple discipline will serve to slow you down and allow you to more actively engage the text which facilitates more effective interaction with your Teacher the Spirit, the Author of the text! This same power resides in believers because we are in Christ and He is in us. They have raised harvests of bread out of the Incarnation; and vintages of blood-red grape from the scenes of Gethsemane and Calvary; and pomegranates and all manner of fruit out of the mysteries of the Ascension and the gift of the Holy Ghost. But there are many good reasons to interpret the text this way. that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. 1 Thessalonians 1317). Throughout Ephesians 1 Paul is clearly struck with the magnificence of our inheritance in Christ. It is exclusively a Pauline word used only to describe superhuman or supernatural power, whether of God or of the devil. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. So what are we saying? Acts To ask God for more power is an affront to His gracious love which already has provided us everything. . On the other hand Alexander Maclaren asks Is that heaping together of synonyms or all but synonyms, mere tautology? 8:29;I John 3:1-2). We fence off a part of ourselves for God, excluding Him from all the rest. God is patient with His children, working with us until we see things aright. It is the power of God that made this possible. Further, perfectadverbial participles are usually causal in NT Greek. Or. Colossians 1:5; 23 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel (1:23) if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. But Jesus came to buy the world back. WE DON'T JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP, A LITTLE "PUSH" SO TO SPEAK, BUT WE NEED HIS SUPERNATURAL POWER - cf Php 2:13NLT+) overcome our difficulties each day. Im convinced the single greatest problem carnal Christians have is that they dont know the hope of His calling. But I do more than thank. After the supplies had been purchased and were being loaded in the wagon, the owner of the store said to the boy, "Son, you have been such a good boy, I'm going to let you put your hand in the candy jar and get all the candy you can grab." How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. he prays that they may come to the full knowledge and possession thereof in Christ. It shows that the believers are valuable to God because he purchased them in order to inherit them. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. 31:3; Ezek. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to his people. It is said that for many years, he lived on crackers and milk because of stomach troubles caused by worrying about his wealth. When He ascended, we ascended. But I do more than thank. (Commentary on the New Testament:), Warren Wiersbe - First, enlightenment comes from the Holy Spirit. GOD'S INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS. Mighty strength in our inner being, "through His Spirit" (Ephesians 3:16-note). The present glories of the ascended Christ are glories possessed by a Man, and, that being so, they are available as evidences and measures of the power which works in believing souls. Luke used ophthalmos figuratively in recording Christ's charge to Paul that He was sending him to the Gentiles to open (anoigo) their eyes so that they may turn (epistrepho) from darkness (cf "prince of the power of the air" in Eph 2:2+) to light (cf Col 1:13, 14+) and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness (sending away) of sins and an inheritance (for which they were predestined before the foundation of the world, Ep 1:5+) among those who have been sanctified (set apart - here referring to the initial act of belief although more commonly in NT referring to the ongoing day to day salvation of the believer = sanctification, which is also by faith) by faith in Me. It is according to the working (energeian, energetic power, from which comes the Eng. They use laser beams to read songs encoded on the disk.
Was Jennifer Aniston Born A Boy,
Los Banos News Shooting Today,
Articles E