Ephesians

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, Ephesians 2:2

This verse follows in one continued thought from verse 1 –

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”

The words “in which” speak of “trespasses and sins.” Paul, writing to the Ephesians notes that they (and thus also we who follow after) “once walked according to the course of this world.” The word “course” simply means “age.” The current age of this world is one of trespasses and sins. People are conceived in sin, they are born in sin, they live in sin, and they die in sin. Without Christ, this would be the continued course of this world for all people and forever. Our walk would be a walk of death leading to death.

Paul further expands on the thought with the words, “according to the prince of the power of the air.” There can be no doubt that this is speaking of the devil; Satan. He is the ruler of this “course” or “age.” He deceived Adam and from that moment on, he has had the rule over all that has occurred here. The title given to him by Paul, “the prince of the power of the air,” is unique in the Bible and it has given scholars a great deal of debate as to what it exactly means.

However, it isn’t too difficult to determine by thinking about the way that the world has been structured. Man was created a temporal (physical) being. He was given dominion over the earth. The air surrounds the earth and it is the sphere in which we move. As angels and demons are spirit beings, they don’t move on the earth as we do. Rather, their movement can be equated to moving through the air. They rule over “the sons of disobedience” meaning fallen man, from this position.

However, God is above them, ruling from heaven. Thus, He is ultimately in control of all things, even within the sphere of “the air” where the devil exercises his power. This is evidenced in the book of Job. It is also seen in the gospels, Acts, and elsewhere. In 1 Thessalonians 4, we read these words –

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17

Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the pit of the ground (the grave), demonstrating His authority over that realm. He will catch up those on the earth who are still alive, demonstrating His authority over that realm. And together, we will meet Him in the air, demonstrating His authority over that realm. It will be an “in your face” demonstration to the devil, showing that he is utterly defeated by the authority of Christ.

Paul’s words show that we were once under the power of the devil. We dwelt in his sphere of influence and we walked according to his government. And this government, though defeated in Christ, continues on at this time. It is ruled by this same “spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”

As we look at the world around us, we can see the evident truth of this. Those who are not redeemed certainly walk in the course of this world. They are under the rule of the devil and they are subject to his wicked direction. Unfortunately, far too many Christians still walk according to his rule, even though they have been freed from the power of the trespasses and sins which they once were subjugated to.

Life application: We have been freed from the devil’s power by the work of Christ, and yet how often do we allow ourselves to fall back into his sphere of wickedness! Let us consider that we have been bought with a price. We belong to a new Master, and our allegiance is to be to Him and to Him alone. Let us endeavor to live for Christ at all times.

Heavenly Father, there is a great spiritual battle going on in this world. There is the rule of the devil and his sphere of influence which permeates all people who have not been redeemed by Christ. Help us to be light to this world of darkness, leading many to the greater rule of Christ. In Him, there is freedom from sin and death. And while we are engaged in this battle, help us to not fall back into the trap of the devil and allow ourselves to be overtaken by his many temptations. Keep us on the holy path of Christ at all times. Amen.

Tuesday, 19 July 2016

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1

There is a lot going on in Chapter 2 of Ephesians. In one sense, the first verses match the Genesis creation account. Verses 1-3 reflect the chaos which occurred at the beginning. Verse 4 parallels the Spirit of God hovering over those waters of chaos. Verses 4-10 reflect the calling of creation into order. What occurred on a physical level in creation also occurs in a spiritual sense in the redemption of man.

There are also two streams of attention which are being addressed in this chapter. In verses 1, 8, & 11, Paul writes in the second person. However, in verses 3, 10, & 14, he writes in the first person. The two streams are united in verse 18 with the words, “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Together, Jew and Gentile are united as one as described by Paul in verses 19-22. It is a masterful use of writing to demonstrate the marvel of what Christ has done in and for His redeemed.

This first verse of the chapter begins with, “And you He made alive.” The words “He made alive” are not in the original, but are inferred from verse 2:5. What Paul has done is jump back to his thought which ended in verse 1:14. From verses 1:15-23, Paul redirected his attention temporarily and now he continues with the process of what occurs in the believer. If we take 1:13, 14 and place 2:1 directly after them, we can see what Paul is relaying –

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. … And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…”

Our trusting in Christ (and not a moment before, Calvinists) led to being sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is our guarantee. At that moment our spirits were regenerated and we were made alive together with Christ. The rebirth is complete in the exercising of our faith and in what results from that.

The verse ends with, “who were dead in trespasses and sins.” If the inserted words are removed, the thought follows naturally with Ephesians 1:13, 14 and which then is followed naturally with the subject (God) of verse 2:4 and the object (us) of verse 2:5  –

“^1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. … ^2:1 And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, … ⁴ God … ⁵ made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”

Obviously the “us” of verse 2:5 speaks of both Jew and Gentile who Paul refers to in the interim verses, but the overall stream of thought is realized when the verses are placed in this order. The intent of Paul’s words is to show that humanity is fallen. There is no spiritual life in us, but through faith in the work of Christ, the spiritual connection to God is reestablished.

What Adam lost for us, Christ has regained for us. The chaos of mankind is brought into harmony and order through the work of Christ.

Life application: As the human spirit can only be regenerated through faith in the work of Christ, then it follows logically that Jesus’ claim of John 14:6 is true. He is the way the truth, and the life. No one can come to God except through Him.

O God, the New Testament of the Bible shows that there is only one way to be reconciled to You, and that is through the work of Jesus Christ. I place my hope, my trust, and my faith in Christ alone. Grant me the burning desire to share this message to the world all of my days. In Christ, there is pardon and full redemption. Without Him, there is only eternal separation. Thank You for the work of Christ my Lord. Amen.

Monday, 18 July 2016

…which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:23

The meaning of this verse is one which is highly debated, and the wording is somewhat obscure. It should be taken together with the previous verse for context –

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Paul says that it is “the church which is His body.” John Chrysostom says that, “…the complement of the Head is the Body, and the complement of the Body is the Head.” Christ Jesus is fully God and fully Man. In His deity, there is no lack. He is a member of the Godhead and they are in eternal fellowship and harmony with one another. In His humanity, there needs to be something to complement who He is. It would make no sense to come as a human if there were no humans who would be affected by His coming.

But humanity is fallen and needs a Redeemer. In coming as their Redeemer, He would be incomplete without a group of redeemed. He is also the Savior, King, High Priest, etc. A savior without saved would be no savior. A king without a kingdom and subjects is not truly a king. It is the church which fills these roles and which complete who Christ is. This does not mean that He is lacking in anything in His being, but that His roles are complete in those whom He heads.

In order to show that this is the case, and that it is not Christ who is lacking in His being, Paul immediately follows up with the thought that the church is “the fullness of Him  who fills all in all.” It is the church which “fills up” or “makes compete” the roles of Christ. His glory and His power are seen in the fact that He is our Head. Without such a body, these would only be known to Himself. But as His body, we are able to acknowledge them. And yet it is Christ “who fills all in all.” He is transcendent over all things and it is He who does the filling of the church. Charles Ellicott states that “we are infinitely more incomplete without Him than He without us.”

He is the Vine, we are the branches. Together we form a whole, but the branches are dependent on the Vine. He was the crucified One; we were crucified with Him. He is the glorious One; we too now share in His glory. Christ is the Head; we are the body.

Life application: God did not need to create, but He did. He became the Creator when He created. Likewise, Christ did not need to redeem us, but He did. When He redeemed us, He became the Redeemer. In all things, Christ is the preeminent One through the things He has accomplished. Let us never forget that Christ truly is our All in all.

Heavenly Father, the fact that You created shows that You care about Your creation. And the fact that You sent Jesus shows that You care about Your redeemed. What kind of love! It is beyond comprehension that You have done so much for us. We deny You, we mock You, and we shake our fists in Your face in defiance. And yet, You continue to hold out those beautiful nailed-scarred hands to us in love. Thank You for patiently waiting for our often tardy response. Thank You for Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, 17 July 2016

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, Ephesians 1:22

The idea of placing all things under the feet goes back to the Old Testament. In the 8^th psalm we read –

“You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:6

These words from the psalm speak of man, but in the greater sense they speak of Christ who took on the nature of man. Adam (man) fell and lost his right to the world. Christ came to reclaim that. Through His work, He has been granted all power and all authority. In this, the “He” is emphatic. “He (emphatic – meaning God) put all things under His (meaning Jesus’) feet.” The meaning is that all things are in subjection to Him, not because He was simply set over these things, but because God has granted Him these things as a gift. Christ has all authority over all things.

The next words show a surprising concept which should not be missed. God “gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” All things are “under His feet,” and He is “head over all things to the church.” What this means is that we are, as Paul explains in Romans 8:17, “joint heirs with Christ.” The next verse will bear this out, but even without it, if Christ is the head, then the church must be (as verse 23 will show) His body.

Therefore, we see the exceptional magnitude of the inheritance we possess because of Christ. We are subject to Him as our Head, but all things are below us (as we are members of His body). This takes us back to the authority of man at the beginning. God gave us dominion over the animals of the earth. He gave us the right to subdue the earth and to fill it. We were subjected to God, but were granted authority below Him.

The devil gained control over that, and man has been subjected to him. However, Christ regained that control. Now all who are in Him are again a part the original intent for creation. A Man (meaning Christ) is its head, and we are His body. We share in the inheritance of what Christ has obtained. It is truly a marvelous thing which God has done for us in Christ.

Life application: When you see the wicked advancing in the world’s system and seemingly getting away with their wickedness, don’t let it trouble you. They will have their moment of ease and supposed power, but they will be swept away like the dust beneath your feet. Our inheritance is so far superior to what they think they have, that there is simply no comparison at all.

Lord God, Jeremiah asked why the way of the wicked prospers. He was confused about why things worked out that way. We often feel the same. We see utterly wicked people, such as in our governments, who seem to get away with everything. They are not held accountable for their evil. But their supposed victory is temporary and it is just a passing vapor. Our inheritance is so very much greater. The world can have its depraved party which will end. In Christ, we have an eternal inheritance which can never be taken away. Thank You for this sure and grounded hope! Amen.

Saturday, 16 July 2016

…far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 1:21

While reading this verse in order to analyze it, I raised my arms in victory. “YES!” Who cannot get excited at such marvelous words!

In this verse, Paul completes the very long and continuous thought that he began in verse 3. To keep it in context, the previous verse is cited with it here –

“…which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”

God worked the exceeding greatness of His power toward us in Christ. When His earthly mission was complete, he seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places “far above all principality and power and might and dominion.” The words which are translated as “principality and power” give the idea of government and the authority committed to that government. Christ’s position is above all such things. As there are both earthly and heavenly hierarchies, it signifies that He is the ultimate authority on earth and in heaven; He is God.

The words “might and dominion” further describe the first two words. This “might and dominion” is “the actual force and the moral force of dignity or lordship in which it is clothed” (Charles Ellicott). All governments, and all of the power associated with them, are far below the authority and power of Christ. Their ability to rule, and the scope of their rule, is finite. In contrast to this are Christ’s might and dominion, both of which are infinite. Paul refers to this same idea several times in his epistles. Two examples are found in Philippians 2:9 and in Colossians 2:10.

Paul’s next words further show Christ’s supremacy. He says that Christ’s authority is over “every name that is named.” A name signifies a position, title, area of authority, and so on. If the name is given to something by another, it then implies authority over that thing. For example, Adam was given the right to name the animals. Thus, he was set as the authority over them. In the naming of his wife, Eve, he was demonstrating authority over her.

In Exodus 3:14, the Lord proclaimed His name, I AM THAT I AM. He is the self-existent One. Nobody can claim authority over Him because He is before all things, and His name signifies His eternal nature and His infinite Being. Christ follows in the same way, proceeding from the Godhead. He has a name, but it is above all others. This is confirmed by the words of Revelation 19 –

“His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.” Revelation 19:12

No authority can be claimed over Christ because His unknown name identifies His infinite Being and His eternal nature. Where all others are named in a knowable way, Christ is named in an unknowable way. Only as He reveals Himself, slowly and eternally in the stream of time, can we comprehend His true Being. Thus He is above “every name that is named.” And this is true “not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Christ is the eternal Logos, the Word of God.

This age began at the creation of the universe, which He created. He was before it, and thus He is above it – including all that is in it. In the age to come, He will reveal Himself eternally to His subjects, all named, all fully known, all subjected to Him. We will ponder that Name which is above every name for all eternity, and yet we will never fully know it. There will always be something more of Himself to reveal to His creatures.

Life application: Take time to hail the name of Christ – the eternal Word of God. And don’t stop! Eternity itself will be filled with the ceaseless praises of our heavenly Lord.

Lord God, who can withhold their praises for You? You were there at the beginning, forming the universe according to Your wisdom. You are here today, working out Your marvelous plan for the objects of Your affection. And for all eternity, You will endlessly and ceaselessly reveal Your infinite goodness to us. Surely it is right to praise and exalt You for the glory You possess. Great are You, O God, and greatly are You to be praised. Amen.