Ephesians

Sunday, 10 July 2016

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, Ephesians 1:15

Paul’s wording here is very close to the wording of Colossians 1:4. It is known that Paul had visited Ephesus and that he had not visited Colossae. For this reason, some look at this letter as not being written exclusively to the saints at Ephesus. However, he uses similar terminology in Philemon 1:5 also, and so the address solely to the Ephesians is not necessarily to be considered a later addition, nor is this a reason to dismiss this letter as a forgery.

“Therefore” is based on verse 13 which concerns their having “heard the word of truth” and then “having believed.” Based on this, they were “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Because of these things, he says, “I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints…” He will state in the next verse what the result of these things are. For now, it is sufficient to concentrate on the words at hand.

“After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus” are the words scholars lean on to state that the address “to the saints who are in Ephesus” is a later addition. As Paul had been there and personally seen the faith of those in Ephesus, the logic is that there would be no point in stating this. But as was seen above, he uses the same terminology in Philemon. Instead, this is speaking of their faith which obviously continued to grow, both in number and in maturity. Paul had not been to Ephesus for some time. When hearing of their status, his words of elation make complete sense.

The words translated here as “your faith” are literally, “the faith among you.” It is the only time he uses this phase, and it therefore lends credence to the thought that this letter was actually addressed to the Ephesians. As he has been gone, and as “the faith among” them had expanded, it is natural to think that he would have heard of it after it occurred. He is pleased to have learned of the state of the Ephesian church.

The words, “in the Lord Jesus” do not give the same idea as “towards the Lord Jesus.” Faith towards Jesus is centered on Jesus; whereas, faith “in the Lord Jesus” embodies much more. It signifies a faith which acknowledges God’s work, in Christ, and thus it is a faith which includes the plan of God the Father as well as the work of the Spirit. Each of these have already been noted in his opening words (e.g. see verses 3 & 13).

Paul is especially elated to hear of both this faith as well as their “love for all the saints.” This is an evidence of their faith in Christ. It is the expression of that faith being worked out among those who are also “in Christ.” It is the mutual respect that all believers should have, but which is sorely lacking among the redeemed in today’s world. Doctrinal differences lead to immense divides in the church. Among the Ephesians, such problems may have existed, but their love remained strong towards all believers. It was, therefore, of exceptional note.

Life application: With the Bible written, we have our source of doctrine for proper Christian conduct and belief. Because of this, divisions within the faith are certainly more pronounced. When a congregation practices something which clearly violates Scripture, it is rather hard to continue to show them fraternal love. They are demonstrating disregard for the word, and thus for God who gave the word. It will be good when Christ returns and sorts out our many differences, both petty and great.

Lord God, You ask us to demonstrate love towards all, especially those who are of the household of faith. But it sure can be hard when they refuse to heed Your word. It can be even more difficult when their doctrine isn’t in accord with Your word. Such willful disobedience to the precepts You have laid down shows a lack of care for You who gave that same word. It will be marvelous when You come back for us and sort us out. May that day be soon. Until then, give us hearts to love others, knowing that we too are not perfect in our faith and practice. Amen.

Saturday, 9 July 2016

…who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:14

It is right to look at this verse along with verse 13 for proper context –

“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.”

The believer trusts in Christ after hearing the word. It is this word which is the gospel of his salvation. Once a person believes in Christ, he is sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit “who is the guarantee of our inheritance.”

The word for ‘guarantee” is arrabón. It is a rare word, found only three times in the New Testament and it means “properly, an installment; a deposit (‘down-payment’) which guarantees the balance (the full purchase-price)… [It] is the regular term in NT times for ‘earnest-money,’ i.e. advance-payment that guarantees the rest will be given…[it] then represents full security backed by the purchaser who supplies sufficient proof they will fulfill the entire pledge (promise).”

Understanding the meaning of this word, it is impossible to see how anyone can believe in a loss of salvation for a person who has – at any time in his life – believed in Him and been saved. If God seals us with His Holy Spirit as a guarantee, and if we can lose that, then –

• It was not a very good guarantee.
• It diminishes the value of the blood of Christ which was used for the purchase of the possession.
• God made a mistake in sealing us with His “guarantee.”
• It is of our effort and not of God that we are saved. (If we can lose our salvation, at anytime after we are saved, then it means that it was never of grace, but it was up to us to maintain it by some type of work).

This word, arrabón, comes from the Hebrew word eravon which is also found only three times in the Bible, all in Genesis 38 in the account of Judah and Tamar. In that account, a picture was being made of the work of Christ, including the Gentile-led church age. The story is a magnificent one and a detailed sermon on its meaning can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezrTF468Q_I

As noted, the word arrabón is found only three times in the New Testament. The other two times are in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and in 2 Corinthians 5:5. In all three uses, it is referring to the pledge of the Holy Spirit. He is our surety and our guarantee. As this is the sealing of God in us, it represents the highest of all authorities. It further represents an eternal decree of God. It can never be undone without violating the initial decree.

Therefore, we are one hundred percent secure as we wait “until the redemption of the purchased possession.” What is being referred to here is “the complete and final salvation from sin and death” (Charles Ellicott). This indicates the result of the action, and not the action itself. In other words, we have already been purchased by and through the work of Christ. This is evidenced by the sealing of the Holy Spirit. What is being referred to is the action that will be taken, at some future point, based on the what has already been purchased. This action is noted in 2 Thessalonians 2 where Paul speaks of the revealing of the coming antichrist. There he writes –

“Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” 2 Thessalonians 2:5-7

The “He” referred to in this verse is the Holy Spirit with Whom we are sealed. Paul says that a day is coming, prior to the revealing of the antichrist, that the Holy Spirit will be “taken out of the way.” This is the rapture of the church. We will be taken to be with Christ during the time of tribulation which is coming on the earth. As noted above, if the Holy Spirit is taken out and we are not, then that was not a very good guarantee.

Rather, we are guaranteed of being taken out – just as the Bible states. God cannot lie and our hope is secure. And all of this is “to the praise of His glory.” Vincent’s Word Studies notes that this final clause is to be taken together with the words “you were sealed.” Our sealing is to the praise of God’s glory because it conforms to “God’s purpose as it respects Himself.”

His plan of redemption is that for which He is to be glorified. The sealing of the Spirit, based on faith in the work of Christ, is what brings Him this praise. He is glorified through the way He deals with His redeemed. And praise God for this wonderful plan!

Life application: If you have doubts concerning the doctrine of “eternal salvation,” then all you need to do is think logically about what God’s word says. If your salvation is up to you, then it is not by grace. If not by grace, then we are pursuing the wrong God, because the Bible says that God saves us by grace through faith. Works are ex-clu-ded.

Heavenly Father, Your word shows that we are saved by grace and through faith. If we can do something after being saved that will cause us to lose our salvation, then our salvation is up to us, and it isn’t really by grace. Rather, when we trust in Christ, we are sealed with Your Holy Spirit as a guarantee. The deal is done; the seal is from You. We have the surest hope of all that You will never leave us and never forsake us. Hallelujah and Amen!

Friday, 8 July 2016

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, Ephesians 1:13

The word “trusted” in this verse is inserted by the translators, assuming that it is referring to “trusted” in verse 12. It only says, “In Him you also, after…” What Paul is referring to is debated, but what seems likely is that he is speaking of the inheritance and predestination of verse 11 –

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
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…”

The reason this is likely is because later in this verse he notes their belief, something synonymous with trusting. And so here, it is more likely that he is speaking about the inheritance and predestination than simply repeating the idea of trusting. Paul is specific that the Gentiles (represented by the Ephesians at this time) have also received what the Jews had received. This reception came about “after you heard the word of truth.”

A person cannot receive the inheritance without being told about it, unless one believes that the inheritance is something given apart from faith. But this is contrary to the whole tenor of Scripture, including the rest of the verse to come. It is only after hearing this word of truth, which as Paul says to them is “the gospel of your salvation,” that the inheritance can come. This gospel is the message of God’s workings through Christ in order to redeem man. It is the grace of God in Christ which alone can bring salvation.

After giving this carefully worded thought, he next says, “…in whom also.” This is referring to “In Him” at the beginning of the verse, and thus to Christ who has been the main subject of verses 3-12. Paul continuously reminds us that all of these spiritual blessings come about through being “in” Christ.

In order for this to happen, he then describes to them how it happened with the words, “…having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” The Bible never teaches the Calvinistic idea of “regeneration in order to believe.” In other words, it is neither explicit or implicit – here or anywhere else – that this occurs. Belief is a volitional act of the will. It is not, either before or after salvation, something forced in man externally. Such a warped doctrine is never hinted at in the Bible. Instead, it is always shown that God is pleased with faith which comes from the man when he exercises his own free-will.

When the individual believes, he is “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” The word for “sealed” is sphragizó. It “signifies ownership and the full security carried by the backing (full authority) of the owner. ‘Sealing’ in the ancient world served as a ‘legal signature’ which guaranteed the promise (contents) of what was sealed” (HELPS Word Studies).

This seal then is as sure as a signature of ownership by God. It is something that is given and will never be taken back. If it were to be taken back, then it means that God has made a mistake in His sealing; something impossible. Paul will explain this further in the next verse. For now, the logical progression of what Paul is saying is –

• A person hears the word of truth (the gospel of their salvation).
• They believe the message.
• They are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
• They are now entitled to all of the benefits that the Jews, as an inheritance, also received by that same process of faith.

The key point to remember is that none of this would have occurred without first hearing the gospel message. As Paul said to the Romans –

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

Only after hearing can one believe, and only after one believes are they sealed with the Holy Spirit. When sealed with the Holy Spirit, the individual will also share in the inheritance. Without that sealing, they will have no such inheritance which is found in God’s provision in Christ.

As a point of debate, Vincent’s Word Studies agrees that the word “trusted” is incorrect, but he says that the thought “In Him you also” is nominative to the words “were sealed.” This doesn’t make sense as the “were sealed” comes after the thought, not before. As Paul didn’t use the term in the preceding verses, it is what the later-mentioned sealing results in – that of an inheritance – which is mentioned both before and after the words, “In Him you also.” The highlight of Paul’s words are on the wondrous benefits which result from the process, not the process itself.

Finally, the Pulpit Commentary notes that, “The Spirit is called the Spirit of the promise, because he is often promised in the Old Testament (Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 36:27; Joel 3:1, etc.).” What had long been anticipated by the Jews has come about because of the work of Christ. This promise was granted to them, but it is also granted to all who believe, even among the Gentiles.

Life application: You can no more lose your salvation than God could make a mistake.

Lord God, Your word says that we are sealed with the Spirit of promise when we believe the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation. By simply trusting in the work of Christ in fulfillment of the law, we are accepted by You as if Your signature has been inscribed on us. We could no more lose this than You could make a mistake in giving it; something impossible. Our heavenly inheritance is secure because of the work of Christ! What a marvelous surety we have! Thank You for this promise, O God. Amen.

Thursday, 7 July 2016

…that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:12

Again, we should take this together with the previous verse for context –

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

As noted in verse 11, Paul is probably generally speaking of Israel collectively by using the term “we.” However here he is actually referring to the individual Jews of Israel who received Jesus as their Messiah. It is they “who first trusted in Christ,” and who “should be to the praise of His glory.”

Vincent’s Word Studies notes that the term “who first trusted” refers to Jewish Christians, and the verb describes their messianic hope before the advent of Christ. Therefore, the appropriate rendering of these words should be “we who have before hoped.”

Further, he notes that the article in Greek before “Christ” should be translated. It should say, “in the Christ.” As the coming Christ was the subject of all messianic expectations, and as Jesus fulfilled those expectations, Paul is speaking of Jesus as the Christ who was anticipated and who has come. Therefore, the thought should read, “that we who have before hoped in the Christ…”

It is these Jews who were a part of the body of Israel, and who had so long awaited the coming Christ, who put their hope in Jesus and who are “to the praise of His glory.” These first believing Jews were the “means of celebrating his glory” (Albert Barnes). In the body of Israel, it is these who ascribed true heartfelt praise to him as the result of their salvation.

Life application: Paul does not lump Israel and the Gentiles together as the same entity. Rather, he consistently makes a noted separation between the two. This is a truth which continues to this day. We are all one in Messiah as regards to salvation, but there are Jews and there are Gentiles; there are males and there are females. These differences continue to exist.

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, Ephesians 1:11

In verses 11 & 12, Paul uses the term “we.” Then in verse 13, he will use the plural word for “you.” For this reason, many scholars state that this is showing the order of salvation with respect to the idea of “to the Jew first and then also to the Greek.” This is, for example, how Charles Ellicott sees it –

“Ephesians 1:11-14 form the third part of the Introduction, applying the general truth of election by God’s predestination in Christ, first to the original believers (the Jews), and then to the subsequent believers (the Gentiles).”

It is true that the Jews were the first to receive the message, and then the Gentiles were later its recipients, and this seems probable concerning what Paul is saying. Or it could be that he is saying that it was those who heard and received Christ (meaning the apostles, etc.) who are then relaying the message on from that initial point. In this then, the stress is not laid on the nature of the person, but rather it is simply the logical progression of receiving and then transmitting the gospel.

Which option is correct becomes even more important in the opening words, because Paul says that “In Him we have obtained an inheritance.” The KJV and the NKJV make the verb active, but it is not. Rather, it is passive. The correct reading is that “we were made a heritage.” Thus it literally is worded to suggest that we were designed as an inheritance. It does appear that Paul is speaking of Israel, who was made an inheritance of God in the promise of the coming Messiah.

Following this, he says, “…being predestined.” The idea of predestination is detailed in the commentary on Ephesians 1:5. However, Paul adds in that this predestination is “according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” This idea has to be evaluated with care and it needs to be done so while considering the rest of Scripture.

As was noted in Ephesians 1:5, free will in man is something that God takes into consideration. Therefore, the words “according to the purpose of Him” includes two separate thoughts. The first is the “universal agency of God” (Albert Barnes), and the second is man’s responsibility in exercising his free will. One does not negate the other. Just because God knows what choice a man will make, it in no way negates the choice of the man.

God considers man’s will and includes it in His working out “all things according to the counsel of His will.” It is both a comfort for those who are willing to submit to the authority of Christ, and it is to the shame of those who are unwilling to do so. God, in His infinite goodness, has granted us the right to choose where we will place our allegiance, and thus where we will spend eternity. In the case of Israel, they were collectively made an inheritance, and yet they individually chose to be a part of that, or not, by faith in their Messiah.

Life application: You have a choice to make concerning Christ. If you have chosen Christ, you have the continued choice to make concerning obedience to Him. Choose each step of your walk wisely. Choose Christ and pursue Christ!

Heavenly Father, how marvelous You are. You have fashioned each of us for Your sovereign purposes, and You have granted us the choice to follow You, or to go our own way. You don’t force us to love You, but You tenderly call to us in hopes that we will. Grant us the wisdom to use the few precious moments of this life wisely so that we will be prepared for the judgment which lies ahead. Grant us hearts to pursue Your offer of peace through Jesus’ shed blood now. Amen.