Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 27

Paul declares to the Ephesian Believers the Purpose of God’s Mystery Revealed Part 3

Ephesians 3:10-11 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God,  According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: KJV

In the last study in verse nine (9), we saw that Paul declared that God the Father wanted (through him) “to make all men see” or photizo as we documented, however, now we find that Paul declares to these Ephesian believers the third purpose of God the Father revealing the mystery of the Gospel of Christ now through him and the other first Apostles was to make it known to the invisible intelligences (good and evil angels) He created long before man was made. Question: Why would God not disclose this eternal truth to the good angels? Are they not obedient in all matters unto Him? Could they not keep this secret from those other angels that fell? Perhaps there is some aspect of power still retained by the fallen angels (including the chief one Satan) that would have allowed them to extract the eternal hidden purpose of God the Father’s Gospel of Grace to save sinful men and women of every race (through Christ’ death on the Cross) if He would have disclosed His Plans to the angels that remained obedient to Him in Heaven. Note: Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke, and Dr. John Gill Bible Expositor’s and Commentators that I greatly respect, admire, and have learned much from our Lord Jesus Christ through them disagree with me that both the good angels (that did not rebel in heaven) and the evil angels (that did rebel with Satan in heaven) are meant here by the Apostle Paul.

Remember Satan thought he had won when our Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary until The Day of Pentecost when our Lord Jesus returned (through the Holy Spirit) and began gathering into His Body (the Church) all who would see themselves as sinners repent and believe the Gospel as Dr. Luke documented for us with these words spoken by the Apostle Peter on The Day of Pentecost, “And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of {and} release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to {and} for you and your children, and to {and} for all that are far away, [even] to {and} for as many as the Lord our God invites {and} bids to come to Himself. And [Peter] solemnly {and} earnestly witnessed (testified) and admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking {and} warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, Be saved from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation. Therefore those who accepted {and} welcomed his message were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.” (Acts 2:38-41).

The mystery of the Gospel of Grace bringing God to actually live inside (John 14:16-18) sinful men and women was kept in the bosom of God the Father to conceal it from His hated enemy the devil (who actually thought he could defeat his own creator). Even the Jews did not know that the Messiah would come in such meekness and humility to die the death of a criminal in order that all sinners Jew and Gentile could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in their inner man or inner woman for they completely missed our Lord’s meaning when He said this in response to some Jews inquiry about the Kingdom of God, “Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, ‘The Kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed {or} with visible display, Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] {and} among you [surrounding you].’” (Luke 17:20-21). Paul declares that both the good and evil angels are being educated “by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). This English word manifold Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word polupoikilos an adjective occurring only here in the Scripture meaning the many-sided or multifarious or multifaceted; that is, having many aspects to it. In other words, the Body of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ is manifesting or making evident or making visible God the Father’s infinite Wisdom by virtue of the Gospel of Grace that so radically changes a sinner from the inside that they truly become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); a new race of human beings.

Why was God’s Purpose to only make the mystery known through His Son’s Body (the Church)? This education is to the delight of the holy angels that did not rebel, for they too are reconciled to Christ Jesus our Lord as Paul has already written to them with these words earlier in this same letter, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:” (Ephesians 1:10) and also it brings them great joy when one sinner repents and receives Christ as our Lord Jesus said Himself with these words, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10). The holy angels now know that they will never encounter their fallen brethren again when Christ returns the second time. However, to the angels/demons now that rebelled in heaven with the devil, they are being educated of their leader’s ultimate defeat, demise, and destruction as documented for us by these words written by the Apostle John, “Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages).” (Revelation 20:10). Not only was the devil self-deceived thinking he could overthrow God the Father, but he likewise deceived one-third of the angels in heaven to follow him and now they are “by the Church” (Ephesians 3:10) witnessing the many-sided Wisdom of God to completely redeem a lost human soul which can never happen for any of them because their eternal destiny is sealed and they cannot be redeemed or bought back from Satan’s ownership.

How horrible they must be to see (through the Body of Christ) their defeat and destruction and that Satan will not sit on the Throne, but our Lord Jesus Christ will as Paul expressed with these words to the Corinthian believers, “After that comes the end (the completion), when He delivers over the Kingdom to God the Father after rendering inoperative {and} abolishing every [other] rule and every authority and power. For [Christ] must be King {and} reign until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be subdued {and} abolished is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). These words Paul spoke in written form to these Corinthian believers tie in and complete the spiritual destruction of the devil and all the angels/demons and human beings who follow him as he wrote in this manner to the Jewish Christians, “Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought {and} make of no affect him who had the power of death--that is, the devil--And also that He might deliver {and} completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand].” (Hebrews 2:14-16).

Finally, Paul declares that God the Father has summed up everything He created in His vast reaching universes, that is, all things “According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:11) as Paul declares it in this manner with these words written to the Colossian believers, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also Head of the Body, the Church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the Blood of His Cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:15-20). These words written by Paul inspired or breathed in by God the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16) sums up everything and there is nothing else left to be said.

My own Personal Note: “If it seems good and wise for men and women to have a plan for their brief life of vapor (James 4:14), how much more does it ring eternally true that the Eternal God would have an eternal plan for His created beings and the vast many universes that appeared from nothing at the speaking of His Powerful Words.”

“God’s gracious design to save a lost world by Jesus Christ could not be defeated by any cunning skill or malice of man or devils: whatever hindrances are thrown in the way, His Wisdom and Power can remove; and His Infinite Wisdom can never want ways or means to effect its gracious designs.” Adam Clarke

“When the cause of the Church and the salvation of mankind go forward, when righteousness and peace triumph, the morning stars sing together and the sons of God shout for joy. The joy that there is in the presence of the angels of God over the repenting sinner, is not the joy of sympathy or pity only; it is the delight of growing wisdom, of deepening insight into the ways of God, into the heart of the Father and the love that passes knowledge.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

“Greek, ‘that’ hina; The sense is, that it was with this design, or that this was the purpose for which all things were made. One grand purpose in the creation of the universe was that the Wisdom of God might be clearly shown by the Church. It was not enough to evince it by the formation of the sun, the stars, the earth, the seas, the mountains, the floods. It was not enough to show it by the creation of intelligent beings, the formation of immortal minds on earth, and the various ranks of the angelic world. There were views of the Divine character which could be obtained only in connection with the redemption of the world. Hence the universe was created, and man was made upon the earth, not merely to illustrate the Divine perfections in the work of creation, but in a still more illustrious manner in the work of redemption. And hence the deep interest which the angelic hosts have ever evinced in the salvation of man.” Albert Barnes

“There was a ‘beautiful and well-ordered variety of dispensations’ toward that Church, all of which tended to evince the Wisdom of God. It is like a landscape, or a panoramic view passing before the mind, with a great variety of phases and aspects, all tending to excite admiration. In the redemption of the Church, there is not merely one form or one phase of wisdom. It is wisdom, ever-varying, ever-beautiful. There was wisdom manifested when the plan was formed; wisdom in the selection of the Redeemer; wisdom in the incarnation; wisdom in the atonement; wisdom in the means of renewing the heart, and sanctifying the soul; wisdom in the various dispensations by which the Church is sanctified, guided, and brought to glory. The wisdom thus shown is like the ever-varying beauty of changing clouds, when the sun is reflected on them at evening. Each aspect is full of beauty. One bright; cloud differs in appearance from others; yet all tend to fill the mind with elevated views of God.” Albert Barnes

“These wise elder brothers of ours, rich in the lore of eternity, foresee the things to come as we cannot do. They are far above the smoke and dust of the earthly conflict. The doubts that shake the strongest souls amongst us, the cries of the hour which confuse and deceive us, do not trouble them. They behold us in our weakness, our fears, and our divisions; but they also look on Him who ‘sits expecting till His enemies are made His footstool.’ They see how calmly He sits, how patiently expectant, while the sound of clashing arms and the rage and tumult of the peoples go up from the earth. They mark the steadiness with which through century after century, in spite of refluent waves, the tide of mercy rises, and still rises on the shores of earth. Thrones, systems, civilizations have gone down; one after another of the powers that strove to crush or to corrupt Christ’s Church has disappeared; and still the name of Jesus lives and spreads. It has traversed every continent and sea; it stands at the head of the living and moving forces of the world. Those who come nearest to the angelic point of view, and judge of the progress of things not by the froth upon the surface, but by the trend of the deeper currents, are the most confident for the future of our race. The kingdom of Satan will not fall without a struggle-a last struggle, perhaps more furious than any in the past-but it is doomed, and waning to its end. So far has the Kingdom of Christ advanced, so mightily does the Word of God grow and prevail in the earth, that faith may well assure itself of the promised triumph. Soon we shall shout ‘Alleluia! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!’” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

“The whole of salvation, in which is displayed the great Wisdom of God, is according to a purpose of His; the scheme of it is fixed in the council of peace; the thing itself is effected in pursuance of it; Christ, the Redeemer, was set forth in it; His incarnation, the time of His coming into the world, His sufferings and death, with all their circumstances, were decreed by God; and the persons for whom Christ became incarnate, suffered, and died, were appointed unto salvation by Him; and the application of it to them is according to His purpose; the time when, the place where, and the means whereby souls are converted, are all settled in the decrees of God; the Gospel itself, the preaching of it by such and such persons, its use to make men see the mysteries of grace, and the fellowship of them, and to make known these things to the angels of heaven, are all according to a Divine purpose: and this purpose is eternal, or was in the Mind of God from all eternity; for no new will can arise in Him; no purpose, resolution, or decree can be made by Him in time, which was not in His Breast from everlasting; and His Purpose concerning the salvation of men must be eternal, since a council of peace was held, a covenant of peace was made, a promise of life was given, persons were fixed upon to be saved, a Savior was appointed for them, and grace, and the blessings of it were put into His Hands before the world began.” Dr. John Gill

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

 

 

Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 26

Paul declares to the Ephesian Believers the Purpose of God’s Mystery Revealed Part 2

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: KJV

As we discovered in the last study, the first purpose was that Paul preach Christ everywhere in the known world at that time. Now we find Paul declaring to these Ephesians that God’s purpose was for him (by his preaching Christ) “to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery” (Ephesians 3:9). The English phrase “to make all men see” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word photizo which means to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; to enlighten or illuminate. In other words, Paul wanted his preaching of Christ and His Gospel of Grace to be brightly shining in the hearts or inner man or inner woman of every Gentile person in the known world at that time. Paul also wanted that each person would have a complete understanding of all that was theirs “in Christ” by faith as he already prayed for these Ephesian believers earlier in this letter using this very same word photizo, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened (photizo); that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). The tense in which Paul uses this verb photizo expresses action and in this case the past action of what God the Father has done for these Ephesians and every one of us who have truly been redeemed by Christ Blood.

It was the mystery of these Gentile Ephesians and all Gentiles being admitted into covenant relationship with God’s chosen people the Jews that Paul wants everyone everywhere to have clear spiritual insight and understanding about. Paul expresses this truth by the use of the English word fellowship which is translated by the Greek word koinonia which means partnership, that is, participation or social intercourse or communion. It was the eternal truth that God the Father through our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ by the Power of the Holy Spirit was currently through Paul’s and the other Apostle’s preaching of the Gospel gathering together into one Body all people to Himself and in so doing every true believer is the benefactor of all the spiritual blessing that are due to this reality of being “in Christ.” Dr. John Gill has this to say of the fellowship of the mystery, “The mystery is the Gospel; the fellowship of it is the communication of grace by it, a participation of the truths and doctrines of it, communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, which the Gospel calls and leads unto, and that equal concern and interest which both Jews and Gentiles have in the privileges of it. Now men are naturally in the dark about these things, and the ministry of the word is the means of enlightening them, and is indeed the grand design of it; and the ministers of the Gospel do instrumentally enlighten persons, though it is God only that does it efficiently; and for this, gifts of grace were bestowed upon the Apostle, even for the enlightening of all men, not every individual person in the world, but some of all sorts, particularly Gentiles, as well as Jews.”

Paul now declares to these Ephesian believers again that this mystery of the Gospel of Grace through faith in Jesus Christ “from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God” (Ephesians 3:9). When Paul writes from the beginning of the world, he means primarily the period of time when man was first created, but he also means from the period of time when all other things in God’s vast and many universes were created by Him including the intelligent beings we know as angels or as Paul refers to them as principalities and powers as we will see in the next study. The English phrase “hath been hid” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word apokrupto which means to conceal away completely; to keep secret or to hide. Paul has already given these Ephesian believers earlier in this letter a glimpse of the fact that God the Father kept the mystery of Christ and the complete purpose of his birth, death, and resurrection to Himself (Ephesians 1:9 & Colossians 1:26-27). Paul now discloses the entire purpose of God the Father to hide away in His own counsel (even from His chosen people Israel) that He would indeed gather to Himself people of every tribe, tongue, and nation of His created world as Paul wrote in this manner in closing his letter to the believers in Rome, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the commandment of the Eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only Wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27).

Paul closes his revelations in this verse of Scripture to these Ephesian believers by declaring to them that God the Father “created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9). This means all the things that we listed above were made manifest by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as the Apostle declares it with these marvelous, magnificent, and mighty words, “IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made {and} came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3) and also the writer of Hebrews speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ in this manner, “IN MANY separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in {and} by the Prophets, [But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir {and} lawful Owner of all things, also by {and} through Whom He created the worlds {and} the reaches of space {and} the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

My own Personal Note: John 5:24 (AMP): “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes, trusts in, clings to and relies on Him who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. In addition, he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life.” The Lord Jesus Christ is saying that to truly hear (the Gospel) means more than the outward act of hearing. It means to receive in a proper manner and to suffer it to make its proper impression on our minds and to obey. Many people outwardly hear the Gospel without either understanding or obeying it. Trusting Christ is the opposite of being dead in sins and under Satan’s authority and control. It is eternal life begun right now in this dispensation. Think about it this way. Those who are dead regard nothing. They are unaffected by the cares, pleasures, and amusements of the world. They hear neither the voice of happiness nor any of the “living” going on over or around their graves. That is how it was with me while I was under Satan’s authority. I was unmoved with the things of Christ. I could not hear the voice of God, nor did I see His majesty, splendor, and loveliness. I was unmoved and unconcerned by His threatening. Nevertheless, Christ is “life.” I now live my life with God. I feel and act as if God is all that matters (which, of course is true). The happiness of Heaven is living for God, being sensible of His presence, glory, and power, and rejoicing in that. My conduct and behavior now gives me the life and happiness that shall be everlasting. It is life begun, expanded, ripening toward Heaven! I have already entered into my inheritance, that inheritance that is everlasting. God destroyed Satan’s authority in my life. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”

“No wonder that He saves the Gentiles as well as the Jews; for He is the common Creator of them both: and we may conclude that He is able to perform the work of their redemption, seeing He was able to accomplish the great work of creation. It is true that both the first creation, when God made all things out of nothing, and the new creation, whereby sinners are made new creatures by converting grace, are of God by Jesus Christ.” Matthew Henry

“Dr. Whately (Errors of Romanism, chapter ii. section 1) renders it, the common participation of the mystery; that is, of truths formerly unknown, and which could not be known by man’s unaided powers, but which were now laid open by the gracious dispensation of Divine Providence; no longer concealed, or confined to a few, but to be partaken of by all. The allusion, according to him, is to the mysteries of the ancient pagan religions; and he supposes that the Apostle designs to contrast those ‘mysteries’ with Christianity. In those ‘mysteries’ there was a distinction between the initiated and uninitiated. There was a revelation to some of the worshippers, of certain holy secrets from which others were excluded. There were in some of the mysteries, as the Elensinian, ‘great and lesser’ doctrines in which different persons were initiated. In strong contrast with these, the ‘great mystery’ in Christianity was made known to all. It was concealed from none and there was no distinction made among those who were initiated. No truths which God had revealed were held back from any part, but there was a common participation by all. Christianity has no hidden truths for a part only of its friends; it has no ‘reserved’ doctrines; it has no truths to be entrusted only to a sacred priesthood. Its doctrines are to be published to the wide world, and every follower of Christ is to be a partaker of all the benefits of the truths which Christ has revealed.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

 

 

Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 25

Paul declares to the Ephesian Believers the Purpose of God’s Mystery Revealed Part 1

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; KJV

As we declared in the last study, Paul considered himself to be unworthy of such a high calling from God to be an Apostle of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:9-10) we documented his thoughts with these two (2) verses in the last study, but Paul now declares this same estimation of himself to these Ephesian believers when he says, “who am less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8). This English phrase Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word found nowhere else in the entire New Testament elachistoteros which means far less or very little in dignity. Paul forever felt himself as the lesser Apostle because he saw (by grace given him from our Lord Jesus) the tremendous depth, depravity, and degeneracy of his sin as he declared with these words written to Brother Timothy, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (1 Timothy 1:15). In other words, Paul felt that he was so unworthy of being an Apostle of Jesus Christ, but as we declared in the last study he knew that our Lord Jesus had saved him and then commissioned him for this office in His Body to fulfill the eternal purpose of revealing God’s mystery to the Gentiles and the entire world.

Surely Paul was made aware of these words spoken about him by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to Ananias as recorded for us by Dr. Luke, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your Name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My Name’s sake.’” (Acts 9-10-16).

Paul armed with the knowledge of these words spoken of him by our Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit and full of grace set out to acclaim, annunciate, or announce to the entire Gentile world what he describes here as “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). The English word unsearchable Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word anexichniastos which means not tracked out, that is, (by implication) untraceable or past finding out. In other words, even the passionate Apostle Paul could not plumb or measure the depth lines of the riches of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, nor can any man or woman in His Mystical Body the True Church. The Apostle Paul was a Divinely chosen and elected vessel for Christ’ sake, yet we find him speaking of this truth in this manner to the Brothers and Sisters in the Philippian Church when he wrote this to them, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) {and} make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me {and} made me His own.” (Philippians 3:10-12).

Paul spoke of this fact again when writing to the Roman believers about the truths of the Jewish Nation in the entirety of Romans 11 and he concluded this Chapter with these words speaking of the deepness and profoundness of our God the Lord Jesus Christ, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! For who has known the mind of the Lord {and} who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor? Or who has first given God anything that He might be paid back {or} that He could claim a recompense? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).” (Romans 11:33-36).

My own Personal Note: The mystery hidden is the Church which God the Father through the death of Christ and by the Power of the Spirit would gather all men of every race Jew and Gentile into the Mystical Spiritual Body of Jesus Christ and seat them in heavenly places “in Him” away from Satan’s ability to hurt them eternally. This is why God the Father kept this sacred secret to Himself to completely thwart Satan’s plans against the redemption of man back to Himself. Christ death on the Cross was the Divine Key that unlocked the mystery at the same time locking it from Satan’s knowledge and understanding.

“Those whom God advances to honorable employments He humbles and makes low in their own eyes; and, where God gives grace to be humble, there He gives all other grace. You may also observe in what a different manner the Apostle speaks of himself and of his office. While he magnifies his office, he debases himself. Observe, A faithful minister of Christ may be very humble, and think very meanly of himself, even when he thinks and speaks very highly and honorably of his sacred function. How highly he speaks of Jesus Christ: The unsearchable riches of Christ. There is a mighty treasury of mercy, grace, and love, laid up in Christ Jesus, and that both for Jews and Gentiles. Or, the riches of the Gospel are here spoken of as the riches of Christ: the riches which Christ purchased for, and bestows upon, all believers. And they are unsearchable riches, which we cannot find the bottom of, which human sagacity could never have discovered, and men could no otherwise attain to the knowledge of them but by revelation. Now it was the Apostle’s business and employment to preach these unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles: and it was a favor he greatly valued, and looked upon it as an unspeakable honor to him: ‘Unto me is this grace given; this special favor God has granted to such an unworthy creature as I am.’ And it is an unspeakable favor to the Gentile world that to them the unsearchable riches of Christ are preached. Though many remain poor, and are not enriched with these riches, yet it is a favor to have them preached among us, to have an offer of them made to us; and, if we are not enriched with them, it is our own fault.” Matthew Henry

“The meaning here is, that there was a “sufficiency” in Christ which could not be traced out or explored. It was wholly incomprehensible. The fullness of the riches in Him could not be appreciated. There is no more emphatic expression in the New Testament than this. It shows that the heart of the Apostle was full of admiration of the sufficiency and glory that was in the Savior; that he wanted words to express it; and that he considered it the highest honor to be permitted to tell the world that there were such riches in the Redeemer.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

 

 

 

Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 24

Paul declares to the Ephesians that both Jew and Gentile being placed into one Eternal Body is God’s Mystery Revealed Part 3

Ephesians 3:6-7 That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His Promise in Christ by the Gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power. KJV

We find the Apostle Paul very fond of reiterating a point again and again as he is so prone to do in all of his letters and we can therefore; conclude that God likes to make His points over and over again because He (through the Holy Spirit) is breathing into Paul the revelation of this great mystery to all of humanity at the time of the penning of this letter. Paul has already declared to these Ephesian believers that “He (God the Father) predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Ephesians 1:5) and Paul said earlier that “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” (Ephesians 1:9) and the pronoun “us” he used in this passage includes these Ephesian believers and all true believers of every generation. Also Paul has already said that “we have obtained an inheritance” (Ephesians 1:11) and that Christ Jesus “might reconcile them (Jew and Gentile) both in one body to God through the Cross” (Ephesians 2:16) and lastly to conclude our recording of Paul’s fondness to retell, repeat, or restate a point that is so dear to him and important to the saints he’s writing to, he said this earlier to these same Ephesian believers, “but you (Gentiles) are fellow citizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19).

Now to cap-off his discourse in explaining God the Father’s Mystery hidden in Himself alone but now revealed through Paul, he says those same things above in this manner, “That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs” (Ephesians 3:6). The English word fellow-heirs Paul uses here in his reiteration of his point made many times earlier in this same letter is translated by the Greek word sugkleronomos which means a sharer by lot, that is, an inheritor (literally or figuratively); by implication a possessor: co-heir, that is, by analogy a participant in common, a joint heir. In other words, Paul was very excited, eager, and enthusiastic to inform these former pagan idol worshippers of the goddess Diana in the self-named temple, that they now have been so brought out of darkness that they are God the Father’s “little children” and heirs that will inherit all that belongs to Him by virtue of them being “in Christ” as Paul wrote it in this very well described manner to the Roman believers when he said, “The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.” (Romans 8:16-17).

When Paul declares to them that Gentiles are “of the same body” (Ephesians 3:6), he means literally the True Christian Church that makes up the Body of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as He Himself said with these words spoken to the Apostle Peter, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18). When Paul declares to them that the Gentiles are “partakers of His Promise in Christ by the Gospel” (Ephesians 3:6), he speaks here of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit in the inner man and inner woman of every Gentile that hears the Gospel of Christ or the Gospel of Grace and is born of the Spirit. The English word partakers Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word summetochos which means to be a co-participant; participation, that is, intercourse, or fellowship. In other words, Paul declares that only through the reception of the Holy Spirit can any sinner Jew or Gentile have fellowship with God the Father.

This is exactly what Paul means here by “His Promise in Christ by the Gospel” and this is what our Lord Jesus meant when He said these words recorded by the Apostle John, “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39), likewise we have these words also (speaking of the promise) recorded by this same Apostle John, “As for you, keep in your hearts what you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the first dwells {and} remains in you, then you will dwell in the Son and in the Father [always]. And this is what He Himself has promised us--the life, the eternal [life]. I write this to you with reference to those who would deceive you [seduce and lead you astray]. But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing (the Holy Spirit) teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].” (1 John 2:24-27).

Paul has a two-fold meaning when he declares that he was commissioned by Christ to proclaim His Gospel of Grace when he says, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power.” (Ephesians 3:7). The English phrase “I was made” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word ginomai a prolonged middle form of a primary verb meaning to cause to be. Paul did not go to school as he did when he sat under the highest Pharisee in Judaism, but he was made/ginomai a minister of the Gospel is clear to me because it was nothing less than the Mighty Power of God’s Grace that saved such an obstinate Pharisee as Paul who was striving in works religion to attain and achieve the highest place he could in Judaism as he himself documented with these words written to the Galatian believers, “You have heard of my earlier career {and} former manner of life in the Jewish religion (Judaism), how I persecuted {and} abused the Church of God furiously {and} extensively, and [with fanatical zeal did my best] to make havoc of it {and} destroy it. And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic {and} zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors.” (Galatians 1:13-14).

Paul was such a zealot for Judaism and the strict observance of the “Law of Moses” that nothing but the Mighty Power of God’s Grace through the Cross of Christ and by the Power of the Holy Spirit could have opened his blind religious eyes to the truth as he again himself declares with these words written to the Corinthian believers, “For I am the least [worthy] of the Apostles, who am not fit {or} deserving to be called an Apostle, because I once wronged {and} pursued {and} molested the Church of God [oppressing it with cruelty and violence]. But by the Grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His Grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the Apostles], though it was not really I, but the Grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10) and also as he wrote in these words to the Galatian believers, “But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his Apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the Grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” (Galatians 2:7-9). Note: The Grace of God was active and operative, that is, being in force, having or exerting force mightily in the inner man of the Apostle Paul causing him to endure the attacks, hardships, physical pain, emotional pain, etc. that he experienced from the day our Lord Jesus Christ saved him to the day he had his head chopped off dying for Christ’ sake and bringing glory to Christ Jesus our Lord.

Secondly, the Mighty Power of God’s Grace was the only thing that could have turned these Ephesians from their idolatry (worship of the goddess Diana) to the One True Living God Jesus Christ as Paul declared equally of this fact to the converts in Thessalonica with these words, “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10) and also with these words to them, “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own Kingdom and Glory. For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13).

My own Personal Note: Those who have truly sorrowed for sin will sorrow upon every remembrance of sin. This will not hinder their service for and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ but rather will increase their joy in the Lord Jesus and in His abundant, life-changing mercy and grace. Repentance is a complete redirection of one’s life demonstrated by profound changes in lifestyle and relationships. The experience of repentance always precedes salvation. Faith is living one’s life in constant submission to Christ and in relationship to Christ. Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

 

 

 

 

Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 23

Paul declares to the Ephesians that both Jew and Gentile being placed into one Eternal Body is God’s Mystery Revealed Part 2

Ephesians 3:3-5 How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit; KJV

As we declared in the previous study, Paul had early on in the beginning of his letter briefly talked about this mystery of the Body of Christ being the spiritual abode, residence, and home of both Jew and Gentile together (despite God the Father withholding it from His Prophets of Old) (Ephesians 1:9-10). Paul again repeats this same reference. The great stumbling block for the Jews was that YAWEH was reaching out to the Gentile people through only the Gospel of Christ and that they would not be required to follow the Mosaic Law. The idea that the Mosaic Law was to be abolished or completely done away with and made of no more significance is what caused the Jews extreme anger and hatred for the Apostle Paul who was once one of the most adamant proclaimers and defenders of it in all of Israel. Note: It was the purpose and will of God the Father to hide the complete revelation of the Gospel of Christ or the Gospel of Grace from the Jews before the foundation of the world in order that He would bring in every Gentile sinner into the sheepfold and then gather all the (remnant) true believing Jews into that same sheepfold being the Body of Jesus Christ (Romans 11:1-5) (2 Timothy 2:19).

Paul declares that “by revelation He made known unto me the mystery” (Ephesians 3:3). The English word revelation the Apostle Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word apokalupsis which means to take the cover off of something that is hidden, that is, to disclose it or reveal it to all (i.e. to make known to everyone that which was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret until the appropriate time it was to be made known or visible). In other words, the Apostle Paul was the Father’s, the Son’s, and the Spirit’s chosen vessel to make known this mystery or sacred secret known only to the Triune God from before the foundation of the world as Paul declared with these words he wrote to the Galatian believers, “For I want you to know, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed {and} made known by me is not man’s Gospel [a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard]. For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a [direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah).” (Galatians 1:11-12). This same Greek word apokalupsis used here in Ephesians 3:3 is also used by Paul in Galatians 1:12.

The direct revelation/apokalupsis Paul received form our Lord Jesus Christ is what conditioned, characterized, and certified Paul to preach this Gospel of Grace to the Gentile world as he wrote in his greeting to the Galatian believers with these words, “Paul, an Apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)” (Galatians 1:1). Paul knew he had been commissioned or given official approval to act as the ambassador of the Sovereign God with this critical, crucial, and credible message to the Gentile world that they too can know YAWEH through faith in Jesus Christ as recorded for us by Dr. Luke these words our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ spoke directly to Paul as Paul gave his defense before king Agrippa, “‘While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from Heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:12-18).

Paul also further testified of being revealed this Gospel to the Galatians with these words, “But when God, who had set me apart even from my Mother’s womb and called me through His Grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.” (Galatians 1:15-18). Some commentators believe that these three (3) years Paul refers to here in Galatians 1:18 speaks of his time spent in Arabia being taught by our Lord Jesus all of the deep mysteries, revelations, and knowledge found in his epistles, but Paul never says this specifically anywhere here in Galatians or in any of his other epistles, but it is most likely that he began his declaration of the Gospel of Grace in Arabia and was taught all of the deep things written in all of his letters as his journeys continued by the Holy Spirit as our Lord Jesus declared He would do with these words to the first Apostles, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John 16:12-15).

Paul so desperately wants them to understand that he says, “when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:4). The English phrase Paul uses here “when ye read” is translated by one Greek word anaginosko being in one word the combination of a primary preposition and adverb ana having in its meaning the idea of intensity and repetition and ginosko being a prolonged form of a primary verb having in its meaning to know something absolutely or totally and definitely; without question. In other words, the Apostle Paul wants these Ephesians to know (without question or doubt) that what he preaches and what he writes (here in this letter) is direct revelation/apokalupsis from our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father by way of the Power of the Holy Spirit. Paul then even more strongly affirms his desire by the use of the English phrase “ye may” which is translated by one Greek word dunamai which means that they be able or to be of power to “understand” and this English word is translated by the Greek word noieo meaning to exercise the mind (observe), that is, figuratively, to comprehend or heed. Paul’s only concern was that these Ephesian believers grasp the truth of the Gospel that he preached to them and all the rich treasure that was theirs and ours today in Christ which is what inspired his prayer for them before he digressed into this discourse. Note: “Every sermon reveals the preacher’s grasp of ‘the mystery of Christ.’ If he has no insight into Christ, he has no call to preach.” (Robertson’s Word Pictures).

The Apostle Peter gave credence to this desire in the heart for these Ephesian believers by the Apostle Paul when writing of Paul’s revelation, wisdom, and knowledge from our Lord Jesus with these words warning those in his epistle, “So, beloved, since you are expecting these things, be eager to be found by Him [at His coming] without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts]. And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord [His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world] is salvation (that which is conducive to the soul’s safety), even as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the spiritual insight given him, Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist {and} misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures. Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless {and} wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind]. But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition {and} knowledge {and} understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)!” (2 Peter 3:14-18).

With these words written to the Colossian believers “in Christ” Paul sums up the essence or heart and soul or the most vital part of this mystery or sacred secret, “Of this Church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” (Colossians 1:25-28).

Lastly, Paul declares that the complete revelation of this Gospel of Grace being freely dispensed into the Gentile world was not known in the complete fullness by which it has been revealed to him by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit working in Paul mightily (Colossians 1:29) in any other generation of humanity and even the great Apostle Peter who walked with, worked with, and witnessed with our Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry had to be re-educated by our Lord Jesus one day on a housetop while he (Peter) was praying (Acts 10:9-16), but even then Dr. Luke records in the Scripture this concerning Peter after the visions, “Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be” (Acts 10:17), but Acts 10:18-20 declares that Peter obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit and went with these men to a Gentile’s house named Cornelius, for before this instance Peter never once carried the Gospel of Christ into any Gentile city let alone into the home of a Gentile, but the Apostle Peter went and spoke to them and Dr. Luke records these words that close Chapter 10 of the Book of Acts, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the Gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?’ And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.” (Acts 10:44-48).

When Peter went back to Jerusalem and reported what he saw and heard among the Gentiles this was the first response he received as recorded by Dr. Luke with these words, “Now the Apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’” (Acts 11:1-3). However, after Peter fully testified to the Grace of God through His declaration of the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles with these words, “‘And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. ‘And I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ‘Therefore if God gave to them the same Gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?’” (Acts 11:15-17). The response was completely understandable from the Jews in the Jerusalem Church and it was this, “When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.’” (Acts 11:18).

“Let us observe that the conversion of the Gentile world to the faith of Christ was an adorable mystery, and we ought to bless God for it. Who would have imagined that those who had been so long in the dark, and at so great a distance, would be enlightened with the marvelous light, and be made nigh? Let us learn hence not to despair of the worst, of the worst of persons, and the worst of nations. Nothing is too hard for Divine Grace to do: none so unworthy but God may please to confer great grace upon them. And how much are we ourselves interested in this affair; not only as we live in a time in which the mystery is revealed, but particularly as we are a part of the nations which in times past were foreigners and strangers, and lived in gross idolatry; but are now enlightened with the Everlasting Gospel, and partake of its promises! The Apostle informs them how he was employed in this office, and that with respect to the Gentiles, and to all men.” Matthew Henry

“This great truth had been hitherto concealed, or but partially understood, and Paul says that he was appointed to make it known to the world. His ‘knowledge’ on the subject, he says, could be understood by what he had said, and from that they could judge whether he was qualified to state and defend the doctrines of the Gospel. Paul evidently supposed that the knowledge which he had on that subject was of eminent value; that it was possessed by few; that it was important to understand it. Hence he dwells upon it. He speaks of the glory of that truth. He traces it back to the Counsels of God. He shows that it entered into His Eternal plans; and he evidently felt that the truth which he had communicated in the former part of this Epistle was among the most important that could come before the mind.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

 

 

Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 22

Paul declares to the Ephesians that both Jew and Gentile being placed into one Eternal Body is God’s Mystery Revealed Part 1

Ephesians 3:1-2 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God which is given me to you-ward: KJV

First of all, we must be reminded that these epistles or letters when originally written by the Apostle Paul did not have Chapter and verse designations, but this was done later for the purpose of allowing readers the ability to recall sections of the New and Old Testament Scripture. Paul wrote one continuous letter, therefore, we find him continuing his theme and thoughts from the end of Chapter 2 by beginning with the phrase “For this cause” which is translated by one Greek word charin which is in the form of a preposition written in the accusative case meaning on account of or for the sake of something. In this case, Paul has a twofold meaning, the first here being on account of you Ephesian believers “being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22), “I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1).

In other words, Paul was violently hated by the Jews for going to the Gentiles with the message that they could and would be saved by the same God the Jews worshipped through faith in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as he described with these farewell words to the Ephesians recorded for us by Dr. Luke (one of Paul’s fellow-workers for the Gospel), “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, ‘You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.’” (Acts 20:17-21).

Paul regarded himself to be the prisoner of Jesus Christ having been arrested, that is, attracted to and captured and fixated upon Him and His Love for Paul that he might preach the Gospel of Grace to every Gentile as he declared with these words to brother Timothy, “For that [Gospel] I am suffering affliction {and} even wearing chains like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained {or} imprisoned! Therefore I [am ready to] persevere {and} stand my ground with patience {and} endure everything for the sake of the elect [God’s chosen], so that they too may obtain [the] salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with [the reward of] eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:9-10).

It is God’s Grace (divine influence upon the heart) that worked in the Apostle Paul giving him purpose, power, and protection to boldly declare the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile Nations and people despite many of their opposition to it and despite the Jews hating him for doing so. Paul knew that our Lord Jesus Christ was directing, guiding, and most certainly protecting him as he declared the truth of the Gospel of Grace to not only these Gentile Ephesians, but to all Gentiles in the known world at that time as confirmed with these words spoken by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ directly to Paul to encourage and strengthen him for his work in the city of Corinth, “And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.’” (Acts 18:9-10).

The second reason that Paul began with the words “For this cause” was that he wanted them to have full and complete understanding of his three (3) descriptive metaphors of this new eternal brotherhood between Jews and Gentiles in the Eternal Spiritual Body of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, so he began to pray for their understanding, but then he digressed in order to speak of this Mystery and how he was made privy to it and for what purpose, then he picks up with his initial desire to pray for them in Ephesians 3:14. Note: This writing digression of Paul here is one of many instances that prove that God the Holy Spirit did not subdue, subvert, or sabotage the “unique personalities or styles” of each of the writers of Holy Scripture in the Word of God. Paul now in his digression from praying for them, declares to them that he has been charged with the task or been given Heavenly approval “of the dispensation of the Grace of God which is given me to you-ward” (Ephesians 3:2).

The English word dispensation Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word oikonomia which means the administration (of a household or estate); stewardship or a house distributor (that is, manager), or overseer, that is, an employee in that capacity; by extension a fiscal agent (treasurer); figuratively a preacher (of the Gospel). In other words, the Apostle Paul had been commissioned and ordained by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to parcel out or to give out or to deal, dispense, and distribute the Gospel of Grace to the people (Gentiles, who formerly were far off) that had never even heard of YAWEH or knew that there was such a God in existence as he already wrote to them with these words at the beginning of this epistle, “Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed {and} set forth in Him, [He planned] for the maturity of the times {and} the climax of the ages to unify all things {and} head them up {and} consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.” (Ephesians 1:9-10).

God the Father’s hidden mystery from the Old Testament Prophets was that the Messiah that many of them Prophesied of would not only come into the world to deliver the Jews, but that He (Christ) would also gather together the Gentiles into His Flock as He said to some of them with these words while He walked about during His earthly ministry, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with One Shepherd.” (John 10:14-16).

My own Personal Note: Paul was akin to a Doctor who was a specialist in a certain medical field capable of diagnosing and treating certain rare strains of viruses or diseases adequately with much success, but in Paul’s case he was a Spiritual Doctor who was equipped by God’s Grace to dispense the cure (the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16)) to every infected soul with the disease of sin.

“Dispensation should be rendered, ‘stewardship.’ We are God’s trustees for men. To each of us is given some special phase of truth which we must pass on to others by the force of our character or by the teaching of our lips. It was given to Paul to make known the great truth that Gentiles might enter the Church of God on equal terms with Jews. During the earlier stages of human education this secret had been withheld; but with the advent of the Son of Man, the doors into the Church had been thrown open to all. Paul’s insistence on this truth was the main cause of the hatred and opposition which checkered his life.” F. B. Meyer

“The compound particle eige, which is commonly translated if indeed, in several places means since indeed, seeing that, and should be translated so in this verse, and in several other places of the New Testament. Seeing ye have heard of the dispensation of God, which is given me to you-ward: this they had amply learned from the Apostle during his stay at Ephesus, for he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole counsel of God, Acts 20:27, and kept nothing back that was profitable to them, Acts 20:20. And this was certainly among those things that were most profitable, and most necessary to be known.” Adam Clarke

“A prisoner in the service of the Lord Jesus; or made a prisoner in His cause. Not a prisoner for crime or debt, or as a captive in war, but a captive in the service of the Redeemer. This proves that at the time of writing this, Paul was in bonds, and there can be no question that he was in Rome. This would be more correctly rendered, ‘For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner,’ etc. So Tyndale renders it, ‘For this cause I, Paul, the servant of Jesus, am in bonds.’ So also Locke, Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Whitby, Koppe, and others understand it. By this construction the abruptness now manifest in our common version is avoided. Made a prisoner at Rome on your behalf, because I maintained that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; see Acts 22:21-23. He was taken first to Cesarea, and then to Rome. The cause of his imprisonment and of all his difficulties was, that he maintained that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; that when the Jews rejected it God rejected them; and that he was specially called to carry the message of salvation to the pagan world.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…