Paul discloses the Positive and Negative results of
this Mystery
Ephesians
3:12-13 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of
Him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is
your glory. KJVWe have learned from the Apostle Paul that the mystery revealed to him is the Gospel of Christ being preached by him to all men and women (Jews and Gentiles) and God the Father having eternally purposed this in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now before he closes this Chapter 3 of his letter with another prayer for these Ephesians, Paul discloses the positive and negative results of what every true regenerate recipient of this new life in Christ brings to the believer. First Paul declares to them the tremendous positive these Ephesians and all true believers everywhere because of faith in Jesus Christ have which is unhindered, unashamed, and unbroken entrance into God the Father’s Presence. Paul says that because these Ephesians and we today are “in Christ”, “we have boldness” (Ephesians 3:12). The English word boldness Paul uses here is strikingly different than our English definition, but is the closes word the English translators could use to make the point Paul is making here. The Greek word that is used here is parrhesia which means all out spokenness with the idea of water running or flowing freely; frankness or bluntness of speech; by implication it means assurance.
In other words, Paul’s use of this word is to let these Ephesians and all of us today who are “in Christ” know that we are so welcomed by our Heavenly Father into His Presence through supplication and prayer that we can tell Him anything, even our confusion of what He is allowing in our lives being open and honest with Him about all of our emotions even those negative emotions directed at Him because He wants His sons and daughters to be free to pour out our hearts/inner man or inner woman to Him leaving nothing unspoken, despite the fact that He knows it all anyway. We never have to be fearful that we will offend our Father in Heaven with what we say to Him, He is an Eternally Grown Father and He is able to receive not only our loving worship and adoration of Him, but also our fits and tantrums we often hurl in His direction. This is surely what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote these words to the Philippian believers, “Do not fret {or} have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance {and} in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison {and} mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Paul also wrote these words to the Jewish believers, “Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended {and} passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him]. For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand {and} sympathize {and} have a shared feeling with our weaknesses {and} infirmities {and} liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then fearlessly {and} confidently {and} boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Paul assures these Ephesians that they can be confident or persuaded or very sure that their access to the Father’s Throne and Heart will never be blocked, barricaded, or banished because He receives them and us as if we were our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and loves us in the same manner with the same Eternal Love He has for Christ Jesus our Lord as our Lord Jesus declared with these words recorded for us by the Apostle John, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:22-23).
It is our conversion to Christ our faith in Him that gives us this bold confident assurance of unconditional love, acceptance, and reception by our Heavenly Father because our Lord Jesus Christ has already cleared away the debris or trees of our sin that before blocked our access to God as Paul declared with these words written to the Jewish believers, “Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom {and} confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the Blood of Jesus, By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated {and} dedicated {and} opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh, And since we have [such] a great {and} wonderful {and} noble Priest [Who rules] over the House of God, Let us all come forward {and} draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance {and} absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled {and} purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Sadly but truthfully, Paul now makes mention of the negative ramifications of being a true and faithful follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, but he wants these Ephesian believers and we believers today to be strong and courageous under attack from the enemy. Paul begins by saying “Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you” (Ephesians 3:13). First, the English word wherefore Paul begins this sentence with is translated by the Greek word dio meaning for which cause, that is, consequently because these Ephesians have such bold and confident access to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ that they should not be fearful of persecution or attacks that Paul is enduring or that they themselves may endure because of their faith in Christ as Moses wrote these words to encourage and embolden the Israelites, “‘When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people. He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the One who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’” (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).
Paul knew that these Ephesian believers could potentially draw back from faithfulness to Christ Jesus our Lord after seeing what he endured at the hands of the non-converted Jews and non-converted Gentiles and he wanted to encourage them by praying for them (as we will see in the next study) and also he wanted them know that our Lord Jesus is able to bring them through any onslaught from the enemy as he petitioned the Thessalonian believers to intercede in prayer for him with these words, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the Word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). It was Paul’s strong motivation that they would be strong and stand strong as they witnessed him go through this difficult time (he was probably imprisoned for preaching the Gospel at the time of this letter to them).
The use of the phrase “I desire” here is translated by one Greek word aiteo which means a craving, a calling for something, or a begging for something to occur or happen. It is the same word our Lord Jesus Christ used when He said this to the first Apostles, “And whatsoever ‘ye shall ask’ (aiteo) in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13). Paul was calling for and craving that “ye faint not” and this English phrase is translated by one Greek word ekkakeo which means to be weak, that is, to fail in heart or to lose heart; to be fearful or cowardly. In other words, Paul knew by experience the negative developments and attacks that a true son or daughter of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ would encounter and his upcoming prayer for them was to strengthen them with might that they would not cower, cringe, or curl up from vicious onslaughts by unredeemed, unconverted, and unsaved men and women (Acts 14:19-22).
Paul called what he was enduring “tribulations” and this English word is translated by the Greek word thlipsis which means pressure (literally or figuratively): afflicted or affliction, anguish, burdened, persecution, or trouble. This was the regular and normal result of Paul’s obedient proclamation of the Gospel of Grace and his unwavering stand for and on the Word of God everywhere he went in the known world and this is how he declared it to the Corinthian believers he preached the Gospel to, “Now I want you to know {and} continue to rest assured, brethren, that what [has happened] to me [this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance {and} give a renewed impetus to the [spreading of the] good news (the Gospel). So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest [here] my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ [that I am a prisoner in His service and for Him]. And [also] most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my chains and are much more bold to speak {and} publish fearlessly the Word of God [acting with more freedom and indifference to the consequences].” (Philippians 1:12-14). Paul wanted them to know that if they willingly shared in the sufferings of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:6-11 & 1 Peter 4:12-19) and not give into evil or faint under or cower under persecution, then their faithfulness would be for their glory in the sight of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ.
My own Personal Note: “The true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ must be faithful despite opposition to the true Gospel of Grace and must endure hardship as a true soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3) being confident of our connection to our Heavenly Father that enables us to come to Him in prayer at any time during every attack of the enemy against His children and He will always here and answer as He did with the Apostles during this time as documented by Dr. Luke in (Acts 4:13-31).”
“In those primitive times, when there was much persecution, people were in continual danger of falling away from the faith who were not well grounded in it. This the Apostle deprecates, and advances a strong reason why they should be firm: ‘I suffer my present imprisonment on account of demonstrating your privileges, of which the Jews are envious: I bear my afflictions patiently, knowing that what I have advanced is of God, and thus I give ample proof of the sincerity of my own conviction. The sufferings, therefore, of your Apostles are honorable to you and to your cause; and far from being any cause why you should faint, or draw back like cowards, in the day of distress, they should be an additional argument to induce you to persevere.’” Adam Clarke
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…
No comments:
Post a Comment