EPHESIANS: LIVING IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR HIGH CALLING

Part I: Our High Calling In Christ, Ephesians 1:1-3:21

D. God's Provisions For The Believer's Complete Spiritual Success

(Ephesians 1:15-23)

 

I.                 Introduction

A.    If we view our existence as believers from just the external, human perspective, we are doomed to become discouraged and faithlessly to fail to trust the Lord for spiritual victory in our walk and service for the Lord.

B.     Paul's Ephesians 1:15-23 thanksgiving and prayer for believers in Christ revealed certain truths about God's complete provisions for the believer's eternally complete spiritual success no matter what he currently faces, meaning that trusting the Lord and heeding Him in His power assures us of complete spiritual success.

C.     We thus view this passage for our insight and edification (as follows):

II.              God's Provisions For The Believer's Complete Spiritual Success, Ephesians 1:15-23.

A.    In writing this circular letter to believers in multiple local churches, Paul expressed his continual thanksgiving to God for their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints, evidences of their salvation, Eph. 1:15-16a.

B.     With this thanksgiving, Paul had an extended prayer request, that God the Father, the Father of glory, might give his readers the "disposition or attitude" ("spirit" = pneuma, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 620) of wisdom and revelation, namely, "insight into the true nature of things" and "the unveiling of the object discussed" (Ibid.; Ephesians 1:16b-17a), the eyes of their heart being thus enlightened (v. 18a), that they might know God the Father Himself, that is, understand the Father's heart, motives and working in their behalf, Eph. 1:17b.

C.     To explain why he so appreciated God the Father in regard to believers, Paul gave an overview of the Father's provision for each believer's eternally complete spiritual success, Ephesians 1:18b-23; Ibid., p. 620-621:

1.      First, God the Father has provided an everlasting hope in His past calling of the believer, a hope begun at the believer's heeding the call of the Gospel that would also extend into the eternal future, the hope of attaining the glory of the Lord Jesus by the grace of God, Eph. 1:18b with 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Ibid., p. 620.

2.      Second, God the Father has provided the glorious inheritance for Himself in the believer's future, the inheritance of those He purchased at the price of His Son's death on the cross so that God Himself will inherit these saints as His own everlasting possessions, Ephesians 1:18c; Ibid.

3.      Third, God the Father has provided in the believer's present experience His infinite power exercised toward the believer for his success (Ephesians 1:19a), what is detailed in Ephesians 1:19b-23 (as follows):

                             a.         First, the Father's great power worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, Eph. 1:19b-20a.

                            b.         Second, the Father's great power worked in Christ when He seated Him at His right hand in heaven (Ephesians 1:20b) far above every entity that can possibly currently or eternally affect the believer:

                                            i.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above all rule, authority, power and dominion, nouns that refer mainly to angelic beings, i. e., good angels and demons, Eph. 1:21a; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 1 Pet. 3:22; Ibid.  The believer through Christ currently has all the "spiritual vitality, power and strength for living the Christian life," Ibid., p. 620-621.

                                          ii.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above every name that is named, be it of human authority in the world or superhuman authority on or above the world, Eph. 1:21b; Ibid., p. 621.

                                        iii.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above every name both now and in eternity, v. 21c.

                                        iv.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above every other entity so that all things have been placed under Christ's feet, that where Adam lost man's headship over creation, Christ has been made Head over all creation, what will be fully realized in the coming age, Eph. 1:22a; Ibid.

                                          v.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above all things relative to the Church, Eph. 1:22b.

                                        vi.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above all things relative to Christ's Himself filling for Himself ("fills" is in the Greek middle voice where the subject performs the filling for Himself, Ibid.) the Body of the Church of which He Himself is its Head for His own interests, Eph. 1:23a.

                                      vii.            The Father seated Christ at His right hand far above all things relative to Christ's filling for Himself the Body of the Church in filling everyone in the Church in every way, Ephesians 1:23b; Ibid.

 

Lesson: God the Father has fully provided the protection and provision each believer needs for his sure spiritual success in life and in service through his Savior, Jesus Christ, regardless what all entities anywhere do to oppose it.

 

Application: May we rest in the Father's ample provisions for us that we trust Him for all needs in life and service!