Ephesians 1:19b-23 (10/25/08)

Ephesians 1: 19b-23

“19(b) according to the working of his great might 20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

(ESV)

The exaltation of Jesus seems to have two parts:

• Future:
• Hebrews 2:8
• Rev 19:11
• Present
• Hebrews 2:9
• Resurrection from the dead
• Ascension & enthronement over evil
• Headship over the church, His body

v.19b (God’s Mighty Strength)

“his great might”

Paul prays for the believers (earlier in the paragraph) that they would have “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him”

We are not to be consumed with gaining knowledge as we are to live in God’s power and be victorious over sin in this life.

When Paul mentions God’s might, he brings up right afterwards, the resurrection of Christ “20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead…”

Without God’s power no one would be a Christian because no individual would ever find victory over sin. It would be impossible to live a godly life and we would certainly not be able to claim a reward in heaven from God.

Only through God’s might, seen through Jesus Christ, are we able to live out Christianity.

v.20 (Resurrection Power)

Christ predicts his own death as we can see from Mark 10:33-34

As we see in Mark 16 Jesus fulfills this prophecy by raising from the dead three days later

How was Jesus able to rise from the grave? – Through God’s heavenly power

“God thus vindicated Jesus’ claims, declared that Christ’s atonement for sin was accepted, and revealed that all who are united to Christ by faith can live triumphantly through that power” (Boice 41).

Christ’s resurrection is proof of our own. “Because he lives, we shall live also” (Boice 41)

Resurrection is not just our hope to come, but the power of Christ’s resurrection is to be seen in our present victories over sin in this life.

“D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks of victory over worldliness, the flesh, and the devil – our three great adversaries”

Worldliness

What ways does the world influence us?

We are continually hammered with the world’s screwed up value system through:

TV, Magazines, Radio, Newspapers, Internet, People, Movies, Individualistic Culture.

How can we see victory over such a seemingly one-sided battle, us versus the world?

“It is by the power of God displayed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (Boice 41)

Romans 12:2

2 Cor. 5:17

Flesh

Definition – the nature of sinful man untouched by the Holy Spirit

What are some of the things the flesh does?

The Flesh draws us to inactivity instead of working to expand the kingdom

It also locks us into sinful patterns instead of us living Christ-like

How can we conquer force that is part of us like the flesh?

(Same as above)

“It is by the power of God displayed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (Boice 41)

Romans 8:11-14

The devil

Brought about the downfall of man (Adam & Eve)

See Genesis 3

Now he is…

1 Peter 5:8

He is not to be taken lightly as we are commanded to

Eph. 6:11

“Lloyd Jones says, “Because of these things we need to be enlightened with respect to the power of God working in us. Nothing else can enable us to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Boice 41)

v.20b-21 (All Things under Jesus)

God’s strength not only raised Christ but also seated him…

No mention of death (love) only resurrection (power)

“Right hand” – position of special honor and privilege

Position of favour, power, and victory

Sharing God’s throne

Never mention of “us” being on the right hand, but rather with Christ

While angels stand or fall in worship in God’s presence; the exalted Son sits

Christ’s exaltation over “all rule and authority” involves all earthly powers and angels

v.21 – “principality and power and might and dominion” – terms used frequently in Jewish writings to designate the various ranks of angelic powers. God is above them all - McArthur

Eph. 6:12 – there is a spiritual war waging

But these spiritual forces have been made subject to Christ

People had an extraordinary fear of hostile spiritual powers, and this statement by Paul was probably extremely comforting since some were converted out of a background of magic, the Artemis cult, or astrological beliefs (O’Obrien 138).

They are not anymore daunting to us than our flesh or the world because Christ has authority over all

James tells us how to be victorious over Satan

James 4:7

“But if we submit ourselves to God so that the power of God demonstrated in the exaltation of Christ above all rule and authority flows through us, the devil will flee from us s he fled from Christ at the conclusion of his temptation in the wilderness.

Matthew 4 (Jesus’ temptation)

At the time of salvation God’s power is given to every believer. Paul isn’t praying for God’s power for these people (since they already have it), but rather they be aware of the power they have in Christ and to use it – McArthur

God exalted the humiliated Jesus and gave him “the name which is above every name”

“This comprehensive statement specifies that regardless of designation or title, every ruling power in heaven or on earth is inferior to Christ, who is at the right hand of God.” (O’Brien 143)

v.22-23 (The Church, His Body)

As we have seen that Christ has been exalted over the spiritual forces of evil as a conqueror, he has also been exalted over the church as its proper and greatly honored head.

This is the first time that the word church has been mentioned in the letter, but Ray C. Stedman outlines Ephesians around the theme of the church:

1. origin of the Church
2. nature of the Church
3. function of the Church
4. church’s relationship to its Lord

There are 3 main translations around v.23 which deals with the church

The phrase “the fullness of him who fills everything in every way”

1^st interpretation – “a description of Christ” – which would make it read “…the church which is the body of him (that is, Christ) who is the fullness of Him (that is, God) who fills all in all.

Scripture never elsewhere says that Christ is God’s fullness. That would be to say that the Father is subsumed in the Son, which is not accurate.

Scripture never elsewhere says that Christ is God’s fullness

2^nd interpretation – “refers to the church” – which would make it say that the church is that which fills or completes Christ

If the church fills or completes Christ, the verse is teaching the startling truth that without the church Christ is in some sense incomplete.

John Calvin & D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones subscribe to this viewpoint (not literally)

• Husband not complete without wife

• Head not complete without body

3^rd interpretation – “that which Christ fills” – which would make it say that Jesus fills the church as he also fills the universe

John Stott subscribes to this viewpoint

This fits with other parts of Scripture which also say that Christ fills the church

“Since Paul is talking about God’s power displayed in Christ, it is natural for him to portray Christ as filling and thus empowering the church, which is his body” (Boice 44)

Conclusion (Banner of the Cross)

Church is to be a transforming power

Those who belong to the church are changed

Having been changed & being members of the church, they work through the power of Christ to transform the world powerfully

“It is the victory of transformed lives as, through the church which Christ fills, the rule of Christ is extended forcefully throughout the world”

Application

1 Cor. 16:22 – “22If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!”

Rev. 22:20 – “20He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

Do we long for Jesus’ return?

Since, “The power of Christ’s resurrection is to be seen in our present victories over sin in this life.” What sin are you struggling with that you haven’t let the power of Christ’s resurrection conquer?

Are you constantly on guard against the world, your flesh, and the devil? Are you in prayer to God for “His mighty strength” to stand against these things? If not why?

How does the world see you? Is the world being transformed by your changed life? Or are you conforming to the world?

One version says, “his [God’s] incomparably great power for us who believe, according to the operation of his mighty strength”

The resources in Christ available to believers who live in the overlap of the ages are enormous. Of particular significance is God’s almighty power, which will enable them to engage in an ongoing spiritual warfare and final to share in the divine glory. God wants them to obtain their full salvation and he has provided the means for them to do so. (O’Brien 138)

J.A. Fitzmyer appropriately remarks that this resurrection power

Emanates from the Father, raises Jesus from the dead at the resurrection, endows him with a new vitality, and finally proceeds from him as the life-giving, vitalizing force of the ‘new creation/ and of the new life that Christians in union with Christ experience and live. (O’Brien 139)

Memory Bible Verse (10/26 - 11/02)

"11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are(E) led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
- Romans 8:11-14 (ESV)

Archived Quote of the Week (10/19)

"Free will carried many a soul to hell, but never a soul to heaven."
- Charles Spurgeon

Podcast: Ephesians 1:15-19 Part 2 (10/18/08)

Here is our Podcast homepage where you can subscribe to our Podcast.

Here is the Ephesians 1:15-19 Part 2 Podcast.

Memory Bible Verse (10/19 - 10/25)

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
- Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Archived Quote of the Week (10/12)

"Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance."
- Saint Augustine

Ephesians 1:15-19 - Our Inheritance in the Book of Revelation

Podcast: Ephesians 1:15-19 (10/11/08)

Here is our Podcast homepage where you can subscribe to our Podcast.

Here is the Ephesians 1:15-19 Podcast.

Ephesians 1:15-19 (10/11/08)

Ephesians 1:15-19

Passage: “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may hive to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might…” (NASB)

Overall Significance—TO KNOW

• To know the will of God
• If Paul prays this for our fellow believers under divine inspiration, then the areas that he asks God to grow them ought to be viewed as areas that God desires us to grow also
• To know how to Pray
• Like the Lord’s Prayer, this is a scriptural example of how and what to pray for in regards to our brothers and sisters in Christ—so pay attention!
• An exhortation:
• to know well the blessings we already have obtained by grace
• to know the power of God working in us RIGHT NOW
• to know the better the hope of a future in Christ
• TO KNOW GOD!
• Against anti-intellectualism in the faith
• To know God personally requires that we know truth from His Word, otherwise we might just be worshiping an idol

Surrounding Context:

• Relevant truths already discussed
• God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” (v. 3)
• Erickson observes 3 spiritual blessings discussed earlier in the chapter (1022):

1. Redemption by grace (v.7 & 14): “With out redemption nothing else could be done” because the initial problem of sin had to be fixed.
2. Adoption and the its consequences: e.g., membership of God’s family, inheritance (v. 5, 11, 14)
3. The seal of the Holy Spirit (v. 13)
• After reviewing the passage I can see a possible 4^th blessing to add to the list—knowledge of the mystery of His will which is the summing up of all things in Christ (v. 9-11)
• Importance

· there is reference to all of these blessings in one form or another during Paul’s prayer which we are now studying

· Paul states that his reason for praying lies somewhere in what he has just discussed, especially within the previous 2 verses (O’brien, 124-5) and interestingly vv. 13-14 also make mention of all the above spiritual blessings except perhaps the 4^th blessing (knowledge)

· Future Context

o Much of the letter of Ephesians discusses the blessings we have in Christ (Ch. 1-3) and how we are to live in light of the knowledge of those blessings (Ch. 4-6).

§ There is a large amount of contrasting imagery between the past and the present state of believers in Ch. 2 which shows Paul’s desire for them to know what God has made them into

· Were Dead; Now Alive (2:5)

· Were Gentiles, Separate from Christ, Excluded, Strangers, Having no Hope, Without God, Far Off; Now Brought Near (2:11-13)

· Were Aliens; Now Fellow Citizens and Members of God’s House (2:19)

· As result, Paul’s prayer makes sense. He is asking God to supply them with the divine illumination necessary to grasp the major themes of the epistle

· In the same sense he is almost indirectly stating his purpose of the letter

o Somewhat parallel prayer in Ch 3 vv. 14-19

§ Paul mentions similar topics like faith, love, and knowledge, but sheds new light on them

§ Paul is a praying man

· Liefeld compares Paul to Martin Luther who, “it is said, actually added extra hours of prayer when his day promised to be long and busy” (48).

Overview:

• A prayer of thanksgiving
• Reasons for such a prayer lie in somewhere in the previous passage and are somehow connected with the believer’s faith and love for the saints
• A prayer of intercession
• Paul gives thanks while “mentioning” the believers in his prayers and interceding for them
• His intercession is essentially a prayer for knowledge, not of things un-obtained, but of the blessings they already have (see v. 3)
• “Unlike contemporary Christians, the apostle does not pray for fresh spiritual blessings, as though he is unaware of the fact that God has graciously given them every spiritual privilege in Christ.” (O’brien, 130)
• Paul desires that we might know:
• that we have every spiritual blessing
• that God is capable of supplying us with each spiritual blessing
• that we might know and understand the significance of each spiritual blessing better and better
• that we might know the God who has blessed us with each spiritual blessing
• Thus there is always a connection between the spiritual blessing and God

“For this reason…”

• As earlier stated, there is a connection with vv. 13-14
• Paul speaks of the three spiritual blessing mentioned above as coming in response to (1) hearing the good news, and (2) believing it.
• Particularly, “faith” in v. 15 seems connected to “believing” in v. 13.
• The ESV bears this connection well: “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith and your love toward all the saints…”
• Thus, the “reason” of Paul’s thanksgiving seems to be that he has heard of the believer’s faith. This is important because he just mentioned how “believing” is a prerequisite for having the three spiritual blessings he just mentioned in vv. 13-14; in a moment he will continue to write that he is praying that they will understand such spiritual blessings better.
• Paul realizes that it might be quite foolish to pray for them to increase in the knowledge of God and His blessings if they are “natural men” (read 1 Cor 2:14).
• Paul also mentions their “love for all the saints”
• This bears connection to faith in that it is the fruit/evidence of faith (see Gal 5:6&14)
• Therefore, Paul having heard of not only their faith, but evidence of it, gives thanks for them unceasingly before God because he knows they have by God’s grace obtained the spiritual blessings mentioned above
• Manuscript evidence against inclusion of “your love”
• If “your love” is omitted, “then the addressees’ faith would have to include the notion of their fidelity” (O’brien, 127). Thus, the phrase may have still been a reference to evidence of faith.

“…having heard of…”

• Often opponents of Pauline authorship of this epistle regard this as a key point of evidence in support of their position. Why? It is suggested that if Paul, having lived and nurtured the Ephesian church for almost 3 years (Erickson, 1020), had written the letter it would not make sense that he had to have heard of the Ephesians’ faith and love as if he did not know them personally and experience it for themselves. However, there are adequate explanations for this:
• If the letter was not actually intended for the Ephesians alone, but was in fact a cyclical document for the readership of numerous churches, then Paul had no reason to be well acquainted with his entire audience.
• It seems rational for one to think that if Paul was writing from prison and had not spent time with the Ephesian church for however many years, that he would almost be required to employ such terminology, since hearing of their faith and love would be the only way he could be assured of that what he had experienced while at Ephesus still persisted or perhaps grew since Paul’s departure and imprisonment. Note: this my own thought so use with caution.
• Paul actually does appear quite close with his audience at the end of his letter in 6:21-22 (The Archeological Study Bible; 1919)
• IMPORTANCE:
• Reliability of scripture: Eph 1:1 the writer says he is an apostle named Paul. Unless there was another “apostle” named Paul who wrote this, then claiming Paul did not write it means claiming that the opening statement is false according to our best manuscripts. Therefore, either at least some parts of scripture are not “God-breathed” (which would necessarily include 1 Tim 3:16), or God at times “breathes” dishonesty which is contrary to many other passages of scripture that speak of God not being able to tell a lie (Heb 6:18, Num 23:19, Tit 1:2, etc.). But if that were true, and God really does breathe dishonesty, then I suppose we cannot trust those passages either because they would then be contrary to fact. Therein the problem lies: non-Pauline authorship = the unreliability of God’s word and thus leads to a buffet-style of Christianity which allows the “Christian” to pick and choose which passages he/she desires to obey and regard as truthful. At that point it is difficult to even say what being a Christian truly means
• Canonicity of Ephesians
• A large criterion for determining what books to include as part of scripture by the early church was apostolic authority. That means that often books were rejected (as was Hermas’s Shepherd according to the Muratorian canon) because they lacked either apostolic authorship or authority (Ferguson, 120). Apostolic ties are evident in other canons also such as that found in Irenaeus’ Adversus haereses.

“do not cease giving thanks for you”

• Not necessarily to be taken literally—but does say something of Paul’s regular concern for them and his own love for the saints (Erickson, 1023).
• O’brien states that this “is not a claim to uninterrupted prayer of unceasing thanksgiving. To speak of prayer by this and similar terms (e.g., ‘continually’, ‘at all times’, ‘day and night’) was part and parcel of the style of ancient letters, both Jewish and pagan…” (128).
• Believers are still commanded to pray at all times in the Spirit. See 6:18-19.
• APPLICATION: The challenge to pray and know God is put forth by Paul’s example who most likely prayed at least the customary three hours a day according to O’brien. At first we think about what seems impossible and ask how can he make mention of them in every prayer? The answer becomes plausible when considering Paul’s great love for them in combination with typical 1 hour prayer sessions in the morning, noon, and evening. Are we willing to love others in our prayers in such a way?

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory”

· The titles of God in NT prayers often highlighted some attribute of God particularly appropriate to the prayer (most of this section is from O’brien 130-131).

o ‘God of our Lord Jesus Christ’ points to the previous verses in the chapter where “in Christ” is commonly found.

1. Question to Ponder: How can the Father be the God of Jesus, if Jesus is Himself God?

o ‘Father of Glory’ points to the Father as being both glorious, and the source of all glory.

o Both titles seem to emphasize God’s ability to provide the things Paul will petition for.

o IMPORTANCE: When reading the titles of God given during prayers and confessions in the NT, we ought to now consider in what way they pertain to the prayer/confession in order to understand and know God as He relates to us better.

“a spirit of wisdom and revelation”

· Grammatically this can be referring to the spirit of the believer or the Holy Spirit. O’brien seems to give good reason why it is probably referring to the Holy Spirit (132).

· Paul seems to mention 2 of the 4 spiritual blessings above.

o If it refers to the Holy Spirit, then Paul is referring to the blessing of the seal of the Spirit which interestingly Paul says they already have. Thus, Paul is probably referring to a receiving of the influence of the Spirit in regard to His role in imparting to revelation and wisdom

o There also seems to be reference to the blessing of knowledge of the mystery Paul has previously discussed: the summing up of all things in Christ.

2. “In Ephesians the motif of ‘revelation’ has specially to do with making known the mystery of various aspects of it…The mystery had already been made know in Christ (vv. 9-10), but the readers needed to grasp its full significance, not least of all their own place within it. And the Spirit worked in their midst, giving them insights and revealing God’s purposes in Christ, so they would grow in the knowledge of God” (O’brien, 132).

3. “Anyone—whether a believer or not—with the ability to grasp the syntax and sense of a given portion of the Bible should be able to understand what it is saying. But it takes the inner work…of the Holy Spirit to comprehend the spiritual implications of the text in a discerning way” (Liefeld, 50).

“in the knowledge of Him.”

· Paul’s prayer is that they know God. This seems to refer to the Father, but Erickson mentions in passing that it could refer to Christ (1023). If this is true then it would tie in well with knowledge of the ‘mystery’ which is the summing up of all things in Christ.

· Regardless of what person of the Trinity is being spoken of, Boice (34-35) conveys strong insight into its meaning

o He reflects, “I think that the greatest need of the evangelical church today is for professing Christians really to know God”

o Overall he lists 3 wrong ways in which Christians approach the subject of God and knowledge:

§ “We want to go to heaven ignorantly.”

§ Some have only a knowledge of the Bible, but no experience of Him

§ Some only know about God/theology. “It is possible to know much theology and still not be a Christian.

o Boice then states that what Paul desires is for us to real KNOW God in a personal way.

§ Personal; not Private! I have seen too many people today mistake these meanings and think that because we are to have a personal relationship with God that we are not to share our faith (i.e., “My relationship with God is between me and God so don’t talk with me about religious things!”).

o Boice quotes Packer in saying that what is most important however, is not that we know God (although it certainly is important), but that God knows us.

“eyes of your heart”

• Gr. for heart = kardia
• Not only a source of emotions as we often use the term, but it “refers to the whole thinking, feeling, and volitional inner person” (Liefeld, 50), or “the seat of the physical, spiritual, and mental life of a person” (O’brien, 134).
• Thus the meaning seems to refer in a way to everything that a person is, that is, Paul prays that all that they are might be enlightened in order to know and experience each spiritual blessing to its fullest.

“hope of His calling”

• “calling” here may look back to earlier in the chapter (all sub-points from Boice, 36)
• “to be holy and blameless in his sight” (v. 4)
• “to be adopted [a spiritual blessing] as his sons through Jesus Christ” (v. 5)
• “to be “for the praise of his glory” (v. 12)
• These callings from God are actually “part of our hope along with our hope of being taken into heaven, seeing God, and being made like the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Keith will discuss more so the future hope (that is certain) as described in Revelation.

“...what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”

• There are two rival interpretations of this clause as the Greek is ambiguous (Boice, 37), and with both it is impossible to argue that God does not absolutely love His children or see them as precious.
• 1^st this may refer to our inheritance that we receive from being children of God. Boice tends to side with this interpretation, and Keith’s reflection on Revelation would apply here also.
• This seems rational in light of the prior context which speaks mostly of our inheritance earlier in the chapter. One possible exception, however, is v. 14 where Paul speaks of “the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (NASB) which interestingly is translated quite differently in the ESV.
• A parallel text in Colossians 1:14 which speaks of our inheritance.
• 2^nd this may speak of God’s inheritance in us (O’brien, 135 & Liefeld, 51).

“surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe”

• Paul’s description of God’s power for us is immense; in fact it makes sense that it is immense because it is God Himself as the person of the Holy Spirit that works inside of us.
• “…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man...” (v. 3:16).
• His point is that the same God who not only raised Jesus from the dead, but was able to give Him authority over all things (especially evil!) is working inside us.
• We are not helpless when it comes to sin or opposing evil, but God Himself is with us and able to deal effectively in regards to our struggles with life, sin, evil powers, and basically any circumstance we may find ourselves in. WE ARE NOT HELPLESS—WE HAVE A HELPER!
• The working of the Spirit in our lives is not limited by His ability (as this passage clearly shows), but rather most likely by the limitations we set as we fail to fully realize the blessings of the power we have in Him.
• We sometimes “grieve” the Spirit (4:30)
• We may get drunk on wine instead of being filled with the Spirit (5:18)
• We sometimes may “quench” the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5:19).
• All these acts seem to refer to limitations we can set on the Spirit’s working in our lives.

Bibliography

Bettenson, Henry & Chris Maunder. Documents of the Christian Church.

Boice, James Montgomery. Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary.

The Authorship of Ephesians. The Archeological Study Bible.

O’brien, Peter. T. The Letter to the Ephesians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary.

Liefeld, Walter L. Ephesians. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.

Erickson, Richard J. Ephesians. Baker Commentary on the Bible.

Ferguson, Everett. Church History, Volume One: From Christ to the Pre-Reformation.

All Scripture quoted: New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise mentioned.

Archived Quote of the Week (10/5)

"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."
- Saint Augustine

Memory Bible Verse (10/12 - 10/18)

"7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." - 1 John 1:7 (ESV)

Ephesians 1:11-14 (10/04/08)

Ephesians 1:11-14

ESV

11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Intro

Boice describes the salvation story as God’s three movement symphony.

The first movement is the sovereign election of God

• He chose to bless a specific people with every spiritual blessing in Christ

The second movement is the redeeming death of God’s Son

• This fulfilled our election

The final movement is the Holy Spirit applying Christ’s redemption to our lives (which is what we are going to discuss today)

• For those who are elected and redeemed

Interesting Fact:

• v.3-v.14 is all one sentence
• For clarity’s sake, translations make v.11 a new paragraph
• contains pretty much the entire foundation of Christian doctrine in this sentence
• deals with:
• Doctrines of God
• Trinity
• Election
• Work of Christ
• Forgiveness
• Gospel
• Grace
• Creation
• Millennial kingdom
  

v.11-14

Chief doctrines of the Holy Spirit and His work

Passage mentions 5 specific works (attributes) of the Holy Spirit

• Effectual Call
• Glorification of Christ
• Creation of Church from Diverse People
• Word of God & the Holy Spirit
• Sealed by the Spirit

Effectual Call

v.11

Christ is the source of our divine inheritance, and here it is spoken in the present tense to signify that it will certainly be received.

“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined”

Seems to refer back to v.4’s topic of election, but Paul takes this concept further here.

God “chooses those who have been chosen” to work out his purpose in their lives

God uses the Holy Spirit to:

• “open our eyes to understand what Christ has done for us”
• “grants faith to believe on him”
• “moves our wills to embrace him as our personal Savior”

Without the Holy Spirit, no one would turn from sin to Christ.

“Apart from the Holy Spirit the world crucifies Christ.”

Read John 16:1-11

Glorification of Christ

v.12

“for the praise of his glory”

This phrase is directed at Paul and his companions, but this same idea is relayed to all believers.

See also in v.14 – “to the praise of his glory”

The Holy Spirit’s work is to glorify Christ

John 15:26

26"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:13-14

13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

When the church focuses on the evidence of the Spirit the church becomes divided.

• Speaking in tongues
• Had a second experience of the Spirit
• Etc.

When the church focuses on what the Spirit works to do, which is to glorify Christ, than the actions of the Spirit are seen within the proper context and the church is drawn to together around Jesus

• Actions of the Spirit:
• Sanctification
• Inspiration
• Giving of Gifts
• Work in Creation

In summary we have two main points:

• “Since the work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ, we may conclude that any emphasis upon the person and work of the Holy Spirit that detracts from the person and work of Christ is not of the Spirit” (29)
• Wherever Christ is exalted, in any way, the Holy Spirit is at work
• Praise Him!

Creation of Church from Diverse People

v.9

promise of unification – “to unite all things in him”

v.11-14

God’s blessings are given equally to both Jews and Gentiles

v.11-12

Paul speaks about himself and other Jewish believers and the blessings they have in being chosen

v.13-14

Paul writes about Gentile believers and says “also were included” – “our inheritance”

Topic is “To be continued…” in Eph. 2:14-18

As in today’s society there were divisions among different groups of people in the NT era:

• Jews vs. Gentiles
• Roman vs. Greek
• Rich vs. Poor
• Free vs. Slave

“But into this divided world came a new breed of people, people whose lives were transformed by the Holy Spirit and who were united in Christ in spite of their differences” (30).

Eph. 2:11-16

11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 he himself is our peace,For who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

What do you think about the idea that some church growth specialists believe that a good way to grow a church is to have the congregation made up of one group of people?

Word of God & the Holy Spirit

v.13

“the word of truth, the gospel”

The Holy Spirit never speaks or works apart from Scripture

Holy Spirit brings people to faith, leads them and preserves them

John 3:8

Although we cannot see the Holy Spirit (like the wind) we can see evidence of His work

1 John 5:6

John is writing about the testimony of God through the Holy Spirit, which must be true

1 Cor. 2:12-14

Holy Spirit allows us to discern divine truth in His Word

The gospel must be heard and believed to bring salvation

“The Bible is the means God uses to call and bless people, as the Holy Spirit, who is God reveals the Lord Jesus Christ and his work through its pages (31).

Sealed by the Spirit

v.13-14

“you were marked in him with a seal”

Four uses of a seal in the real world

• Confirms a document is true/genuine (USA seal on $)
• Marks one’s property (nameplate on book)
• Used to secure something (seal on a letter to close it)
• Sign of authority (King’s signet ring)

Holy Spirit’s seal

• Romans 8:16 – we are God’s children
• Ephesians 1:14 – God’s possession
• Ephesians 1:14 – deposit/down payment guaranteeing our inheritance
• Esther 8:8-12 – Authority of God

Sealed by the spirit - “The spiritual act in which the Spirit of God, at the time of conversion, indwells a new believer and secures and preserves his or her salvation” (MacArthur 7).

The Holy Spirit is proof of God’s promise of what is to come (inheritance)

“Sealing with the Holy Spirit answers to all our needs. It assures us of God’s favor. It shows that we belong to him. It renders our salvation certain” (32)

Closing

As Paul beings this section (v.3) with “Blessed be the God…”, he ends it (v.14) with “…to the praise of His glory.”

• Praise God for His blessings
• Explains the blessings
• Praises God for the blessings which are for His glory

“In other words, everything we have in Christ comes from God and returns to God, beginning in his will and ending in his glory. It is God-centered from beginning to end” (32).

Application:

Boice described this message as “the greatest news story there has ever been.” (27) It began in God’s mind before the foundations of the world.

• Do you pay attention to this news story more than the world’s news story (Palin, Obama, Sports, Bail Out Plan, etc.)
  

Are you glorifying Jesus in what you say and by the way you live?

If not, you have no part in the Spirit, since that is what he is sent to do in Christians.

“Before the earth was formed, God sovereignly determined that every elect sinner – however vile, useless, and deserving of death – by trusting Christ would be made righteous” - MacArthur

Why is it important to understand the work of the Holy Spirit?

Why is it important to understand the sealing of the Holy Spirit?

“to the praise of His glory”

References:

Ephesians - John MacArthur
Ephesians - James Boice
The Letter to the Ephesians - Peter O'Brien

Memory Bible Verse (10/5 - 10/12)

"8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Eph. 2:8-10