Saturday, June 18,
2016, 10:55 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Oh, To Be Like Thee.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Ephesians 3 (NIV).
One Body in Christ
(vv. 1-6)
For
this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
Surely
you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for
you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already
written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my
insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles
and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs
together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the
promise in Christ Jesus.
Before Jesus Christ, God the Son, gave his life up on a
cross for our sins, we had two primary classifications of people on the earth.
The first was Jew. The Jews were God’s chosen people up until the time of
Christ’s death and resurrection and ascension into heaven. The other was Gentile,
which basically covered all non-Jews. Yet, when Jesus died for our sins, he
made the two one through faith in him. Whether Jew or non-Jew by birth, we are
now both reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are one body
(See: Eph. 2:14-18).
As well, just because someone is born a Jew, it does not
make him or her Israel. “It is not the children by physical descent
who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded
as Abraham’s offspring” (See: Ro. 9:6b-8). “There is neither Jew nor
Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise” (See: Gal. 3:26-29). “Now you, brothers
and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise” (See: Gal. 4:22-31).
What this is saying is that the Jews who do not believe in
Jesus Christ are not the children of promise. They are not God’s chosen people.
Those who believe in Jesus Christ are the chosen and the called of God. We are
Abraham’s descendants. We are true Israel. Jews who don’t believe in Jesus
Christ are no different from any other non-believers, including the Arab
nations. The physical city of Jerusalem is also no longer God’s Holy City, for
it is of Hagar, because she is in slavery with her children. The body of
Christ, his church, is now his Holy City, the Jerusalem that is from above (See:
Gal. 4:22-31).
If a Jew does not believe in Jesus Christ, and if he rejects
Jesus Christ as his Lord and Messiah, then he is not Israel, and he is not heir
of the promise, and he is not Abraham’s offspring regarding the promise God
made with Abraham. “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is
the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son” (1
Jn. 2:22). So, if a Jew denies that Jesus is the Christ, then he or she is
antichrist. Yet, to all people, whether Jew or Gentile by birth, if they trust
in Jesus Christ to be Lord (owner-master) of their lives, and they have been
crucified with Christ in death to sin, and have been resurrected with Christ in
newness of life, they are one in Christ, no matter their physical birth or
nationality.
Through the Church
(vv. 7-13)
I
became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the
working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s
people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches
of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,
which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent
was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made
known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his
eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and
through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask
you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which
are your glory.
What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? It is not just an escape
from hell (eternal punishment) and the promise of heaven when we die. It is
also not a free license to continue in sin without guilt and without remorse,
believing we have heaven guaranteed and that God requires nothing of us – no repentance,
no submission and no obedience. The gospel message is that we are all born into
sin, without God, without hope, and destined for eternal damnation. We all come
up short of attaining God’s divine approval in our own flesh. We can do nothing
to earn or to deserve our own salvation. It was while we were yet sinners that
Christ died for us. It is only by God’s grace to us in sending his only
begotten Son to die for us, and through faith in his Son Jesus Christ that we
can be forgiven of our sins and have the hope of eternal life with God,
beginning now and forevermore.
Yet, Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). He died that we might no longer live for
ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us (2 Co. 5:15). He died that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not
according to the flesh, but who conduct our lives (lifestyles) according to the
Spirit. If we live according to the flesh, we will die without Christ and
without hope of eternal life. But, if by the Spirit we are putting to death the
deeds of the flesh, we will live with Christ eternally (See: Ro. 8:1-14). Jesus
said if anyone would come after him, he must deny self and take up his cross
daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said if we hold on
to our lives (of living for sin and self) we will lose them (for eternity).
But, if we lose our lives (die with Christ to sin and self), we will gain
eternal life (See: Lu. 9:23-25).
Basically, 1 Pet. 2:24 sums it up when it says that Jesus
died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. This is the essence of
the gospel message, and it is definitely the message Paul preached, and that we
must preach, too, for we, the church, are to be the light of the world and the
salt of the earth. We are to be his servants and witnesses in taking the gospel
message throughout the earth, and in making disciples of Christ of people of
all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything that Christ
commanded his followers (See Ac. 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20).
So, what is the church? It is not a building. It is not a
business. And, it is not a corporation under the federal government of any nation.
It is a living organism with Jesus Christ as its head, not with humans as its
head. It is the people of God, the body of Christ, the redeemed of the Lord. And,
it doesn’t matter where we meet, or how often, or on what day. If we are truly
gathered in the name of Jesus, he is there among us and together we make up the
church. The early church met daily in the temple courts and from house to house.
So, we are to not forsake gathering together with the body of Christ, though I
believe God is calling his true church, his body, to come out from the
institutional church, which is not, of itself, the true church of God. I
believe Jesus wants his true church to come out from under man and government as
heads over the church, and to make Jesus her only head.
Established in Love
(vv. 14-21)
For
this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on
earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may
strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s
holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of
Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled
to the measure of all the fullness
of God.
Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
We need to be strengthened in our inner beings with power
through God’s Spirit, especially during these perilous times on the earth when
so many are preaching a false gospel, and so many are deserting the true faith
as established by Christ and his NT apostles. So many who call themselves
followers of Christ are really followers of man, and are partakers in the
delicacies the world is offering, instead of feasting on the riches of God’s
grace and his righteousness. We are being opposed every day. The gospel is
under fire, and so many are diluting it in favor of the acceptance of human
beings so as not to offend anyone.
We need to truly grasp the depth of God’s love for us. What
loving parent would allow his or her children to do just whatever they want,
knowing what harm might come to them? God’s love and grace is not a free
license to sin. God’s grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to
ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly
lives while we wait for Christ’s return (See: Tit. 2:11-14). He cares about us
so much that he will discipline us in order that we may “share His holiness. All discipline for the
moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been
trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (See:
Heb. 12:3-11).
The goal is that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Thomas O. Chisholm / W. J. Kirkpatrick
Oh, to be like Thee!
blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant
longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit
all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect
likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full
of compassion,
Loving, forgiving,
tender and kind,
Helping the helpless,
cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering
sinner to find.
O to be like Thee!
lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless,
patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel
reproaches,
Willing to suffer
others to save.
O to be like Thee!
while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit,
fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet
for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and
Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee!
Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer,
pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy
sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image
deep on my heart.
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