Ephesians; 1:4 – Elected to be blameless. The church presented blameless – Col 1:22.

Sunday March 24, 2019

 

 

V

 

COL 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge [epignosis - full/real/deep knowledge] of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

 

COL 1:10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

 

“worthy” - axios = lit. the weight of. Of like value. The Christian’s conduct of like value with our Lord’s.

 

The current usage of “act worthy” in our language may tend to make us think of living up to someone or impressing someone. Fortunately we have the Greek meaning of worthy from 2000 years ago. It means the weight of. When we say, “God is worthy to receive power and glory,” we mean that God is of that value, He has the weight of power and glory. When Paul says to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, he is saying “conduct yourself in the same value of our Lord’s character.” We might initially, upon reading this, that Paul is crazy.

 

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,    5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.    5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;    5:4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;    5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

The believer must see that this is not a dream. In fact it is beyond a dream. It is the reality of life with and like God in time. It is seen and lived only by those to strive to be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will through the Holy Spirit. They must understand it by striving to live it; falling and failing and getting up and persevering, having solid faith that this life exists for them, that it has been gifted to them, which is hope. Like finding a pearl of great price, we know it’s out there, and we know it is our ignorance, sin, selfishness, deceit that is clouding our vision, but we never quit, because we know the pearl exists and it is just ahead of us.

 

1CO 2:6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;

 

1CO 2:7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

 

1CO 2:8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

 

1CO 2:9 but just as it is written,

 

"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,

All that God has prepared for those who love Him."

 

1CO 2:10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

 

Mystery - not revealed in the OT, but now revealed. To all who believe: God in you. All sin forgiven. Truth etched on the heart. Life and light revealed.

 

Jew, Gentile, slave, free, barbarian, male, female, all are invited to believe upon Christ, and in the moment they do, the spiritual aspects of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood is bestowed upon them. God is in them, their sins are remembered no more, the truth is not external to them like a distant knowledge, but rather written right upon their hearts, the truth has come alive in them, and the life of God, the light of Christ, is fully revealed to them.

 

But, warning before you quit on it and return to your earthly, worldly existence you fool!, it takes time for our will to line up with God’s will. God’s will doesn’t change, but ours can change like the wind. We must come to be filled with a full knowledge of His will in wisdom from the Holy Spirit and understanding. This takes learning it, striving to live in it, falling, getting frustrated, pressing on, asking, seeking, knocking. Is God hiding it from us, torturing us with an amazing promise and hanging it just outside our reach? Not at all. Those who persevere in reaching ahead and pressing on, know that the great pearl exists. Simply, they believe it. They have faith. Christians who reach ahead for a little while, part-time have a weak faith because it will not stand up against periods of waiting, disappointment, pain, tribulation, uncomfortable times, or personal pride.

 

EPH 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,