Ephesians overview – 3:14-19, The indwelling of Christ, giving over control (Psa 1-2), part 2.

Sunday July 19, 2020

 

God the Holy Spirit indwells the believer in order to strengthen him with power to learn and live the life of Christ so that the understanding of Christ will dwell in his heart.

 

That is Paul’s prayer in EPH 3:16-17.

 

Prophesying the judgment of Babylon, after they had conquered everything between the rivers:

 

JER 51:15-19

It is He who made the earth by His power,

Who established the world by His wisdom,

And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.

16 When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;

He makes lightning for the rain,

And brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

17 All mankind is stupid [ba’ar: brutish, as a beast], devoid of knowledge;

Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,

For his molten images are deceitful,

And there is no breath in them.

18 They are worthless, a work of mockery;

In the time of their punishment they will perish.

19 The portion of Jacob is not like these;

For the Maker of all is He,

And of the tribe of His inheritance;

The Lord of hosts is His name.

 

Babylon, like all kingdoms, had power, wealth, and, they thought, wisdom. It was all temporary, and as God prophesied, they are no more.

 

Map of Babylonian Empire

 

Babylon the great is in God’s eyes Babylon the stupid animal, full of impulse but without knowledge. At that time they had been powerful, ruling everything from Egypt to Iran, and they were sure of their own superiority. But it turns out that they were nothing but a war-hammer in God’s hand.

 

JER 51:20

He says, "You are My war-club, My weapon of war;

And with you I shatter nations,

And with you I destroy kingdoms.

 

Though so many kingdoms like this have come and gone, defying God and dying out, still generation after generation believe that they can find fulfillment and meaning without God, determining their own values, controlling their own world, and determining their own destiny. Christians always live in such a world, and it is imperative that we discover and understand the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ so that we may live in them and really live; in peace and inner joy, and by so doing, shine forth the light of the gospel and the truth of the word of God, which is the life of Christ to the world devoid of knowledge.

 

We have noted from the scriptures that every believer has been called by God to obey Him and be holy as God is Holy, 1Pe 1. Therefore, to understand the life of Christ, understanding Christ Himself, the believer has to live like Christ based solely on the revelation of Him in the word of God. God tells us, and we would never know otherwise without God’s revelation, that Christ’s life is the only life for man. It is the only life that will continue on into eternity. It is a life of truth, and in fact, the truth and the life are the same. Life without truth is a lie. It is a temporary existence that will only end in judgment. No matter how nice a person is, no matter how much he may contribute to his society, without Christ, who is the life, his life is a temporary lie that will end in judgment.

 

The manifestation of human life, bios, outside of Christ has shown itself plainly. It is ultimately selfish, self-serving, and controlling. It is fallen.

 

The life of Christ is from heaven, and He came to the earth becoming an earthen vessel, obedient to the Father.

 

PHI 2:5-8

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 

Christ didn’t have a need that wasn’t met by His Father. Though having the ability to miraculously manipulate nature, i.e. to control it, He only ever did so to reveal truth that God would give power to everyone in His kingdom to overcome sin and evil. He did not control nature to make His life easier. He had no need for that. As a human, He didn’t control, He submitted entirely to the Father. Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread, which He could have easily done, but man is made to depend entirely on his Father in heaven.

 

We will only gain a full understanding of Christ when we submit our entire lives to the will of the Father, controlling nothing, and in faith walking as our Lord and Savior.

 

We will miss this full understanding if we try to save, or keep alive, our old life, our self.

 

COL 2:1-3

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

And the promise is, that when we have done this that our lives will be filled with satisfaction and joy.

 

EPH 5:15-18

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, 16 making the most of [redeeming] your time, because the days are evil [surrounded by evil]. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation [asotia: an abandoned dissolute life (Thayer)], but be filled with the Spirit

 

EPH 5:19-21

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

 

Salvation opens the entrance to a life of praise and thanksgiving in the presence of the Lord.

 

ISA 38:10

“For Sheol cannot thank Thee,

Death cannot praise Thee;”

 

In context king Hezekiah has been delivered from certain death by God. He is joyful in being alive to thank God. If he died, he couldn’t thank God for his life. But consider that every unbeliever is someday going to face ultimate death, judgement known as the second death. He does not thank God for his life in time and he cannot thank Him in eternity. And consider the believer, understanding that he has life and into eternity having eternal life. It affords him the entrance into the never ending life and eternal thanksgiving to go with it. Being truly thankful comes from wonderful blessing. To be able to do so for eternity is a precious gift. Our understanding of that hidden wisdom in Christ gives us a joyful unity together and an inner joy individually.