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

Tuesday July 21, 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.

 

Christ submitted completely to the will of the Father in everything. He became obedient, to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 

He didn’t have a need that wasn’t met by His Father.

 

Life came to Him as the Father willed and Jesus had no interest in altering it.

 

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 or any different from what the Father willed. 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.

 

EPH 4:17-24

This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles [nations or unbelievers] also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

 

Because we have in infinitive in vs. 22, it could be translated “you have put off the old man,” or, “you should put off the old man.” So it is either a command to put him off or an indicative that you have put him off. But it seems clear to me that both are true. Christ has laid aside our old man through crucifixion, and yet the context of chapters 4-6 in Ephesians is our decision to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. We have put off the old man and when he makes his move to control our inner self, we say no and remain in the new self which is in the likeness of God, righteous, holy, and true. If we have failed, we put on the new man by throwing off the old and turning to obedience, and in grace we don’t look back, though we fully accept the consequences of our sin.

 

And the promise is, that when we have done this that our lives will be filled with satisfaction, and joy, and thankfulness, EPH 5:19-20.

 

EPH 5:15-21

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are 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, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 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. Salvation enables the believer to abide in Christ, to love Him, to keep His commands in obedience and then to watch our inner joy be of the same type as Christ’s.

 

Entering into eternal life, the believer will always have many things to be grateful for.  

 

The believer has the understanding that he has life within, and that life will last into eternity because it is eternal life. It affords him the entrance into the never ending life and eternal thanksgiving. He will always have many things to be grateful for no matter what is happening in his earthly life. Being truly thankful comes from wonderful blessing. To be able to do so for eternity is a precious gift.

 

The believer enters dangerous ground when he stops being grateful. He has removed the eyes of his heart from his eternal blessings: Christ and all that is hidden in Him.

 

The Holy Spirit indwells us in order to strengthen us with power so that we might continue to walk in faith through the true knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is withing us to bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and not children of this world. Children of God with an inheritance.

 

It is for us to live in obedience to the revealed truth, and when we don’t, we rely upon grace and stop the pattern of sin, confessing our disobedience, and in continued reliance upon grace turning back to obedience, accepting upon ourselves all the consequences that came with our sin.

 

Our understanding of that hidden wisdom in Christ gives us a joyful unity together and an inner joy individually. We must understand that we are commanded to be joyful and unified, knowing that we have been designed for it at salvation. The world will never get that and they will always oppose the way of life in Christ.

 

The world will always be in conflict between the godly and the ungodly. We must maintain our journey with Him, our discovery of Him, and shine the light of Him to the ungodly in the world.

 

The ungodly have been trying to control themselves, their destiny, the lives of others, and nature from the beginning. In every case they spend a lot of time and effort digging a hole and then they themselves fall into it, along with all who followed them.

 

PSA 7:14-16

Behold, he travails with wickedness,

And he conceives mischief, and brings forth falsehood.

15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,

And has fallen into the hole which he made.

16 His mischief will return upon his own head,

And his violence will descend upon his own pate.

 

What are we to do?

 

PSA 7:10

My shield is with God,

Who saves the upright in heart.

 

PSA 11:3

If the foundations are destroyed,

What can the righteous do?"

 

PSA 11:7

For the Lord is righteous;

He loves righteousness;

The upright will behold His face.

 

The conflict between the righteous and the ungodly will continue. It will seem worse at times then other times, but schemes of the devil are always there, seething, waiting, plotting, and anticipating the right conditions for his final push to full control. That last time of control, the Tribulation, will result in the worst horror the world has ever seen.

 

As for us, we have to keep seeking the treasures in Christ, living in complete submission to the Father no matter what happens, and not compromising the truth when we are persecuted for His name’s sake. And, according to Christ’s promise, we will be delivered, even in death if necessary, and we will find our true selves.

 

Psa 1-2 are the introduction to the entire Psalter. Their theme runs all through.

 

PSA 1:1-6

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [unbeliever, ungodly],

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season,

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

4 The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.