Judges: Chap 2: The full knowledge of the Son of God is the path to maturity.

Title: Judges: Chap 2: The full knowledge of the Son of God is the path to maturity.         

 

Announcements / opening prayer:

 

 

God's plan is perfectly righteous, and though the believer is not, God through grace enabled the believer to walk in that plan.

 

EPH 4:1 I, therefore [after the doctrine of chaps 1-3], the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you [beseech or beg] to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

 

"worthy" - avxi,wj[axios] = having the same weight as another thing. Christian experience should weigh as much as the professing of Christianity. We are to practice what we preach.

 

EPH 4:2 with all humility [correct estimate of self - lowly] and gentleness [inward grace], with patience [makrothumia - towards others], showing forbearance [endurance, bearing up under pressure] to one another in love,

 

EPH 4:3 being diligent [doing one's best; determined effort] to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

Verses 4-6 give the deep reason for the attitude of vv. 1-3.

 

EPH 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

 

EPH 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

 

EPH 4:6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

 

"one baptism" - baptism means to be immersed in or placed into. Everything here is supernatural and so it does not refer to being immersed in water, but the baptism of the HS which immerses the believer in the body of Christ forever.

 

It is amazing that each Greek word is translated into English and then baptisma is alone transliterated. This is misleading. Water baptism is only a picture of this wonderful truth. Nowhere in the word of God is water baptism required for salvation. 

 

The primary numeral "one" is used in contrast to many. Every believer is in one body, Spirit, hope, calling, Lord, faith, immersion in Christ's body, and Father. Hence, vv. 1-3 is our only reality.

 

We are to conduct ourselves worthy, meaning that our experience is the same as our profession or the truth of who we are in Christ. This is humility or lowliness, inward grace, patience towards others in love, doing our best to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The unity of the Holy Spirit is each of us walking by means of the Spirit and so producing the one fruit of the Spirit.

 

Yet, the body of Christ is not one formless blob. Each member of the body has an individuality and a uniqueness. The individual is not lost or overlooked. He alone can grow in grace and knowledge and he has been given a unique gift, ministry, and effect in the body, but within the body the individual members all participate in the one body, Spirit, hope, calling, Lord, faith, immersion in Christ's body, and Father.

 

In the general unity, the individual is not overlooked. There are a variety of gifts, ministries, and effects.

 

1CO 12:4-6

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

 

EPH 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift [His inheritance].