Do you share in the unsearchable riches of Christ?
(Ephesians 3:8b-9) that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Share Christ With Others on St Patrick’s Day…
“The Color Green: A Picture of Divine Blessings”
(St. Patrick’s Day Devotional/Lesson from Psalm 52:8-9)
“But I [am] like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done [it]: and I will wait on thy name; for [it is] good before thy saints.”
Share with others the importance of God’s hand of blessing on our lives and the way of salvation… the greatest blessing we can ever receive from Him!
Click here for immediate access to this devotional/lesson.
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: ”They (the heavens and the earth) shall perish; but thou remainest”
Christ Is The Same “Yesterday, Today and Forever”!
Heb 1:11 KJV – “They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;”
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com
http://settledinheaven.org
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 3:8b-9
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Gracious Revelation Of His Mystery: Ephesians 3:1-13
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
In this section of Scripture we will be looking at God’s grace being shown to us in the form of a “mystery”. What does the word mystery mean in the context of this study? The Greek word translated “mystery” literally means “to shut the mouth”, in other words “to remain unrevealed”. We will see this mystery will be revealed to God’s people while yet remaining unrevealed to the lost world.
What is this mystery being talked about? It is the inclusion of the Gentiles as recipients of the gracious salvation of the Lord. It is the Gentiles being put on the same spiritual footing as the Jew, receiving God’s gift of repentance and faith, His forgiveness, His indwelling Spirit, His worship and His eternal inheritance, among many other gifts of grace. It involves the Gentiles being included into the institutions of the Lord (His family, His nation, and His local church).
Our study of the “mystery of Christ” will teach us two different aspects of God’s gracious intervention on our behalf:
1. We will see that, the Gentiles inclusion in the Lord’s work of salvation is an act of God’s grace,
2. but also revealing this mystery to God’s people is another aspect of this display of divine grace.
A very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The revelation of this mystery to Paul – 1-3a
II. The revelation of this mystery to the Ephesians (and us) – 3b-6
III. The calling of Paul to minister this mystery to others – 7-11
IV. The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13
EXPOSITION:
In our text today, Paul now shares with us the two goals he is attempting to accomplish as he ministers the “mystery of Christ!” to others …
(Ephesians 3:8b-9) that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Goal number 1…. To bring the gospel message to the Gentiles
The word “preach”, in this verse, comes from a Greek word meaning “good news” or “gospel”. As Paul delivered this wonderful mystery to the Gentiles, he was delivering the gospel message to them. He was telling them of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and witnesses to His resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-11).
Paul describes this gospel message as “the unsearchable riches of Christ”. Another way to say this is that the news of Christ’s work is of such great value it can never be fully understood or assessed.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
Goal number 2… To reveal to all men that they share in common access to this work of Christ (as revealed in the gospel message).
Paul was concerned that both Jew and Gentile would come to understand that the acceptance of the Gentiles though God’s grace. In doing so, he desired to increase the fellowship and acceptance between them.
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God,
This mystery (the acceptance of the Gentiles by God) was a part of God’s plan from the beginning of the world. How He would accomplish this (through Christ’s gracious work) was hidden throughout the times of the Old Testament.
Although basics concerning the work of Christ was presented by the prophets (Isaiah 53:, Daniel 9:24-27, Zechariah 13:7-9 and others), many of the details were not revealed until the actual occurrence of those events that surrounded His great sacrifice. In that sense, the basis of the acceptance of Gentiles by God through the work of Christ was “hid in God” in other words, “hid in the counsels of God”.
Likewise, the acceptance of the Gentiles by God, although similarly revealed in the Old Testament, was only fully revealed during the life of Christ on earth and following. (Please see Ephesians 3:3-5 for more information on this aspect of our teaching)
who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Paul is reminding us of the great authority that God possesses to do all these things.
Paul is reminding us that…
1. the God that decreed Christ would be the sinless substitute for His chosen people;
2. the God that decreed that Gentiles would possess access to His gracious workings on an even level as Jews;
… is the same God, in the 2nd person of the Godhead, that created all things.
God, as Creator of all, possesses absolute authority over all…
1. As such, He has the right to choose how He would save mankind from their sins (through the death of Christ)
2. He has the right to choose whom He would accept into His family, nation and church (Jew and Gentiles)
3. and He has the right to choose to whom the work of Christ would be applied through faith (His elect people).
Paul, through gracious, God-given wisdom is mentioning the authority possessed by God for a good reason. Perhaps, he looked ahead and saw many arguments coming his way by religious, but lost, men who would question God’s choices and actions. Paul’s response is very clear and unarguable… God has the right to do anything, and to make whatever choices he desires, because… AS OUR CREATOR, HE POSSESSES ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER US ALL…
“Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:18-24)
APPLICATION:
We can see in our past few studies that Paul, in the fulfillment of his God-given ministry, carried with him a great burden to fulfill his calling with a two-fold motivation…
1. To bring glory and honor to the Lord
2. To work for the greatest benefit of those he was ministering to.
May we all seek to do the same in whatever area of service to which we are called. In doing so, may we all hear from our Lord “well done my good and faithful servant” when we stand before Him.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Our God-Given Area Of Service Is A Gracious Blessing
(Ephesians 3:7-8a) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given…
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: ”And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”
Christ Is The Eternal Creator Of Heaven and Earth
Heb 1:10 KJV – “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com
http://settledinheaven.org
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 3:7-8a
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Gracious Revelation Of His Mystery: Ephesians 3:1-13
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
In this section of Scripture we will be looking at God’s grace being shown to us in the form of a “mystery”. What does the word mystery mean in the context of this study? The Greek word translated “mystery” literally means “to shut the mouth”, in other words “to remain unrevealed”. We will see this mystery will be revealed to God’s people while yet remaining unrevealed to the lost world.
What is this mystery being talked about? It is the inclusion of the Gentiles as recipients of the gracious salvation of the Lord. It is the Gentiles being put on the same spiritual footing as the Jew, receiving God’s gift of repentance and faith, His forgiveness, His indwelling Spirit, His worship and His eternal inheritance, among many other gifts of grace. It involves the Gentiles being included into the institutions of the Lord (His family, His nation, and His local church).
Our study of the “mystery of Christ” will teach us two different aspects of God’s gracious intervention on our behalf:
1. We will see that, the Gentiles inclusion in the Lord’s work of salvation is an act of God’s grace,
2. but also revealing this mystery to God’s people is another aspect of this display of divine grace.
A very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The revelation of this mystery to Paul – 1-3a
II. The revelation of this mystery to the Ephesians (and us) – 3b-6
III. The calling of Paul to minister this mystery to others – 7-11
IV. The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13
EXPOSITION:
In our text today, Paul relates his personal responsibilities given to him concerning this “mystery of Christ!” …
(Ephesians 3:7-8a) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given…
Whereof I was made a minister,
Paul was made by God, a servant of this wonderful mystery.
The term “minister” comes from a Greek word that describes a person who seeks to supply the needs and desires of others (like a waiter or waitress in a restaurant). Paul’s role was to concentrate on “handing out” the much needed gospel message to the Gentiles (and to a lesser degree Jews). As he did so, he explained to them the wonderful access to God’s family, nation and church that the gospel message supplied.
according to the gift of the grace of God
Paul looked at his calling and minister as an undeserved gift given to him by God.
He did not look at it as a drudgery, insignificant nor as if it were of no value. He saw it as a wonderful opportunity to glorify the Lord and an occasion to reap very valuable rewards in service of the Most High.
given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
How did Paul receive this calling? It was given to him in conjunction with God’s power working within him.
He was not expected to minster the gospel to the Gentiles of his own ability, power and authority. Not only was he called of God but through His power, he was enabled to fulfill his calling through the power of the Most High God.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given…
Paul was in amazement that the Lord would call him to be a servant of the gospel message to the Gentiles. He considered himself “the least” or “far less than” all the other men who were saved.
Why does Paul consider himself least of all saints? Probably for two reasons at least:
1. Paul’s current sinful condition…Paul, as a spiritually mature and honest Christian, recognized the sin that was in his life. In Romans 7: he made it plain that he was constantly burdened by the sins that he saw within his own life.
Please keep in mind, those who claim to be sinlessly perfect are, in actuality, either deceptive or immature Christians who cannot see the indwelling sin that inhabits them. It is the mature Christian who is able to discern sin in their lives, willing to admit it, and are constantly burdened by it.
2. Paul’s past acts of sin…. Remember, Paul (prior to his salvation) was known for his persecution/murder of Christians (Acts 8:1-5, Acts 9:1-2, 1 Cor 15:9-10). This past life certainly caused some other Christians to pause and question Paul’s new found salvation and his commitment to the service of Christ.
For, at least these two reasons, and perhaps others, Paul looked upon himself as the lowest of his spiritual brethren.
(Please note that Paul describes those who are saved as “saints”. The Biblical idea of a saint is simply “a separated one”. A “saint” is simply describing a person who has been separated from sin to God. Another way to look at the idea of a saint is a person who has been made holy through the application of the blood of Christ. In the Bible, the term “saint” NEVER is used to describe only the most faithful of believers.)
APPLICATION:
Any God-given area of service is of equally important with that of Paul’s. One example of this is found in 1 Corinthians 12:12-21 the Lord makes it plain that any ministry to which a Christian is called is valuable and necessary for the cause of Christ.
Let us never think that if the Lord has called us to a specific area of service that it is a “lesser” area than that of others. ANYTHING to which the Lord has called us is a privilege, an opportunity for eternal rewards, of great value to His cause, and is worthy of giving it our all.
The greatest service is FAITHFUL service in the area to which we have been called. There is no service greater that that in God’s eyes.
“So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present [us] with you. For all things [are] for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:12-18)
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Gentiles Share In Communion, Worship and the Promises Of God
(Eph 3:6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: ” God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows ”
Christ Was Anointed With The Holy Ghost (The Oil That Brings Gladness To All That Come To Him)
Heb 1:9 KJV – Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com
http://settledinheaven.org
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 3:6
Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Gracious Revelation Of His Mystery: Ephesians 3:1-13
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
In this section of Scripture we will be looking at God’s grace being shown to us in the form of a “mystery”. What does the word mystery mean in the context of this study? The Greek word translated “mystery” literally means “to shut the mouth”, in other words “to remain unrevealed”. We will see this mystery will be revealed to God’s people while yet remaining unrevealed to the lost world.
What is this mystery being talked about? It is the inclusion of the Gentiles as recipients of the gracious salvation of the Lord. It is the Gentiles being put on the same spiritual footing as the Jew, receiving God’s gift of repentance and faith, His forgiveness, His indwelling Spirit, His worship and His eternal inheritance, among many other gifts of grace. It involves the Gentiles being included into the institutions of the Lord (His family, His nation, and His local church).
Our study of the “mystery of Christ” will teach us two different aspects of God’s gracious intervention on our behalf:
1. We will see that, the Gentiles inclusion in the Lord’s work of salvation is an act of God’s grace,
2. but also revealing this mystery to God’s people is another aspect of this display of divine grace.
A very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The revelation of this mystery to Paul – 1-3a
II. The revelation of this mystery to the Ephesians (and us) – 3b-6
III. The calling of Paul to minister this mystery to others – 7-11
IV. The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13
EXPOSITION:
In our text today, Paul finally reveals the “mystery of Christ!” …
(Eph 3:6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
What is this mystery that is hidden from the world, but now clearly revealed to God’s people? It has a three-fold aspect:
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
1. That the Gentiles have access, by adoption, into the family of God making them heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:16-18)
Based upon the death of Christ, all who are adopted into God’s family become heirs of the Lord. This inheritance includes the receipt of many wonderful gracious blessings of the Lord throughout eternity (Revelation 21:-22:).
and of the same body,
2. That the Gentiles have access by water baptism into the body of Christ, which is the local assembly. These Gentile assemblies are the same type of assemblies as their Jewish counterparts …
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
“And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
Based upon the death of Christ on behalf all members of His local assemblies, all who are baptized into God’s churches become a part of His body and, as such, receive care, honor and other spiritual benefits from all members of that body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
3. That the Gentiles have access by citizenship into the spiritual nation of God (the Israel of God). This citizenship allows the Gentiles to become a party in the eternal promise (covenant) God had made with Abraham…
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)
Based upon the death of Christ, Gentiles can share in the wonderful promises that were given to Abraham so many years ago. Which include the promise of eternal blessings that will be enjoyed in the promised land of the Heavenly (New) Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-7)
This three-fold aspect of the Gentile’s acceptance by God is brought into clear view in Galatians 3:26-29 ….
1. The family of God (vs 26)
2. The local assembly (vs 27)
3. The Israel of God (vs 29)
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)
APPLICATION:
What a wonderful blessing for each one of us… to be initiated into the “mystery” of the acceptance of the Gentiles into three institutions of God (family, nation and church).
It is knowledge of this mystery, and its application to our lives, that will bring upon us the blessings of peace and mercy.
May we all apply this truth to our lives and share the Lord and His work with Jew and Gentile alike, accepting them with open arms as our spiritual brothers/sisters, fellow-citizens of Israel and fellow-members of His assemblies…
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:14-16)
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/
SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
God’s Grace In The Progressive Revelation of Truth About Himself
(Ephesians 3:3-5) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: ”Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity ”
Christ Loves Moral Goodness and Hates Lawlessness
Heb 1:9 KJV – Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com
http://settledinheaven.org
SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 3:3-5
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Gracious Revelation Of His Mystery: Ephesians 3:1-13
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
In this section of Scripture we will be looking at God’s grace being shown to us in the form of a “mystery”. What does the word mystery mean in the context of this study? The Greek word translated “mystery” literally means “to shut the mouth”, in other words “to remain unrevealed”. We will see this mystery will be revealed to God’s people while yet remaining unrevealed to the lost world.
What is this mystery being talked about? It is the inclusion of the Gentiles as recipients of the gracious salvation of the Lord. It is the Gentiles being put on the same spiritual footing as the Jew, receiving God’s gift of repentance and faith, His forgiveness, His indwelling Spirit, His worship and His eternal inheritance, among many other gifts of grace. It involves the Gentiles being included into the institutions of the Lord (His family, His nation, and His local church).
Our study of the “mystery of Christ” will teach us two different aspects of God’s gracious intervention on our behalf:
1. We will see that, the Gentiles inclusion in the Lord’s work of salvation is an act of God’s grace,
2. but also revealing this mystery to God’s people is another aspect of this display of divine grace.
A very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The revelation of this mystery to Paul – 1-3a
II. The revelation of this mystery to the Ephesians (and us) – 3b-6
III. The calling of Paul to minister this mystery to others – 7-11
IV. The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13
EXPOSITION:
In our text today, Paul describes how the “mystery of Christ” was revealed to the Ephesians (and by extension, to us also)…
(Ephesians 3:3-5) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Paul now describes for us the manner in which the Lord has revealed this great mystery to His people…
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;
The Apostle Paul received an understanding of this mystery through divine revelation. In other words, it was the Lord who, personally, that “took the cover off” of his mystery, which resulted in Paul becoming aware and fully understanding of this mystery (Acts 9:10-17, Galatians 1:11-17).
(as I wrote afore in few words,
Paul had written to them about this same mystery in the previous two chapters of this book. In them he had explained the gracious nature of salvation and the fact that, by grace, this salvation had become available to Gentiles as well as Jews. He went further and explained how Gentiles were now graciously given access to the Lord’s three institutions (the family of God, the nation of God, and the local assemblies of God).
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Paul knew that the Ephesians, based upon the previous two chapters, were now coming to an understanding of this mystery and coming to an acceptance of Paul’s extensive knowledge on this subject.
Please take note that Paul was actually fulfilling his calling by writing about this mystery of God within the pages of Ephesians. This would be one way that he reveal to the Gentile believers this mystery. This, in turn, allowed them to come to a fuller understanding of their graced standing before the Lord as equals with Jewish believers.
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,
Previous to the Lord’s first coming to the earth, the truth about Gentile access to salvation and acceptance by God was not clearly understood among God’s people, although there were Gentile believers in the Old Testament…:
1. Everyone saved before the establishment of the nation of Israel (Gen 1:-11:),
2. Inhabitants of Nineveh under the ministry of Jonah (Jonah 3:)
3. Rahab the harlot (Hebs 11:31)
4. King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:)
5. Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5:)
6. Ruth the Moabitess (Ruth)
7. Perhaps others
Also, it is also important to remember that even the some of the Old Testament prophets had received a glimpse of Gentile acceptance by God (Gen 17:7; Isaiah 42:1,6, 49:6, 55:5-6 56:8; Hosea 2:23; etc) .
In spite of all of this, Gentiles were still, in many ways, excluded from acceptance in the worship and service of Jehovah. It was only following Christ’s coming to the earth, His teachings, His work and His use of the Apostle Paul, that the inclusion of the Gentile believers became more fully grasped and accepted. This is Paul’s meaning when he says that this mystery “in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men”
as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
“Now”, in other words “in Paul’s day”, the Lord revealed His mystery to the apostles and prophets. It was revealed through the Spirit’s intervention in the lives of these people opening their eyes to the truths of the Lord (including the truth of Gentile acceptance).
Keep in mind the term “prophet” helps us to understand that along with the Apostles, the New Testament prophets of the Lord had knowledge of this mystery as well (Eph 4:11, Rom 12:6, 1 Corinthians 14:1-3).
APPLICATION:
In both the Old and New Testament writings we find examples and inspired revelation of the truth that Gentiles are accepted by God through His grace and mercy. However, it was only in the times following Christ and the ministry of the Apostles and NT Prophets that Gentile acceptance became clearly understood by a majority of God’s people.
May we all praise and honor our Lord for showing His grace to the Gentile peoples throughout history. What a wonderful blessing it is to know that, as Gentiles, we are “accepted in the beloved” just as the Jew. What a greater blessing of grace it is to live in a time when these truths of God are more fully understood, accepted and proclaimed. We certainly are a graced generation!
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
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Are We Willing To Face Persecution To Fulfill Our Calling Of God
(Ephesians 3:1-2) For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Christ In The Book Of Hebrews: Unto the Son he (God) saith ”a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”
Christ’s Rule over His Kingdom is Just and Fair
Heb 1:8 KJV – “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”
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SIH’s Think On These Things: Ephesians 3:1-2
“Reflections Of His Grace”
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
The Gracious Revelation Of His Mystery: Ephesians 3:1-13
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
In this section of Scripture we will be looking at God’s grace being shown to us in the form of a “mystery”. What does the word mystery mean in the context of this study? The Greek word translated “mystery” literally means “to shut the mouth”, in other words “to remain unrevealed”. We will see this mystery will be revealed to God’s people while yet remaining unrevealed to the lost world.
What is this mystery being talked about? It is the inclusion of the Gentiles as recipients of the gracious salvation of the Lord. It is the Gentiles being put on the same spiritual footing as the Jew, receiving God’s gift of repentance and faith, His forgiveness, His indwelling Spirit, His worship and His eternal inheritance, among many other gifts of grace. It involves the Gentiles being included into the institutions of the Lord (His family, His nation, and His local church).
Our study of the “mystery of Christ” will teach us two different aspects of God’s gracious intervention on our behalf:
1. We will see that, the Gentiles inclusion in the Lord’s work of salvation is an act of God’s grace,
2. but also revealing this mystery to God’s people is another aspect of this display of divine grace.
A very basic outline of this section of Scripture:
I. The revelation of this mystery to Paul – 1-3a
II. The revelation of this mystery to the Ephesians (and us) – 3b-6
III. The calling of Paul to minister this mystery to others – 7-11
IV. The enabling of Paul to minister this mystery in the midst of persecutions – 12-13
EXPOSITION:
In our text today, Paul begins to describe how he learned of this mystery and his sacrifices for that mystery…
(Ephesians 3:1-2) For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
What was the dual “cause” that motivated Paul to suffer imprisonment? In 2:21-22 we saw it was the Lord’s desire for members of His nation, family and churches to:
1. increase numerically
2. be spiritually strengthened by the His truths found in His Word.
Paul describes himself as “the prisoner of Jesus Christ”. Remember, during the time he wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus, he was sitting in a Roman prison uncertain of his fate (this was during his first Roman imprisonment). That was why he described himself as “a prisoner of Jesus Christ”, in other words, “A PRISONER because OF my ministry for JESUS CHRIST”.
It was very possible that his personal ministry at Ephesus was the reason for his arrest and imprisonment. Note how he says that it was “for you Gentiles”… Either he was pointing specifically to his Ephesian ministry, or similar ministries to Gentiles (like those at Ephesus) that formed the basis of his arrest and incarceration.
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Those in the church at Ephesus will understand that Paul was imprisoned for the sake of Christ, IF they understand that Paul had been given “the dispensation of the grace of God” for their sake (and other Gentiles who would come to faith during Paul’s ministry).
What is meant by “dispensation”? It has the idea of “administration an estate”, “stewardship”, “management”, “oversight” or “distribution”. Paul was appointed as an “administrator” of the message of God’s grace in salvation. In particular, Paul was made “an overseer” or “a distributor” of the gospel message going out to the Gentile world.
If the Ephesian believers understood this great responsibility given to Paul, they would understand why he was sitting in a Roman prison. It was not his own rebellious sinful actions… but as a servant of Christ, he was simply fulfilling his ministry. He was taking the gospel to the Gentile world motivated by the call of God in his life and his love for the Gentile world (including the Ephesian believers). Paul was risking his life for the Gentile world to receive the truths of God, to be saved, and grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.
APPLICATION:
As Paul, may we all take our calling of the Lord very seriously, and be willing to give our all in the fulfillment of that call. Let us all realize that our calling is a gracious opportunity that is given to us by our Lord to bring glory to His name. No matter what our calling of God may be, let us all “run with patience the race that is set before us” and seek to bring honor to our Lord who has so graciously done so much for us.
May we all get a clearer picture of our Lord and Savior, and the great grace He has shown to us. Let us be always watchful to keep His great acts of grace on our behalf in the center of our attention… In doing so, may we be motivated to LOVE Him more, APPRECIATE Him more and SERVE Him more!
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SIH Text Blog: https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/
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The God Of Salvation Is The Lord Over Death
[He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death. (Psalms 68:20)
For the SIH Bible Study on this subject:
“The God of Of Salvation, The Lord Of Death”
Throughout this text, we will see that different aspects of the physical and spiritual realms of existence will be discussed. We need to recognize that our lives here on earth are not affected by only the events that take place in this physical world. There is also a sphere of influence in our lives that is best described as a spiritual realm. The determination of our eternal abode and our service to the Lord are both effected by the events and characters found in this realm.
In our text for today, we find one verse that clearly declares to us that our Lord is in control of both realms of existence…
THE SCRIPTURES:
20) [He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death. (Psalms 68:20)
THE STUDY:
[He that is] our God
The deity that we will be discussing in today’s text is the God of both the physical and spiritual nations of Israel:
1. Please keep in mind, King David was addressing the physical nation of Israel. They were brought into existence by the Lord and used by Him to give us the truths of His Word and to bring the Messiah into this world.
2. The spiritual nation of Israel contains all of God’s people who have been saved, and will be saved throughout history. Paul refers to this group of Jewish and Gentile believers as “The Israel of God” in Gals 4:13-16.
Both the physical and spiritual nation of Israel can claim a special relationship with the True God, Jehovah. Therefore, we can truly say ….”Jehovah, is OUR GOD”!
The term translated “God” in this phrase is the Hebrew word “El”. This word refers to the supreme strength and ability that Jehovah possesses.
[is] the God of salvation;
The God that we can call our own, is “the God of salvation” or, in other words, He is “the Mighty One that controls the deliverance of His people.” Here, once again we can see a physical and spiritual aspect to this text…
1. In this physical world, God acts on behalf of His people to deliver them from many of the ills that this world offers. Whenever the Lord delivers His people from a physical threat of harm, He is displaying to us that He is the God of “physical” salvation. War, governmental oppression, natural disasters, persecution, etc etc. the list is endless.
2. However, His greater work is that of a spiritual nature. It is our God, Jehovah, that delivers His people from the evils of the penalty, power and, eventually, the presence of sin. He saves us from eternal punishment from God which takes place in the Lake of Fire. This is the spiritual aspect of the salvation that He graciously gives to His spiritual Jewish people.
The same Hebrew word translated “God” in the previous phrase (El) is, once again, translated “God” in this phrase. Remember, it carries with it the idea of the “Mighty One with all ability”. This helps us to understand that Jehovah is mighty over salvation and absolutely capable to save His people. He can do what no other man or false God can do for us. He is able to do for us what we cannot even do for ourselves, save us from this world’s evils and the evils that await sinful man in the world to come.
and unto GOD the Lord
This same God, who is the Strong One, is given a new set of titles here. God is now called by the names “GOD” and “Lord” which come from two different Hebrew words:
1. The name “God” is the Hebrew word “Jehovah” which carries with it the idea of the “One that Exists”. This personal title for God helps us to understand that He is the One True God. In actuality, He exists, while all the other false gods of this world do not. He is the only God that is in existence, all others are human, sinful, replacements and, in actuality, are the figments of lost mankind’s imaginations.
2. The title “Lord” is the Hebrew word “Adonai” which teaches us that the Lord is the One who is the Master, Owner, or Originator of all things:
He is the One who brought physical Israel into existence, He is the One that owns Israel, and He is that is her Master.
The same can be said about His relationship with the spiritual nation of Israel. It is He is formed her, it is He that owns her, and it is He that rules over her. Spiritual Israel is His spiritual kingdom that submits to His Lordship as He rules in the heart of her citizens.
[belong] the issues from death.
Jehovah, the Originator, Master and Ruler of the two Israels, possess the “issues of death”. In other words, death flows forth under His divine control. He is the One that controls the “flow of death”. It is Jehovah the Master that delays, restrains, and restricts and destroys both physical and spiritual death:
1. The phrase physical death is describing the condition whereby our spirit is separated from our body. By His control over physical death, we are speaking of the Lord’s governance of the length of our physical lives, the resurrection of our bodies which will rescue the physical body from death, and the total elimination of physical death for those who are alive when He comes back again.
2. The phrase “spiritual death” is describing the condition whereby, due to our sins, we are separated from God. This separation is displayed by a lack of communion, alienation from His family and kingdom and estrangement from God throughout eternity. This spiritual death can only be overcome through the gracious intervention of Almighty God whereby, through the work of Christ, our communion between God and His people is restored. This results in renewed fellowship with God through prayer and the Word, the Spirit’s indwelling, and an eternity living in the very presence of God.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
It is from the Lord that we receive eternal spiritual life which transcends all other aspects of our existence on earth. With the possession of spiritual life comes security, peace, and communion with Almighty God. What a blessing it is to know that … “[He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death”
“O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)
Won’t you look to the Lord Jesus Christ, in faith, trusting Him as your Lord and Savior before it is too late?
May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.
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May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Our Lord Lives With, And Among His People…
(Eph 2:22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Settled In Heaven Blog 