Be alert for attitudes or actions that need to be changed. (Ibid), Life Application Study Bible- The world still marvels at the power of the atom, yet we belong to the God Who created atoms and the entire universe. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Im convinced the single greatest problem carnal Christians have is that they dont know the hope of His calling. He will occupy and keep thee. Sometimes both terms are used interchangeably for nahlh (e.g. This is the same mighty power, NLT: I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe Him. He will fully gain His inheritance when the saints are removed from this earth and come into his presence. The inner man can see (Ps. Thats the confidence you should have as you live each day. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that . Lots were drawn to discover the will of the gods. The soul, as is written, The soul of man is the lamp of the Lord (Prov. In short, Paul prays for our position in Christ to become our practice in Christ. Paul would say "STOP IT!" Do you think your faith will bring you riches? But even though he has reached it, several years must pass before he can understand its value, or compel it to minister, with all its products, to his need. 6:5; 22:18; 24:2, 4; 1 Ki. In other words, this is not just an intellectual ability to understand or teach these truths. We shall conquer him eventually, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 1:31; 2:10, 19, 21; 3:1; 10:13, 33; 11:2; 23:4, 11; 28:6; 29:2; 30:15; 33:11, 13; 37:3; 40:9f, 26, 29, 31; 41:1; 42:13; 44:12; 45:1; 47:5, 9; 49:4f, 26; 51:9; 52:1; 58:1; 61:6; 62:8; 63:1, 15; Jer. Paul writes (Rom. it is the satisfaction of God's people to believe in this exalting truth that he chooses their inheritance for them. can ignite great endeavors. Too many Christians are going hither and yon looking for more blessings, more secrets of how to live a victorious Christian life, etc. Modern maps containing the results Of the explorations of Livingstone, Stanley, Burton, tell another story of river, Savannah, tableland, and of myriads of inhabitants. We have been called by grace, to glory. Here is the inexhaustible strength of God in taking His crucified Son who was dead and buried, and raising Him from among the dead to His present majestic position in heaven. of It gives off light, but it doesnt strike anything in particular. On the other hand, eido/oida often refers more to an intuitive knowledge, although this distinction is not always clear cut. Finding Christ is like emerging from the cave into the light. 1:19; Eph. ", Colossians 1:29 records Paul's testimony: "I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.". Daniel It sounds vague and theoretical. He does everything he can to buy the field in which the treasure is buried. If one had learnt a swifter art of appropriating the wealth that lay open to his hand, he would be actually, though perhaps not potentially, richer than his neighbour. The Christian needs supernatural power, and God would have us see how great is His power to accomplish His purposes in us. He called you to Himself and will hold you there, no matter what circumstances you face. How often he sent us terms of capitulation! (What pleasure he took in planning this!) 1:3; 2:1; 3:9; Hab. The power of God we experience in our lives is the same power by which God raised Jesus Christ from death. In the Greek culture the seat of emotions would be the intestines. Then a distant aunt, unsolicited, sends her a sum of money, which happens to be the exact amount needed for airfare. It is utterly impossible to put the fullness of divine reality in human language, to compress the infinite into what is finite. In addition the view that the saints are Gods inheritance has precedence in the Old Testament, Moses recording that Israel was God's possession For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance. ANSWER -Ephesians 1contains Pauls amazing prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Ephesians But because Israel rejected that call and followed idols, they never flourished in the way God wanted to prosper them. 2 Thessalonians The definite article in Greek ("the") precedes pisteuo, which means these are literally "the" believing ones (i.e., they are genuine believers). We have an inheritance in him, and he has an inheritance in us. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; Leviticus Deuteronomy | GotQuestions.org, What is the power of the Holy Spirit? Esther The prayer moves from God and Christ (Eph 1:17, 20-21) to the Ephesians (Eph 1:17-19) and the church (Eph 1:22-23). 5:19 = making melody with your heart to the Lord; Eph. Paul knows that as a man thinks in his heart, his spiritual interior, will determine how he walks (cf Pr 23:7). | GotQuestions.org, Is there any power in positive thinking? (Hurley, V. Speaker's Sourcebook of New Illustrations Dallas: Word Publishers). 1:3-4). 36.2; 59.3). God exercised this power in two ways. The, the definite article. So if youre having problems in your Christian life, if things dont seem to be working as they should, maybe its time to go back and read the owners manual! Out of nothing, nothing comes, is the usual rule. To find assurance, one must look to the covenant-keeping God and Scripture. Galatians But Ephesians emphasizes God's inheritance in the saints. There is nothing more to seek, nothing more to be given or received. 11.14; 4 Ezra 14:22; 1QS 2:3; 4:2). All other ground is sinking sand. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Cold, with the coldness of death. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Now Paul deals with the third area, that is, the greatness of his power which God directs toward believers (for a structural layout of the prayer, see 1:16b). 15-19 That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for youevery time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. It is but a step from the bosom of the Father to His right hand. 22:5. The Christian Church is precious to God. This seemed to me very extraordinary. He prays that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened, Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 1:18. Lawrence Richards has a pithy comment stating that "One way to build our own prayer lives, and to direct our intercession for others, is to model our prayers on those found in Scripture. One argument against taking it this way is that it becomes almost a repetition of the first part of the prayer, to know the hope of His calling.
Maybe youre saying, Is that ever true! 2:14; 1 Pet. Let this incomparable truth stir within your heart a passionate desire that He may be glorified in you more fully each day until that great day dawns for which both He and we look with such fervent expectation. Is (2076) is the present tense of eimi = to be, and so conveys the idea "what is continually the hope.". Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. " The Kleronomos is one who has been given a kleros, the inheritor. Setup File Name: Adobe_Premiere_Pro_v23.2..69.rar. The new has come, Now I have resurrection power living on the inside But in Hebrew and Greek thinking, the heart was considered the seat of knowledge, thinking, and understanding. 2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power. Heavenly Father, I pray that my heart would be flooded with the marvellous light of the gospel of grace. Amos He gathers out the fruits from among the leaves, that his people might have the best food, and enjoy the richest pleasures. 3:20). THOUGHT - Is my life a living epistle, a vibrant testimony to God's supernatural power? (Ro 11:2+), Jesus is speaking to unbelieving Jews about His Father in Jn 8:54, and declares to these Jews that) "you have not come to know (ginosko) Him (GOD THE FATHER), but I know (eido- BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT) Him; and if I say that I do not know (eido) Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know (eido) Him, and keep His word. A little spark of accomplishment Just before His ascension Jesus assured the disciples, You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you (Acts 1:8), an enduement every believer receives at the time he is saved. . Paul shows the proper relationship of faith and works in this letter, explaining that believers are God's, "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." You have given us freedom (You set us free), I have resurrection power living on the inside (You set us free) There are seminary professors who can exegete the Greek text here, but these glorious truths do not thrill their hearts. THOUGHT - God grant all of Your children spiritual eyes to perceive and possess our possessions in Christ. The power mentioned inEphesians 1:1920is continually attributed to God, not us. I make the best my goal; ESV having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. And so he prays that these saints might be able to grasp the breadth and length and height and depth (Eph 3:18) of the great truths in chapter one, so that they might be enabled by the indwelling Spirit and the riches of God's grace (DOCTRINAL TRUTH IN CHAPTERS 1-3) to order their steps so that they "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called." 36)? It is not as under the laws of primogeniture, that one child takes all, while the younger children are dismissed with meagre allowances. 31:14. They are the real eyes for discerning the nature of issues important to God. 11:22]). (Life Application Study Bible: New Living Translation). Click for multiple Scriptures dealing with the other view (#2) that the inheritance refers to what believers will inherit one day by virtue of their position in Christ. This effect in context undoubtedly refers to the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who illuminates spiritual truth to the hearts of believers (See Illumination of the Bible). 119:18) or other spiritual realities (2 Kings 6:17). 15:16; 1Sa 16:7; 1 Ki. (Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings). It is a beautiful picture, the heart being regarded as having eyes looking out toward God and all of the spiritual blessings that have their source and supply in God's Beloved Son. The possessive pronoun shows that it is Gods inheritance.Because of His choosing, redeeming, adopting, and sealing us, we are his possession. But here, Paul is writing to believers (saints, us who believe, 1:18, 19). We are not in heaven yet; but we are as safe as if we were. But Jesus came to buy the world back. Long before he laid down earths foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Ephesians 1:18 The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, Read more Share Copy Show footnotes Ephesians 1:18 The New International Version (NIV) That ye may know what is the hope of His calling Eph. May His Spirit enable us to worship Him Monday - Saturday (not just on Sunday) in spirit and in truth. (Dt 32:9+). In the Mississippi River, right? (Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary), MacDonald - We have seen that the source of spiritual illumination is God; the channel is the Holy Spirit; and the supreme subject is the full knowledge of God. ESV and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. The proper exercise of this power requires continuous faith in Christ, just as we believed in Him at conversion. Living in the light of Your goodness TECHNICAL NOTE - There are 25 compounds with huper in the NT, and 16 are found only in the Pauline Epistles. Do you hunger and thirst for God as a deer does for the water brooks? Colossians 1:29+ For this purpose (WHAT PURPOSE? (Ephesians Commentary). To be called by God is to be chosen by God for certain purposes. Photizo - 11v -Lk. You have given us freedom! I ask - ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, See discussion of the value of pausing to ponder this term of purpose or result . Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. While I cant begin to explain this adequately (I need more enlightenment from God! John D. Rockefeller was the worlds first billionaire. Do we not remember that glorious hour when He carried our hearts by storm? Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. It is the active exercise of supernatural power." Rader said that without Christ people are in a moral and spiritual cave, blinded, darkened, and unaware of the glories God has in store for them. And, though acres vast enough to make an English county are in his possession, rich and loamy soil, or stored with mines of ore, yet he is not sensibly the richer. When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. THAT THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED. Paul describes unbelievers as (Eph. How can we fail with Him as our Head and with such power at our disposal? Ischus is inherent power or force. Then again, Nick has become his father, killing a man with no consequences, no guilty conscience either. Aristotle (Rhet., i., 5) says strength (ischus)is the power of moving another as one wills; and that other is to be moved either by drawing or pushing or carrying or pressing or compressing; so that the strong (ho ischuros) is strong for all or for some of these things.. Every Christian has a calling on his or her life. But heaven seems so far away, you say. For example, Deuteronomy 32:9 says, For the Lords portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance. Psalm 33:12 proclaims, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. (See, also, Deut. Who by the power of God are guarded through faith. We so selfishly begin in our thinking with ourselves. TECHNICAL Note that it is somewhat difficult to give a crisp, succinct definition of eido, so keep that caveat in mind as you read these notes. Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. TECHNICAL NOTE - Note that the KJV translated from the Greek Textus Receptus (the NASB, ESV, et al are from the Nestle-Aland Greek) does not have "heart" (kardia) but has the word "understanding" which in the is the noun dianoia an old word for the faculty of understanding. It is power to overcome what stands in the way. (The Wealth, Walk and Warfare of the Christian). 3:24; 4:37; 8:17f; 9:26, 29; 26:8; 32:13; 33:11, 25, 27; Jos. Such is the case in Matthew 13.
Ephesians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB A marvellous lift was there! That power works in every one of us, as I stand before you. Generally, then, it may be said that while both words include the idea of manifestation or of power in action, ischus emphasizes the outward, physical manifestations, and dunamis the inward, spiritual or moral virtue. Because My coming is near, and your heavenly account is pretty small, Im giving you an opportunity to make some huge investments in the few days that remain before you go to heaven., You for whom this day has seemed as a thousand yearsrejoice. God's people do not fight for victory but from victory! Many Old Testament texts speak of Israel as Gods chosen portion or inheritance. Ephesians 6:10 (note) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. No matter where she was, Victoria was governed by the fact that she sat on the throne of England. Even so, we will reign with Christ! A ministry that is College-trained but not Spirit-filled works no miracles. Ischus is that strength which one has in possession or ability. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! As Paul puts it (2 Tim. As saints, were Gods inheritance, His treasure, His prize. This certainty is provided in Jesus Christ. (John 8:55). New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce writes (The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians [Eerdmans], p. 270), That God should set such high value on a community of sinners, rescued from perdition and still bearing too many traces of their former state, might well seem incredible were it not made clear that he sees them in Christ, as from the beginning he chose them in Christ., Why did God do this? The same power which raised the Head works life in the members. And they became thine in fact, when thou wast born at the foot of the cross. Salem Media Group. He bought the world to get you. Many Christians have a stick your head in the sand attitude when it comes to grappling with the difficult doctrines of the Bible. To understand it, you must continually ask God to enlighten the eyes of your heart. Revival comes when, no longer satisfied to know about a God in history, we meet the conditions of finding Him in living, personal experience. What does the Bible say about how much power Christians possess? Here it is the other way around. We have the case of Elisha when the Syrian army was sent to Dothan to take him captive. 1:1523; 3:1421; Phil. (Eerdmans Publishing- usedby permission), It is difficult to give a clear distinction between the 3 Greek words that expand on the meaning of "the surpassing greatness of His power (dunamis)", but in simple terms it pictures the piling up of similar terms in an attempt to convey the magnitude and capability of God's incomprehensible, infinite power. In our struggle with everything that sets itself against the knowledge of God, we have some incredible resources. | GotQuestions.org, How can we rely on the power of God? There are too many Christians trying to do the work of God without first being filled with God. Amen. As Paul shows (Rom. None of us has to live a defeated life. Those for whom Paul is praying were once "spiritually blind" darkened in their understanding, (Eph 4:18) walking around in "spiritual darkness" as he reminded them of later writing that "you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Eph 5:8-note). 1 Thessalonians He argues (p. 391) that Pauls object in this section is to give the saints assurance and certainty in their faith. Lord, help me to influence prayer time at my church so that it is a healthy representation of the full Christian life, from supplication to praise. The eye on yours is dusty. He cleaned it and the problems disappeared. Eido/oida is not so much that which is known by experience as an intuitive insight that is drilled into one's heart. I askask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of gloryto make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust himendless energy, boundless strength! But there's no hidden message in the National Research Council's verdict on such techniques. 1:18; Eph. They must be revealed and as John MacArthur says "They are revealed only to those who love Him." As soon as thou didst open thine eyes to behold the crucified Lord, thou didst all unconsciously become heir to the lengths and breadths, and depths, and heights of God! It is only as God's Spirit illuminates our mind that we actually can truly know the spiritual truth He wants us to know. (Acts 26:18+), Robert Morgan illustrates the truth in this verse with the following story - Recently when my CD player died, I asked a friend to look at it. (Eph 1:18ESV) Notice how this rendering places the emphasis on God as the One Who "inherits"! Illustration - In 218 b.c. 3. the mighty power by which he energizes them.[71]. 1:18; Eph. Colossians I'm taking this message from this phrase in Ephesians 1:19: "the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe." . It is the power of God that made this possible. In fact, the Greek word translated church in the New Testament means a called-out assembly. The call to salvation involves conforming us to the image of his Son. His election and call to salvation are part of an eternal plan for us that guarantees our inheritance in heaven: And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Romans 8:2930). We as His followers, can best imitate our Lord by learning to relinquish self reliance and instead relying on God's power which is manifest and effective through His Spirit in us, as we seek to continually be filled with Him (Eph 5:18+) and to walk by Him (Gal 5:16+). It is your hope of final glorification and of sharing Gods glory when Christ returns (Col. 3:4). 1 Timothy the more we will be motivated Still, with the stillness of death. It always refers to supernatural power: once of satanic power (2 Thess 2:9), while the others allude to Gods power directly (Eph 1:19; 3:7; Phil 3:21; Col 1:29; 2:12; 2 Thess 2:11) or indirectly (Eph 4:16). How could they have more than what they had? Its in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home freesigned, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. Reprinted by permission. J C Philpot -It is no great mystery that the Son of God should be exalted to the throne of power. (play "The Solid Rock"), Latter in Ephesians, Paul reminded the Gentile believers that in Christ they "were called in one hope of your calling (Eph 4:4+). No one can do the work of God successfully without being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 1:18-23 - The Message All rights reserved. Every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure (I John 3:3).
(1Cor 6:19, 20+). Now we are drowning in a sea of false religions and New Age philosophies. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might. Hoeher comments that "Having mentioned the surpassing greatness of Gods power, Paul is now going to show that it is literally according to the power of the power of his power. Paul lists a series of three words for power used to describe the standard of the surpassing greatness of Gods power." From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. When our hearts are set to obey the Lord, He confirms His call in a variety of ways: godly counsel, natural gifting, fruitful results, Scripture, and a sense of rightness that does not conflict with any of the other confirmations. The idea is to cause something to be fully known by revealing clearly and in some detail. Hoehner adds that "According to Aristotle is actual power whereas is potential power. This is the same power God brought about in Christ. Hebrews 13:21 records the prayer, "Make you perfect [mature] in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight.". Bruce adds (p. 271), Paul prays here that his readers may appreciate the value which God places on them, his plan to accomplish his eternal purpose through them as the first fruits of the reconciled universe of the future, in order that their lives may be in keeping with this high calling and that they may accept in grateful humility the grace and glory thus lavished on them., Our future is that throughout eternity we will actually share in Christs glory!