September 06, 2007 Jim Kennedy died...http://www.coralridge.org/
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I remember the man towering over me at the PCA Stated clerk's office when I went to pick up my wife who was volunteering there many years ago when we were sojourning in the PCA for a short time. My introduction to him, as for so many others was through Evangelism Explosion training, which turned on its ear the misrepresentation that the "frozen chosen" know nothing of evangelism. that church in Dallas was more evangelistic than any I have ever seen. He will remain a towering figure in my mind, though he is gone on to the land of the living.... |
And in other news, Pavarotti is gone...
Anthony Foster - Sep 4, 2007 8:47 pm
Disagreement and Conflict are not one and the same.
Statement:
Jim Van Yperen in his excellent book for leaders dealing with church
conflict ("Making Peace- A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict")
states "When Christians say, as they often do, 'Let's agree to
disagree' they reach for compromise instead of reconciliation, for independence
instead of mutual submission. Agreeing to disagree can only lead to
peace when the matters are not significant or essential. In this case,
it is a matter of forbearance, not peace. Too often, Christians use
'We're agreeing to disagree' as an excuse not to do the hard work of
mutual submission and reconciliation" (170).
Question:
As a leader do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
My answer: The hard work of resolution is something that is easily shied
away from to the detriment of relationships. The specific context to
think about is church conflict. What I am going to say applies to most
any situation where conflict is present, including families. But first
I must add the caveat that I believe the problem as stated suffers from
its categories and is stated with imprecision. Forbearance is not in
opposition to peacemaking- it is an aspect of agape as alluded to in
Ephesians 4 and elsewhere. Also conflict should be distinguished from
disagreement, stress, or indecision- these may be a product or cause
of conflict, but they are not conflict itself.
Agreeing to disagree can happen within an overarching context of unity,
and diversity of opinion is not something to be avoided. Here’s
the rub, and what I think the author you quote means to say: One cannot
agree to disagree on essentials in a context of unity or where resolution
is what is required. With resolution, a greater good is accomplished-
conflict is transformed into a possible platform for creative solutions
to the crisis. On the other hand, the ability (or determination) to
hold to mutually exclusive essentials is double-mindedness and a prescription
for destruction. It is, in Biblical terms, indicative of insanity (of
unsound or unhealthy mind). If someone is categorizing true conflict
as “agreeing to disagree” in order to make light of the situation,
the issue is one of avoidance or denial of essential differences; that
is a dead end.
But how does one deal with true conflict then? There are three ways
to approach any conflict- first, as power contests, where bargaining
ensues and one side negotiates against the other in an adversarial fashion.
The second way to approach conflict is by disputing rights and by appealing
to authority. Again in this approach there is always a winner and a
loser. If arbitration is in view, not resolution, voluntary compliance
and trust will ultimately be damaged. A smart leader avoids these two
approaches and tries to focus on finding ways to actually resolve conflicts.
There is a third way in view: interest- based reconciliation. In the
world, the interests will be different than in the Church. In the Church,
the interests are many-fold: mutual submission and obedience to Christ,
and doing all to the Glory of God in Christ. PLACING THE RIGHT PRICE
TAGS ON THE INTEREST AT STAKE IS IMPORTANT. What is of the greater worth?
What is the treasure of those involved? Rights and power? Or koinonia?
The root must be determined and dealt with. The leader may need to play
the role of mediator and there are many tools to bring to bear in such
a situation to aid in achieving reconciliation, or even mutual gains.
In any case, the underlying driving forces must be brought to the light.
It is up to the leader to manage the situation, finessing it with wisdom
and to demand mutual respect in the environment. Ultimately healing
and forgiveness can be achieved, but it is hard work.
| Chains of Grace When our hearts are failing and our bodies weak Pour your power and mercy on us all In your Word prevailing we your promise seek Transformation cometh at your call. Come and bind us, champion, to your covenant On our hearts incise your law of love Take us to that refuge that your grace provides Take us to Your glorious throne above. |
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We are bound forever by sweet chains of grace
We are bondslaves to the Lord alone
And no power can sever and no time erase
Any sinner you’ve claimed for your own.
We are bound and bonded with an easy yoke
We are sealed unto redemption’s day.
We shall find our answers in the words Christ spoke
May his faithful fetters be our stay.
We are bound on purpose to a Servant King
He has drawn us close so we can see
May His willing servants bring an offering
For His chains of grace have set us free.
We are bound forever by sweet chains of grace
We are bondslaves to the Lord alone
And no power can sever and no time erase
Any plan your wisdom has made known.
When the mountains level into mystery
And the valleys fill with sacrifice
All the Kingdoms of this world shall come to be
The Kingdom of our Lord and Christ.
We are bound forever by sweet chains of grace
We are bondslaves to the Lord alone
And no power can sever and no time erase
Any promise given to your own.
Anthony Foster
September 3, 2007
Table of Plenty
Table of plenty and mercy so free
I come to dine for eternity
Bread and new wine
Fruit of the vine
Mystery divine encircles Thee.
Once I was blind but now I see.
Table of plenty we all eat our fill
Satisfied fully in knowing your will
Take now and eat and savor and see
The Lord is Good- Righteous is He.
Never to hunger, never to thirst
Except for the pleasure of serving you first
Your word everlasting our bread and our meat
Grace beyond measure as we take and eat.
Anthony Foster
September 3, 2007
September 03, 2007 Labor Day- We are God's poiema- workmanship...
Deeper Place
Take me to a deeper place
Into the depths of the wells of Grace
Into the wounded hands
Into the Founder’s plans
Laid before the foundation of the Earth
Let me know
Let me know
Let me know the deeper worth.
Into the valley of vision
Into the mysterious mission
Show a narrow away
A sanctifying day
A place where all your names are shown
Let me know
Let me know
Let me know as I am known.
Strip away the shadows
That obscure my sight
Let me see simplicity
In clarifying light
Let me understand
The works of mine own hand
That right now counts forever
So let me reckon what is right.
To pull down clever arguments
Raised up against your throne
That devastate as they deceive
Even the chosen who fail to believe.
To the praise of the glory of your grace
Let me know
Let me know
What it’s like to see your Face.
Anthony Foster
Sept 2, 2007
Discovering Our True Identity by Glorifying God
10 Declarations IN CHRIST from the great Doxology in the book of Ephesians
This in from the Internet this week- I checked it out- no mention on
Snopes.com so looks to be useable:
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte , North Carolina , invited their
favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially
hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's
disease. But the Charlotte
leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let
us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the
rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of
Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored
by Time magazine as the
Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a
train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of
every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest
pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.
It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. The
conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know
who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it."
Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle
punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car , he turned
around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking
under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein,
don't worry, I know who you are. No problem.
You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one." Einstein looked
at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am.
What I don't know is where I'm going.'"
Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing?
It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are
telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be
a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this
luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This
is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't
want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to
remember this: I not only know who I am .. I also know where I'm going."
Knowing who you are and where you are going are important in the Christian
life. It is not just a matter of pie in the sky, by and by, when I die
or when I fly. It has eternal ramifications in the here and now as to
how we live.
Let's start out with a little language lesson. From the Greek language
comes the concept of the Hysteron Proteron- reversing the proper order
of two things- what we would refer to as "getting the cart before
the horse". The Latin word "preposterous" means basically
the same thing. In logic ad hoc ergo propter hoc - after this
therefore because of this- describes a type of fallacy of cause and
effect that one must get right.
Our subject matter tonight has been often taught with the same sort
of slant. In many cases the prime focus has been on living up to our
privilege- discovering our true identity in the book of Ephesians. Neal
Anderson posits the Proverb- as a man thinketh so shall he be and then
applies it to our thinking about who we are rather than the focus of
tonioght's scripture- who God is. Charles Stanley seeks to build up
self worth by focusing on the "I am" aspect of tonight's scriptures.
Yet he has recently credited the breakup of his marriage to self esteem
issues that he has had since childhood. It seems that building up self
esteem just does not avail much. Let me propose that building up a right
view of God's character, nature, and grace is a far more powerful antidote
to the slings and arrows Satan may cast our way in regards to our self
esteem.
I am not referring to a "secret identity" as some would live
it. You see, humans can simply not be trusted to rightly apply the knowledge
they gain about themselves- it puffs them up. But God commends humility.
But this is not about self esteem- it is about God esteem. Phillips
Brooks once said that humility is not about thinking you are a worm-
it is about standing up to your full stature next to Jesus and seeing
yourself for who you are in the Light of Who He is.
Let's look at it another way: Psalm 103 gets this proper order.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy
name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
… it goes on to bless and bless again the God who is forever blessed.
Notice the order and the focus- on God's worthiness and beneficence,
not on who we are as beneficiaries.
Ephesians is a doxology of sorts. In the first half Paul explains the
riches of God’s grace; in the last half he exhorts the recipients
of God’s grace. Twelve times in this one epistle Paul uses the
word "grace." May each of us lay claim to our possessions,
as Paul did even in the prison from which he wrote these blessings.
So I am starting with the proposition: The word worship means to ascribe
worth to. The modern tendency to focus on self worth and self esteem
has led to self worship, either in self aggrandizement or endless self
examination, both of which lead to bondage. I for one do not think that
modern man has ANY problem with self esteem- he esteems himself far
too well. This book is a corrective for this "preposterous"
notion.
The path to blessedness is in blessing God. Keith Green once wrote "Bless
me Lord, Bless Me Lord, you know that's all I ever hear!"
I told you at another time of the strip joint marquee I saw over on
Hiway 159 going out to Fairview Heights in Illinois that read "God
Bless America" just after 9-11. I told you then that I was looking
forward to the day when "America, Bless God" was the reality
and from that God's blessings would flow. So let us enter into a state
of blessing god tonight! To do so let's come to verse 1 which holds
the key concept for this short study in the book of Ephesians.
1. I am in Christ Jesus. Eph. 1:1- In Christ is used 70 times by Paul
and 3 times by Peter in the New Testament.
1:1 Except a man be "in Christ," he can claim none of the
blessings of God as his redemption rights. We cannot by-pass Jesus Christ
to get to God. The saints referred to here are not hagioi but pistoi-
the emphasis of the word is on trust and fidelity rather than being
different and set apart. It is not that these things put us in Christ
but that they are ONLY possible IN Christ.
In 2 Peter 1:4, we are told that we are participants in the divine nature.
We are being conformed to the likeness of the Son of God (Romans 8:29).
Note that …"according to," and "in accordance with"
in these verses designate something different than "because of"-
it also encompasses scope- as rich as God is, that is how deep the grace
is… is the idea. Accordance has to do with reckoning rality and
aligning with it.
Just as the branches are in the vine and the members are in the body
we are one with Christ and His people. From this blessed union with
Christ flows our sanctification- flows our very life.. Acts 17:28 Paul
quotes the Greek poet Epimenides in saying of the One True God, "
In Him we live and move and have our being" - this is my life verse...
The next part is very appropriate this time of year as we approach the
Thanksgiving season- this section is a eucharist- the original meaning
of the word is thanksgiving. But it is written in the form of a Jewish
berahkah-a blessing directed toward God.
These verses (1:3-14) have been referred to as a hymn of praise consisting
of three stanzas. The first relates to the past: God the Father is the
subject, and the refrain closes with the words, "To the praise
of the glory of His grace" (1:3-6).
The second stanza relates to the present: God the Son is the subject,
and it concludes "to the praise of His glory" (1:7-12).
The third stanza relates to the future: God the Holy Spirit is the subject,
and it concludes "unto the praise of His glory" (1:1314).
These three stanzas are bound into a harmonious unity by recurring references
to Christ: "In the Beloved," "In Christ," "In
Whom." So this is a Trinitarian doxology.
(1) Verses 3-14 are one sentence, one literary unit. Can you imagine
what a grammar teacher would have done with this sentence? But there
is a purpose, and that is to illustrate the way in which God’s
plan is complete, with no weak or missing links in it.
(2) Verses 3-14 are a summation of the spiritual blessings which are
the possession of every true believer. But as I said they are in the
form of a blessing to God- a berakah- and seem to be written in a state
of controlled ecstacy. As such they are presented as the basis for our
worship and praise of God.
(3) Verses 3-14 are God-centered, describing the blessings of salvation
from the standpoint of God’s pleasure, His purposes, His provisions,
and His glorification.
(4) Verses 3-14 describe the plans and purposes of a sovereign God,
established in eternity past, and being worked out to the minutest detail
in the present age, and in the future.
Praise Him for placing us IN CHRIST!
2. I am blessed with every spiritual blessing. Eph. 1:3
Remember the words to the Doxology (Praise God from whom all blessings
flow)
And "Come Thou fount of every blessing" ?
The verse expresses the Present reality of the Christians’s true
nature, so we are to be in accordance with that nature and are to grow
into maturity.
The adjective translated "blessed" means to celebrate with
praises. The word here is eulogesas - the aorist tense- which refers
to undefined time - we get our word eulogy from this root which means
"to speak high praise of". At the very outset Paul magnifies
the grace of God toward the Ephesians so that they, too, might be filled
to overflowing with praise. God is said to bless us when He bestows
upon us every provision for our spiritual peace and prosperity. We are
said to bless God when we offer praise and thanksgiving for His provision.
…in "heavenly places" is used five times in this letter.
The nature of the blessings is said to be "spiritual." There
is possibly more than one explanation of this. First, Paul might have
intended to distinguish the blessings from those mercies of God that
are material, physical, and temporal, that are intended particularly
for the body. Also, ours are heavenly experiences and heavenly privileges
conferred upon us by God in Christ. They originate among the eternal
and unseen things. Because He is blessed I am blessed. Blessing only
flows from blessing God! Praise Him for blessedness!
3. I am chosen by God to be holy and blameless. Eph. 1:4
See John 15:16
Exelexato (aorist) The focus is on the purpose of God's choice: for
us to be haggaios (distinct and set apart) and amomos (a sacrificial
word meaning unblemished). Cf.Romans 12:1-2.
In election God chooses the person; in predestination God establishes
the program for the person. ask yourself this question: Who is the ultimate
initiator of salvation, God or man? "No one can come to Me, unless
the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last
day" (John 6:44)...see whole discourse.Our belief is a response.
We must see at the outset that all that God had done for us in Christ
is "according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ
Jesus our Lord" (3:11). In eternity past, God’s eternal choice
was that all who are in Christ should be a holy people.
The phrase "chosen us in Him" could be rendered "chose
us for Himself." Chose us for what? Not to everlasting life, but
that we should be spotless for Himself! Progressive sanctification attains
here.
Praise Him for His choice!
So we are chosen, we are blessed, now we see we are destined:
4. I am predestinated to adoption through Jesus. Eph. 1:5
Sonship is a position of power and authority, whereby one reigns and
rules on God’s behalf. In Roman culture, the context in which Paul
wrote, the Father of as family had absolute authority. When someone
was adopted, a ritual was performed whereby all the rights of a legitimate
son were conferred upon the adopted one.
God destined us to be His sons and daughters. We chose God freely because
He chose us in eternity. We cannot concieve how but trust His word.
The verb translated "predestinated" is "foreordained."
It means to appoint, or to determine beforehand. proorizos speaks of
a draft drawing such as an artist would use before fleshing out the
artwork.
Huiothesia- means to place in position of a son and is used five times.
Notice, please, that we have been foreordained unto adoption as sons.
The word "adoption" is used only by Paul. To understand its
meaning, you must lay aside the idea of the word as used today when,
by a legal act, an adult person takes a minor, not his own, into the
relation as his child. The Spirit of adoption has been given us, but
the adoption of the believer is still future, being a divine act whereby
God sets a goal for the believer. Paul states clearly that our adoption
is something for which the believer is "waiting" (Rom. 8:23),
having been foreordained "unto" adoption. There is some sense
of "now" and "not yet" here. 1 John tells us we
can be called children of God.
We do have here and now the Spirit of adoption (Rom.
8:15), His Presence in us is the seal, or guarantee of a future act
of son-placing. Adoption does not mean son-making, for in eternity we
shall be sons no more than we are now but, rather, at that time, we
shall be properly placed in God’s show-case and displayed as sons.
There seems to be some sort of ceremonial celebration in view. God has
predestinated us unto the adoption--it is future. Therefore, His sovereign
act of adoption can have nothing whatever to do with His choice of us.
In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul explains how Jesus Christ secured
our adoption for us by His death at Calvary in order that "we might
receive" it (Gal. 4:5).
Praise Him for His predestining us!
5. I am accepted in the beloved. Eph. 1:6
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing because He chose us
in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before Him, one day to place us on display as His
glorified sons. Then His holy and unblemished Church will cause men
and angels to acknowledge the wonders of His infinite love and grace
toward sinners.
God has foreordained that men shall extol and praise His grace in all
its eternal glory. This is the terminus of His kindness toward sinners.
Today this is demonstrated only meagerly in the lives of His true followers,
but in the end of the age "He shall come to be glorified in His
saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" (II Thess.
1:10).
God planned for the suffering of His own son, His "beloved"
Son. This is surely the meaning of Paul’s words in Eph. 1:6, when
he informs us that God poured out His grace freely in the Beloved. Jesus
is the beloved Son of God (Matthew 3:17), and yet the Father purposed
His agony, His death, on the cross. The question of how God can purpose
for guilty sinners to suffer eternally is not nearly so difficult to
fathom as the question of how God could purpose for His beloved, sinless,
Son to die on the cross of Calvary.
Think of this. Both the Father and the Son, in their omniscience (knowledge
of all things), knew the full measure of the suffering of the Savior.
They knew it in eternity past, before the plan of salvation was ever
decreed. And yet the Father made it His plan, and the Son was obedient
to it.
Consider the possibility that suffering is not the opposite of glory,
and not just the means to glory, but an aspect of glory itself.
Praise Him for the beloved and His acceptance!
6. I have redemption through His blood. Eph. 1:7
Paul uses terms with very precise theological meanings, terms like "chose"
(1:4), "predestined" (1:5), "redemption" (1:7),
and later "sealed" (1:13). He does not attempt to define them-
he is stating them as fact.
The word "redemption" (apolutrosis) appears three times in
Eph. , and it means to set free a prisoner by the payment of a ransom
or deliverance by payment of a price.Note that the ransom is not paid
to Satan as some would have it. We are saved from the wrath of God by
the bruising of God's son. The ransom price of the slave is the blood
of Jesus Christ, and if any man is to be released from the power and
penalty of sin it must be "through His blood."
**The penalty for sin is death (Gen. 2:17). Death is sin’s wages
(Rom. 6:23). Only a substitute life will satisfy the righteous demands
of God. Since the life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11), and
the Son of man gave His life a "ransom" (Matt. 20:28), all
who trust in Him are assured of release from sin’s power and penalty,
but only "through His blood."
In the first stanza, the Father plans our redemption (1:4-6); in the
second, the Son provides it. We shall never be able to overestimate
the worth and power of the death of Jesus Christ. God displayed His
wisdom and power in creation, but only in the death of His Son do we
see a manifestation of divine compassion for sinners, and the only responsibility
imposed upon sinners is that of believing and receiving and the Spirit
grants us that ability. Redemption is a present fact: "we have
redemption." Praise God for the blood of Christ!
7. I am forgiven of all my sins. Eph. 1:7
Paul includes in the same sentence, "the forgiveness of sins."
To "forgive" "aphesis" is to release from guilt.
Sin here is not hamartia but rather paraptoma- deviations or sinful
acts.
A man may forgive a friend who has wronged him, but the forgiveness
cannot cancel the guilt. But when God forgives a sinner He actually
remits the sin and removes the guilt. Forgiveness for the believing
sinner is an act of God whereby He sets aside absolutely and eternally,
by judicial decree, all condemnation and guilt. Judicial forgiveness,
in contradistinction to the Father’s forgiveness of His sinning
child (I John 1:9), covers all sin, and by it the believing sinner is
pardoned forever. It forever absolves and acquits the sinner. When we
confess (agree with God) over our sins, we are cleansed and the right
relationship between us and God is made fresh in our hearts. While there
is no condemnation, no separation from god's love, our open and unhindered
fellowship with God must be restored in God's way.
Praise God for forgiveness!
8. We are enlightened with wisdom and insight.
The next verses, 8-9 are interprested variously- what is the antecedent
of enlightened with wisdom and insight- is this god's or his gift to
us? Based on the mighty prayer for wisdom and insight in the verses
following this and later in chapter 4, it could go either way- much
of this is now and not yet in nature.
Praise God for insight!
9. I am sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Eph. 1:13
Verse 13 contains three prominent words, each essential to the other.
They are "heard," "believed," and "sealed."
Here we shall see the work of the Holy Spirit in the divine plan. All
three Persons in the Godhead have had a pertinent part in man’s
redemption.
What is the Spirit’s work? All men being spiritually dead in trespasses
and sins, man needs new life. Since the Holy Spirit is "the Spirit
of life" (Rom. 8:2), He quickens us from spiritual death.
How does the Spirit accomplish this quickening? The instrument He uses
is the Word of God. In Eph. it is called "the Word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation." Elsewhere we are reminded that "faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
We cannot adequately explain our salvation apart from the Spirit’s
ministry through the Word.
Upon "hearing" and "believing" the Word, immediately
"ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" (1:13)
When we hear the gospel we are made alive and God gives us grace to
believe; it is then God’s part to seal. We are not sealed by the
Spirit but, rather, with the Spirit. Better still, the Spirit is the
seal. It is "God who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts" (I Cor. 1:21-22).
A seal is a mark of authenticity or genuineness.
Furthermore, a seal is the mark of ownership.
Praise Holy Spirit!
This leads us to verse 14.
I have obtained an inheritance. Eph. 1:14
Then, too, the seal is the mark of security, for the Spirit "is
the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession" (1:14). He is the first installment. We are kleronomia-
destines and chosen for an inheritance.- God operationalizes his plan-
energountas. According to the cousel (boule) of His will (thelema).
Here is the answer to the problem some men have regarding the preservation
of the believer. Wherein does our security lie? The word "earnest"
denotes a down payment, or a pledge that an agreement will be kept.
Now God has offered us eternal life upon belief on His Son. But can
we be certain that we shall enter into that life after we die? Yes,
indeed! The earnest bound the bargain, and the deposit will not be returned
until the remainder of our redemption, which is the redemption of our
body (Rom. 8:23) is fully realized. This also relates to our being god's
possession (Isaiah 43:21 and Malchi 3:17).
The Holy Spirit is in the earth as God’s deposit, or guarantee,
until Jesus Christ comes again to receive His own unto Himself. The
indwelling Holy Spirit is our guarantee of a finished transaction and
a safe delivery of spirit, soul, and body to heaven. Our future inheritance
of glory is assured, for the sealing with the Spirit is designed to
give us certainty that the future will bring a completed redemption,
and that "unto the praise of His glory."
Our inheritance, our hope of glory, gives us joy, confidence and boldness,
even in the face of opposition and affliction. The confidence and joy
we have as a result of our inheritance sets us apart from all others.
Finally, the Christian hope promotes holiness and purity in this life.
The inheritance is yet to come but the promise of it changes everything.
Praise God for His inheritance!
The list continues into Ephesians , but the lesson eneth here.. Consider:
Ephesians: Declaring our Identity in Christ to the Praise of His
Glorious Grace
* We are made alive in Christ. 2:5
* We are raised up with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenlies.
2:6
* We are saved by grace through faith. 2:8
* We are God’s workmanship. 2:10
* We have access to the Father through Jesus. 2:18
* We are fellow citizens with God’s people and a member of His
family. 2:19
* We are part of the dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. 2:20
* We may approach God with freedom and confidence through faith. 3:12
* We can have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is
the love of Christ. 3:18
* We were created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
4:24
* We are dearly loved children of God. 5:1
* We are light in the Lord. 5:8
Let us know what God has accomplished in us-to the praise of His glorious
grace-and never live beneath our privilege in Christ!