Prison Epistles (Lesson 3)

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What are all things worked within? (11)

How should we respond when we hear of another persons faith? (12)

Describe how the Holy Spirit is the Guarantee of our inheritance. (14)

Can an unbeliever understand fully what they are missing? (18)

Who brought Jesus from the grave? (20)

Who is now over all things? (22)

We discussed predestination in lesson 2

Predestination

Dispensation

Ephesians 1:11–22 NKJV
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease 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 to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
Truths in verses 11-12 (Question 5,6)

Verse 11-12

Verse 11

The closing phrase of verse 10 “In Him” is also applied to the blessings here in verse 11.

It is In Him (Jesus Christ) that we have obtained an inheritance

The word predestined is used once again

Two possible meanings

1. God chose from the beginning of time who would be saved.

2. God chose those that he foreknew would accept His Son

“Works all things” It is the purpose of the personal God who is active in the world, working out his own will in wisdom and grace. First, he has decided all things and then his counsel or determined plan is accomplished in and through His will.

Question 5: What are all things worked within? (His Will)

Verse 12

Gods will is now seen in its effect upon man… praise to His glory.

It was not for our own privilege but that through us His glory might be set forth.

Question 6: How should we respond when we hear of another persons faith? (We should praise God for offering Salvation… not so much praising the one being saved)

Verse 13

The word trusted is added for clarity but not found in the Greek text. It’s addition is for clarity. In the Greek test the “Trusting” is understood.

The work sealed means “to set a seal upon, mark with a seal.”

a. If the shipment is ready seal the door.

b. Put a seal upon the letter.

c. Put a brand on the animal.

Sealing signifies three things

1. A finished transaction

2. Ownership

3. Security

The Holy Spirit is described as the Spirit of the promise, namely, the Spirit who was announced by promise

Acts 1:8 NKJV
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Verse 14

Question 7

The word guarantee is also the word “earnest

This word is symbolic of a down payment with a promise of full payment

The bestowal of the Holy Spirit is God’s part payment in the salvation He gives the believing sinner, that part payment guaranteeing the full delivery of all parts of the salvation given.

Salvation has three clear parts

1. Justification, the removal of the guilt and penalty of sin and the bestowal of a positive righteousness, Jesus Christ, is given at the moment the sinner puts his faith in the Lord Jesus as Saviour.

2. Sanctification, a progressive work of the Spirit in the life of the believer, is a present possession in which He eliminates sin from the experience of the believer and produces His own fruit.

3. Glorification, the act of God transforming the present bodies of believers into perfect, sinless, deathless bodies.

The believer has the first two now. The Holy Spirit, indwelling the believer, is God’s earnest money, guaranteeing to him the future glorification of his body

The Holy Spirit is this guarantee until “the redemption of the purchased possession.”

The words “purchased possession” expresses the general idea of preserving, acquiring, gaining for one’s self, without specific reference to a price.

It refers to the saints as God’s heritage which He preserves for Himself. The final redemption of this possession is glorification, when the physical body will be the recipient of the work of salvation.

Question 7: Describe how the Holy Spirit is the Guarantee of our inheritance? The Holy Spirit acts as earnest money with full payment promised at a future time.

Verse 15-16

Verse 15

Therefore means “On this account

On account of all I (Paul) know I write this letter/offer this prayer.

The Faith that Paul says he has heard of isn’t the initial moment of faith but the ongoing actions of faith.

This faith resulted in love.

The love here is a Godly love (Agape).

Verse 16

Due to this Paul does two things

He remembers them daily

He prays for them daily

Verse 17

“The God of our Lord Jesus Christ” speaks to Jesus within His humanity as worshipping and being obedient to the Father.

He is the Father to whom all glory belongs.

Paul ask for the Ephesian believers a list of spiritual blessings.

1. The spirit of wisdom

This isn’t seeking more of the human spirit

This isn’t seeking more of the Holy Spirit

This isn’t seeking a re-occurrence of the Holy Spirit

This is seeking the gift offered by the Holy Spirit to produce wisdom. The more they submitted to the Holy Spirit the more Godly wisdom would overcome them.

2. The spirit of revelation

This is the moment that knowledge is the heart referring not only to the emotional nature, but also to the reason and to the faculty of intelligence

Verse 18

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened”. This phrase is written so that we are looking completed work, The eyes of our heart have been opened, and its present results.

3. “That you may know the hope of your calling”. The hope that is associated with the gift of Salvation and all that pertains to that hope. The understanding of what you have been given.

4. “What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”. The hope that is associated with what is to come.

Question 8: Can an unbeliever understand fully what they are missing? Not even close.
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