Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:10-24
Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:10-24
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
-C.S. Lewis
Main Idea: To fight against the enemy, we must rightly equip ourselves for battle.
Lines are drawn: Who is the enemy? Where is our strength found? (6:10-12)
Suit up: How do we ready ourselves for battle? (6:13-17)
The work: What is the mission? (Are there reinforcements?) (6:18-20)
Help is always on the way. (6:21-23)
How are your battles going?
Who are you fighting with?
Who are you fighting for?
Who are you trying to free?
Our Heavenly Master
Ephesians 6:5-9
Our Heavenly Master
Ephesians 6:5-9
Main Idea: We must treat others and approach our work in relationship to our Heavenly Master.
I. The Gospel & Slavery
Slavery and servitutde were a massive part of the structure of the Roman Empire, with some estimating there were upwards of 60 million slaves (or ‘bondservants’) at the time of Christ. In a city like Ephesus, a full ⅓ of the population may have been bondservants.“Paul could no more envisage a world without slavery than we can envisage a world without electricity.” ~ N.T. Wright
Though the practices of slavery varied throughout the Roman Empire, the practice during the time of the NT was different than slavery in the American South in some important ways:
It was based more in economics than race.
It was (usually) not lifelong; bondservants would work for compensation and could gain their freedom through release or payment.
Bondservants were a part of the structure of society at nearly all levels, often serving in roles like teachers, secretaries, and doctors.
Paul teaches Christians how they should live within this existing and culturally unquestioned structure without condoning it. The gospel itself undermined the very institution of slavery, creating a community of equality and justice in the church that helped lead to the end of this practice.
“While we cannot defend the indolence or cowardice of two further Christian centuries which saw this social evil but failed to eradicate it, we can at the same time rejoice that the gospel immediately began even in the first century to undermine the institution; it lit a fuse which at long last led to the explosion which destroyed it.”
~ John Stott
II. The Gospel & Bondservants (6:5-8)
Bondservants are to render their service and their work ultimately to Christ. Paul directly connections their work and their position four times to the Lord. They are to serve their earthly masters in a way that honors their Heavenly Master.
This gives them three new realities for their work:
New Motivation: purity and sincerity of heart (“wholeness”)
New Work Ethic: not for people-pleasing, but good honest work before the Lord
New Reward: working for treasures in heaven and a reward from their Heavenly Master
With these exhortations in mind, Christians today ought to approach treatment of others in authority and our work in the same way (cf. Col. 3:23-24). Our motivations for work should not be worldly, but instead Spirit-filled (5:18), reflecting our greater calling to the Lord in every area of our lives.
“Christians have been set free to enjoy working. If we begin to work as if we were serving the Lord, we will be freed from both overwork and underwork. Neither the prospect of money and acclaim, nor the lack of it, will be our controlling consideration. Work will be primarily a way to please God by doing his work in the world, for his name’s sake.”
~ Tim Keller
III. The Gospel & Masters (6:9)
Paul’s exhortations here would have been revolutionary in this culture; he assumes that within the church there is an equality and reciprocal treatment between master and bondservant (“do the same to them”). Like bondservants, masters must treat those under their authority as they would treat Christ (cf. Col. 4:1).
For those in positions of authority, they are compelled by the gospel to use their authority in a way that resembles Christ, embracing that they are “fellow-servants” of the same Heavenly Master who shows no partiality. They must not threaten or intimidate those under their authority, but treat them with dignity and respect.
As we draw our attention to our Heavenly Master, we are reminded that Jesus “came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). He came in his incarnation “by taking the form of a servant” and counting others as more significant than himself (Phil. 2:3-7). The pattern of our Heavenly Master must be the foundation and source of strength for how we treat others and our work.
Family Matters
Ephesians 6:1-4
Family Matters
Ephesians 6:1-4
Main idea: We glorify God by living together in Gospel-shaped families.
Matthew 19:14: “but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.””
Ps 127:3–5: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
“From God you receive them. To God you lead them.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
1 Samuel 1:26–28: 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
John 14:18–21: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
“One's heart goes out to the children of such fathers, and those of us who are fathers ourselves know that we too are far from perfect. ButGod the Father is not called Father because he copies earthly fathers.He is not some pumped-up version of your dad. To transfer the failingsof earthly fathers to him is, quite simply, a misstep. Instead, things arethe other way around: it is that all human fathers are supposed to reflect him--only where some do that well, others do a better job of reflecting the devil.” ~James Miller
Hebrews 12:7–11: 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Deuteronomy 6:7–9: 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
The Mystery of Marriage
Ephesians 5:22-33
The Mystery of Marriage
Ephesians 5:22-33
Main Idea: Marriage is a profound mystery pointing us to the ultimate marriage of Christ and the church.
I. Appreciating the Mystery (5:30-32)
Marriage is a “profound (lit. ‘mega’) mystery” that reveals to us something of eternal significance. We must appreciate both the design and the destination for marriage if we are to understand this mystery.
1. The Design of Marriage (Gen. 2:18-25)
In the Garden of Eden, God sees that “it is not good” that Adam is alone, so he creates Eve, a “helper fit for him” (2:18)
“Helper” does not imply inferiority; this term is most used of God himself in the OT and the Holy Spirit in the NT. The original marriage had a design of “head” (Eph. 5:23) and “helper.”
“Fit” speaks to the complementary relationship between the man and the woman; they were equal but not equivalent or interchangeable. Adam and Eve needed one another as essential partners to fulfill the mandates from the Lord.
Ultimately, the design of marriage was not meant to culminate with Adam and Eve, but with Christ’s love for the church. We must think of marriage today in light of the eternal love story of Christ for his bride.
“Every time a bride and a groom stand there and take their vows, they are reenacting the biblical love story, whether they realize it or not. The Son of God stepping down out of eternity, entering time, taking on flesh, pursuing and winning his bride as his very heart and body with his inmost, sincerest love so that he can fit her to be with him forever above – that dramatic super-reality is the breathtaking reason why human marriage exists.” ~ Ray Ortlund
2. The Destination of Marriage (Rev. 19:6-9, 21:1-2)
“The echoes of Genesis 2 are unmistakable. Again, we see God bringing a bride to her husband, only this time the husband is Jesus and we are the bride. In that first marriage, Adam failed to step in and help his wife when she needed him. But at the end of time there will be another wedding, the wedding supper of the Lamb, and its purpose is also to fill the world with children of God. It will succeed where the first marriage failed because, while the first husband in history failed, the Second Husband did not. The true Adam, Jesus Christ, will never fail his spouse, the Second Eve, his church.” ~ Tim Keller
II. Inhabiting the Mystery (5:22-29, 33)
With the foundation of this “mystery” revealed to us in Christ, we can make more sense of the exhortations Paul gives to both wives and husbands:
1. Wives (5:22-24): submit to your own husbands as to the Lord
3 notes on this exhortation:
This is not based on “traditionalism” or cultural constructs, but is consistently affirmed as God’s good design for marriage (cf. Col. 3:18, 1 Pet. 3:1)
This is voluntary posture, not under compulsion, for a specific context: wives to your own husbands, not women (in general) to men (in general)
This is an expression of obedience to the Lord (“as to the Lord”) and respect (5:33) for her husband
Philippians 2:3–7: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves… Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
2. Husbands (5:25-29): love your wives (3x)
Paul gives two analogies to explain what this love should look like:
Love your wife as Christ loves the church (5:25-27); this posture is marked by 4 verbs: give yourself up, sanctify, cleanse, and present. Husbands should love their wives in such a way that they are more like Christ, preparing for the day when we will be glorified in splendor.
“How does Christ love and lead his church? He does so by laying down his own life to the point of crucifixion. A husband’s leadership is about a special accountability for sabotaging his own wants and appetites with a forward-looking plan for the best interests of his wife and children. Headship is not about having one’s laundry washed or one’s meals cooked or one’s sexual drive met, but rather about constantly evaluating how to step up first to lay one’s life down for his family.” ~ Russell Moore
Love your wife as you love your own body (5:28-29), marked by nourishing & cherishing this one-flesh union. Husbands ought to love their wife in both action and affection. The covenant nature of marriage creates the environment for the connection of intimacy.
Walk It Out
Ephesians 5:1-21
Walk It Out
Ephesians 5:1-21
Main Idea: In Christ, we imitate God by walking in love, light, and wisdom.
I. Walk in Love (5:1-2)
a. Imitate the love of the Father (1)
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1)
“ In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)
b. Imitate the love of the Son (2)
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
“but God shows (demonstrates) his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
II. Walk in Light (5:3-14)
8 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Eph 5:8)
a. Sex, Greed, Speech (5:3-5)
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:3-5)
"With some (Christians) the last part of their nature that ever gets sanctified is their pockets." ~ Charles Spurgeon
5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; (Ephesians 5:5–7)
“18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
b. Goodness, Righteousness, Truth (5:9-10)
9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:9–10)
c. Expose and Transform (5:11-14)
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5:11–14)
III. Walk in Wisdom (5:15-21)
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15–21)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
New Life in Christ
Ephesians 4:17-32
New Life in Christ
Ephesians 4:17-32
Main Idea: Our new life in Christ empowers us to live in a transformed way.
I. A New Identity (4:17-24)
The “once… but now” pattern of Ephesians shows up again here. Paul urges the church to no longer walk as the ‘Gentiles’ (speaking morally, not ethnically) do. He compares their old and new selves:
1. The Old Self (4:17-19)
Their mind was futile and darkened, their hearts were hardened and callous, and their actions were impure, immoral, and insatiable. The totality of who they were (head, heart, and hands) was ‘alienated from the life of God.’
2. The New Self (4:20-24)
Paul reminds these Gentiles that they have been taken to the “school of Christ” (4:20-21), where they have learned him, heard him, and taught him who is himself the truth. Because of Christ, we have a new way of thinking, a new way of responding, and new behaviors.
“If a man becomes Christ’s disciple by conversion, he must remain Christ’s disciple, throughout the rest of his life, by sitting at his Master’s feet, and receiving instruction from him; for it is only as we are taught of God that we shall be able to keep up the high spiritual distinction between ourselves and the rest of mankind. We are under the tutorship of the Holy Spirit; he has taken us into his school; he has taught us something already, he is teaching us more now, and he will keep on teaching us more and more till we shall know even as we are known.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
Just as we get dressed and put on clothes each day, we are to “put off the old self” and “put on the new self,” which is Christ himself (Rom. 13:14, Col. 3:9-10, Gal. 3:27). This putting off of the old and putting on of the new has already happened decisively at salvation, and we now live out this new reality daily.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The bridge between this “putting off” and “putting on” is to “be renewed” in the present. This is the work of the Spirit who is conforming us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). This is the sanctification process of the Christian life, where we become functionally who we already are positionally in Christ.
II. A New Way of Living (4:25-32)
Paul now practically applies this new identity to a new way of living, marked by ongoing repentance, faith, and gospel transformation. “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said “Repent,” he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.” ~ Martin Luther
This new way of living is described in the same pattern in these verses:
Repentance (negative: stop doing this…)
Faith (positive: instead, do this…)
Theological / gospel motivation
1. Truth-telling (4:25)
Repentance: Put away all falsehood
Faith: Speak the truth with our neighbor
Theological: We are members of one another; the body is strengthened and united by truth, not falsehood (Eph. 4:15-16)
2. Anger (4:26-27)
Repentance: Turn from unrighteous anger
Faith: Live with righteous anger
Theological: Do not give an opportunity to the devil, who is the Father of lies and a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44)
3. Work (4:28)
Repentance: No longer steal or work dishonestly
Faith: Work hard and honestly
Theological: We work hard in order that we might be generous toward those who are in need
4. Speech (4:29-30)
Repentance: No more corrupting speech (cf. ‘rotten fruit of Mt. 7:17-18)
Faith: Edifying speech for building up, full of grace
Theological: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, who has sealed us and is transforming us from the inside-out
Luke 6:45: The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
5. Attitudes (4:31-32)
Repentance: Bitterness, wrath, (unrighteous) anger, clamar, slander, and malice must be put away
Faith: Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving to one another
Theological: Christ has forgiven us and acted toward us in this very way
When we realize that Christ has treated us in all of these ways out of his grace, kindness, and mercy, we begin to realize the power to change and be transformed. The gospel does not call us to a list of moralistic activities, but to a new life and a new way of living marked by Christ himself (5:1-2).
Body Building in the Local Church
Ephesians 4:7-16
Body Building in the Local Church
Ephesians 4:7-16
Main Point: A local church grows into its mature, functioning reality as each of us speaks the Truth to one another in love.
In this passage we see:
What does a mature, functioning local church look like?
Where do the resources for becoming such a church come from?
Where does the responsibility lie for becoming such a church?
How does a local church become more mature and functional?
I. What does a mature, functioning local church look like?
It looks like a healthy, active adult human being.
A healthy, active adult human being is one that can be fully engaged with what it was made to do without giving a thought to itself. In a similar way, the maturing, functional local church is one that can be fully engaged in the work of ministry to which Jesus called it without tripping over itself, getting in its own way.
II. Where do the resources for becoming this kind of local church come from?
They come from Jesus as expressions of His kingly rule over the right-now world as foretold in the Scriptures.
The two basic resources Jesus provides for His people to become mature functional local church communities are GRACE and “GOSPELIZERS.”
GRACE here is the embarrassment of riches Jesus gives to the local church through the skills and capabilities inherent in the believers who are its members.
In addition to this, He has given a cohort of gifted individuals I have lumped under the label “GOSPELIZERS.”
III. Where does responsibility lie for becoming this kind of local church?
The responsibility for becoming this kind of local church lies with each of us. We are “the saints” who need to be equipped for the work of ministry so that we can build up the body of Christ, which, in this usage, is obviously the local church in Ephesus. (4:12)
Our responsibility is two-fold. We are to:
Arrive at mature adulthood in Christ.
So that we can stop being like immature children.
IV. How does a local church become more mature and functional?
The answer is simple and straightforward: By speaking the Truth to one another in love.
In context, the Truth Paul has been talking about is the gospel as revealed in Jesus. In other words, the local church’s growth into healthy maturity is directly correlated to the gospel fluency of each and every member of that local church.
The Unity of the Church
Ephesians 4:1-6
The Unity of the Church
Ephesians 4:1-6
Main Idea: We must diligently maintain unity by walking in Christlikeness and remembering our common confession of faith.
I. The Attitudes of Unity (4:1-2a)
As Paul hits the “hinge” point of his letter to the Ephesians, he exhorts the church in Ephesus to pursue four attitudes necessary for unity:
1. Urgency
Paul exhorts the Ephesians to “walk” in a manner consistent with their calling in Christ. Our walking in unity will not happen accidentally or nonchalantly, but takes urgency and intentionality.
Colossians 2:6: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him…”
2. Humility
Humility is an essential attitude to unity, but in Roman culture this concept was used in a derogatory way. Jesus entered this world in the “form of a servant” in ultimate humility, and we are to take up this same mindset in the church, considering others more significant than ourselves (Phil. 2:1-11).
“The truth is this: pride must die in you or nothing of heaven can live in you. Under the banner of the truth, give yourself up to the meek and humble spirit of the holy Jesus. Humility must sow the seed or there can be no reaping in heaven. Look not at pride only as an unbecoming temper, nor at humility only as a decent virtue: for the one is death and the other is life; the one is hell and the other is heaven. So much as you have of pride within you, you have of the fallen angel alive in you; so much as you have of true humility, so much you have of the Lamb of God within you…Humility is the only soil in which graces root” ~ Andrew Murray
3. Gentleness
Gentleness is not timidity or weakness; it is “meekness” (cf. Mt. 5:5) which has the idea of strength under control. It means dealing with others kindly rather than harshly, and with compassion rather than demanding. This is following after Christ who himself is “gentle and lowly in heart” (Mt. 11:28-29).
4. Patience
This is the posture of being ‘longsuffering’ with the people around us in endurance and steadfastness, just as Christ has been patient with each one of us.
II. The Actions of Unity (4:2b-3)
Forbearance in love
Ephesians 4:15–16: Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
We are not called to create unity in the church but instead to maintain unity. We are already united in the Spirit as Jesus has made peace (2:15). The church must do this “eagerly,” making every effort to continue on in this work.
“Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their personal intentions may be ever so honest, earnest, and sacrificial.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
III. The Anchor of Unity (4:4-6)
Paul appears to be quoting an early “Christian” creed modeled after the OT ‘Shema’ from Deuteronomy 6:4. This creed has a trinitarian structure:
We are one in God the Spirit (4:4): Despite all of our differences, as one body we share the same Spirit and the same hope of our calling.
We are one in God The Son (4:5): In the Lord, we have one faith and one baptism.
John 17:20–23: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.We are one in God the Father (4:6)
“The unity of the church is as indestructible as the unity of God himself. It is no more possible to split the church than it is possible to split the Godhead.” ~ John Stott
Prayer’s Power to Form and Fill
Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer’s Power to Form and Fill
Ephesians 3:14-21
Main Point: Attending to God in prayer is how he takes you from here to there.
In prayer we attend to the care of the Triune God
In prayer we access the cache of the Father’s riches
In prayer we acquire the capacity of the Spirit’s power
In prayer we ask for comprehension of Christ’s love
A Mystery, a Purpose, and a Paradox
Ephesians 3:1-13
A Mystery, a Purpose, and a Paradox
Ephesians 3:1-13
Paul’s main point: The Church is the most important thing happening in the world right now.
Two Bold Theological Claims about the Church
1. The Church is the crowning achievement of Christ’s purposes in the World. (Eph 3:1-6)
The Church is the “mystery” now revealed and confirmed in Christ. The culmination of everything the Scriptures foretold about the Messiah blessing all the nations of the earth.
The Church is the Inheritance promised by the Father to the Son. (Ps 2:7-9)
The Church is the Prize that Jesus purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)
The Church is the Gathering being carried out by the Spirit, through the proclaimed gospel. (Eph 2:22)
The Church is that general assembly of the First Born, the writer of Hebrews mentions and that John saw in Revelation.
2. The Church is the crowning achievement of Christ’s preeminence in the Heavenly Places. (Eph 3:7-12)
The Church is “the eternal purpose” that “God who created all things” “realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,” the means by which His manifold wisdom is made known to “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” It is the definitive proof point of Jesus’ triumph over “all the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)
The Church is the means by which His manifold wisdom is made known to “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
It is the definitive proof point of Jesus’ triumph over all the efforts of organized Evil.
Paul and the Ephesians were among “the first to hope in Christ” with the end result that they “might be to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:12)
Like us, they “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:13)
One Paradoxical Risk for members of the Church right now: “Losing heart” by becoming more focused on our current situation than on our ultimate reality. (Eph 3:13)
At the time Paul is writing and right up to today, the full and complete story of the Church in the world is still unfolding.
Equally obvious, the marvel of King Jesus enthroned in the heavenly places is hidden from our eyes. For now.
This is the paradox. One would like to think that in the glare of such glory as Paul has just described, it would be virtually impossible to lose heart. But it is not.