Explore how God's unchanging nature and character are the foundation of His plan for our salvation from Ephesians 1:11-23. This post will give a video message and notes for this Bible Study of Our Inheritance In Christ.
Ephesians Bible Study - Our Inheritance In Christ
OPENING PASSAGE - Ephesians 1:11-23
All God has done for us through Christ was planned (predestined, pre-determined) from the beginning.
Everything was predestined in accordance with the purpose and counsel of God’s will. and God is sovereign, but God cannot lie, and neither will God operate outside of His character and who He is.
Deuteronomy 32:4 - He is the Rock (unchanging); His work is perfect (complete, entire, integrity); for all His ways are just (just judgement). He is a God of Truth (faithfulness - in fulfilling promises) and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.
So God will always function out of who He is. God often reveals these qualities to us in His names. Verse - Psalm 9:10
So you could say in a sense that salvation is a product of who He is.
Examples:
Yeshua is the Hebrew name of Jesus - "the Lord who saves, the Lord is salvation, the Lord who helps, saviour"
He is also the Rock (unchanging). He is a God of truth (faithful in fulfilling His promises).
Jehovah Rapha (He is the healer)
Jehovah Shammah - (He is here/present)
El Shaddai (All sufficient one, the strong, mighty, powerful and supreme God)
He is telling us who He is and how He operates. He is telling us His purposes and giving us His will.
The purpose/will of God revealed in the Scriptures is He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
We can be confident in Him (in Christ) because all that He does is because of who He is, and He will not change.
Verse: Ephesians 1:13-14
Verse 13 - gives us the conditions for this to be accomplished in our lives.
Hear the Word - Romans 10:17
Gospel of Salvation - Good News of the Gospel - Romans 1:16
After Believing - faith is the condition of receiving the plan of God.
Sealed with the Holy Spirit - the guarantee of our inheritance
The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives acts as a seal which indicates ownership.
The sealing does not come before we believe.
Completed Transaction. (bought)
When Jesus comes again, we will fully receive the benefit of redemption and be fully in God’s possession.
Paul’s Prayer - The Exalted Position of Christ
Verse: Ephesians 1:15-16
Paul rejoices and expresses thanks (to God) for those in the Ephesian church that they walked in faith. We should always rejoice in someone coming to faith. Paul also mentions that he is constantly praying for them.
Christians should always pray for one another.
Praying for others brings God’s blessings of strength and encouragement upon them.
We should pray for those we know and in whom we have a personal interest.
There is also benefit then in telling them we are praying for them.
Paul prayed especially that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Holy Spirit) that they might know the hope of His calling and the riches of His inheritance.
Verses: John 16:13, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 1 Corinthians 2:12
God provides His Spirit to help us understand and experience Him and all He has for us.
God’s power raised Jesus from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand, and exalted Him above all rule and authority.
Notice: what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe - this power works for/in us.
We can be confident in this power because it is the power that raised Christ from the dead.
Verse: Romans 8:11
Now that Jesus is at God the Father’s right hand and is set over all other authority, then it must mean that all things are under His feet (a position of subjection).
Verse: Ephesians 1:22-23
The devil is not some arch nemesis of Christ. He is a defeated enemy who has no authority over Christ.
The church is introduced. The church bride of Christ but also the body of Christ. Jesus is the head of the church. Specifically, Jesus is head over all things to the church.
The church is called the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Christ is our fullness; in Him, we find everything. But in what sense is the church the fullness of Christ? The church lives out, reveals and carries out or fulfills His plan.
Yes, the world needs Christians to be Christians. A more accurate statement is that the world needs the church to be the church.
Help us reach more people, please share this post with others. Thanks!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider supporting this ministry. Click support for more information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------