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Post by Cindy on Jul 20, 2017 9:45:57 GMT -5
Here we can look at Ephesians 1:1-3. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:1–3)
Paul repeatedly emphasized our sufficiency as believers. In Col 2:10 he declares that in Christ “you have been made complete.” In Phil 4:13, 19 he says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me … my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Peter adds that God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life & godliness.” (2 Pet 1:3) As a Christian, you possess every spiritual resource you need to fulfill God’s will for your life. You need not pray for more love, because His love is already poured out in your heart through the Holy Spirit Rom. 5:5. The same is true of joy John 15:11 peace John 14:27 strength Phil. 4:13 & every other resource you need. The key to spiritual progress & victory is learning to apply what you already have, not seeking more. Praise God for His abundant spiritual resources. Ask Him to help you apply them with wisdom & consistency. Read Matt 6:25–34 & Phil 4:6–8. What specific promises does God make in those passages? What does He require of you? Drawing Near
“Spiritual” does not refer to immaterial blessings as opposed to material ones, but rather to the work of God, who is the divine & spiritual source of all blessings. in the heavenly places. Lit. “in the heavenlies.” This refers to the realm of God’s complete, heavenly domain, from which all His blessings come (v. 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). in Christ. God’s superabundant blessings belong only to believers who are His children, by faith in Christ, so that what He has is theirs—including His righteousness, resources, privilege, position, & power (Ro 8:16, 17). MacArthur study Bible
We should have joy because it is a reasonable response to continual spiritual blessings. God’s pouring out of spiritual blessings for believers never stops. if we just pause & consider some of the ways the Lord is good to us, we'll not be able to keep from rejoicing. For example, every time we sin it's instantly forgiven. Every time God refines us through trials, exposes us to solid biblical teaching, & molds us more toward the image of Christ, it should be cause for us to praise Him. Every time God brings us safely through another day & spares us some terrible disaster or extreme agony, we experience the blessing of His mercy. God is also planning future blessings, such as preparing a place for us in heaven. The pillars of Christian character
God the Father has made us rich in Jesus Christ! When you were born again into God’s family, you were born rich. Through Christ, you share in the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7; 2:7), God’s glory (Eph. 1:18; 3:16), God’s mercy (Eph. 2:4), & “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8). Our Heavenly Father is not poor; He is rich—& He has made us rich in His Son. He promises to supply all our needs “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19), but He does not promise to shield us from either poverty or pain. The Father has given us every blessing of the Spirit, everything we need for a successful, satisfying Christian life. The spiritual is far more important than the material. The Holy Spirit channels our riches to us from the Father, through the Son. Not to know & depend on the Holy Spirit’s provision is to live a life of spiritual poverty. The unsaved person is interested primarily in earthlies, because that's where he lives. No matter where the Christian may be on this earth, he is seated in the heavenlies with Jesus, & this is the basis of his life & power. The Bible exposition commentary
Finally, here's a song for you by a couple who used to be with the Gaither's, I hope you enjoy it!
Ephesians Chapter One By Karen Peck and New River
Verse 1: In the middle of the battle, when all that really matters, Is a place where I can find relief, I even start to wonder if the stress I'm under, Is turnin my joy into grief, I've been beat down, backed down, found myself on the ground, Thought I would lose my mind, Then I opened up the Bible, & found I could rely on, Ephesians chapter one.
Chorus: God says I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm adopted I'm favored, Redeemed, yeah, I'm forgiven, Makes me wanna sing, I'm a child of the king and now I'm a really livin', By the blood of the Lamb, I know who I am, God said it and it's already done, When the devil comes in, I remind him again, Of Ephesians chapter one.
Verse 2: I don't mean to sound proud, 'cause you know I've been down, When the struggle almost took me out, But I found that God was workin in the middle of the hurtin, So I trust him and I don't have a doubt, That His fear takin', way makin', chain breakin' life changin', Power's gonna see me through, So I'm never gonna worry, even when He doesn't hurry, 'Cause I know what the Lord can do.
Chorus: God says I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm adopted I'm favored, Redeemed, yeah, I'm forgiven, Makes me wanna sing, I'm a child of the king and now I'm a really livin', By the blood of the Lamb, I know who I am, God said it and it's already done, When the devil comes in, I remind him again, Of Ephesians chapter one.
Bridge: I'm blessed, I;m chosen, I'm adopted I'm forgiven, Redeemed, I'm favored and now I'm really livin'.
Tag: I open up my Bible and I know I can rely on Ephesians Chapter One.
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Post by Cindy on Jul 20, 2017 9:54:48 GMT -5
Since I already gave you some notes on Ephesians 1:1-3, I'll start with verse 4 now. But please, don't let that stop you from answering the questions and continuing our talk about what you're going to be doing daily. Ephesians tells us a lot of the reasons why we should have joy, peace and love, among other things, as well as assuring us that our salvation can't be lost or given up. Let me share how Ephesians is described:
Ephesians is addressed to believers who are indescribably rich in Jesus, but living a beggarly existence because they're ignorant of their wealth. Because they haven't appropriated their wealth, they're walking like they're spiritual paupers! Paul begins by describing in chap 1–3 the contents of the Christian’s heavenly “bank account”: adoption, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, inheritance, the seal of the HS, life, grace, citizenship—in short, every spiritual blessing! Drawing upon our huge spiritual endowment, we have all the resources we need to live a life “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (1:6). 4–6 resembles an orthopedic clinic, where the Christian learns a spiritual walk rooted in his spiritual wealth. Talk thru the Bible
Sadly that's how many live today, because they don't know God's Word and therefore have no idea of the gifts He's given them, and therefore don't use them, but instead keep asking Him for them, not realizing that He's already given them to them.
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love” (Ephesians 1:4)
Eph 1:4 is a positional statement. That is, Paul describes how God views us “in Him [Christ].” Despite our exalted position in God’s sight, our practice often falls far short of His holy standard. Therefore, the challenge of Christian living is to increasingly match our practice to our position, realizing that sinless perfection won’t come until we are fully glorified in Heaven (Rom. 8:23). You meet that challenge by prayer, Bible study, & yielding your life to the Spirit’s control. Commit yourself to those priorities as you seek to fulfill the great purpose to which you’ve been called—the “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10). Drawing Near
When Jesus wrote His will for His church, He made it possible for us to share His spiritual riches. Instead of spending it all, Jesus paid it all. His death & resurrection make possible our salvation. He wrote us into His will, He died so the will would be in force. He arose again that He might become the heavenly Advocate to make sure the terms of the will were correctly followed! Note that God chose us even before He created the universe, so that our salvation is wholly of His grace & not on the basis of anything we ourselves have done. He chose us in Christ, not in ourselves. & He chose us for a purpose: to be holy & without blame. Election is a privilege that carries a great responsibility. The Bible exposition commentary
“he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—” (Ephesians 1:5)
Adoption has a dual meaning, both present & future. You don't get into God’s family by adoption but by regeneration, the new birth. Adoption is the act of God by which He gives His “born ones” an adult standing in the family so that we might immediately begin to claim our inheritance & enjoy our spiritual wealth! A baby can't legally use this inheritance, but an adult son can & should! This means that you don't have to wait until you're an old saint before you can claim your riches in Christ. The future aspect of adoption is the glorified body we'll have when Jesus returns. We already have our adult standing before God, but the world can't see this. When Christ returns, this “private adoption” will be made public for everyone to see! The Bible exposition commentary
Christians should rejoice because joy is a proper response to the work of Christ. As we remember that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8), we should immediately praise & thank Him with joyful hearts. It is important to remember that we “were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from [our] futile way of life inherited from [our] forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18–19), that “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (2:24), that “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), and that God orchestrated it all “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph. 1:4–5). When we understand all that Christ has accomplished for us and that heaven is eternally ours, we have an abiding joy that no trivial, passing circumstance should affect. The pillars of Christian character
Human parents can bestow their love, resources, and inheritance on an adopted child, but not their own distinct characteristics. But God miraculously gives His own nature to those whom He has elected and who have trusted in Christ. He makes them His children in the image of His divine Son, giving them not just Christ’s riches and blessings but also His very nature (cf. Jn 15:15; Ro 8:15). The MacArthur study Bible
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1 Peter 1:6)
What a state of privilege! It includes our justification before God, but the term “acceptance” in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that we're the objects of divine complacence, even of divine delight. How marvellous that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of divine love! But it's only “in the beloved.” Some Christians seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When their spirit is lively & their hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth! But when their souls cleave to the dust, they're the victims of the fear that they're no longer accepted. If they could but see that all their high joys don't exalt them & all their low despondencies don't depress them in their Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never alters, in One who's always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier they would be & how much more they would honour the Saviour! Rejoice then in this: you're accepted in the beloved. You look within, & you say, There's nothing acceptable here! But look at Christ, & see if there isn't everything acceptable there. Your sins trouble you; but God has cast your sins behind his back & you're accepted in the Righteous One. You have to fight with corruption & to wrestle with temptation, but you're already accepted in him who's overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts you; be of good cheer, he can't destroy you, for you're accepted in him who has broken Satan’s head. Know by full assurance thy glorious standing. Even glorified souls aren't more accepted than you. They're accepted in heaven in the beloved, & you're even now accepted in Christ in the same manner. Morning and evening
“to the praise of the glory of His grace” God’s initiating love in Christ reveals His very essence (cf. John 1:14, 18). This phrase is repeated three times (cf. vv. 6, 12, 14) and accents the work of the three persons of the Trinity: (1) God the Father before time, vv. 3–6; (2) God the Son in time, vv. 7–12; and (3) God the Spirit through time, vv. 13–14. However, in the Greek sentence from vv. 3–14, it is God the Father who is repeatedly praised. The Father’s grace, mercy and love flow (cf. 1:8) through Christ to fallen mankind (cf. Gen. 3:15; Isa. 53). God’s love flows to fallen mankind because of who He is, not who we are! The key is God’s character, not human performance! Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound
“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)
In Christ we have infinite forgiveness for every sin—past, present, & future. In Christ, God canceled your debt & pardoned your transgressions, & He did so “according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon [you]” (v. 8). That means you have infinite forgiveness, because God’s grace is infinite. You cannot sin beyond God’s grace, because where sin abounds, grace super-abounds (Rom. 5:20). Even when you fail, God doesn’t hold your sins against you. Christ bore them all so that you might know the joy & peace that freedom from sin & guilt brings. Look for opportunities to extend forgiveness to others. Drawing Near
“that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,” (Ephesians 1:8–9)
Which He lavished on us to overflowing. God’s grace enriches believers (cf. Rom 5:20). In all wisdom. Wise insight & spiritual perception which come from above (Jas 1:5; 3:17). Prudence. This is the practical use of wisdom and spiritual discernment. KJV Bible Commentary.
7b, 8 the forgiveness of our trespasses … In all wisdom and insight. Redemption brings in the limitless grace of God (Ro 5:20) & forgiveness of sin (cf. Mt 26:28; Ac 13:38, 39; Eph 4:32; Col 2:13; 1Jn 1:9). It brings divinely-bestowed spiritual understanding. Cf. 1Co 2:6, 7, 12, 16. The MacArthur study Bible
God’s grace is given to enable believers to understand His will. God gives them wisdom, objective insight into the true nature of God’s revelation, and understanding, the subjective apprehension of it. So believers are able to grasp something of the divine purpose of the ages and to see its relevance in the present time. This is accomplished because God made known to us the mystery of His will. “Mystery” is a previously hidden truth unveiled by God’s revelation. This mystery (unveiled truth) is God’s good pleasure to purpose in Christ to bring all things in heaven and on earth under His headship in the consummation of time. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Paul tells us that our Creator has not only saved us from His wrath through Jesus’ blood, but that in Christ the Father has bestowed this forgiveness “in all wisdom and insight.” We need not only the pardon of our sins to be faithful disciples of our Lord, but also the knowledge of how we should live in light of our forgiven status—in freedom without taking advantage of God’s mercy or presuming upon His grace. The wisdom & insight needed to accomplish this hard task is given to us in Jesus (Eph. 1:8), but that does not mean that we always put this wisdom into practice, for Paul asks in Eph 1:17 for the insight given in Jesus to increase. For wisdom & insight to be effective, they must be cultivated. We cultivate what the Lord has already given to us in Jesus through prayer, the study of His Word, fellowship, & the other means of grace (Col. 1:9–11; 2 Tim. 2:15; Philem. 4–7 - posted below). If we do not continually nurture this wisdom, we may lose our ability to practice it, just as Solomon started out looking for wisdom but later fell into foolishness (1 Kings 3:1–15; 11:1–43). Pouring wisdom and insight upon us, God also made known to us “the mystery of his will” (Eph. 1:9). The mystery of God’s will is His plan to redeem His people through the death and resurrection of His Son, the way of salvation that we cannot discern from nature but receive by faith alone as the Word of God is proclaimed to us (1 Cor. 1:18–25). Tabletalk Magazine
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully” (Colossians 1:9–11)
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” (Philemon 4–7)
“to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 1:10)
the summing up of all things. At the end of this world’s history, God will gather believers together in the millennial kingdom, called here “an administration suitable to the fullness of the times,” meaning the completion of history (Rev 20:1–6). After that, God will gather everything to Himself in eternity future, and the new heaven and new earth will be created (Rev 21:1ff.). The new universe will be totally unified under Christ. The MacArthur study Bible
Our task as we anticipate this final day is twofold. First, we must live as He has commanded, for we know that He is our rightful sovereign even if the rest of creation remains oblivious. Second, we must go forth and proclaim the reality of His reign so that those whom He is calling will bow before that final day. Tabletalk Magazine
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Post by Cindy on Jul 20, 2017 9:58:43 GMT -5
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,” (Ephesians 1:11)
The believer never need faint in times of suffering & trial because he knows that God's at work in the world, & that He has a perfect plan. God has 2 purposes in that plan: our good & His glory. Ultimately, He'll make us like Jesus! Best of all, God’s plan is going to succeed! It started in eternity past when He chose us in Christ. He predetermined that 1 day we'd be like His Son. Predestination applies only to saved people. Nowhere are we taught that God predestines people to be eternally condemned. If they're condemned, it's because of their refusal to trust Christ. Those whom He chose He called; when they responded, He justified & also glorified them. This means that the believer has already been glorified in Christ; the revelation of this glory awaits the coming of the Lord. How can we ever be discouraged & frustrated when we already share the glory of God? Our suffering today only guarantees that much more glory when Jesus Christ returns! The Bible exposition commentary
Before the earth was formed, God sovereignly determined that every elect sinner—however vile, useless, & deserving of death, by trusting in Christ would be made righteous. The word translated “works” is the same one from which “energy,” “energetic,” & “energize” are derived. When God created the world, He gave it sufficient energy to begin immediately to operate as He'd planned. It wasn't simply ready to function, but was created functioning. As God works out His plan according to “the counsel of His will,” He energizes every believer with the power necessary for his spiritual completion (Phil 1:6; 2:13). The MacArthur study Bible
As long as the doctrine of election is in the Bible, salvation must be the gift of God alone. Predestination framed in God’s foreknowledge assures us that salvation is from start to finish the work of God. The doctrine of God’s elective purpose guarantees the perpetuity of salvation. Unthinkable is the idea that one of God’s elect could forfeit his salvation. Those whom He has justified He will glorify. That' so certain that glorification's already a settled issue in God's mind. Election assures a peculiar providence which attends the way of every believer. If God’s heart is set on us in His elective purpose, we may be sure of His concern & providential intervention in our behalf. That same personal providence bound up in election extends throughout the entire course of history. There is no runaway world. God’s hand is systematically guiding the age to its intended consummation. Believer's Study Bible.
Just as we must learn to obey God one choice at a time, we must also learn to trust God one circumstance at a time. Trusting God is not a matter of my feelings but of my will. I never feel like trusting God when adversity strikes, but I can choose to do so even when I don’t feel like it. That act of the will, though, must be based on belief, and belief must be based on truth.The truth we must believe is that God is sovereign. He carries out His own good purposes without ever being thwarted, & He so directs & controls all events & all actions of His creatures that they never act outside of His sovereign will. We must believe this & cling to this in the face of adversity & tragedy, if we are to glorify God by trusting Him. Trusting God
KJV | Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
The KJV reads, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,” but “in whom also we were made an inheritance” is also possible. Both are true & the one includes the other. In Christ we have a wonderful inheritance, & in Christ we are an inheritance. We are valuable to Him. Think of the price God paid to purchase us & make us part of His inheritance! God the Son is the Father’s love gift to us; & we are the Father’s love gift to His Son. Read John 17 & note how many times Christ calls us “those whom Thou hast given Me.” The church is Christ’s body, building, & bride; Christ’s future inheritance is wrapped up in His church. We're “joint-heirs with Christ” which means that He can't claim His inheritance apart from us! The Bible exposition commentary This reminds me of verse 18 where we're told that we are His inheritance: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18)
God receives an inheritance. This isn't evident in the ESV, which translates the Greek verb for “obtained an inheritance” actively in relation to the subject “we.” This is acceptable but many favor reading the verb as passive, as it appears as passive in the original Greek. Accordingly, the translation should be something like this: “We have been made an inheritance [by God and for God].” which fits well with Scripture. The final Davidic king—Jesus Christ—receives the nations as His inheritance (Ps. 2:8). Isaiah 19:25 refers to Israel as God’s inheritance, & the 3-fold parallelism of the verse means that this description applies also to believing Egyptians & Assyrians. Zeph 3:17 describes the Lord rejoicing over His people much as one might rejoice over a great inheritance. The idea that God, by His grace, makes us into His inheritance is incredible, & it results from Him working “all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11). This is one of the clearest statements in Scripture on God’s meticulous providence—the Creator plans & steers all events down to the smallest detail, including even the seemingly inconsequential decisions we make every day, such as the color of the shirt we'll wear or the cereal we'll eat. All things great & small, good & evil, are included in our God’s sovereign ordination of history. Such a truth comforts us greatly, as it guarantees that He will use everything that happens in our lives to make us finally fit to be regarded as His inheritance (Rom. 8:28). Our creator does not need anything from us, which makes it all the more remarkable that He purposed in eternity past to make us His own inheritance. This is a great privilege, & it is due entirely to His sovereign grace. May we be thankful for this status & also mindful that His governing providence is working out all things—good & bad—to make us fit to be regarded as His inheritance. Tabletalk Magazine
“in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:12)
In salvation, as in everything else, God is preeminent. He deserves all the credit. You were redeemed and were granted an eternal inheritance so that God might be glorified. Certainly you benefit greatly from salvation, but God’s glory is the primary issue. Salvation is often presented as a means of receiving what Christ offers, not as a mandate to obey what He commands. We know that the purpose of life is to glorify God. In other words, living to His glory is to govern everything we do. Drawing Near
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 1:13)
The significance of this Holy sealing of the Spirit speaks of a finished transaction. This sealing also implies ownership. It also means security & protection. It is possible for us to grieve the Spirit & thereby lose the blessings of His ministry (Eph. 4:30). But He doesn’t leave us. Another use for the seal is as a mark of authenticity. Just as a signature on a letter attests to the genuineness of the document, so the presence of the Spirit proves the believer is genuine. The Bible exposition commentary
The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. Paul rightly called the gospel “the message of truth” because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5) & purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6) & is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), & they worship God in spirit & in truth (John 4:24) & obey the Word of truth (John 17:17). His resurrection proved the truth of His claims & constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Peter 1:3). You will face today armed with the message of truth & empowered by the Spirit of truth. Truth is your protection & strength (Eph. 6:14). Lost souls desperately need to hear that truth. Represent it well, & proclaim it with boldness. Drawing Near
How can we allow lies in our life when everything about our Lord and His indwelling is based on Truth?
Believers are secured by the supernatural glue of the Trinity. To be separated from Christ would require prying open the hand of the Father (John 10:29) & being snatched from the Son (Col 1:28) after breaking the seal of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 14). The Woman’s Study Bible.
“who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14)
1. True riches come from God. It's a source of great encouragement to know that Father, Son, & HS are all working on my behalf to make me rich. God not only gives us “richly all things to enjoy”, but He gives us eternal riches without which all other wealth is valueless. 2. All these riches come by God’s grace & for His glory. God’s main purpose is that He might be glorified. His creation reveals His wisdom & power, but His church reveals His love & grace. You cannot deserve or earn them; you can only receive them by grace, through faith. 3. These riches are only the beginning! The Bible is our guidebook; the HS is our Teacher. As we search the Word of God, we discover more & more of the riches we have in Christ. The Bible exposition commentary
The Holy Spirit is God’s 1st installment to guarantee to His children that He will finish His work & eventually bring them to glory. The “redemption of the purchased possession” refers to the redemption of the body at the return of Christ. “Redemption” is experienced in 3 stages: • We have been redeemed through faith in Jesus • We are being redeemed as the Spirit works in our lives to make us more like Christ. • We shall be redeemed when Christ returns & we become like Him. But the word translated earnest also means “engagement ring.” Our relationship to God through Christ is not simply a commercial one, but also a personal experience of love. He is the Bridegroom & His church is the bride. We know that He will come & claim His bride because He has given us His promise & His Spirit as the “engagement ring.” What greater assurance could we want? The Bible exposition commentary
The Holy Spirit’s ministry in your life is multifaceted & profound. Among other things, He brings salvation, conviction, guidance, & strength. He indwells & equips you for spiritual service & gives assurance of your salvation. He is your Helper & Advocate. He is the Spirit of promise who seals you until the day when your redemption will be fully realized. In addition to inheriting Christ & the Holy Spirit, you also inherit peace, love, grace, wisdom, joy, victory, strength, guidance, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, discernment, & every other possible spiritual benefit. Summed up in 1 Cor 3:22–23: “All things belong to you … & you belong to Christ; & Christ belongs to God.” Looking forward to your eternal inheritance will help you maintain a proper perspective on temporal things & will motivate you to praise & adore God. Drawing Near
In essence, the “deposit” of the Holy Spirit is a little bit of heaven in believers’ lives with a guarantee of much more yet to come. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,383 
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Post by fearnot on Aug 23, 2017 12:42:37 GMT -5
Reading these were very uplifting!!
Thank you.
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