Jubilee

In Ephesians 1:4-5 "mercy" and "grace" describe God's motivation and character. The verbs "made" and "alive" describe what has happened to us in Christ.

People unwittingly follow Satan because in our deadness and lack of discernment we end up following Satan. We are responsible for unwitting rebellion against God because we continue to live in the "flesh" always following the "cravings of our sinful nature." God in all fairness can not blame us for something we have no control over, however, we do have control over our actions or "free will" has no meaning.

Our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives are "dead" in the sense that they are without Christ. The difference between us and them is that we Christians are alive in Christ and they are dead in their transgressions and sins. If we really believed that they are "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," then we must lead them to Jesus.

Seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms" means we are in complete union with Christ so that his action is our action, since we are in him. Since we are in him we are elevated above the demonic and human authorities in this spiritual sense. This says that God's grace is more than forgiveness of the past, it is the equipping to live now -- in the present time -- with new power, power to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. This tells us that we can exercise our spiritual authority when we learn our place of authority and pray from that place of authority and learn how to exercise it we can overcome the enemy and make him the victim of Christ's victory again and again. This knowledge should affect our prayers and our boldness because we are fully aware of our place of spiritual power and authority in Christ and learn how to use it to benefit our spiritual lives.

In Ephesians 1 verses 4 and 5 "mercy" and "grace" describe God's motivation and character. The verbs "made" and "alive" describe what has happened to us in Christ.

People unwittingly follow Satan because in our deadness and lack of discernment we end up following Satan. We are responsible for unwitting rebellion against God because we continue to live in the "flesh" always following the "cravings of our sinful nature." God in all fairness can not blame us for something we have no control over, however, we do have control over our actions or "free will" has no meaning.

Our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives are "dead" in the sense that they are without Christ. The difference between us and them is that we Christians are alive in Christ and they are dead in their transgressions and sins. If we really believed that they are "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," then we must lead them to Jesus.

We so often take a "pass" when it comes to spiritual warfare because we are ignorant about it. Christ's exaltation, demonstration of complete victory, and superior rank over all spiritual powers are important enough for Paul to mention it to his readers to remind them that the decisive battle is over, but we become part of the Occupation Force for Jesus where we live, work, study, and play, and part of an Expiditionary Force to extend Christ's victory to its logical conclusion among every tribe, people group, and nation on the face of the earth. We tend to feel powerless in the face of spiritual enemies because we do not fully comprehend our authority in Jesus. Paul was assuring the Ephesians of the authority and power they have in Jesus. This encourages us to tap into our privileges and rights, authority and power we have in Jesus.

We are powerless sometimes because we have not yet grasped the truth of the gospel. I believe it is not an inadequacy with the power source but rather it is an inadequacy with our faith. Some congregations and movements produce disciples with miracle-believing faith because they are Bible-based and the Word of God is taught. Others produce disciples with wimpy faith because they are liberal and syncretic in their teachings of the Word of God. They watered down the truth of the gospel. This can only be changed by teaching the truth of the gospel and this truth will changed their outlook on life and set them free forever.

If I knew that in a few years I would inherit $10 million, it would affect my life by acting as though I have already in possession of the money. Our expectation of an inheritance in God's presence should temper our present-day concern by focusing our attention on things above rather than on things below. Since this inheritance will be shared with "the saints" -- our Christian family -- our fellowship with them should be cordial.

As Christians we have to look forward to Christ's second coming in power and in glory (2 Peter 3:12) This hope of ours should be a major motivation in our present-day lives because Christ's return is our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13) and the "hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27b) for us. This hope should affect our decisions and our lifestyle because it is God's will for our hope to expand and embrace a big future, rather than shrivel in pain, bitterness, and discouragement or die in a parched desert of spiritual starvation. Our great hope differ from the hope of the average non-believer because we have been called to a future full of hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

When we neglect to be an active part of a local congregation we are missing out and according to Ephesians 1:22-23 we are no longer the fullness of Christ, who fills and fulfills everything. We are to be the full expression of Christ in the world, and by our absence, we are withholding this blessing from others. We are to be so filled with Christ that our contents becomes Him, that our love becomes blended with His love, that our laughter echoes his own joy, that our sacrifice mirrors his. We are to be the fullness of Christ. Indeed, we are "complete in Him" (Colossians 2:10)

We so often take a "pass" when it comes to spiritual warfare because we are ignorant about it. Christ's exaltation, demonstration of complete victory, and superior rank over all spiritual powers are important enough for Paul to mention it to his readers to remind them that the decisive battle is over, but we become part of the Occupation Force for Jesus where we live, work, study, and play, and part of an Expiditionary Force to extend Christ's victory to its logical conclusion among every tribe, people group, and nation on the face of the earth. We tend to feel powerless in the face of spiritual enemies because we do not fully comprehend our authority in Jesus. Paul was assuring the Ephesians of the authority and power they have in Jesus. This encourages us to tap into our privileges and rights, authority and power we have in Jesus.

We are powerless sometimes because we have not yet grasped the truth of the gospel that we are filled with incomparably great power and that the same power that empowered Jesus' ministry on earth dwells in us. I believe it is not an inadequacy with the power source but rather it is an inadequacy with our faith. Some congregations and movements produce disciples with miracle-believing faith because they are Bible-based and the Word of God is taught and others produce disciples with wimpy faith because they are liberal and syncretic in their teachings of the Word of God. They watered down the truth of the gospel. This can only be changed by teaching the truth of the gospel and this truth will changed their outlook on life and set them free forever.

If I knew that in a few years I would inherit $10 million, it would affect my life now by acting like I am already in possession of it. Our expectation of an inheritance in God's presence should temper our present-day concern by focusing our attention on things above rather than on things below. Since this inheritance will be shared with "the saints" -- our Christian family -- our fellowship with them should be cordial.

We Christians have to look forward to Christ's coming in power and in glory (2 Peter 3:12) This hope should be a major motivation in our present-day lives because Christ's return is our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13) and the "hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27b) for us. This hope should affect our decisions and our lifestyle because it is God's will for our hope to expand and embrace a big future, rather than shrivel in pain, bitterness, and discouragement or die in a parched desert of spiritual starvation. Our great hope differ from the hope of the average non-believer because we have been called to a future full of hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

The "end of the term" occur at "the day of redemption," the day of Christ's return and the rapture of the church. The Holy Spirit functions in our lives by bringing a bit of heaven into our lives here on earth. Through the Holy Spirit God can speak to us and we to God. In the Holy Spirit the incredible power of the Kingdom of God can work in and through us.

According to verses 11 and 12, God's purpose for our lives is to live for his praise. In order to fulfill this purpose we need to get in line with God's plan for our lives. We are the light to shine in the darkness of life. We become a mirror to reflect God's glory and help people see a glimmer of his greatness living in human flesh. This purpose relate to Matthew 5:13-16 in the sense that when people look at us, Jesus intends that they see God. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16)

The significance that all things will be brought under one head -- Christ himself is that we are the body of Christ and he is the head of the body. He uses the body to accomplish what he wants to be done on earth. Everything both in heaven and on earth are under his headship. This relates to the Creator because Jesus and his Father are in perfect unity with one another. There is no secrete between them. Since we are the body of Christ we form part of the unity that exists between them. This verse 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 because Christ is the head and everything is subject to him.

We were once under the bondage of sin and slavery but God's grace through the precious blood of his son Jesus he has "redeemed" us from the slavery of sin and division and we become the righteousness of God through Jesus. My life would have a wretched misery had it not been the blood of Jesus who "redeemed" me from my blindness. I would have no future without redemption. My future will be a total wretch. Glory to God!!!

The 'end of the term" occur with the day of Christ return and the rapture of the church. The Holy Spirit is our legal aide and through him God can speak to us and we to God. In the Holy Spirit the incredible power of the Kingdom of God can work in and through us. The Holy Spirit has a way of bringing a bit of heaven into our lives here on earth.

According to Ephesians 1:11-12, God's purpose for our lives is praise. God has destined us to live for his praise. We have been placed here on earth to bring praise to God. In order to fulfill this purpose we need to "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) This purpose is related to Matthew 5:13-16 in the sense that we have an important purpose on this earth. God has placed us as light. God has made us as a mirror -- to reflect his glory and help people see a glimmer of his greatness living in human flesh.

The significance that all things will be brought under one head -- Christ himself will everything be summed up, "all things in heaven and on earth." Christ is to be the all and in all, the sum of the parts. In relation to the Creator he is the creator of all things in heaven and in the earth and he recapitulate everything he does in Christ who is the head of the Church. About unity since we the Church under the headship of Christ we all are united in him. In relation to 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 it means Christ is all in all and everything is subject to his authority. Death has no authority and power over him.

I have been released from the captivity of my own mental slavery of sin and death. My redemption is made complete when Jesus paid it all with his precious blood. My life would have been in a mess had I not been redeemed through the blood of Jesus. Without redemption my future will be futile.

Adoption is a particularly apt illustration of God's relationship to us because through adoption we become a valued member of God's family and we are always welcome into God's family. Being a member of God's family means that we move from the lowest class of slavery to sin to the highest by means of our adoption into God's family. Upon adoption, we become a son, an heir, and a citizen of heaven. We now had the same rights and privileges heaven bestows upon his adopted children. The concept of adoption is encouraging to us because we now acquire the the rights and privileges of the Kingdom of God. We consider ourselves blessed by being adopted into God's family. We are not in God's family by happenstance of birth but by God's choice. Glory to God!!!