Jesus left us here on the earth where sin and death still exist. But he didn’t leave us the way we were before he came. Now, we have the Holy Spirit. Now we have the gifts of the Spirit given to the church. But not as some have taught that only some are set in the church, a few apostles, prophets evangelists, pastors and teachers and these are the ones that matter. It says in Ephesians 4:7 “Now to each one of us was given this grace, according to the measure of Christ’s gift”. Each one of us is given grace in Ephesians 4:11–13 until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ. There is a work for all of us in the body of Christ. We are all to in Ephesians 5:1–2 “become imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love”.
The Fullness of Christ
Ephesians 4:7–16
Jesus left us on the earth and it is still in its fallen state even though in
Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, “Ascending on high he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.”
Jesus did take his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is in
Revelation 1:18 and the one who lives, and I was dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades.
Jesus has already overcome the world and “the devil, death, the curse, and sin (Col 2:15; 2 Pe 2:4), led as it were in triumphal procession as a sign of the destruction of the foe”.1 There are though, still principalities and powers, the devil and his authority in the earth, until the final judgments are completed. There is a day coming when they will be removed as we find in Revelation. But Jesus did not leave us, the church, the body of Christ in the earth, without the power, the gifts, we need to overcome the evil. As it says in
Ephesians 4:7 Now to each one of us was given this grace, according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
He gave special gifts, different gifts, each with its purpose, each with its own great value. These gifts were given to bring unity, maturity, “the fullness of Christ” in
Ephesians 4:11–13 And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers 12 for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ,
Renewed in the Spirit of Your Mind
Ephesians 4:17–24
Speak Truth Each One of You
Become Imitators of God
Ephesians 5:1–6
We all learn about life as we become adults, the question is, who do we learn from. Our parents are our primary role models, then teachers, and peers. But just because they are the people in our life does not mean they are the people we should emulate. Here is the wisdom from above in
Ephesians 5:1–2 Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.
Even if we were surrounded by ungodly people as children, we can come to know the difference between those that are self-seeking, users of others and those that “live in love”. You cannot count on these immoral, greedy, and obscene people but you can count on this in
Ephesians 5:5 For this you know for certain, that every sexually immoral person, or unclean person, or greedy person (who is an idolater), does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Learn What is Well-Pleasing to the Lord
Ephesians 5:7–16
There is evil in the world but do we need to participate in it? Shouldn’t we do all we can to stop it? But many of those things come naturally to us because we were born into them. But here is what Paul says in
Ephesians 5:14b “Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
God is not intending to leave us where we were, dead in sin, but “As Israel is called on to “awake” from its previous state of “darkness” and “death” (Is 59:10; 60:2), for that her Light is come; so the Church, and each individual is similarly called to awake. Believers are called on to “awake” out of sleep; unbelievers, to “arise” from the dead”.2
Since we were born into darkness, a world of sin, and we have been born again into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, we ought to be living in the light as it says in
Ephesians 5:8–10 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord.
Understand What the Will of the Lord Is
Ephesians 5:17–24
Cleansing Her With the Washing of Water by the Word
Ephesians 5:25–33
Study Verses
- Ephesians 4:7–16 The Fullness of Christ
- Ephesians 5:1–6 Become Imitators of God
- Ephesians 5:7–16 Learn What is Well-Pleasing to the Lord
Today’s Reading
- Ephesians 1:1–23
- Ephesians 2:1–22
- Ephesians 3:1–21
- Ephesians 4:1–6
References
- 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 350). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc
- 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 354). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.