Through the Bible with Les Feldick, Book 36
LESSON ONE * PART I
YOU ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE - EPHESIANS 1:13-23
Now as we begin book 36 we'll pick up in verse 13. Now the Book of Ephesians is
a doctrinal Book - that is a step up from Paul's earlier Books of Romans,
Galatians, and Corinthians. Ephesians comes into that deeper area of our
position in Christ. Few believers realize where we are positionally, and
how we can rest on it that it's not just for this life, but for all eternity.
And I'll remind you that the prepositional phrase "in Christ, in Whom, in
Him," that I'm always referring to, is recorded over 90 times in
Ephesians, and is always in reference to our position.
So as we've been coming through these first 12 verses, this is what Paul has
been showing. As a result of our glorious salvation by faith, and faith alone,
God has not only placed us into the Body of Christ, but He has also positioned
us in the heavenlies. My oldest son once asked, "Well how do we know that's
where we are?" Well it's by faith, because we don't have a diploma on the wall,
or anything we can put our hands on, but rather we go by what the Word says.
And the Word tells us that this is where we are. So by faith we understand our
position is now in the heavenlies, and we're just pilgrims passing through. As
the song writer once wrote, "This world is not my home, we're just passing
through." Paul tells us in Philippians -
Philippians 3:20a
"For our conversation (or citizenship) is in
heaven;..." For all eternity our position is in the heavenlies. Now as
we begin today's study, just for a little review let's come in at verse 11.
Ephesians 1:11
"In whom also we have (already) obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated (God's sovereign way of doing things)
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will:" And of course we digressed on that quite a bit in one
of our previous lessons. Now verse 12. All of this has been done on our behalf
-
Ephesians 1:12a
"That we should be to the praise of his glory,..."
In other words none of this is for our benefit is it? None of this has been
done to glorify us. This has all been done that we in turn might glorify Him. I
always like to go back, and I'm not much of a catechism expert, but I remember
one of the questions of one of the old Heidelberg catechism which started out
with this question. "What is the chief end of man?" And the answer to
that question was what? "To glorify God, and enjoy Him forever!" Now I
like that answer, because absolutely that's the whole purpose of man being on
the scene. And so Paul puts it in verse 12 then -
Ephesians 1:12
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, (we) who
first trusted in Christ." Not a ritual, not a denomination, but rather
"in Christ." Now in verse 13 we'll start with some new ground.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom (Christ) ye also trusted,..." Now in the
newer translations the word trusted is italicized, which means it's been
added. I checked with the original, and sure enough the original does not have
that word in there. Neither does it have the two words after `trusted.' So from
the original let's just read like it says, and then we'll come back and look at
the KJV.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom having heard the word the truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom having believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
Now that's the way the original Greek was written. Now in the King
James Version they're not destroying the concept by any means, but when they
say then, "In whom ye also trusted," or as it was implied in the original,
having heard.
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye also trusted,..." Always remember these words that
are synonymous in Scripture. Trust is usually used in the Old Testament,
but it's the same thing as believing. Then you also have the word
faith which is believing. So I always make the point that
trust, faith, and believe all basically mean the same
thing, so you can use them synonymously. Verse 13 again.
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom (Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth,..."
Now you see we're living in a day and age where truth is almost being stomped
into the ground as irrelevant, and that there are no absolutes. We're more or
less living in a society of instant gratification, and the whole concept that
as long as you don't kill someone in the process then go ahead and enjoy it.
But you see that's not what truth declares. Truth of course is manifested by
the Word of God, and it's to that Word we always have to fly to when we see
these things coming upon us. So having heard -
Ephesians 1:13b
"...the word of truth..."
Not from some TV preacher, not from Les Feldick, not from somebody else, but
having heard God's Word. Now that reminds me of a verse in Romans. I didn't
intend to do this, but that's not unusual, as I never know where I'm going to
go next, because I just depend on the Holy Spirit to lead in these lessons.
Come back to Romans chapter 10 for a moment, and this is in the light of having
heard the Word of truth. Here Paul puts it so explicitly. Drop on down to verse
14, and we may have even looked at this in the last lesson.
Romans 10:14a
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?..." Do you see
the connection? Flip back to Ephesians again, because this is real Bible study.
Ephesians says-
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye have trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,..."
And how flip back to Romans where it says -
Romans 10:14b
"...and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? shall
they hear without a preacher?" (or proclaimer)
Romans 10:15
"And how shall they preach, (proclaim) except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Now verse 17 -
Romans 10:17
"So then faith (trust, believing) cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God."
I always make the comment, can you believe something you have never heard? Can
you hear something that's never been said? This seem mundane I know, but
listen, this is foundational. God did not say everything we need to know back
in Genesis. You have to realize that as these Old Testament patriarchs were
coming up through Scripture, they never heard some of these things that we're
hearing, because God hadn't spoken it yet, but rather He had kept it secret as
Paul said. So always be reminded that you can't believe something that God
hasn't said. And when you do hear it, He expects us to believe it. Now back to
Romans for a moment. Looking at verse 17 again we find.
Romans 10:17
"So then faith (or believing) cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God."
Or in simpler terms, "When God Speaks It!" Now we know that God speaks
through the printed page, through the writers, and in this case, through the
apostle Paul. Since Paul is the apostle to us Gentiles, then he's the one we'd
better be listening to. You know we're getting a lot of people that are now
able to see that, and there's still a lot that are confused as to why I
constantly empathize Paul. Always remember that Paul is the apostle of the
Gentiles. While we're here in Romans we might as well show you that in chapter
11. So this is the basis of my constantly emphasizing that for you and I today
we have to go by what Paul writes, not what Peter says, not what Jesus said in
His earthly ministry, but what does Paul write. And remember Paul gets this by
revelation from the crucified risen Lord in glory.
Romans 11:13a
"For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the
Gentiles,..."
Now if Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, and Peter and the eleven were
the apostles of Israel, and Israel was under the law, 2 + 2 makes 4,
this and this makes that, so we'd better understand that we don't go by
what Peter, James and John said to Israel under the law, but rather we'd better
go by what this man says to us under Grace. Can you see that? That's where the
difference come in. We are totally under Grace. Now Ephesians verse 13 again,
Paul says -
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,
(and what is the word of truth?) the gospel of your
salvation:..."
And where do we find the Gospel by which we are saved? Turn with me to I
Corinthians 15:1-4. I'm constantly using this for people who call. Now this
is the Gospel, and you have to know that this is what God has now said. This is
the Word that has been proclaimed by Paul, and we'd better believe it, or we're
in trouble. You can't go around this, you can't go over or under it, but
rather face this head on, and for goodness sake don't try to add anything to
it, just believe it for salvation!
I Corinthians 15:1
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;" Now that's our
position. You're not out there floating around from one doctrine to another, or
like a ship without a rudder. We are positioned by virtue of our having
believed the Gospel. Verse 2.
I Corinthians 15:2
"By which (the Gospel) also ye are saved, if ye keep in
memory (or understand) what I preached unto you, unless ye have
believed in vain." You have to understand what the Word of truth is
all about. Now here comes the Gospel of truth.
I Corinthians 15:3-4
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, (we understand that from Galatians chapter 1, Paul received
this Gospel from heaven. It had been kept secret in the mind of God until Paul
received it. He received our Gospel from the ascended Lord in Glory. He
received these basic truths, and here it is.) how that Christ died for
our sins according to the scriptures, 4. And that he w was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
scriptures;"
Now that's the Gospel. That's the truth, and anything that compromises the
Gospel is no longer the truth. And if that happens then Paul says in Galatians
chapter 1, it becomes a perverted Gospel. But we stick to the truth, and let
the chips fall where they may. Now coming back to Ephesians chapter 1, and
verse 13 again. This is such a powerful verse and has so much in it, especially
in light of what's out there in Christendom today. This just blows so much of
it right out of the saddle. Why? Not because of so much as what it says, as
what it doesn't say! As you read this verse constantly ask yourself this
question. "Is what I've been taught growing up in this verse?" And I'm sure
most of you will have to answer no. But this verse just says, "after you
believed." I'm not going to say all the things that most denominations tell
us we must do for salvation, but rather I'll let you think back and see if they
have taught you correctly. If what you've been taught isn't in this verse then
it's superficial, it's chaff, and you'd better just blow it away. Here is the
basic truth -
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: (as we looked at in I Corinthians 15:1-4 in
which Christ is the center. He's the one who died. He's the one who was buried,
and He's the one who rose from the dead.) in whom also after that ye
believed,..." (you placed your trust, your faith in that Gospel, and
that was it.)
You see everybody tries to complicate it, and that's what happens when you try
to mix what Peter taught and what Paul taught. Law and Grace cannot mix, and I
think that's a Satanic ploy. Oh there's nothing the Devil likes better than to
make you think, "Well it's so difficult." I remember when I was teaching down
in San Antonio several years back there was a lady in attendance that I knew
was having a lot of problems. She wanted the assurance of salvation, but her
religion had just so put her in bondage that she just couldn't see
it. So after one of my classes she came up and talked to me all alone, and
I'll never forget our conversation. I told her all she had to do is believe
that as a sinner Christ died for you, and rose from the dead! And when you
believe that, God does everything else. Well she looked at me with the most
exasperating look, and said, "But Les that's to simple."
And isn't that exactly what most people think? "Hey it's got to be tougher
than that." But you see it isn't. It is so simple that even a 5 year old
can understand it. 90 year old people can understand it, and every body in
between can understand it, but oh you see the religionist, and the theologians,
and the powers that be have just loaded it all down with all these other
requirements, you've got to come this way, you've got to come that way, you've
got to do this, you've got to do that, but listen, this verse exposes all that.
This verse says it's just as simple as ABC. That when you come as a lost sinner
and you believe the truth of the Gospel then God does everything else, we
don't. Now let's finish the verse, and we'll see the first thing that God does
when He sees us believe the Gospel.
Ephesians 1:13b
"...ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Now this word sealed, and again I'm not a language expert, I'm not a Greek
scholar, but I know this much from my little feeble attempts of studying
language that this word "sealed" goes all the way back into antiquity,
and it was a mark of ownership. If a king put his seal on something, it meant
it belonged to the empire. If someone bought a piece of land, they would put
their seal on that title deed, it denoted ownership. This seal never lost it's
meaning all the way back through Scripture, or ahead through Scripture. In fact
let's turn to Jude for a moment. Here you have almost the same word, at least
it comes out of the same root if I'm not mistaken.
Jude 1:1
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that
are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and
called:"
See nobody knows better than women who can fruit and vegetables what that word
means. That means that once that jar or can is sealed, my that food is good for
who know how long. It's preserved, it's sealed. So once God has sealed us, we
are not just His for a week or two, but for how long? Forever! Now I know some
people don't like that, but I can't help it because the Word declares it. We
are sealed forever, but we do have to make sure we get into that believing
position to be sealed. So looking at verse 13 again in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Being a cattleman, I like to use the Word, "branded." When that
critter is branded, there's a mark of ownership that you cannot take away. You
might be able to mark it up a little bit, but you can't take it away. And here
it's the same thing, the moment we believe the Gospel the Holy Spirit made us a
mark of God's ownership. Now it's interesting that in the Greek the word
"Spirit" is the Pneuma. And the moment we believe we receive the
"Pneuma," the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the One who has become our
brand, He is the One who denotes ownership that we belong to God. Now in the
short time we have left let's begin verse 14. Once the Holy Spirit has been
placed within us as God's mark of ownership, then it goes into the other part
of the Spirit works, and He becomes the earnest money or the down payment of
our inheritance.
Ephesians 1:14a
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance..." Now in order to
compare Scripture with Scripture let's compare verse 14 and 11, this is
essential for good Bible study.
Ephesians 1:11a
"In whom also we have (already) obtained an
inheritance,..." Well what's the inheritance? Now that requires us to
go all the way back to the Book of Romans chapter 8, and dropping down to verse
14. It says the same thing only in a little different way.
Romans 8:14
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, (the Pneuma)
they are the sons (or the children, or born ones)
of God. It doesn't say they might be, but rather they already are. Now
verse 15.
Romans 8:15-17a
" For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye
have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The
Spirit (the Pneuma) itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ;..."
Now come back to Ephesians. So what is our inheritance? For that which is a
part of the One who has purchased us and made us His own. In other words
everything that belongs to Christ also belongs to us, and that's our
inheritance. And it's all because we believe the Gospel. That's where it
starts, then God moves in, and He seals us with that Holy Spirit of promise,
and then as a gift of that Holy Spirit He gives us the inheritance. Now the
next word for that next verse is the Pneuma Hagion. The Pneuma
Hagion to be translated over into English means? That power from
high.
_______
LESSON ONE * PART II
YOU ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE - EPHESIANS 1:13-23
Now let's get ready for this next lesson, and let me say that we covet your
prayers every day. We'll start this lesson in verse 14, but to show you where
we're coming from we need to read verse 13 again.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: (and remember that Gospel is that Christ died
for your sins, was buried, and He rose from the dead.) in whom
(Christ) also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with (or
given that mark of ownership) that Holy Spirit of promise."
The moment a person believes then God's Spirit enters that individual, and then
becomes the mark of ownership as well as the source of power for living. Now a
lot of times when I make the point that we're not under Law, but rather Grace,
we're under no demands to keep the commandments. When I say that, I get people
saying then, "Well what are you, just sort of set loose, and set free?" No,
here's the difference. We now have the Holy Spirit that comes in, and he
becomes our rudder He becomes what the Law was before. And so it doesn't give
us freedom to steal and covet, and all these other things that the Ten
Commandants dealt with, because the Holy Spirit Himself takes care of that. I
think that the moment we're saved our want to is changed. Our whole
design on life is changed, and this is what the world around us can not
understand. Now coming into verse 14 the Holy Spirit of promise of verse 13 -
Ephesians 1:14a
"Which is the earnest..."
Or another good word for earnest is down payment. The word
earnest here means exactly as we use it today in a transaction when we
put down earnest money. In other words, we put enough down to guarantee that
neither party is going to back out So that's what the Lord has done here with
the Holy Spirit, He has declared us as His, and to make sure that neither one
of us backs out He has given us the mark and the power of the Holy Spirit -
Ephesians 1:14a
"Which is the earnest (or down payment) of our
inheritance (which we looked at in the last lesson)
until..."
There is going to come a point in time when the Holy Spirit's indwelling us
will no longer be necessary, and when will that be? When we come into His
presence. In fact maybe we'd better look at it for a moment in II Thessalonians
chapter 2. This is a long way from Ephesians I know, but we're having so many
questions at this time about this verse that it's probably a good time to go
ahead and explain it. The moment we're saved as we saw in our last lesson,
the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ, He indwells us, and
becomes our mark of ownership. He will remain with us until we either leave
this life or are taken out in the Rapture. This chapter in II Thessalonians
is referring to that point in time when those who are alive and remain will be
"Raptured" or caught up as the Scripture says in I Thessalonians chapter 4:17,
to meet the Lord in the air. Now the question that keeps coming up all the time
then is about verse 6.
II Thessalonians 2:6-7
"And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth (hindereth) will let, (hinder) until he be
taken out of the way."
So the question is always, "Who is the he that hinders? Some think it's the
Church, and some think it's the Holy Spirit, well it's both. Now let's look at
it by breaking the verse down.
II Thessalonians 2:6-7
"And now ye know what withholdeth (or is a dam in the river of
iniquity) that he might be revealed in his time. 7. For the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
(hindereth) will let, (or continue to hinder) until he be
taken out of the way."
The Holy Spirit has always been the Omnipresence of the Godhead. Way back in
Genesis 1:1-2, and in creation the Spirit moved upon the face of the water. So
the Holy Spirit was there all the way up through the Old Testament, even though
there's not a lot written about the Holy Spirit. Then of course in Christ's
earthly ministry nothing is said about Him until He breathes on the Twelve when
it was said, "receive ye the Holy Spirit." Then He promised the Holy
Spirit in John 14, that when He ascended the Holy Spirit would descend.
But we don't get that concept of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit until it's
revealed in Paul's writings. Then Paul makes it so plain as we saw in Ephesians
that at the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit literally comes in and dwells
within us. Now listen, no lost person can ever come to a knowledge of salvation
without the work of the Holy Spirit. You know there can't always be a Christian
every time that someone is ready to be saved. So the Holy Spirit, even though
He is indwelling us, is still Omnipresence around the earth. So in verse 7,
"the until" is when the Body of Christ, the Saints are taken up in the
Rapture.
II Thessalonians 2:7b
"...until he be taken out of the way."
At that time the role of the Holy Spirit indwelling us ends because it's no
longer necessary, because when the Rapture happens we'll already be in the
presence of the Son. So what happens to the Holy Spirit? He remains on the
earth as the Omnipresence Spirit of God, because you want to remember during
those 7 years of Tribulation the 144,000 young Jews are still going to be
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and that also will need the power of the
Holy Spirit. So now look at this verse again, but now more carefully.
II Thessalonians 2:6.
"And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time."
It's the power of the Holy Spirit that is holding back the forces of iniquity
through the presence of believers. Now just stop and think, "What if all of
a sudden the Christians were totally removed from the scene?" There would
be nobody to oppose the wickedness. Nobody to oppose the breakdown in society,
now can you imagine what it would be like? So it's the Christian influence that
still keeps the semblance of sanity on the world. So we are a withholding power
because of the Holy Spirit's indwelling. Now verse 7:
II Thessalonians 2:7
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth (or hinders) will let, (or hinder) until he
be taken out of the way."
In other words, when we go up in the Rapture, then the restraining power of the
Holy Spirit ends, and we go on into the presence of the Lord, no longer needing
the indwelling Spirit, and He remains as the Omnipresence Spirit on God on the
earth even during the Tribulation. It has to be that way, or the 144,000 would
never be able to win the multitudes that we know that they're going to. So
remember that you and I as believers are the restrainers with the Spirit's
power. But when we're taken out, the Holy Spirit can withdraw from us, because
we'll be then in the Son's presence, but the Holy Spirit will remain on the
earth to fulfill the work of the Spirit during those 7 years. Now that was all
free for nothing. Now coming back to Ephesians chapter 1, looking at verse 14
again.
Ephesians 1:14
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until (that moment in
time when) the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
his glory."
Now what's going to happen the moment Christ returns in the Rapture to meets us
in the air, and we suddenly have a new body? Well all of a sudden we're going
to have a redeemed body, because this old body we now have is the one that
Christ paid the price for, but it will be changed and it will become a
glorified body like His resurrected body. Now on ahead with me to the Book of
Philippians chapter 3, and let's look at this new body, because it's all part
of the redemption process. Now at salvation this body of flesh was not
redeemed. Now that may shock a few people, but this old body of
flesh as a believer is just as prone to sickness and disease as it ever was.
Christians get sick, Christians die, I mean a lot of people think that you
should be able to heal them and they'd live forever. But you see that would fly
in the face of everything in this Book. Everybody except those in the Rapture
is going to have to die! But we are redeemed in the area of the soul and spirit
the moment we're saved. That has been purchased and it belongs to God, and of
course the Holy Spirit is the down payment of that, but the body will not be
redeemed until we get the new one. Now come back to Philippians chapter 3, and
dropping down to verse 20 and 21. These are verses that we've looked at several
times in the past.
Philippians 3:20-21
"For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21. Who
(Christ will) shall change our vile body, (this body of
corruption and flesh) that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body, (isn't that plain?) according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue all things unto himself."
It's not going to be a problem for God to suddenly gives us a brand new
resurrected glorified body like His was after His resurrection. Now let's go
even further and see what John says about this new body back in his little
letter of I John, chapter 3. Now this reference is also so plainly put.
I John 3:1-2
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons (or children. I personally like born
ones) of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him
not. 2. Beloved, now (that is in this like now on the
this earth) are we the sons of God, (John is writing to believers
also) and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: (in other
words there's a lot of things out there that we don't understand.) but we
know that when he shall appear, (in other words when we meet Him in the
clouds of the air) we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he
is."
Now what does that say? We're going to have the same kind of body that He left
from the Mount of Olives with, the same kind of a resurrected, glorified body.
Now let's come all the way back to Romans chapter 8, and this backs up what
I've just said. At salvation we were redeemed in the soul and spirit, that's
all settled. In the realm of the invisible, yes we are redeemed we've
already been bought, we already belong to Him, we're already settled in the
heavenlies, but only in the realm of the invisible. This old body is still
here. We're still putting up against all the things of this life. But at the
final redemption when the body the redeemed then of course we're fit for
eternity. Now let's begin at verse 18.
Romans 8:18
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Now of course the apostle Paul knew what it was to suffer. Probably like no
other human being except Christ Himself. Paul suffered, and suffered, and
suffered some more all for the sake of the Gospel. So Paul could say with a
clear conscience, "That it was nothing compared to the glory that's coming."
Now verse 19.
Romans 8:19-20
"For the earnest (sincere, down right) expectation of the
creature (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of
God. 20. For the creature (creation) was made subject to
vanity, (that is the curse) not willingly (in other
words, creation didn't cause the fall, but rather Adam did. So when that
happened creation fell with him.) but by reason of him who hath subjected
the same in hope," (by virtue of the Redeemer)
Now always remember when you read a verse like this, just flash back and
realize how soon after the fall did God already announce the remedy of the
curse? Well the next verse almost. In Genesis chapter 3 we have the fall, but
in Genesis 3:15 we have the promise of the redeemer immediately. Just as soon
as Adam fell the curse fell, and God came right back with the promise of a
remedy, "The Redeemer!" the seed of the woman that would come. Now that's what
Paul is talking about here. Now verse 21.
Romans 8:21a
"Because the creature (creation) itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption (the curse.)
Yes one day the planet is going to be free of the curse, it's all going to
revert back as it was in the Garden of Eden, and all you have to do is just
read Isaiah chapter 11. Especially you animal lovers. I'm not going to see the
animals I've had down here, but there's going to be new one in that wonderful
kingdom. And those animals are going to be just as easy to love as they were.
Now looking at verse 21 again.
Romans 8:21-23
"Because the creature (creation) itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and
travaileth in pain together until now. (under the curse) 23. And
not only they, but ourselves also, (even we as believers.) which
have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body."
So see we're waiting for the redemption our body. Now for a moment let's go to
I Thessalonians chapter 5, and we'll drop down to verse 23.
I Thessalonians 5:23
"And the very God of peace sanctify (or set you apart) you
wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
In other words does any part of Scripture recognize a human being that is not
in all three parts? No. We are never a valid enmity without all three of them
together. That's why when a person dies he becomes useless, because the three
become interrupted. The two go on up into glory, the soul and spirit go into
the presence of the Lord. Where's the body? In the grave, it's useless, but in
resurrection that new body that comes out of the grave is reunited with the
soul and spirit, and so once again what are we? A complete entity, we are then
a complete person, we'll be body, soul and sprit. But at that time it will
be a new glorified body like the Lord Jesus' body of His post resurrection.
I've always said, that if you want to know what our new body is going to be
like then just read about the Lord in those 40 days after His resurrection, and
until His ascension.
The Lord looked like anybody else, He didn't look like some weirdo from outer
space. He walked with them, He talked with them, He ate fish with them on the
shores of Galilee. And as He stood on the Mount of Olives they were standing
there conversing with Him, and unbeknown to the eleven, of what was going to
happen, He suddenly took off and they watched Him go. Well they didn't watch
some ghost, or some spirit, but rather they watched Him go bodily. Now for a
moment turn to Colossians chapter 2 and verse 8 and 9.
Colossians 21:8-9
"Beware (be on guard) lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiment of
the world, and not after Christ. (why?) 9. For in him dwelleth
all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
In other words, when He left, and went into glory, He went in that resurrected
body, and the disciples saw Him go. When He returns, the Book of Zechariah
says, "and His feet shall stand on that same Mount of Olives."
Now ghosts don't have feet, an invisible spirit wouldn't have feet, but He has
been up there for now 2000 years in that resurrected body, and He's going to
return bodily. We're going to have a body like Him when He returns, we're going
to see him John tells us, "as He is" and that's what we're going to be like. So
if you ever wonder, "Am I going to float around in some invisible state?"
Heavens no! And on top of that we're all going to recognize each other in our
new bodies. Now I don't know how, because I don't think we'll look like we do
now, but we're going to know each other, and it's going to be a full knowledge,
a full understanding that we'll know every believer that's up there by name.
Now let's close this lesson by coming back to Ephesians, and remember the Holy
Spirit, the Pneuma, becomes the earnest which now is the Pneuma Hagion,
and I guess I should put it this way - The Pneuma is the giver, and the Hagion
is the gift. I like that concept, because you have to keep them sorted out when
the Scripture talks about the Holy Spirit. If it's the indwelling person, then
it's the Pneuma the giver. If it's talking about something that is the power of
the Holy Spirit then it's the Hagion the gift.
_______
LESSON ONE * PART III
YOU ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE - EPHESIANS 1:13-23
Now let's look at the next verse in Ephesians chapter 1. Here the apostle Paul
is going to utter a prayer on behalf of the believers. He is praying for them,
and as such he is praying for us today. I think it's also a lesson on how we
can pray for ourselves as well as for others. Now when we think of the Lord's
prayer back in Matthew 6, which the Lord Jesus gave as an example to the
twelve, so this prayer is an example for us today, and is so appropriate. The
prayer starts out with "Wherefore..." Now what have I told you
over the years about wherefore? When the apostle Paul says
"Wherefore" what is he reflecting on? Well what he's just said in the
previous few verses, and here he's just proven that here we are positioned in
Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who leads us and reproves in all the things
that we need. And we're waiting for the day of redemption when this old body
will disappear, and we'll have a new body, but until that day of redemption-
Ephesians 1:15a
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith..."
I want to make people aware, when you read Paul's letters, how he's always
referring to believing and faith. Not what we can do, but rather that we trust
in what God has already done. And then on that basis we can move into what he's
now asking for on our behalf.
Ephesians 1:15
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and
love unto all the saints." Now that reminds me of a verse in I John
chapter 3. Let's just start at verse 11, because I don't like to just jump on
one verse. I think most of you realize that by now.
I John 3:11-12
"For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should
love one another. 12. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his
brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his
brother's righteous." Boy now that's plain language isn't it? And it's
never changed. The unbelieving world hates the believer. He might not always
show it, but he would if he had a chance, and so Cain had his chance, and sure
enough he showed it. Verse 13.
I John 3:13
"Marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you."
A lot of people have the idea that since Christianity is such a tremendous
experience, and lifestyle, because there isn't another lifestyle on earth that
can come close to it. You look at a good Bible based Christian home, and you
couldn't ask for anything better. But you see, the world can't see it that way.
The world thinks we're a bunch of kooks, and we've got our heads in the sand,
and all these other things. So don't be amazed if they don't like your
lifestyle, and that's what John is saying here.
I John 3:13-14a
"Marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you. 14. We know that we have
passed from death unto life, (from an unsaved state to a saved
state) because we love the brethren."
John is speaking of fellow believers. The world won't necessarily, but we have
that affinity to other believers that no matter where we go we can have a love
for them, and it's an immediate love. I've shared this with you before,
wherever Iris and I travel, and spend the night with believers, you're not
strangers for 5 minutes, why is that? Because there's that affinity, you can't
see it or put your finger on it, but it's there. And the moment we sit down at
their table and have a cup of coffee, we don't talk about sports or the weather
or politics, but rather we talk about the BOOK! And that's the way it
should be, because "we know we have passed from death unto life because
we love the brethren." Now back to Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians 1:15-17
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus,
and love unto all the saints. 16. Cease not (I never stop)
to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;" (now
here's his real prayer) 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit (the Pneuma) of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:"
Now what's the purpose? Well you see the more we love Him, the more capable we
are of serving Him. And it's the same way in a marriage relationship. The more
that husband and wife love each other, the better influence they're going to
have on family, relatives and everybody else, it spreads. And it's the same way
here. Paul prays that we might have such a God given wisdom and knowledge. Now
I've learned from my class people here in Oklahoma that they were always afraid
to share the Gospel with people because they just didn't have enough knowledge
of the Scriptures to be able to answer questions, or confront, rebuke, and so
forth. But after they've been in our class for a while and get skilled in the
Scriptures, they love to witness, they love to talk about the Scriptures. And
that's the way it should be, as we grow in Grace and knowledge it becomes
easier to share with people.
You can talk to people in any kind of an occupation, and I like to use an auto
mechanic as an example. You talk to one about engines, and cars, is he bashful?
Is he shy to talk about his trade? Is he going to put his head down, and act
like he doesn't want to talk about what he does best? Heavens no, because
you're in his bailiwick now, and he's ready to tell you everything he knows,
and that's as it should be. Now that's the way we should be with the Book. We
have to be so skilled in our knowledge of it that we don't have to back away
when someone comes up with a question or rebuke. We can say, "look this is what
the Book says." This is always my best argument. It's not what I think, or what
my denomination says, but rather it's, "But what does the Word of God say." Now
this is what Paul is praying even for these early believers, that their wisdom
and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ might be so great. Verse 18.
Ephesians 1:18a
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;..."
Now listen that takes time to accomplish. I mean the moment we're saved we
don't have a full knowledge of all these things, but rather it's a growth
process. In fact that's the whole idea of the early chapters of Romans, and we
call it those 3 chapters on sanctification. Now you want to remember that at
salvation, yes we're sanctified, we're set apart, but in our everyday
experience it's a process of sanctification. It's a continuous growth in our
Christian experience, and in our knowledge of the Scripture. Now that comes
with continuous effort on our part. We have to put something into it. Now
that doesn't add to our salvation, because that's complete. But if we want
to really gain the knowledge and wisdom of God, now we've got to put some feet
to it. We've also got to put some time into the Word of God. Another thing that
just thrills Iris and I is when we get letter after letter from people saying
that for the first time in their lives they are studying their Bible. Some of
these people have been Christians for over 50 years. Well, listen nothing could
thrill us more, because this is what we want people to do. You don't go by what
I say, but rather get into the Word of God.
And once you understand this graphic difference between Law and Grace,
between Peter's preaching and Paul's preaching. when you're able to
separate those two, then studying this Book gets so exciting. When
you're able to see that, then you'll see how it all fits. There won't be
anymore contradiction, there's no more gobbledy gook to it, and I say that
reverently. It's not confusing, it's all laid out so perfectly, but you have to
learn to discern these things. So that's all part of what Paul is talking
about.
Ephesians 1:18
"The eyes of your understanding, being enlightened; (or opened
up) that ye may know (you don't go through this life groping and
wondering and hoping, but rather) what is the hope of his calling, and
what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"
Now again I dare say if we ask the average believer, "What's in store for you
after this life?" And they'll reply, "I'm going to go to heaven after I die."
Well that's great and that's nice to know, but is that all you can tell me?
Well for most of them they will say, "Is there more than that?" Yeah there's a
lot more than that. It's not enough to know that we're going to go to heaven
when we die, which will be great, but God wants us to get at least as much as
He has revealed of what's out there. I mean, it's not just an empty darkness.
God is getting something fantastic ready for us, and there's a lot the
Scripture doesn't tell us, but on the other hand He's already revealed some of
what's in store for us. We're going to have a glorified body, like Christ's
glorified, resurrected body. Never again an ache or pain, never again an
injury, illness, or disease. In the next life we're going to have power to go
from one place to another in that split second of time as He did. We're going
to be able to go through walls like He did, in fact it says so in I
Corinthians.
I Corinthians 2:9
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him."
Eye has not see nor ear heard. Now what does that tell you? There is nothing in
our earthly experiences that can even come close to that which God is preparing
for us. And again I've had men who just love to fish? They just think that's
the epitome of living, and they'll say, "Well what greater thing can there be
than fishing?" And I say, now look when you get to eternity, I don't know
exactly how it's going to be, but God has something in store for you that will
make your fishing experience pale in comparison. And it will be the same way
with anything else that we may think is great in this life. Once we get into
the realm of glory, what God has prepared for us is going to be so much greater
that it's beyond human comprehension, and this is what we have to get excited
about.
We're not just going to die and go to heaven, and what will be will be. No, God
wants us to get a glimpse of glory, and a glimpse of what it's going to like to
be in His presence forever and ever. You know I never set dates but I believe
that we're getting so close to the time we will find ourselves in heaven with
Him. Now coming back to Ephesians chapter 1, and now verse 19 as Paul continues
his prayer. Not only does he want us to understand the inheritances that
waiting for us, but also that we're to understand.
Ephesians 1:19a
"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe,..."
Salvation always come down to believing doesn't it? It's not what our
denomination demands. Oh you ought to hear some of the things that we hear on
our telephone from people who have been told wrong. We hear, "Well someone says
I must do this, and someone else tells me I've got to do that. I just say to
all that, "Forget it!" There's only one requirement and that is faith, and
believing, but it must be genuine, and not just a mental accent. Oh I could
show you over and over how many verses that it's all faith on our believing the
Gospel + NOTHING! And remember the only way you can do that in Scripture is
rightly divide the Word. Keep Peter's teaching and the Law separate from Paul's
teaching and Grace. If you don't separate the two then you will wind up with a
mixture of Law and Grace, and God won't have any part of it.
You know we've got some pins or buttons that say, "Faith + Nothing =
Salvation!" And while we were in Israel we had just enough buttons for the
number of people who were with us, so everyone received one to wear. While
coming out of Jordan, I'll never forget my own experience, as we were waiting
in the passport line, and a gentlemen in another line probably 15 or 20 feet
over from us was looking at the message on the buttons and finally he couldn't
take it any longer. So he comes up to me and read the button, "Faith +
Nothing = Salvation? " he said. Now this man was a middle easterner I'm
sure, but he talked perfect English. So he said, "You mean it's not work,
work, work like my religion teaches?" I told him no, and he said, "What?!"
He then went back and got in line.
Well we had several experiences like that all over Israel, those people have
never heard of such a thing. But we've got millions right here in our own
country who have heard it and read it, but refuse to believe it. Well those
buttons are a good conversational piece anyway. But you see that's where it's
at - "Faith + NOTHING!" But that faith has to be in that finished work of
the cross as Paul describes in I Corinthians 15:1-4. When Christ said while
on the cross that, "It is finished" how in the world can people then
say, that you have to do this and that? If that's the case then our Lord lied!
If He said it was finished, and it wasn't, then Christ lied. But we
all know that our Lord did not lie, because He did finish it! And all He's
asking us to do is to believe it with all our heart, and then let these other
work things follow. That's all well and good, but don't try to tie them to
salvation. So looking at the verse again.
Ephesians 1:19-20
"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power, 20. Which he wrought in Christ,
(not only when He died on that Roman cross, but it was epitomized, it
was crescendo) when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places,"
You don't hear about Him being raised from the dead much any more do you? You
don't hear much about resurrection power, but listen that where it's at. Had
Christ, as Paul says in I Corinthians 15, not been raised from the dead, we'd
be as lost as dogs. I mean we wouldn't have any hope at all, but He was raised
from the dead. In fact let's look at a verse in Romans chapter 1.
Romans 1:1-4
"Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God, 2. (Which (Gospel) he had promised afore by
his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our
Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. 4. And
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by (what event?) the resurrection from the dead."
Had He not been resurrected there would have been no power. Had He not been
resurrected we would yet be in our sins. Satan would yet be in total control,
and death would still be an absolute. But on the flip side, since He did
resurrect, since He was raised from the dead, now we know Satan is defeated, we
know death is defeated, and we know that we have an eternity where He is alive
forever more. And it was because of the power that was manifested in His
resurrection. Now then, what does Paul also teach? That as Christ was
resurrected from His earthly tomb, we have been resurrected from our deadness
in transposes and sins. We'll be coming to that real soon in Ephesians chapter
2. And what has happened? Well let's just take a quick look see right there in
verse 1.
Ephesians 2:1
"And you hath he quickened, (made alive) who were
(past tense) dead in trespasses and sins:" Well what kind
of power did it take to make us alive from being dead? Resurrection power. The
same power that raised Christ from the dead. Look at Romans 8 for moment to
compare. Now this is Bible study. We're not here to preach at you, but rather
just show you what the Bible says. These verses all fit so beautifully
together.
Romans 8:10-11
"And if Christ be in you, (by the person of the Holy
Spirit) the body is dead because of sin; (we were born in sins,
and we're sons of Adam) but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
(or make alive) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in
you."
Is it all ringing true? Oh I hope so. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the mark,
the ownership of God. It's also that power that raises us out of our lost
condition, and gave us life. It's that same power that's literally going to
propel us on up until we meet the Lord in the air. And it's that power of the
Holy Spirit that guides us and directs us every moment of our existence. That's
why I don't have to have, "Thou shalt not, and Thou shalt." I have never ran
across a true believer who says, "Oh I can go ahead and steal from my neighbor,
it doesn't bother me a bit." Can you imagine a believer saying something like
that? No. If that happened, then I'd have to say, Well I don't think you're a
believer, because the Holy Spirit would never give you that kind of freedom.
The Holy Spirit absolutely forbids those kinds of activities, and when we're
under His control, it's going to effect us. Now back to Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians 1:20a
"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead,..."
In order for God to raise Christ from the dead, what powers did God have to
over come? Satanic, didn't He? He had to defeat Satan on his own ground, and
all the powers of Satan, and hell itself had to be overcome in order for Christ
to be raise from the dead. Remember that's the last thing that Satan wanted to
happen. If Satan could have kept Christ in the grave, then he would have
finally gotten what he wanted, and that is to be God. But Satan couldn't hold a
candle to God, because all the power of heaven was released for you and I when
God raised Him from the dead. Let's look at the second part of that verse.
Ephesians 1:20b
"...and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."
For us Christ is not the King sitting on the throne of David on Mount Zion. He
will be for Israel yet someday, but for us He ascended back to glory, sat down
figuratively speaking, at the right hand of the Father to become now the Head
of the Body, which is you and I, the Church here on earth. We have that union
with Him that Israel knew nothing of, we have a union that no one in antiquity
knew nothing of, but it's only unique to the Church Age believer that as we
live and move on this earth we are connected to our Head who is in
heaven.
_______
LESSON ONE * PART IV
YOU ARE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE - EPHESIANS 1:13-23
We just trust the Lord will bless you as we open the Word for this lesson, and
trust that you will get your Bible and study right along with us. Now let's get
back to where we were in Ephesians chapter 1, and I would remind you again that
the Book of Ephesians is a deeper doctrinal Book than Romans, Galatians, and
the Corinthians. It is constantly teaching us of our exalted position
"In-Christ" as members of the Body of Christ, which He is the Head. Now
let's start with verse 20.
Ephesians 1:20-21a
"Which he wrought in Christ, (that is the power of
resurrection) when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places. (here's His position now during this
age of Grace) 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion,..."
In other words, there is no power on earth, or heaven or in hell that He is not
far above. That's His power, that's His Sovereignty. Now I constantly run into
people who never understood until I taught it that Jesus Christ was the
Creator of Genesis 1:1. When people hear this it just blows them away, and
yet Paul makes it so plain, as well as John's gospel, that it was God the Son,
the One who became flesh, who spoke the Word of creation. So we have to
recognize that He has the power of creation, He has the power over everything
He ever created naturally, and so there is nothing to compare with the power of
Jesus Christ. That's why we can trust Him, we can place our faith in Him,
because He will fulfill that which He has promised.
Maybe we should stop for a couple of minutes and show you that He was the
Creator. I teach someone who's been in Church 50 years, and he very educated
man, and he was just blown away by these verses that showed Jesus was the
Creator, so maybe we need to show that more. He also told me that when he took
that into his Sunday School class, they just about threw him out. I said, "Well
who in the world do think did the creation?" "Oh they think God did." I asked
Him, "Well who do they think Jesus is?"
But listen, we have to remember that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God,
He was a member in the Godhead, and according to the New Testament He was the
Creator of Genesis 1:1, even though it's just referred to as God. So let's
just take a brief look at these verses. I hadn't intended to do this either,
but I'm being prompted by the Holy Spirit to do it, so let's turn to John's
gospel, chapter 1. And remember this still fits with what we're seeing in
Ephesians, that He is above all powers, dominions, and principalities. Why?
Because Jesus Christ the Creator created them. I've always made the
statement, that while they were nailing Him to that Roman cross, what was the
real situation? "The created beings were doing it to their own Creator!"
Have you ever thought of it that way? And with one word He could have just
zapped all of them, they could have all been wiped off the scene, but why
didn't He? Because look at what Philippians says.
Philippians 2:8
"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." He did this in order
to purchase man's salvation, but He didn't have to do that, because He was the
Creator. Now let's look at some of these references.
John 1:1-3
"In the beginning was the Word, (that's capitalized) and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (He's one in the same)
2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by
him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Then you
come all the way down to verse 14 and it explains who the Word was.
John 1:14a
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,..."
Now that's not so hard to comprehend is it? Who dwelt among the Jews? Jesus of
Nazareth. And what was the purpose of all of His miracles, signs, and wonders?
To prove to Israel that He was the Son of God." Now let's leave John, and let's
run quickly over to Ephesians chapter 3:9 where Paul tell us "the purpose of
his apostleship."
Ephesians 3:9
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ:"
So the triune God as we saw back in Acts chapter 2, in counsel, predetermined
everything that would happen, before anything was ever created. They determined
that Jesus the Son would be the one, to call everything into being. And that's
why Paul writes, "God created all things, but by Jesus Christ."
All right, then the next one is in the Book of Colossians chapter 1. And my
goodness I don't see how people can argue with the Word. I don't care what
their opinion is they simply can't argue with what God has written, and this
isn't interpretation. I mean, this is exactly what it says, I'm not twisting
it, I'm just reading it as it sets in the King James version, and I don't think
any of the other translations can foul this up. I mean this is pretty obvious.
Colossians 1:14-16
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins: (now only one person of the Godhead shed His blood, and that was
Jesus Christ) 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, (the
Godhead which implies the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. And
God the Son is) the firstborn of every creature: (because He was
God in pre-existence. Now verse 16 is just plain English.) 16. For by him
(the Son) were all things created, that
are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
by him, and for him:"
See those are the same words we looked at in Ephesians. So Jesus the Christ
created everything, and that's why God could set Him far above everything,
because our Lord created them. Christ is the Creator! He was the Creator! They
were created for Him. Let's see what the next verse says.
Colossians 1:17
"And he is before all things, and by him, (His power) all
things consist." (are held together.)
I mentioned in one of the previous programs that out of all the billions and
trillions of bodies in outer space, have you ever seen the astronomers record
one of them crashing into another? Why of course not. Now there may be
explosions of new ones being made, but you never read how two of them banged
into each other, and caused a turmoil out there. Why? Because the Creator has
perfect control of every one of them. I mean every one of them, He knows
exactly where they are at any given moment in time. Why? Because that's the
only way they can keep from crashing into each other. If that happened then it
would be like a nuclear fission out in space. Let's look at one more in the
Book of Hebrews. I could also take you to Revelation, but we won't take time to
look at that one, because Revelation says the same thing that all the rest of
these do. "That He created everything by Jesus Christ!" But let's look at this
one in Hebrews chapter 1:1
Hebrews 1:1-2
"God, (just like in Genesis 1:1. It's the same word) who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
. (that is the nation of Israel) by the prophets 2. Hath in these
last days (the last days of Scripture is from His first advent until
the end, and we're in the last days. Now we're also getting close to the latter
days, which means the end of the last days. But in these last days which began
with His birth at Bethlehem He hath) spoken unto us by his Son, whom
he (God, the Trinity) hath appointed heir of all things, by
whom also he made the worlds;"
Now you put all those together, who's the Creator? Jesus of Nazareth! Think for
a moment, where did Christ get the power to calm the waves of the sea of
Galilee? Well He was the Creator of them. And where did He get the power to
raise dead Lazarus? He was the Creator of him. He's in total control. There is
nothing that He doesn't supersede. Do you see how all of this fits together?
Now come back to Ephesians again in chapter 1. So Paul fits right in with all
that by declaring then that when God set Him at His right hand up in the
heavenlies -
Ephesians 1:21
"Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,
(that covers everything. Heaven, Hell, earth, space, everything is
under His control) and every name that is named, not only in this world,
but also in that which is to come." Now verse 22. And because of that
exalted position God -
Ephesians 1:22
"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over
all things to the church,"
Most people think that last verse should read, "And hath put all things
under his feet, and gave him to be the King over all things to the church."
But you see that's not what it says. But rather "God hath set Him to be head
of all things to the Church, which is His Body." Now if we are the Body,
are we decapitated without a head? No! Now let's come back to I Corinthians
chapter 12, and look at that. In these verses we're going to look at, he gets
down to such simplicity that it's almost ridiculous, but Paul is trying to
drive the point home. What is the Body of Christ? Well it's just like this
human body, it's composed of billions of cells. And every cell whether it be a
fingernail, or an eyeball, or an ear drum has a different make up and each is
important. So you see Paul is using the analogy of a human body as an example
of the Body which is His Church. Now let's look at it.
I Corinthians 12:12
"For as the body (the human body) is one, and hath many
members, (hands, feet, eyes, etc.) and all the members of that
one body, being many, are one body: (before we go any further, what
controls the body? The head!) so also is Christ".
Paul is making that same analogy. You and I as believers are
members of a Body of which Christ is the head. And we're just as connected in
this Body of Christ, as our head is to our own human body. Looking at some more
of the analogy in verse 15.
I Corinthians 12:15
"If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body? 16. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not
the eye, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?" Then
let's see what Paul says in verse 18.
I Corinthians 12:18
"But now hath God set the members (that is you and I as
believers) every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased
him."
Now in our mother's womb, and I've used this analogy often. One of the miracles
of reproduction is that as the mother prepares that little baby in the womb you
don't have fingernail cells going any place but to the fingers. And all these
separate cells go exactly to the right place. And at the end of that 9 months
whenever the baby is complete, then you have birth. That's miracles of
miracles. Well God is doing the same thing in a Spiritual realm. He is building
the Body of Christ of believers from every walk of life from around the planet.
The Chinese, or Jew, or any other nationality when they become believers are
just as much a part of the Body of Christ as we are. And we're all connected to
that one source, which is Christ the head. Now come on down to verse 27.
I Corinthians 12:27
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
God never loses sight of our individualism. God hasn't lost us in the crowd,
we're not just a number in God's mind, He knows us as an individual. Now that's
the Body of Christ. Now come back again to the Book of Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians 1:22-23a
"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over
all things to the church, 23. Which is the body, the fulness..."
Now if you have a marginal Bible, the other word for fullness is
complement. As members of the Body of Christ we have become a
complement. Now the best way to explain that is to go all the way back to
Genesis where everything begins. We'll start in chapter 2.
Genesis 2:18
"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him."
Now you take the Hebrew root, and what do you suppose that word help meet is in
our English? Complement. Or a better definition for it would be,
"Someone called along side to help." Do you see that? That's the whole idea of
a husband and wife relationship even to this day. The wife is that complement
to the man that really completes him and brings the help that he needs, and
that's what Eve was to Adam. This was all set in type of course looking forward
to the greatest union that could ever take place which was the marriage between
Christ and the Church. Now for a moment let's go back to the Book of Romans
chapter 7. My how these verses just drop into place. Remember Paul is writing
to believers.
Romans 7:4
"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body
of Christ; (His physical body that was crucified) that ye should
be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, (not
just to escape hell fire, but also) that we should bring forth fruit unto
God."
We're to be worth something to God, we're not to be deadwood. We're to be
working, and bring forth fruit for His honor and His glory. Now coming back to
Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians 1:22b-23a
"...and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23. Which
is his body,..."
And that's a concept that few believers, I think, have any idea that we're
members of a living organism. Now you know as well as I do that as long as
we're living our body is a composite of living things. Our cells are alive, our
enzymes are alive, and as soon as they die, we dead. All right it's the same
way with the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is not an organization like the
country club. I know that's what most Churches are getting to be like I'm
afraid, but that is not the true scriptural definition of a local Church. We
are to be a living organism, with life. Not physical life, but rather
spiritual life. And that life is enhanced by fellowship, by the Word, by
prayer, and all because we're connected to the head who is in heaven.
God knows we're waiting for the day when there won't be that huge space
between the head and the Body. Why? Because one day we're going to be brought
into union with Him, and we're going to revel throughout all eternity in His
presence, and that's something to glory in.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART I
THE INVISIBLE MAKE-UP OF THE LOST AND SAVED
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
In our last lesson we finished chapter 1, so today we'll start chapter 2.
Personally the way I look at Ephesians chapter 2 is the same way I look at what
chapter 8 is to the Book of Romans, and most people know what I'm talking
about. Romans chapter 8 is just the highlight of almost all of Scripture,
but especially of the Book of Romans. And here chapter 2 is also the
highlight of this short little letter to the Ephesians. It's a tremendous
chapter, and if we get past the first 3 or 4 verses today I'll be surprised
because there is just so much in here that we can't gloss over, and we're going
to take our time with it.
I'm constantly urged to repeat things as we study, and I was looking this
morning at the verses we'll probably cover today, and here again in just a few
verses, the Holy Spirit repeats things two or three times. Well if the Holy
Spirit, the author of the Book, uses repetition, then who am I to say, I can't
repeat something. So let's just start with verse 1. And remember Paul always
writes to believers, because you see the whole concept is if we know what we
believe, then we can share it with those who are lost. God doesn't expect the
Church to save the lost, but rather the individual believer to do that, and
then bring them into the fellowship of the Church. We've got to teach the
believers of where we are positionally, and why we're there so that we can be
free to share it with those who are still out in darkness.
Ephesians 2:1
"And you (the believer) hath he quickened, (made
alive) who were (past tense) dead in trespasses and
sins;..."
Now as you know I always like to define words so that anybody can understand.
What really is death? Well we normally think of when something dies, it's dead!
Well what happens when something dies. Let's keep it in perspective by using
the human race as an example. What happens when a person dies? Well their
soul, the invisible part of them is separated from the physical body. Now
that's all death is. Now that's probably over simplifying, but death is simply
the separation of the invisible part of us, for believers it's soul and
spirit. For the unbeliever it's only the soul, his spirit hasn't become an
enemy.
Spiritual death is also a separation, but it's a separation from God. So the
person who is spiritually dead has been separated from the Creator God. And
Paul is saying here, "This is where we were before salvation." Let's look at
what he says.
Ephesians 2:1b
"...who were dead..."
You were separated from God. Now we're going to go all the way back to Genesis
chapter 2. As you know I'm always stressing Paul's epistles for the basis for
most of what we believe, but that doesn't mean we don't use the rest of
Scriptures. Remember all Scripture is inspired of God, and is
profitable. So when Paul says you were dead in trespasses and sins, what
was he talking about, when did it happen? Well spiritual death or this
separation from God was an event, it wasn't a process, but rather an event.
We find that God has now created Adam, he's still alone. Eve is still in Adam,
but she hasn't been brought out of him to be his help mete. And you pick it up
in verse 16
Genesis 2:16-17
"And the LORD God (which was God the Son on this occasion)
commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat: 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die."
Or he would be separated from God. There will become a gulf between them.
That's what's going to happen Adam if he eats of this one tree Now let's go
over to chapter 3 and see what happened. And again you all know this, but
there's some that don't. Let's jump in at verse 2. Now Eve is now on the
scene.
Genesis 3:2a
"And the woman said unto the serpent,..."
Remember back there in verse 1 he was called the most subtle of all the
creatures that God had created. If you ever wonder what that word means, look
in the dictionary. It means to be sly, cunning, deceitful and so forth. So all
these things were wrapped up in this creature that Satan is using. Let's see
what Eve says to the serpent.
Genesis 3:2b
"...We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:"
Now Eve wasn't with Adam when he got his instructions from God back there in
chapter 2. So where did she find out what God had said? From Adam. And I'm
bringing that out to point out Adam's headship. God told Adam, and that's where
He left it, and then it was Adam's responsibility to instruct Eve, and he had.
So she has the right answers.
Genesis 3:3
"But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
die."
I've had people ask me, "Well did they have a concept of death? Well it's kind
of hard to say yes or no, but I believe they did, or otherwise God would have
just been speaking empty words. So they understood what He was talking about.
They knew that if they disobeyed Him they'd be separated from Him. Now verse 4.
Here comes the very first lie in Scripture. First turn quickly to John chapter
8 and verse 44.
John 8:44b
"...for he (Satan) is a liar, and the father of
it." Now let's see what Satan says to the woman. Turn with me to
Genesis 3 and verse 4 and following.
Genesis 3:4-5
"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5. For God
doth know (doesn't that sound like the false teachers of today using
the Scriptures? Oh they give credit to the Holy Spirit, and make it sounds so
official, but it's just as much the power of Satan as this was. So Satan can
say) that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and
ye shall be as gods, (small "g" of course) knowing good and
evil." Now is that what God had said? Come back to chapter 2 again for
a moment, we've got to compare Scripture with Scripture. God is speaking.
Genesis 2:17a
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of
it:..."
See that's exactly what God called that tree. Do you see how meticulous Satan
can be when he gets ready to deceive somebody? Oh he didn't goof it up, but
rather Satan said it to Eve just exactly the way God said it. Now coming back
to chapter 3 and verse 5
Genesis 3:5-6
"For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (this is why
God had told Adam not to eat of the tree.) 6. And when the woman saw that
the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to
be desired to make one wise, (remember knowledge leads to wisdom)
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat."
OK the moment Adam ate, what happened? He died. Oh not physically, but
spiritually, and he was separated from God. He could no longer expect Him to
come and fellowship with him, and walk with him, because that had been totally
destroyed, because of sin. Now remember sin in it's simplest definition is
what? "Disobeying the revealed Word of God." That's what sin is, and
they disobeyed the will of God by eating. Now if you'll just look at the end of
verse 6 where it says, "and he did eat." Immediately what happens in verse 7?
Well the results of their sin.
Genesis 3:7a
"And the eyes of them both were opened,..."
That's exactly what Satan said would happen. But not to have their eyes opened
for a greater appreciation for their Creator, but rather to know good and evil.
So immediately, the moment Adam sunk his teeth into that fruit, their spiritual
eyes were opened to know good and evil, and their relationship with God was
immediately broken. So spiritually they died. Now physically of course Adam
lived 930 years, but when did the seeds of death begin? The moment he took part
of that fruit. Now do you see all of that?
Now I had Mark Wood a young man in our audience who is an artist draw three
circles on the chalk board before the class began. And now I would like to go
back like we did when we were teaching the Book of Genesis, and I use these
circles to just simply indicate the three parts of man. The outside
circle represents the tent in which we live which is what we call the
"body." That's just the simple exercise of the five senses. Now within
this body, we also a smaller circle called the "soul," and within
the soul is a still smaller circle called the "spirit."
Now when I was teaching Genesis I defined the "soul" as the "mind,
the will, and emotions," all of which are invisible. But these make up the
personality, and it's in the area of the "soul" that we were made
in the likeness and image of God. Now I'm going to have you turn all the way up
to the Book of I Thessalonians chapter 5, and then we'll come back to Genesis.
I think it's interesting to note how much in Scripture is tied to the number
three. Beginning with God Himself, a Trinity. Here Paul is signing off his
letter to the Thessalonians, and let's see what he says.
I Thessalonians 5:23
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; (or
completely) and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So what are we? We are a three part being. Now I guess the theologians would
call it a trichotomy, but that's too big a word for me. We are just simply a
three part being. We are body, soul, and spirit, and that's the way Adam
was created. He was created with that perfect body that could have lived
forever. He was created with a personality, patterned after the
personality of the three persons of the Trinity, a mind, a will and a set of
emotions. But he also had the third part which is what we call the spirit.
So this first circle completed with all three parts of body, soul, and spirit
represents Adam as a perfect three part being.
Normally I like to put it this way. The spirit is the area where Adam had
fellowship with his Creator God. The spirit was also intrinsically united with
the soul, and we still look at it that way. So that Adam in his purity, in his
original state, through his spirit fellowshipped with his Creator, and through
that fellowship with his Creator, it had an effect upon his very personality,
his mind, his will, and his emotion, and that in turned exercised the body. Now
we don't know how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden before they fell, but
however long it was it was perfect. It was a glorious experience, and they
could look forward to their Creator coming down, maybe once or twice a day to
walk with them, and commune them.
Now naturally I've still got lots of questions about Adam and Eve for example,
where did they sleep at night? Where did they experience their days of
habitation? Did the Lord also have a beautiful home for them? I'd like to know
that. I'm sure they didn't wonder around in the Garden of Eden 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, what did they do to occupy their time. I've always told
people that the Bible tells us everything we need to know, but it doesn't tell
us everything we'd like to know. This we do know though, Adam and Eve lived
in perfect communion, and fellowship with their Creator. Sin hadn't even showed
it's ugly head.
Now then, the next thing we know is that Adam sinned when he ate, and for that
I want to move to the second set of circles. Remember over here in the first
set of circles before Adam ate we have Adam complete. So in this next set
of circles, again this outside ring represents the human body. Adam is still
living just like he was in the first circle. He is still a body, he's still has
his soul, the mind, will, and emotion, none of that has changed since he ate,
but the moment Adam ate of the fruit, he lost that third part, the spirit, and
he becomes nothing now but a body, and a soul, and now the spirit is dead!
Now, from Adam and Eve on every person that is born, comes into the human
experience with only a body and soul. That spirit part of each is dead. It has
no fellowship with God, it has no communion with God. Also remember the
moment Adam sinned the soul became a sin nature. So now Adam and Eve have
become sin-natured creatures, and that's the way each person is when they come
into this world. That's the best way I can explain it. They are now
operating under a sin nature, and this sin nature is separated from God, and
it's going to influence the physical body, not for good, but rather for evil.
That's the whole concept of the spiritually dead individual.
Now this is exactly what Paul talks about when he says in Ephesians 2. Let's
look at that and start at verse 1.
Ephesians 2:1b
"...who were dead in trespasses and sins;"
We weren't dead because of what we did, but rather we started there at birth.
Every baby that is born is born in sin, dead in trespasses. Let's go back to
Romans chapter 5 for a moment and let me show you. Do you realize that all the
way from Genesis chapter 3 to Romans chapter 5 there is not a word of Scripture
that deals with Adam, with the exception of one or two places as a name in a
genealogy. Not one word of Adam being the cause of sin and death. Not one word
of how he at one time was a spiritual being in fellowship with God. We don't
find this until we get to the apostle Paul's writings. Now in this chapter here
it comes.
When you think about these things it is amazing that Jesus in His 3 years of
earthly ministry never revealed this. Have you ever thought of that? Why didn't
Jesus take the time with the twelve or during His teaching, and say "Now
look folks, the crux of your problem was Adam. And it was with Adam that sin
and death came into the world." But you see Christ never mentioned that.
And the closest you can come to that in the Old Testament is found in Jeremiah.
Let's turn to Jeremiah 17 and start at verse 9.
Jeremiah 17:9a
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:..."
But that as close as you can get to the problem, and you can't build
doctrine like Paul does on that one verse. Now let's look at what Paul says in
Romans chapter 5 and verse 12.
Romans 5:12a
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death
(entered) by sin; and so death passed upon all men,..."
Death passed upon all men. And the reason is that every person that has ever
been born, that spiritual part of them is dead. Death and sin are almost
synonymous. If there never would have been sin, there never would have been
death. So death and sin almost become partners. When Adam sinned that spirit
died, his soul became a sin -natured thing that can think nothing but evil, and
it was contrary to the will of God, and the reason is because the spirit is
dead. So this is where the human race is as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2
and verse 1.
Ephesians 2:1b
"... (you) who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Even good people are walking around spiritually dead. They have no connection
with God whatsoever. They can't have because they are spiritually dead. Now
reading the last part of Romans 5:12
Romans 5:12b
"...and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
And you come on down to verse 14.
Romans 5:14a
"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam (do you see how Paul puts
the finger on it? Death didn't come in some place along the line, but rather it
came in when Adam ate from that forbidden tree) to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,..."
Now let's turn over to I Corinthians chapter 15 where again Paul brings out
this same problem. Paul lays it right out here just what the crux of our
problem is, and how we can overcome it one day. My goodness, it looks like our
time is gone already for this lesson, and we won't have time to read all the
Scripture I had intended.
I Corinthians 15:45
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made (or
created) a living soul: (that was back here in this first set of
circles when Adam was complete) the last Adam (speaking of
Christ) was made a quickening spirit:"
And how does man become complete? Believe Paul's Gospel found in I Corinthians
15:1-4.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART II
THE INVISIBLE MAKE-UP OF THE LOST AND SAVED
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
Now for starters let's get right back to Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1 and
Paul is speaking to us believers.
Ephesians 2:1
"And you hath he quickened, who were (past tense) dead in
trespasses and sins:"
In the last lesson we went back and reconstructed Adam as he was created.
Remember we had the three circles on the board, and in that first circle we had
the makeup of Adam as he was created with a perfect body, with no seeds of
death. Adam could have lived forever. God gave him a personality of a mind,
will, and emotions patterned after the very personality of God Himself. Also in
that first circle we found Adam also had that third part the spirit that made
him complete so that he could fellowship with God. And with his spirit
operating correctly it had an influence on his personality, and it in turn had
an influence on the body. So Adam was under a perfect set of circumstances in a
perfect body, and with perfect soul and spirit.
But then we went and looked in the second of the three circles at how he ate,
and immediately the body begin to die even though he lived 930 years, he still
died. We're talking about physical death with his soul being separated from his
physical body. He also lost that third part, the Spirit. Then we pointed out in
our last lesson how the moment Adam ate of the fruit became a sin nature. Now
the reason I'm using that word is because so often Paul uses the terminology
that "we are sin -natured." The things that we do naturally are not
Godly, but rather ungodly. Now that's just the bent of the old Adamic Nature,
but remember the spirit part of Adam died and completely became inoperative,
and so every child born from Adam and Eve on are now only a two part being of
physical body with a soul, of mind will and emotion, but that soul is a sin
-natured creature.
Now we're going to pursue the lost person a little further, because that's the
format of Scripture. The natural first, and then the spiritual. So we're going
to look at the natural for a little bit yet. This is the person who is living
but is spiritual dead, and what is his future if he does not come into God's
saving Grace. Let's go back to John's gospel chapter 5, and we're going to jump
in at verse 28. Now this is Jesus speaking during His earthly ministry, and
they're asking Him many questions. But here again Jesus doesn't give us any
doctrine on how all this is brought about, but rather He leaves that for the
apostle Paul to reveal. But Jesus does tell us the end result of a person who
is nothing more than body and soul.
John 5:28-29a
"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming (He doesn't put a
date or year on it, but it's a future point in time) in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear his voice. (that is the voice of God
to come forth.) 29. And (they) shall come forth,
(there will not be anyone that won't hear that call to come forth from the
grave, whether they're lost or saved. They will come forth, not the saved and
lost at the same time, but all will come forth.) they that have done
good,..."
Remember there's only one way we can please God, and what is it? BY
FAITH! Jesus doesn't come right out and say it here, but the scriptures are
so plain that there's only one way of doing good in God's eyes, and that is by
exercising Faith.
Hebrews 11:6a
"But without faith it is impossible to please him:..." So those
who are of faith will come forth.
John 5:29b
"... unto the resurrection of life;..." Now the word eternal is
not in there, but it's certainly implied, because what does John 3:16 say?
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
So that's always implied that the believer is looking forward to an
eternal life situation. Now let's look at the next part of the verse.
John 5:29b
"...and they that have done evil, (or having no faith) unto
the resurrection of damnation."
Now I could stand here the rest of the afternoon and give you scriptural
instances of lost people who were lost only because they would not believe what
God said. I can start with Cain. I wouldn't doubt a bit that Cain was probably
a nicer man than his brother Abel. He was probably the kind of guy that people
would say, "Isn't he a swell guy?" But what was his problem? No Faith! He
couldn't believe what God had told him to do, so Cain goes out into eternity
lost.
The next person we could use as an example is Esau. Jacob and Esau were twins,
they had the same parents, the same environment, and again I wouldn't doubt
that Esau was probably a more likable fellow than Jacob, in fact from a man's
point of view, he was. Because which one of the two did their father Isaac
prefer? Esau. Nice guy, good fellow, but what was his problem? No faith!
Whatever God said didn't mean a thing to him, and that's why he was willing to
sell his birthright for a bowl of bean soup. Oklahoma people know all about
bean soup. So Esau gave it all up for a bowl of soup, and the reason is no
faith, and he's lost for all eternity. So you can find that all the way up
through Scripture, the ones without faith may have been better people, they may
have been more moral, but they were destitute of faith, so God calls them
evil.
John 5:29b
"...and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation."
A better word for damnation would be condemnation. In other words every lost
person from Cain, who left this life when their body died, their soul continued
to live. So many times Paul uses the word "sleep" when he refers
to those who have died. In fact let's look at the Scriptures so you'll know
what I'm talking about. So turn with me to I Corinthians 15, he also uses it in
I Thessalonians chapter 4. Let's just drop down to verse 51.
I Corinthians 15:51
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not sleep, (to die
physically) but we shall all be changed." Now let's take time to
also read the one over in I Thessalonians.
I Thessalonians 4:13
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as other which have not hope."
And all Paul is talking about is believers who have died. Now there are cults
who have taken that to mean that when a believer dies he goes into an
unconscious state, and some cults even feel that the soul stays with that body
in the grave, and it is merely asleep. Listen the soul never sleeps! The
soul of a lost person, as we're going to see here in a minute, goes immediately
to Hell.
Now people don't like to hear that expression anymore, but you see I'm not
afraid of that. I've always said the if people don't like the way I teach, then
they can push the off button. If the money stops coming in for our television
time, then I quit coming up here each month to record these lessons, and that
will give me more time with my cattle. Now I'm sure the Lord doesn't want it
that way, but I've got that option, so it doesn't scare me that I'm going to
lose a retirement if I can't keep doing what I'm doing like it would other
preachers and teachers who are depending on a denomination retirement pension.
So I'm going to teach it just like the Bible puts it, and if people
don't like it, then that's tough. The lost person is going to go to
Hell!
All right, the soul never sleeps, but what about the body? We can refer to it
as being asleep because what's going to happen one day? It's going to be
resurrected, it's going to be waked up, it's going to be changed. I guess the
best example I ever had of that, and it's only happened once in my life. I came
in one noon hour, and I was so exhausted, but yet I had a lot of work to do
that afternoon. So I told Iris that I was going to take a 30 minute nap, and
then I've got to get going again. You know from the time my head hit the pillow
until Iris woke me it seem like it was only a split second.
Have you ever had that happened? Now that's exactly what physical death is. The
old body is put in the grave, and it's really asleep. But before it knows that
time has even gone by, what's going to happen? The Lord's going shout, and
the trumpet of God is going to sound, and that body is going to be raised from
the dead, and will be awake in a split second. But always remember, "the
soul never sleeps" OK so let's deal with the lost person first and then
we'll come back and look at the believer.
So the lost person's body dies, his old sin nature, which has never gotten
right with God, goes out into eternity, to Hell, the place that is waiting for
the resurrection of the lost person. Now let me take you back to Ephesians
chapter 2 for a moment and then we'll go to Matthew.
Ephesians 2:2-3
"Wherein (that is in trespasses and sins) in time past
ye (believers) walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, (Satan) the
spirit (small s so it's not the Holy Spirit) that
now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3. Among whom also we
(including ourselves) all had our conversation (manner of
living) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even
as others."
Now turn with me to Matthew chapter 7. These are verses that you don't hear
much any more. Most teachers and preachers just skip over them. My, when I was
young I heard this quite often. I haven't heard about this for a long time, but
these verses are still in the Book. And on top of that this is what the Lord
said Himself.
Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, (not eternal life, but rather eternal
condemnation) and many there be which go in thereat: (why do many
take the broad way?) 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way, which leadeth unto life, (eternal life) and few there be
that find it."
Years ago I had a fellow who did a lot of buying from me and so forth, but he
was a member of one of the largest religious systems in the world, and he was
trying to implore me to become a part of his religious system. And I said to
him, now wait a minute, my Bible tells me that based on numbers alone you're
going the wrong direction, and I don't want to be part of it. He said, "What do
you mean?" I said, "Have you ever heard about the verse in the Bible that says,
"broad is the way, and many go in thereat, but narrow is the way that
leads to eternal life, and few there be that find it." I said, "Tell me
something, does your particular religion qualify for many, or few?" He said,
"Well we're many." I said, "Then according to that where are you?" He said, "On
the way to destruction?" I said, "You named it."
Because you see all through, has God ever had the "many?" Never! That's a
doctrine that you can follow all the way from Genesis to Revelation, and I call
it the "Doctrine of the remnant." Now those women who go to the fabric shops,
what do you like to find? A remnant." It's just a little bit left of the whole
bolt. Well you see that's what God has kept all the way through human history,
is that little remnant. Once it got so small He could hardly see it, like at
the end of the first 1600 years of human history, we had the event of the
flood. How many were saved from the flood? 8 out of probably 4,000,000,000.
Then you come to the next graphic description and that is when Elijah was
confronting the prophets of Baal up there on Mount Carmel. And then Elijah ran
scared from Queen Jezebel clear down to the south end of the Sinai peninsula.
He hid under a Juniper tree, and what was his graphic statement? "Lord I'm the
only one left." But what did God say? "Elijah I have 7000 who have not bowed
their knee to Baal." In other words these 7000 were still believers. Now
that sounds pretty good, but you see Israel has always had a population coming
out of Egypt running between 7-10 million. Do you know what the percentage is
of 7000 out of 7 million? It's .01. Not 1/10th, but rather it's one, one
hundredth of one percent. It's a pretty small remnant isn't it? And it's always
been that way, and it's that way today. We're getting down to a smaller and
smaller percentage everyday. But is God surprised? Why of course not, because
it's always been that way. So this is what Jesus meant when He said this is
Matthew chapter 7 and verse 13.
Matthew 7:13b
"...for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"
And that's where most people are headed. Because they're going out into
eternity with nothing more than that physical body that's now been laid in the
grave, it's a sleep waiting for the resurrection that Jesus talked about in
John chapter 5. And they went out with a rebellious sin -natured soul that is
one day going to be called up to the Great White Throne Judgment, and that
judgment is only for the lost. Now in the few minutes we have left let's come
back to Revelation and follow these lost people.
Now if you doubt me that lost people go to Hell consciously just read Luke 16
about Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man. The Scripture gives us just one
little window of opportunity for information, and it's the only time we have
this account in Scriptures, but again the Lord Himself refers to it. And
through that little window we found Abraham conversing with the rich man who
was in Hell. The rich man was in torment. The rich man was conscious
even though he wasn't there in body, but rather only in the area of the soul,
the mind, the will, and emotions. Yet the conscience was so real that what did
he ask Abraham to do? Somehow dip his finger in water and cool his tongue,
because he was in torment in the flames. Now the Lord Jesus Himself used
that. That didn't come from story tellers.
So we know that the lost is in a torment situation, but that's not the end,
because they're going to be resurrected out of Hell, because Jesus said they
would. After they're resurrected out of Hell, they're going to be given a body,
not fit for glory, but rather a body fit for their next abode which is found in
Revelation chapter 20.
Revelation 20:4
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment (or
rule) was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped
the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years." I think this includes the believers of all ages, as well as the
Tribulation believers who will have been martyred. Now verse 5. Now we look at
the lost being resurrected.
Revelation 20:5a
"But the rest of the dead..."
Well if you've got all the believers involved up here in verse 4, then
naturally who are the rest of the dead in verse 5? Lost people all the way from
Cain, and Esau, and all the way on up through when there was a time of
opportunity. Now continuing on.
Revelation 20:5a
"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were
finished..." So there's coming a day when they're brought back on the
scene to have their day before our Lord to see what degrees of punishment they
will receive in the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:5b
"This is the first resurrection."
Now this is always confusing, because it's not talking about the rest of dead
in the first part of verse 5, but the ones up in verse 4. They were in the
first resurrection which was the resurrection unto life.
Revelation 20:6
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:
(the believers) on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priest of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
Now come on down to verse 11.
Revelation 20:11-15
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, (which
will be Christ) from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and
there was found no place for them. 12. And I saw the
dead, (the lost who have been down in Hell in torment ever since they
died) small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead (those
spiritually dead who never entered into salvation) were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works. 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death. (remember a believer will never face
second death, because we experience our second death when we identified with
Christ when He died on the cross. Remember Paul says, `we are crucified with
Christ!') 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the lake of fire."
So these unbelievers will be resurrected out of Hell and given a body that is
fit for the Lake of Fire. That sounds horrible doesn't it? But that's what the
Book says.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART III
THE INVISIBLE MAKE-UP OF THE LOST AND SAVED
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
As we begin this lesson let me say that we try to reach across all
denominational lines and get people to study the Word of God. I had a phone
call from a gentlemen yesterday who was 69 years old, and he hadn't been to
church since he was 9 years old. He hadn't even listened to anyone on
television, but he happened to have caught our program, and said, "You have
totally turned me around, and now this Book is consuming me. I can't get enough
of it." Well we just praise the Lord for things like that, and continue to
covet your prayers. Our goal through the Holy Spirit is to continue to open the
Word where anybody can understand it. Now let's go back to Ephesians chapter 2,
and begin this lesson with verse 6. However to pick up the flow we will begin
with verse 4.
Ephesians 2:4-6a
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. (by
grace ye are saved;) 6a. And hath raised us up together,..."
That is, after God, who is rich in mercy hath made us alive with Christ, by
virtue of the work of the Cross. Remember when He died, we died, and when He
rose from the dead it was by that same power we've also been raised out of
deadness. In the first two lessons we showed you the 3 circles on the board
that shows our makeup. Remember in our center circle we are born into the human
family dead spiritually, with a sin nature which is the engine of all carnal
activity. Now looking at the third circle we find that now as believers the old
Adam has been crucified, we have been given a new nature. We have been
generated by the Holy Spirit, and now we're a completely new person.
Now in our closing remarks last lesson I pointed out that we still have the old
nature to fight with, and we have to keep him under control, and let the new
nature control our activity. That's why from time to time Christians fail and
behave like they're not Christians. That's when they let that old sin nature,
that old Adam, raise his ugly head and take over their lives for a little
while. That can happen to any of us, but that doesn't mean that we have lost
our salvation. Now reading verse 6.
Ephesians 2:6
"And hath raise us up together, (he has given us resurrection
power, and eternal life) and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus:"
Now when we first started teaching this Book of Ephesians what did I tell you
the prepositional phrase was throughout this whole little book? In Him, In
Whom, In Christ, which was a positional thing.. We are in Christ as a
result of our salvation experience, it's a work of God. Along with everything
else that happened the moment we believed such as He has redeemed us,
justified us, sanctified us, but He has also placed us positionally into the
Body of Christ. It's a work of God, and we take it by faith. I mean, you
can't lay out a diploma and say, "See this is what God gave me." But rather
we just simply take it by faith. The Book says that it has happened and we
believe it. So in verse 6 we find that Paul writes that we're in the
heavenlies, but we're still on the earth. But positionally we are in Christ
Jesus in the heavenlies. All of a sudden a verse just comes to mind. We're
living in such crucial days, and let's let some of the Scriptures just thrill
your heart. Turn to the Book of Titus chapter 2 for a moment, and let's look at
verses 12 and 13. This goes right along with what we've been saying in these
last 3 lessons, that now because of the Grace and mercy and love of God we've
been brought out of that life of desire to live in the nature of Old Adam. Now
this is what we've been translated to.
Titus 2:12-13
"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
(desires) we should live (instead) soberly, righteously,
and godly, (not when we get to heaven, but where?) in this
present world: (that's to be our lifestyle. Now here's the verse that
came to mind. We are at the same time) 13. Looking for that blessed hope;
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ;"
Now here Jesus Christ is claiming to be the great God, and I know this flies in
the face of people who claim that Christ never claimed to be God. Yes He did.
Paul claims He was by inspiration, and this is what we can be looking for.
"The glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ." What a hope we have. And why can we do it? Because in verse 14
it tells us that.
Titus 2:14
"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Now
coming back to Ephesians chapter 2, and we'll read verse 6 again.
Ephesians 2:6
"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus."
We're in the Body of Christ, although we're living here on the planet. But now
look at verse 7. See this life is just a little snap of the finger compared to
eternity. Oh eternity is beyond our comprehension, and I've said before and
I'll say again, the Bible doesn't really tell us that much of what we're going
to be doing. But this much we know, that when we get to glory it's going to be
beyond human comprehension. All the things that we think are enjoyable on this
earth will be as Paul says, "Dung" by comparison. So this much we can rest
on.
Ephesians 2:7
"That in the ages (eternity) to come he might shew the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
God didn't have to save the human race, but rather He did it out of
love and Grace. Now verse 8 is one of the super, super Pauline verses.
Ephesians 2;8
"For by grace (unmerited favor) are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: (not something that you've worked for, not
something you've decided to do, but) it is the gift of God:"
Now I don't have to tell you what a gift is. It's something that you do not
work for. A gift a lot of times is something that we don't deserve. I can look
at some of you and say, "You've given Iris and I things that we don't deserve."
But salvation was a gift of God that none of us deserves. Now the next verse
tells it all.
Ephesians 2:9
"Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Now that flies in the face of probably 90 % of Christendom tonight. They are
somehow either blatantly or by innuendo making people feel that they've got to
do something, and some more than others. But let's look at what Paul says.
Ephesians 2:9
"Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Faith + Nothing = Salvation. Let's go to Romans chapter 4. And here Paul uses
Abraham as his prime example, but of course it's prompted by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 4:2-3
"For if Abraham were justified (or made right with God) by
works, he hath whereof to glory; (or boast) but not before
God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed
God, (+ nothing) and it (his believing) was counted
unto him for righteousness." And then jump down to verse 5. I've used
this verse to lead quite a few to the Lord.
Romans 4:5
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
As soon as someone says, "I've got to do this or that", then that cancels the
work of the cross. But if you just believe then God will justify the ungodly.
God doesn't justify Godly people. You remember in His earthly ministry, what
did Jesus say? Who needs the physician? Not the well person, but rather the
sick. If there were such a thing as a Godly person he wouldn't need salvation,
but there is no such thing as an Godly person. Let's look at Romans 3:23.
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
To the unsaved person, all are ungodly whether they're well behaved or not. God
sees everyone potentially as fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and we're
children of wrath like everybody else regardless of how we have been inhibited
in our training. So let's look at Romans 4:5 again.
Romans 4:5
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
And we could just go on and on, come back a page to Romans chapter 3 for
another one, and let's just drop down to verse 24. The language throughout all
of Paul's writings are the same. It's not by works, it's by faith in that
finished work of the cross.
Romans 3:24
"Being justified (made just as if I've never sinned. That's what
God does when we become a believer.) freely (without any works)
by his grace (and how does He justify us?) through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Then come on down to verse 26.
Romans 3:26
"To declare, I say, at this time his (Christ)
righteousness: that he (God) might be just, and the justifier of
him which believeth in Jesus."
Do you see how simple all of this is? And oh my goodness, the world of religion
is just putting people under all kinds of pressure and superstition. They look
for this and they look for that, and all they'd have to do is just say, "But
God did it all." It's finished, and we are expected to believe it. Now go back
to Ephesians chapter 2.
So like Abraham he couldn't be saved by works or he would have boasted, and
you've heard me use this before. "Can you imagine what a horrible place
heaven would be if everybody could boast of how they got there. Why we'd cross
one side of that golden strand to the other rather than listen to someone tell
it again, and again how they got there." But it's not going to be that way.
Not a single person in glory is going to be able to boast of what they did to
get there. No not a one. And we're all going to sing the same song, "Nothing
but the blood Christ!" That's the only way. People think that we're kind of
a know-it-all when we say, "I know I'm going to go to heaven when I die," and
they say, "Who do you think you are anyway?" "Well I'm a nobody, but the One
I'm trusting is Somebody! He's the Creator of the universe, He did it all." Now
verse 10.
Ephesians 2:10a
"For we (who have been made alive out of deadness in trespasses
and sin) are his workmanship,..." Now that doesn't sound like
much in the English, but do you know what that is in the Greek? It's the same
word from which we get the word poem, and you know what a beautiful work of art
a poem can be. Do you know how our English has come down through centuries from
various Greek words and do you know what word we use commonly that comes from
this same Greek word translated "workmanship?" Symphony.
Now maybe some of you don't like symphony music, but that's beside the point.
What makes a symphonic rendition of music? A putting together of all the
various instruments. The bigger the orchestra the better it sounds. But what
did it take to get the trumpets to play that note, and the French horn this
one, and the violin that one, and the drums this one? Just what did it take? It
took the fantastic mind of these composers, and do you know what blows my mind?
A lot of those composers back in the 1800's wrote those scores of music for
every individual instrument in that symphony without ever touching one
themselves. Now think about that. Think of a man with the wherewithal of music
that he could write the score of every instrument in that huge orchestra
without playing one of them himself. Now that's what this word says that we
have become in God's hand as believers. We are like a grand symphony, and God
has put everyone of us in exactly the right place, and we are to strike exactly
the right sound if I may use that expression. Why? Because of His Sovereign way
of putting us all together. Now let me show you another verse I like to use
here. When we receive a larger offering than normal, I try to write back, and
this is the verse I use so often. I Corinthians chapter 3, but it also applies
if it someone who give $1.00 or a $1000.00 it doesn't make a bit of difference,
it still applies. This is again only talking to believers.
I Corinthians 3:9a
"For we are labourers together with God:..."
Do you see what a royal vineyard you and I are working in? We're all working
for the same cause. I've told everyone that's been part of our ministry whether
it's our class people here, or whether it's the people who contribute out in TV
land. When I come up before the Bema Judgment Seat for rewards, it's not going
to stop with me. It's going to be funneled out to everybody who's been a part
of my ministry, because we're all laborers together with God. So again:
I Corinthians 3:9
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are
God's building." Then he goes on as we've studied before, how God will
reward us for all of our laboring. Remember not for salvation, but as a result
of salvation. Now back to Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians 2:10a
"For we are his workmanship, (God has intrinsically in His
Sovereign Grace brought every believer into his place in the Body of Christ.
Whether we're rich or poor, black or white, or regardless what country we live
in. We're all working together to bring about the fruition of the completion of
the Body of Christ. So we're His workmanship, we're like a poem, we're like a
symphony. Now what's the next word?) created in Christ Jesus unto good
works,..."
Now another verse just comes to mind in II Corinthians chapter 5. You know too
many people think salvation is just a fire escape to keep them from going to
Hell. Oh listen, that's just a small portion of it. But God has created us to
be something in His vineyard. We are to be something in that great symphony
that He has constructed and created. Let's start with verse 14.
II Corinthians 5:14-15
"For the love Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, (or
conclude) that if one died for all, then were all dead: (we've
already come to that conclusion) 15. And that he died for all, that they
which live (have been raised out of their deadness in sins and
trespasses) should not henceforth live unto themselves, (in other
words, the attitude shouldn't be, well I'm safe from going to Hell, and that's
all I have to worry about. Oh no, that's not it. Once we become a believer we
don't live unto ourselves) but unto him which died for them, and rose
again."
See, that's the Gospel. Every time you turn around in Paul's letters you get
the Gospel, how that Christ died for our sins, how that He was buried, and how
that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. We must believe
that for eternal life, and there it is again at the end of verse 15, it just
keeps popping up. Now verse 16.
II Corinthians 5:16a
"Wherefore (since Christ died for our sins, and rose from the
dead) henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have know
Christ after the flesh,..."
I'm sure that Paul is making reference here to Christ's earthly ministry.
That's not our salvation today. Although it's good in application, it's
certainly good to know of all the miracles He performed, and all that He
taught, but that's not the Gospel to get us to heaven. Remember Paul and Christ
were about the same age, so if Jesus was 30 years old when He began His
ministry, then the apostle Paul was about the same age, and beginning his
activity in the Sanhedrin. So they were contemporary with one another. So Paul
could say, "Sure I knew Christ in the flesh." Now I don't think they ever had a
face to face confrontation, but old Saul of Tarsus knew all about Him. Now
continuing on with verse 16.
II Corinthians 16b
"... yet now henceforth know we him no more."
Now that's just plain English. What's Paul saying? I'm not lifting up Christ's
earthly ministry, and remember this is Holy Spirit inspired, but what does Paul
lift up? His death, His burial, and resurrection, His shed blood. See that what
Paul knows, that's what been revealed to Paul from heaven. Now verse 17 is the
verse I wanted.
II Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, (if we're in the Body of
Christ) he is a new creature: (or creation) old things are
passed away: behold, all things are become new."
Now who alone can create something like this? Only God! That's why as you look
at this, can you see now that works can never have a thing to do with our
salvation? Because all the areas that we're working on are the invisible. Now
they're real, but invisible. The old Adam has been crucified, and who but God
could do it? It's impossible to do that, but God can. Who but God can give us a
new nature? Nobody. And that's why it has to be all of God. You can join 15
churches, but it's not going to give you a new nature. You could join as many
churches as you want and do all the things they require for salvation, and it's
not going to take care of old Adam.
But when we let God do it, by us simply believing the finished work of the
cross, then He moves in and does it all. He regenerates our spirit, He baptizes
us with the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, He gives us a new divine
nature that controls the body, and we're in fellowship with Him, and it's all
because of what He accomplished on our behalf at the cross. Oh the world
thinks we're crazy, but I don't. I wouldn't trade places with the world for
anything.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART IV
THE INVISIBLE MAKE-UP OF THE LOST AND SAVED
EPHESIANS 2:1-10
Now we trust you will just get your Bible and study along with us. I guess one
of my favorite expressions is, "now that's what the Book says." After
all His Word is all we can go by. It doesn't matter what I think, or what
somebody else thinks, or what some denomination thinks, but what does God's
Word say about it. We know a lot of people try to twist some of these things
and make an argument out of it, but usually the Word is so plain, and we can
just take it for what it says. As we saw in our last lesson, what God is
looking for more than anything else is "Faith!" Just believe what He has
said with all your heart.
I guess we had better take a minute and explain "believing." I've had 2
or 3 questions come up in the past week where people will ask, "Les what do
you mean when you say believe?" I suppose everyone thinks about that
sometime. I said, "Well it's not just a mental accent to an historical fact."
That's not believing. Just because somebody says, "Oh yeah I believe that
Christ was crucified, yeah, I believe that He probably arose from the dead."
Hey that's not what the Bible calls believing. Believing is when with our
whole being, this whole mind, will, and emotion, recognizes that it's hell
bound, it's hopelessly lost, it's without God. And then it can say, "Yes I
believe with all my being, "That Christ didn't just die a historical death, but
rather He died for me, and He arose from the dead for me," and that's why we
call salvation personal.
We have to come to the place and understand and believe with all our heart that
He died for me. Not in a wholesale number, but for me, and for you. This may be
hard for some people to believe that He knows everybody individually, but I
compare everything again to the stars in space. Out there God has trillions of
them, and God has never lost track of a single star. Not only that but God also
knows everyone of them by name, so if He can keep track of all those stars.
then He can keep track of a few million believers. So when I maintain that it's
by believing, and believing alone, it's not just a mental accent to something,
it is literally saying, "God I am casting my whole eternity on what you have
done for me." That's what I mean by believing, and that's faith,
because God has said in His Word what He has done.
Now let's go back to Ephesians chapter 2 again, and it looks like we'll be a
long time in this chapter, because it's so loaded. I compare it, like I said in
an early lesson, to Romans chapter 8. I would like to start with verse 3. This
is the lifestyle of a person who has never entered into salvation. They are
under control of the old Adamic sin nature. Satan is the god of this world to
them whether they know it or not, and so this is what happens:
Ephesians 2:3
"Among whom also we all had our conservation (manner of living)
in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others."
Now let's go back to Romans, and again let Paul give us a graphic description
of the lost person's frame of mind. Remember at one time that's where you and I
were. Naturally when we believed we were saved out of it. But for the person
who has never been saved, he's still in it and whether they practice it or not
is beside the point. God sees they have the potential for it, the old sin
nature has the potential for it. Have you ever wondered, how can people do the
things they do? We read of the horrible murders, or we hear of the horrible
carnage that soldiers will bring upon countries that they're over running, and
we wonder, how can they do that. Well because that's just exactly what the old
sin nature revels in. The only reason there's not more of it is because society
has inhibited it, and kept it under control to a certain degree or we wouldn't
have a society. But you turn society loose without government restraints in
what we call anarchy, and this is what you'll have. Now I hope you've found
Romans chapter 3, and let's just start with verse 12. Now this is the manner of
living that Paul is referring to in Ephesians chapter 2, out of which everyone
of us have come.
Romans 3:12-16
"They are all gone out of the way, they are together (Jew and
Gentile) become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not
one. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues
they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips: 14. Whose mouth
is full of cursing and bitterness: 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16.
Destruction and misery are in their ways:"
Now stop a minute, go all the way to World War II, what is usually the result
of war? Destruction, and misery. My, I was reading yet the other day of how
Germany, as a result of the allied bombing, was totally demolished. Those
beautiful cities just reduced to rubble. But that was only the half of it, and
I had never read it before. When the Russians came in from the east they
literally raped the German women by the thousands. Now that's war and
destruction, and misery. It's the very makeup of this very individual we read
about in the preceding verses. If you give that person the license to do, he'll
do it. Now reading on with verse 17.
Romans 3:17
"And the way of peace have they not known:"
A lot of time young people will say, "Why does God sanction war?" God doesn't
bring it on, it's the work of the curse. It's the work of mankind in his
satanicly inspired sin nature. Now read verse 18..
Romans 3:18
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
It's a wonder the world has lasted as long as it has isn't it? Now let's
go on over to the Book of Galatians chapter 5, and this again describes the
life style of the lost person under this sin nature personality given no
inhabitation. Now granted, in a society like we've enjoyed up until the last
few years we have inhibited this kind of behavior just by simply influencing
kids, and teaching them how to behave and so forth.
But whenever a kid jumps the traces, and goes against what maybe his good
parents have taught him, what does he do? Here it is in this chapter. This is
the life style of a person who has shown restraint to the wind. Let's start
with verse 19, and it's not a pretty picture. Every now and then my pastor will
begin his sermon on Sunday morning by saying, "Now folks I'm going to warn you
before I ever start, I've got a negative sermon this morning, and you're not
going to like it, but hopefully I can turn it around and something positive
will come of it." But there is a lot of negatives in Scripture, and here's a
bunch of them, it's not pretty, but it's true.
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; (looks
like our every day newspaper doesn't it?) Adultery, fornication,
(gross immorality) uncleanness, (moral uncleanness)
lasciviousness, (making light of these things) 20.
Idolatry, (something to worship other than the Creator God)
witchcraft, hatred, variance, (constant arguing)
emulations, wrath, (have you ever wondered why the world just
constantly erupts in demonstrations of one sort or another? And they get so
angry, well here it is) strife, seditions, heresies. 21. Envyings,
murder, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God."
Why? Because these are the results of living for the flesh. Now you can't make
it any plainer than that. That's what the Book says! I didn't make it up,
that's what God's Word says. This is the life style of the natural man, and
unless he's inhibited, these things are going to run rampant, and of course we
see it everyday. Our newscasts, our newspapers are full of it, because
restraint is being taken away, and consequently we're seeing the results. Now
let's come back to Ephesians chapter 2, and we're going to turn from the
negative to the positive. And again it's going to hinge on my favorite little
three letter word, and what is it? "But." Now let's finish the last part
of verse 3 so that but really comes out.
Ephesians 2:3b-4
"...and were by nature the children of wrath, (headed for eternal
doom, and the second death, and separation from God forever) even as
others. 4. But (not I, not you, not some denomination, not some church,
but who?) God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he
loved us." When did He show His love? At the cross. Love put Him on
the cross, not the Romans. So let's see what the last part of that verse
says.
Ephesians 2:4b
"...rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us."
Oh goodness, in the next verse, here comes the repetition I warned you about in
the first lesson this afternoon. He's going to say the same thing he said in
verse 1. Well what happened? Well the Holy Spirit didn't lose His mind. The
Holy Spirit is emphasizing. Do you see that?
Ephesians 2:5
"Even when we were dead in sins, (God) hath
quickened (or made us alive) us together with Christ, (by grace
ye are saved;)"
It's by Grace. We didn't deserve it, we didn't work for it, we didn't do
anything for it. Now let me take you back to Exodus chapter 32 and 33 for a
moment. I hadn't intended to use this verse, but it comes to mind, so we've got
to use it. You know back in chapter 32, the children of Israel worshipped the
golden calf, and there was a lot more there than met the eye. There was
wickedness there, it was awful. God and Moses were up there at an altitude
where they could have looked right down on them and still they did it. Here in
chapter 32 Moses and the Lord are now conversing over these horrible things
that the Israelites are doing around that golden calf.
Exodus 32:10-13
"Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and
that I may consume them: (and in so many words God is saying, "Moses
I'll start over with you.") and I will make of thee a great nation. 11.
And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD why doth thy wrath wax hot
against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with
great power, and with a mighty hand? 12. Wherefore should the Egyptians speak,
and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and
to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and
repent of this evil against thy people. 13. Remember Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self,
and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all
this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall
inherit it for ever."
Moses said, "Lord you remember saying all that, don't you? Now don't destroy
them." But you see it wasn't the words of Moses that changed God's mind.
Now go to chapter 33, verses 18 and 19.
Exodus 33:18-19a
"And he (Moses) said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19. And he (the Lord) said, I will make all my goodness pass
before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee;...
Now here comes the mind of God, and that's why I brought you back here. This is
exactly what Paul is proclaiming in Ephesians, when he said in verse 4, "But
God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us." How could
God do it? Well here it is, and don't you forget it.
Exodus 33:19b
"...and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy
on whom I will show mercy."
What is God declaring? His Sovereignty. He is absolute, and if He wants
to spare the nation of Israel in spite of all their sins, He can because He's
Sovereign. It wasn't just because Moses pleaded with Him to spare the nation He
could show mercy and spare the nation because of His Sovereignty. Remember
there at the cross as those Romans were driving those spikes into Him, what
could God have done? He could have zapped the whole lot of them. He could have
said, "Enough, I'm going to start over." But what withheld that kind of action?
His mercy. What nailed Him to cross? His love, and His mercy, all because He is
Sovereign. If He was not Sovereign He could not do this, but it's His universe,
it's His world full of people, it's His cattle on a thousand hills. He can show
mercy if He wants to show mercy.
But what's His other prerogative of being Sovereign? He can pour out His wrath,
and one day He's going to. One day He's going to say, "I've had enough!" And I
think we're getting close to that day. One day He will say, "I've poured out My
mercy, but now I'm going to end it." At that time God will pour out His wrath,
and it's coming. The world is getting ready for it. My goodness, one of the big
things took place this past Monday that I think very few people realize is just
exactly what this Book was telling us was coming, and what was that? The
introduction of the new currency in Europe, the Euro. Oh it's bringing this
Book right up into the spotlight.
I told Iris when I read about the Euro, "I told them so." A couple of years ago
I was telling people, to watch western Europe, they are coming to the fore.
Their population is already beyond Americas. Their gross nation product is
catching up real fast, and one of these days it will surpass ours, and what I'm
about to say, I say with all the love for our country, that a person can
have. But I can see the day coming when this new European currency is going
to make the dollar blush with shame. Why? Because that's where prophecy has
to be fulfilled. It's going to be out of the western European or the old Roman
empire revived. Now coming back to Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians 2:4
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us."
Now there again I don't think we're going to comprehend the love of God until
we get to glory. We're human, and everything is so limited for us. But oh when
we enter into the realms of glory, then we're going to have a full
understanding of all these things. We'll be able to understand at that time
what love He really had when He poured out His mercy.
Ephesians 2:5
"Even when we were dead in sins, (and were living in that sinful
lifestyle, God reached in and, what did He do? He) hath quickened us..."
But first what had to happen? Now come back with me to Romans chapter 6. This
is really a review of some of the things we've taught in months gone by. After
we look at that portion of Scripture, then we'll get back to our three circles
on the board. Some people told me at break, "that they had to leave after this
lesson, but please finish that third circle. dealing with the invisible make up
of mankind." So I'm going to try to do that. But for now Romans chapter 6, and
verse 5.
Romans 6:5
"For if we have been planted (buried) together in the
likeness of his death, (we identified with it) we shall be also
in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Now to put that in plain English, what is it? "If we die with Christ, we're
going to be raised at the trumpet sound with Him in the Rapture." Now verse 6,
and this comes by faith, because the Word declares it.
Romans 6:6
"Knowing this, that our old man (old Adam sin nature) is
crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin."
Now let me get back to the third circle if I may. Now to begin with we have
this old sin nature dwelling within the body of flesh with no Spirit, but now
when we have taken this old Adam, this old sin nature, and by faith we have let
him be crucified by an act of God which is precipitated by our faith. The
moment we believe the Gospel that Jesus died for sins, was buried, and rose
again, and that all of that was done on my behalf, then God reckons old Adam,
that old sin nature as crucified. That old sin nature is striped of his power,
and control over the acts of the body, and as soon as he is reckoned as
crucified, God moves in and supernaturally gives us a new nature, a Divine
nature. This new nature now has eternal life, and it's not going to go to
Hell.
When the believer dies, the moment the soul separates from this body, it goes
up to paradise into the presence of the Lord. But until we die we are
functioning in this 3d circle. We're still in the body of flesh with all of
it's passions and desires, but the new nature combats that, and we keep the old
nature under control, by virtue of the regenerated Spirit of God. The Holy
Spirit now has fellowship with our sprit, and so this new regenerated Spirit,
working with the new nature is going to control this old nature. So this third
circle completed now represents a saved person walking on the earth today. Now
for just a moment let's go to Galatians chapter 5. A lot of people don't
realize that when we become a believer, we are left here on the earth with two
natures. A new Divine nature that wants to please God, but God still leaves the
old nature and He expects us to deal with him. And here it is in Scripture in
verse 17.
Galatians 5:17
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh: and these (these two nature) are contrary the one to the
other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (and the reason
is, you're in a mode of spiritual warfare, and we have to keep that uppermost
in our thinking.)
_______
LESSON THREE * PART I
ONCE YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD
EPHESIANS 2:10-19
Now to get right back into the Book where we left off in our last lesson and
that was in Ephesians chapter 2 and we'll begin with verse 11. Now again Paul
is going to use that word which is almost one of his favorites, and it is
"wherefore".
Ephesians 2:11a
"Wherefore..."
And the thing I always point out is that when Paul uses that word
"wherefore" it's a flash back of what he has just covered.
Paul repeats himself, not as much as I do, but almost as much, so what he's
referring to is what he's just covered in these earlier verses of chapter 2.
And he is dealing primarily with the whole concept that we become new persons
in concept, we become a new creation, not by virtue of anything we have done,
but rather it's all by faith + nothing. Now I know that rankles a lot of people
because they are still under the impression that you've got to do something in
the energy of the flesh to merit salvation. But if you would just study Paul's
emphasis of how we enter into that salvation, it's not by what we do, but by
believing what Christ has already done. So looking back for a second at these
previous verses and see what he says.
Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace are ye saved through faith: (see, there is nothing
else listed in there. It's just by our faith, and made possible by the Grace of
God) and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God:"
Then Paul goes on to say, "we are then as believers to serve." Because
after all God didn't just save us as a fire escape, as I've put it so often,
but He saved us to serve Him while we're here on earth during this earthly
pilgrimage. Now then coming into verse 11, and I imagine these are a couple of
verses that are almost unknown to most Church people and yet these are two
verses that have made such an impact, at least on me. Remember I was just like
everyone else. At one time I just saw this whole Book thrown into a blender
and mixed up, and spooned out like it is done in most congregations today.
Then I started teaching, and begin to realize that God was dealing with the
nation of Israel on covenant ground all the way from Genesis chapter 12 until
we get to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. in Acts chapter 9. And then when
Israel rejected the Messiah, He chose Saul of Tarsus to go to the Gentiles.
That's when these verses became so important to me, and I've used them a lot in
past programs, and I'm sure a lot of people will recognize them. They are so
important because they point out that for over 2000 years from Abraham to Paul,
that Gentiles had little or no opportunity for salvation. Although these 2
verses are oh so important, there are still many people who can't believe what
they say.
Ephesians 2:11a
"Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh,..."
Now immediately that reminds us then to whom is the apostle writing? To
primarily Gentile believers. Now when I teach this facts of Gentiles, the
non-Jews, being so completely different than anything that had happened before,
you want to remember that at the time that God called Abraham every last
human being on the face of the earth was pagan, idolater, Gentiles. At that
time there had never been any Jews, and these pagan, idolater, Gentiles knew
nothing of the one true God. It was at that time God decided to do something
different and appeared to Abraham, and pulled out the Jewish race, and the
nation of Israel. So Scripturally, we now lump everyone who is not of the
twelve tribes, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a Gentile. So that includes most
of us. Then the Scriptures also refers to us Gentiles as we see here in verse
11, as the uncircumcision. Now let's read it.
Ephesians 2:11
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision (Gentiles) by that which is called
the Circumcision (Jews) in the flesh made by hands;"
Now the only reason I'm going to take the time to do this, is believe it or
not, I've had people tell me, "Well I mentioned some of this that you teach to
my pastor or Sunday School teacher, and they'll just say, "Well circumcision
doesn't mean anything so far as identifying one group of people, but rather it
was just a matter of the surgical process of the flesh. So that doesn't mean
anything." Well I beg to differ with anyone who has that mindset. When teachers
and preachers do that then they're putting everything back into that blender
again and mixing it up real good to spoon out, and God never intended it to be
that way. Now come back with me to Acts chapter 10, and I'm doing this just
to show that when the Bible refers to the uncircumcised it's Gentiles, and when
the Bible refers to the circumcision, then it's Israel, the Jew. Right
here in a few verses I think I can prove that point. As I tell my classes
here in Oklahoma all the time, "The main reason I teach is not just for you to
learn, but for you to teach others." We're finding that's coming to fruition in
so many areas of the country. People are actually taking what they've learned
and using the Scriptures, and going out to teach others. This is the way it has
to work.
Now before we look at the verses in Acts chapter 10 let me give you a little
back drop. This is where Peter went up to the house of Cornelius. It was the
first time that Gentiles had been approached at all, and we'll see in another
lesson how even the Lord Himself went only to the lost sheep of Israel. But
here Peter has miraculously been led by an act of God up to Caesarea on the
Mediterranean Sea coast to go to house of Gentiles. Remember Peter had a lot of
trepidation about this. I've always put it this way, that trip for Peter was
like "Heel prints in the sand!" All the way from Joppa to Caesarea Peter
did not want to go to this Gentile household any more than Jonah wanted to go
to the city of Nineveh. It was the same kind of a mindset. "Surely God you
don't have anything to do with Gentiles", but God says, "Peter get going."
All right when Peter got there, here's where you see that the circumcision
is Jewish, and the uncircumcision are Gentiles. Now verse 44 of Acts
chapter 10. And remember all I'm trying to show here is the definition of these
two words.
Acts 10:44-45a
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy ghost fell on all them which
heard the word. 45. And they of the circumcision..."
Now to find out who was in the house that were of the circumcision other than
Peter, you jump across the page at least in my Bible to chapter 11, and look at
verse 12.
Acts 11:12
"And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting, Moreover these
six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:"
Well who were the six brethren? They were Jews that came up from Joppa with
Peter to Cornelius' house. I mean Peter was in no mood to go to a house of a
pagan Gentile by himself. So I guess for spiritual protection or what ever he
took these six Jewish believers with him. Now coming back to chapter 10 and
completing verse 45.
Acts 10:45
"And they of the circumcision (Peter and these six other Jews.
The Scripture calls them circumcision. Do you see that?) who believed
were astonished, as that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the
Holy Ghost." Now come all the way down chapter 11, and verse 1. Now
this was after the fact and Peter was heading back home.
Acts 11:1-3
"And the apostles, and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the
Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2. And when Peter was come up to
Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision (the Jewish believers)
contended with him. (why? Next verse) 3. Saying, Thou
wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them."
What were they called up in chapter 10, verse 45? Gentiles! Do you see that?
Now that's all I'm trying to show you. The Jew over and over in Scripture is
referred to as the circumcision. The Gentile on the other hand is referred to
as the uncircumcision. We refer to them as Jew and Gentile. Now if you come
back to Ephesians chapter 2, I hope I've made my point. It's just a matter of
definition, that when we speak of the circumcision, it's the Jew, it's Israel.
When we speak of uncircumcision, it's the non Jew, and that's all the Bible
puts on it. A non Jew is anyone not born out of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and the twelve tribes of Israel. Now verse 12, and we find Paul
writes to these Gentiles, and to you and I where we came from, and what the
situation was concerning our Gentile forefathers. Now of course now we're about
2000 years removed from when Paul wrote, but nevertheless as we look back
through human history it's still the same.
Ephesians 2:12a
"That at that time..."
Well at what time? When God was only dealing with the covenant people of
Israel from Abraham to begin the nation of Israel, until the fork in the road
when Paul was called to go to the Gentiles. I guess we'd better stop and
put it on the board. I probably should have put my timeline up already, but I
didn't know I was going to do this. You want to remember from the time of the
call of Abraham, and we've had this on the board over and over through the
years. That was 2000 years before Christ was born, when God pulled off of this
main stream of humanity, He pulled off what we now call the nation of Israel,
by virtue of the Abrahamic Covenant.
We'll be looking at that probably in the next lesson. We always refer to this
time as Jew only, but of course there were exceptions. I have already referred
to Jonah going to the city of Nineveh although he didn't want to because they
were Gentile dogs. And Rahab on the wall of Jericho, and Ruth out of Moab. But
by in large all the way from Genesis chapter 12, which was 2000 BC, it's all
God dealing with Israel, and not a Gentile except these few exceptions. Now as
we finally came to Christ's earthly ministry, it was really pointed out by
Christ Himself that God was only dealing with the nation of Israel in Matthew
10:5. Now if he was only dealing with the nation of Israel, then where does
that leave the Gentiles? Well read on here in chapter 2.
Ephesians 2:12
"That at that time (from 2000 BC until Paul is sent to the
Gentiles) ye (Gentiles) were without Christ, (now
we don't have the word Christ in the old Testament, but what is it? Messiah!
But remember the Gentiles were never promised a Messiah, so these Gentiles)
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel..."
Now if you're an alien what are you? You're a non citizen, and you don't have
any rights. You take even today, even with the laxness that we're showing
toward immigrants, basically according to our laws and constitution, how many
rights does an alien have? None! So by right of law he has no reason to expect
governmental help, he can't vote, and all because he's a non citizen. Now this
was the lot of the Gentile all during this 2000 year period of time, with these
exceptions. I don't want anybody to come at me and say, "Well what about
Nineveh?"
Now that was an exception, but the rest of the Gentile world was out there in
their pagan darkness. They were worshipping all of their gods of silver, gold,
and wood, and what have you. All of that was tied to that same concept of gods
and goddesses that begin at the tower of Babel. That was the lot of the Gentile
world. "Only Israel had a knowledge and a contact with, and a belief in the
One True God from Abraham to Paul." "And this is what we have to
understand before the Scriptures open up and begin to make sense. You simply
can't lump them all together" Now read on in this verse 12. So not only
were we (our Gentile forefathers) without a Messiah, the Christ. Not only were
we aliens of the commonwealth of Israel, but what were we?
Ephesians 2:12b
"...and strangers from the covenants of promise,..." As soon as
God begin to deal with Abraham He made all these promises. In fact let's go
look at it for a moment, and you'll see why Paul uses the word "promises."
Remember the Gentiles were outside the covenants of promise. Genesis chapter
12, verse 2. Now just look at the promises, and since God is speaking these are
promises.
Genesis 12:2
"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make
thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing:" These were all future
tense. There was no way Abraham could see how all of this would happen, but it
was a promise from God. And then the greatest promise of all was in verse 3.
Genesis 12:3
"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
thee: (Why? Because through this man that all the promises were given
would come the redeemer for the whole human race. Read on) and in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed."
Not just for Israel, although that will come first, but it's going to end up
being the plan of salvation for the whole human race, but it began with
Abraham. See that's why I'm always reminding folks, you take our Bible from
cover to cover, who wrote it? Sons of Abraham. That's what we call Jews,
"The sons of Abraham wrote this Book to the last man." I'm seeing more and
more proof everyday from various articles and writers that even the one that a
lot of people try to say is a Gentile, and he was no Gentile at all, and that
was Luke. Luke the physician was not a Gentile, but rather he was a Jew that
had taken on a Gentile name, but so did Saul of Tarsus when he was given the
name, "Paul" so that wasn't so unusual. When Paul was out in the Gentile
ministry he was given a Roman name. And it was the same way with Luke. So I
still stand on the premise that this whole Book came through the sons of
Abraham. Now come back to the Book of Ephesians chapter 2. So the Gentiles
during this 2000 years before Christ, when God was dealing only with His
covenant people the non Jewish world were what?
Ephesians 2:12b
"...strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without
God in the world:"
Now I know that sounds awful. It sounds like God was cruel, and unforgiving,
but that's not the case at all. Because you see for the first 2000 years from
the creation, all the way past the flood, and Tower of Babel, and up until the
call of Abraham the whole human race had opportunity for salvation. The whole
human race had access to God, it wasn't just one group of people. And what did
the whole human race do with it? Well they rejected it. And if you don't
believe me, you'll certainly all believe the account of the flood, and I
personally think there were 4 or 5 billion people on the earth even at that
time, and how many were true believers? Eight! Now we think we're getting
pretty small in percentage today, but we're not that few yet. It may get to
that, but I sure hope not. But nevertheless that's what happened those first
2000 years of human history, for the most part they just walked it under foot
like they're doing today. They just didn't care. Most people have absolutely no
interest in the things of the spirit. Why? Because it's always been that way.
So looking at the end of that verse again and let's see what it says.
Ephesians 2:12b
"...no hope, and without God in the world:"
Our Gentile forefathers up until Paul had no knowledge of the One True Creator
God. They had no concept of Him. All they had was their gods, and their
goddesses, and their temples, and what have you. But so far as the True God of
Creation there wasn't a Gentile that knew anything of Him whatsoever. So this
was the lot then of the whole non Jewish world until we get to Acts chapter 11.
A lot of times people have a hard time believing me when I say that Christ in
His earthly ministry had nothing to do with Gentiles with two exceptions. The
Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion were the only Gentiles in Scripture
that Jesus had anything to do with, and that's all we can go by.
I know a lot of people try to say that Galilee was Gentile, and since He
performed so many miracles, He must have done it on behalf of the Gentiles, but
the Book never says that, and you can't read that into the Book. Always let the
Book stand on what it says. In fact Matthew 10:5 says that He came only to the
nation of Israel. So this Book says that they were only Jews that He dealt
with! Now here in Acts this is a recap of everything that took place when they
were stoning Stephen, which I maintain was about 7 years after
Pentecost. And look what it says in Acts 11:19.
Acts 11:19
"Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose
about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word (Old Testament) to none but unto the
Jews only."
Remember only the Jews had the Old Testament at that time. Do you
see how plain that they preached only to the Jew? How can anybody miss that,
but I know they do. I had a friend of mine try to show one of his friends
something recently, the guy read it, look him in the eye and said, "I don't
believe that." So my friend said, "In other words you're calling God a
liar?" Now isn't that sad, but you see there are multitudes of men with many
degrees behind their names that would just literally say, "But I don't
believe that." They say that Jesus ministered to Gentiles, and Peter
ministered to Gentiles, but our Bible says that all the way up to the stoning
of Stephen they ministered to none but to Jew only. Now how did it come
about that all that changed and finally God sent someone directly to the
Gentiles? Just back up to Saul's conversion in chapter 9, and drop all the way
down to verse 15.
Acts 9:15
"But the Lord said unto him, (Ananias) Go thy way: for
he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles,..."
Now if you want to see what the Jews thought of Gentiles turn quickly to Acts
chapter 22. In this chapter Paul has already been out in the Gentile world
establishing little congregations, and he's back in Jerusalem, and he's trying
to explain to his Jewish listeners what God had been doing though him with the
Gentile people. In verse 17 we find Paul in a trance while praying in the
temple in Jerusalem, and now let's look at verse 18.
Acts 22:18-22
"And saw him saying unto me Make haste, and get thee quickly out of
Jerusalem; for they (the Jews) will not receive thy testimony
concerning me. 19. And I said, Lord, they (the Jews)
know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them (the
Jewish believers) that believed on thee: 20. And when the blood of thy
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting
unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. 21.
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles. 22. And they gave him audience unto this word.
(what word? Gentiles at the end of verse 21.) and then lifted up their
voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit
that he should live." Can it get any plainer how the Jews felt about
the Gentiles?
_______
LESSON THREE * PART II
ONCE YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD
EPHESIANS 2:10-19
Now as we begin I just want to say that we're just an informal Bible Study, we
try not to preach at anybody. We don't twist any arms to make you come over to
our way, but rather we just want to show you in context what the Scriptures
says. We just try to get people into the Word of God and let them see what the
Book really says. Our favorite type of letter we receive, and that is 90% of
them, people tell us, "For the first time in my life I am studying my Bible,
and I'm enjoying it." Now that's the main reason we teach We do not adhere to
anyone particular denominational line, and that way we can reach people
regardless of where they're coming from. I know there are a lot of differences
out there, but I always maintain you don't have to agree with me on everything,
however I think when it comes to the plan of salvation, that plan is set in
concrete, and you simply can't fool with that.
I teach what Paul the apostle to the Gentiles teaches that for salvation -
"You must believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, that He was
buried, and rose again the third day." He teaches that in several places, but
the three I like to share with people is I Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:9-10,
and I Thessalonians 4:14.
So now let's just pick up where we left off in the last lesson, and that will
be in Ephesians chapter 2. We're going to take a couple of moments to review
what we covered in the last lesson in verse 12, how that Paul points out of
graphically that our Gentile forefathers, before Paul was sent to the
Gentiles as we saw in our closing statement in the last program, were without
hope, they were without God in this world, they were strangers to the covenant
of promise. They were alien to the commonwealth of Israel. And so
consequently God had no dealing with the Gentiles unless it was one of those
exceptions we mentioned.
I think I should have even - I think I'll do it now. Let's take you back to
Matthew chapter 10, because this is a verse that has shocked a lot of people,
and when folks have heard me teach it on television, and then they take it into
their Sunday School class, and normally the Sunday School class will come right
back with, "Where in the world do you get this stuff?" When that happens all
one has to say, "That's what the Bible says!" It's as plain as day, and
the Lord Jesus Himself said it. Jesus of Nazareth has just begin His earthly
ministry, and in the opening verses of chapter 10 He's calling the Twelve to be
His disciples. Then they're named in verses 2, 3, and 4, but now look at verse
5. Now for most of you who have heard me teach over the years, this is all old
hat, but you want to remember we've got a lot of new listeners everyday, and
most of them have never seen this. But look what it says.
Matthew 10:5-6
"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into
the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6.
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Do you see how plain that is? It's just as plain as daylight from dark. "Don't
you go to Gentiles, don't you bother with the Samaritans, but rather you go
only to the lost sheep of Israel. But you see Christ's earthly ministry was
confined to the nation of Israel. I always have to remind people, can you find
one instance in Scripture when He took His ministry down into Egypt? No! Did He
ever go up into Syria? Of course not. So where did He spend all of His 3 years?
Right in that narrow neck of geography between the Mediterranean and the Jordan
River, and no farther, and neither did the twelve.
They knew they couldn't because the commandment was, "Go only to the lost
sheep of Israel." Why? Because of that covenant promise that we read in our
last lesson in Genesis chapter 12. Remember only the nation of Israel was under
that covenant promise, and He couldn't abrogate that. He couldn't break that
covenant that He had made with the nation of Israel, so that is why He gave
that command. Then the next one I use always so well in the same regard, is
found in Matthew chapter 15. Here He's confronted by a Gentile lady out of the
coast of Tyre and Sidon , and let's just drop down to verse 21.
Matthew 15:21-22
"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan (a Gentile, a non Jew) came
out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord,
thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Oh what a perfect opportunity for Jesus to show His power. Wasn't it? Yeah it
was. But did He? No, not at first. So what was the answer Jesus gave her?
Matthew 15:23a
"But he answered her not a word...."
He ignores her. Now we find that hard to believe, but you had better believe
the Word for that's what it says. And the reason He ignores her again, is
because He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. You all know the
verse in John's gospel, we don't even have to look at it. "He came unto
His own, (which was Israel) but His own received Him
not." And then of course that opens the door for the Gentiles. But in
His earthly ministry He ministered only to His covenant people. Only those who
were citizens of the commonwealth of Israel. Only those who knew what it was to
have a Messiah, as we saw in Ephesians chapter 2. Now reading on about this
lady who was crying after them.
Matthew 15:23b
"... And his disciples (the same twelve that He commanded not to
go to the Gentiles) came and besought him, saying. Send her away, for she
crieth after us."
Send her away because you've commanded us not to minister to the Gentiles. See,
that's what all this boils down to. Send her away she's a nuisance, she's a
pest, everywhere we go here she is crying after us.
Matthew 15:24
"But he answered and said, (unto her) I am not sent but
unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Now isn't that plain? And most people don't know why He said that. He said that
because He came to fulfill those Old Testament covenants, and He couldn't break
those covenants. But being the God of creation, the One who wouldn't bend to
pressure like most people would, He could tell it like it was. "I am not
sent but unto (My covenant people) the lost sheep of the house of
Israel." Of course this lady wouldn't take no for an answer, and I
guess we can take a lesson from this. Then let's look in verse 25.
Matthew 15:25
"Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me." And He
answered again in so many words, "I can't do anything for you." Looking at the
Scriptures, what does He say?
Matthew 15:26
"But he answered and said, It is not meet (right, and
proper) to take the children's (Israel's) bread, and to
cast it to dogs." (Gentiles)
Now in Jewish sight the uncircumcised Gentiles were the same as dogs. So the
Lord, says, "I can't take that which belongs to my covenant people, (the
children of Israel) and give it to you Gentiles." He just couldn't do it,
because it would run contrary to the very mind of God when He made the covenant
with Abraham. So He couldn't, His hands were tied. But on the flip side, like
he did when He sent Jonah to Nineveh, and He brought Rahab off the wall of
Jericho, He could, being Sovereign, make an exception. But He couldn't make
it a blanket act and include all Gentiles. If He had it would have just simply
destroyed the Scriptures, but He could make an exception. And so He finally
gives in when she comes back in verse 27.
Matthew 15:27
"And she said, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall
from their masters' table."
Now several lessons back we commented on this verse, and I made the allusion to
Psalm chapter 23. And what is in Psalm chapter 23 in regard to a table.
Psalms 23:5a
"Thou preparest a table before me..."
Well what was the table? Well it was God's table from which Israel feasted. It
was a spiritual allegory, but nevertheless only Israel could feast at God's
table. And it's the same analogy here. She says, "I know I can't eat from
Israel's table, but can't I have some of the crumbs that fall off the edge?"
And that of course got to the Lord, and let's look at what He said.
Matthew 15:28
"Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be
it unto thee even as thou wilt, And her daughter was made whole from that very
hour."
Now that was one of the exceptions that the Lord made concerning ministering to
Gentiles. There was only one other throughout His whole three years of
ministry, and that was the Roman Centurion. He also gave into that one, but
other than those two, you can't find one instance in this Book that Jesus
ministered to Gentiles. In fact, while we're on that subject, come on over to
John's gospel chapter 12, and we have much the same kind of situation. The
crowds of Jews are gathering from all over the then known world for the feast
of Passover. The very same Passover at which He's going to be crucified, and
these are the days leading up to it.
John 12:20-21
"And there were certain Greeks (still another word for Gentiles)
among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21. The same
(these Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, (one of the twelve) and desired him, saying, Sir, we
would see Jesus."
"Now just stop and mull these things over. People are no different today than
they were then. It was common knowledge of all these miracles that this Jesus
of Nazareth was performing. I always remind my classes here in Oklahoma that
all the miracles that are recorded in Scripture are just the sampling. Goodness
sake don't think for a moment that that was all of His miracles. Because as
John ends his gospel what does he say?
John 21:25
"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they
should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not
contain the books that should be written. A-men."
But here these Gentiles had no doubt been hearing about this man Jesus, and all
of His miracles, and so they were curious. So they wanted to see this One who
could do these things. Philip remembered what the commandment had been
concerning Gentiles, and had second thoughts. But on the other hand nobody
likes to take full responsibility for something like this so Philip sort of
passes the buck over to Andrew. Let's look at the next verse.
John 12:22
"Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: (and can't you just read
between the lines their conversation, because they both knew the commandment
that Jesus Himself had given in Matthew 10:5 So they say to each other well
let's at least ask Him) and again Andrew and Philip tell
Jesus."
Well what do they tell Him? There are Gentiles out there and they want to talk
to you. Now does Jesus say, "Bring them in? No way! What does He do? He gives
them the reason why they can't. It's just that simple as you'll see in the next
verse.
John 12:23-24
"And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, (remember
there's only a day or two before the crucifixion) that the Son of man
should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, (and here
comes the whole format of salvation for Gentiles.) Except a corn
of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit."
What was He talking about? His own death, His burial, like planting the seed,
and when the seed is in the ground, what does it do? It dies! And as a result
of the death of that seed, new life comes forth. It's the whole format of
salvation. That when Christ died and was buried, and rose from the dead, that's
when new life erupts. In fact now let me take you to Romans chapter 6. I didn't
intend to do any of this, but one thing leads to another, so we'd better just
follow. And this ties so beautifully with what Jesus just said in John chapter
12, at least it does in my mind. Remember what it said in John?
John 12:24
"Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except a corn (kernel) of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit." Now look at the language Paul use
concerning our salvation.
Romans 6:5a
"For if we have been planted..."
What's that planting a reference to? Burial. When we plant seed we bury it. Oh
not six feet, but nevertheless we bury it, and as a result of that seed being
buried, and the moisture, and warmth of the sun, what happens? New life! But if
you've got a seed that can't die by germination, it's not going to reproduce.
All right so Paul is using the same analogy that Jesus used in John chapter 12.
Now let's look at what he says in the last part of that verse.
Romans 6:5
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his
death, (if we've identified with His death, and His burial, then it's
an assured fact that we can identify with His resurrection) we shall be
also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Do you see how beautiful all of this is. At His resurrection, of course that's
when He experienced the glorification. There wasn't anything glorious in that
cross. It was anything but. It was awful! But when He rose from the dead in
power and glory, then that's where we are. Oh to die to self, there's noting
glorious about that, but to rise to newness of life, and all that goes with it
- Oh listen the last few weeks we've had more phone calls when the folks say,
"our whole life has changed." We had a call from a person in
Pennsylvania last week, and he said, "You've changed my life" I said, "I
can't do that." He said, "No but the Lord used you. He opened up the Scriptures
to me, and now I just can't get enough of it."
Well within an hour a lady in Georgia called, and it almost gave me goose bumps
because you would have sworn that they were reading from the same script. This
lady said the same thing. "You have just changed my life." Now I won't
tell you what group they came out of, but it was a group that is just about as
hard as nuts to crack, and if you've ever dealt with them you know what group
I'm talking about. But the Lord opened their heart so that they might believe
the Gospel, and be gloriously saved. And that's what you have to experience.
You have to die to self, and experience resurrection power and it is a glorious
power. I've never had anyone call and say, "Well Les, I wish I had never
listened to you." Never! But it's always, "How God has just changed my life
completely."
There was another couple, they were in a horrible situation, and they wrote,
and it was so bad that I didn't even know how to answer their letter. In fact I
just let the letter lay there for two or three weeks, and I started feeling
guilty for not answering it, and I finally wrote to them and told them how to
come out of their sin and horrible situation, and we met them a year or so ago
and it was the same. "The Lord had totally changed their life, He had
cleaned up the mess they were in, and they just can't get enough of this."
Well that's what the new life does, and that's what makes us the glory of the
power of His resurrection. Now while we're in Romans chapter 6, we might as
well take the next verse, because this just builds on it. If we've been
planted, and have experienced the likeness of His resurrection, let's see what
it says.
Romans 6:6
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, (well what
does crucifixion do? It kills, it puts to death) that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (that old
sin nature)
Now let's come back to Ephesians chapter 2. And again remember what he said,
"that as Gentiles our forefathers were without hope, and without God in the
world." Now we'll just be able to start verse 13, and we'll pick it up in
the next lesson. And look what the first word is in verse 13.
Ephesians 2:13a
"But ..."
Everybody from coast tells me now that's the flip side. The flip side got
started I think with the juke box. For a nickel you could play one side of the
record and flip it over to hear the other side. It's just another whole new
song. Now the flip side. Yes our forefathers were without hope, they were
without God, but there's a flip side, and what is it?
Ephesians 2:13
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off (How far
off were our forefathers? So far off that they were without God. They had no
knowledge of Him, and they had no access to Him because they were Gentiles,
they weren't Jews. But God didn't leave it that way, but now) are made
nigh by the blood of Christ."
Not by some decree, but by what? The blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is
what makes us nigh to God. Let's go back for a moment to the Book of Hebrews
chapter 9. Those of you who have been with me since Genesis remember we've used
this verse so often as one of the two basic absolutes of Scripture. In our
present society they try to tell us that there are none. Oh yes there are. The
Scriptures are absolute, and this is one of the primary ones.
Hebrews 9:22b
"...and without shedding of blood is no remission."
You can't get around that, you can't build a bridge over, there's just nothing
you can do with that verse, but face it head on. What does all this mean? Well
I can't really explain the whole thing myself. Come back to Exodus chapter 12,
and if we don't finish the thought there we'll pick it up in the next lesson.
And what is in Exodus chapter 12? Well the night of the Passover. Verse 13.
Exodus 12:13
"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are:
and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be
upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."
There was only one thing a Jewish family could do to avoid the death angel and
that was what? Put the blood on the door! And when God saw the blood the death
angel passed over. Now there wasn't a whole bunch of rules and regulations, but
rather just one simple requirement. "Place the blood of that Passover lamb
on the door post and lentil and when I see the blood, I will pass over
you." Now I always like to ask my classes, when those Jews were behind that
blood touched door, did they stand there in fear, and trepidation? No! Because
by faith they were eternally secured.
_______
LESSON THREE * PART III
ONCE YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD
EPHESIANS 2:10-19
Now, let's look again at Ephesians chapter 2. We looked at verse 12 quite in
depth in the last lesson, that the lot of the Gentiles before the age of Grace,
was they were without God in this world. They could not be partakers of the
covenant promises of Israel, but now it's a whole new ballgame. God has now
fulfilled the last part of the Abrahamic Covenant through Abraham, through the
nation of Israel, through the Messiah, through the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ, by now the letters of Paul in particular. The Gospel
has gone out to the whole world, and it's free for nothing. Every thing that
needs to be done has already been done. So that's what the next verse talks
about then when it says were without God in this world.
Ephesians 2:13
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ."
In our closing remarks in our last lesson I took you back to the night of the
Passover in Exodus. The nation of Israel was instructed to apply the blood of
the Passover lamb on the two side posts and the lentil of the door, and I think
my closing statement was, as those Jews stood in their little huts around their
kitchen tables, did they shake in their boots with fear? No. Because they knew
they were safe with the blood on the door. But, what was the heart attitude
behind the door with the blood applied that God based Him saving them? Their
faith! See it's always been by faith. Hebrews chapter 11, beginning with Abel -
let's see what it says.
Hebrews 11:4a
"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by
which he obtained witness that he was righteous,.."
All the way up through history it's always been by faith. But you just can't
say, "Oh I have faith." That doesn't amount to anything. But where is your
faith placed? Now for that answer come back to Romans chapter 3. And
remembering what Paul said here, in Ephesians 2:13b "That we've been made nigh
by the blood of Christ." Also remember in our last lesson I used one of the
absolutes in Scriptures, and what was it?
Hebrews 9:22b
"...and without shedding of blood is no remission."
Denominations can throw the blood out of their doctrine, and they've got
nothing. They can take the blood out of their hymn books and again they have
nothing to sing about. Because it is still an absolute that without the shed
blood of Christ, there is no remission. Now let's turn to Romans chapter 3, and
start at verse 23.
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Everybody is in that boat, Jew and Gentile, black and white, Oriental
or western, it makes no difference. The whole human race has fallen short of
the glory of God. Now verse 24.
Romans 3:24-25a
"Being justified freely (without any demands) by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25. Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation (our everything) through faith in his
blood,..."
Now His blood couldn't be shed until He died for the sins of the world. His
shed blood and His death are synonymous, they mean the same thing. So we have
to place our faith in the fact that the blood of Christ literally became our
Passover. We are now free from the fear of death and eternal doom, because now
we're under the blood. But it isn't just the blood by itself, it's coupled
with our faith in it. And that's why we have to know what the Bible says in
order to have faith. "What has God said? God has said in so many words "When I
see the blood I'll past over!" And death can't touch us, and it hasn't changed.
The whole Old Testament format just comes marching along and comes to fruition
then when we get to Paul's Gospel based on His death, burial, and His
resurrection.
Romans 3:25b
"...through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;"
All the way up through the New Testament Scriptures we have that constant
reference to the blood. Now I'm going to take you all the way over to even
Peter's little epistle.
I Peter 1:18-19
"Forasmuch as ye know (it's not "I hope so", it's not "I think
so", but rather it's a "I know so".) that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conservation (or
manner of living) received by tradition from your fathers; (and
my how many people are soaked with tradition today, and I guarantee you it's
going to fail them) 19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb
without blemish and without spot:"
What was the whole process leading up to the killing of the Passover lamb? They
had to take it out of the flock, and isolate it for three days. And in that
three day period they were to look at the lamb real good to see if there was
any kind of a flaw or blemish. And if the lamb wasn't perfect they couldn't use
it for the sacrifice. Well the analogy again is, How long was Christ on
public view? Three years. And there was no sin found in Him, so what could He
fulfill? The Passover lamb. And as His blood was shed and applied to the door
of our hearts the death angel passes over us. We don't have to shake in our
boots when death faces us. We don't have to wonder, "Am I going to make
it?"
My goodness I've heard some of the most horrible stories about that. One
gentlemen told me that his father-in-law was an evangelist for a particular
denomination for twenty-five years, and yet as he faced his own death, he paced
the floor worrying out loud, "Am I going to go to heaven when I die?"
Now isn't that sad? Oh that's so sad, and then I have to think about the people
that he preached to. They must have been left with that same dilemma. But oh
listen, that's not what the Scripture teaches. The Scripture says, "that
we know" John writes in his little epistle, "we know we have
passed from death unto life, when we love the brethren." There's that
change in attitude. Now let's come back to the Book of Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians 2:13
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ."
The blood of Christ makes all the difference in the world, and it's our faith
in that shed blood, as well as we saw in our last lesson, The power of His
Resurrection, which brings about new life, and from that new life God is
looking for fruit. Now verse 14.
Ephesians 2:14a
"For he (Christ) is our peace,..." Oh you see the
world is so hungry for peace tonight, personally, as well as between nations.
That's the whole scope of all the politicians, the United Nations, the efforts
in the middle East is peace. Hey on the world front there will be no peace
in this world until the Prince of Peace Himself returns.
But to bring it down to the individual's quest for peace, the same thing
applies. There can be no peace until we have peace with God, and that can
only come by believing the Gospel found in I Corinthians 15:1-4. After all
that is where the controversy lies, Man has been alienated by his sin, and this
whole Book has been written to bring us back into favor with God, to be
reconciled to God. When we're talking about peace, you have to go back to
Romans. Romans is the foundation of our Christian doctrine, and that's why
I'm sure the Holy Spirit placed the Book of Romans exactly where it's at.
While you're turning to Romans let me also remind you again as we're studying
the prison epistles of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians you won't find a
single quote from the Old Testament, or a direct reference to the nation of
Israel or the Jew. All that is now behind and we're in whole new territory of
basic doctrine concerning God and salvation. It's not just Israel, it's not
just Gentiles, but rather the whole human race. As we believers are united in
Christ and become members of the Body of Christ, as a result of that finished
work of the cross. Now that was all free for nothing. So let's turn to chapter
5 verse 1 of the Book of Romans and look at "peace" the reason we've
come to Romans.
Romans 5:1
"Therefore (because of what he had written in the previous
chapter) being justified by faith, (that's all Paul knows. Faith
+ Nothing, and as soon as we're justified by faith) we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
That's what the world is looking for. "Peace with God." When you
have peace with God then you have peace with everyone else. Now verse 2.
Romans 5:2
"By whom (the Lord Jesus and His finished work of the
cross) also we have access by faith (taking God at His word)
into this grace (or this condition of unmerited favor)
wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Now that's our future. Now coming back to Ephesians once again. We're making a
little headway this afternoon. So here in verse 14,
Ephesians 2:14
"For he is our peace, (by faith having entered into that
relationship of being redeemed, and justified, and declared righteous, and all
those things that accompanied our faith) who hath made both one,
(now who are the both? Jew and Gentile do you see that?) and hath broken
down the middle wall of partition between us;"
The Jews and Gentiles, during this Church Age have lost their separateness,
they have lost their individual identify as Jews or Gentiles. Paul never again
refers to that, but here they have come together and Jews and Gentiles are now
one. In fact let's turn to I Corinthians chapter 12 for a moment. It says
almost the same thing, only a little more basic language, and that's why,
again, all these early letters were ahead of Ephesians because Ephesians is
simply building on these original foundations of Romans, Corinthians and
Galatians. Now starting with verse 12.
I Corinthians 12:12
"For as the body (the human body) is one, and
hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body: so also is Christ. (or the Body of Christ, The One True Church.)
Now verse 13, and I always make the emphasis here. This is the only Holy Spirit
baptism that we as believers enjoy today. In fact Paul says in Ephesians 4:4-5
that there is only one baptism. This is the only one and here it is.
I Corinthians 12:13
"For by one Spirit are we all (not just some of the elite, but
all are) baptized into one body, (the Body of Christ)
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been
all (whether he's at the bottom or the top of the social totem pole,
we've all been) made to drink into one Spirit."
So each of us who are the Body of Christ have been baptized by the Holy
Spirit into that Body. There is no water involved in this process, but placed
only by the Holy Spirit into the Body. We've been placed into a unique
position that God reserved for us from eternity past. Knowing that we'd be
saved, He had this place ready for us. That's why when we get a little further
in Ephesians we're going to see that we are a building that has been fitted,
and fitly put together. Now coming back to Ephesians, looking at verse 14
again.
Ephesians 2:14b
"...and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between
us;" (Jews and Gentiles)
Now we know that in the temple in Jerusalem before it was destroyed in 70 AD
there was a dividing wall that would keep the Gentile proselyte from
worshipping in the same area as the Jews. I always say a proselyte is best
described in the word of the Lord Jesus Himself when He told the Jews this is
Matthew 23 and verse 15.
Matthew 23:15
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and
land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the
child of hell than yourselves." But nevertheless they embraced the
religion of Judaism, but they were separated from having any contact with the
Jew by that dividing wall. Now look what Paul says happened to that wall. "That
dividing wall has been totally dismantled. It's destroyed, it's broken down -
now verse 15.
Ephesians 2:15a
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,..."
Now we know Romans chapter 8 speaks of enmity with God, but I don't think Paul
is speaking of that here. I think here he's talking about enmity between Jew
and Gentile. I think it was a couple of programs ago, but I'm not sure everyone
caught what I was talking about, when Paul was addressing the Jews in Jerusalem
in Acts chapter 22, and rehearsing his conversion experience.
Acts 22:21-22
"And he (the Lord Jesus) said unto me, Depart for I will
send thee far hence unto the Gentiles, 2. And they gave him audience until this
word, (Gentiles) and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away
with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should
live."
I mean these Jews wouldn't even say the word Gentile. But now when a Jew
becomes a believer he is as much in fellowship with a Gentile as a Gentile with
a Gentile, or a Jew with a Jew. It's all been broken down, because you see it's
because of the work of the cross. Now looking at verse 15 again.
Ephesians 2:15
"Having abolished in his flesh (the death of the cross) the
enmity, (that was between Jews and Gentiles) even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, so making peace;"
Paul speaks of the new man often as a believer. When we become a believer we
are a new person in Christ. But that's not what he's talking about here.
Here Paul is talking about the new person, the Body of Christ, a whole
new concept made of Jews and Gentiles. So that He could make by virtue of the
work of the cross, twain one new man, and consequently making peace. Alright
turn to Colossians chapter 2. I like the way this says it. And remember the
Colossians were what kind of people? Gentiles. So the language is the same as
it was to the Ephesians as he writes to these Gentile believers.
Colossians 2:14
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, (what did He do with it?) and took it out of
the way, nailing it to the cross:"
Can you imagine what it would be like for a Gentile to live under the rules and
regulations of Judaism? There was no way they could cope with that. Because you
see that was one of the problems that Paul had with his new believers. They
were used to the immoral activity of the pagan idolatrous community. They had
no compunction about the dietary laws of Israel and so forth. And so for a
Gentile to come under that, man that was something they couldn't even think
about. So what does Paul say? "All of that was nailed to His cross." And like I
said in the last lesson, "What did the cross do? It killed. So His cross
killed all of these demands of the law. It was put to death, it was ended
there."
We always have to be careful saying that, because since we are now under Grace
that doesn't give us a license. Come back to Romans chapter 13 for a moment.
Just because we step into the Grace of God does not mean that I'm free to do as
I please, for after all God will wink at my sin. And after all I'm under the
blood, and I'm forgiven. No. No. You see that kind of thinking goes contrary to
the Word. And if I understand the Greek here, it doesn't mean that you can't
borrow money to buy a home, or car, but rather it means to defraud no one.
Don't take advantage of someone and cheat him.
Romans 13:8-9
"Owe (or defraud) no man any thing, but to love one
another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." (that is
the Ten Commandments! And Paul goes on to list them.) 9. For
this, (since love is now the key) Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shall not kill, Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly
comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself."
Who in the world can do that but a believer? The unsaved world can't. They can
try, but they will fall flat on their face before too long, but the believer is
empowered to do that. We are empowered to love our neighbor. We have the
capability now to love the neighbor because that is the fulfillment of the Ten
Commandments.
Always remember the law as Israel practiced it was always under the terrific
threat of punishment if they broke them. We don't have to worry about death if
we break the law for stealing. Does that mean we go ahead and steal? No way. We
are still under these moral laws that the Holy Spirit empowers us to keep, but
the basis for it is love. After all what put Christ on the cross? His love
for the human race! He loved us so much that He died for us, and that love is
supposed to be promulgated through you and I as believers in the everyday
world. So as we enter into this complete freedom of Grace, that doesn't
mean that we can be lawless, but it's that the Ten Commandments are not hanging
over us like a noose or like a yoke, which the Scriptures says was too heavy to
bear.
_______
LESSON THREE * PART IV
ONCE YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD
EPHESIANS 2:10-19
Now as we begin the last lesson in Book 36 let me just say what a joy it is to
be able to share the Word of God with each of you. When I was first approached
about teaching on television, the first thing that struck my mind was a program
on public television that I used to watch many years ago. This Algebra teacher
had a program with a classroom setting, with students, tables, and a black
board, much the same way we have here. I used to just love that program, and I
thought when I was approached about a Bible study, well if it works for
Algebra, maybe it will work teaching the Word of God.
So that was the approach I took when I came up here to channel 47 in Tulsa to
begin this ministry. They were agreeable with that approach, and it has all
just sort of evolved from there. It doesn't seem possible, but that was 8 years
ago when we started in the Book of Genesis. So we just give the Lord the praise
and glory that He has blessed us so richly. Now back to Ephesians chapter 2,
and we've just left off with verse 16. The Lord has made this new Body of
Christ the Church comprised of Jew and Gentile.
Ephesians 2:16a
"And that he might reconcile both unto God,..."
Now I suppose the average Church or Bible people probably wonder, "well what's
the enmity that Paul is talking about when he says "that He might
reconcile both unto God?" Well you have to realize that from day one,
as soon as God separated the Jew from the Gentile there was enmity between the
races. Now let me take you all the way back to the Book of Exodus, chapter 11.
And here the nation of Israel is getting ready to move out of Egypt, out of
their slavery, and here again this is really the beginning of miracles so far
as Israel was concerned. Just look at what it says.
Exodus 11:7
"But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast: (anything that belongs to the nation of
Israel) that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between
the Egyptians and Israel."
You see a lot of people don't understand this difference. Did that difference
ever stop? No! It carried all the way through. Now come on up to chapter 19,
and now the children of Israel are gathered around Mount Sinai. Moses is up on
the mount and is conversing with God, and he's going to be coming down with Ten
Commandments before long. But look at the conversation between God and Moses.
Let's begin with verse 3.
Exodus 19:3-4
"And Moses went up (that is up into Mount Sinai) unto God,
and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say
to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4. Ye have seen what I
did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you
unto myself."
Now right there anybody who knows anything at all about the Old Testament, what
happened to the Egyptians at the Red sea? They were drowned. What happened to
Israel? They came through unscathed on the other side. What did God do? He put
a difference between them. I mean He separated them but good.
Exodus 19:5
"Now therefore, (because God has already shown how He can put a
difference between Israel and the rest of the world) if ye will obey my
voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye (as a nation) shall
be a peculiar treasure (something of tremendous value) unto me
above all people: for all the earth is mine:"
Now, where does that put Israel? Just like it says. "above all
people." What was that? Separating them. And of course Israel was very
human, and when they begin to realize that they were in an exalted position
above all the other people of the earth, then they became bigoted. They got to
the place that they just despised those uncircumcised Gentiles. Now I'm not
saying that God expected them to, but they did it because they were human. You
know people still do that today. As soon as someone can get the upper hand over
somebody, what do they usually do? They show how despicable they are. So the
Jew came to that place where all through their history they are understanding
that they were exalted in God's eyes, and these uncircumcised Gentiles meant
nothing to them. So all of this had an effect on their whole outlook toward the
non-Jewish world. Now reading on, and remember the whole idea of the Abrahamic
Covenant, and being enlarged upon to Moses was what?
Exodus 19:6a
"And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation,..."
Now when we were teaching this back years ago when we were in Exodus, I always
asked the question, "What even today is the role of a priest?" Well he's a go
between. In the future every Jew was someday to be a go between for Gentiles
and Israel's God. Now that was the whole idea, but Israel lost sight of that,
and so Israel almost begin to look within themselves, and had no time for the
Gentile world. All right but now come back to verse 6.
Exodus 19:6a
"And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation...."
Now the word holy does not mean sinless, does not mean like God is Holy,
but rather it means "Set apart." And that's what the nation of Israel
understood. They were a set apart nation of people, and this is what God told
Moses to say to the people. They were to be a set apart people, but on the
other hand stop with me in the Book of Isaiah as we go back to Ephesians and
I'll show you what I'm talking about. These are some verses we haven't looked
at in a long time. But in chapter 42 we'll see this is what the Jews lost sight
of.
As you know I get the Jerusalem Post, and I clipped an article a year or so
back written by a Rabbi where he was speaking of the coming of their Messiah.
The Messiah would be a God King who would not only just bring goodness and
prosperity and peace to Israel, but to the whole world. The Rabbi had the right
idea, because that is the purpose of Christ's return. He's going to be King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. Yes, first and foremost over the nation of Israel, but
to the whole world, not just Israel. Now here's where prophecy alluded to that
here in Isaiah.
Isaiah 42:1
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;
I have put my spirit upon him: (upon the servant) he (the
servant) shall bring forth judgment (or rule, government)
to the Gentiles."
Well who's the servant? The Messiah, the Christ! But you see Israel lost sight
of that. But nevertheless in the divine purposes, God was going to use Israel
as a nation of priests to bring all these Gentile nations to a knowledge of
Himself, so that He wouldn't be just the King of Israel, but that He could rule
and reign over the whole world. Now the next verses I like to use to go along
with this are over in chapter 59 of this same Book. Now this is prophecy. This
is all going to be out in the future from Isaiah's time, and it's still in the
future from our time, but we feel we're getting awfully close. I just don't see
an awful lot of time left.
Isaiah 59:20-21a
"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, (Jerusalem) and unto
them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21. As for me, this
is my covenant with them, saith the LORD;..." Then the Lord repeats the
new covenant that Jeremiah 31:31 expresses, but now to complete the thought
about Israel being a light to the Gentiles let's drop on down to Isaiah 60:1
Isaiah 60:1-2
"Arise shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen
upon thee. (Now here we've got to watch our pronouns. Who is the
thy to whom the LORD's glory is coming? Well the nation of Israel. And
the glory of the LORD is risen upon you, Israel, the nation.) 2. For
behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, (a spiritual darkness)
and gross darkness the people: (Israel. And did it? Sure it did.)
but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon
thee." Remember this is all future, but again, we're getting close.
Isaiah 60:3
"And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,..."
And who was Israel's light? The Messiah, The Christ! Now this of course is
still future when Christ sets up His Kingdom. For you and I living in this day
of Grace have entered into this simply because of the Gospel, and not because
of the covenant promises made to Israel. Now coming back to the Book of
Ephesians, verse 16 again.
Ephesians 2:16-17a
"And that he might reconcile both (Jew & Gentile) unto
God in one body (the Church) by the cross, having slain the
enmity thereby: 17. And came and preached peace to you which were far
off,..."
Who was far off? Gentiles. Do you see that? It was those people who were out
there without a Messiah. They, our forefathers didn't have the Word
of God, they didn't have a knowledge of the one true God. They knew gods, but
they didn't know the God of Israel. But now as we saw in an earlier verse
because of the finished work of the cross, God can do all of this on behalf of
the whole Gentile world. Always remember when God sent the Gospel, as we
find in I Corinthians 15:1-4, to the Gentiles predominantly through the apostle
Paul, where did that put every Gentiles with relationship to God? He had access
to God just like Israel did in the past.
Remember from Abraham all the way up to Paul's conversion, a period of 2000
years, it was only Israel who had access to God with just a few Gentile
exceptions. Then Israel dropped the ball, and God turned to the Gentiles
through the apostle Paul. And now for the past 2000 years on this side of the
cross it's been Gentiles that have access with God with a few Jewish
exceptions.
Do you see how God always evens things out? Do you remember in Romans chapter
11, you have the analogy of the rootness and fatness of the olive tree which
was setting on the promises and covenant made with Abraham? But Paul tells us,
"because of Israel's unbelief, God broke off their branches, and put the
Gentiles in their place." When I was teaching that I told you that for 2000
years the nation of Israel was literally living in that place of privileges, on
the promises God made to Abraham. I mean every Jew had access to God. But
did that make every Jew a believer? Oh heavens no! Now I suppose the Jewish
people would argue with me on that point, but nevertheless only a small few
were true believers.
All right now come on this side of the cross. The Jew has been broken off of
that root & fatness of Abraham, and who's been grafted in? The Gentile
world. Don't just look at Romans chapter 11 as for believers. I feel it's the
whole Gentile world that has been put in that place of privilege. And my what a
privilege. They can have a knowledge of salvation if they want it. But does
that make every Gentile a believer? Of course not. It's still has to be a
choice by faith. Do you see that?
One of the beauties is now that the Body of Christ is being formed even though
they're resting on the root and fatness of Abraham, it's now a combination of
Jewish and Gentile believers. Oh the Jew must come the same way as the Gentiles
now and that's faith in the finish work of the cross for salvation. But now,
in this age of Grace there is Jew and Gentile coming together into the Body of
Christ and there is no enmity.
Iris and I know a Jewish couple who are believers that live in St. Paul, MN.
When we have a seminar up there we usually spend that Friday night in their
home. My, when we're with them we have such sweet fellowship. They believe like
we do, and we're one in the Body of Christ. I'll never forget a
conversation I had with her the first time we went up there for a seminar. She
came up to me and said, "Now Les, I'm a Jewish believer, does that mean I won't
go in the Rapture when you go because I'm Jewish? I said "Heavens no! I mean if
you're in the Body of Christ then we'll all go together whether you're Jew or
Gentile." There is that immediate affinity between Jew and Gentiles when we're
in the Body of Christ, it's just that simple. Now coming back to the text here
in Ephesians, and this is what Paul is hammering home. Once we enter into
this salvation experience, we enter in under the blood of Christ. We enter in
into that resurrection power, we can be united with all races of people from
every country in the world, it doesn't matter because we're one in Christ.
Now verse 17.
Ephesians 2:17a
"And came and preached peace to you which were afar off,..."
Who was far off? The Gentiles. Oh they were so far off they couldn't even
comprehend God. But all of a sudden they're brought to a place where they have
access and an opportunity at salvation. Now they have the same opportunity as
the Jew had at salvation in the Old Testament economy. So let's read the verse
again.
Ephesians 2:17
"And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, (that's
Gentiles) and to them that were nigh." (the Jews)
You see He doesn't ignore the Jew during this age of Grace. The only thing the
Jew now must come to salvation the same as the Gentile, and that's by believing
Paul's Gospel. Now verse 18.
Ephesians 2:18
"For through him we both have access by one (Holy) Spirit
unto the Father."
Now I've got to go back to one of my favorite verses, and you'll find that in
Acts chapter 16. Almost every morning I ask the Lord, "Give me hundreds if not
thousands of Lydia's today." Now I think it's possible for him to do that. And
here's what I'm talking about in verse 14. Remember Paul had been up there in
Northern Greece in Troas, Samothracia & Neapolis, and he's establishing
little Gentile congregations. Now he has come down to Philippi, and evidently
there wasn't a synagogue there, because he comes up on a few Jewish women
meeting at a river side. They evidently are having their devotion. Anyway Paul
had the opportunity to address them, and look what he says in verse 14.
Acts 16:14a
"And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of
Thyatira, which worshipped God, (so that makes me think they were
Jewish) heard us:..."
Now I have to think every time that the apostle Paul had an opportunity, he
stopped and put forth the Gospel. It didn't matter whether it was group like
these that he was sharing with, or pagan Gentiles coming out of their temple,
Paul was at them with this Gospel of Grace. So in the first part of verse 14
the Scriptures tells us that these women heard us. But oh now is the part that
I love to teach, I revel in, and I pray for.
Acts 16:14b
"...whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which
were spoken of Paul."
Now we want to remember that the Holy Spirit is a member of the Godhead just as
well as God the Son, and God the Father. So I have to feel that the Lord in
this case is the Holy Spirit that opened the heart. So the Holy Spirit
opened the heart, and understanding of this Jewish lady of Thyatira. And as
soon as that happened she believed the message that Paul was proclaiming.
You know it's no different today. You can have the greatest evangelist just
preach his heart out, is he going to get any fruit without the Spirit? No way!
I can teach until I'm blue in the face, but won't get any response until the
Holy Spirit opens understandings. Now back to Ephesians chapter 2. Let's look
at verse 18 again.
Ephesians 2:18-19
"For through him (what Christ has done on our behalf) we
both (Jew and Gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the
Father. 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of
God;"
Now just look at that verse we just read for a moment, and compare it again
with verse 12. Because you have to compare Scripture with Scripture. Read verse
12 again if you will.
Ephesians 2:12
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world:"
Now look at verse 19 where we just left off. and oh what a difference. You can
see we're not like our forefathers up there in verse 12 any more Now we have a
chance.
Ephesians 2:19
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"
Now what a position, and we don't work for it. We don't strive, we don't brow
beat ourselves, we don't grovel in the dirt, we don't somehow cause physical
misery. My we just step in by faith, and God does it all! Always try to
remember that it's not what you and I do, but rather it's the fact that "GOD
DOES IT ALL."
Copyright © 1999 Les Feldick Ministries. All rights reserved.