Tag: Ephesians 2
Created! Made alive! Raised up! Seated!
Scripture reading for August 26: Ephesians 2
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10
Paul continued to encourage the Ephesians with deeper understanding of Christ’s work for them and on their behalf. God’s mercy and great love moved Him to act on behalf of us, who as sinners were under a death sentence. In Christ, we were made alive with Him as He rose from the dead. In Christ, God raised us up with Him and In Christ seated us with Him at His right hand. In Christ Jesus, we were made a new creation and given good works to do that were prepared by God the Father to fulfill His will. We owe it all to Jesus Christ!
Paul goes on to say that we are God’s workmanship. God is a Master Craftsman and produces unique individual ‘masterpieces’ in us who are made in His image. God prepares each person with the giftings and abilities to do a particular assignment while passing through this world. He prepares the good works beforehand and it is our unique glory to search out God’s will and calling in our lives. We yield our lives back to God in repentance and faith and humbly walk with the aid of Christ’s Holy Spirit to fulfill His plans. We who were once dead in our trespasses are now made alive and given purpose and new vision to walk out our new destiny as God’s adopted children!
Have you ever considered yourself as a unique ‘masterpiece’ created by God? Have you taken time to search out God’s purpose and plan for your unique life? How do these revelations of Scripture expand your world view and bring you encouragement?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing ‘workmanship’ in my own life. I marvel that You would shape me with a purpose in Your kingdom. By the Holy Spirit, I seek to daily walk out the good works that You have prepared uniquely for me. Let my life, gifts, and abilities fulfill Your will and purpose. Amen.
Jesus Christ–Cornerstone!
Scripture reading for August 25th: Ephesians 2
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Ephesians 2:19-22 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.”
Because of God’s amazing grace extended to Jew and Gentile through His Son, Jesus Christ, we Gentiles have been brought into citizenship with God’s people, the Jews, and made a part of His household or family. Jesus, Himself, is the cornerstone of this new temple. The new temple is not a building, but a family of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah. Each believer is marked with the Holy Spirit as belonging God’s family and God lives in them through the Spirit.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers live by faith that they are in God’s family and are the current dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. His perfect love casts out all fear of punishment or being left out! “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.” (Isaiah 28:16)
Christ the Cornerstone!
Scripture reading for August 26th: Ephesians 2
Gentiles made up a large part of the Ephesian church. Paul wrote to help them understand who they were in Christ Jesus and what had transpired when they were saved. For most of us are not of Jewish descent, Paul’s descriptions help us better understand our salvation.
“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves the “circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)–remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13)
When we were lost, we were separate from Christ and God our Father. We had nothing to do with Israel–God’s chosen people. This resulted in a hopeless situation. Our fate was eternal separation from God and His promises! But thankfully, we who were ‘far away’, have been ‘brought near’ to God by faith in Christ!
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple to the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:19-20) Paul likened the Church to a building similar to the Old Testament temple in Jerusalem. Christ was the Cornerstone and the foundation was built by the apostles and prophets. Each believer was a stone that caused the temple to rise as a dwelling place of God by the Spirit! What a glorious temple we make!