A Study in Ephesians Part 1
In Christ
I want to talk about 2 very important words tonight. In Christ!
“IN” - a very small 2 letter word, a simple preposition, that denotes position or location.
If you are in the house, you are inside it, not outside.
If you are in the car, you are riding inside the car, not sitting on the hood.
It tells you where you are located.
“IN” - for Believers shows us where we are in the Kingdom of God. We are in the family of God, We are IN Christ!
We are in Christ - not in the world. We dwell in the blessings and promises we obtained in Christ, not in the power of the enemy.
Read Romans 3:24:
We are justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ!
We use a lot of words in Christian “jargon” that we may not fully understand their meaning.
Let’s look at a couple.
Salvation: salvation is the deliverance from sin . Sin exposes us to illness, danger, worldly contamination, difficult times, unpleasantness , demon attack and death.
Salvation gives us wholeness, soundness and health.
It gives to us deliverance from:
- Penalty from sin - Romans 6:23 - “the wages of sin is death.
- Power of sin - Romans 7:14-20 “sin dwells in our flesh, and we are under its influence until our salvation. Then it is up to us to keep dominion over our sinful flesh, and keep our flesh in line, Romans 6:12 - tells us not to let sin reign in our lives.
- Presence of sin - Romans 6:17-18,22 - we are slaves to sin, until we have been saved or redeemed.
Redeemed - what does that mean. Redemption is the means by which salvation is accomplished. In both Old and New Testament times, a person could buy back a family member, or land by paying the redemption price. A ransom for what it was worth, to restore that family member out of slavery or obtain family property that had been sold or lost.
In our case, the ransom price for our sin, is eternal death, total separation from God and spiritual death, but Jesus Paid our ransom price, He redeemed us with His blood and saved us from the power, presence and penalty of sin in our lives!
This salvation, or redemption puts us in a special place. IN Christ!
Read Ephesians 1:1-14
(read Phillips translation ,too).
Vs 7: Through His blood we have been redeemed - the ransom paid! We are freely forgiven and our eyes are open to the truth of God or the mystery of God!
What is this mystery?? Or Truth?? That we are IN Christ!
Phillips translation vs. 9.
The mystery is God’s plan and purpose. That everything in heaven and earth will find its perfection IN Christ!
We are given the wisdom of God.
Read 1 Cor. 2: 6-16 Phillips translation
Vs. 6: To understand the wisdom of God, you must be mature! Not a spiritual babe.
Paul tells the Corinthians that they cannot understand the wisdom of God, because of their spiritual immaturity. They are still drinking the milk and not eating the meat of God’s Word.
You must be saved, and filled with the spirit.
Vs. 12-13: for we understand spiritual things by the spirit and if your spirit is not in touch with and sensitive to God, you will miss so much!
We obtain and gain this wisdom, because we are IN Christ. We are joint heirs with Jesus
What God the Father gave Jesus, He gives to us, All spiritual blessings. The wisdom and mind of Christ. When we are mature we nurture this mind, this seed of wisdom, by studying and meditating on God’s Word. We think the thought of God and not the thoughts of the world. Philippians 4:7-8 think on these things…
Sometimes we have to have our own “pit - a - full” experience to grow and mature in God’s Word. As Jensen Franklin said last week, Joseph had to be put in that pit. God’s plan could never have come to completion, if Joseph’s brothers not put him in the pit, and this led to his humbleness and maturity to reach the level he did.
God has a plan for you, and may use a “pit-a-full” experience for it to come to maturation.
You grow and strengthen in God’s wisdom and ways if you have to depend on Him to get you out of your pit, and you learn new and wonderful things about God, by doing this.
Sometimes you get to the point where all you can do is survive, each day, one day at a time.
But if you do it, by relying on God, His promises and where you are in Christ, it will be easier, and you will come out stronger!
One of the ways we survive, and come out stronger is to realize, that God allows the pit to be in your way, but he also gives you the authority to step on Satan’s head to climb out of it!
Amen?? Ephesians 1:3 Authority over the enemy, power to use The name of Jesus.
Read Ephesians 1:17-2:6
Christ was raised from the dead and seated at God’s right hand. He rules over the powers, and because we are in Christ - we are also raise with Him and seated with Him.
Read Luke 10:19 This is talking about the power we have been given IN Christ, to have authority over the enemy.
So the next time you are in a pit, remember, God will use it for your Good, but because of who you are in Christ, you have the power to overcome it! 1 John 4:4 Because Greater is He that is in you… and because He is in you, and you are in Him, you can overcome any situation,,, no matter how bleak or deep.
Not all pits are of God, but God will use all pits!!!
Position and circumstance are not synonymous terms.. Circumstance can look and be bad.
But your position is in Christ and that is always victorious!
Reread Ephesians 1:15-20
This is prayer you should pray for yourself, so that you can become enlightened to God’s wisdom and knowledge. Pray it for yourself daily!!!