Ephesians

The Glory of the Church

Our Position, Provision in Christ

Chapter One

Lesson 2/3

Intro Review:

5. Those addressed! "the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:"

- The intended readers of this epistle are described 3 ways;

#1 The saints toi/j a`gi,oij (pl)

To the person of the 1st century, this word had no moral or spiritual connotation at all.

- to them 2 ideas would be dominate; possession and a purpose;

It is used of believers then to indicate that they are owned, possessed, set apart for the purpose of God.

- What it identifies here is a group, a class of people who live on earth, but bear a special relationship to the Lord; ie. they are His;

No epistle has as universal a scope and application to the saints of all the church age then Ephesians. Its for us!

#2 "and [who are] faithful in Christ Jesus"

This is the most fundamental designation of what it means to be a believer, to be a Christian, and that is to be in Christ!

** When we talk about union with Christ it says that God views man one of 2 ways; #1 as we are; as man really is!! #2 as he is in Christ!

** What does the Bible teach?? Man can't change who they are, ever;

In order to have a standing with God your position must change! From being dead in Adam to being alive in Christ!

At salvation God takes one who is totally unworthy, a dead sinner, and places them into union with Christ; and from that point on that is our position, that is how God sees us. Alive in Christ!

?? Where is Christ? In heaven, seated at the right-hand of God.

Where are we? Positionally we are there also, in heaven.

- Heaven is not just a place of future bliss after death;

- Heaven is a place of present reality for the believer; positional reality.

#3. What about the "and [who are] faithful, the pisto,j.

lit. "even the faithful in Christ Jesus."

- pistoi/j (adj. pl) this word can have an active meaning, to be trusting; or a passive meaning, to be trustworthy or dependable.

The message of this book is to believers, the saints; but it will be understood only by those who are trusting, and trustworthy, dependable; ie. those in fellowship living out their position.

1:2 The Greeting

- Paul never varies the order; it is always grace before peace. This is doctrinally significant!

Grace is the fountain from which peace flows.

- "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

The source of grace and peace is the same as the source of Paul's apostleship, his delegated authority for ministry;

The Son is no less deity than the Father and neither can be honored without honoring the other.

Some Key Concepts Pertinent to Positional Truth

1. Positional Truth is the Foundation for Growth and Change in life.

Understanding positional truth is foundational for our growth in the Christian life.

Positional truth then means that we share in all that Jesus is in His person and we share in what He did and will do, its His Work. 1 Cor. 1:30

2. Positional Truth, being identified with Christ means:

(1) As He died unto sin, so we too have died unto sin. Rom. 6:2,3

(2) As He rose from the dead, so have we. Romans 6:4,5

(3) As He is seated at God's right hand, so are we. Ephesians 2:6

(4) As He is the Son, so we are now sons by faith. Gal. 3:26

(5) As He is eternal life, so we have eternal life. Rom. 6:23

(6) As He is perfect righteousness, so we have His righteousness. Phil. 3:9

3. The Nature of Our Position in Christ as Believer's

It is a spiritual fact that takes place as a grace work of God when one believes in the Savior, and this is true for all who believe regardless of feelings or understanding.

4. Our Position in Christ is Perfect and Complete

Unlike spiritual growth and maturity in the Christian walk, positional truth is not progressive.

We lack nothing (cf. 2 Pet 1:3; Eph. 1:3 and Col. 2:10)

5. Positional truth means at least three wonderful facts for every believer:

(1) He totally surrounds you; you are enveloped by His life.

(2) Your position is protected from any and everything that is hostile or dangerous. Romans 8:34-39 nothing can impact

(3) He supplies you with every possible need for life (Eph. 1:3; Phil. 4:19; 2 Pet. 1:3)

6. Our Position in Christ is Eternal and Permanent

Salvation is totally a work of God's grace and based on the merit and worth of Christ and His finished work rather than any of our works.

Since that is true, there is nothing we can do to lose it (John 10:28-29; Rom. 8:32-39).

7. The Wealth of the Believer's Position in Jesus Christ

A. Related to Christ's PERSON:

Being in Christ we share in the following:

(1) As He has perfect righteousness, so do all believers. 2 Corinthians 5:21

(2) As He has eternal life, so do all believers. 1 Jn. 5:11-12

(3) His eternal destiny becomes the destiny of all believers. Eph. 1:4-5, 10-11

(4) As He is the Father's Chosen One, so all believers are chosen ones. Eph. 1:4; Isa. 42:1

(5) As He is the Son of God, so all believers become sons and members of God's family by adoption and by regeneration, the new birth.

John 1:12-13; Eph. 1:5; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:2

(6) As He is the Heir of God, so all believers are heirs of God. Eph. 1:14

(7) As He is the Great High Priest, so all believers are all priests of God. 1 Peter 2:5

B. Related to Christ's WORK:

By being in Christ by faith, we as believers also share in Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

Being in Christ by faith, we share in His work past, present, and future:

(1) In Christ, believers are reconciled to God by His substitutionary death. Romans 5:10

(2) In Christ, believers have peace with God. Rom. 5:1

(3) In Christ, believers have His righteousness imputed to them. 2 Cor. 5:21

(4) In Christ, believers are justified, declared righteous. Rom. 5:9

(5) In Christ, believers are redeemed by His blood. Eph. 1:7

(6) In Christ, believers have forgiveness of sin. Eph. 1:7

(7) In Christ, the demands of God's holiness have been satisfied; God has been propitiated. 1 John 2:2; 4:10 Rom. 3:25 - 26;

(8) In Christ, there is now no condemnation. Rom. 5:9; 8:1

(9) In Christ, the penalty of sin has been expiated, that is removed. Col. 2:14

(10) In Christ, believers are no longer guilty or under the condemnation of the law and its sentence of death. Rom. 7:4-6; Col. 2:14

(11) In Christ, believers are accepted, made fit and sufficient to be partakers in God's family and inheritance. Eph. 1:5-6, Col. 1:12; 2 Cor 3:6

All the above deal with an aspect of Christ's substitutionary death for sin's penalty as He died in our place, bearing our penalty, but Christ's death also includes His judicial work against the reign of sin.

He also died unto sin's power to break it's reign. He died for sin and unto sin and its reign. Rom. 6:10-12 which has massive implications for living our lives today as we have seen!

C. Ramifications of Christ’s death related to the Believer’s life.

(1) In Christ, believers have also died with Christ in His death and burial. Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12

(2) In Christ, the believer's relationship to Adam has been severed and the dominion of the sinful nature, though still present, has been broken. Romans 6:1-14

(3) In Christ, believers have been raised with Him for a walk in newness of life. Rom. 6:4-5, 8-12; Col. 2:12

(4) In Christ, believers are seated with Him in the heavenlies at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 2:6).

(5) In Christ, believers have an eternal access to God, we are made nigh to God, translated into God's kingdom, and delivered from Satan's kingdom and the power of darkness. Eph. 2:18; 3:12

(6) In Christ, believers have a perpetual and an effective High Priest, an advocate and two intercessors, the Son at God's right hand, and the Holy Spirit who dwells within. Rom. 8:26-27, 34; 1 John 2:1

(7) In Christ, believers have special significance and the basis of a true self-concept [esteem] as the children of God.