In order to do that, we must remember that we are Gods temple. It is only by abiding in Christ, our cornerstone, that we can we grow and ultimately fulfill our purpose. 2:14 ), and "through the cross" ( Eph . We are to be known by this intimate familial love. Here, all the believers are fellow citizens in Gods kingdom. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain . For a brief time at the end of his second missionary journey, and then for more than two years on his third missionary journey, Paul ministered to the church at Ephesus (Acts 18:1821; 19:141). 6 - Fall 1963. It was accomplished "by the blood of Christ" ( Eph. We must develop intimate relationships within the body of Christ. This function of the body is achieved when every part is working properly (one of the happiest RSV translations). Christ is the person of the Body with His personality. It grows into a holy temple. And he is the one who brings the church together today. For the church to be the Body of Christ means the church has Christ as its life. One can only become a member of the Body of Christ by being born again, or regenerated, with the divine life. All rights reserved. He takes the fullness to be in apposition with Christ rather than with the church. For a brief time at the end of his second missionary journey, and then for more than two years on his third missionary journey, Paul ministered to the church at Ephesus ( Acts 18:18-21; 19:1-41 ). A church that is split by factions and torn by the insistence of individuals on having their own way cannot embody Christ. Most likely he is referring only to those who ministered in the New Testament. Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. Since the church is built on apostolic teaching, we, as members of the church, must be devoted to apostolic teaching. That the church might be presented before him in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (5:27) may give us greater pause. 1 Barclay, W. (2002). That was the primary purpose of the temple. Yet, we are called not so much to rise up but to bow down. Maule believes this interpretation is more consistent with other New Testament uses of fulness (cf. (Italics mine). The book of Ephesians hits on a wide range of moral and ethical behaviors, designed to ensure believers are living up to our heavenly calling. Verse 12 should read: for the perfecting (fitting out) of the saints so that they may perform the work of the ministry which results in the building up of the body of Christ.. While Paul was not responding to a particular theological or moral problem, he wanted to protect against future problems by encouraging the Ephesians to mature in their faith. This is to continue until all reach unity of faith, maturity of character, and stability of mind. . . "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. There is a tendency in modern thought to belittle the churches. In the same way, as the temple of God, we must keep ourselves from anything that might defile. Wisdom in church affairs does not depend upon experience, training, age, or any other human factor; it depends upon communion with Christ. The same is true today. Paul divided his letter to the Ephesians into two clear segments; applying the truths of the first makes possible the actions and lifestyle of the second. Matt 7:24-27). She is the author ofLiving a Deeper Faith: Nurture Your Relationship with God and Live a Faith-Fueled Life. important for those churches overrun with legalism, Ephesians deals with topics at the very core of what it means to be a Christianboth in faith and in practiceregardless of any particular problem in the community. There were ceremonial washings and cleansings even for the plates in the temple. he is something far more than their memory of him. We will look at two main principles that Paul emphasizes here in Ephesians 1. We must learn to confess our sins and share our successes with one another, and also to seek the prayers of the saints. Paul the Apostle has been placed within Second Temple Judaism by recent scholarship since the 1970s. The most real thing in the Church is not its democracy, but Christs absolute monarchy. Seven times the church is called a body, (Greek, soma), with the implication that it is the body of Christ (1:23; 2:16; 4:4, 12, 16; 5:23, 30). In the same way, we can only have unity based on Christ. The church is the bride, the wife of Christ. 5:25). 7 Wonderful Aspects of the Church in Ephesians - Bibles for America Blog However, Scripture also teaches that when believers gather together, God is with us. If the second is true and the first is not, we will be forced to adopt the local meaning for ekklesia in Ephesians. All people with this faithJews and Gentiles alikewere dead in their transgressions and sins but have been made alive because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Dear Lord, thank You for the church. They were dead in sin and without home, but God has shown His mercy to them and now the Gentiles are joint heirs with Israel. But outside of that, they have no real commitment to or investment in the church. We need to examine these to see if they force us to accept a universal concept of the church. Help My Unbelief!" They dont put a dent in the roof of the church. Chapter 1: The Christian's Present Possessions in Christ The first three chapters of the epistle deal with doctrine; the last three chapters, with duty. In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit. Ephesians 2:21-22. Many churches no longer preach the Bible. Second Corinthians and Galatians abound with personal touches from Paul, either about his own life or that of the recipients. While Galatians offers instructions particularly Thus Christ is thought of as containing, representing, all that God is, and the destiny of Christians, as the body of Christ, is to enter, in him, into that wealth and completeness.[8]Ibid., p. 169. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3802_1_8').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3802_1_8', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); Whether we agree with Salmond or Maule, the passage is in favor of the local meaning of church, rather than against it. Thus, if Paul thinks of the ekklesia of Ephesians as a functioning body, we must assume that it is a local body. The revelation of the church in Ephesians is rich, deep, and high. (Ephesians 2:20-22). Read Ephesians 2 v 18 - 3 v 19 1. Request the classic book and Stephen Nichols companion teaching series. It refers to the exercise of His power, or to action that gets results. In the same way, both our individual and our corporate spiritual growth come through Christ. Paul shows a definite knowledge of these readers; he has heard about their faith; he prays for them (Eph. Cities have always played critical roles in the history of the world. 2:16 ). Take out the cornerstone, and everything falls apart. Are you living in union with the body of Christthe beautiful bricks that make up Gods temple? The actual building of the church as the house of God is by the believers growth in life.. The final passage which we will have space to study is Eph. They find a new church, but often struggle to get involvedand it never feels like home. Although the words, in Ephesus, are probably not a part of the original letter, the evidence of the letter is that it was written either to a particular church or to a particular group of churches as a circular letter. In the first place, we notice that there are some passages in Ephesians which demand a local meaning for ekklesia. 2. The Calling and Design of the Church: (Ephesians 1-3) The Christian groups were the churches of God. This is an impossibility without some kind of localness. The church, the new temple, is still under construction. The translation turns on the Greek term for the whole structure (RSV) or each several building (ASV). Home | Admissions | Academics | Campus Life | Alumni, All content copyright 2023 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary It may not be the only way; God cannot be restricted in his way. , . The problem with most Christians is that they have a low ecclesiologya low understanding of what the church is and their role in it. He says, you are no longer foreigners and aliens. William Barclays comments are helpful in understanding the terms foreigners and aliens: Paul uses the word xenos for foreigner. Please contact us or click here to learn more about how to enable JavaScript on your browser. We are called to be united in faith through the grace of Jesus. The church is a profound and deeply significant matter in the Bible. When Jesus asked Peter who he was, Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of God. And Jesus replied, On this rock, I will build my church (Matt 16:16-18, paraphrase). Since Christ is the cornerstone of the church, it is through him that we grow. However, you can seek unity because of Christhe is the unifier. Here is a graphic picture of the ideal of church ministry. Even at the beginning of time, Satan attacked the Word. The battle plan has three parts. We should be growing in righteousness and helping others to do so as well. The ancient world was filled with religious groups, both Jewish and pagan, which used a variety of terms to designate themselves. 73-74. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3802_1_11').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3802_1_11', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); In the beginning of the Christian cause all were ministers. Were the church that God ordained from the foundation of the world. For this, we as His members must live by His life and take Him as our person, and not ourselves. This should be true for us as well. New Testament Exam 3 SBU Denton Flashcards | Quizlet Since Christ is the cornerstone of the church, it is through him that the church is unified.
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