By Ron McGatlin All things being measured, God’s kingdom is the most valuable thing on earth. Christ Jesus came from heaven to bring the most valuable gift to Planet Earth and all mankind. There is nothing in this world that is beyond the greatest gift in this life now and in the life to come. … [Read more…]
Walking as God’s dear children worthy of God’s calling (Eph 4:1) in this world (1 Jn 5:19) is a lifestyle. Adopting and living this lifestyle is the primary way we serve as God’s workers in this world. Walking a godly life can make a difference in our society, in the body of Christ, in our … [Read more…]
Growing up in Christ Growing up to work in the body of Christ is God’s calling for our way of life and spiritual work. Our goal being to attain mature adulthood and the full standard of development in Christ. In the first 3 chapters of Ephesians, Paul tells what God has planned, did and is … [Read more…]
A wall of enmity divided Jews and Gentiles until they were made one in Christ. The Ephesian church was mostly Gentile. Jews had an ingrained prejudice against them. It was rooted in their heritage as the circumcised, which the Gentiles did not share. The Jews were God’s people Israel and had God’s covenants. The Gentiles … [Read more…]
Our Personal Identity and Purpose in Christ Our personal identity is we are new creatures created in Christ Jesus. Our purpose is to do good works, in which God long ago planned for us to live. Our personal identity and purpose in Christ Jesus is summed up by Paul in the first 10 verses of … [Read more…]
God has a plan for all who trust in Jesus. God’s plan is summarized in Ephesians 1 and explained in the rest of Ephesians. After his greeting and blessing, Paul urges us to bless God, for God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. Then, Paul blesses God, declaring the reason God is … [Read more…]
Paul addresses Ephesians to God’s holy ones/saints and blesses with grace and peace. As saints, they believed in Christ Jesus as the Redeemer that had atoned for all their sins, and by this faith they were consecrated and sanctified to God. Grace and peace are blessings which come from God our Father and our Lord … [Read more…]
Ezekiel 34: 11-16, 23-24 (Christ the King, 2011) “Jesus is our Shepherd-King” What makes a good king good? You may remember that the Lord warned Israel against having a king. He knew that earthly kings would tax their pocket books. He warned that earthly kings would take their sons to empirical wars. A scepter in … [Read more…]
New Beings in Christ In order to make us new beings fit for the kingdom of God, God has created in Christ Jesus and cleansed by His blood. Being created in Christ Jesus is an instantaneous salvation process. Paul summed it up in his letter to the Ephesians. And you were dead in your trespasses … [Read more…]
The kingdom of God is Shalom Excerpts from: Kingdom, Church, and World: Biblical Themes for Today The Bible is full of teaching on the kingdom of God, and the church has largely missed it. But in the providence of God we may now have reached a time when the good news of the kingdom can be heard … [Read more…]