Author: Ellie

A born again believer in Jesus Christ, residing in Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in Biblical Studies/Communications from Colorado Christian University - May 2018. I'm also a mother to one son, a grandmother, and a friend to most!

Salvation Is a Big Deal

In salvation, the Bible makes it known that we became new creations in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NASB) says, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore, from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” New Christians need to know how once you believe in Jesus Christ, who died and resurrected to new life for us, did so to bring us into the life of God. Immediately upon our salvation, God transitioned us out from under darkness and into the kingdom of God. Our old way of being, thinking and acting—in darkness–is no longer where our identity lies. Our life and identity is now in God. Colossians 1:13-14 confirms this by stating, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

There are two opposite kingdoms—a dark one (controlled by sin and evil) and the kingdom of the Son, Jesus Christ (controlled by light and love). This is where we were placed the moment we received Jesus Christ as our Savior.  I emphasize the immediacy because for a long time, many Christians have not known about this work Christ did for them in salvation. Even many of us older Christians have accepted Jesus as Savior but have been erroneously taught (or not taught at all) how placing faith in Christ gives us a new identity. We are instantaneously children of God, children of the light, and accepted in God’s beloved.  This is the reason why the scripture verse states above, “we no longer consider anyone from a fleshly perspective.” God’s kingdom is spiritual and does not operate as we do or this world. This is important to know because new Christians can boldly begin their Christian journey by immediately receiving this truth into their hearts, mind and spirits. They can “hit the ground running,” so to speak. They can confidently proclaim their acceptance by God into his supernatural kingdom. Imagine how one’s actions would immediately change if this was the new focus of one’s thinking? “I have been rescued from sin and evil and brought into God’s eternal light and love” Do not let anyone try to deduce you or kick you out of where God placed you in salvation. You are no longer darkness, but light in the Lord. Think this way; act this way. Hmmm! (Take a deep breath, exhale and smile!).  Salvation is a miracle indeed!

To learn more about this new life God has given you, I recommend reading the Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which biblical scholars term the Synoptic Gospels. They are the only books in the Bible that reveals to us who Jesus is. Why do we want to do this? Well, Hebrews 1:1-4 (Study Bible) tells us why, “On many past occasions and ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.  But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So, He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.”  Our invisible God’s nature can be seen through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only One who accurately represents who God is. Jesus controls God’s kingdom and shows us God’s nature, what pleases God, and reveals God’s plan for humankind.  Therefore, He deserves our undivided attention this scripture is saying. Wow! These gospel narratives, written by the disciples (turned apostles) of Christ, are very important to read and study because in the kingdom of God, Jesus Christ is the One who connects us to God, is our new model, and the One we now follow, and no longer ourselves or this (dark) earthly way of doing things.  It is in these Synoptic Gospel books where Jesus’ life and public ministry is recorded and where we find out how God operates. Be encouraged and happy reading!  Continue reading “Salvation Is a Big Deal”

Inspired by Ephesians 1:3-13

As a long time Christian , I recently found astounding inspiration in this passage in Ephesians I wish I had learned about sooner. I want to share it with you. The passage begins appropriately for the situation facing the biblical audience. It’s a theological statement as well as a message to encourage the saints in Ephesus. Paul opens verse 3 with a praise, which is to be “to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He continues in verse 3 suggesting a reason for this praise—“who has blessed us…” The word “blessed” is a Greek word (eulogeō) which means “to impart a benefit to someone being blessed.” The benefits imparted are not from the physical world but are spiritual blessings proceeding from “the heavenly realm,” where God resides and where believers have a share (Snodgrass, 1996). The blessings here are not indicative of the future, but are blessings we now partake of on earth because of the work Christ did for us on the cross.

The verse opens with a greeting by its author, the Apostle Paul, “to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1).  Ephesus was a prominent city in Rome that housed one of the Seven Wonders of the World–the divine temple entity devoted to Diana (Artemis)—whom they worship and from which they made a lot of money. People travelled great distances to worship Artemis. The goddess was responsible for Ephesus’ prominence in business and also for the city’s immorality and wickedness. Sexual promiscuity, prostitution, sorcery and other sins were running rampant. However, saints were in Ephesus, who, with Paul, were proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ, uniting in church fellowship and the teaching of God’s word. Included were new convert Gentiles and Greeks who were turning from their gods to the Lord.  As a result, believers were facing persecution, suffering, imprisonment, and involved in rioting.

Paul goes on in verses 4-13, it seems, letting us know what these imparted spiritual benefits are. These blessings have changed their life position. They are now united with God through Christ and must think and act this way, and not as they used to. These blessings are inclusive of all saints and the faithful in Christ Jesus, including converted Jews, Gentiles and Greeks who have put their faith in Christ. We will take a look at these blessings and the implications they had for the church of Ephesus as well as for believers today.

The first blessing bestowed on us by God is that“… He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (1:4).  This thought of being chosen is confirmed in John 6:44, where Jesus lets us know, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him….” God is the initiator in bringing us to Himself.  He elected us as members of His family to be holy and blameless in His sight. This is a phenomenal blessing indeed! Many times in our lives, because of our actions, personality, past mistakes, or present predicament, we do not equate ourselves as being holy. This verse encourages us that God sees us as holy and blameless in His sight.  This is based solely on our identification and faith in Christ.

The next benefit bestowed upon us is that God, in love, “predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (1:5-6).  The idea of predestination, again, has to do with the idea that God decided beforehand to bring us into the family of God. To think, the God of the universe had you in mind to specially select you as His child! This should exhilarate us with much excitement! It is important to note here, God decided this in love!  In our relationships with significant others, we express our dying love for each other. However, the God of heaven and earth first fell in love with us by deciding to bring us to Himself.  He freely delighted in and wanted to do this for us, because He is a gracious and kind God who loves to show favor.

Our next benefit also “in Him” (in Christ that is)—“we have redemption through his blood”(1:7-8).  The payment for sin required a sacrifice, which Christ paid when he shed His blood by dying on the cross. By putting our faith in His substitutionary death, He bought us back into right standing with God.  This payment also blessed us with, “the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding”(1:7-8).  God, in his wisdom, understood that mankind could never fulfill his righteous requirements, so Christ’s death, again, stood in our place, took the penalty we deserved in order to bring us to God. When we sin, we receive forgiveness when we ask. Christ, the great High Priest, intercedes to the Father on our behalf, asking God to remember the sacrifice He made for our sins. As such, God’s gracious nature forgives us on Christ’s behalf, all because we’ve accepted Jesus as our Savior!

God has also blessed us because He, “made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put in effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and earth together under one head, even Christ” (1:9-10). We are now no longer strangers, but heirs with God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17 NIV). As such, God has shared classified information with us, that once was hidden. As His children, we are now trustworthy to receive it. This mystery includes, I believe, God’s enlightenment about His plan of salvation which is through Christ. This plan was being worked on before the foundations of the world, since the creation and throughout the Old Testament—God bringing people to Himself in relationship. As we trusted Him, He has revealed to us that, at the proper time of fulfillment, everything on heaven and earth will come together under His rule. And everything will be back in order and under God’s authority. As believers, we understand and hope for this as we continue in our spiritual journey.

Another blessing we received is stated as,“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of  Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (1:11-12).  Believers were not just haphazardly chosen to live life aimlessly. God had a predetermined plan for our lives that He would work all things, within us and throughout lives, according to His will. This includes our good, our bad, and our ugly. God wants to show forth His glory through our life testimony. When we share it, the world will follow suit and give God praise. We cannot always fathom this in our painful earthly moments, but there is a larger picture God has in the heavenly realm which is oftentimes incomprehensible to us until God reveals it.  This too is indicative of such a great blessing we have as dwellers on earth living with a heavenly mindset–God chose us with a plan in mind! We surely are not “nothings.”

The final blessing addressed in this passage, and possibly the best of them all, states, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.”(1:13-14).  “You also were included” mentioned here could be Paul’s specific address to the Gentile believers at that time who were not originally God’s chosen people.  He is encouraging them that they are now included (Snodgrass, 1996).  I believe we can safely assume also that this blessing would include all persons throughout all ages who would come to Christ. Upon conversion, believers in Christ receive a “seal” and a “deposit”—the promised Holy Spirit. This mark identifies us as God’s possession. The Holy Spirit’s mark also serves as our down payment, so to speak, to guarantee our place in heaven. To think, God has put a stamp of approval on us to walk through the pearly gates! This is comforting to know because this puts the forces of darkness–who roam throughout the spiritual realm–on notice that we belong to God; therefore they cannot harm us. It also comforts us that our place in heaven is secured. When we die and when the “times have reached their fulfillment,” our place in heaven is guaranteed through Jesus Christ. Nothing can alter this fact.

How blessed we are, ‘eh! Paul graciously addresses the significance of this perspective. Announcing these blessings to us shows us what God had in mind in times past, what they have afforded us in our present life here on earth, and the glorious hope of our future. This reality was needed for the biblical audience in Ephesus as well as for us today. While the extent of suffering, pain and persecution for Christ is not as prevalent today as it was in Ephesus, believers today do suffer for bearing Christ’s name. This letter’s message to the Ephesians saints, I’m sure, encouraged and provided them hope in their corrupt surroundings, during imprisonments, persecutions and rioting. Believers today can gain encouragement and hope as we live our daily lives in an increasingly ungodly world.

Paul’s challenge for the believers in Ephesus was to train their mindset to think like God, according to these spiritual blessings they had received. As we fellowship together in church, visit one another’s homes, work with one another, teach, and talk with one another, let’s also remind and encourage each other with these words.

I close with Paul’s most fitting opening acknowledgement, “Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us.” The Apostle Paul got his own message first. He shows us in verse 17 where he prays, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father…may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.” 

I too hope and pray that you will know that you are blessed! Embed these blessings in your hearts and minds. Speak them out of your mouth! They come with divine authority from a graceful God. They will enable you to think and act according to God’s will. They will remove doubt and fear as you face persecution and temptation. They will cause you not to shrink back. You will sense a closeness to God who loves and cares for you and will never leave you. Your assessment of yourself will change, and you will know, “I belong to God and within His family!”

Be inspired my friends, until next time!!!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (3:20).

References:

Snodgrass, K. (1996). The NIV Application Commentary: Ephesians. Grand Rapids, MI.                  Zondervan.

If you have never heard about Jesus Christ or accepted Him into your heart, I invite you to do so now. The Apostle Paul told us in the Bible in I Corinthians 15:3-5, the “good news” about Jesus Christ. It says,
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve…”
Jesus actually did this for you my friend. John 3:16-17, in the Bible says,
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” So, you see here my friend God sent His Son to do all this for us out of a heart of love! Everyone’s looking for love. Here is the greatest love!
God wants you to simply believe and receive this truth about His Son, Jesus Christ. He died, was buried and rose again to bring you to God. I know it sounds hard to believe, but it is true! Won’t you believe and receive Christ as your Savior right now. Simply tell Him you believe this and ask Him into your heart. We would love to hear about your decision. Let us know you did!

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