with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️The letter of Paul to the Ephesians was a general letter to be read to all the seven churches of Asia Minor. It was not written to a specific church but to believers with a much concentration of the union that exists between Christ and the His church. This letter which was written around A.D.64 when.the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome was carried to Ephesus by Tychicus concurrently with the letters of Colossians and Philemon. In this letter, the Apostle shows that the true church is the body of Christ which God purposed from eternity past, from creation to eternity present ad by which He purchased it by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. The exposition here is that
God planned His purposes for His people before the universe was created. In His love He chose them to be His children, His aim being that they should be holy and blameless and presented without fault before Him. . That He offered redemption amidst the rebellion and confusion which is in the world until the unity between God and His creation will at last be restored through Christ.
*1️⃣Ephesians 1:1-10: Redemption, salvation and blessings are God's eternal purposes.*
⏹️The Apostle gives praises and blessing to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us heavenly blessing by the I dwelling Holy Spirit who ha blessed us with the redemption through Jesus Christ our Saviour. The Apostle says, *" Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"(Romans 3:24).*
⏭️We should bless God because He first blesses us, He is the object of our gratitude and not fear or dread. His purpose and will is that we live forever without any hustle of sin and evil. The Psalmist says, *"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"(Psalm 103:2).*
⏭️God's praise arises even from lifeless objects as they display the power, wisdom and intelligence of their Creator which things are needful for blessing God. The Psalmist says, *"One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts...All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord, and Thy saints shall bless Thee"(Psalm.145:4, 10).*
*2️⃣Ephesians 1:11-23:The life of believers is guaranteed the eternal God, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.*
⏹️Those God foreknew, He predestined them to receive eternal life and has given the seal of the Holy Spirit as a seal of having the Divine image on them. The Apostle Peter says, *"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied"(1 Peter 1:2).*
⏭️Those sealed by the Holy Spirit are thus children of God who are guaranteed eternal life as their inheritance. The Apostle says, *"Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts"(2 Corinthians 1:22).*
⏭️This guarantee extends until the redemption of the purchased possession of God is completed by the death and life of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Apostle says, *"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory"(Ephesians 1:14).*
⏹️For by the exercise of faith, believers grow in the knowledge of Him and possessed closer acquaintance with their Lord for He is the life book we are to study in order to increase of spiritual perception. The Apostle says *, " But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ"(Ephesians 4:15).*
⏭️As mankind grow in this knowledge of Jesus Christ, they realize that no human or angelic power can intrude upon this glorious province of Divine power in them, as they believe they are continually created anew in Christ Jesus. The Apostle says, *"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new"(2 Corinthians 5:17).*
⏭️As God's new creation, regenerated and transformed, we above are above all principality, power, might, and dominion, having this knowledge in our hearts that Christ is the Head of all creation and that He has triumphed on our behalf on the cross. The Apostle says, *"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence"(Colossians 1:18).*
*🅰️Appeal*
Faith in Christ and love to the saints will be attended with all other graces. Love to the saints is necessary for the love of God as we grow in knowledge of Him. The wiseman says, *"For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD"(Proverbs 1:29).* Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
('263712952704)
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