And because the height of this mystery cannot be easily attained unto. The Hope of His Calling: A sermon on Ephesians 1:18 - MLJTrust.org Note that all three clauses (hope, inheritance, power) are linked to the verb "will know". BGT [] , , Amplified: By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), (Amplified Bible - Lockman). 10:32; Rev. But, as weve seen (1:13), believers have been sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Since Gods promises are as certain as He is faithful, the hope of our calling is not some vague, wishful thinking that everything will work out for our good. God miraculously did them both simply by speaking the Word of Truth as Hebrews 11:3+ testifies. 391-422) argues at length that Paul is referring here to the power of God in raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life when He saved us. Why? (Bible Knowledge Commentary), In another note Hoehner writes that "The word kleronomia occurred in Eph 1:14 and basically means property, possession, or inheritance. 8:30), the God who predestined you and called you will also glorify you. 1 Peter Too many Christians are going hither and yon looking for more blessings, more secrets of how to live a victorious Christian life, etc. Used by permission of NavPress. (Drawing Near: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith), Charles Stanley -LIFTING OUR LEVEL OF PRAYER, SCRIPTURE READING: EPHESIANS 1:1823 KEY VERSE: EPHESIANS 1:18. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? A muscular mans big muscles display his might, even if he doesnt use them. The idea is to cause something to be fully known by revealing clearly and in some detail. Undefiled! Of course, all these blessings are only for those who meet the conditions set forth in Eph 1:1-2 (ED: THOSE WHO BELIEVE). If we do walk in the Spirit we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. These three words describe it as energetic, inherent in God, and able to overcome resistance respectively. No matter where she was, Victoria was governed by the fact that she sat on the throne of England. Even so, we will reign with Christ! Ephesians 1:18-19 Commentary | Precept Austin When you begin to understand what is the hope of His calling in your life, the assurance and certainty associated with that calling and when you begin to realize that now we only have the earnest of that calling, but that one day well have the full payment, then whatever comes your way you can stand fast on the truth of what God has accomplished for you in Christ in the past, present and future. ANSWER -The Bible often mentions people being called by God for a specific ministry or service. We could never defeat these spiritual foes in our own power, but we can through the Spirits power. Dunamis is rather ability, faculty: not necessarily manifest, as ischus: power residing in one by nature. Do believers really have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:1920)? We might expect Paul to pray for enlightened minds rather than hearts, but thats because we associate the word heart with emotions rather than with thought. May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. Paul applies this truth that we are God's inheritance in his letter to the Corinthians writing Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? Sunday I went up to Los Angeles and heard Paul Rader preach. (Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary)(Bolding added), Lehman Strauss-The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Here Paul prays that we might have a full appreciation of our worth to God. Paul is "struggling" to say what cannot be said. Vine comments - Eido/oida, to know, suggests intelligent perception, in contrast to ginsk which indicates progressive knowledge. Psalms 119:130 The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Every Christian has a calling on his or her life. (1Jn 5:13+), Comment: A T Robertson writes that eidomeans "to know with settled intuitive knowledge. Yes, it is an inheritance. The Greek text may be interpreted in either of two ways. Ephesians 1:18-19 - MSG Bible - Bible Study Tools Comment: The fact that Paul qualifies this "hope" as "one hope" emphasizes that there is the same ultimate, glorious reality for all of the church, whether Jew or Gentile! Ephesians Many believers were more interested in doing what felt right than in doing what God declared to be right.Instead of their emotions being controlled by Gods truth, their emotions distorted their understanding of His truth. Salem Media Group. 19:8; 2 Ki. Paul describes unbelievers as (Eph. | GotQuestions.org, Is there power in the name of Jesus? We are the Lords Portion, the Lords Inheritance. This same truth is found in the first epistle of Peter where we read that believers are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1Pe 2:9+). Software Full Name: Adobe Premiere Pro 2023. That is why one cannot receive the full impact of the meaning of the Word of God except as the Holy Spirit illuminates his mind to understand it. 119:18; John 3:3), hear (Mt. 31:14. But those who do not make use of God's available power live miserable, defeated lives. Im taking this message from this phrase in Ephesians 1:19: the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. I know that the vast majority of you do not feel that power. 9:15; 1 Pet. BGT . It is not the word preached, nor the word read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost. The passive voice indicates that this action is performed on the subject by an outside source, clearly implying the work of the Holy Spirit (aka divine passive). Ephesians 1:1820. Amen. Throughout Scripture, the word hope always refers to that which is coming, to that which is ahead. She begins to pray for direction. You have given us freedom, Freedom, You have given us freedom It conveys the idea of effective, productive energy, rather than that which is raw and unbridled. It speaks of a clarity of mind or understanding by which one is able to see things intelligibly and clearly and proceed accordingly. As we experience God's power in our own lives, we can encourage others. I cant. In that case, it was used of the believers inheritance which is their share in heaven. (The Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us). As saints, were Gods inheritance, His treasure, His prize! 4:18 = hardness of heart; Eph. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. If the Christian message is true, the world is on the way not to dissolution but to consummation. The power he prays we will know is literally according to the power of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead (vv. When we are saved we receive all of Gods grace and all of His power, and that assures us of the realization of our eternal hope. The next time you participate in a group prayer session, speak up with a bold heart and give honor to the almighty God. All other ground is sinking sand. Greatness (3174) (megethos from megas = strong, great) refers to magnitude (great size or extent), greatness. 4.4 [on Deut. Sometimes familiarly with the glorious superlatives of our heavenly calling, and the eternal hope of glory that is set before us, causes our eyes to become dimmed and our hearts to become complacent. Harold Hoehner points out that "The NEB, NASB, and NIV state another request: I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. Rather, He is trying to appear to the eye of our soul through an inner consciousness. (Revelation 5:12+), Vincent - The radical idea of ischus, might, is that of indwelling strength, especially as embodied: might which inheres in physical powers organized and working under individual direction, as an army: which appears in the resistance of physical organisms, as the earth, against which one dashes himself in vain: which dwells in persons or things, and gives them influence or value: which resides in laws or punishments to make them irresistible. Lesson 10: What God Wants You to Know (Ephesians 1:18-19) There stood that awful obstacleand it is still the great obstacle that stands between all men and Goddeath in sin and nothing but the power of God could deal with such a situation. 6:22 =that he may comfort your hearts. THOUGHT -Is your heart tender to the Word of God? In other words, this is not just an intellectual ability to understand or teach these truths. 15:10-note). . God glories in his saints. Living in the light of Your goodness Setup Size: 8.9 GB. No. The power that God has made available to the believer is according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Eph 1:19-21). The surpassing greatness of Gods power is given to every believer, not just to those who believe and then have a mystical experience, second blessing, or some other supposed additional work of grace. It is equivalent to "the energy of the strength of his might, which He energized in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at his own right hand in the heavenlies.". Is (2076) is the present tense of eimi = to be, and so conveys the idea "what is continually the hope.". (Ephesians Through Revelation). The power that EVERY believer in Christ has access to every day of their life until they see Jesus face to face! Here is how this applies: As a believer, you are always in need of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your heart to the great truths of the Bible. Paul writes to the believers at Rome asking "Or do you not know (eido) what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?" How could they have more than what they had? Why is it important to know what is the hope of His calling? Paul is praying for the Ephesians understanding of Gods work on their behalf. Whereas the first and second concepts to be understood dealt with the past and future respectively, the third deals with the power of God in the present time toward believers. He does not call a believer to hope for the forgiveness of his sins: they are gone. Here is the reason why God is so little to us. God may. Ep). TECHNICAL NOTE - There are 25 compounds with huper in the NT, and 16 are found only in the Pauline Epistles. We will be with Him forever in heaven, where there will be no suffering or tears or death. (Ibid), Life Application Study Bible- The world still marvels at the power of the atom, yet we belong to the God Who created atoms and the entire universe. The grassland yields pasture to the cattle; and there is not a square inch of the enclosed territory that does not minister to the needs of the new proprietor. Paul saw fit to teach simple believers, many of whom were slaves, the great doctrines of Romans and Ephesians and his other letters. It is his power. 6:14; 16:5f, 9, 15, 17, 19, 30; Ruth 2:1; 1 Sam. It comes only through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. The heart the seat of the mind and will, and the heart could be taught what the brain could never know (or sadly the converse to know something intellectually but not in one's heart!) This deep, interior "cardiac" enlightenment is clearly the result of the work of the Holy Spirit Who leads the believer to know (eido) intuitively all that God has made available to him in Christ (cf Jesus' promise to the disciples - Jn 16:13, cp 1Jn 2:20, 28+, 1Cor 2:10-13, 15-16+), and in essence to come to understand what it means to be "in Christ" or "in Him". The hand that bled to make it mine, Inheritance (2817) (kleronomiafrom kleros = a lot + nemo = to distribute) (see study of related Kleronomos) (see second word study kleronomia) is originally a portion which one receives by lot in a general distribution. It is a matter of constant complaint with Christian people that they fall so far below their aspirations and hopes. He will fully gain His inheritance when the saints are removed from this earth and come into his presence. 18:1; 22:15; 29:4, 11; 31:10; 33:16; 38:10; 39:10; 61:2; 65:6; 71:9; 78:61; 102:23; 103:20; 111:6; 118:14; 147:5; Prov. And what did the greatness of His arm accomplish? Kleronomia is the portion or heritage which one receives by virtue of birth or by special gift from someone who has died (Lk 12:13). But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1Cor. So what are we saying? John Calvin helpfully explained why Paul throws in just about every word that he can to describe Gods power towards us who believe. Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Daniel He does not ask God to give them what they do not have, but rather prays that God will reveal to them what they already have. The surpassing-all-limit power of God can be limited in its working only by the believer's failure to believe. He was sometimes called the New Elijah. In 1916, while pastoring Moody Memorial Church of Chicago, Rader, 30, was asked to preach at Los Angeles Church of the Open Door. Even though God has opened our eyes to see and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we still must seek Him to enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we will come to a deeper understanding of these crucial truths. One day a man is walking through a field. With His unlimited power, He also raised Jesus Christ from the dead. The Council's report, released in September 1991, concludes that subliminal messages simply don't work. The hope of His calling is to see Him and be one with Him. The possessive pronoun shows that it is Gods inheritance.Because of His choosing, redeeming, adopting, and sealing us, we are his possession. The ESV also picks up the perfecttense rendering it "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened," which also describes a past completed action. Put those deficiencies together and you have the reason why we are dissatisfied and empty. 1:11; 3:4; Zech. 1:18. THOUGHT: When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart! Eyes (3788) (ophthalmos) is literally the organ of vision but in Paul's use is obviously figurative. Many Old Testament texts speak of Israel as Gods chosen portion or inheritance. The Lord, however, says, Not so fast. But, Paul adds, the surpassing greatness of His power, and then goes on to say (1:19b-21) that this power is in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Wow! In 2Co 3:10 = "surpassing glory" and 2Co 9:14 = "surpassing grace."