Ephesians 1:15, 2:7, 3:7-11
The Dynamic of Salvation
INTRO: Salvation is like a room with many windows, each window gives a different view of the same room. It takes all the windows to give an adequate view of the room.
One of thee windows is our ONENESS WITH CHRIST. This is required if we are to have an adequate view or concept of salvation.
KEY WORD; “Together” –made alive together, raised together, seated together. We share in all that god has done for and in Christ.
I. WE SHARE HIS EXALTED POSITION 2:4-6
The Heavenlies: 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12. Doesn’t refer to “heaven” but to the sphere of spiritual activity, the unseen life, world, which, according to II Cor, 4:18, is the real world.
1 A Past Event. Doesn’t refer to future state in heaven. Something that has already happened.
2. A Present Experience. This is our position in Christ.
(1) Place of our Spiritual Address. The believer has two addresses, geographical and theological. Phil. 3:20 –Our citizenship is in Heaven. The Christian life is to be lived in the heavenlies, according to the LAWS OF HEAVEN.
Things look better from up here. Everything in the Christian life depends upon our position. We pray, walk, fight, etc., from our position in Christ.
(2) Place of Spiritual Abundance. v. 1:3 That’s where all the spiritual blessings are. If we don’t know how to live from this position, according to the laws of Heaven, we miss the blessings.
(3) Place of Spiritual Activity v. 6:12. That’s where the action is.
(4) Place of Spiritual Authority v. 2:6. Christ sat down and we sit with Him.
a. A Work completed. Heb.1. We rest in Christ’s finished work.. .not just for initial salvation but for the whole of the Christian life.
b. A Reign Inaugurated v. 1:19 Everything over our heads is under His feet!
II. WE SHARE HIS ETERNAL PURPOSE 2:7; 3:8-11
We share a twofold purpose:
1. To demonstrate the GRACE OF GOD. 2:7… We are trophies of His grace.
2. To demonstrate the WISDOM OF GOD. 3:9,10.. His manifold wisdom to celestial beings.
(1) “Manifold” – many colored, intricate beauty, an EMBROIDERED PATTERN (on one side it is a tangled mass of threads.)
(2) The church is the greatest demonstration of God’s WISDOM. Through her God will display to all the supernatural beings His infinite wisdom.
I Peter 1: 12…the knowledge of the angels increases as they observe us. Paul in I Cor.11.. women to keep heads covered because of the angels.
WE ARE GOD’S OBJECT LESSON TO THE UNVERSED OF WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH A RUINED RACE.
III. WE SHARE HIS EXCEEDING POWER 1:19; 3:20
In 1:19 Paul uses four different words for POWER. It defies description.
1. It is RESURRECTION POWER. 1:19,20. How to measure it? Yardstick of the empty tomb. The very same power that raised Jesus resides in me. WHICH IS HARDER? To _____ or raise a man from the dead?
2. It is REIGNING POWER. 1:19-23. The RIGHT HAND signifies place of authority and supreme dominion.
(1) A UNIVERSAL reign… “every name that is named…”
(2) An ETERNAL reign… “in the world to come..”
3. It is RELEASED POWER.
(1) It is released to us. 1:19
(2) It is released through us. 3:20
What can it do?
a. More than we ask.
b More than we think.
©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2003