Christ’s Inheritance in his Saints
Eph. 1:15-23
15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16. Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21. 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:
22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Key Verse Ephesians 1:18: The “eyes of your understanding being enlightened;” that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of “his inheritance in the saints,”
Scripture Reading Ephesians 1:15-23.
As we begin the excavation of this verse, we desire that the Holy Ghost might blow away all the dust of carnality and weak thinking and allow the Holy Ghost to teach us, what he instructed Paul to write here regarding this pregnant verse. We hope with the help of God and his holy angels to speak a word that might advance the Kingdom of God and endear his people more closely to him.
Paul’s prayer for Ephesian church and all of the churches of God was that LORD would give them divine revelation and wisdom of their calling in Christ and what this thing really was all about! There is nothing in scripture that can be understood by the natural mind. The Word is written to spiritual men and women who are sanctified in Christ Jesus (not living in sin) (1 Cor. 1:2). The natural mind cannot grasp what is getting ready to take place. The Carnal Man will check out once the Spirit lifts those who are his into the heavenly realities by his Word. Our eyes must have the scales of pride removed as Saul of Tarsus had in Acts 9 after fasting for three days without food or water. The pride of man keeps the truth of Christ from changing our motives, mindset, and motions. The book of Job reveals that Leviathan (Satan- the dragon in the sea) scales are so tight that not even air can get through ( Revelation 13:1):
Job 41:15-17
15. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
The Breath of God is what illuminates the heart of man, and shows him the path of life:
Job 32:8: But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
We must allow God, by the Holy Ghost to enlighten (breath upon) our darkness by lighting our candle which is the spirit of man that God has put in us when he created Adam. “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD…” (Proverbs 20:27), and Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12). The apostle John also said of Jesus that in him “was life, which is the light of men,” and went on to say that Jesus “…was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1: 4, 9).” Meaning that the Holy Ghost enlightens men and women’s hearts by the Word of God, through the divine revelation, and the quickening of the mind, which begins at the new birth of the child of God (Rom 12:2).
Rom 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
This Light is the light that shown on the first day of creation, three days before the sun, moon, and stars were created, and will be shining at the last day after the sun, moon, and stars are no longer needed. We need revelation from God of the heavenly calling or we will miss what are calling is, and the riches of the glory of Christ’s inheritance in the saints.
So Paul tells us here that we need revelation of the hope of our calling.
Peter said regarding this heavenly calling, “ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Paul states it plainly to the churches at Colosse and Ephesus when he said:
Col 1:25-28
25. Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Paul is not just speaking about the new birth as the glory of this mystery, but rather that Christ the man would be matured within the believer unto a perfect man, walking in the perfect obedience by the spirit before the rapture of the church. This is why the whole message must be preached and studied to make a whole man (a grown up bride).
Eph 4:11-16
11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Psa. 122:3
3. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Isaiah. 41:5-7
5. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
6. They helped everyone his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.
7. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
Considering the three verses above (Eph. 4:16, Psa. 122:3, Isa. 41:5-7):
It should be understood that when God’s people work together and use each of their talents for the good of each other that is what makes the city work, hum in harmony and each person within that city is built up, for every part is provided for and edified and furnished, to make a perfect place for people to live and be provided for, a happy (blessed) place.
Many people believe that they can be immature, carnal, and downright sinful and still go in the rapture. No my friend, this is why we need revelation, he is coming back for a perfect woman, just like Eve was perfect in the garden before they sinned.
The Lord Jesus is not coming back for a little silly girl, but a fully mature woman who is graced with glory and virtue (Prov. 31).
(1 Cor 13: 11)
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Let us consider the apostle’s writing in Corinthians regarding the rapture of the church:
1Cor. 15:49-57
49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (here we see that we have borne the image or the stain of Adam’s sin, from our fathers (Gen 5), but now that we have been born again, sanctified and filled with his glory we will bear the image of Christ Jesus ) ( Read Col 3:10).
50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Here Paul tells us that flesh (body) will not go to heaven, it will be a new body even as Jesus himself had a body of flesh and bones. Not Flesh and Blood!
51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
Here, Paul tells us we are not all going to die, some will reach the mark of perfection on earth and together will lift off this world at the rapture, the change is not from sinful to holy, but mortal to immortal.
52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
It must be remembered that Christ lived in flesh and blood, and did not sin, Adam was flesh and blood and was perfect too! It is not the physical body, but the spiritual root of sin that causes one to sin. This must be dealt with and removed for the believer to make this change in the flesh!
54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:11-21
11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you ( Please Read: 1 John 5:16, Gal 6:1).
16. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19. Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
2. Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
How do you perfect holiness, holiness is walking with God without sin, consider Joshua and Canaan land as an example, enemies without, Christ within.
In closing let me leave you with our savior’s call to you on the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is Perfect.”
And the call of the Saviour to the church:
John 17:19-23
19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself (die on the cross), that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21. That they all may be one (WHOLE); as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one (whole) in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one (whole-complete, perfect), even as we are one (whole):
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be ‘made perfect in one;’ and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
What LOVE that we can be unified in this WAR against SIN, SATAN, DIVISION, THE WORLD, THE FLESH, OH WHAT LOVE IS THIS!
If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a Bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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