Ecclesiology-The Church

Ecclesiology

The Church in the Will of God

Lesson XII

January 18, 2007

I The Origin of the Church in the Will, Mind and Plan of God

To the Church at Ephesus Paul writes:

Ephesians 1:3 God…hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

This is not something God has planned to do for the Church, but rather something He has already done. We need to constantly remind ourselves of those words, “In Christ.” All that we have or are is “in Christ”.

We see God in Christ and God sees us in Christ. Christ is all there is of God before us, and Christ is all there is of us in God. God was manifest before “in Christ”. We see the Father in the Son and the Father sees us in the Son. If we would see the Father we must look at Christ. If the Father sees us, He looks at Christ. As we will never see God apart from Christ, so God will never see us apart from Christ.

“O Christ, thou art all to God and thou Christ are all to me.”

What are these spiritual blessings with which we have been blessed?

1) Ephesians 1:4

Ephesians 1:4 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…” The Church was in the will, mind and plan of God before he created the earth. I cannot explain that because I cannot understand it. But because I believe, I now know that the Church was never an after- thought with God.

But why has He chosen us?

“…That [in Christ] we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” “Before Him”, not now in Adam but in the presence of God in Christ. Because we are in Christ we are holy. In Christ without blame. In Christ we stand, in love, before God. Every demand of God’s holiness, justice and judgment have been met in Christ’s death and there is nothing for God to do but lavish upon us His love, the love the death of Christ let loose. Not that God did not love us before Christ died, Christ died because God loved us. But now that Christ has died, love finds its great medium of manifestation.

Romans 5:8-9

(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Notice in Romans 5:17 “ … much more…”.

And in Romans 5:20 “ … much more…”.

He had great love for us before we were saved but He has much more love for us now that we are His.

2) Ephesians 1:5 another blessing:

Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself…”

This adoption to himself is plainly explained elsewhere.

Romans 8:29 “ and whom he did foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son..”

1 John 3:2 “…we know when he shall appear we shall be like him…”

Could any blessing be greater? He who did no sin, knew no sin, in whom was no sin—to be like Him? What a destiny!

The verse (Ephesians 1:5) concludes “according to the good pleasure of his will.”

We ask: How did Angels come into existence ? The sun? The moon? The stars? How did the earth become a reality? How did the human race come into being?

Genesis 1:1 All began with God.

Genesis 1:27 God made the first man and woman.

Psalm 148:1-5 Perhaps this is the order of this creation.

(1) Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

(2) Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

(3) Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

(4) Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that [be] above the heavens.

(5) Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Is it not correct to say that the will of God was in it all?

How did the Church come into existence? Was not the will of God the primary cause?

Colossians 1:9

(9) For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Paul prays that the saints will be filled … with the knowledge of His will.

We learn from Scripture that the revelation of the Will of God in the eternal purposes of God is revealed in the Scriptures. His eternal purpose, His eternal will must involve His eternal plan. The Church, and the message to it, was not conceived in time because the Church does not belong to time. It belongs to eternity. The knowledge of God’s will is in Scripture and it is the knowledge of God’s will that is the root and source of all spiritual growth in the life of the Christian.

John 1:12-13 Born again, not of the will of man. But of God.

(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

James 1:18 Of His own will begat he us with the word of truth.

(18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

How many of you had your wills involved in your natural birth? What works did you do to bring about your natural birth? The answer: none whatsoever.

Just so, the New Creation is not the result of our will but His will. If your will determined God’s will for you, then you are bigger than God. We believe that outside of the will of God, there is no one nor no thing.

3) Ephesians 1:6 another of those spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 1:6

(6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Accepted in the beloved.

Perhaps the best Old Testament illustration of what this means is found in 2 Samuel 9:1-13.

2 Samuel 9:1-13

(1) And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

(2) And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant whose name [was] Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, [Art] thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is [he].

(3) And the king said, [Is] there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, [which is] lame on [his] feet.

(4) And the king said unto him, Where [is] he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he [is] in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

(5) Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

(6) Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

(7) And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

(8) And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I [am]?

(9) Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

(10) Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

(11) Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

(12) And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba [were] servants unto Mephibosheth.

(13) So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

David the king accepted Mephibosheth, of the house of Saul, David’s enemy, for Jonathan’s sake. Mephibosheth sat at David’s table continually being accepted for the sake of another.

The New Testament illustration of this truth is found in Philemon verse 17.

Philemon 17

(17) If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

Paul said to Philemon regarding the run-away slave, Onesimus: “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.” The slave, Onesimus, was accepted because of the Apostle Paul. We are made acceptable to God in - or because of - Christ. And as long as Christ is accepted, we are accepted in Him. Nothing is the ground of eternal security more than this fact. As long as there is a place in Heaven for Christ, there is a place in Heaven for me! Hallellujah! Can Christ perish? Never! We can perish no more than He.

4) Ephesians 1:7 Another blessing.

Ephesians 1:7

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,…” Redemption and forgiveness go together.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“…ye are not your own ye are bought with a price…”

1 Peter 1:18

“forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ…”

The story is told of a rich business man out of pity, buying a poor slave girl at an auction sale. He purchased her, not to be his slave, but to set her free from slavery.

When he told her that she was free to go, she had no place to go, so asked to go with the man who had redeemed her. She became his most faithful servant. Nothing was too much for her to do for him. When asked why she was so faithful, her reply was in simple words: “He redeemed me.” Her service was no longer slave service but love service. That is the only kind of service that is acceptable to the Saviour.

In Christ’s redemption, we also have forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 4:32 “…God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you…”

Acts 13:38-39 “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Colossians 1:14 “in whom we have redemption though his blood , even the forgiveness of sins.”

I buried an elderly woman who took her own life because she could not believe she had forgiveness of sins. In my opinion, her teachers of Scripture will be held accountable, at least in part.

James 3:1 “be not many masters (teachers) for ye shall receive the greater condemnation.”

It is a serious thing not to teach the truth of the grace of God in saving sinners.

Ephesians 1:7 concludes: “ according to the riches of his grace..”

I quote MacRitchie.

We may say, “Grace is the unmerited favor of God bestowed upon those who justly merit the judgment of God.”

There is only one definition of grace and that is in Ephesians 2:7.

Ephesians 2:7

“…the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11 the grace of God that bringeth salvation.

Titus 2:11

(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Grace comes to its revelation in redemption. Grace with its characteristic glory is a property in God’s nature which could never have been displayed but for the introduction of sin and God’s design for sinners.

We can now begin to understand somewhat of the words in Ephesians 1:6 “To the praise of the glory of his grace,…”

The greatness of grace is in that it displays every attribute of God. This grace which does the most for man does the most for God. When God glorifies his grace he glorifies his whole character. If you want to behold justice at its greatest, look at the grace of God.

Grace in redeeming man from the fallen nature reveals God in his glorious nature.

God saving man shows Himself. The cross was the great meeting place. The cross is the one great “peace parliament” of the ages. It was at the cross the attributes of God met together in harmony. Psalm 85:10, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other”. They could meet together and kiss each other at no other place but the cross of Christ. They came to a great display here for the cross was not only a place of meeting but a place of manifestation. The cross establishes truth and extends mercy. What a hill Golgotha! It is here God and the sinner meet and man is reconciled. Truth rejoices that mercy is satisfied. Righteousness is exalted and peace is preached. Colossians 1:20, “and having made peace through the blood of his cross … to reconcile…”.

“When redemption is realized then God is glorified and man satisfied.”

5) Ephesians 1:8-11 Another blessing.

Ephesians 1:8-11

(8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

(9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

(10) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:

(11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

By his grace, according to His will and His purpose, we have received an inheritance. There is a limited sense in which God’s Word can be likened to a man’s written will. Men, by their wills, ‘will’ an inheritance to another. An inheritance is always received because of the will of another. Not by the will of the one who receives it. So it is with the Church. It is in the will of God that all saints receive an inheritance.

1 Peter 1:3-5

(3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

(4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

(5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Not only is there an inheritance reserved for us, we are being kept so that we will receive it. We must not confuse ‘inheritance’ with ‘rewards’. Rewards are received for what we do for Christ. Inheritance has nothing to do with what we do but rather a result of what God has done.

These blessings are not conditional nor are they temporal. They are unconditional eternal blessings bestowed upon the believer. They are ours in heavenly places, or perhaps a better reading “in the heavenlies”. Therefore it is a very foolish thing for the Church to attempt to establish herself on the earth.

Ephesians 2:6

(6) And hath raised [us] up together and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

This, according to the good pleasure of His will. His will the cause of all. That the believers have the position, peace and privilege of a child so that the Father may then bestow and bless us as a result of Christ’s redeeming work for us.

6) Ephesians 1:12-14 another blessing.

Ephesians 1:12-14

(12) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

(13) In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

(14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

“Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” - MacRitchie

The seal was a mark of ownership. A seal is a preservation.

Jude 1:1 Preserved in Christ, shut-up, sealed within Christ.

Colossians 3:3 Hid with Christ in God.

Ephesians 4:30 Sealed for glorification … unto the day of redemption.

Ephesians 5:26 When Christ presents his Church which has been sealed by the Holy Spirit, it will be a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle.

Jude 24-25

(24) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

(25) To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

7) Ephesians 1:18-20

Ephesians 1:18-20

(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],

After Paul gives thanks for the Ephesians, he then prays that the eyes of the saints may be enlightened:

That ye may know what is the hope of His calling,

And what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

Matthew 13:44-46 Who sold all that he had?

Matthew 13:44-46

(44) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

(45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

(46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

2 Corinthians 8:9 “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor…” The Lord has invested so much in us that he cannot afford to lose us!

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised him from the dead…?

There are two measuring sticks of God’s power described in the Old Testament.

Jeremiah 16:14-15

(14) Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

(15) But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

The first was manifest when God brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt. It took God’s power to roll back the sea.

Exodus 14:22, Psalm 106:7-9 He delivered Israel to make his power known.

Exodus 14:22

(22) And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground]: and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Psalm 106:7-9

(7) Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea.

(8) Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

(9) He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

The second measuring stick of God’s power is revealed in Jeremiah 16:15. The bringing of Israel back to their land from the four corners of the earth.

Jeremiah 16:15

See also Ezekiel 37:1-12, 21. Ezekiel likens this return to their ‘coming out of their graves’ or as a resurrection.

Ezekiel 37:1-12, 21

(1) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones,

(2) And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry.

(3) And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

(4) Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

(5) Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

(6) And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

(7) So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

(8) And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them.

(9) Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

(10) So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

(11) Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

(12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

(21) And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

We have been and are seeing but the beginning of this manifestation of God’s great power. But most preachers and many Christians are paying little attention to what God is doing in Israel.

When we come to the New Testament the measuring stick of God’s great power is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave as we find stated in Ephesians 1:19-20.

Ephesians 1:19-20

(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],

Romans 1:4 …declared to be the Son of God with power…by the resurrection from the dead.

And that resurrection power is seen in the changed lives of those who truly believe.

Remember the Christian life is impossible to live apart from the power of God.

8) Ephesians 1:21-23 concludes the chapter telling us that the resurrected Christ is not only above but far above, all principalities and powers, might and dominion and every name that is named. That he hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 1:21-23

(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.

The Church is the body of Christ. The Church is the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:13 By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.

(13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:18

(18) But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Thus we are members of his body by a living union with him who is the Head. And as Eve was the fullness of Adam, so the Church is the fullness of Christ.

Look again at Ephesians chapter one

Verse 5 His will

Verse 6-7 His grace

Verse 9 His will

His good pleasure

Verse 11 His own will

Verse 12 His glory

Verse 14 His glory

Verse 18 His calling

His inheritance

Verse 19 His power

His mighty power

Verse 20 His own right hand

Verse 22 His feet

Verse 23 His body

The whole chapter, written to the Church, is a revelation of what has been accomplished because of His will, not ours. This chapter is not prophecy but revelation for there are subjects in the New Testament which Old Testament prophets knew nothing about.

Science is what man thinks. Revelation is what God knows. Science is the result of human knowledge while revelation is the publishing of God’s knowledge.

Colossians 4:12

(12) Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Epaphras prayed for the saints “…that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” The only place saints of God can stand is in the will of God.

2 Peter 1:10

(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

II Because of questions I have been asked I insert the following.

John 1:19 Christ is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world

John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…

Hebrews 2:9 He tasted death for every man

1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world

Romans 3:21-22 Therefore the righteousness of God is available to every man, because of the work of Christ on the cross, but it is only upon all them that believe.

Therefore God can say: “Whosoever will may come.”

John 3:16 “Whosoever”

John 4:14 “Whosoever”

Revelation 22:17 “Whosoever”

But man, left to himself, will not come.

John 5:40 Ye will not come.

Romans 3:11 None seeketh after God.

Isaiah 53:6 We have turned everyone to his own way.

Therefore God must do it all.

John 6:44 No man cometh…except the father draw him.

John 12:32 If I be lifted up I will draw all men….

Hosea 11:4 I will draw with bands of love.

Song of Solomon 1:4 Draw me and we shall run.

Jeremiah 31:18 Turn us and we shall be turned.