What is the hope of God’s calling?
(Ephesians 1:15-23; Deut. 9:29) Blog July 09-15, 2023
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: A few years after firmly establishing the Christian church in Ephesus, Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesians. After wishing them grace and peace, he tells them that before the foundation of the world God chose them to be holy and blameless “in Christ.” “In Christ” believers have been given every spiritual blessing, including an eternal inheritance and God’s grace even overflowed in the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Giving Thanks
1. What two things inspired Paul to pray for the believers in Ephesus? The faith & love of the believers in Ephesus moved Paul to pray for them (Eph. 1:15-16).
2. What should we learn from Paul’s reference to faith and love? Paul is clear that the love as well as the faith is that of the believers. He does not call it the “love of God” nor the “faith of Jesus.” This shows that saving faith is the believer’s response to God’s love & their love is a quality in them (Rom. 10:17; Eph. 1:15; 1 John 4:19).
3. What did Paul ask God to give to the believers in Ephesus? Paul asked God to give the believers the spirit of wisdom that would reveal to them more about Jesus (John 16:13-14; Eph. 1:17).
4. What comes from knowing Jesus experientially? An experimental knowledge of Jesus brings eternal life (John 17:3; Phil. 3:10-11).
Open Eyes
5. What especially did Paul want his readers to understand? Paul wanted his readers to understand the hope of God’s calling, the glorious richness of Christ’s expected inheritance, & the greatness of God’s power toward believers (Eph. 1:18-19).
6. What is the hope of God’s calling? The hope of God’s calling is the hope of perfection & immortality through Jesus’ ministry in our behalf (Eph. 1:18; 4:4; Phil. 3:14; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; Heb. 6:18-20).
7. What is “Christ’s inheritance”? Christ’s inheritance is a redeemed humanity that will be his bride (Deut. 9:29; 32:9; Zech. 2:12; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:18; 5:22-27).
8. What is “the greatness of God’s power toward believers”? God’s power towards believers is unlimited (omnipotent), meaning there is nothing that he cannot do for the redemption, perfection, & establishment of his people (Eph. 1:19; Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:21).
9. How do “the hope of God’s calling,” “Christ’s inheritance in the saints,” and “God’s power toward believers” relate to the future of Christ and his church? Marriage engagement partners will want to know the true interest & power of the groom as well as what the bride can become. So, Paul desires these things to be understood by Christ’s church (Jud. 14:3; Song 4:7; 5:10; Eph. 1:18-19).
Mighty Power
10. What illustration of God’s power does Paul give in Ephesians 1? Paul illustrates God’s power by referring to the resurrection & exaltation of Christ (Eph. 1:20).
11. How does Paul illustrate the power of the resurrection in other passages? Paul says that Christ was raised so that we might be justified, for if he is not risen then our faith is vain, but since he is risen believers will also be resurrected & perfected for it is a powerful truth. And Peter says that it gives us a lively hope (1 Cor. 15:14, 22; Phil. 3:10; Heb. 13:20-21; 1 Pet. 1:3).
12. What should we learn from the phrase “in the heavenly places”? Paul uses this phrase four times in Ephesians & only there. It shows that Jesus heavenly ministry occupies more than one place, just as the high priest on earth ministered in two apartments of the sanctuary (Eph. 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; Heb. 8:5; 9:1-3, 24).
13. When did God, the Father, set Jesus at his own right hand? Jesus was placed at the Father’s right hand when he ascended to heaven after spending 40 days with his disciples on earth. This is when he received the Holy Spirit from the Father & sent it to his disciples on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Heb. 1:3).
14. Was Jesus’ exaltation to the Father’s right hand his final exaltation? No, Jesus still waits till all his enemies are destroyed (Psa. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:28; 1 Pet. 3:22; Heb. 1:13).
15. To what does Paul refer in Ephesians 1:21? “Principality,” “power,” “might,” & “dominion” refer to orders of heavenly beings like seraphim, cherubim, & rulers of other worlds. After the cross Jesus took his place above all these (Job 1:6-7; 38:6-7; Luke 15:4-7; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 1:4-8).
16. What is Jesus’ relationship to the church? Jesus is the Husband of the church, as the head to the body (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23-30; Col. 1:18).