Friday – August 12, 2016
Greetings from, The Three Minute Word Ministries. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you as your knowledge of Him increases. As of today I have completed sixty-nine years upon the planet. Where does the time go? Fridays is also the day that we encourage people to pray for the Churches here in the United States and today the Canadians north of us. Our first obligation as citizens of the United States is to pray and be light as He is light in this land. The Church pictured is an old Roman Catholic Church located in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada. Now back to our study of the Book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:1-2 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today I am going to focus in on the phrase “the faithful in Christ Jesus”. You and I who are born again Christians are in Christ Jesus. We are physically ensconced in the Holy Spirit and He dwells within us. However, for the most part the term “in” is referring to being a part of and under the command or leadership of Christ Jesus. Much like being in the Army or some other organization. We think, speak, and behave according to the policy and procedure manual of that organization in this case the Bible with the revelation and leadership of the Holy Spirit. Being faithful in Christ Jesus would mean being faithful to the Policy and Procedure Manual (Bible). We are to studying showing ourselves approved as we grow in knowledge and by it exercise an increasing maturity of thought, speech, and action.
The word “Christ” is referring to the Messiah, the Anointed One, and The Anointing. The work of Jesus at Calvary completed the Blood Covenant initiated with Abraham. The work of the Messiah (Jesus, The Word in the flesh) opened the door for us to once again be righteous, not just righteous but to have the same righteousness as Jesus, the righteousness of God. Our sins are gone completely expunged or blotted out by the Blood of Jesus. And if we should sin after salvation the blood is available by way of repentance (1 John 1:7-9). We are not servants like the Old Testament saints, we are children and by way of choice and maturation sons of the Most High God. We serve by choice as did they but we have an altogether different standing.
John 3:3 (KJV)
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Romans 3:22-25 (KJV)
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
O what a Savior! We also have the example of the Anointed One from the recording of His earthly ministry. We are to be the exact image and likeness of the Anointed One, Jesus. We are His and the Fathers representatives (Ambassadors) in the earth, we are to reveal the Savior and the Father, and we are to be an expression in like kind of the Godhead. Also the word ‘Christ’ refers to the Holy Spirit. The work of the Messiah allowed the Holy Spirit reentry into the earth in fullness for all peoples who will accept Jesus as Lord. He is the one who quickens (makes alive) our spirit man and He is the one who will change this corruptible (body) to incorruptible and we will be like the One who saved us.
So what is being referred to with the phrase “faithful in Christ Jesus”? To review the definition of the word ‘faithful’ look back at the Wednesday edition of The Three Minute Word. Synonyms include being correct, true, realistic, authentic, close, accurate, exact, truthful, believable, and loyal. Bottom line is this, whatever you and I find in the Word of God that applies to us, the Church we are to think it, speak it, and do it. Now recall that we have an overarching mandate or orders from God for operation in the Kingdom of God, we have the guiding orders, and then we have the personal guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. Remember He, the Holy Spirit will never violate Scripture. Now let’s review those general orders for the Body of Christ in the earth, Heaven, and beyond.
Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
We are of like kind with our Father, Jesus (The Word), and the Holy Spirit which is the fundamental reason we can accomplish what is in our hand from His hand. God, the Trinity, gave man dominion (authority) in the earth which he/she can exercise at will, our own will or the will of God. We were made as free-will persons or living beings. God then gave us the blessing which is the powers of the Holy Spirit. Now the power of the Holy Spirit cannot be exercised at our will, only His will. Then He gave the first four of seven orders.
- Be Fruitful, give full expression to the fruit of the spirit and the Kingdom of God.
- Multiply, become more numerous in every sphere.
- Replenish the earth, take care of the earth with full supply.
- Subdue the earth, exercise dominion and cause the earth by our authority and The Blessing given us to do according to the will of God which is for the whole earth to be as the Garden of Eden, as the Garden of God in Heaven.
Now let’s look at the other three general commands.
Genesis 2:15-17 (KJV)
15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
- Dress the garden, take care of it exercising stewardship.
- Keep the garden, guard what you have been given.
- Do not mix the knowledge of good and evil, focus on the Word of God and give no attention to the words of the Devil as Adam did in the next chapter.
We are not to just ride along or cling until we die and go to Heaven we have important work so let’s get going.
By Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
