“The Just Shall Live By Faith”

New King James Version                                                                                                              Written by: David Hicks

 

Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

“Articles of Faith”

 The Church of Christ

(A Study in Ephesians)

Lesson 10. Interlude - The Answers to the Questions:

 It is at this junction in our study that we have achieved a kind of intermediate point. This is a good point to take stock of where we have come thus far. The vital importance of the subject matter we are dealing with cannot be trivialized and must be digested carefully. Consider: Acts 20:28

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood .”

Just as Paul instructed the Ephesians' elders on the need to carefully oversee, and direct the flock (which makes up the church), because it was purchased with blood (the blood of the Son of God), we must understand just how important it is to see the significance of the church (it's foundation, construction, and maintenance) as it was planned from the beginning of time.

 I. The Church is made up of those ‘IN' Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”

“Every spiritual blessing” denotes that no blessings of that kind can be obtained from any other source but God and Christ. The “us” is described in the very first verse of the letter, “saints and faithful ‘ in ' Christ.

Being ‘ in ' Christ is the positive end result of the Gospel being preached! The Gospel is the good news about the Christ. It is in this glad message that men are informed that they can be made alive (being dead in their trespass and sin).

Note this response given to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, at the end of the first Gospel sermon, note: Acts 2:38-41

“Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins ; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, " Be saved from this perverse generation ." 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized ; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them .”

Note verse 47 :

“praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved .”

These passages embody the process by which one becomes a saint (set apart). Since it is saints that are added to the church and the church is the body of Christ ( Ephesians 1:23 ), saints are ‘ in ' Christ and thus the beneficiaries of all the spiritual blessings. Thus saints are no longer dead to God, but fellow citizens and of the household of God, being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

 II. What is the Hope of His Calling?

This was answered by Paul in 2:1-10 . It is summarized in verse 10 , note:

Ephesians 2:10 “ For we are His workmanship , created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

At the beginning of the chapter, Paul explains the quickening process, by which one is made alive who once walked according to the course of this world and separated from God. This quickening process was a gift from God and was made possible by the personification of that gift, Jesus Christ. This process could not have been possible had it not been given by God through Christ, as we could not have devised it on our own.

Thus the hope of our calling, is that we are being fashioned by God into a kind of first fruits of His creatures (His workmanship, James 1:18 ). Our hope is to be raised up together with Christ, having been raised from the dead (dead in our sins and trespasses).

 III. What are the Riches of His Inheritance in the Saints?

The riches of His inheritance are answered by Paul in 2:11 -18 . It was summarized in verse 18 , note: “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”

Total and unbridled access to God for all men, regardless of nationality, through Christ Jesus. It is this peace, the peace of total unification that is preached to all men in the Gospel of Christ. Paul would elaborate concerning this peace, in his explanation of the purpose of the mystery, note: Ephesians 3:9

“and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;”

It is the fellowship ‘ in ' Christ, created by obedience to the Gospel, that makes us one man, one church, and gives us one hope and faith. This unification ‘ in ' Christ is the bond of peace.

 IV. What is God's Great Power toward Those Who Believe?

All three of these questions are summarized and brought together in one great entity, which God worked in Christ, note: Ephesians 1:20-23

“which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His 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 age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church , 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

God's great power toward us who believe is the Church!

It is “ the fullness of Him who fills all in all ”.

For those of us who believe, we are being built into this great spiritual structure, note: Ephesians 2:19-22

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God , 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building , being joined together , grows into a holy temple in the Lord , 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit .”

How Important is the Church?

 V. The Mystery.

This great plan of God was un-known before the Gospel was preached to the world. However, Paul says that which was not made known before is being revealed now to them by himself as an Apostle of Christ to the Gentiles and the rest of the Apostles of Christ and New Testament prophets.

Ephesians 3:10 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,”

Again the church is the focus as the embodiment of the mystery and the means by which God's wisdom is made manifest to mankind. This was God's eternal purpose in Christ.

Paul then bows in prayer on Behalf of these Christians. He asks God to strengthen these Christians in His Spirit. Since the work of the Spirit was the revelation of the will of God, and Christ was given all authority over the church by God, the Spirit revealed the mind of Christ. This allowed Christians then to have the mind of Christ in faith. This would educate them in all things that they would need to be complete and allow His power to work in us.

This fulfills all that God intended in His eternal purpose in Christ, according to the power that works in us through the Gospel.

Ephesians 3:21

“to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.” Amen.

Next: “ The Walk ”