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Saints and Faithful


Christine

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' 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:'

(Ephesians 1:1) 

Hello there,

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, is addressed to the 'Saints' and those who were the 'Faithful in Christ Jesus'. I ask for your thoughts on this, please.

Saints are believers in the Lord Jesus, yes, but this goes further, doesn't it? To 'the faithful in Christ Jesus'.  What is your understanding of what is meant by this? What is meant by being 'faithful in Christ Jesus' in your estimation, or more importantly in the estimation of God and His Word.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

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11 minutes ago, Christine said:

' 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:'

(Ephesians 1:1) 

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, is addressed to the 'Saints' and those who were the 'Faithful in Christ Jesus'. I ask for your thoughts on this, please.

Saints are believers in the Lord Jesus, yes, but this goes further, doesn't it? To 'the faithful in Christ Jesus'.  What is your understanding of what is meant by this? What is meant by being 'faithful in Christ Jesus' in your estimation, or more importantly in the estimation of God and His Word.

Hi Christine, 

This is a very interesting question, and thanks for posting it. Perhaps yet another question here. Would it be at all possible, the Lord gave Paul the understanding his letters would also be shared by other churches some time in the future? That might be a little far-fetched, and I'm only assuming here, but it's a thought. If so, this could account for the ' faithful in Christ Jesus'. To me it would appear to be one in the same, and nothing further indicated. I could be totally wrong about this, and way out in left field. Looking forward other's responses.

God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles   

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1 minute ago, BeauJangles said:

Hi Christine, 

This is a very interesting question, and thanks for posting it. Perhaps yet another question here. Would it be at all possible, the Lord gave Paul the understanding his letters would also be shared by other churches some time in the future? That might be a little far-fetched, and I'm only assuming here, but it's a thought. If so, this could account for the ' faithful in Christ Jesus'. To me it would appear to be one in the same, and nothing further indicated. I could be totally wrong about this, and way out in left field. Looking forward other's responses.

God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles   

Thank you @Beaujangles,

Though written to the Ephesians I believe it was used as a circular letter sent to the Churches under Paul's care.  Also, for it to be included in the collection of writings chosen to make up the Scriptures of the New Testament, it must have been intended for future reading too, and to be understood by we who read it in this century in the same light as it was originally intended.

With love in Christ Jesus

Chris

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13 minutes ago, Christine said:

Thank you @Beaujangles,

Though written to the Ephesians I believe it was used as a circular letter sent to the Churches under Paul's care.  Also, for it to be included in the collection of writings chosen to make up the Scriptures of the New Testament, it must have been intended for future reading too, and to be understood by we who read it in this century in the same light as it was originally intended.

With love in Christ Jesus

Chris

Yes Chris, exactly. Thanks for the reply. God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles 

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Guest In Him
2 hours ago, Christine said:

' 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:'

(Ephesians 1:1) 

Hello there,

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, is addressed to the 'Saints' and those who were the 'Faithful in Christ Jesus'. I ask for your thoughts on this, please.

Saints are believers in the Lord Jesus, yes, but this goes further, doesn't it? To 'the faithful in Christ Jesus'.  What is your understanding of what is meant by this? What is meant by being 'faithful in Christ Jesus' in your estimation, or more importantly in the estimation of God and His Word.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

 Christine: although this is not concerning Ephesians, I remember first learning of faithfulness in:

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

To me, faithfulness, as a fruit of the Spirit working in us, is a trustworthiness wrought in the character through 100% obedience and trust in God.

From experience, I have come to grow in Christ, through those who have been faithful in Christ, to instruct or advise, truthfully and firmly with me, according to scripture, even to my hurt.

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2 hours ago, In Him said:

 Christine: although this is not concerning Ephesians, I remember first learning of faithfulness in:

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

To me, faithfulness, as a fruit of the Spirit working in us, is a trustworthiness wrought in the character through 100% obedience and trust in God.

From experience, I have come to grow in Christ, through those who have been faithful in Christ, to instruct or advise, truthfully and firmly with me, according to scripture, even to my hurt.

Hi; In Him, though I know these words  weren’t directed at me.  I just wanted you to know how much life, truth, wisdom and openness before God there is in these writings. Blessed me so much, listened to them multiple times. Saw a believer that was willing to “sell all they have and follow Jesus” or in modern words “give up all of self and follow Jesus”. Than to read the words that say all;

“even to my own hurt”

These words are the hallmark of a soul that is willing to let truth as it is found in Jesus, do all in and to them that truth would have done. Whether these truths, please, or don’t please self. For the joy that comes in the morning, after these truths do their perfect work. As I’m sure you have learned and tasted by experience, is a joy that nothing can compare.

Blessings to you, for blessing me, and all those that would read your words. 

Much love in Christ, Not me  

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28 minutes ago, Christine said:

* I too have benefited from the instruction of such, to whom I will be eternally grateful, '@In Him'.

* These are useful verses that you have provided, and refer to those who have received a 'trust', which they are called upon to faithfully administer to others.  Which brings to my mind another passage of Scripture: words spoken by Paul to Timothy:-

'Hold fast the form of sound words, 
which thou hast heard of me, 
in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
That good thing which was committed unto thee 
keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.'

(2 Timothy 1:13-14) 

* I believe that the content of the epistle to the Ephesians, along with that of Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Timothy and Titus, contain a trust, a deposit of truth, for which faithfulness in Christ Jesus was, and is still, a vital requirement.  It was not the gospel of salvation, or of justification by faith, vital though those are, but the knowledge of the administration of the church which is the Body of Christ, of which Christ Himself is the Head. The content of which I believe was the substance of the 'form of sound words' which had been heard and entrusted to Timothy by Paul: and was so vehemently opposed: prompting the following words of Paul, in 2 Timothy 1:15:- ' This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.'

* These epistles were written to believers, to whom God would make known the truth that is, ' Christ in (or among) us', which is, 'our hope of glory, as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ. This was unique at the time of writing, as was the hope and sphere of blessing spoken of in these pages.  A unique unity, in which the Jew had no prior place, a unique calling, and a sphere of blessings which are spiritual, and all ours in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. A completeness and acceptance in Christ, a standing of holiness in which there was no blame to be found; and a spirit of sonship which could call the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'Father'. 

Forgive me for getting carried away with the glory of this, @In Him..

With love in Christ Jesus

Chris

 

Thank you so very much Christine for setting before us such a banquet of food to eat. I am going to have to get my sharp knife out to cut and eat this steak you have set before us. 

Munchity munch munch. ??

Blessongs, 

Much love in Christ, Not me 

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Hey Christine :)

I need to go into a little preamble...but...exposure to Hebrews 6:1-3 and His explanation of it literally  set the path for most of my study for many months after I was led into discovery of it.

Quote
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.  And this we will do if God permits.

For the first time I saw in  this an  understanding  that there are six very specific areas we have to master from the Word as a FOUNDATION....a solid place established in us  on which  He can build us  into mature sonship.  I was at a point where I'd already begun to notice that I was getting pretty well grounded in the Word in comparison to most Christians I met.  I had come to a place where very few i met had  more familiarity with  the Word than I did.   It probably hadn't quite passed into hubris and pride (the observation was accurate enough, the  "standard" I  was  comparing to was totally off base) but i'm sure it was headed that way.  I began to dare to think I'd entered into a measure  of "maturity" in Him. 

And then He pulled this passage on me :)  As I compared my own perception of my understanding to these six categories I realized there were still pretty  gaping holes in my FOUNDATION.  And into that  realization He spoke this: 

"You've made a good start in getting your  foundation secured, and good on you for that.  But don't you DARE begin to believe you're mature yet.  Your foundation still needs establishing."

So, considerably humbled, I determined to examine each of these six areas again, and make securing my foundation a priority.  My lack proved to be far more severe than my initial assessment indicated.   But, long  story short, one of the LEAST understood topics in focus proved to be "eternal judgement".  Once I began to really  dig into that and seek Him  for revelation I quickly realized I knew next to nothing, and what little I thought I knew proved to be more founded on myth and tradition  than the  truth of the Word. 

In the course of  studying 'eternal judgement' i came  to understand it's a very  rich, multi-layered topic and the Bible gives  a lot of detail but it's not  a subject that yields to "surface" reading.  It yields understanding  through study.

In that process I ran across this:

Quote
“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

I think if you choose to study those three words out  from Scripture, you'll likely discover they represent three levels of reward in heaven.   I do believe they are separate and distinct from each other and represent a progression with  the highest  rewards in heaven  reserved for those  who meet heaven's qualifications for all three  of those descriptions.

There are at least two  levels of  "called".  The first is to the  whole world...the "call" to  salvation in Jesus.  But after that  there is another, more specific call related to our  personal lives and bounded  by the plan of "good works" He appointed for each of us to  walk  in from before the  foundation of the world.  The "call" is there at the new birth but we are not  considered "called" by heaven until we take up...take ownership  of the  call.  Taking up, even  recognizing  our "call" requires a submission to His Lordship, He  simply doesn't  reveal much  about it until He  is not  only Saviour,  but  also  Lord of our lives.

But, being called is not the  same as being  "chosen" to walk in the  call.  Acceptance of the  call usually is the beginning  of some very pointed training in how to walk in the call.  When He is satisfied the training is sufficent, THEN He  will mark His  servant "chosen" for  their particular call and will "release" them into full expression of their  call.

And being chosen is not the  same as being  found  "faithful".   When and how that  is applied  to His servants is up to Him but USUALLY it will require a season  of time, marked by faithfulness..often in the face of severe testing...temptation.

Those of His who parry  the  thrusts, dodge the darts and remain faithful to  His choosing  of them, are indeed precious in His sight.  And will be rewarded for the  suffering  and testing they endured in order to remain faithful to Him

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@Not me

@Jostler

@SelahSong

Thank you for your entries, I am just too tired to take anything in at the moment, but shall come back to them afresh in the morning.  My thanks also, once again, to @BeauJangles and @In Him for their responses.

Good night all.
With love in Christ Jesus
Chris

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