Ephesians chapter two . . .

[com7fy8]

27 minutes ago, other one said:

but one does have to accept the grace.   And we are expected to live different lives once that happens....   living the different lives does not have any salvation process, it's just a sign it's happened.

And different lives include our different works > God is creative with each of us, not having us only copy-cat others or be some puppet of what another person might be able to expect of us or micromanage us to do. But He can even have us doing what is better than what we ourselves were thinking about doing . . . even moments before we discover His way and His plan 

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

So, we have been "created" in Jesus. We have been turned into people we never were, before. And this is "for good works". So, we discover how creatively God does things with us, having us doing works which He has planned, in His creativity . . . which we do in His love, instead of in our former selfish stuff. 

So, these are all-loving works, done in His all-loving love. And these works fit in with His overall plan, and are coordinated with all God Himself knows is going on all through the body of Jesus; of course, He does have us knowing things so we can be included in planning and organizing.

And He plans for us to walk in these works. And this is in His love > walking in His works, while walking in His love >

"Let all that you do be done with love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

So, Jesus was "sweet-smelling" while He gave Himself for us. What He was doing was sweetly pleasing to our Father, then, I would say. 

So, we too can do our works of ministry sweetly, pleasantly in the yoke of Jesus > "and you will find rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus doesn't use us up like toilet paper! But He shares with us and cares for us while we submit to Him in His "yoke" >

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)

So, this is how we need to be good to people while they do things with us and for us. Care for them, encouraging them to have rest in Jesus while doing things for us and with us. Love does not have us just using people. But our Father desires that we share and care as His family.

 

[farouk]

On 11/6/2022 at 11:16 PM, com7fy8 said:

"in trespasses and sins," (in Ephesians 2:1) >

"in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience," (Ephesians 2:2)

So, while we were dead in sin, we were going the way of this evil world. Even if we might not have done evil like psychopaths and Hitler, we were in the same kingdom!! We contributed to the cause of Satan, himself, not only to helping certain evil politicians and predators.

In the next verse, Paul says all of us in sin "were children of wrath, just as the others." (in Ephesians 2:3)

Here Paul says "we"; so Paul includes himself as one who was a child of God's wrath.

And I consider how respectable religious mothers and fathers became able to demand the crucifixion of Jesus; in their sin they were capable of changing to be able to do that. 

So, I see how no sin is safe. A person putting on a religious, socially respectable act can change to being able to demand the crucifixion of God's own Son. 

So, I would say we should not assume that nice acting sinners are somehow safer than ones who act more evil.

"But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)

There is no telling how anyone in sin could become "worse and worse".

And your prayer could be helping to keep a person from becoming as hardened and degraded as that person could become.

@com7fy8 Ephesians 2 is so searching indeed; it paints a background to showing just how vital is the intervention of God's grace in Christ, to the sinner..........

[com7fy8]

"Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh---who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands---" (Ephesians 2:11)

Here Paul says these Christians were "once" Gentiles. So, I see this can mean that God no longer calls them Gentiles.

But there are humans who call them Uncircumcision. 

But in Jesus > 

"There is neither Jew nor Greek" > in Galatians 3:28 >

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

"where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all." (Colossians 3:11)

So, in Jesus there is no Jewish or Gentile identity. We all are simply God's children, I think we could say.

I guess we could say this is because Jesus in us gives us our new identity with God: our Heavenly Father is only concerned about how we have Jesus in us, and how our character is becoming like Jesus so our Jesus-like character gives us our new identity in the sight of God. 

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

So, if our new character makes us "as He is" "in this world" . . . this is what identifies us to God!  And He has things work according to how Jesus with us are inside of us.

However, by the way . . . yes, Satan can bring things back to our minds and even try to bring up things, in our social circumstances; but I am not that person who did that stuff and went through that stuff. I . . . we . . . in Christ are not in that kingdom of this world's evil. We are in Jesus now. 

It is like how maybe you are a major player on a lousy football team of dirty and cheating players. Then your favorite professional football team wins the championship and adopts you. Even before you do anything > just because you are on the championship team, you have become a champion football player. Your identity is new, then > it doesn't matter what is true about your past lousy team or how dirty you used to play, because you are not on that team, anymore. 

But there is work to do, and relating to build, and character and new ways to develop.

One especially important thing I keep hearing is winning team players talking about how they had family support > of their own families, and how the coaches cared for them like family, and their teammates were like family, and even their fans could be like family to them . . . never giving up on them while they had been losers and with issues. 

And a while ago I was watching some children play softball, I think it was. One team had the day care's staff coaching them. The other had children with their two mothers. The coaches told their team what to do, but the mothers not only told their children what to do, but they kept cheering on their children, no matter what or how well their children did. And the children with their mothers kept outplaying the ones on the other team who had their regular staff people. 

And one time one of the coached kids even started crying. I suspect he could feel how he was not getting that loving attention.

With God our Father, we are no longer with that world of bossing us and using us up like toilet paper . . . like could happen at work and with ones we dated and even married. In us . . . anyway . . . we now have how our Father has His way with us . . . with "rest for your souls", Jesus guarantees, in Matthew 11:28-30.

So, this is how I need to love each and every person. I may not be able to get someone to do what I think or want, but keep on being caring and tender and loving with each person. Be encouraging. And how we are in the sight of God can be spread by God to help affect others to become the same way. God uses example that is good in His sight. 

This is our new way that can work to help any person; so it does not matter what others suppose is our identity.

Edited November 23, 2022 by com7fy8

[com7fy8]

"and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (in Ephesians 2:8)

God gave Jesus on the cross, and His grace in us has changed us so we have obeyed God by trusting in Christ.

It is not what we got ourselves to do, but it is God's gift > we have become gifted at obeying God.

And so, we can see how much we need to depend on God, at each moment, and submit to how He has us becoming and submit to His personal guiding in us, all the time. 

"For we are His workmanship" (in Ephesians 2:10). We did not make ourselves how we are now. And we do not operate our own selves.

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God," (in 2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

So, this is how personal our Father desires to be with us, every moment sharing His own self with us while we do what He has us doing with Him.

Edited November 30, 2022 by com7fy8

[farouk]

On 11/28/2022 at 11:39 AM, com7fy8 said:

"and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (in Ephesians 2:8)

God gave Jesus on the cross, and His grace in us has changed us so we have obeyed God by trusting in Christ.

It is not what we got ourselves to do, but it is God's gift > we have become gifted at obeying God.

And so, we can see how much we need to depend on God, at each moment, and submit to how He has us becoming and submit to His personal guiding in us, all the time. 

"For we are His workmanship" (in Ephesians 2:10). We did not make ourselves how we are now. And we do not operate our own selves.

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God," (in 2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

So, this is how personal our Father desires to be with us, every moment sharing His own self with us while we do what He has us doing with Him.

@com7fy8 Great verses quoted there.

Ephesians chapter 2 is truly tremendous, with 'earth-shaking' implications, indeed.

[com7fy8]

On 11/28/2022 at 11:39 AM, com7fy8 said:

"For we are His workmanship" (in Ephesians 2:10). We did not make ourselves how we are now. And we do not operate our own selves.

We are God's workmanship, in Jesus. We do not operate our own selves, but God in us operates us > 

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

He even works our willing which He wants!

So, I see that we do not initiate our own willing, which God wants, but we need to constantly submit to how He rules us, within us. And we have > 1 Corinthians 6:17 > 

"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

So, God is in union, "one spirit with", every one of us who is His child. And in union with each of us He is working our willing and operating our actions. Therefore, if we ever really do what God has us doing, this is a miracle! It is a miracle how He has made us submissive to Him, and a miracle how He is personally guiding us and having us do what He wants.

And our Apostle Paul says > 

"And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13)

So, we are "instruments" of God. I think of how an instrument does not operate its own self. And if it is a musical instrument, it can give a beautiful and pleasing melody . . . so you are "making melody in your heart to the Lord." (in Ephesians 5:19)

And Paul says we are to be "alive" in doing this > "alive from the dead". Yes, ones will say you are being a "puppet" if God is guiding all that you do with you in submission to Him. But not in God's love . . . in God's love we are alive, not dead puppets!! And it was in our self-willed sinning that we were "dead" > Ephesians 2:1.

"But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives." (1 Timothy 5:6)

So, the one who is dead is the one who lives for one's own pleasure . . . seeking what can not love the person, but might make the person feel good. And so ones can be bored and lonely while getting a lot of pleasures. Because only in God's love can we have intimate and caring and tender companionship with God our Father and with one another. But this is in submission to God and how He is personally guiding us, working us, operating us within us . . . so we discover how this is and how we grow in this sharing with God and one another 

So, we trust You for this, O God, and thank You for how Jesus and the Holy Spirit make intercession for this which You desire > Romans 8:26 and Romans 8:34.

 

[Vine Abider]

On 11/21/2022 at 2:00 PM, com7fy8 said:

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

So, we have been "created" in Jesus. We have been turned into people we never were, before. And this is "for good works". So, we discover how creatively God does things with us, having us doing works which He has planned, in His creativity . . . which we do in His love, instead of in our former selfish stuff. 

Some expositors and translations say the word "workmanship" can also be rendered as masterpiece. God was doing something exceedingly amazing in Christ, which also includes us.  That is, Christ did the atonement alone, but the ultimate purpose was to produce the ekklesia (called-out gathering).  He was the Seed, falling into the ground to die, to produce numerous grains in His image - the many sons being brought into glory!  

[com7fy8]

Yes @Vine Abider thank

yu

[AlsoBroken]

On 11/10/2022 at 7:15 AM, DPMartin said:

why can't you read scripture? what's the matter do we have to read it for you? the whole bible is about God's relationship with the faithful, where did you miss that?

DPMartin, why your criticisms and assumption that another brother doesn’t read scripture? He was pointing out that the “faithful” were at one time unbelieving sinners, but Jesus WENT TO THEM, to reveal Himself. How else can the unfaithful, unrepentant sinner become a believer in Christ and then choose to be Faithful? 

Please apologize for your very inappropriate remarks to Com7fy8. 
 

[com7fy8]

17 hours ago, AlsoBroken said:

 Jesus WENT TO THEM, to reveal Himself. 

Yes . . . thank you 

Jesus Christ is the most beautifully wonderful of all; yet, He is not at all conceited. He does not treat us like He is too good for us, but Jesus even answered to snotty and sinful and stuck-up people, and said things which could help them . . . and could help others who heard Him and now can help us who read things He said.

So we do well to be tender and caring and generous with ones who might be foolish or feeling superior to us > we can help them with our example and with prayer with hope for them > 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

I think of Numbers 11:12 > here we have how Moses is complaining that the LORD trusted him with the care of the children of Israel > here Moses says,

"'Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, "Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child," to the land which You swore to their fathers?'" (Numbers 11:12)

Well, our Apostle Paul and Silvanus and Timothy say >

"But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children." (1 Thessalonians 2:7)

So, Moses got it right, though he might not have seen it . . . how God did want him to tenderly care for the children of Israel, like he was their nursing mother.

But, like I have said, I myself have been swift to criticize and not tenderly and compassionately care for ones who don't give me the attention and recognition I might in pride expect.

By the way - -  - - - there can be people in Christian forums who are "WUI" > writing under the influence, and they might not even recall things they wrote, days before. And users can join the forums and give their word to obey the rule to be respectful; but if they die or get sick . . . someone else could get into their account . . . maybe a troll who passes oneself off as the user. Plus, we have ones who know what they believe, but they might not know scripture for every word they say, but it is written in their hearts; they might not appreciate me dissecting their comments to the details and asking for scripture quotes for each thing they say . . . when they have given what they can.

S . . . God bless you, and welcome!

And this is an open discussion thread. You are welcome to share with us what you have about our study of Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2:12 says how we were in sin > "having no hope and without God in the world." (in Ephesians 2:12)

I think of what you have shared in the "Testimonies" section. You had horrible and dark times. But my experience is that, though I can still have horrible and dark stuff in me . . . now I have Jesus so it is not as bad to go through hard stuff. He clears stuff easily from me, plus He can make me strong so it can't take me down.

One thing that helps me with dealing with impossible cruel and dark and dirty stuff is I be quiet and trust God to get rid of it and get me how He wants me to be with Him and living; and do not commit myself to believing anything that comes in Satanic stuff.

"nor give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27)

Even while evil is messing with me, I can hear what is good and worthy of commitment > I can get told to care about and pray blessing and mercy to people who have been mean-spirited and nasty and cruel. I might answer to the stuff, refusing Satan and it, but mainly my attention needs to be with God and trusting God to rule me in His peace (Colossians 3:15) so I stay attentive to Him and do what He has me do. And I might think of James 4:7 >

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

If we have trusted in Jesus . . . we are with hope and with God!

And His peace is almighty.

We have been turned "from the power of Satan to God," we have in Acts 26:18.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13)

So now . . . though the things of Satan's spirit attack . . . we are near to God >

"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Being "one spirit with" Jesus is being near, I would say  And this is in sharing with each other. Jesus has brought us to our Heavenly Father and to each other >

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation," (Ephesians 2:14)

This is specifically talking about how ones once Gentiles have been brought together with ones who were Jews but now are in Jesus. But I see how also we have been brought together with each other who were formerly Gentiles; we have one another as our new family.

And while Jesus is our peace, He also is praying for us > Romans 8:34 < according to His faith. So, no matter what is happening, we have the attention of Jesus Himself and how He is able to pray for us!

Edited December 3, 2022 by com7fy8