Revelation of Our Son-ship
Note: This study refers to the bowls video resource. To view the video in a separate window, please click here.
I. Revelation of our son-ship A. Ephesians 1:11-23 1. Ephesians is a letter written to the called out ones and is for us today. 2. Ephesians chapter 1:11-15. They were a model church. 3. Paul compliments them in four areas. a. They trusted when they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation (verse 13). b. They believed and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (verse 13). c. They had faith in the Lord Jesus (verse 15). d. They were loving the saints (verse 15). They were demonstrating their faith. In verse 1, he calls them the faithful in Christ Jesus. 4. However, in verse 16, Paul says he is still praying without ceasing for them. What was he praying? They didn't understand the full calling of Jesus and he was praying that they would have revelation of this. He desired that they would KNOW who they were "IN CHRIST"; we are His Body and we have authority over the enemy (Ephesians 1:17-23; Colossians 2:9,10). Note that in verse 16, he not only is praying without ceasing, but he is continually giving thanks for them. Philippians 4:6, 7 instructs us to let our requests be made known unto God with thanksgiving and the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. B. Access to the Father 1. We can now go boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). 2. Jesus made a new and living way for us (Hebrews 10:19, 20). 3. Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the people from God. When Jesus went to the cross, the veil was rent (torn) in two (Matthew 27:50, 51). His flesh replaced the veil. Now, we have access to God through the Body of Christ (our position in Him). C. Belief and Faith 1. You can believe in something, but not have faith in it. Without faith the word will not profit you (Hebrews 4:2). Christ is our faith; without us abiding in Him, the word is of no profit. 2. There is a difference between faith and belief. The devil believes and trembles, but he does not have faith in Jesus (James 2:18, 19). 3. Illustration: Belief versus faith. A man stretched a tightrope over Niagra Falls and then asked another man if he thought he could walk across the tightrope with a wheelbarrow. The man looked at the man with the wheelbarrow and said the obvious - no! So the man walked across the tightrope with the wheelbarrow and then came back. He said, "Now do you believe I can do it?" The other man said, "Well of course. I just watched you." The man with the wheelbarrow then said, "If you have faith, get in the wheelbarrow and let me take you across!" That's faith - getting in the wheelbarrow and living in Christ! D. Holy Spirit gives revelation 1. It takes the Holy Spirit turning on the light; He alone quickens it in us. If we will seek and ask God for it, He will gladly give you the revelation. He WANTS you to have it. 2. Agree with Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23, and pray it daily for yourself. Ask God to give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation. 3. Work at, labor at retaining the word. Get nourishment off of the word, so it is not trodden down. 4. Mark 4:19 gives three things that choke out the word. a. Cares of this world. b. Deceitfulness of riches. c. Desires for other things. This verse says that these things "enter in" and choke out the word and it is unfruitful in our life. 5. Renew your mind (Romans 12:2) by taking on the mind of Christ. We are a new and living way, a new creature - a "butterfly" if you will. A butterfly was once a fuzzy caterpillar or to be a little more graphic, a worm! Once it becomes a butterfly, it NEVER goes back and becomes a worm again. It now eats new food, butterly food! Purpose to renew your mind that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus and that you NEVER go back to being the "old man". You are changed (transformed) by how you think. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7a). 6. Make a decision to be tuned into the Holy Spirit; to learn and listen to His voice. 7. We have not understood the mystery of the Body of Christ. It is important that we get this. You won't know who you are until you know who He is; and you won't know who He is unless you desire to know. Father wants to demonstrate His glory through us, but we must be transformed into righteousness thinking. We are indeed the very righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). E. In Christ 1. The New Testament refers to being "In Him" 295 times and by/through Him 58 times. a. In Christ - 77 times. b. In Christ Jesus - 40 times. c. In Jesus Christ - 4 times. d. In Him - 70 times. e. In the Lord - 46 times. f. By, through Him - 58 times. 2. The word "in" means a present place of existence. The words in, by and through (Greek) mean a fixed position, a relation of rest. In Christ means IN CHRIST literally! Read Psalm 91 in light of this revelation from your position in Christ. You wil be greatly edified. F. Demonstration of Bowls (teaching aid) 1. We are a three part being - spirit, soul, and body. 2. Before Christ came into our hearts, we were unsaved, on our way to hell. 3. At salvation, the Holy Spirit came into us and we were sealed (Ephesians 1:13). 4. We were made a new creature in Christ. a. 2 Corinthians 5:17: We are a new creation, old things are passed away and all things have become new. b. Galatians 3:28: We are all one in Christ. c. Galatians 6:15: Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, only a new creation. 5. If you are saved, you probably know that Christ is in you. However, many do not know that they are also in Christ (John 15:4). It happened simultaneously. G. Revelation 1. Revelation of who you are in Christ Jesus will cause you to know that you are not under condemnation any longer (Romans 8:1). 2. A carnal Christian is one who knows that Christ is in him, but still lives his life according to the dictates of the flesh, because he still sees himself alive and in charge of his life. 3. A spiritual Christian is one who knows that Christ is in him, but he is also in Christ. He understands he died with Christ and now it is no longer he that lives, but Christ that lives in and through him (Galatians 2:20). Jesus is now the master, not him. 4. There is no peace for the carnal Christian, because his mind is an enemy against God. However, there is life and peace for the spiritual Christian (Romans 8:5-8). H. Righteousness 1. We were made righteous by the sacirifce of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). 2. Righteousness has nothing to do with the law. Righteousness came 430 years before the law (Galatians 3:17). Note: Tithing was 430 years before the law because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 7:1-10). 3. Righteousness is by promise, not by law (Galatians 3:11-14; Galatians 2:21; Romans 4:13, 14). 4. Abraham was found righteous apart from the law, 430 years before Moses went up on the mountain to get it (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).
5. Noah was
found righteous apart from the law (Genesis 7:1; 6. Righteousness is the state of being in right standing with God. The Lord accepts as righteous those who trust Him and know His ways (Romans 3:24-26; Hebrews chapter 3). I. Position 1. The kingdom of God/kingdom of Heaven are mentioned 101 times in the New Testament. The kingdom refers to the Body of Christ.
2. We are
members in particular in the Body of Christ 3. Every believer should seek FIRST the kingdom of God (our position in Christ) and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Then all things will be added unto him.
4. We have
been put into Christ, the God of all creation J. Some Names of the Body of Christ 1. Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven. 2. New Wineskin. 3. New creation. 4. New man. 5. Armor of God. 6. Armor of Light. K. Adamic Race 1. God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 2. They disobeyed and sin entered the human race - the Adam race. 3. Jesus came to completely undo the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He put us in Him and now we are a new creation, a new race of men, the Jesus race. Note: The knowledge of good is harder to do away with in our thinking than the knowledge of evil because we tend to think there is some good in us and we can fix ourselves.
4. Jesus took
away the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2; There is not a sin problem anymore, only a Savior problem.
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A New and Living Way
A New and Living
Way