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Post by Josh on Feb 10, 2007 11:21:08 GMT -8
9/28/06:
Reigning with Christ NOW
Ephesians 2:6-7
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Note how Paul doesn't say we WILL BE seated with Christ in the heavenly realms, he says we HAVE BEEN, or in other words, ARE CURRENTLY seated with Christ. What does seated with Christ mean? Well, if we read passages such as Mark 10:35-45, we understand this is an expression meaning that REIGNING with Christ, who sits on his royal throne.
Paul was saying that although he was once dead in his spirit, God had raised his spirit to life and given him a share of Christ's authority- not that Paul needed to wait till death to reign with Christ, but that he was already reigning with Him in some sense.
We see this in Luke 10:19:
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
and Matthew 16: 18-19:
"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
We have been granted the amazing privilege of administering Christ's reigning authority, right here and now. Even though spacially we are physically confined to these space-time dimensions, our spirit is not- it is reigning in Christ's presence.
Revelation 20:4-6 speaks of the dead in Christ reigning for 1,000 years. Although Christians, of course, have a variety of opinions on when this 'millenium' is supposed to be, my interpretation is that the 'millenium' is now- the space between Christ's first and second comings (which is the a-millenial position, btw).
This line of thinking would say that, as we speak, Christ's kingdom is being ruled by all believers, both alive and dead, under the ultimate reign of Christ. We are engaged in "bringing all enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25) until all enemies are destroyed and He hands the kingdom over to God the Father (after Christ judges mankind at His second coming).
Whether you take an a-millenium position or not, I think this Scripture is clear in teaching that not only is our reign with Christ future, but it is present in some powerful way.
But this brings up a troubling question: if we fail to realize we have been given such authority, and fail to ejudicate this rule in some active, conscious way, then how can we truly call ourselves the Church?
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Post by rose on Feb 10, 2007 11:21:59 GMT -8
10/4/06:
What is the church to do with this authority that we've been given? What does that look like to you? What might that look like to others?
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Post by Josh on Feb 10, 2007 11:23:01 GMT -8
10/5/06:
Wow... that's a question that needs a book in response.
But, I'll take a few stabs at the potential answers:
1) It would mean taking seriously our call to turn seekers into disciples- believing that God will accomplish that task through us, and banking on that promise (Matthew 28:18-20)
2) We are to forgive people (as individual Christians, but also as a Church) (see John 20:23 for a shocking verse on our authority)
3) To make righteous "judgments about all things"- to realize we've been givent he 'mind of Christ' (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)
4) To bind things and loose things on earth and in the spiritual realm/ strive toward the marriage of heaven and earth (I think Matthew here is primarily talking about the power of the Church in making discerning judgments about the will of God (Matthew 16:19, 18:18)
5) To cast out demons/ defeat the work of the devil (Matthew 10:1)
6) To be an authoritative voice in our culture and in the world (Matthew 28:18-20, among many others I'm sure)
7) To take risks in all of these areas, because we know God's 'got our back' in this endeavor to be Christ to the world, imperfect as we often are.
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Post by Josh on Feb 10, 2007 11:23:44 GMT -8
9/28/06:
There's a major historical tendency of Christians to either focus on grace and neglect the necessity of good works, or the other way around.
Paul himself felt this tension and affirms that both are essential in their own distinct way. The paradox of grace and works comes up here in Ephesians 2: 8-10:
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Paul is concerned that both grace and works are important, he just wants us to get the horse before the cart: it is essential grace that enables us to do essential good works.
Paul says basically the same thing elsewhere:
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
We are to "work out" (good works) what has already been "worked in" (our salvation by grace), and it is God's own work that truly enables our own work to bring this about.
The book of James is also highly concerned with the paradox between faith and works. Some have felt James contracts Paul in some ways, but that's only a surface level observation. Delving deeply into what both Paul and James have to say liberates the important harmony of grace and works.
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aimee
Advanced Member
Posts: 136
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Post by aimee on Feb 10, 2007 11:24:44 GMT -8
9/29/06: This is so true and very interesting since a friend of mine was just having a conversation with me about a similar topic. She is struggling with many of the principals of Christianity one being if people who aren't christians but do many good and selfless works go to heaven. From what I've read in the Bible, I believe it is up to God (and not Christians) to judge who goes to heaven. However, he has used this verse for me in my personal life many times. It keeps me in perspective, that even the good works that I do were planned out by him in advance for his purposes. I wish I could have had this verse in mind when we were talking, but perhaps it was ment to be this way since he will give me the right words (and scriptures) to say at the right time when I rely on him. Matthew 10:18-20 "On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry aboutwhat to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." It seems like Jesus has us rely on him for everything, even down to our words . Maybe we are really supposed to be his tools, letting go, and only doing what he asks us to. Maybe then, when we aren't relying on our own preparedness, or our works, we will be most usefull.
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Post by Josh on Feb 10, 2007 11:25:42 GMT -8
10/1/06:
You know, to extend that thought about "judging salvation", I've noticed in Scripture that the emphasis seems to be more on God knowing those who are His and not necessarily so much on us understanding everything about our salvation or that of others.
Granted, the power of Christianity comes from the confidence that the Gospel brings. Also, Scripture makes it plain that no one can merit their own salvation, and no one is saved apart from the sacrifice of Chirst. Still, I think Scripture holds out some tantalizing clues that there may be those who are saved by His sacrifice, even though they may not even know His name-- because they have trusted in the hope that God will somehow redeem them, even though they may not know how He has.
(that might be a helpful response to your friend?)
A few passages to show what I mean (and very helpful ones on this subject):
Matthew 7: 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
2 Timothy 2:19a ”Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"…”
Romans 2: 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Acts 17: 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
Or in this case, where the saved are those who serve Christ and don't even know they are:
Matthew 25: 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
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Post by rose on Feb 10, 2007 11:27:00 GMT -8
10/4/06:
Ephesians is such a stunning book. I just love the very descriptive language used to describe our sinful nature compared to God's everlasting love. When we were in sin we were "gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature", and we were "objects of wrath". Wow, that paints an ugly picture. But God who is "rich in mercy" brought us out of that, He "made us alive with Christ". I also love the imagery of verse 7, "in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." And, in verse 10, "for we are God's workmanship" - that means a work of art or masterpiece - He has created us in His image and we are His masterpiece.
God has given us so much more than we could ever imagine or deserve, and Paul has put it so beautifully in this book/chapter.
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Post by Josh on Feb 10, 2007 11:27:59 GMT -8
10/6/06:
Ephesians 2:11-18
"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. "
I find it frustrating how, even with clear passages such as this, some self-styled theologians (usually dispensationalist end-times theorists) have promoted the idea that God has two peoples: Gentiles and Jews, with differing 'salvation' requirements for each.
It's clear in Paul and elsewhere that there is now only one 'people of God'= the Church (both Jew and Gentile). And there is now only one way to be saved- through Christ and not by the law (whether Jew or Gentile).
I have considerable respect for some strains of Judaism, but let's not forget that the Jewish authors of the New Testament proclaimed that apart from Christ, the Law cannot save. Christianity wasn't just a Gentile-option Judaism- it was the new way for both Jew and Gentile. As we see in verse 21 of this chapter, it is the CHURCH that is the NEW TEMPLE (and elsewhere in the NT we see that the Temple is also, first and foremost, Jesus), completely eliminating the need for the old physical building, or the Jewish sacrificial system.
Please see my article Israel and the Church for more on this.
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