Post by Shepherd on Mar 23, 2009 9:32:29 GMT -6
-X SALUTATION
Are you aware that we Christians should know more about each other and of each others need?
Throughout this letter Paul wanted these Christians to know what had been done for them through Jesus Christ, that they might understand the purpose that God has in mind when He sent His beloved Son to die for them.
Then Paul taught them how God has arranged for them to grow in faith and in knowledge that they might become mature in their faith and finally Paul urged them to take what God had provided for their help that they might be able to do what God wanted them to do. Now we have come to the close of this wonderful letter. It is a marvelous exposition of truth of the Christians’s life and experience. Paul, in his closing words, states a most important truth.
BUT THAT YE ALSO MAY KNOW MY AFFAIRS, AND HOW I DO, TYCHICUS, A BELOVED BROTHER AND FAITHFUL MINISTER IN THE LORD, SHALL MAKE KNOWN TO YOU ALL THINGS. WHOM I HAVE SENT UNTO YOU FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, THAT YE MIGHT KNOW OUR AFFAIRS, AND THAT HE MIGHT COMFORT YOUR HEARTS. PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, AND LOVE WITH FAITH, FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM THAT LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY. AMEN.
Paul was not really suffering loss or persecution, but was actively carrying on, openly declaring the Gospel that Christ die for all, that all might come to God. Because of their regeneration by the power of God, their adoption into the family of God by His grace, and their receiving the Holy Ghost by God’s will, Christians should share with each other the grace of God.
Paul was in prison, but was undaunted. There was no reference to his situation in the letter. Paul was not worrying about that. He was triumphantly discussing and demonstrating the love of God. These people could be assured that Paul was not about to quit. Just because he had been thrown into prison and had suffered indignities and physical hardship was not hindering Paul any.
His attitude and his testimony were strong in his witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Ephesians could be comforted to know that Paul was not faltering in his own attitude about things. He sent his beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, whose name was Tychicus, that he should make known to the Christians all things as were effecting Paul, because Paul wanted them to know.
Now having done this, Paul then closes with his final words. PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, AND LOVE WITH FAITH , FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM THAT LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY. EPHESIANS 6:23-24.
When Paul says PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, he is spraying and giving his benediction to Christians, the brethren. He is unable to speak peace to the none Christian. He cannot promise peace to people who do not walk in the ways of God.
He cannot promise peace to people who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. THERE IS NO PEACE, SAITH THE LORD UNTO THE WICKED... ISA. 48:22.
Paul is not going to pretend. He is not going to make everyone feel like, “Oh, everything will be all right because it is going to turn out all right.” That is not true, WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL BE ALSO REAP. GAL. 6:7.
Some might say, “Have Christians done such good things that they deserve peace?”
No, but they believe, and because they believe that will get more than they deserve. Anyone could have this, WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and you will have this said to you.
LOVE WITH FAITH is in the blessing that can come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Father-Son Relationship we fan confidently expect peace, love, and joy from God the Father, because we are in His Son, the Christ Jesus.
The risen Lord told His disciples ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH...MATT. 28:18.
He is the One to whom Paul turn, when he asks that peace and love and faith should come to the Christians from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul spent himself risking death that he might tell all men how to be saved. FOR THOUGH I BE FREE FROM ALL MEN, YET HAVE I MADE MYSELF SERVANT UNTO ALL, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE MORE. AND UNTO THE JEWS I BECAME AS A JEW, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE JEWS; TO THEM THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW, AS UNDER THE LAW, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW. TO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW, AS WITHOUT LAW, (BEING NOT WITHOUT LAW TO GOD, BUT UNDER THE LAW TO CHRIST,) THAT I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT ARE WITH OUR LAW. TO THE WEAK BECAUSE I AM WEAK, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE WEAK. I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME. AND THIS I DO FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE, THAT I MIGHT BE PARTAKER THEREOF WITH YOU. I COR. 9:19-23.
Christ has died for sinners, not that they should be blessed because they are human beings, but that they might be saved through Him. The truth is that Paul had no comfort to offer to any man as he is in his human nature. In I Cor. 16:22..there is a strong word from Paul when he says; IF ANY MAN LOVE NOT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA MARANATHA. (A curse on him).
Christ living at the right hand of God. In control of everything.
Paul loved and served the living Savior.
Are you aware that we Christians should know more about each other and of each others need?
Throughout this letter Paul wanted these Christians to know what had been done for them through Jesus Christ, that they might understand the purpose that God has in mind when He sent His beloved Son to die for them.
Then Paul taught them how God has arranged for them to grow in faith and in knowledge that they might become mature in their faith and finally Paul urged them to take what God had provided for their help that they might be able to do what God wanted them to do. Now we have come to the close of this wonderful letter. It is a marvelous exposition of truth of the Christians’s life and experience. Paul, in his closing words, states a most important truth.
BUT THAT YE ALSO MAY KNOW MY AFFAIRS, AND HOW I DO, TYCHICUS, A BELOVED BROTHER AND FAITHFUL MINISTER IN THE LORD, SHALL MAKE KNOWN TO YOU ALL THINGS. WHOM I HAVE SENT UNTO YOU FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, THAT YE MIGHT KNOW OUR AFFAIRS, AND THAT HE MIGHT COMFORT YOUR HEARTS. PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, AND LOVE WITH FAITH, FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM THAT LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY. AMEN.
Paul was not really suffering loss or persecution, but was actively carrying on, openly declaring the Gospel that Christ die for all, that all might come to God. Because of their regeneration by the power of God, their adoption into the family of God by His grace, and their receiving the Holy Ghost by God’s will, Christians should share with each other the grace of God.
Paul was in prison, but was undaunted. There was no reference to his situation in the letter. Paul was not worrying about that. He was triumphantly discussing and demonstrating the love of God. These people could be assured that Paul was not about to quit. Just because he had been thrown into prison and had suffered indignities and physical hardship was not hindering Paul any.
His attitude and his testimony were strong in his witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Ephesians could be comforted to know that Paul was not faltering in his own attitude about things. He sent his beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, whose name was Tychicus, that he should make known to the Christians all things as were effecting Paul, because Paul wanted them to know.
Now having done this, Paul then closes with his final words. PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, AND LOVE WITH FAITH , FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM THAT LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY. EPHESIANS 6:23-24.
When Paul says PEACE BE TO THE BRETHREN, he is spraying and giving his benediction to Christians, the brethren. He is unable to speak peace to the none Christian. He cannot promise peace to people who do not walk in the ways of God.
He cannot promise peace to people who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. THERE IS NO PEACE, SAITH THE LORD UNTO THE WICKED... ISA. 48:22.
Paul is not going to pretend. He is not going to make everyone feel like, “Oh, everything will be all right because it is going to turn out all right.” That is not true, WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL BE ALSO REAP. GAL. 6:7.
Some might say, “Have Christians done such good things that they deserve peace?”
No, but they believe, and because they believe that will get more than they deserve. Anyone could have this, WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and you will have this said to you.
LOVE WITH FAITH is in the blessing that can come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Father-Son Relationship we fan confidently expect peace, love, and joy from God the Father, because we are in His Son, the Christ Jesus.
The risen Lord told His disciples ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH...MATT. 28:18.
He is the One to whom Paul turn, when he asks that peace and love and faith should come to the Christians from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul spent himself risking death that he might tell all men how to be saved. FOR THOUGH I BE FREE FROM ALL MEN, YET HAVE I MADE MYSELF SERVANT UNTO ALL, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE MORE. AND UNTO THE JEWS I BECAME AS A JEW, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE JEWS; TO THEM THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW, AS UNDER THE LAW, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW. TO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW, AS WITHOUT LAW, (BEING NOT WITHOUT LAW TO GOD, BUT UNDER THE LAW TO CHRIST,) THAT I MIGHT GAIN THEM THAT ARE WITH OUR LAW. TO THE WEAK BECAUSE I AM WEAK, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE WEAK. I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME. AND THIS I DO FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE, THAT I MIGHT BE PARTAKER THEREOF WITH YOU. I COR. 9:19-23.
Christ has died for sinners, not that they should be blessed because they are human beings, but that they might be saved through Him. The truth is that Paul had no comfort to offer to any man as he is in his human nature. In I Cor. 16:22..there is a strong word from Paul when he says; IF ANY MAN LOVE NOT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA MARANATHA. (A curse on him).
Christ living at the right hand of God. In control of everything.
Paul loved and served the living Savior.
