A Study in Ephesians

(continued)

Chapter 2

19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God, 20 Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: 21 In whom all the building, being framed together, grows up into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In whom you also are built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit.

 Chapter 3

1 For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles; 2 If yet you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me towards you: 3 How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words; 4 As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, 5 Which in other generations was not known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit: 6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and co-partners of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel: 7 Of which I am made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, which is given to me according to the operation of his power: 8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:

My Friends:

Notice in the first two verses here we see St. Paul telling us that we are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God; how is it that we have so many divisions in the church? Each one claiming to be led by the Holy Spirit yet at odds with one another? Is there not One Father, One Only Begotten Son, One Holy Spirit? Is there not but one worship, one truth? Why are divided on this, those who claim to be of the ancient church as handed down from generation to generation?

We are told are we not in the next few verses that we are one building being fitted together into one holy temple in the Lord? My friends; disunity is unacceptable, it mocks the Most Holy Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. The world already mocks, are to add to this mocking with disunity?

In the first five verses of chapter 3 St. Paul speaks about these things were revealed to him, the mystery was made known to him and had been revealed to the sons of men in ages past, how is this possible that the man who never followed Jesus Christ or listened to any of the Apostles but instead was a persecutor of the church, a murderer of all who followed the way, could suddenly have this knowledge? St. Paul says that it was revealed to him. Did the Holy Spirit tell him all things that he never knew? I don’t think so, remember that St. Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel; Acts 22:   3 And he saith: I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, as also all you are this day. Gamaliel the elder was one of the most renowned teachers of his day. St. Paul would have already been taught these things except that the Jews were not ready for Jesus in the manner in that He came, politics and power struggle was in the way of understanding and accepting.

Almighty God indeed gives His wisdom to those who love Him; Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 1: 9 He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her, and measured her. 10 And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him.

St. Paul had been taught the truth but did not have the proper application of it until his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. How could the truth be known and yet not known? Pride, politics, a closed heart, these things cut off the message of the Holy Spirit. The Jews were to be a nation of one worship to the One True God and to be the light to the world bringing in all other nations. That is now the job of the church, are we following the same path as the ancient Jews?

Is there too much pride and politics in much of the church today? Has the idea of truth so infiltrated the church that she along with the world sees the truth as relevant to one’s own understanding? We must rid the church of the wolves, reunite and be one voice for Jesus Christ on this earth. There simply is no other way.

May the God of all understanding and mercy not let the church established by His Only Begotten Son rest until it is purged and has become one temple, united in one voice, one worship of the One True God through the One True Only Begotten Son in the power of the One Holy Spirit. May those who understand this prayer also pray, may those who do not understand, gain understanding or be purged from the church until understanding be gained.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ,

Monk Michael

monkmichael.com