What Is God’s Plan For The Church?
LESSONS FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS. Have you seen a yard sign like the one below? Many members of the church here display a yard sign inviting the community to come to this page every Monday for a new article. Scroll down to view all previous articles in this series.
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Monday, October 14, 2024
Article #3: The Saints and the Faithful
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Paul, appointed to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, writes a letter to a group of people he identifies as the saints and the faithful (Ephesians 1:1). These two descriptive words, saints and faithful, describe not only the people who make up the church at Ephesus, but also the church Jesus purchased with His blood. It is the church of which Jesus is the head.
It should be noticed that Paul is writing to a living group of people who are called saints. These are people who have been declared sacred by God. They are people whom God has made blameless because they have been forgiven of their sins. They are people set apart from the rest of the world because they are devoting themselves to God.
The saints are also referred to as the “beloved of God” (Romans 1:7). They are sanctified people (1 Corinthians 1:2). They are a group of people referred to in a specific location such as Rome and Corinth, as well as living in a region such as Achaia.
The faithful are people who are loyal to God and are steadfast in their beliefs. They have not wavered in their allegiance to God and the principles God has revealed. Their actions demonstrate how committed they are to the teachings of God and the commandments of God.
In addressing the people in Colossae, Paul uses similar language; he calls them “saints and faithful brethren in Christ” (Colossians 1:2). To the church at Smyrna, John the apostle encourages the brethren to be faithful until death and they will receive a crown (Revelation 2:10).
The church is composed of people who are both saints and faithful. They are Christians either in a local sense such as Ephesus, or they are members of the church from a universal sense. This universal sense includes all of the people who have become Christians from the day of Pentecost until the last day the world is in existence.
People must become saints while they are living. Once they become saints they must remain faithful to God regardless of what might happen to them.
As we contemplate these two descriptive words, let us ponder their significance to the content of this letter. Let us ask ourselves are we saints who are faithfully living out God message in our daily lives?
In most of Paul’s letters, he is revealing God’s information as to how those who are members of the universal church and who want to be saints and faithful to God should be living. By applying this information to their lives, then Christians will be saints and faithful in living God’s way.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Carlton G. McPeak
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Monday, October 7, 2024
Article #2: Will of God Appoints Paul
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In introducing himself to the Ephesians, Paul identifies himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (Ephesians 1:1). There are several points that need to be mentioned about this “title” that Paul gives to himself. Paul is saying that he did not appoint himself as an apostle, but that he was appointed to be an apostle by the will of God.
In the days of Paul, the word “apostle” was not necessarily a religious word. It could mean a delegate or a messenger, but added information had to be given to understand who this “apostle” was representing. In the New Testament, it applied to the twelve men Jesus appointed from among His followers to be His special delegates or messengers to the world. Paul, in other writings, claims to have the same authority as these original twelve men.
In Ephesians, Paul indicates that God appointed him to be an apostle. Therefore, the things Paul wrote would be the message God wanted people to hear. This would apply both to when Paul spoke on behalf of God, as well as when Paul wrote what God wanted him to write. In other words, Paul’s writings are authoritative and not his opinion. It is not “what Paul thought God was saying”, but rather “what God was saying.”
As a delegate, messenger, or ambassador of Christ Jesus, Paul is stating that he is speaking on the behalf of Jesus. Paul is not delivering his own message, but rather is delivering the message of Christ Jesus.
Reading through the book of Ephesians, we must remember that Paul is describing how God brought the church into existence, why He brought it into existence, and how He wants this church to function. By Paul having this authority to write God’s message, and by him writing out God’s message, then after reading this letter and understanding this letter, then we can have the knowledge God gave to Paul about the church God planned before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 3:3-7).
One of the conclusions that must be reached is that the church in our world today should look the same as the church in the day of Paul. There was only one church in the days of Paul, and because Paul taught the same thing in all the churches, they looked the same. It should be the so today.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Carlton G. McPeak
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Monday, September 30, 2024
Article #1: God’s Plan for the Church
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As “an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” (Ephesians 1:1), Paul received information directly from God about different subjects pertaining to Christianity. One such revelation was concerning a “mystery.” The book of Ephesians records this “mystery” – God’s plan for the church. Paul wrote it down so we can read it, understand it, and apply it to our lives.
In the New Testament, the word “church” is used in two senses. One sense has a very narrow application, such as a local church, like the “church” at Jerusalem, Antioch, Philippi, Corinth or Ephesus. The other sense has a very broad application, such as when Jesus said He would build His “church”, or the “church” was purchased with the blood of Jesus, or people are added to the “church” by God. In his opening comments of the book of Ephesians, Paul states he is writing to both those “saints who are at Ephesus” (the narrow sense) and to the “faithful in Christ Jesus” (the broad sense) (Ephesians 1:1).
This article is focused on the broad sense of the word “church.” What was God’s plan for the church in “the broad sense”?
We can see the book of Ephesians is divided into two parts – Chapters 1-3 and Chapters 4-6. Chapters 1-3 show what God did to plan for this church, why He planned it, and how we can know about it. Chapters 4-6 show what God planned for those, who would be members of this church, to be doing.
Paul says God made all these plans before the foundation of the world. God knew exactly what He wanted to do and He accomplished His plans. The motivation behind God making these plans was to display to mankind His great love, mercy and grace. He revealed this plan to mankind through the apostles and prophets, who heard it and wrote it down. It has been preserved through time for us to read, understand, and apply.
God wanted there to be unity among all believers. God provided five groups of people to edify these believers so that they would remain steadfast and not lose their faith. He also revealed how He wanted the members of this church to interact with one another as members and how to interact within the family setting. He even gave instructions as to how a person should be equipped so they would remain a Christian and to fight the spiritual battles that would confront them.
The book of Ephesians is a great book for everyone to read and study if they want to know God’s plan for the church. When Christians properly apply God’s plan, then they will be living God’s way.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Carlton G. McPeak