Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 6

What Is the New Covenant and Are We Living In it?
by Michael Clark

Things became very clear to me that my salvation was not a result of my works, or even my best efforts but God’s, when I read chapter eight of Hebrews and understand what it reveals. There I read the difference between the Old Covenant of works under the Law of Moses and the New Covenant which Jeremiah prophesied of God’s wonderful Grace. The writer of Hebrews wrote:

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt*; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws in their minds, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 8:7-12 KJ2000)

The first covenant (the covenant given through Moses, note also this word covenant was added as it is in italics) was doomed to failure because it hinged on the obedience of seemingly endless list of commandments, that the Hebrews had to keep. (Just as Moses lost the glory that was upon his face and he covered to hide until it had faded away. The fading away was what this covenant of laws was to do also because it could not administer life, God's Life to an already dead people.) By their own strength and as we read here they failed and broke this covenant that they made with God, thusly releasing God from doing His part. If life could have been enacted by this covenant of laws then it stands to reason it would not have been broken. So God knowing this had a further plan that WOULD work and in this plan, it is not dependent on the righteousness of the first Adam (fallen man), but the righteousness of the Last Adam, Jesus Christ. The first covenant enacted by Israel as a nation was filled with “thou shalt’s and thou shalt not’s” but the second and more perfect covenant is pronounced with a short list of “I WILL’s” and it is all fulfilled by the working of the will of God in each of us:

I will make a new covenant
I will put my laws into their minds
I will write my laws in their hearts
I will be to them a God and they shall be my people
They shall not teach every man his neighbor…for all shall know me
I will be merciful to their unrighteousness
I will remember their sins no more

In Ezekiel we read a bit more about this covenant saying,
“And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned by the Hebrews among the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that 'I AM' the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations (Psalm2:6-8), and gather you out of all countries (Psalm2:9), and will bring you into your own land (spiritual Zion, Beulah land Isaiah's message of 62:4-5 in similitude). Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:23-27 KJ2000)

I will sanctify my great name
I will be sanctified in you
I will take you from among the nations
I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean
I will cleanse you
I will give you a new heart
I will put a new spirit within you
I will take away your stoney hearts
I will cause you to walk in my statues and do them

Nope, not a single “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not,” but fifteen “I will…” statements by God. The New Covenant is “good news” because Jesus and the Spirit of God gives those who surrender to Christ, receive the power to obey Him and live upright lives IN Him. We live by God’s power and heart and not our own inability to please Him by our own works. So what are all these statutes and commandments He puts on our hearts? In Hebrews again we read,

In that he says, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away. (Heb 8:13 KJ2000)

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest who should be raised after the order of Melchizedek's *, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood has been changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (Heb 7:11-12 KJ2000)
*as it were from death, death here being the flood of Noah, the baptism by water of Shem and his future sons, still in his loins, the seed of promise, of which Abram was one.
I just revealed the mystery and power of the blood through which life is propagated and which can be known by nature itself.

Jesus Christ is our great High Priest and with Him and His covenant came in a New and changed law. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35 KJ2000)

To this Paul wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, self-control: against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23 KJ2000)

And in Romans we read, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law. For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Rom 13:8-9 KJ2000)

So, as we abide IN Christ we now find that we have a new heart, a new mind (the mind of Christ), a new Spirit, the Spirit of God, and are able to walk in His New Commandment, the law of love that sums up the whole old covenant law and it is all by the power of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of His Holy Spirit to abide in us and with us. THIS is the Good News of this Gospel, not a new list of rules and regulations we have to keep by our own strength… a list that we can not keep any more that the Hebrew people could keep the laws of the first covenant given through Moses. This covenant is not the same as that cut by God and Abraham, this Covenant is based on Abraham's being counted by God as Righteous. Which Israel as a nation never attained. The New Covenant is not about us, but it is all about Him and we who abide IN Him as members of HIS Body. Our being counted with Abraham as righteous. Amen, Lord. So be it!” 
Taken from a post by Michael Clark with limited editing by me.  

Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 5

Looking at what the Lord Himself says in this great chapter 24 of Matthew. As we look at this keep in mind, this is in the Lord’s earthly ministry to Israel, first the carnal man then the spiritual man (of 1Corinthians 15:47-49). The twelve have approached him with a question. But sadly few very very truly get to be the spiritual man, as like myself for years I remain deceived and in deceptions grip. It is NOT until the ontological essence of Christ within us truly takes hold of us do we become spiritual, until then all things remain as if in a fog and distant to us. The reality and Truth of scripture remains hidden from view, perception and our understanding. We do not see John the Baptist's and then Jesus being at odds with the establishment of Judaism and the culture which Israel had which sprung from the spirit of Religion. Nor do we understand the power of that deception until, until we are set free in Christ's victory, over Religion and our own flesh voice, the other man of sin within us all.

Matthew 24:3-4

"And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (this age)? And Jesus (the God of glory Himself) answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

So what is it? Deception and heresies is a sign of the end times, and we are seeing it like never before in all of Church history. For those trapped in the worlds deception of Religion are bound by the enemy within and do not see nor hear correctly. Their perception being veiled by the literal things of Religions great deceptions. The various ideals and contraptions that are coming at people from every direction are deceiving many, many people today. You can hear and see everything but this Gospel proclaimed today. When is the last time you heard the plan of salvation as outlined by the Apostle Paul for the Body of Christ believers proclaimed anywhere? We are seeing this wave of deception and the only way we can confront it is to have, know, and understand the Truth, and our faith in this Word of God. That is our only defense, because the masses are going to fall for these deceptions, and we are seeing it on every front. Alright, so it is through our faith that we rest on what God has said, and what He has promised, and with it we deflect all these deceptive statements, teachings and doctrines that are being spewed out from every direction.

Transparency and Freedom by Michael Clark

“However, their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil is still there when they read the old covenant. Only in union with Christ is this veil removed. Yet even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. As all of us reflect the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into the same image with ever-increasing glory by the Lord’s Spirit.” 2Corinthians 3:14-18 ISV

There is the spiritual man and then there is the carnal or worldly man. The world has been all about hiding and intrigue ever since Adam and Even sinned and covered themselves with fig leaves and hid from God. Men prefer darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.

It is interesting to read in the synoptic gospels and Jesus’ encounter with the people of Israel in light of transparency or the lack thereof. Most did not have a clue where He was coming from or what He was saying, just as the many to this very day still have NO clue. His greatest appeal to most of them was the fact that He could heal or give them a free meal when hungry. But there were a small handful that He could speak to who had an unveiled face and nothing to hide. Take the Samaritan woman at the well, for instance. What a contrast this “sinner” was with the learned (Religious leaders of the) Jews who constantly sough to trap Him from behind their veiled faces…..the very meaning of the word hypocrite! To her He revealed great spiritual truths, that the learned Pharisee, Nicodemus, could not begin to understand and she was a “sinner” and a “dog” in their eyes. Her unveiled face and honesty made all the difference.

The root of the word hypocrite according to Merrium-Webster:

Middle English ypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritēs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai

These Greek actors wore masks to deceive and play the part of the person they portrayed. Their faces were “veiled.” So we see Jesus calling these sanctimonious, learned Jews who sought to trap him, hypocrites. John the Baptist called them serpents and vipers with the poison of asps under their tongues. He never once called a sinner, harlot, or a publican or even a hated Roman by that name. They all knew that they needed help and came to Jesus, the Great Physician, for that help and He turned none of them away. When criticized by the religious Jews for having contact with the sinners Jesus said, “Those who are whole need not a physician, but those who are sick.” They knew they were sick but the Religious never will acknowledge their need.

Have you, as one of His saints, every had a religious person come up to you and fain that they really liked you and wanted to be taken into their confidence, only to find that once you revealed to them what you really felt or believed, they then turn on you and tried to capture or attack you in their vein philosophies and self-righteousness? Have you ever been wounded by such people simply because you laid open your heart to them and then were trampled into the ground? I have.

Jesus warned us to “be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves.” He warned us not to spill our pearls before swine because first they will stomp your pearls in the mud and then turn and tare you apart! Transparency is something that makes us vulnerable, but you will see in the synoptic Gospels that Jesus was cautious with the Pharisees, Sadducee's and Scribes, but open with those who the Father gave Him. In fact He prayed regarding this contrast saying,

“’O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank You for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased You to do it this way.’ My Father has given Me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Luke 10:21-22 NLT)

Dear saints, we should be able to be “open faced” with one another, because the love of God compels us to reach out to one another in the bond of Christ as members of His Body. If we find that we are being betrayed by a person we confided in or that they never reveal what is in their heart to us in heart to heart communication, as a one way street, chances are that we are dealing with either a wounded person that has not been healed or a hypocrite. Remember, our enemy has sown tares in among the wheat in the Father’s field.

Oh, what a joy it is when we can communicate in loving safety with anothers in the Spirit and go away knowing we have found a true member of our Spiritual family and just been edified by the experience. This experience keeps us searching and hoping for a broader manifestation of the kingdom of God and heaven, where unveiled faces abound. Remember, “Only in union with Christ is that veil removed.”         

Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 4

Ephesians 6:16a

"Above all, taking the shield of faith,..."

The next is probably the most important weapon we have against Satan. This is what we are to use in our Spiritual warfare. We are sure you have all heard it at one time or another before but we are going to repeat it again. All the things that Paul is mentioning here are on the front of the soldier, and what does that tell us? We are to never run, because the back side is left virtually undefended though it be covered by the robe of righteousness. All the average Roman soldiers armor was to the front, as he was never to retreat. He fought to the death no matter what.

Ephesians 6:16

"Above all, taking the shield of faith*, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked **."

*the Roman soldier used the shield to deflect arrows, they would interlock the shields to make a wall several layers deep and so forth. **the wicked one, the unbelievers and the infidels, the religiously wicked.

So the shield is what? Our trusting faith! And how do we emphasize faith, and what is our definition of faith? "Taking God at His Word!" Trusting Him as Seth, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Eber and Abram who became Abraham did. They expressed their trust of Him by their love for Him and how did they show their love? By doing as He told them, therefore faith works through our deep love of God. We have all these great and precious promises that God has given us, and so how do we appropriate them? By loves trusting Him, Who is faithfulness, we believe with them and are therefore counted with them. And who's faith are we to trust in? Why, Christ's, as He trusted His Heavenly Father's faithfulness, just as we are too. Jesus said that He and  the Father of Life were one by love and deep respect for each other. And everything that comes from the opposition, we deflect with something that the Word has promised. We think that even the staunchest believer have to admit that Satan will come and hit us with doubt and vain imaginations. The weak and beggarly things of our own flesh, the enemy within. We do not think that there is anybody that is not hit at times with doubt or wrong images, thinkings and perceptions of things to come or of the unknown. (Speaking of the unknown, many are not true believer because they are afraid of change, because change has a degree of risk in the unknown. Faith often works best in total darkness of the unknown and is therefore requires of us.) Where and how or through whom does he accomplish this, by our own friends and neighbors, he may at times use our own words against us as well. Well, how are we going to deflect it? With our faith. How are we going to resist all these attacks of the evil one from within? With our faith. It is just simply "God has said it and I believe it," and if God has said it what more do you want. So our shield is faith, and oh what a word that Paul uses over and over. In fact just back up a page or two to Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2:8a

"For by grace are ye saved through faith;..."

Remember faith is not something that you can lay out on the table, faith is not something that you feel. But rather faith is something that you just simply take at Word value, the value of God, and say, "I BELIEVE IT" because this is what God has said. In every aspect of our Christian experience, how do we know that the Holy Spirit dwells within? The Holy Spirit did not make some big announcement saying, "I’m coming in to live with you." There is not a diploma that someone signs, that the Holy Spirit dwells within. So how do we know that He does? The Bible says so, and we take it, receive Him by faith and we continue to posses Him by faith. We cannot feel Him, but we know He is here, because this is what the Word teaches and declares to us.

I have to take us back to the verse that I gave in the book of Matthew chapter 24. The question is asked, "What about all these different things that we are hearing and reading about in Christendom today?" They are as different as daylight and darkness, and they are as false as false can be, and what does all of this tell us? Well, according to Matthew chapter 24, it tells us that we are nearing the end of the age, and one of the basic signs of the end times is a tremendous wave of deception, even John in First John reveals that there are many anti-Christ's gone out from among them, and we are seeing and hearing it. Before we turn to Matthew we will look at 1John 2 beginning with verse 19 to the end of this chapter, for a moment;

 

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-Christ, that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. This is the promise that He has promised us, eternal life. These have I written to you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as He has taught you, you shall abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that every one that does righteousness is born of Him.”
John here reveals the many who came out from among the believers as anti-Christ's, the ones who deny that Christ has come again, returned as the Holy Spirit to indwell man. Which was promised and happened on the day of Pentecost, not many days after His ascension. In total fulfillment of scripture. Jesus said that He would never leave them, the disciples and therefore would never leave the world empty of Himself again. Which happened after man rebelled, through Adams disobedience, as the seed within him. Which put all mankind in this rebellion and disobedience. The family of Satan's likeness.

 

Look at what the Lord Himself says in this great chapter. As we look at this keep in mind, this is in the Lord’s earthly ministry and the twelve have approached him with a question.    

Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 3

Ephesians 6:15

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;"

Can you imagine a Roman soldier out on the battle field in briers and sharp rocks with nothing to protect his feet? Of course they had to be protected, otherwise he would have been powerless against the enemy. They had a sandal which laced up above the calf, which had a hard leather bottom sole and for battle this was changed for one with spikes fixed in place on the bottom. This they would set hard into the soil which made them immovable and then they would lock their shields to make a wall which would cover them. But we too must have our feet shod with the preparation of this Gospel of peace. There are a couple of good verses for this, where we have the feet referred to in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Always remember, the feet are beautiful in the sight of God when we take this Gospel to other people. Though because of the veil which masks our vision and perception, in the beginning of our walk, many still do not truly understand nor except this Gospel of Grace. And therefore resist the kingdom which both John the Baptist introduced and Jesus brought about. A heavenly kingdom of Grace, Peace and Love for all mankind, who will live in Truth as a personal choice through death of self will, the enemy within us. For those who resist as a personal choice after hearing the True Gospel of Grace by Religious preference, remain in their sin of self will. And will be so judged as having grieved the Holy Spirit given them as a deposit for better things yet to come.

Ephesians 6:15

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;"

Go back to the Old Testament first and that will be in Isaiah chapter 52:7. This is a verse that most of you are aware of, but we like to show that the Old and New fit so beautifully in so many ways.

Isaiah 52:7a

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation;..."

We made the comment recently, that the primary purpose of the Bible from cover to cover is that one word "Salvation." The main purpose of the Word of God is to bring lost and the unbelieving people to a knowledge of Salvation. Remember God is not willing that any should perish! And if they are not to perish, then they need to get the remedy (the revelation of Christ) from the Word of God. And as we have said so often, this remedy can only be found for the Church Age in Paul’s Gospel, as we see in I Corinthians 15:1-4 which is faith + Nothing in the finished work of the cross and the LORD's ascension. So whether it is the Old Testament or the New Testament, salvation is the main purpose for mankind to have a Bible. 

Isaiah 52:7

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bring good tidings, that publish peace; that brings good tidings of good that publish salvation; that say to Zion, Thy God reigns!"

This portion of Scripture was written explicitly to the nation of Israel, and the overall concept is still the same. Back to the New Testament to the book of Romans where the Apostle Paul uses much the same language with regard to the feet, of the one that is taking good news to the world. Remember, this is not limited to pastors, preachers, and evangelists, but rather this is for every true believer, whoever they are, and wherever they are. We should always be ready to proclaim the good tidings of this, so Great a Salvation. So let’s look at Romans chapter 10 for a moment.

Romans 10:15

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written*, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

*and here is where Paul goes back to the verse we just read in Isaiah.

Beautiful feet, because this Gospel always lifts people out of their misery. Now we do not make the claim that when we become a Christian everything suddenly becomes a path of roses or smooth goings, but it is such a far cry from the misery of the world, that words can’t explain it. Always remember where we as believers come head and shoulders above the rest of world is, yes we are going to have problems, we are going to have trials, we are going to have tribulations, but the Lord is within us, and He takes us through it, and that is what makes the difference. Because He has over come the world of self willed mankind and destroyed the enemy within by so doing. So be ready to take the good news of this Great Salvation wherever you are, and the moment you do, you are using your beautiful feet. Now coming back to Ephesians chapter 6, and looking at verse 16.    

Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 2

Ephesians 1:13

"In whom ye also trusted, (in Christ, in verse 12) after that ye heard the word of truth*, the gospel of your salvation**: in whom also after that ye believed***, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,"

*an again we can put the term Christ in there for Truth, which is this gospel. **that is when we became a believer. When we heard the Word of Truth, this Gospel. ***and nothing else. Then after you believed this Gospel.

The whole concept of Paul’s teaching is, "That Christ is the very Truth of God, He is the Word of God, and we are to be surrounded with His very presence.” And John in his synoptic gospel affirms this. Look with me at the end of verse 14 of Ephesians 6, where we left off.

Ephesians 6:14b

"...an having on the breastplate of righteousness:"

Those of you who remember when we were in Romans chapter 3, how did we receive the righteousness of God? When we believe this Gospel! We had to do a little research on this because we never want to put something in here that is not here. But the breastplate of the Roman soldier that Paul was looking at as he was writing this did not just cover the upper chest as we may think of it as a bullet proof vest today. But the breastplate actually went to the lower part of the torso, where the legging then would pick up. So this breast plate of righteousness was that which covered the whole torso of the Roman soldier. The wealthy ones had a connecting hing strap on one side and a buckled strap on the other. Which means this plate also went around to cover the backside as well. Then at the shoulder tops on each side, was a place for the regiment colored cape to be attached which hung down the back. Now look at Romans chapter 3 for a moment. We should recognize the verses because I have used them often. And remember the breastplate is righteousness! This is our security, it is our defense against the principalities and powers.

Romans 3:21-22a

"But now (that we are under Grace rather than Law) the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of (in) Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:..."

I used the term under Grace, maybe it should be in Grace because Grace is active, contrary to common definition, Grace is Christ and Christ is Grace and Christ is God, the Life giving force of Light. We must also keep in mind that for those who oppose God and themselves such as Satan and Molech this same Light means death for them and their minions. What is, unto all and upon all them? Righteousness! Not just any righteousness but rather it is God’s righteousness, which is imputed to us. It covers us, it is our defense against the powers of darkness. This righteousness has been placed upon all them that believe! For we are clothed in Christ, we will call it a shoulder cape of red, which rests upon us, His regiment seal. Do any of you remember the book titled “The Red Cape of Redemption” on its cover was a Roman shoulder with this cape upon him as his regard. We are clothed in Christ and His glory surrounds us. Another one we always like to use from the Old Testament is found in Isaiah chapter 61, and verse 10. This is a Jewish prophet, but he is also writing by the inspiration of the Spirit the same as Paul is.

Isaiah 61:10

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he (God) hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,..."

Do you see the analogy? Oh as God’s righteousness has been imputed, it becomes the breastplate that Paul talks about in Ephesians chapter 6, which Isaiah refers to as a garment. And it is our defense against the powers of the evil one which covers both frontal assault and also the rear from assault as well. Now coming back to Ephesians for just a moment, let’s look at verse 15.     

Ephesians Lesson 39 of 39 part 1.5

This is why he could say in the book of Philippians chapter 1verse13, that this Gospel had reached even into the palace. We mean this is hard to comprehend, that under those horrible pagan circumstances, yet the man in the power of the Holy Spirit was constantly winning those men to Christ, who in turn were going into other places of duty and were becoming a testimony of Christ as well. It is possibly through these men that his message survived now for almost 2000 years. Because as we all know the small churches did not survive. Like ours they fell prey to the adversary as the angel of light in obdurate poverty of sin, in what is called and known as Religion. But God in each generation has those who give to Him their all, holding nothing back. It is these people great and small that He has built the body of Christ with, as living witnesses of His presence, in another wise dark and foreboding world.

Philippians 1:13

"So that my bonds* in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;"

*those chains to which he was attached to one or two Roman soldiers. And as his usual costume was, he called himself a love slave of Christ.

That is throughout Rome and the Roman empire. Come over to chapter 4 with me please and this just builds on this verse. Here Paul is closing the letter to the Philippians and says the following. 

Philippians 4:22

"All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household."

This is why I do not think Nero was yet the emperor, because Nero would never have allowed this. But because of Paul’s testimony to those soldiers who would come in and be his personal guard. And when they were rotated out to other places of service, they were actually penetrating the household of the emperor. Some of course feel that this was limited to the Roman headquarters of that garrison from which these guards were assigned, rather than the actual palace of the emperor. But whatever, Paul was having such an impact on those Roman soldiers as they would come into guard him, 24 hours a day that by the time they left that tour of duty they went out as believers. We know that they went to the ends of the Roman empire, and that is why that Paul could write to Titus in chapter 2 the following.

Titus 2:11

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath (already) appeared to all men."

Just stop and think about that a moment. What a testimony that man had, even as a prisoner, winning those pagans around him to a knowledge of salvation. He had built a network, a system of communication with them and they keep him abreast of everything the Lord was doing through their efforts. The Lord working with and among them. Now if you will come back to Ephesians chapter 6, we find that Paul writes from first hand experience of the preparations for battle that the Roman soldier had to go through. Also that all of these things that Paul mentions are defensive weapons. There is only one offensive weapon mentioned and it is also used defensively, and that is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. It along has the power to cut both ways as a double edged sword, it can cut deeply severing the bone from the marrow and it can heal.

Ephesians 6:14a

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,..."

The loins is the upper legs, or the thigh area and that of course was to deflect the spears and the arrows of the enemy. Mans strongest point. Paul is going to bring that now into the Spiritual realm, and so as the Roman soldier had his loins protected with some sort of armor, a belt with dangling leather strips with metal end-plats and some kind of metal design plats, we too are to have our spiritual loins girt about with Truth. Those of you who have been following our postings very long know there is another term that we can always substitute for the word "truth" and not do violence to the Scripture, and what is it? The name of Christ!

If we are literally protected by the presence of Christ, then Satan cannot touch us. You know as we put the nose of the car into traffic, we have learned to just ask the Lord to just hedge us about with His presence. When that is there nothing can touch us. We run across horrible accidents constantly, or maybe came across a mishap along the way or have a close call ourselves. That is enough to just curl your hair, but we have to constantly rest in the knowledge that we are in His protective care, and Satan cannot touch us. Always remember Satan cannot touch us without God permitting it to happen. So here again we are to have our lions girt about with the very presence of Christ, the Truth. In Ephesians chapter 1 we find this.

Ephesians 1:13-14

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of Truth, this gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."       

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 7

Romans 8:38-39

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, (creation) shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In other words, these principalities, and powers that Paul speaks of are in Satan’s domain. And are the powers of darkness that Paul warns us about in Ephesians, and again he does not tell us to attack them, but rather we are to resist them, we are to have a defense against them, and be ready with the Scriptures to resist. For both James and Peter advise those to whom they are writing to resist the devil or the evil of the evil day. We always have to understand that it is not flesh and blood that we defend against. Except in the fact that it is in our very flesh that we are waging this war for spiritual supremacy and Not against anyone else. We have to have the speck in out own eye removed, first. But we are not even equipped to do this in our own strength or sufficiency. Paul knew that better than anyone else. As he writes this letter to the Ephesians believers, where is he? Well he is in prison in Rome, and whether it was this exact moment, or a year or two later, who became the most awful emperor that the Roman empire had ever experienced? Nero. It was under Nero of course that Paul and Peter were finally put to death.

I have to feel as we study and ponder some of these things, that some of the freedom that Paul experienced in his earthly prison experience was because there was another emperor – as Nero came in a little later. There was a man, a Roman general, under Nero, who was the epitome of Satan himself for he had his legion destroy both the Jewish Temple and the city of Jerusalem. But we do know that Nero was the emperor when Paul was put to death. Nero was wicked, and like Ahab in the Old Testament, and he also had a wife that was worse than he was. She was a proselyte of Judaism, and she of course would listen to the Judaizers who detested the Apostle Paul, and wanted his life to end. So she egged Nero on in a lot of his wicked things. 

So Paul writes from a position of full understanding what it is to be up against the powers and principalities and the wickedness, and darkness of this world. He knew what it was, as he was talking from first hand experience. He knew the evil of the Judaizers and those like them, namely their own higher echelon of leadership because these men did not act on their own. But on the other hand, Paul never gave up, Paul never despaired, because his makeup was constantly up beat as we will see when we get into the book of Philippians where his comments were rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, over and over, in spite of his horrible circumstances, and so it is an encouragement to us. 

We have no idea what this apostle had to go through, but we do get a little picture of the wickedness, and the things that are taking place in the realm of the principalities and powers, because all we have to do is pick up our daily papers or tune to the news. What is causing the murders and the random violence that is sweeping not only America, but the whole world? Well it is the Satanic powers, of principalities and the things that are constantly producing such lawlessness and wickedness. In verse 13, and Paul begins with the word "Wherefore," since we are dealing with something beyond the physical, this is something that is in the area of the invisible. And that of course is where Satan’s domain is.

Ephesians 6:13

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

Another point I would like to make is, if Paul is in prison in Rome, who is constantly in his presence? Roman soldiers, as one or possibly two of them were usually chained to him. So he had a first hand view of the operations, from the mouth of a Roman solder. This is unique to Paul, that he uses the things that were around him in the everyday world to make his point even though it was Holy Spirit inspired, just as Jesus did. For example, when he tells us to run the race, what is he making the analogy with? The Olympic style games. He gives us the same background that the Olympic runners had to prepare to run their race, and so do we have to prepare to run our race for the Lord. We are to train and be trained by the Holy Spirit in all things spiritual to what end? To fulfill our calling and election as a laborer, a steward who God approves. This does not happen over night or at the wink of the eye but rather over time as Peter points out in first Peter.

 

Of course he is using the Roman solder to make a point. These soldiers were known for their ability in battle. As he comes down through these verses he is going to literally look at that Roman soldier, or possibly a Roman gladiator, prepared for altercation of one sort or another. He may not have had all his battlefield armor on, or at least what was required for close combat. But yet Paul was aware of all the things that Roman soldier needed before he went into battle. He was seeing it around him all the time. Paul was such a tremendous witness of this Gospel, that even these pagan Romans soldiers, as they took their place as his personal guard, by the time they rotated out to another place of service, what where they? They were believers!    

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 6

Matthew 4:1-3

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
Why was Jesus sent to the wilderness? To be tempted. Being "led by the Holy Spirit", here is our ey, we are also to be so led. To drive the power of the Holy Spirit home within Him, He had to become dependent on Him, just as we are too. For the same reason we are delivered to Israel's first estate by God at our conversion, which is our Redemption. For the proofing of our redemption and the bring us to seeing the need for His salvation. From there we learn of Him and that is this is all about. We know the Lord could have done it, but He certainly was not going to do it at Satan’s bequest, so what does He do? He withstands him, He resists him, and look how He does it. This resisting is where I fail quite often, I listen to the voice of my flesh all to often. I desire Christ to be LORD, of my total being, as He is of my soul and newly awakened spirit.

Matthew 4:4

"But he answered and said, It is written, (He quotes Scripture) Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Did you catch that? Man is to live by God's Will or Word alone. Which by the way is the Law. Not the law as given Israel but God's Law, a Law which is most certainly different than the Law of through Moses. Alright now you come through these various temptations and every time, what does Jesus quote? The Scripture! That is our defense, do you see that? Coming back to the book of Ephesians, as we look at these verses in whole, there is not one word in here that we are to attack or do physical battle with Satan. The battle we are to wage is mental and spiritual, the submission of our all to God's kingdom rule within us. All of the attributes of this event are defensive, and that is all we can do. We can withstand him, James says, we can resist him, and he will flee from us. So here is where we have to have a knowledge of the Scriptures in order to confront Satan, not on our ground but rather on God's, if and when he approaches us. When we receive this Gospel, Satan cannot touch God or His children though he wages war all around us. Unless we allow him by way of vain imaginations, evil people, mans intelligence, mans Government, economies and world wars. The vain imaginations area is where I personally have my trouble, from from my mind and from within through the voice of the flesh which is deeply rooted from child-hood.

So we are to be prepared because he will attack at a moment, one time or another. You know, we don’t think we have to feel that he is constantly attacking us day in and day out. We told someone the other day, and it probably shocked them a little bit, that I have more trouble with my old sin nature than I do with Satan. Isn’t that right? It is our old sin nature (his secret tool) that gives us the most problems. Satan, I think, and this is problematic and periodic in his attacks on the believer. But our old Adamic nature is a 24 hour a day battle, because that is where we are in a constant warfare, and we are must vulnerable there. Though we strive for the keeping of the flesh under submission to God. We do fail.

Ephesians 6:12

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Paul covers a host of areas from which the adversary attacks us and we must know them and understand how they operate. In order to resist. Come back to Romans chapter 8, because the only way we can teach is to compare Scripture with Scripture, because it usually explains itself better than I can. Here Paul writes in the conclusion of this great chapter of Romans 8 about our security as a believer.   

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 5

Ephesians 6:9

"And, ye masters*, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening; knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is respect of persons with him."

*in this case owners but for us usually business owners, foremen and departmental heads.

God is saying to the masters and owners to forbear with their workers, listen to them, because they are human beings just like you are, so do not threaten them. Do not be angry and do not allow anger to fester more than a moment. So the lesson carries through right to our own day and time. When a corporate manager or owner of a business has people under him, especially if he is a believer, he is to treat his employees as God treats him, he is going to be successful. He is going to have a happy work force, and we have known some small companies like that. Most of their employees were Christians and the owners were Christians and they did not have any labor trouble. They had excellent safety and production records because it is so true. What God has mandated is going to work.

I mentioned back in the Corinthian letters, that we will notice that every once in a while Paul just seems to shift gears, and will go from one subject to something seemingly totally different, and here is one of them. In the prior sections he came out of the relationship between the husband and the wife, based on love, and the comparison of the love of Christ and the Church, as a unit, with the same makeup as a healthy family unit. Then he carried on into chapter 6 with that same attitude between the parents and their children, but now we come into something totally different. We must also keep in mind that when Paul wrote these articles they did not have breaks, such as paragraphs nor line breaks, they just flowed smoothly. Now we are going to cover the territory of dealing with our adversary Satan and the powers that be. In a similar fashion as John saw it by revelation (in visionary form) in the book called by that name.

Ephesians 6:10-11

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

We have no idea how many ask, "Is it Scriptural that we are to bind Satan?" Personally we have heard it, but that does not mean its so, because it sure is not in this Bible. There is no way that we humans can bind Satan. Satan is a spirit being, and God in His power over angels will one day, as we see in Revelation chapter 19, bind him and put him in the pit for a thousand years. What we need is a revelation of the Master, LORD, Christ Jesus as God, Who alone has not only power but all Authority over all things. But there is no way that we can bind Satan today, nor are we instructed to attempt to do so. For even the angels who are of quail rank with Satan and his counter part (yes there were two who fell and of course all those lesser angels under their authority were case out to the earth with them) said, the LORD rebuke you. We are not told to plead the blood around or over anything but we are told to apply it to ourselves. We pointed out to one individual that the instruction as we see right here is to resist him, to oppose him, but there is no way we are going to bind him. 

Ephesians 6:11

"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

The first thing we always have to do in Bible study is think of a situation way back where we have a perfect example of what Paul is talking about here. We like to do this just to make people think. Where, do you think is an instant where someone resisted Satan? Well, the Lord did, in Matthew chapter 4. Go back there for a moment and look at it. If Satan were to have been bound, then the Lord would have done it right there, but He does not, so what does He do? He resists him! And how does He resist old Satan? By the way, where was he (as Satan) located, even in the Son of God, in the flesh, the house given to man as his covering made from the earth. He, Satan is the voice of mans flesh, which is in rebellion against God. Because the very earth which holds as in a dungeon, within it, Satan as Apollyon and Molech as death. Jesus, resisted With the Word of God. And it is no different for us today. We can not bind him (Satan or Molech), but we can resist him by the Word of God! We must know and keep in mind that God's Light will destroy them both. And from what source does this Light (which destroys darkness and evil) come from? The every Light which gives us Life but will destroy them, Christ Jesus, the LORD of All. This is why we have to pass from being dead through death and into His Light of Life, which is then restored to us as found in Genesis 2:7. And here it is in Matthew chapter 4.    

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 4

Philemon 1:8-10

"Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beseech thee for my son (in the faith) Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:"

In other words, because of Paul’s witnessing while in prison, he was somehow able to get this Gospel across to Onesimus. He was enabled by God to persuade Onesimus of the Truth, to convince him, this is to say cause him to have a change of heart. To receive the Light of Life in a dark and often a dingy place of resentment and bitterness which resides within mans heart. The same kind of thing we see in the hearts of individuals caught by police, in programs of crime and violence and law enforcement. This is also the state of the worlds church, it is the villein that these programs portray because of the depravity into which it now exists. We know this because of what the Lord Jesus told us would be known of them, they resist His Spirit within those who have become His disciples. When He said that they (the Israelite Priest-hood and those bond by Religion) hated Him and would also hate His disciples because they bear His Truth and Life of Light. The Light which exposes error and will destroy death. 

Philemon 1:11

"Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:"

Paul tells Philemon that this man in the past was unprofitable. Why? Because he had fled his place of service, and he had also no doubt stolen something from Philemon. But now since he has become a believer, Onesimus has become profitable to Paul as well as Philemon. That is what God's Salvation does for people. But as stated, we all must first acquire His Redemption, before we can pass through the corral gate into His Salvation, wherein we are become, in a process of perfection unto the mature man in and through Christ. For it is herein that we learn more and deeper things of Christ, which those who have received the right to become a son, only see as throw a veil. The veil being the man of flesh, mans own imaginations, the voice of the flesh, the darkness of evil, and the dwelling place of Satan-child. This child is increased in strength through Religion as he learns how to effectively resist the strong man within.

Philemon 1:12-18

"Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels (heart or innermost being). Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without thy mind (or agreement) would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever: Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, (and we’re pretty sure he did) or oweth thee ought,(for anything he might have stolen, Paul says,) put that on mine account;"

So these two people, slave master and his slave, are brought back together in the bonds of love because of the intercessory work of the Apostle Paul, who cooperated and was in agreement with the work of God by the Holy Spirit. Coming back to Ephesians chapter 6. We see that even though we are no longer under the economy of slavery (to the Law) today out in the work place of the world we have the masters and the hireling. And it is about the same set of circumstances today as it was then. A believer who is a owner and the boss over people should constantly reflect his Christianity. He should reflect his love received from the Lord as well as his love for the people, for both are to operate as one, to those who are under him. And for the most part we do not find this happening. Ether in the church or out of it....at times they seem to be worlds apart and this is not to be. This is the underling, hidden theme of Philemon.

Ephesians 6:8

"Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."

And again the Scripture says over and over that God is no respecter of persons. It does not impress God if a believing man is over a thousand people any more than a servant who is a believer, because in Christ we have that unity, of oneness. We are all servants of Christ, as He is of the world. To aid us in the understanding who the Lord is we will look at John's account of the garden tomb with Mary in chapter 20.

RABBONI—MY MASTER
John 20:11-16

"But Mary stood without at the tomb weeping. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master."

We are not to hold to the old things that have passed away but that which is NEW! Mary looked for Jesus in the way He HAD been, just like people look for Him where He has been, not Where and Who He is NOW!

2Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Galatians 6:15

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
People go back to look for Him in a stable full of animals. He is no longer there, nor is He still a baby!! He is not walking around on the earth giving His message, He already gave it!! He is not on the cross dead anymore and, as Mary saw and testified, HE ISN'T IN THE GRAVE!! He is sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of Grace, waiting for us to give up your old life through death, to take on His New Life and allow Him to be MASTER of that New Life!!
Nor is He still in the Old Testament Prophecy! He is come and gone, so we can stop looking for Him there. That was a foretelling of His coming.
He is not in the rites, rituals and ordinances of Judaism that most churches attempt to immolate, because in them all we do is sacrifice Him over and over and over instead of sacrificing your life of "SELF" for Him!!
You want to celebrate His Life? Then stop playing the harlot as Israel did and is still doing!!! Let Him be MASTER!!!    

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 3

Ephesians 6:6-7

"Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers: but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart: with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:"

What and who are those of eye service and men pleasures? They are those who say, do as I tell you and do as I say, but I do not have to be accountable to you or God for my own actions, I am better than the both of you. These men and women are NOT doing the Will of God from the heart, because they do not even know nor understand His Will. The sad thing is that many if not most of these people have chosen mans way and gone to a college or university to learn mans ways and have come out in worse shape than when they went in. It will be a while before we get to the book of Philemon. I am sure that we all understand the story behind the letter to Philemon. Philemon was a slave owner. He was a gentleman of means, and one of his bond slaves had evidently stolen from him, and fled the area of Colossi, which was over there in Western Turkey, and ends up with Paul. Probably in Rome, because this is one of his prison epistles. And somehow or other this slave, Onesimus, comes under the influence of Paul’s preaching, and becomes a believer. Paul was also instrumental in the redemption and ultimately the salvation of Onesimus’ owner Philemon, and so Paul is going to bring these two people back together, the slave and his master. This is the whole setting of this one page letter to Philemon. And what Paul is really saying is, "Yes you own him, he is your servant, but you are both in the Body of Christ and have become as One." Hay what does that do? That puts them and us on equal footing. Now Onesimus is still the servant, and Philemon is still the owner, but he is to no longer to treat this man like chattel. The purpose also of this letter is for Philemon to accept this slave back into his good graces, not as a wayward slave who would now be punished severely for what he had done, but as a fellow believer. The lesson here is, that when we know that our trusted pastor, teacher or evangelist have been found out as being false (the slave), we as a congregation (the masters) are out from under them. Let’s just drop in at verse 5. The setting here is that Paul is a prisoner in Rome and Philemon is probably a wealthy individual living over east of the city of Ephesus in Colossi.

Philemon 1:5

"Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;"

Who is that including? Even Onesimus, because now he is also a believer, and numbered with the saints. Here is the difference, this master bore Godly fruit, the evidence of His Spirit, while those mentioned above do not, as false prophets. We must learn Christ and God to be empowered to discern between the righteous and those who are unrighteous. And because of the years of wearing down, which could best be labeled risque, a slow decline over time. The churches morality and tolerance against such has declined to being Liberal beyond imagination. The church now tolerates what is NOT to be spoken of even in bad company.

Philemon 1:6-7a

"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing* which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love,..."

*the Holy Spirit and His production of fruit of the Spirit. That is right He is the fruit producer we only bear or carry in our daily walk the evidence of His activities within us.

Even this slave owner, this man Philemon, is exercising the theme about love that we had earlier, "Seeking other peoples highest good." Even his servants. Now that took something didn’t it? 

But today we do not see nor hear this within the congregations that gather in the Lord's name. Instead they have become more worldly in conduct (daily walk) and even language. Their leaders may use embellishing and swelling words which have a sound of truth, but the real Truth, Who is Truth, is far from them.

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 2

Acts 16:32-34

"And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. (evidently their redemption was evident) And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."* And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."

*so the emphasis is the whole family became believers.

So the father was instrumental in the whole family coming to know the Lord. Coming back to Ephesians and carry that right on through as Paul is also using that same set of circumstances. That if the father, who not only is Godly in the treatment of his wife up there in chapter 5, he will be instrumental in raising his children, in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Because of what is stated in verse 34, "believing in God with all his house." This indicates that like in so many other places, there was a knowledge of God which the Hebrews had been instrumental in getting out to the pagans around them, limited as it may have been. Then we have to also take into account the gossip about the Messiah, which must have excisted during His three and half years of ministry, and must have also spread. And especially after His crucifixion and resurrection this kind of thing did not go unnoticed by even the pagans in the area. This is just plain common sense, and then we have to remember Christianity is practical. Christianity is not pie in the sky as some would have you believe. It is not, as one lady in up in Wisconsin put it, "Blab it and Grab it." But it is just simply practical, and if we have a practical operating Christian home more than likely we’re going to see Christian children, who in turn will go out and begin their own Christian home, and that is the only thing that keeps it going. But if there is a break in that chain, then the next generation is out in the cold. Like the stock man who unwittingly placed the Bible in the fiction book area, in the book section of a store recently.

Back to Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 5. Paul now brings it into another segment of society, and that is the work place. We have to recognize that at the time of Paul, slavery of blacks and whites was still part and parcel of the economy (though its more spirited by those within the ranks than the outsiders). The Romans after their conquest of a people took all the youth back to the slave market and sold them into slavery. Today we have a hard time understanding that, but that is the way it was, and we have to look at it in that light. Always remember, when God sanctioned slavery, even back in the Old Testament times, He was not looking at it in a mean spiritedness of treating people like animals, but rather it was, an economy, that, had it been done in a Godly way, would have worked. 

We also want to remember that the vast majority of those people had no education, so they could not build up a profession, unless they were out of the 2 or 3 percent of the elite. So the masses were totally incapable of running a business or being in production, or anything like that, so the most comfortable area for them was working for someone, often as a slave. So if you had a benevolent slave master, he would provide the housing and the food, and the clothing, and everything that these people would need, and life was enjoyable. But when you had a slave master who was totally of the old Adam nature, that person under the inspiration of old Satan, then yes. Being a slave was a horrible life, and remember that most of the human race, as the biggest majority of people lived was in the element of slavery. So now, when Paul is bringing this into the lifestyle of the believing slave master, as well as a believing servant, look what he says.

Ephesians 6:5

"Servants, (I’d be more prone to say, ‘slaves’) be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh (because he is your boss), with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart (and again what is the comparison?), as unto Christ;"

This is talking about the believing element in society. This is not talking about those out there with their bull whips and so forth. This can also be for those who are truly called to be a pastor, evangelist (missionary) or teacher, as they are all servants of men and of Christ. Yes, we are the peoples servants and not to lord over them, we came out from among them and God raised us, we did not raise ourselves. If we have NOT that kind of mindset we have missed it big time. I had a friend, who after graduating from a Bible School or college said, "that he was now ready to go out and fleece the flock, where is his?" This guy had no idea of God and His plan, he had some how missed the boat totally, in my opinion. But after meeting with many pastors in an effort to bring them together in a cohesiveness. I found out that many had this same mindset, though it was unspoken by them. They each were out to build their own little kingdom and used their position as the means to accomplish this. They had learned business principles, very well, while in the university or college of religious training. What was so amazing to me was that it did not matter what faith (Denomination) they claimed to be of.

Ephesians 6:6-7

"Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers: but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart: with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:"      

Ephesians Lesson 38 of 39 part 1

Acts 16:30b

"...Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Do you notice that Paul does not say, "Repent and be baptized." Paul says what? Believe! And that is Paul’s theme all the way through his letters, and he is the only one in this Age of Grace that has this message, Romans 1:16 is a good example.

It is our Choice, I do not care where you may be from or what denomination or none-denominational assembly you may call yourself, or what faith, God's judgment will be exacted upon all the lawless and wicked ones no mater what title or name they clinging to. Be it Christian, Israel-Jewish, Jewish-none Israel, Messianic-Jew, Islam, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Methodist, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Moron, Jehovah's witness, Lutheran or what ever, of over 1500 other titles, God calls them all sin. Sin bond to man by Religion, the harlot of Revelation 17-19. Who had her roots back in the garden incident of Genesis 3 with Adam and woman. God will judge all, and has already judged sin and the harlot of the church and found them both wonton. How and why, you may ask, because within each named is the promotion of self. This self is what Jesus had to emptied Himself of before accepting His incarnation as the Son of man, He laid aside His divinity to become mans flesh, otherwise He would have destroyed it, as the transformation revealed. The Light of Life (Glory) shown through Him, as it had Adam and woman before the transgression and falling into the self (sin and death, the separation from our true Life source, Light) in mans humanity.

Romans 1:16a

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (this Gospel) is the power of God unto salvation to every on that believeth;..."

What is the power of God? The Light which is Life as revealed, witnessed by Jesus' own resurrection after three days in the bowls of the earth. The holding place of the ancients both saints in Abraham's bosom and Satan-children on the other side of the great chasm, gulf or opening of separation (Luke 16:26,19-31, Malachi 3:18). Another good one is found in 1Corinthians 1:18;

1Corinthians 1:18

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness*; but unto us which are saved** it is the power of God.”

*the foolishness of those who say, No, God. **through the process of Redemption which will bring us to His Salvation, if we learn of Him. Through the work of the Holy Spirit given us, as a deposit, down payment or the initial installment, as our tutor, trainer, teacher to bring us to the door through which we all must enter. By the death of self, which rules through mans flesh, as under the strong mans control. When we have this Gospel revealed and understood and in a fashion eaten of it, do we gain entry into the kingdom of God, the house which God rules, this is the power of God.

1Corinthians 15:1-4

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God (unto Salvation).

And how do we obtain salvation as we just saw in Romans 1:16? By believing! Not repenting as Peter preached. This is Paul’s theme all the way through. There are more scriptures found in Romans 10:9-10, 1Thessalonians 4:14, here and many others in Paul’s Epistles, he never changes the theme. Let’s return to the Philippian jailer and see that his family was also involved. It was not just a one man deal, so we pick that up in verse 31. Paul is speaking here.

Acts 16:31

"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved*,  and thy house." 

*these next three words throw a curve at a lot of people.

Does that mean when a father is saved, his kids are automatically saved? Well of course not, but what is implied? That if you have believing parents, you have a Christian home, Christian influence, Christian up-bringing as Paul puts it, "bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." What are the chances of those children becoming believers compared to kids that are raised in an unbelieving home? It’s far greater - we are not going to say it’s 100% because even Christian homes can have kids that will end up rebellious and lawless. But percentage wise, when you have a Christian home, a Christian father and mother, their kids are more apt to carry on to their homes, to their kids, this Christian tradition or pattern than when you have a family with no concern about spiritual things. Let’s follow this Philippian jailer some more in verse 32.

Acts 16:32

"And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house."

We do not know how many were in the jailer’s home, but certainly his wife and some children. And evidently the whole family must have become believers that very night. We have talked to missionaries (evangelists, a transient preacher)) who have seen the same thing happen in grossly uncivilized areas - when a husband and father becomes a believer, then the whole family will follow. It is not just like a bunch of little ducks following the mother duck, but it is a real redemption experience that carries that family through thick and thin, and we think this is what has happened here in these verses. The difference from then to now is the gospel which is proclaimed and the change in administration of the missionaries. Most missionaries today sit within a small town or local area but we see Paul and his grouped moving throughout a whole region or many such regions. So repeating verse 32 again.