spiritual riches in christ

James brings together three elements (gleaned from Douglas Moo, The Letter of James [Eerdmans/Apollos], pp. His spiritual pride led him to think that he was doing God a favor by killing sincere, innocent believers! Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--. The poor believer must glory in his eternal riches in Christ (1:9). But the thing about wildflowers in the desert is, youve got to catch them at their peak, because they dont last very long. The apostle Paul uses this word often, sometimes negatively, but sometimes positively. What good is it to tell a poor man to glory in his spiritual riches in Christ? As someone has said, When the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. The rich mans mansion, property holdings, and stock portfolio will mean nothing when he is in the grave. Normally, the afternoon sea breezes cool things down. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! The word is used twice in the Greek Old Testament to describe Gods unfathomable ways in His creation (Job 5:9; 9:10). For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Even among the Lords people, some had more important things to do today than to come and explore more deeply the unfathomable riches of Christ. I can't say that I don't fear death at all, but I can honestly say, that after reading The Best is Yet to Come, I'm better equipped . By their obedience, the Israelites avoided persecution (Deuteronomy 28:7), but by their obedience Christians incur persecution (Matthew 5:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 1:6). I was going to preach on verses 8-13, which are a unit, but Paul not only talks about the unfathomable riches of Christ, but also of Gods eternal purpose as it relates to the church and of two practical consequences of these mind-boggling truths. As Paul expresses it (2 Cor. Furthermore, the Bible recognizes frequent exceptions to the prosperity/adversity doctrine, noting that the wicked often prosper more than the righteous. When you pray for the lost, pray that they will come under conviction for their sin. In, on, among. Embrace God's gift of friendship and form a deeper relationship with Him. He, she, it, they, them, same. File size. Accordingly, the material blessings promised to Old Testament saints are to remind us of our future heavenly blessingsbut never are they to replace them. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2007, All Rights Reserved. Tune in any time to stream great Biblical teaching and encouragement. "White garments" contrast with their nakedness. These people are living for vanityemptiness!. In difficult circumstances, those who call on the Lord discover He is all they reallyneed. James tells him to glory, rather, in his humiliation as a believer. Its thoroughly disgusting. Ephesians 1:3 Paul begins this letter by giving praise to God for what He has done in saving us, and bestowing upon us "every spiritual blessing in Christ." Verse 3 functions as a sort of topic sentence for this passage as well as for the whole book. Its only when we believe in Christ and adopt Gods eternal perspective that we can persevere under trials with the joy of salvation. In Christ are hidden "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" ( Colossians 2:3 ). Most families own more than one car. The person of Christ is unfathomable, in that we can never completely get to the bottom of who He is and what He did for us on the cross. James is giving us some tests of true faith. From the base of chraomai or chre; employment, i.e. The only servants that God uses are those who see that they are inadequate clay pots, but that God has put His treasure in them (2 Cor. You might expect James to say, the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who persevere, or to those who obey, or to those who believe in Him. But rather, he says, to those who love Him. Why does he say this? Thus James (1:27) says that one aspect of pure religion is to visit the orphans and widows in their distress, A profession of faith that ignores the physical needs of a brother is dead faith (2:15-16). We arent worried, as God has faithfully provided for our ministry for 33 years. Paul coins a word that means, I am less than the least. This was not a mock humility on Pauls part, but rather his honest feelings as he thought about his sinful past. According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. The point is, the unfathomable riches of Christ are only offered to those who see themselves to be poverty-stricken sinners. Those who had worked all day thought that they would get more, but they just got the denarius that the owner had promised them. From pleres; to make replete, i.e. Luke 1:53 states, "He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.". First, we can glory in the fact that God has opened our eyes to see the vanity of worldly wealth and status. 11:4). In this view, the withering and fading of the flower is a reference to final judgment. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 19:4, 7), and his independence (Prov. When do we cross the line between having riches and trusting in them? Christ offers Himself freely to every sinner. 9:23-24). It says, bluntly (Ps. If you tell these people that God loves them and recite John 3:16, they think, Yes, of course, I am so loveable! ). Previous page. The angels, who are perfect in holiness, greatly delight in the manifold wisdom of God as seen in the unfathomable riches of Christ. A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined). ``ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.". Persevere (1:12) goes back to the same word in 1:3-4. The religious Jews despised them as filthy dogs. knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. Subscribe to print, email, and mobile updates and well send free resources directly to your home and inbox. Why this disparity? Ephesians: Our Spiritual Treasure-Exploring the Inexhaustible Riches of Christ is an insightful and focused devotional style study guide into the book of Ephesians. They were not quite as spectacular as the Colorado wildflowers in the summer, but almost. All of Gods promises are yes in Christ (2 Cor. He is our strength! To live to accumulate the worlds junk and to strive after the worlds acclaim is futile! Our destination is as much superior to the Promised Land of Palestine as Christs blood was superior to the blood of bulls and goats. The teaching is double-edged: prosperity for obedience, adversity for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:14-68). Paul repeatedly refers to the believer as being in Christ, which means that everything that is true of Christ is true of us. The wealthy Kennedy clan has had so much tragedy hit them that you would think that those that remain would repent and believe on Christ. But if He owes it, its not grace. In 1 Corinthians 15:9, he said, For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Here, he sees himself as the least of all the saints. All your need.--Properly, every need of yours, spiritual and temporal. 2:12-13 and 3:12-14 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? As someone has well said, when we share the gospel with others, it is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. 11:28). Have you discovered a congregation to call home? And yet, when Paul came to Ephesus and preached the unfathomable riches of Christ, so many got saved that it threatened the idol-makers business. First, James speaks to the poor Christian (1:9); then, to the rich (1:10-11); and, finally, he offers hope to all who persevere under trials (1:12). Even in the worst of circumstances, its possible to experience a full, deep life in this world thats under the Curse, and thats what sets the Christian life apart. Come and get all that you can! But, as far as I know, no one had to wait in line to get in the door. Their destination was on this earth. The psalmist said, I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil (Psalm 37:35), and I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Agree/disagree? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? If all that we have is because of Gods unmerited favor, then why do we exalt ourselves, as if our supposed superiority came from ourselves? . 'Our Riches in Christ' helps Christians understand the liberating, transforming truths that produce lasting joy, unbounded peace . Was God on the side of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and other prosperous butchers of history during their rise to power and at the apex of their regimes when they were surrounded by material wealth? Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. The picture here is of the believer struggling and striving in the contest, but the reward of the crown awaits him at the end if he perseveres. What then? I hope that you agree! Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. This study of the Book of Ephesians focuses on the spiritual riches we find in Christ. The Promised Land was a foretaste of the glory that awaits us. There is a contrast here between the permanent and the perishable. What! he replied, shall the old African blasphemer stop while he can speak at all?. It makes me realize how little of these immeasurable riches of Christ that I experience personally. So, if we grew up in the church and God saves us and calls us to preach His good news, it is pure grace. Stedman draws from the entire book of Ephesians the encouragement that comes from reviewing the resources and riches of a life with Christ, and the facts that undergird the Christian faith. The rich can be proud over how God has blessed them and given them such influence. It is only good news if, as is really true, Christ offers these riches freely to all that call upon Him. How is wealth a test of faith? Why? The excellency and usefulness of the riches of Christ, and answers to many weighty queries about his unsearchable riches, is more than hinted at in this tract. money, possessions, or abundance, richness, valuable bestowment. I think it is because love for Christ keeps us from loving the world. Or, he may be tempted to feel neglected by God because of his poverty. If we are saved because of our choice, we have grounds for boasting. Here are some ideas from the Clinton Ward, Morristown New Jersey Stake, on how to build up your heavenly treasure and avoid making . For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Why do all the faithless live at ease? (Jeremiah 12:1). A primary pronoun of the first person I. Jesus, who didnt even have a place to lay His head and who owned nothing but a robe and sandals (Matthew 8:20), clearly didnt live a money- and possessions-centered life. Both rich and poor are prone to pride. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. If you do not know Him, then all of the religious rituals in the world will be of no value to you. 44-45; see my review on the church web site, under Articles). 3:21, 22). They did not obey the Jewish Law. 2 Samuel 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Yet the same word is used eleven times in the positive sense, each time referring to spiritual, not material, riches (Romans 11:33; Ephesians 1:18; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27). and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Quite the opposite, He died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. Daily Devotion A Heart of Gratitude Consider the spiritual riches that Jesus died to give youand thank Him today for those blessings. Sinners may freely partake of the unfathomable riches of Christ. Happiness is a more momentary emotion, whereas blessedness refers to a lasting condition that undergirds momentary sorrow or sadness. Second, our Creator loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love. Costi is right to point out that we should be careful to speak the truth boldly with grace, wisdom, and humility, and with the end goal of pointing people to the saving power of the true gospel. I could go on and on, but for sake of time, I just went through Ephesians up to where were at and came up with these ten needs that Christ richly supplies: Ephesians 1:7-8a: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us., Ephesians 1:4b-5, In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will., Although we formerly lived according to the lusts of the flesh (2:3), Ephesians 1:4 tells us, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him., Ephesians 1:9, He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him. And (2:10), For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion (2Corinthians 8:14; 9:11). This brings 'riches and honour and life' (v.4b, AMP). This soul-level abundance means that poor believers who are living in oppressive circumstances can be far more joyful and satisfied than unbelievers who are living in luxury and popularity. I, the first-person pronoun. I chose God because Im so intelligent! But if salvation is totally from God, beginning with His sovereign choice of me out of the cesspool of sin, then all I can do is glory or boast in the Lord (see Gal. Language. 10:15), his relationships (Prov. Spiritual Riches by Christ. Rather, eternal life is Gods gift of grace (John 5:24; Eph. 104 pages. The English name, Steven (or, Stephen) comes from the Greek word for crown, which referred to the victors wreath in athletic contests. 2:6). Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. How are they similar and different? One of the greatest incentives that the Bible offers believers to guard them from being enslaved by money, possessions, or riches is that God is incomparably rich. That it is "in Christ Jesus" is a matter of course; for He is to "change even our body of humiliation to be fashioned like unto the body of His glory" (Philippians 3:21). He wrote his own epitaph: John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had so long labored to destroy. Late in life he said, My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior! (In A Frank Boreham Treasury, compiled by Peter Gunther [Moody Press], pp. When we received Jesus Christ as our personal savior heaven opened up, God pured out His lavish grace, and gave us everything there was to give in Christ. We should assume that God entrusts us with His money not to build our kingdom on Earth, but to build His Kingdom in Heaven.
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