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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
sians, whom Paul refers to as “we” and “us,” and whom he calls “saints,” and who he says were “foreordained unto adoption as sons,” and who have been redeemed through His blood, and whose sins have been forgiven, and who.are to be “to the praise of His glory.” Are these tilings said of all men? Oh, no! The explanation is all in verse 13. Three things are very plainly set forth here as to how these Ephesians had come into thé enjoyment of the bless ings enumerated: First—they had heard the word of the truth, the Gospel of (their) salva tion. Lost in worldly philosophies, idol- ators worshipping Diana, dead in tres passes and sin (See chapter 2:1-3), these Ephesians had heard the Gospel, which Paul had so faithfully preached for “the space of three years” (see Acts 19, and 20:17-38). Second—having heard the Gospel, they had believed in Him whom the Gospel proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ. Their hungry hearts, and rest less minds, had found refreshment and rest in the “old, old story of Jesus and His love.” The love key fitted the lock of their heart’s door, and they opened to Him and let Him in.. Hearing the Gospel is like hearing the door bell; but believing the Gospel is responding to the bell and opening the door. Have you believed yet? Third—They were sealed with the Holy Spirit. How many people stumble just here, wanting the Holy Spirit to seal them as believers in order that they may believe. God cannot certify to a lie. The Holy Spirit cannot seal any man as a believer in Christ, until the man is a believer in Christ. Arid tnrs sealing down here is but the earnest of our inheritance up yonder. But, oh! what it cost our Heavenly Father to bring us to be His sons “redemption through His (Christ’s) blood.” What a responsibility is ours! To walk so holily and godly in this
Men saw, and talked, and walked with God, and some found out for them selves, that He was still the very same powerful, wise, loving God that had called the earth and all its contents into existence for man’s happiness and com fort i “in the beginning.” But the “some” were only a few, and even they only came into the experience through the patient teaching, and holy living and vicarious dying, and marvellous resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. In this bit of teaching from the Ser mon on the Mount, Jesus is setting before men that truth, so hard for men to grasp (knowing themselves so well and knowing God so poorly) that the God to' whom they owed life and all its comforts and blessings, still loves them, and may be relied upon to supply them from day to day with every need ful thing, and that they need not worry, but just trust Him. Why cannot men, even many Christian men, rest in Mat thew 6:33, 34? Because of sin. III. The Father Redeeming. Eph. 1: 1-14. The tragedy of Eden, and the tragedy of Calvary, usher us into the third great manifestation of the love of God. The love of God the Creator, and the Pro vider, is overshadowed by the love of God the Redeemer. What an unlooked for ending to the rejection of God mani fest in the flesh. The race not blotted out for its awful crime, but offered for giveness, and adoption into God s fam ily, on condition of accepting the re jected One. Truly, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways, our ways. Eden, Calvary, cannot quench His love for those whom He created and provided. Whatever may have been true in the beginning, it is certainly true now from the plain teaching of this, and other Scriptures, that God now accepts as His sons those who accept His only begotten and well beloved Son as their Redeemer. See John 1:12.. Note, in this first chapter of Ephe-
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