THE PRICELESS CREATION: A WONDERFUL HOPE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Priceless Creation
a) Although we became dead in sin, God made it possible for us to be "raised up" created anew in Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6,10).
b) This is the main point about the Priceless Creation. Paul later speaks of this new creation as putting on a new self (Ephesians 4:22-24).
c) Paul makes three connected statements:
i) "We were dead" (Ephesians 2:1,5).
ii) "God... made us alive" (Ephesians 2:4-5).
iii) "We are his workmanship created in Christ" (Ephesians 2:10).
d) When God created our souls in the first place, they were a priceless creation. Yet we destroyed that priceless creation through sin. That has led us to see our need of the "washing of water with the word" which Paul elsewhere calls "the washing of regeneration (rebirth)" (Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5).
2. A Wonderful Hope
a) Paul uses terms of resurrection and ascension to figuratively describe how we are presently "created in Christ". They are such appropriate terms, especially as they connect our present state to our future state. Paul elsewhere uses the same kind of expression where he says, "Whom he predestined, these he also called, and whom he called these he also justified, and whom he justified these he also glorified" (Romans 8:30). Certainly we are presently glorified and seated in the heavenly places, but we must understand this to be in a preliminary way, and not the very final, future, and eternal, state of glory in heaven.
b) Previously, dead in sin, we had "no hope" (Ephesians 2:12). That implies that now, "created in Christ", we do have hope which Paul calls the "one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4). Paul is careful to distinguish between our present state of hope and the final state that we hope for. He uses the clear phrase, "in ages to come" (Ephesians 2:7) to show us that he has one eye on the present and the other eye on the future as he encourages us. Paul speaks very plainly: "In hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with patience we wait for it eagerly" (Romans 8:24-25).
c) God’s work thus far in restoring our souls is a priceless creation, and yet this is only the downpayment of the even more wonderful creation to come (Ephesians 1:11-14).
The End ...
1. The Priceless Creationa) Although we became dead in sin, God made it possible for us to be "raised up" created anew in Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6,10).
b) This is the main point about the Priceless Creation. Paul later speaks of this new creation as putting on a new self (Ephesians 4:22-24).
c) Paul makes three connected statements:
i) "We were dead" (Ephesians 2:1,5).
ii) "God... made us alive" (Ephesians 2:4-5).
iii) "We are his workmanship created in Christ" (Ephesians 2:10).
d) When God created our souls in the first place, they were a priceless creation. Yet we destroyed that priceless creation through sin. That has led us to see our need of the "washing of water with the word" which Paul elsewhere calls "the washing of regeneration (rebirth)" (Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5).
2. A Wonderful Hope
a) Paul uses terms of resurrection and ascension to figuratively describe how we are presently "created in Christ". They are such appropriate terms, especially as they connect our present state to our future state. Paul elsewhere uses the same kind of expression where he says, "Whom he predestined, these he also called, and whom he called these he also justified, and whom he justified these he also glorified" (Romans 8:30). Certainly we are presently glorified and seated in the heavenly places, but we must understand this to be in a preliminary way, and not the very final, future, and eternal, state of glory in heaven.
b) Previously, dead in sin, we had "no hope" (Ephesians 2:12). That implies that now, "created in Christ", we do have hope which Paul calls the "one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4). Paul is careful to distinguish between our present state of hope and the final state that we hope for. He uses the clear phrase, "in ages to come" (Ephesians 2:7) to show us that he has one eye on the present and the other eye on the future as he encourages us. Paul speaks very plainly: "In hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with patience we wait for it eagerly" (Romans 8:24-25).
c) God’s work thus far in restoring our souls is a priceless creation, and yet this is only the downpayment of the even more wonderful creation to come (Ephesians 1:11-14).
Comments
Post a Comment