Welcome to Hank’s Place –
Ephesians is an incredible epistle that includes the majestic themes of God’s work. Paul opens this letter by giving a description of what God has done, our relationship with God, and the promise of the future. The Passion Translation has some eye popping expressive renderings of these passages. For example let’s look at verses 2 and 3 of chapter 1.
There Paul says he is “writing this letter to all the devoted believers (including you and me) who HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY BY BEING ONE WITH JESUS, the Anointed One.”
Did you catch that? Believers in Jesus HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY – it’s not something we are struggling to attain. We have been made holy by – GOD. We are HIS holy people. Holy. Attained not by works. Nor by self effort. And how were we made holy? Incredibly, the verse says BY BEING ONE WITH JESUS!!!! Who did this marvelous work of ONENESS? Of uniting us with Jesus? You? Me? God did, the moment we believed upon Jesus we were ingrafted into the vine. Not as a little add-on but AS ONE WITH JESUS THE VINE. John 15:5.
Now think deeper. Before Creation, there was God — Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Totally complete. Infinite. The God Who is love. Infinite love. Well, this God, desiring to express their love upon MORE than just their infinite selves, created this universe and placed man in it. So God could shower His love upon man. But not like the way we might love our dog or cat or iguana, but as a son, as a daughter.
God, through Jesus Christ, dealt with our sins, gave us a new god-nature, and not stopping there, went on to unite us, to MAKE US ONE WITH JESUS. Christ in us, we in Christ. I think even in eternity this amazing grace will still be beyond our comprehension!
Then the Passion Bible reads, “May God Himself, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over you and impart total well-being into your lives. What a prayer! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—ALL BECAUSE HE SEES US WRAPPED INTO CHRIST. Passion Translation.
Spiritual blessings, lavished upon us, because of our union with Jesus. You and I are extraordinarily blessed my friend! “The same love the Father has for the Beloved, Jesus, He has for us.” Passion Translation.
Think about that, we are wrapped up into Christ, we are one with Jesus Christ. Accepted in Him, stain-free and as we just heard, loved by the Father as much as Jesus. Receive that love — and COME ALIVE!
NEW BLOG NOTIFICATION
Be notified when a new blog posts