- Supplement- Living in Love as God s People, 13: Love as God Loves Choose His Way (Part 2)

Transcription

1 - Supplement- Living in Love as God s People, 13: Love as God Loves Choose His Way (Part 2) How Union with Christ and Union Is Inseparable from Our Call to Live Our and Affirm Our Union One Another Some further Biblical references Note the connection between the Person of Christ and His uniting all into Himself, and how, in Himself gave us life. In many cases a reverse of how through our union with Adam, we inherited the effect of the fall, which was death. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1Co 1:22. 4 So also it is written, The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1Co 1:4. 1 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 19 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. Ro :1,19. Separation from Christ, meant separation from God s People, i.e., His Nation, the Commonwealth of Israel the place of His reign, in Christ [ 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; Isaiah 9:6.]. The Gentiles we outside the gates of Israel, now they have been brought near through the sacrifice of Jesus. 11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by the so-called Circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel [the Holy Nation, 1 Peter 2:9], and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the

2 world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Eph 2: In the Person of Jesus through His sacrificial death on the Cross Jesus brings together what was before separate, and the dividing wall comes down. Before they were two, not in the One Man, they become one new man. How. In one body a reference to both Christ s body on the Cross, and the body of Christ, the Church. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 1 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. Eph 2: Note the mystery is bringing union through Christ that is the actual bringing together, healing the fraction and division that before existed through the Fall: 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him Eph 1:9,10. Again, see the intimate, and direct connection between Christ Jesus and His Assembly (Gathering) the Church: 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, [which is] the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph 1:22,23. In the following, take note of the imagery of one nation one household, one temple in Jesus, in whom we are built as a dwelling of God all expressions that fit the description of one corporate-community that is a part of being the one new man 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God s household, 20

3 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Eph 2: Note the reference to Christ and the Church, both giving glory: 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Eph. 3:21 Here the mystery of Christ is again clear. Jesus came that we may have union one with another, Jew and Greek, and that now we are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body. Clearly here, it is our union as a People, to be His body, as it is obvious here that Paul is not speaking about Christ s body on the Cross, but the body [Community] Jesus formed through His death on the Cross: 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, Eph 3:1-6. Here Paul makes it again obvious that the Lord came to bring unity, that is the union of lives in Jesus. This is not automatic. It takes faith, humility, and care, attentiveness, thoughtfulness, and work ( being diligent ). To what end? That we may share the bond of peace [a covenant expression], that we may live as one body [in God s Community, as community], that we may answer the call of God to be one, the way the Lord is one. 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism [which is our identification with Christ, and His body], Eph 4:3-.

4 Baptism as identification with Jesus, and His Body [ His People] are to be one and the same. Why? Because of union in the Spirit which was given through, and in Jesus body. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1Corinthians 12:13. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves [identified] with Christ. Galatians 3:27. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 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. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 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; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. Romans 6: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you [you-all is plural, this is a reference to the community] have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Col 2:9-12. God gave Spirit appointed leadership that the one new man, the body of Christ, the Church, the household, the commonwealth of Israel, etc., etc., would be built a People mature, built up into Christ, as His body 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for

5 the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 1 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Eph 4:11-13,1,16. The Community of the Body of Christ (the Church) is real, lived out, day to day relating in Christ, not invisible, intangible, relegated only to occasional meetings. Paul underscores the union Christ came to bring through the image of marriage which is to be real, lived out, day to day relating in Christ. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 2 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. Eph :24,2, [See the connection? Covenant expresses and creates a relationship of identity between husband and wife. Covenant in Christ s blood forges a true and even more intimate relationship between Christ and His body, and in Him with each member, one to another..]