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The Ephesian Connection
in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.
(Ephesians 1:11 ASV)
Throughout history, the burden of prophetic ministry has been to call God’s people to return to Him with all of their hearts and to recognize themselves as His inheritance. Whenever they have responded, the result has invariably been new demonstrations of Heaven’s power. Whenever His people have not responded, the result has been a perpetuation of religious formalism with many words about spiritual reality, while lacking its expressed substance. Such a caricature of His life cannot impact the nations properly. Only when the Church understands the implications of being His inheritance, that she belongs totally to Him, will she become in practice what God has called her to be.
What then does it mean to be God’s inheritance? First, God predestined a people for Himself. He foreknew them and then set about to produce in them the qualities that would mark them as His own possession. This required that He first become a man, take the sins of the world upon Himself, and after His resurrection to pour out His Spirit upon them. As a result, His Spirit would seek to express in them His Lordship and ownership – not in the future only, but now right here on earth.
But His task in establishing us as His inheritance is an immense project. It is nothing less than working out in the present what He has seen from eternity – a people on earth revealing His ownership. Both the Scriptures and Church history reveal God’s dealings with man to accomplish this work. At issue is not the theological question of whether His sovereign foreknowledge is greater than our human will but simply whether you and I will humble ourselves and cooperate with Him. Are we in harmony with His stated purpose to put all enemies under His feet? Or do our lives reflect man-centeredness and self-centeredness, even while our doctrine may be theologically sound?
Obviously, sound Christian leadership will strive for theological accuracy. And while this is important, Christ demonstrates His lordship in us when our individual and corporate lifestyles reflect what He has been teaching us. The truths of God’s kingdom have very practical implications.
For example:
the righteous man shall live by faith.
Some Christian teachers emphasize what the righteous receive by faith. Obviously, it is by faith that we receive anything from God, whether it be salvation, physical healing, or any other of His good gifts. But the emphasis of Scripture is not about getting from God, but living for Him. And living by faith for Him is more than merely existing. It involves our recognition of His calling us to a comprehensive lifestyle that reflects the faith in our hearts.
Here is what Hebrews Chapter Eleven of is all about. It contains the testimonies of individuals who believed in God, lived for Him and made their mark in history. They walked out the reality of His ownership of them. They were God’s inheritance on earth. None began in perfect obedience; imperfections were found in everyone. But because of His sovereign power and great love for them, He worked all things in their lives according to the counsel of His will. As a result, we today are able to read in scripture the outworking of His eternal plan in their lives. And as we read their testimonies, we are encouraged and realize that He is just as involved in our lives.
Sometimes though, we esteem ourselves as insignificant and unimportant compared to the great political and economic leaders of our day. As we see influential people jetting around the world and influencing nations, we begin to question the Church’s significance in the world. Then when we consider Abraham, King David, and other mighty men and women of Scripture, we sometimes tend to think that we just might be unimportant in God’s sight as well. “I could never be like those spiritual giants.” At such times of discouragement, Paul’s words are so enlightening.
In Him also we were made a heritage having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.
(Ephesians 1:11 NASB and ASV)
Suddenly we get a glimpse of the way God Himself sees us. His eternal purpose involves us. He is at work in and through us in our generation, just like He was in the lives of the great men and women of the Bible. And just as they made their mark in history, so also God’s work in us is of eternal consequence. The world may not understand or recognize His activity in our lives. We may never be considered successes by the standards of society. But something known in the heart of God from eternity is being realized in our lives today.
God is at work in His inheritance. The love and tender care with which He deals in our lives is often misunderstood by even His own children. However, if we could see with His eyes, we would understand that He truly is working all things after the counsel of His will. And when we recognize that He is moving in our lives just like He did in the lives of our past heroes in the faith, it brings us to the place of decision. We will choose Him every day. And not only will our lives begin to reflect the faith in our hearts, we will begin to speak with confidence concerning His commitment to us.
As Christians, we should hold our heads high. We have been chosen by God from eternity. We are His inheritance on earth. And He is at work in us so that we might increasingly reflect His ownership. Here is what it means to be a witness for Him. The more wholeheartedly we yield to Him, the more conscious we will be of our place in His purpose. And we will increasingly know that He is working all things after the counsel of His will in our lives.
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Let us submit readily and joyfully as the Lord brings us forth in His likeness, that we might become an inspiration of praise to Him from all creation. May He be glorified for what His grace is accomplishing in us.
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