Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2020 11:35:03 GMT -6
Ephesian 1:5-14
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
In reading this last night, I originally focused on the issue of adoption. Our inheritance in Christ will not be fulfilled until glorification which occurs at the Rapture.
But then the word "mystery" caught my eye. That is how Paul described the Rapture in 1 Cor 15:51
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
Then the comment about the times reaching their fulfillment reminded me of Christ's reference to the fulfillment of the Gentiles. Luke 21:25
...and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
And then the reference to bring unity to all things in Heaven and on Earth under Christ. Aren't the saved and the saved dead, still in this sinful world, under Christ? Reminds me of 1 Thess 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
And finally, the emphasis on our being the FIRST to put our hope in Christ, is he referring to the Church Age believers separate from those who come to faith in Tribulation? Is our gathering to Him going to be for His glory - as in a visible sign of His power to the lost?
Just some Monday thoughts.