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June 2024 Printable 228 KB .pdf

MOR-Bible, which is by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, may God's unmerited divine favor be to you. May peace and an absolute end of all strife or trouble be to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God for blessing us with every spiritual blessing by heavenly things in Christ. We thank God for choosing us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before God in love. We thank God that we come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm us unto the end. We thank God that we may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful. By God whom we were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Continuing the teaching from March and April, the May 2024 teaching searched the scriptures for some of the usages of the combination of the Greek words Iesous and Christos used together for our English phrase Jesus Christ from the books of Corinthians and Galatians. We learned that to be beloved children of God our Father, we must love His pure, perfect, and magnified Word. We saw that the reproof of practical and doctrinal error in Corinthians and Galatians was to practice God's pure, perfect, and magnified Word exactly in our lives. We learned that if we want a life that is more than abundant, we need to operate the power of God in our lives. Part of that operation is using the phrase Jesus Christ as God's Word declares.

In this month's teaching, we will continue our search of the scriptures for some of the usages of the combination of the Greek words Iesous and Christos used together for our English words "Jesus Christ" from the church epistles in the books of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. The book of Ephesians set the doctrine, standard, and criteria for right believing. It is the greatest revelation ever given to the church of the body (see Ephesians 1:22-23)! This epistle documented God's purpose and will for every born-again believer. The book of Ephesians, stated in crystal clear terms, documents the rights every believer has been granted by Christ the anointed. Ephesians 1:20-22 tells us:

Which he [God] wrought in Christ, when he [God] raised him from the dead and set him [Christ] at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

And hath put all things under his [Christ] feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his [Christ] body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The book of Philippians reproofs practical errors for not adhering to the doctrine of Ephesians. Once you practice error for a while, then it becomes a doctrine. The book of Colossians also corrects errors for not adhering to the doctrine of Ephesians. To understand Philippians and Colossians, you must understand Ephesians. To better understand the church epistles, see the April 2019 teaching.

In the March, April, and May 2024 teaching, you learned that when the name Jesus comes first followed by Christ, the emphasis is on Jesus' earthly life, walk, and ministry. The combination of Jesus Christ means Jesus the humbled one who is now exalted, and his name is above every name, while Christ means anointed one, raised from the dead, who set down at the right hand of God in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 1:20-22). According to God's Word, we must use the name Jesus Christ exactly if we want to see signs, miracles, and wonders.

Let us read some usages of the combination of the name Jesus Christ in Ephesians. We will bold this phrase in the verses for emphasis.

Ephesians 1:1:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

Paul was what? An apostle of Jesus Christ which puts the emphasis upon the humility of Jesus' fleshly walk and his ministry that was on the earth. An apostle is one who is sent to bring new light to that generation. Remember, an apostle moves among people; this is why the word Jesus precedes the word Christ in the text.

Going back to Ephesians 1:1, by the will [intense desire] of who? God! The word saints refers to those born-again of God's Spirit or the holy ones, those set apart, purified one. When we confess the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead (see Romans 10:9), we receive the gift of holy spirt. Therefore, we are saints, holy ones, those set apart, purified one by His Spirit in us! We are saints by the grace of God not of works (see Ephesians 2:8-9)!

Let's look at Ephesians 1:5 for the phrasing of Jesus Christ:

Having predestinated [God's foreknowledge] us unto the adoption of children [sonship] by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his [God's] will [intensive desire].

Having foreordain by His foreknowledge us to sonship by who? Jesus Christ. In harmony with the good pleasure of who? God's intensive desire! Look at the blessings we receive through Jesus Christ. Please make a mental note that these scriptures are not extolling the blessings of Jesus!

Ephesians 2:20:

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

The household of God is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ (note the text is Christ Jesus) himself being the chief corner stone or foundation stone. Christ Jesus is the solid rock upon which we must build our lives. We do not build our lives upon Jesus as this name refers to the man who walked the earth in the Gospels. Remember, the apostolic succession never came through the Apostle Peter on down to us. The true apostolic, prophetic succession is through Jesus Christ as proclaimed in Ephesians 2:20. The succession starts with Judeans and the Gentiles, the fellow heirs, and of the same body, who believe God's Word, stay in the household of God, and who are faithful to God's Word.

Let's look at Ephesians 3:1:

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.

Paul was a prisoner on earth, not in the heavenlies where Christ Jesus is. But Paul was a prisoner by choice, just like he was a servant by choice. It is by your freewill choice that you decide to make yourself a prisoner of Jesus Christ. In this verse, being a prisoner is not used to denote a physical jail. The word prisoner is the Greek word desmois which means binding or bound. I am bound to or under a moral obligation to Jesus Christ; I am fully persuaded. The English word prisoner assumes that if you are in jail and you cannot get out; you are locked in. The Greek word that is used declares to us that we are bound to Jesus Christ.

The first chapter of Ephesians declares that:

• God hath [past tense] blessed us with all spiritual blessings in [by] heavenly places [things] in Christ (verse 3).
• He [God] hath [past tense] chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (verse 4).
• He [God] hath [past tense] made us accepted in the beloved (verse 6).
• In whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness [remission] of sins, according to the riches of his [God] grace (verse 7).
• He hath [past tense] abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence [good sense] (verse 8).
• That we should be to the praise of his [God] glory, who first trusted in Christ (verse 12).
• Ye [we] were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise (verse 13).
• The eyes of your understanding being enlightened [the Word of God is open unto you]; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints [all believers] (verse 18).
• And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power (verse 19).

In Ephesians 1, we have God our Father in verses 3-6, the son in 7-12, and the gift of holy spirit in verses 13-14. The Father, son, and Holy Spirit are in the first 14 verses. Individuals have read this chapter for generations, and many have never seen this. I exhort you to read the whole book of Ephesians to see all the things God has already blessed us with.

The god of this world (see 2 Corinthians 4:4) has blinded the minds and the people's eyes to the greatness of the revelation documented in the seven church epistles (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians) addressed to the church of the body! The god of this world has distracted so many people with the legalism of the Old Testament and the messages in the Gospels which are not addressed to the church of the body where Christ is the head (see Colossians 1:18)! That is why so many people are talking about Jesus and his crucifixion (1 Corinthians 2:2). Very few preach the resurrected Christ and what we have already received in the seven church epistles!

What love and blessings God our Father has already bestowed upon His chosen children in Him before the foundation of the world. We are to be holy and without blame before Him in love. To the praise of the glory of God's grace, wherein He has made us the believers accepted in the beloved! This is tremendous knowledge, people.

Now that we understand the doctrine presented in Ephesians, let's look at the reproof provided in Philippians. Turn to Philippians 1:1:

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

Where were the servants? On earth at Philippi which was the Roman colony of Philippi ruled by Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. Paul and Timothy are the servants of who? Jesus Christ. This is a reminder to the people of Philippi (and us) that they were servants to Jesus Christ. We also are the servant of Jesus Christ on this earth.

Philippians 1:6:

Being confident of this very thing, that he [God] which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Being persuaded or having confidence of this very thing, that God had begun a good work in who? You. Will perform it until the day of who? Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:8:

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

For God, the fountain of life and light, is my what? Record or witness. Paul tells the Philippians that he longs after them all in the bowels (tender; mercy; inward affection; compassion) of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:11:

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Being filled to capacity with the fruits of what? Righteousness or the God-given justification whereby a person stands in the presence of God without any knowledge of sin, guilt, or faults. And by whom are we filled with righteousness? Jesus Christ. Unto the glory and praise of who? God who is the fountain of life and light!

Philippians 1:18-19:

What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

For I know that this [Christ is preached] shall turn to my salvation [deliverance from bonds] through your prayer, and the supply of [by] the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

The word "know" in this verse is the Greek word oida which means to have perceived or have knowledge of, to see, have seen, known. What did Paul know? Christ is preached and shall turn to my salvation! The word salvation in this verse refers to Paul's deliverance from his bonds. The word supply means "a furnishing upon, further supply; super addition; hence, aid, help." Paul tells the Philippians that through their prayers and supply of the Spirit [the new birth and receiving the gift of holy spirt] by Jesus Christ he will be delivered from his bond! Was Jesus preached? No! Christ was preached! That is what God's Word says, and that's what it means!

Philippians 1:26:

That your rejoicing [glory, boasting] may be more abundant [abound, more, beyond measure, superfluous, exceeding] in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Paul tells the Philippians that their rejoicing, glory, and boasting will be more abundant, beyond measure, and superfluous in Jesus Christ for him coming again unto them. As a reminder, the phrase Jesus Christ means the humbled one who is now exalted, and his name is above every name and Christ the anointed one, the resurrected one, who sat down at the right hand of God.

Philippians 2:11:

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And that every tongue or language should agree or acknowledge and confess what? That Jesus Christ is Lord [master], to the glory [the unspoken manifestation and splendor] of who? God, the fountain of life and light, the Father! Paul is telling the Philippians to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. When God's Word says Jesus Christ, it means what? Jesus Christ. This verse tells me that I must say and use Jesus Christ exactly as God's Word states!

These verses from Philippians are reproofing practical errors for not adhering to the doctrinal of Ephesians. Now let's look at one verse in Colossians. Colossians also corrects errors for not adhering to the doctrinal of Ephesians.

Colossians is addressed to the church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea. Turn to the Colossians 1:1:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother.

Paul, an apostle, on earth brought new light to his generation of who? Jesus Christ. Paul was an apostle on earth by the intense desire or will of who? God, the fountain of life and light. Paul is reminding the church that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ by the Will of God!

In this month's teaching, we continued our search of the scriptures for some of the usages of the combination of the Greek words Iesous and Christos used together for our English words Jesus Christ from the books of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. We were reminded that Philippians and Colossians were written to address practical and doctrinal errors for not following the truth of Ephesians.

We learned:

• Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God (Ephesians 1:1).
• Having predestinated [God's foreknowledge] us unto the adoption of children [sonship] by Jesus Christ to himself (Ephesians 1:5).
• Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1).
• Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:1).
• Being confident of this very thing, that he [God] which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).
• How greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:8).
• Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:11).
• And the supply of [by] the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19).
• That your rejoicing [glory, boasting] may be more abundant [abound, more, beyond measure, superfluous, exceeding] in Jesus Christ for me (Philippians 1:26).
• And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11).

Father, thank you for opening our understanding of your Word on your son Jesus Christ, as documented in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Father, we are confident of this very thing, that you Father, which has begun a good work in us, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. May every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is master, to the glory of the unspoken manifestation and splendor of you, Father, the fountain of life and light. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Word of God is the Will of God. And the Will of God is the Word of God.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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