New Family in Christ Eph 1:1-14 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009 Devotional Scripture: Gal 3:7-29 OUTLINE INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW AND APPROACH TO LESSON LESSON INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND (FROM THE TEACHING OF DR. BILL WHITE) MAJOR THEME ANALYSIS GOD'S BLESSING (1:1-5) Blessing of Holiness (1-4) God choose and appointed us for holiness (John 15:16) God predestined and conformed us into holiness (Rom 8:28-29) God created us and prepared us in advance for holiness (Eph 2:10) God clothed us in holiness (Col 3:12) God called us to live a holy life (1Thes 4:7) Heavenly realms and Spiritual Blessings (From the teaching of Dr. Bill White) Blessing of Adoption (5) Because we received and believed in God, He gave us the right to be a Child of His (John 1:12) If we are led by the Holy Spirit we are sons of God (Rom 8:13-14) Through the Holy Spirit indwelling, God is our father (Gal 4:6-7) Blessing of Predestination From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Teaching of Dr. Bill White GOD'S LOVE (1:6-8) Love leading to Redemption (6-8) Meaning of Redemption Through justification of grace we have redemption (Rom 3:22-24) Through being in Jesus, who became our redemption, we have redemption (1 Cor 1:30) Through the rescuing of Jesus we have redemption (Col 1:13-14) Through the blood of Jesus we have redemption (Heb 9:13-15) Through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus we have redemption (1 Pet 1:18-19) Through the blood purchase of Jesus we have redemption (Rev 5:9) GOD'S PLAN (1:9-14) Plan for Reconciliation (9-10) God in all His fullness through Jesus was sacrificed to reconcile us (Col 1:19-20) We are reconciled through the death of Jesus (Rom 5:9-11) Jesus became the vehicle of peace so as to destroy the barrier between us and God (Eph 2:14-16) Plan for an Inheritance (11-12) Inheritance through the promise of blamelessness (Ps 37:18) Inheritance through the promise of commitment to God (Acts 20:32) Inheritance through the promise made to Abraham (Gal 3:17-19) Inheritance through the promise of faithful service (Col 3:23-24) Inheritance through the promise of the resurrection of Jesus (1 Pet 1:3-4) Plan for a Guarantee (13-14) Guarantee through the promise of the testimony of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:16) Guarantee through the promise of ownership (2 Cor 1:21-22) Guarantee through the promise of God's purpose and indwelling Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:5) Guarantee through the promise of God's power to hold us in His hands (John 10:27-30) New Family in Christ Page 1 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
The Notary s Seal (From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) CONCLUSION AND OTHER THOUGHTS CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE NIV STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR PRACTICAL POINTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR HEART OF THE LESSON FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR Believers are the Father's adopted children (Eph. 1:3-6) Believers are saved through Christ's redemptive death (Eph. 1:7-12) Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14) New Family in Christ Page 2 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Introduction Overview and Approach to Lesson The outline of the lesson came from a previous SS Lesson dated 07/02/2000. The lesson examines a New Family in Christ. The study's aim is to show that all who put their faith in Jesus can be part of a God's family. The study's application is to experience being an integral part of God's family. Lesson Introduction and Background From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary A friend of ours once gave her adopted daughter a plaque with the inscription, You grew in my heart, not in my womb. This sentiment reflects the fact that couples who cannot have children biologically often pursue adoption. Raising children is perceived to be an important life experience and (in theory at least) a source of joy, thus the desirability of adoption. The ancient Romans also practiced adoption, but usually for a very different reason. According to Roman law, a father s property could pass only to his legitimate heir, who was expected to continue the household and the family name. Men who had no children would therefore often adopt a son, sometimes a liberated slave, to stand as their heirs. The adopted son may already have reached adulthood by the time of the adoption. Those adopted for this purpose severed ties with their former families in order to be able to receive their new father s name and property upon his death. Of course, they were also expected to submit to their new father and live in a way that would honor him. Being chosen to be an heir and elevated from slavery thus carried both privileges and responsibilities. In our passage today, Paul uses the legal principles behind the concepts of adoption and redemption to illustrate our experience of God s grace. Paul s letter to the church at Ephesus is known for its teachings on unity in the church (Ephesians 2:11 22; 4:1 6), spiritual gifts (4:7 16), Christian living (4:17 5:21), marriage and family relationships (5:22 6:9), and the armor of God (6:10 18). Many readers prefer to focus on these more practical passages, while avoiding the difficult and controversial teachings on grace, works, and predestination in the first two chapters. Yet Paul s ethical instructions are based on the principle stated at 5:1: Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children. Christians, in other words, are to act a certain way because we have been adopted into God s household; we must live in a way that protects the family name. Following this logic, Paul opens Ephesians with an extended theoretical discussion of our adoption as God s heirs. In so doing, Paul emphasizes God s grace and our need to respond to that grace through lives of service. From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator The theme of lives re-created in God's image is woven throughout all Scripture. In our lessons this quarter we have seen it promised to Israel through the Prophet Ezekiel. We have also seen it realized in Jesus' death and resurrection and multiplied in the early church through apostolic ministry. Our third unit, "The Way of New Life," reveals the blessings Christ's life brings to those who trust Him. We can experience some of these blessings now, and some of them are reserved for the life to come. Paul's letter to the Ephesians, from which this final unit is taken, is neatly divided into two parts. The first three chapters expound the church's heavenly calling, and the last three deal with its earthly conduct. The heavenly authority bestowed on believers is seen as the foundation for their transformed behavior. This week's lesson focuses on the family relationship we have with God, made possible by the work of all three Members of the Godhead. The definition of family has become very fragmented in our society today. It used to symbolize safety, security, and a sense of belonging within a context of those who care for us. From God's perspective, we have fallen from such an ideal picture because of sin. Now through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to get back into a meaningful family structure that was designed by God Himself. It is His way of restoring us. Our lesson this week helps us look at this new family with all its rights and privileges when we trust in the Lord Jesus. New Family in Christ Page 3 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Scriptural Background (from the Teaching of Dr. Bill White) 1. These verses constitute a single lengthy, involved sentence in the original Greek text,...perhaps the longest sentence in all of literature (Bell). The English translations break the section into shorter sentences. 2. This passage is a doxology, a hymn of praise to God, which enumerates the blessings of God s people. Paul s words soar and sweep, describing God s eternal and sovereign ways among men. He touches on profound doctrines: election, predestination, grace, redemption, forgiveness, revelation, the preeminence of Christ, adoption and the Holy Spirit. The hymn is in three stanzas: 1) vs 3-6 relate to the past and centers in the gracious purpose of the Father in choosing those who are believers: it closes with to the praise of the glory of His grace (v 6) 2) vs 7-12 involve the present and revolves around the redemptive work of Christ: it closes with to the praise of His glory (v 12) 3) vs 13-14 point to our full redemption in the future and magnify the Holy Spirit as our assurance of inheritance in the saints: it closes with to the praise of His glory (v 14) Major Theme Analysis (Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV) God's Blessing (1:1-5) 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will Blessing of Holiness (1-4) God choose and appointed us for holiness (John 15:16) 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. God predestined and conformed us into holiness (Rom 8:28-29) 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. God created us and prepared us in advance for holiness (Eph 2:10) 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God clothed us in holiness (Col 3:12) 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. God called us to live a holy life (1Thes 4:7) 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. New Family in Christ Page 4 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Heavenly realms and Spiritual Blessings (From the teaching of Dr. Bill White) heavenly realms - a key term in Ephesians, used 5 times; the sphere of spiritual reality as opposed to the earthly or physical reality. It is: the sphere of our spiritual blessings (1:3) the sphere of Christ s enthronement at God s right hand (1:20) the sphere of our identification with Christ (2:6) the sphere of angelic activity (3:10) the sphere of our spiritual warfare against demonic beings (6:12) Heaven is the real abode of the citizens of Christ s kingdom (Phil 3:20) every spiritual blessing - every kind of; Paul knew little of earthly, temporal, material blessings. Here he means forgiveness, sonship, the priesthood of the believer, the indwelling Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, regeneration, and others. Blessing of Adoption (5) Because we received and believed in God, He gave us the right to be a Child of His (John 1:12) 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- If we are led by the Holy Spirit we are sons of God (Rom 8:13-14) 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Through the Holy Spirit indwelling, God is our father (Gal 4:6-7) 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Blessing of Predestination From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary This verse takes us into controversial territory. Theologians have long debated the issues of predestination and free will. Is this verse saying that God chooses who will be saved? If so, how does this fit with Scriptures indicating that God desires that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and that man has the freedom to choose whether or not to accept God s salvation (John 3:16; Revelation 22:17)? How do we reconcile the sovereignty of God with man s free will? Some believe that chose means that God has chosen (or elected) certain individuals to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved, while the rest of mankind (everyone not chosen) is condemned and lost forever. Many people, however, wonder how this position can be held in light of those Scriptures that call individuals to choose to obey God (Deuteronomy 30:19; Revelation 22:17) and that indicate that God does not want any individual to perish (Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9). One way of understanding the doctrine of election is to see the choice as corporate; that is, it describes God s dealings with a group rather than with individuals. Thus, when Paul says, He chose us in him before the creation of the world, he may be talking about the church. Just as Israel had been God s chosen people under the Old Covenant, so the church has become God s chosen people under the New Covenant. At the same time, some Scriptures indicate that election has an individual nature as well as corporate. Peter writes to Christians whom he calls chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father (1 Peter 1:2). This passage tells us that election occurs according to God s foreknowledge. This means that God chooses or elects certain individuals to New Family in Christ Page 5 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
be saved and to enjoy the blessings of salvation on the basis of his advance knowledge of the choice they will make concerning Jesus Christ. Thus, God does not cause some to be saved and some to be lost, but rather he knows in advance who will accept his gracious offer of salvation. And those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. And those he predestined, he also called (Romans 8:29, 30). Note also the purpose of this election: to be holy and blameless in his sight or, as Paul told the Romans, to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. As God s people in Christ, we are to be holy (or, be saints, see v. 1) and blameless, just as Christ was while he walked on this earth. And someday, we will be just as he is in glory (1 John 3:2). From the Teaching of Dr. Bill White He chose us (v 4) - reflects the doctrine of election: that God sovereignty chose some (in eternity past) to be His. The fact of the choice is Biblically undeniable. The basis of the choice has been debated by Christians for centuries (Bell) The doctrine magnifies the sovereignty of God, the helplessness of man to save himself, and the sinfulness of sin. It is very essence of salvation by grace and is intimately bound up with the doctrine of eternal security. In a broad sense, election may be defined as an act of choice whereby God selects an individual or group out of a larger company for a purpose or destiny which he appoints. In a more restricted sense, it is God s gracious and sovereign choice of individual sinners to be saved in and through Christ... Two doctrines--apparently at variance--are taught in the New Testament with respect to salvation. Man hath chosen us.... The bible teaches both human responsibility and divine sovereignty. We must hold to both. To explain an apparent difficulty by denying one or the other of these tenets is to explain away the truth (Vaughan). predestined (v 5) - marked off in advance; foreordained - determined from eternity. God determined in eternity that those whom He chose would be members of His spiritual family. God's Love (1:6-8) 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. Love leading to Redemption (6-8) Meaning of Redemption The word redemption is a word that signifies the freeing of a slave by payment of a price Through justification of grace we have redemption (Rom 3:22-24) 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Through being in Jesus, who became our redemption, we have redemption (1 Cor 1:30) 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. New Family in Christ Page 6 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Through the rescuing of Jesus we have redemption (Col 1:13-14) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Through the blood of Jesus we have redemption (Heb 9:13-15) 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-- now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus we have redemption (1 Pet 1:18-19) 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Through the blood purchase of Jesus we have redemption (Rev 5:9) 9 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. God's Plan (1:9-14) 9 And he 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 will have reached their fulfillment-- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11 In him we were also chosen, 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 hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having 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. Plan for Reconciliation (9-10) God in all His fullness through Jesus was sacrificed to reconcile us (Col 1:19-20) 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. We are reconciled through the death of Jesus (Rom 5:9-11) 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. New Family in Christ Page 7 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Jesus became the vehicle of peace so as to destroy the barrier between us and God (Eph 2:14-16) 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Plan for an Inheritance (11-12) Inheritance through the promise of blamelessness (Ps 37:18) 18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. Inheritance through the promise of commitment to God (Acts 20:32) 32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Inheritance through the promise made to Abraham (Gal 3:17-19) 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. Inheritance through the promise of faithful service (Col 3:23-24) 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Inheritance through the promise of the resurrection of Jesus (1 Pet 1:3-4) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you, Plan for a Guarantee (13-14) Guarantee through the promise of the testimony of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:16) 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Guarantee through the promise of ownership (2 Cor 1:21-22) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Guarantee through the promise of God's purpose and indwelling Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:5) 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Guarantee through the promise of God's power to hold us in His hands (John 10:27-30) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given New Family in Christ Page 8 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." The Notary s Seal (From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) Most everyone is familiar with the notary s seal. It takes the place of that more ancient seal in which a bit of hot wax was placed on a document and then an image was pressed into it. Today we use a metal stamp that embosses the image signifying the author directly into the paper itself. While a photocopy machine may duplicate such a document, the presence of the seal assures you that what you have is not a copy but the real document. In one respect, our modern notary s seal may actually serve as a better illustration of our being marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit than the ancient seal. Just as the notary seal is embossed into the paper itself, so the Holy Spirit comes into the believer to become a part of his life. Sometimes we call this the indwelling of the Spirit. In another passage, Paul wrote that a Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you (1 Corinthians 6:19). God does not want us to have any uncertainty about our forgiveness. The presence of the Holy Spirit gives us a blessed assurance that we truly belong to him. We can know that our forgiveness is real and that we are members of the family of God. We ought to rejoice in the seal of the Spirit God s assurance of his presence now and of greater blessings yet to come! R. C. S. Conclusion and Other Thoughts Concluding Thoughts from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary My wife and I met in high school. After dating for two years I decided to buy her a hope chest in anticipation of our engagement. After looking at several stores, I found one that I thought she would like. I wanted to get it for her for Christmas. But back then I had only a part-time job, making less than four dollars an hour, so I had to put the chest on layaway. (This was before high schoolers had credit cards!) I made the initial deposit, then returned to the store every month with another payment until, come December, my investment was paid off. My initial deposit was, of course, a promise that more money would be forthcoming. In another sense, the hope chest itself was a sort of down payment in anticipation of the engagement ring that my wife-to-be received a year later. Until the ring came, she could look at the hope chest any time she wanted reassurance of my commitment, just as the engagement ring would serve as a promise that the wedding day would come. As Christians we know that he has brought us into his family. We also hope to live with him in Heaven someday. But in the meantime, we face temptations and periods of doubt. In such times the promise may seem very, very far away. For this reason, God gives us his Spirit both as proof that better things are coming and for the strength to finish the course. If we do, we will one day learn that our most profound spiritual experiences in this life were only a down payment on something much, much greater. Concluding Thoughts from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator One of the most beautiful practices in the world is the act of adoption. Through adoption a child who is not the natural offspring of a couple is officially declared to be their child, possessing all of the natural rights and privileges of such a position. In the New Testament, the Greek word translated "adoption" means "placing as a son." The writer personally knows a young man who was abandoned by his mother as a baby. If he would have remained with her, he would have grown up in poverty and surrounded by drug abuse. A young Christian couple adopted him as their own son. As a result, he grew up in a godly and secure atmosphere and was treated with the same loving care as the couple's biological children. Not only did the couple treat him as an equal with their other children, but their birth children also accepted him as a brother and did not show jealousy or superiority in any way. Being adopted into that family was a privilege for an even more important reason. In his adopted family's home, the boy heard the gospel and came to know Christ as his Saviour at a young age. In the physical world adoption is a marvelous blessing, but in the spiritual realm it is an even greater blessing. This week's text refers to the blessing of spiritual adoption. New Family in Christ Page 9 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Spiritual adoption is the act whereby God takes people who are the natural children of Satan and accepts them into His own spiritual family the moment they receive Christ as their Saviour. He regards the new believer as one of His true sons, with all the rights and privileges of such a glorious position. God's adopted children possess eternal life (the sons of God will be brought to glory, according to Hebrews 2:10), the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4:6), and the same inheritance as Jesus Himself. We are truly highly privileged heirs; we are co-heirs with Christ Himself (Rom. 8:17). When my elderly aunt passed away, my brother and I received an inheritance, for we were her next of kin. We were not simply heirs, however. We were co-heirs, which means that we shared the inheritance. God is exceedingly kind to His adopted children, for in making us coheirs with Christ, He could not have done more for us. We have a glorious future through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We do not know exactly what the Christian's inheritance will be, but every believer is promised future blessing. Someday the adopted sons will reign with the Son (Ps. 149:5-9: 1 Cor. 6:23; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 3:21). We are coheirs and brothers of Christ (Heb. 2:11). Practical Points from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator 1. When correctly considered, God's blessings should always elicit the believer's praise (Eph. 1:3) 2. From the beginning of time, God planned and provided for our salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, for His own glory and our good (vs. 4-6) 3. The great cost of our salvation, our Saviour's lifeblood, should cause us to highly value it (vs. 7-8) 4. Be assured that God's design and desire for all the earth will be ultimately fulfilled in Christ (vs. 9-10) 5. Christ is our hope; because He lives, we too shall live (vs. 11-12) 6. The believer's sealing by the Holy Spirit guarantees his final redemption from sin (vs. 13-14) Heart of the Lesson from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator The new life that believers have in Christ involves them in a family relationship with God the Father. This week's lesson focuses on that family relationship. God the Father selected us for adoption. Christ made our salvation possible through His death on the cross. The Holy Spirit seals our relationship to the Father with His indwelling. Believers are the Father's adopted children (Eph. 1:3-6) God the Father has bestowed the benefit of every spiritual blessing upon us as His children. These blessings provide us with all that we need spiritually to live for Him as He would have us live. These benefits are ours because we are in Christ. We do not need to ask God for any additional spiritual benefits because He has given all that we need. God chose us before He created the earth and the universe to be His adopted children through Christ's redemptive death. This choice was apart from any merit on our own and according to His own independent sovereign purpose. As a result, we are the objects of His grace. He chose us not simply so that we could go to heaven. He chose us to be set apart to Him and to live morally blameless lives that show His love to others. God receives all the glory for what He has done for us through Christ. Our chief purpose in life is to glorify God. We glorify Him not only with the praise of our mouths but also with our witness to His saving grace in word and in lives that are worthy of our profession of faith. Believers are saved through Christ's redemptive death (Eph. 1:7-12) We have been redeemed from slavery to sin and forgiven of our sins through Christ's sacrificial death. God's abundant grace to us was shown in the cost of suffering and death that Christ paid to save us. Every effort on the part of man to obtain God's favor falls quickly to nothingness. Man is totally incapable of saving himself from his depravity and guilt. God has made known to us through the Scriptures His purpose to bring all things together in the future under Christ's headship. Our salvation is part of this one universal divine plan God determined within Himself. We were saved to be heirs of all that God has planned for the redeemed. Christians should live like heirs of God. This means living with the confident assurance of forgiveness of sin in the present and a glorious hope for the future. To live with such certainty is a testimony to the unsaved. New Family in Christ Page 10 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009
Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14) God sealed us with the Holy Spirit once we believed after hearing the gospel. The Holy Spirit within us is God's authenticating seal of ownership on His adopted children. The Holy Spirit is also the divine pledge that we will receive our future inheritance from our heavenly Father. No one can break God's seal. God's work merits the praise due Him. God has set His seal on us to protect against the attacks of those evil forces that would endanger us. His seal assures us as well that we are His children, with all the rights and privileges children enjoy. The promised inheritance is guaranteed also. Believers should live confident lives. New Family in Christ Page 11 of 11 SS Lesson for 05/03/2009