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Bibleteachings
Congregation of Ephesus
In Ephesus were people
who had repented their sins and believed in Jesus Christ,
after when they were heard gospel about the salvation, which is in Jesus
Christ. Like this of them had come believers, and they were getting by the
faith promised Spirit of God. Like this was born the congregation of Ephesus.
Apostle Paul wrote letter to the congregation of the Ephesus as the apostle of
the Lord, in which he gave instructions to the congregation, about that what
kind of life congregation has been called. In the beginning he writes, that
God has blessed those, who believe to God, with heavenly and all spiritual
blessings, which are in Jesus Christ. This heavenly and spiritual blessing,
which is in Jesus Christ comes out by the life, which affected the Holy
Spirit.
Now we will look over through letter of Ephesus, that what kind of life the
Holy Spirit affects in the congregation and in the hearts of the believers.
God affects in the believers hearts humility and patience like that way, that
believers agree to suffer in the love one another, because in that way peace
is preserved in the congregation and the unity of the Spirit. Jesus Christ
lives in the heart of believers through faith, which affect the Holy Spirit.
So that believers can understand the love of God and learn to know love of
Christ, which is above of all knowledge. In this way believer can be full of
the love of God. Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts
through the Holy Spirit, which He has given to us.
Paul teaches, that there is one body (congregation), which is worldwide in
that way that all believers belong around to the world in same congregation,
because they have born in the Spirit of God. For also we all were baptized by
one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, even
all were given to drink into one Spirit. The congregation is one also in that
way that with each locality is only one congregation and these believers must
come to assemble together on the base of the unity of the Spirit. Believers
come to attach many attentions to build his own local congregation, because
there is our home where we live.
For by grace you are saved, through faith
Letter of Ephesus is a powerful request to ask, that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give to us a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the full knowledge of Him. And that the eyes of our mind having been
enlightened, for us to know what is the hope of His calling, and what the
riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the
surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to
the working of His mighty strength, which He worked in Christ in raising Him
from the dead.
Believers are saved from the grace and this is not of us; because it is the
gift of God. We are not saved through our works that not anyone should boast.
Faith is the work of God, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them. This
means that God influence us will and work through the Holy Spirit and word of
God. This is great grace of God, that we will get faith from the God through
the Holy Spirit, so that we can walk in this world accordance with word of
God.
Jews and gentiles are one in Jesus Christ
Before redemption offerings of Jesus
gentiles were without Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and
strangers of the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the
world. But now gentiles, in Christ Jesus who were afar off came to be near by
the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, He is making us both one, and
breaking down the middle wall of partition, in His flesh causing to cease the
enmity, the Law of the commandments in decrees, that He might in Himself
create the two into one new man, making peace, and might reconcile both in one
body to God through the cross, slaying the enmity in Himself. And coming, He
proclaimed "peace to you, the ones afar off, and to the ones near." For
through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. So, then, you are
no longer strangers and tenants, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and
of the household of God, being built up on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone, in whom every building
having been fitted together grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord, in whom
you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
One Lord one faith
There is one Spirit, and believers have called by this one Spirit in one
hope, which is in Christ Jesus. There is one Lord Jesus, which is the head of
the congregation. There is one faith, which is to all believers the very same.
There is one baptism, which we get after, we have come to faith. There is one
God, one Father, who is above of all things. God has given to the congregation
the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, so that all
believers would come with a view to the perfecting of the saints for the work
of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.
Biblical coming together
All believers come to participate to building of
the congregation. The congregation is like voluntary work; each member of the
congregation participates to the common work. In these way believers achieved
to the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Jesus Christ, to a
full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Congregation doesn't come together as the passive to listen to one or two
performers, like these way believers remains to be infants and don't grow
full- grow man to the fullness of Christ, because all must be building
congregation as together. This is biblical gathering order and this guarantee
also believers healthy growth to the fullness of Christ, especially as when
believers love and honour each other.
If believers don't gather to the mutual building, so they have to be blown and
carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine, in the underhandedness of men,
in craftiness with a view to the trickery of error. However, congregation must
come together speaking and teaching the truth in love, that they may grow up
into Jesus Christ in all things, who is the head, the Christ. The congregation
has been called to obey the truth of word of God in love, because only like
these way believers can grow into Christ Jesus. When Jesus can lead His
congregation whole congregation join together and like this congregation keep
together with the help of each member and of course with the help of the Holy
Spirit. The congregation grows in the faith with the help of each member, thus
way, that all members of the congregation build up each other in that grace
and anointment, which they have. Furthermore, of course the Holy Spirit will
help us to grow in the healthy way in the faith. Like this congregation by the
word of truth and love of Spirit is built and grow in the faith.
General teaching
One mission of the Holy
Spirit is keeping believers old man with its deeds to be crucified on the
cross. Filthy words, bitterness, hate and slandering don't belong to the life
of believers. The will of God is, that believers to are friendly, kind-hearted
and forgiving towards each other. Believers are worth look over the word of
God, because then he finds from the word, that what is acceptable to the Lord.
Believers must not look over the word of God in that way, that he looks over
the word of God to his own ear itch. Believers don’t come to be no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. Believers
are not allowed not be drunk with wine or to be under the influence with any
alcohol, because drunkards don't inherit the kingdom of God. Believers had
been given command becomes full on the Holy Spirit, this command means every
believer.
The congregation also comes together to speak and to discuss from the word of
God. Spiritual songs congregation sings together, which are praise towards
God. Apostle Paul indeed urged congregation to praise God of all things in the
name of Jesus Christ. Paul gave also teaching and instructions about marriage
life of believers. Believers wives have been called to be subjects to theirs
husbands, because a husband is the head of the wife, such as Christ the head
of the congregation. Believers husbands have been called to love their wives
such as Christ loved His congregation. The men are not allowed to submit their
wives, but their task is to love theirs wives. Believers parents must wisely
and skilled to teach theirs children to be obedient in theirs parents in Lord,
because it is the will of God. Believers parents don't come to grow theirs
children in anger and don't provoke children, but bring them up in the
discipline and admonition of the Lord.
Armour of God
Then apostle Paul teaches to the believers how to put on the whole armour of
God, that we can be able to stand against the wiles (methodeia) of the devil.
Greek word methodeia comes from the word meta =with, after and and hodos =
way. devil is working systematically , whe he try to tease and fall to
belivers. devil selects always accurately time and also the place according to
the situation, when he gets started to tease believers devil selects to him
the most acceptable moment when he assumes that he can fall believers to the
temptation. Apostel Paul uses inspired by the Holy Spirit war equipment of the
soldier as example from the armour of God. We are not wrestling against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual powers of
evil in the heavenlies.
On this battlefield doesn't fight against the sisters and brothers in Christ,
and not against the people of this world. satan has succeeded on this area,
because unfortunately many believers are to fighting against their sister and
brothers in Christ. I give you one example, here in Finland during the Second
World War if Russians would have succeeded to get Finnish people to fight
against each other, instead to fight against Russians. Unfortunately, satan is
successful to get some believers to fight against one another. Think about
which strategy, opponent turns with the same side being to fight against one
another. Believers are not allowed to fight against one another, like this way
we forgot to win the souls and mutual building of the congregation and the
people of this world remains to captivity of satan and sin. In this kind of
fight satan laughs at sweet laughter and like this congregation donates to
satan those souls, which are not yet saved. The fight doesn't come to go
against the people of this world, but against the evil spirits, which has
bound the people of his imprisonment. The fighting against the flesh and
blood, makes thwart works of God, but the fighting against the evil spirits,
bring about the work of God.
Whole armour of God must dress up, so that believers can resist evil spirits.
Believers come to understand, that people of this world are ruling by the
satan God is Almighty, but all the kingdoms of this world had been given to
satan, Luke 4:5,6.
Basic strategy of satan
Basic strategy of satan to misleading of the man is:
- 1. He distorts
the
word of God and fail main on the faked word of God.
- 2. satan fails
a
man by carnality, in which deceit is directed to emotions of
the man and sense of sight of the man.
satan operated in the flesh of the man, in the
soul, where is understanding and emotions of the man, because of this God
equips believers with His word and Holy Spirit, and in this areas satan is
powerless, because it he can't win, it what is from God, but satan can win
that what is from the flesh.
But, this believer must always to remember, if on the battlefield is
functioned a fleshly way, so always comes a loss. But if believers functions
spiritually, so then we are walking in triumph in Christ. That existing in
triumph in Christ is each believer place and station. Then Paul teaches, that
how we can fight against evil spirits in a spiritually way, and there we will
concentrate on next in this teaching.
Spirit filling and then stand firm, "having girded your loins about with
truth" and having put "on the breastplate of righteousness
First thing is become full on Holy Spirit, because only in the Holy
Spirit can be used armour of God. Believer must stand firm, having girded
loins with truth and believers have to put on the breastplate of
righteousness, which is crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. When
soldier was preparing to the fight he came to attach firmly the belt around of
him, that not slack and loose hanging clothes would be preventing moving of
soldier, because at its worst can happen, and he can stumble in his clothes,
and for that reason this belt must gird very tightly. This describing, that
believers must walk in the truth of God and reject sin off from his life,
because whenever believers makes or to lives in the sins he is doing the will
of satan in his life and not the will of God. All sins what God indicates in
our life and every plant which God has not planted shall be rooted up, Matthew
15:13.
Root care against the sin
From this root care God gave to me practice
lessons, which and in this with you. I was 1993 at work on the factory of
Raisio a in the service of the firm, which made as subcontracting firm work on
the factories of Raisio. My task was to clean up outside areas of Raisio
factories.
I must as each weekend to pick up weeds off from flower plantings, which were
before the headquarter of factories of Raisio. I remember how I pick off those
weeds from these flower plantings and each weekend was grown always new weeds
to replace those weeds which I have already picked off earlier. All weeds must
pick off and any weed didn't get to remain to grow in the middle of those
flowers. If these weeds would have got to grow so when in their growing would
have choked and taken nourishment away from these flowers. When weeds start to
grow, they would have started to shade flowers, which as the consequence the
weeds would have covered whole sunlight from the flowers and flowers can't get
the sunlight what they need to be grow. God started to speak to me very
powerfully, and He said; these weeds are like sin, which choke and prevent
spiritual growth in the heart of the believer. Then I understood, that every
plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. This
rooted up operation makes our heart to come clean.
Shod the feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace
When the heart of the believers is clean and pure and full of faith so
believers the feet of believers are ready to preach gospel about peace from
Jesus Christ. Soldiers were better walk with shoes on theirs feet on the
battlefields, because, ground was often very non- balanced and like this,
there was good and firm to walk with shoes. Especially Roman soldiers put
spikes their shoes, so that they better stand up in the battlefield. In
accordance with this example, become also the believers to take trouble and to
use his time to grow and to build as the children of God, so that we also
would stand up the battlefield.
Shield of faith
Believers must be under the protection of shield of faith, with which
you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. During also
the time of apostle Paul, in the wars were shot fiering arrows towards enemies
and if this kind of burning arrow hit to the soldier so it wounded badly
soldier and in some cases soldier died to this burning arrow. Soldier had high
and big shield, which with the help of shield, he was able to protect himself
against those burning arrows. If against him was shot burning arrows, so when
he remains behind the shield, he was in protection and shield stopped all
burning arrows. The faith to God and that you will live in your Christian life
according to faith is a shield, which will stop all bad burning arrows, which
has been directed against you. But if you do not live from the faith, but in
the sins so you are open target to the burning arrows of satan and if the
worst happened to you, you can fall away from the faith.
Therefore, remain in faith and stay behind
in the shield by the faith, which influenced God in your heart.
Helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit
Believers must accept helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God. Helmet of salvation protects our mind and heart
against the sin. Believers come to examine the word of God and to fill his
thought on the word of God, because then the word of God comes into our heart
and our mind and be guided in the Holy Spirit in our life in accordance with
the word of God. If believers fill his mind and heart on filth of this world
(violence films, born movies, pulp magazines, porn magazines, human wisdom and
doctrine of evil spirits),
so he is completely helpless and powerless to resist a sin. Obedience to God
and His word protects you from the sin.
Be subject to God
Be subject to God and resist the devil,
and he will flee from you. You can say courageously to satan when he teases
you: Go behind Me, satan in the name of Jesus Christ. satan has to go behind
you, cause Jesus Christ is the winner, and you are the child of the winner.
Jesus won satan at death on the cross and when rising up. Believers are the
children of God and the word of God urges to resist satan, so that he would
flee from you, because of that resist satan in the name of Jesus Christ.
However, if you do not want to be obedient to God, and you want to live in the
sins, so there is no use name of Jesus to you, when satan is teasing you.
Bible taught, that came to be obedient to God and after that you have
authority to resist satan that he will flee.
Praying by perseverance
Whole armour of God using came to take place by
praying in the Spirit. The prayer is like breathing without breathing, we will
die. Prayer which are prepared in the Spirit produce good fruit to our
Christian life. Believers must be steadfast in other words patient in all
tests, because the ones who in a right and good heart, hearing the Word, they
hold it and bear fruit in patience, Luke 8:15.
Petri Paavola
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