Ephesians 2:18-19

16 And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

17 And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

18 For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

19 Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God's [own] household.

Plain and simple here, anyone who has been called and chosen by God is now a Jew, or a child of God, because we are now one with our Father through Christ. 

For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal [matter]. His praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:28-29

This is why we need to beware of those who are constantly talking about our Father’s Covenant with Israel. Our Father made a covenant with Abraham and his offspring and Abraham’s offspring are those who are in Christ. Abraham’s offspring are born by faith authored and finished by Jesus, not those who are born from Israel. Just look at what Jesus constantly told the Israelites, He repeatedly told them that He was the only door, that He was the only way, and the only light. There are not two ways to get to our Father, there is one and the Old Covenant, the Covenant that was for Israel, has been done away with.  

However, it is not as though God's Word had failed [coming to nothing]. For it is not everybody who is a descendant of Jacob (Israel) who belongs to [the true] Israel. And they are not all the children of Abraham because they are by blood his descendants. No, [the promise was] Your descendants will be called and counted through the line of Isaac [though Abraham had an older son]. That is to say, it is not the children of the body [of Abraham] who are made God's children, but it is the offspring to whom the promise applies that shall be counted [as Abraham's true] descendants. Romans 9:6-8

In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused [they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding]; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies [on their hearts], not being lifted [to reveal] that in Christ it is made void and done away. 2 Corinthians 3:14

[My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses]. To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be [preserved] for you [in its purity]. Galatians 2:4-5

The only way to find favor with our Father is by having Him freely bestow it upon you. Human lineage does not guarantee it, there is no work that can earn it, it is all grace. There are many who want to talk of a Covenant that our Father still has with Israel, when the Truth is the Old Covenant has been done away with. Jesus never speaks to the nation of Israel as if they will keep a special relationship with God apart from Him. Jesus actually speaks of them being destroyed without Him. So when you hear things like the Book of Revelation is only for the Israelites, or that the nation of Israel finds favor because of the Abrahamic Covenant, just go and read the Gospels and see what Jesus actually spoke. The Abrahamic Covenant has blessings for the children of faith, those who are truly Jews, those who are now one with Christ.  

Think of the history of Israel since Jesus. It has been one of destruction, pain, suffering, and blindness. It has been a history of war and death. The Covenant of Abraham in not for an earthly nation and it’s people, it is for the Kingdom of Heaven and its children. The nation of Israel enjoys no special favor over any other nation on this earth, our Father uses all nations. All power, all thrones, all dominions, whether seen or unseen, are under the control of our Father. In Christ we enjoy peace, joy, health, faith, hope, and love, we do not enjoy these things because of Israel. 

Ephesians 2:15

15 By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

Look at what Jesus did for us, He abolished the Law for us. Jesus eliminated all of the decrees, the do’s and the don’ts of the Law. There is no longer any rules in place that will limit our relationship with our Father, it’s all by grace now. We have peace because we no longer have to worry about the Law. Grace is always free and it is always undeserved. That is a Rock of offense and a stumbling Stone to many, but it is the Truth. You know what is so glorious about it, even those who are offended and stumble over this Truth, even though they disobey and don’t believe it, 1 Peter 3, they still receive grace! They may not be destined to be the Bride of Christ, but they sure will be guests of ours.  

People all of the time try and tell me about the Ten Commandments and how we must keep them. The first question I ask them is: “how is that Saturday Sabbath going for you?” I wonder if they are fasting from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday?  I then ask them about the Law, are they doing alright in not eating shell fish or pig? How about the way that they keep their pots and pans cleaned? Are they storing their meat with their cheeses? Are they doing good at only marrying Jewish women? The Truth is that we are no longer under the Law, any of it, it is all by grace, and that is why we are able to keep the only Real Law, Love.

For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. Galatians 5:14

Grace allows us to love and we don’t just love, we love as Jesus loves. This is the reason that He lives, so that the Love that He has may be in us. We are one with Jesus’ love, so that we love as He loves, even while we are in this earth.

I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26

Jesus lives so that we may love. Jesus continues making our Father known to us so that we may love. The Law is done away for us and part of the Law is the Ten Commandments. If you believe that you are still under the Ten Commandments read the following two verses.

Knowing and understanding this: that the Law is not enacted for the righteous (the upright and just, who are in right standing with God), but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who strike and beat and [even] murder fathers and strike and beat and [even] murder mothers, for manslayers, [For] impure and immoral persons, those who abuse themselves with men, kidnapers, liars, perjurers--and whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching and sound doctrine 1 Timothy 1:8-9

If you believe that you are under the Law, under any of it, even the Ten Commandments, then what you are saying is that you are not in right standing with God. You are lawless, unruly, ungodly, sinful, profane, a murderer, impure, immoral, a kidnapper, a liar, a perjurer, and you have no sound doctrine. I don’t know about you, but grace seems to be a far better way? 

Ephesians 2:11-14

11 Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands.

   

12 [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God's agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God.

13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near.

When do these verses tell us that we have we been brought near to our Father? Now! Now in Christ we are one with our Father. The Blood of our Lord and Savior is the power that has allowed us to become one with God, just as Jesus is One with God. All that our Father has, all that He is, all of His Love, Peace, Faith, Knowledge, Power, Wisdom, Abilities, Forgiveness, Life, Energy, Health, and Joy, we are now one with through Christ. Our Father foreordained it, He predestined it, for those who He knew that He was going to choose to be the Bride. This is why we remember what we came from. We came from a world where we had no hope to an eternal life filled with all of the power of God. But now through Christ we have every spiritual blessing. 

14 For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

Jesus alone is our peace. He doesn’t just give us peace, He has given us His very Own peace. The body of Christ lives in and is one with the perfect peace of its Head, Jesus. Our peace is perfected in Christ, so that we may have boldness to stand in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. 

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] John 14:27

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33

Ephesians 2:9-10

9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

All of the Spiritual blessings that we have been given are all free, so that we can’t boast. We can’t claim to have first believed or that we keep believing. We can’t boast that we first do anything on our own, because we are never alone in doing anything. It is always our Father within us, He is always doing the works.

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the ( His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power). John 14:10

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5

If it was our Father in Jesus working 2000 years ago, it is our Father working in us, who are Jesus’ body, today. Jesus couldn’t and didn’t boast and neither do we who are His flesh. You hear a sermon about what you have to do to get our Father to act in your life, run from that message, it is not the Truth that will set you free. The Truth is it is all our Father, it is all His grace. We were not chosen by our works and we are not kept by our works. The Truth is not what we have to do, the Truth is what Jesus has to do through us. The head always drives and directs and empowers the body.  

John answered, A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven. [A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source.] John 3:27

10 For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Whose handiwork our we? We are God’s handiwork! Who have we been recreated in? The Alpha and Omega Jesus! Why has this all happened for us, to do the works that our Father predestined that He would do through us before the world ever was! Our Father knew what He was doing before He ever spoke, “let it be.” He determined before the world was to cause us to walk the paths that He prepared beforehand and to live the prearranged good life that He made for us to live in. This one simple verse tells a Truth that so many are not yet permitted to see. People who think that predestination and a lack of free will means that we are robots or puppets, have no revelation of the grand Truth of who we now are in Christ. The freedom and power in the Truth is so far beyond what we can think of, imagine, dream of, or pray for with a mere human mind. So thank our Father, because He has given us the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16, that is fully able to understand the grandeur of the Truth.  

Ephesians 2:7-8

7 He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.

Why did our Father raise us up now, instead of waiting to do it in the future? He did it to prove our relationship with Him is not based in our works. If our salvation was based on our own works, then our spirits could not be raised up to be with Jesus until our lives were finished here on the earth. Being raised up now proves that we did nothing to earn our salvation and it proves that we do nothing to keep it. It is all by our Father’s free grace and the gift of our Father’s grace is never taken back once it is given, Romans 11:29. 

8 For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

This verse ties right in with all that we have studied so far and it is straight forward. This verse does say that it is by our faith though? So does this mean that we have a faith that is separate from Jesus’ faith? Is there a work that we have to do to get all of this? Do we on our own have to believe for it? Nope! We do not author and finish our own faith, Jesus does.

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

To think that we on our own would have to believe for something, would be like thinking that the branch has to believe on its own that the vine will give it what it needs so that it can produce fruit. It’s like thinking that the hand must first believe for the head to act. The clay to first believe that the potter would form it. We are now new creatures in Christ, it is now Christ Who lives within us, the two of us have become one flesh, we never do anything apart from Jesus, Who is our Head. Faith is not a human ability to accept and believe the things of God. Faith is Jesus’ ability working through man, to believe the things of God. So it all remains, free grace.

This verse does not mislead at all, because our faith is Jesus’ faith. The Bible is written in a way that it takes the Holy Spirit to rightly divide the Truth. So when an unsaved person reads this they will look to themselves and not to Jesus, yet when a child of God reads it, we look to the Truth, we look to Jesus, and He keeps us. All, every last bit of it, is free grace. No one earns or accepts it on their own.  

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

Ephesians 2:6

6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

What another awesome Truth: we have been raised up together with Jesus; we now sit as one with the Great I Am, The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and The End! Remember what we learned in Chapter 1 of Ephesians, that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, this is why that we have. 

The Truth is that we have already been raised up with Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Our spirits are one with Jesus right now. They are right where He is, they are one with Him, and they enjoy all of the blessings that He enjoys. Our spirits are one with the omnipotent Spirit of Jesus Christ and as He is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. You ever hear that when we die our spirits go home to be with the Lord? That is a not the Truth of what happens to us. The Truth is that our spirits are there right now. So when we die, our spirits stay right where they are, one and in Christ.

That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:21-22

Because we are members (parts) of His body. Ephesians 5:30

For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

For if we have become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God]. Romans 6:5

These are not Truths for our future. They are Truths for our today! These glorious things are all ours right now. Faith comes from hearing these Truths, Romans 10:17, and the Truth sets us free, John 8:32. 

For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2

Ephesians 2:3-5

3 Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God's] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us,

5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).

Amen, our Father has given us the same new life that He has given Jesus. We have been given the same eternal life that Jesus has. Our Father has given us the same new glorious life that Jesus has, John 17:22. We have been given all that Jesus has and is, by being made one with Him.

Now here is the real Truth of what this means, it applies even to our flesh. Look at what the Holy Spirit tells us here in verse 5, we have the same new life that quickened Jesus. Jesus’ Spirit wasn’t quickened, it was and is always God, it was His flesh that was quickened, or made alive. Jesus’ body was destroyed and laid in a grave. His body laid there dead for 3 days. Jesus’ brain received no oxygen for 3 days. His blood drained from His body when the Roman soldier pierced His side on the cross. Jesus’ flesh was dead and yet it was given back life, but the power of His new life was not in blood and oxygen, it was the Holy Spirit.

Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe! John 20:27

Eleven days after Jesus was crucified, He told Thomas to place his hand in His open wounds. Could you imagine how that would hurt if Jesus was living by the power of blood and oxygen? His wounds had not sealed up with scabs, or been bandaged, they were open and Thomas could place his fingers in them. This is the new life that we have been given. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free.

The power of this Truth means that it absolutely does not matter what a doctor may say about us, because we now live by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus lives by it. Our age does not matter, because we now live by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus only lives by His power. Our Father has given us the same life force that our Head has, we are now Jesus’ body, the two of us are now one. It does not matter if every tissue in our bodies are destroyed, the power of the Holy Spirit is what keeps us alive. Our flesh is not ending its service to the Kingdom in this earth age until Jesus, Who Alone holds the keys of death, Revelation 1:18, ends it. Far too often we ignore the power of salvation for our flesh, but the Truth is that we have the same life force keeping us: spirit, soul, and body that keeps Jesus’ Spirit, Soul, and Body! The Holy Spirit is our power, just as it is Jesus’ power, because we are now one with Jesus. We are now Jesus’ body, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. This is good teaching and it will author and finish our faith!

Ephesians 2:2

2 In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].

Here is another great verse that talks of the lie of free will. The Truth is that even if you believe that you are not under the control of Jesus, you are under the control of satan, who is under the control Jesus. 

All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. John 1:3

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it). Romans 11:36

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

Satan rebelled against our Father, just as our Father knew that he would, but that in no way meant that satan was able to remove himself from the control of our Father. Satan is still controlled by God. To believe that he isn’t, would mean that you believe that satan is stronger than our Father. The Truth is that he isn’t and the Truth is that all things exist by our Father and through our Father, even satan, and the Truth is that all things work together for our good who are in Christ, Romans 8:28. 

Ephesians 2:1

1 AND YOU [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins

In Christ we have been made alive, we are not being made alive, or going to be given life, in Christ we are alive. When we were born again by the will of our Father, we became one with Jesus and we now are one with His life. This is being alive, we are alive just like Jesus is alive, the two of us have become one flesh, one spirit, and one soul. We have been grafted into the Vine of Jesus and now all of the power and energy that allows Jesus to have eternal life flows through us as well.

That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:21-23

We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. Romans 6:6

We are now members of Jesus’ body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones, Ephesians 5:30. Our old self has been nailed to the Cross with Jesus, so that our old unrenewed selves could be destroyed. In Christ we do not possess and old nature along with a new nature. Our old self has been destroyed through the power of Christ, it hasn’t just been wounded, it has been destroyed. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, this is the Truth that will set us free, to hope to live as Jesus lives. 

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter? James 3:11

There can be no fellowship between light and darkness and a fountain is only able to deliver good water or bitter water. In Christ we have been perfected, not by our works, but through our Father’s grace. It is all free, it is all undeserved, and it is all apart from our own works. To be made alive in Christ means to be free from sin just as Jesus is free from sin.

For by the death He died, He died to sin [ending His relation to it] once for all; and the life that He lives, He is living to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:10-11

Ephesians 1:15-20

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints (the people of God),

16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.

Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. Hebrews 7:25

We are now one with Jesus and Jesus ever lives to intercede for us so that we might be saved to the uttermost. So we too live to intercede for people, we do this because we are part of Jesus’ body and the body has the same purpose as its Head. This is why we never cease to pray for others, it is what we have been grafted into Jesus to do. It is one of the greatest reasons that we are alive, it is why Jesus is alive, to serve. We forgive sins and they are forgiven. We lay hands on the sick and they recover. We ask and receive. We do all of this because we are one with Jesus and this is what He does.

17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,

This is a great example of how we should pray for others. We should pray for our brothers and sisters to have wisdom and revelation. Pray for the gift of prophesy for others and yourself. Pray that we have a deep and complete understanding of all things. Go for the gusto in your prayers for others. Desire that the body has it all, nothing lacking, full and complete glory and perfection in Christ on this earth and on this day. Just read what the Holy Spirit has Paul pray for us to have in the following verses. We have the same Spirit within us causing us to desire the same things. We are going to study later in Ephesians that our Fathers’ will is that He does more than we can pray for, ask for, dream of, and even believe for and He does it all by His power that is within us, Ephesians 3:20. So pray away and through the power of the Holy Spirit ask away and ask for all that the Spirit brings to your mind. 

18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),

Pray that people see that they are called and that they are called to greatness and pray that they receive the revelation of the peace that goes with it.

19 And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,

Desire to see all that our Father is. Fully expect to see things that pass all human understanding. Hope to see the dead raised, the lame walk, the blind see, and the most despicable person to be set free. Eagerly desire Spiritual gifts. 

20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],

Ephesians 1:13-14

¹³ In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit.

¹⁴ That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.

We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God, so what or who can penetrate our Father’s Spirit to get to us? Can the devil? Can a demon? Can a man? If anything or anyone could penetrate the Holy Spirit to get to us, what would that make our Father? What good would be our Father’s guarantee of our inheritance if we could be lost? The glorious Truth is that we cannot be lost.

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

Ephesians 1:11-12

11 In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,

This one verse will take away all fear out of your life. It will because the Truth is that our Father will work everything out in accordance to His Will. Now our Father tells us that He would that all men be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4. Our Father wants to us to be prosperous and well, 3 John 1:2. Our Father wants us to have an abundant life, John 10:10.  

You ever hear those sermons that say that no man is promised tomorrow, so you better say yes to Jesus today, so you won’t go to Hell?  This scripture blows that sermon right out of the water. If our Father has called a person to be the Bride of Christ, that person cannot help but to be a Bride. Our Father will not let them die until they say yes to Jesus. Only Jesus holds the keys to death, Revelation 1:18. No one will ever die until our Groom says that they can die. Think about that glorious Truth, only Jesus holds the keys of death. Faith comes for us from hearing the Truth. The Holy Spirit will take us a place of such great peace with this, because Jesus came to save the world. So if He did that and He alone holds the keys of death, don’t you believe that He will accomplish what He came to do? Death is not a hinderance to our Lord saving people from Hell. It is just another step in our eternal life’s. Some may have to get to eternity through Hades, but I do believe, and I hope that the scriptures that we continually study show you this too, that all will get there, 1 Corinthians 3:15.   

12 So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!

If a person is going to be one with Jesus and be His Bride, then they have been destined to be so by God. Our Father has called us to be married to Jesus before we were even born, Galatians 1:15. The Truth is that we are in an arranged marriage. It is our Father’s purpose and it is His design. That should bring you so much peace, because our Father is love, 1 John 4:16. What we have done doesn’t matter, just look at Paul’s life and you will see that, 1 Timothy 1:15. There is no boasting for us, Romans 3:27, but even greater then that, there is no condemnation, Romans 8:1. This Truth bring us peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7.

Ephesians is such a wonderful Book.  

Ephesians 1:9-10

9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him,

Don’t you just love that, our Father’s good pleasure, or in other words, our Father’s Free Will. Our Father’s will is what is working in this world. Far too many talk of human free will as the power and that is not the power that drives this world. All things exist by our Father, for our Father, and through our Father, Colossians 1:16.   

Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him. Romans 8:6-8

Our Father describes here in Romans 8 what human free will accomplishes: destruction. The Truth is that even our righteousness is as filthy rags. There is nothing that we can do on our own that accomplishes anything but destruction. But amen, human will isn’s running things, our Father’s Will is.  

O Lord [pleads Jeremiah in the name of the people], I know that [the determination of] the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or in a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps. Jeremiah 10:23

10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.

So what is our Father’s will? It is at the climax of the ages, or at Judgment Day, to unify all things in Christ. Our Father’s will isn’t just to unify some things, or only those things that have said yes to Him, but all things. At the climax of the ages our Father will gather everyone, from everywhere, both good and bad, to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10 

Eternity will be filled with our guest’s. We are the Bride of Christ. We are not guests at our own wedding. Jesus’ Wedding will be filled with guests and all things will be made new, Revelation 21:5. Eternity will be filled with millions of people who do not deserve to be there. But it is our Father’s Will that all men be saved and through Christ our Father will get what He wants!

Ephesians 1:7-8

⁷ In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,

⁸ Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence),

The Blood of Jesus is what delivers us from all sin. It is Jesus’ mercy and His generous favor that covers up our shortcomings. So if that is true, let me ask you this: why wouldn’t everyone receive it? His Blood and His grace covers every sin and shortcoming, so wouldn’t that include not asking for it? We can see all throughout Jesus’ life people not asking for His grace and yet they still received it. Jesus healed ten lepers and only one stopped and thanked Him, Luke 17. The people who killed Jesus never asked for forgiveness and yet they received it, Luke 22:34. The woman caught in adultery never asked to be forgiven and yet she was, John 8. Jesus tells us to forgive, so when does that opportunity stop?

Many people will say that when a person dies all opportunity is lost to be forgiven, but if that were the case, why did Jesus go and preach to the souls in Hades after He was crucified, 1 Peter 3:20? Also if Jesus stopped forgiving people at some point, then He wouldn’t be the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8.

We have been given the Holy Spirit and we have been lavished with all wisdom and we have been graced with all spiritual blessings. The Truth sets us free and the Truth is that our Saviors sacrifice far outweighed Adams sin, Romans 5:15. One man brought sin to all men and one Man, Jesus, brought redemption to all men. If it were up to us to ask for it on our own, then we would all be doomed.

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

The dead who are not in Christ are raised up on the last day. Those of us who are in Him will be raised up 1,000 years before then.

The remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:5

Pretty powerful grace isn’t it?

Ephesians 1:4-6

⁴ Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

⁵ For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—

⁶ [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

An awful lot of people shy away from predestination and for the life of me I don’t know why? The same people will tell you that our Father knows the beginning and the end. They will also tell you that He is the Potter and that He is the Head. So why is there all of this shyness with predestination? Our Father controls everything, Colossians 1:16. He knows everything and He has a purpose and a plan for everything, so of course He had to predestine everything. But to help people along with this glorious and absolutely freeing Truth, here are some other scriptures.

 For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Ephesians 2:10

Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose, Isaiah 46:10

For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel, To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur. Acts 4:27-28

But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased. To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone]. Galatians 1:15-16

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. Romans 8:29-30

Ephesians 1:3

³ May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!

Look at what we are shown here: we are blessed with every, not just some, but every spiritual blessing through the Holy Spirit.

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things and cause us to remember everything that He has said. So there is absolutely nothing that we can’t be shown by our Father, not one thing. We now have the Mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16. Jesus also told us that the Holy Spirit is our strength. So it doesn’t matter how weak our flesh or spirits are, how sick we are, how oppressed we are, or how uneducated we are, the Holy Spirit makes us as strong as everyone who is in the Heavenly realm. Now think about that, everyone, and Jesus is in Heaven.

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

I hear all of the time what our responsibilities are. That is not the way to look at things. The Truth that sets us free is that is Jesus Who has been given all of the responsibility to work through us. Without Jesus we can do nothing, John 15:5. Jesus isn’t our co-pilot. He is our Head, the Great I Am, our Vine, our Potter, our Master, our Shepherd, our Lord. He is never waiting on us to first do something so then He can react to our actions. Jesus causes us to act and then He acts on what He has done through us. If it were any other way we could not have peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7. If it were any other way we could brag and boast of what we had accomplished, 1 Corinthians 1:29. We could also condemn and there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ, Romans 8:1