To invest in BYM, click here
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. (Ephesians 3:10-13)
In v.10 God means for His manifold wisdom to be made known through the church. And, the church are those who have trusted in the finished work of Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin. Most refer to the building as the church. Not so, according to the scriptures.
Through the broken, through the downtrodden, through the weak. A long time ago, Ernest Hemingway once said, "We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in." I might add, it is how the light gets out, as well.
The mystery is essentially the revelation of the wisdom of God. As Paul highlights in v.10, this wisdom is a transcendent understanding of all things. This revelation makes the "the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms," pause and take notice. In fact, we learn in 1 Peter, the angels longed to look into these things.
"The rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" are angelic beings, and Paul may be thinking more specifically of those angelic beings gone bad, Satan and his demons. By loving one another, Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles show the Enemy that his power to lead us to sin and to separate us through self-righteousness, has been rendered defeated.
Through the broken, through the downtrodden, through the weak. A long time ago, Ernest Hemingway once said, "We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in." I might add, it is how the light gets out, as well.
The mystery is essentially the revelation of the wisdom of God. As Paul highlights in v.10, this wisdom is a transcendent understanding of all things. This revelation makes the "the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms," pause and take notice. In fact, we learn in 1 Peter, the angels longed to look into these things.
"The rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" are angelic beings, and Paul may be thinking more specifically of those angelic beings gone bad, Satan and his demons. By loving one another, Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles show the Enemy that his power to lead us to sin and to separate us through self-righteousness, has been rendered defeated.
The word translated manifold in v.10 means "many-colored." Paul is describing the wisdom of God. When we go through troubled or blessed times, the wisdom of God is poised to bring a certain measure of clarity to the believer. This clarity reveals that even in difficulties are the purposes and plans of God are good and realized in our lives.
According to v.11, the Lord Jesus delivered the goods. The Lord Jesus, not only through His perfect life and His poignant teaching, but also through His resurrection made it possible for you and me to transcend and discover the long standing purposes of God in and through our lives.
According to v.12, the follower of the Lord Jesus has the confidence and freedom to come to God as a loving father who has our best interest at heart. We should never shy away from the God who has demonstrated His love for us by the giving of His only begotten Son.
Finally, in v.13, the Apostle reminds his readers that we should not be set back by the suffering that he is enduring because even the suffering is useful for the advancement of the truth in the lives of those who know God as Father. When we go through suffering and see there is purpose in it, we are positioned to see that God fills us with Himself when we are emptied of ourselves.
Finally, in v.13, the Apostle reminds his readers that we should not be set back by the suffering that he is enduring because even the suffering is useful for the advancement of the truth in the lives of those who know God as Father. When we go through suffering and see there is purpose in it, we are positioned to see that God fills us with Himself when we are emptied of ourselves.
