A Message of Love

John 3:16; Ephesians 3:14-21

GOLDEN TEXT: “Thanks rain God for his unspeakable gift.”—II Corinthians 9:15

EVERY one dissatisfied with the status of his affairs at the close of the year, and who finds himself weary and heavy-laden, perplexed and discouraged, should endeavor to know how to begin the new year aright, by entering into covenant relationship with the Redeemer, who declares, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—Matthew 11:28

The first verse in our lesson is indeed a wonderful statement, and generally so considered among Christians of all ages; and all the more wonderful as we come to understand the length, breadth, height, and depth of the divine plan of salvation. The whole message of the Gospel is condensed in this verse:

(1) Man’s need is shown—his perishing condition, his need of divine help; (2) God’s love is declared, and the proof of it is pointed out to be the gift of his Son; (3) Our Lord’s willing co-operation in the Father’s plan is evidenced; (4) The breadth of this love and redemption is declared to embrace the whole world, and not merely a section, family, or class; (5) The limitations of divine grace are plainly stated—only through a true acceptance of Christ can any obtain this great blessing—release from the perishing condition under the curse and full reinstatement in the favor of God, and everlasting life.

Without the death of Jesus our race would perish like the brute beast. Because of his death there is to be a resurrection not only of the just who now come into harmony with God through faith, but also of the unjust whose eyes have not yet been opened to see the grace of God in Christ. Those who share in the “first resurrection” to glory, honor, and immortality are those who have been called during the Gospel age, and who lay aside every weight and run the race for the prize with patience. (Hebrews 12:1) These saintly ones will constitute the royal priesthood, and in association with their Master and Head, the royal Chief Priest, will be engaged in blessing the world, resurrecting mankind from sin and death during the thousand-year reign of Messiah’s kingdom.

The resurrection of the church, symbolically speaking, begins in the present life. These, in their minds, rise into newness of life in Christ. (Col. 3:1) These will be perfected by the instantaneous change mentioned by the apostle, “When this mortal shall put on immortality.” They “shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” for “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” They “look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.”—I Cor. 15:50-54; Phil. 3:20,21

It is of this class that Paul writes in his epistle to the Ephesians, written when he was in prison. He was concerned lest the extent of his sufferings should discourage the brethren at Ephesus, and so he exhorts (verse 13), “That ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” His tribulations were the result of his faithful witness which had brought them into the truth, to consecration, and the begetting to the new spiritual nature.

Thus he thought of his painful experiences as a minister of Christ, and he wished them to take that view too. As he wrote to the church of God at Corinth, “So death worketh in us, but life in you”—death to us in the flesh, but life in the spirit for you.—II Cor. 4:12

The apostle continues this thought in our lesson, which records his prayer for the brethren at Ephesus. First of all, he mentions the inspiring fact that every exhibition of fatherhood, with all that it means of love, provision, sympathy, protection, guidance, is but a reflection—imperfect though it be—of the disposition of God toward his children.

It is to this great and loving Father that Paul addresses his request that “according to the riches of his glory” they “might be “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” The intimation is that this strengthening by God’s Spirit will be accomplished by a realization of the “breadth, and length, and depth, and height; … of the love of Christ, which passeth [human] knowledge.” Human beings are limited to their natural senses and perceptions for the understanding and appreciation of any subject. But the apostle is recalling that Spirit-begotten followers of Jesus have a far more effective means for their illumination, namely, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of infinite love that animates him in all his plans and arrangements, and which was perfectly manifested in our Lord Jesus. It is possible, too, for these, as they progress in the way, to become more and more animated and controlled by the Holy Spirit, not only illuminating their minds, but gradually transforming their characters into the likeness of Jesus.—Rom. 8:28,29

This complete sanctification of the brethren was the passionate concern and longing of the apostle. And so he prays here that the brethren at Ephesus may progress until they are “filled with all the fullness of God.”

QUESTIONS:

What are the principal thoughts suggested by the first verse of our lesson?

When does the resurrection experience of the church begin, and when will it be completed?

What are the principal requests in Paul’s prayer, recorded in the second part of our lesson?

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