Lesson for March 28, 2021
The Book of Ephesians
Chapter 2:19-22
“So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” So then reminds these believers who they are now as believers in Jesus Christ. No longer are these believers strangers and aliens but they are members of the Royal Family of God. They are citizens of Heaven and children of God. At salvation, a believer becomes part of the most unique family in history – the Royal Family of God. No longer merely God’s creation, a believer is a new creation and a child of God. God’s Word has a lot to say about the subject of the royal family and there are several terms used throughout the Bible to indicate this new relationship.
A term used in the Bible to describe this family relationship is “child of God.” Essentially, it has the same meaning as “son of God.” We must look to the Greek language to see the slight (but significant) difference in the two terms. Looking at both words also helps us get a complete meaning of our relationship with God as believers. “Huios,” the Greek word for “son” emphasizes position and function, but the word in Greek for child, “teknon,” emphasizes our family relationship. As I said, a slight difference, but one that helps us to understand that not only are we related to God through the new birth we are to function as royal family after salvation. (John 1:12; Galatians 4:1-7)
As children of God, the Bible tells us that we are now related to Jesus Christ as joint heirs. This means that we share in His inheritance, which we know is going to be fantastic. Because of this unique relationship with our Savior, every believer will enjoy an inheritance beyond their imagination. However, for those who reach spiritual maturity, the rewards will be based on sonship (function) not merely being a child of God (relationship). What do I mean by that?
Galatians 4 gives us the answer. Verse one tells us that we are children of God, that we have an eternal inheritance and that we immediately become Royal Family of God at salvation. This is the relationship of the child to God. In function, however, the child must be cared for by servants and is unable to function as a son or daughter. When the child becomes of age and is able to care for himself, they have the potential of functioning as a son or daughter. It is union with Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit that provides the supernatural power to eventually function as a son or daughter. No one is born into this world as a believer in Christ. Therefore, we have no family relationship with God at physical birth. God in His grace, however, has made a way for anyone to enter into a family relationship with Him. Of course, this way is through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Once we become a child of God, the potential exists to function as a son/daughter of God. (Romans 8:14-17)
Adoption means to function as a son or daughter. This means that believers have the potential for much more than what the term “child of God” implies. All “children of God” will spend eternity with God, but not all will fulfill the responsibilities of royalty as sons or daughters of God. Therefore, not all believers will receive equal rewards in the eternal state.
Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets refers to the historical foundation of the Church. It refers to the local church in contrast to the entire body of Christ. The historical foundation was the local church and its leadership. The first leadership that existed before the Canon of Scripture were apostles and prophets. There are neither prophets nor apostles today because the Canon of Scriptures is closed. When the spiritual gifts of apostleship and prophesy ceased around 96 A.D., other leadership spiritual gifts were still operational to carry on the pattern set by great men and women in the early days of the foundation of the Church. Of course, the foundation of the Church is Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone that holds everything together for the Church (all believers in the Church Age).
The corner stone is one word in the Greek, “akrogoniaios,” which means the chief or main corner foundation stone, the stone that ties the building together. It is the stone that binds the Jew and Gentile together in one body – the body of Christ. The concept is found in many scriptures such as Matthew 21:42; Psalm 118:22; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:5-7; Isaiah 28:16. The corner foundation stone is the stone by which the architect fixes the standard for the bearing of the walls. This is the way he trues everything. This stone actually forms the corner or the angle of the wall and that is the concept here. Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone. One wall is Israel, and the other wall is the Church. The two walls are the Jewish Age and the Church Age. Today Jew and Gentile are united by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Church made up of both Jew and Gentile continues to grow during the present dispensation in spite of all Satanic efforts to hinder it. Satan has never been able to stunt the growth of the Church. On earth, the Church is called the body of Christ in anticipation of eternity. When the body is completed we will be called the bride of Christ. Each person saved during the Church Age is one more brick, one more board in the building, and each brick or board is perfect in itself because it is said to be holy. Our holiness is based upon the baptism of the Spirit and the fact that the Holy Spirit enters us into union with Christ. The time of the completion of the building (Church) is known only to God. (Colossians 2:15; Revelation 19:6,8; Zechariah 13:2; I Thessalonians 3:13) The Church is still under construction as a dwelling place for God. All believers are indwelt by all three members of the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In the Old Testament dispensation, Christ was always the target of Satan. But once Christ came in the flesh, went to the Cross, was glorified through resurrection, ascension and session, he is no longer a target and can no longer be a target. He is now at the right hand of the Father. The Church, which represents Christ on the earth, has become that target. Every believer is a royal priest, every believer is an ambassador, and therefore we are His representatives, we are the targets. Therefore, each believer in this dispensation is fortified and strengthened through Bible doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit.
And God has provided a (spiritual) building for each of us not made with hands. We call this building the Edification Complex of the Soul. God’s Word likens spiritual growth to building a house. Often expressed as edification, the concept in Greek is to build or to build up. For the Christian, this occurs in his soul as he exposes himself to accurate Bible teaching and applies the truth that he learns. As with any building, we must be careful to first lay the right foundation before we build on it. The Scripture is clear that the only foundation for the believer is Jesus Christ Himself. We know that the Word of God is the mind of Christ. Therefore, the foundation is the written Word (Christ is the living Word). The written Word of God is meant to be understood and utilized as a blueprint for building your spiritual building (the Christian Way of Life).
The Greek word for edification is “oikodome” and literally means the act of building or erecting a structure. (Ephesians 4:11-29) Like any structure, our “building” in the soul must have a firm foundation and properly constructed “floors.” Our foundation is Jesus Christ, and the “floors” are categories of Bible doctrine. Once the foundation is in place, then the believer can begin to build upon it with full confidence that it will stand. The foundation is received at salvation, but the floors must be built over a period of time as Bible doctrine is learned, believed and properly applied. (Ephesians 4:12,16,29; Colossians 2:7; I Timothy 1:4; James 1:4)
The basis for any system from God is always grace. The word grace itself makes it clear that God’s system for building the spiritual building is void of any human merit, human works, human ability or Human Viewpoint Thinking. The reason that God planned it this way is to eliminate Human Viewpoint Thinking and human production as the means for building anything spiritual. Instead, He provided a non-meritorious system for both perception and execution of the Christian Way of Life: FAITH. We learn how to erect this building in our souls by faith and it takes faith to put into practice. This method is the only one that can bring honor and glory to God. (Hebrews 11:6)
The spiritual building is built using the stored Bible doctrine in the mind of the believer. Consistent study and accurate application over a period of time is the method for developing our complex. This building is literally Christ being formed in the soul of the believer. Positionally, Christ is “in” every believer, but He is not “formed” in every believer. Jesus Christ had this spiritual building formed in His soul. He had all the characteristics of spiritual maturity: 1) He was full of grace and truth 2) He had a relaxed mental attitude 3) He was free from mental attitude sins 4) He had capacity for love and 5) He had divine inner happiness. Christ erected the spiritual building in His soul as a demonstration to all believers that it is possible for us to do the same through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As believer-priests, we have the opportunity to build a spiritual building in our souls. With Christ as our example, we simply follow His pattern. Christ, as a perfect human being, built this building under the filling of the Holy Spirit as He learned and applied the Word of God. As we abide in Him (fellowship with God) and His word abides in us (Bible doctrine), we are allowing God the Holy Spirit to produce the character of Christ in our lives. (John 15:10) The Bible uses a number of terms to refer to this building process. For example, walking in the light (I John 2:3-11), walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-23), imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1), Christ at home in your hearts (Ephesians 3:17), and Christ formed in you. (Galatians 4:19)
The true function of the believer-priest’s spiritual life is the development of a relationship with God. This relationship is your unseen, private life with God. You and you alone know what that relationship is like. (I Corinthians 2:9-16) There are many counterfeits to the spiritual life. It is therefore of extreme importance for each of us as believers to learn, understand and execute the true spiritual life. Without a correct understanding of the Biblical spiritual life, the believer will go through life executing some form of legalism or asceticism that will lead to only misery and unhappiness. The spiritual life is not what you do for God, the church or other people. The true spiritual life is your invisible relationship with God. (Galatians 4:19; John 1:14)
Building our spiritual complex is a process of transformation (not reformation), which takes place in the mind of the believer as he thinks Bible doctrine (the mind of Christ). We call this thinking Divine Viewpoint Thinking. As our spiritual complex is being built, happiness, stability and blessing are being produced by God the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:22-23)