Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ephesians 1:18 . . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints . . .
WITH EYES WIDE OPEN: GOD'S TRUE CHURCH
I think that a good many people when they read this verse see only two words, "riches" and "inheritance" and immediately think of the wealth that will be ours in heaven. But take a minute to dissect the sentence. First, whose inheritance? The answer is "His," Christ's, not ours. Second, what does "riches" describe? The answer is "glory", not "inheritance." So it is Christ's inheritance which is rich in glory. And finally Paul tells us what currency this inheritance is counted in, the saints, not dollars or rubies. The inheritance that Paul talks about here belongs to Christ, is very glorious, and is the saints. In other words Paul is talking here about the Church.
He wants us to know, understand more deeply, and keep constantly in our sights the glory that is the Church of which we are a part. There is nothing more discouraging to a pastor or any other Christian than to take our eyes off the one true spiritual Church, and place them on the earthly churches. When we see the true Church we are lifted up in amazement for all God has done. When we see our church we are weighed down with our sin and failure. When we see His Church its beauty and glory awe us. When we see our church we are ashamed of its lowliness and disrepute. When we see His Church we rejoice with and partake with all that God has and is accomplishing through all His saints. When we see our church we may easily become dissatisfied with our lack of progress and at times even angry at one another or even angry at God for not doing more.
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12:22-24).
