An exposition of Eph.1:15-23; The resurrection of Christ; the power to enthrone His image over all creation, that the coming Age may come!

[Antonio39]

15 Because of this I also, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love to all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

Because of this I also... because of our redemption which he just was speaking about in the previous verse, In the letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul says that this love that is manifested to the saints, is for the Hope that is laid up for them in the Heaven; the working service of building up the body of Christ, is for the hope of the appearing of Christ in the heavenly realm, and our appearing with Him in glory (Col.1:4-5,23,27; 3:1-4).

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of the glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the recognition of him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, for your knowing what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance within the Holy ones.

Paul’s prayer is for growth of maturity, that they continually grow in wisdom and revelation from learning the truth of who God is in the person of Christ. In order that they may know what is required from them that they attain unto the hope to which they have been graciously called (Phil.3:12) (in how we will appear with Christ in the heavenly realm, Col. 3:1-4,). That this hope to which we have been called becomes a living reality. For us to know the greatness of the inheritance that God has allotted unto us, as His corporate image in the middle of the divine counsel (Col.1:12; cp.Ps.89:5-8); this becomes the driving force to endure, by growing in the loving presence of God, in our knowing Him, energizes us to fulfill the working service that has been given us (Eph.3:19-21; 4:12-30).

19 and what the greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power of His might,20 which He wrought in the Christ, having raised him out of the dead, and did set [him] at His right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 far above all principality, and authority, and might, and lordship, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one;22 and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him -- head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of the all (the cosmic geographical locations), wherein all (of God’s glory) fills.

Paul is revealing the power that is accessible unto us who are believing in the operation of God, who are believing that God raised Christ out from the dead ones, and in our union with Him by the baptism of the Spirit (Col.2:12), His headship has been given to us over the evil powers in the heavenly realm; as the channel through which God’s liberates us through His life-giving power (Eph.2:5-8). Believing that as God’s power over came the forces of darkness and raised Christ out from the dead as head over the order of creation, this same power is at work in us, which is able to redeem us unto our inheritance, and bring in the coming age, the times for the restoration of all things (Phil.3:20-21; cp. Acts.3:19-21).

When we are enthroned with Christ upon the thrown of the ages [1] at the investiture (the appearing of Christ) of the one New corporate Man as God's image (1Tim.1:17; 6:16; lit. King of the Ages. cp. Col.3:10), God’s glory will then begin the ordering process, turning the time wheel of the cosmos from this age, into the next age, where God’s glory will fill all of creation during the appointed seasons (Eph.1:10).

God’s power through the Head of the New man will bring in the New creation through His body, by redeeming us into our inheritance. This is why we are the fullness of all that is to be filled, it is Gods power flowing through us towards the perfection of the one New Man (Col.1:28-29; 3:10; 4:12; Eph.2:15; 4:13, 24, 30), that the day of our redemption may come, to bring in the filling of all that is to be filled.

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[1] See Ez.1:26; Heb. 1:2; 11:3; wrongly translated worlds, it should be translated Ages (i.e. Mt.24:3, used in the singular form. Age), the lord fixed the time of creation. The ages of the zodiac (Job.38:31-33).
[2] Gen. 2:6-7; 10-14.

 

[Antonio39]

The dispensation of the mystery is the Establishing of God’s rule over the order of creation, by the investiture of God’s sovereign image on the thrown of creation, which brings in the appointed seasons.

The dispensation of the grace of God was what was given to the Apostle Paul for us (peoples of the nations). Which was the secret of God’s will that we would have an allotted inheritance over all creation in our union with Christ (Eph.3:6); by our identification with Christ, and by the gift of His headship over all, that was given to us, in order to energizes us, His body ( Eph.2:1-8; 3:2; 4:7; 6:10-12; 2 Tim.2:1); to overcome the evil powers of this Age, in how He has decreed the members of the of the church, unto holiness (for the appearance of Christ, to bring blessing to the cosmos); having predetermined to appoint us as His rulings sons on the day of redemption; into our co-inheritance with Christ on the throne of God’s glory, over all: heading up all the cosmic geographies of creation in Christ, for the purpose of blessing the cosmos with God’s sovereign presence during the appointed seasons (Eph.1.9-10).

It is God’s will to establish His rule over the order of the Ages, over the evil powers of this present Age; through His low trusting corporate image, which will give praise to His glory in the Ages to come (Phil.5-11; Eph.1:6,10-12,14,18; 2:7, 3:19-20; cp. Ps.8:1-2). This will happen, by our believing that as God’s power over came the forces of darkness, and raised Christ out from the dead, as Head over the order of creation (Col.1:15-18); this same power is at work in us (giving us access to God’s presence for perseverance, Eph.3:7-8); in order to overcome the powers of this present Age, to perfect the corporate New Man (Eph.4:13; Col.1:28-29), that Christ may appear, and redeem us unto our inheritance, as we appear with Him at the right hand of God in glory (Col.3:1-4); for the fullness of the appointed seasons, from which the cosmic wheel of time will then turn from this age, into the next age, where God will extend the glory of His sovereign order out, filling all creation (1 Tim.1:17; 6:16, G166 i.e. should be Translated King of the Ages).