The One New Man

The One New Man

Introduction

Of all of Paul's Epistles there is none so packed full of divine revelation as is the book of Ephesians. Truths are introduced in its pages that are still unknown by many in the body of Christ today because they have been taught to spiritualize them away.

When asked what the theme of the book of Ephesians is, many well-meaning individuals will reply, "wives submit, or children obey, or some will say it is about the church" and while all three are contained in the book of Ephesians none of these are actually the theme of this great epistle.

The theme actually permeates throughout the whole book of Ephesians and is one of the best kept secrets in the world because Satan doesn't want the body of Christ to be enlightened as to its content which would make us a more dangerous adversary to him.

The theme of Ephesians is something that was a very foreign concept to the Jewish people under the Mosaic Covenant as they looked forward to a day when the saints would be resurrected to rule and reign on earth, while Ephesians tells of believers in the Church Age that have a heavenly destiny.

Ephesians informs us in the body of Christ of all of our spiritual blessings that are stored up for us in heavenly places. Truths are found in this book which cannot be found in any other book of the Bible.

Authorship

The Apostle Paul is the author of Ephesians andTychicus was Paul's penmanas Paul's was eye sight was probably weakened at this latter time of his life, but God's grace was sufficient in Paul's infirmities.

Date of Writing

Ephesians is one of Paul's four prison epistles written after the book of Acts was completed, when Paul spent two years in a Roman prison. It was written mostlyto a Gentile audience.

Paul would later be released from Prison for a short time and then imprisoned again in Rome where he wouldeventually be put to death. The bookwas written around 62 A.D.

Chapter One

In Heavenly Places

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Paul states his Apostleshipthe outset of almost all his epistles, Philippians being the exception because it is a book about servants and service, and no servant needs to prove anything about his office but an apostle is a different story.

Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles "by the will of God". He was not selected by the will of manbecause he rose through the ranks and deserved the position.

In fact, he acquired the office after having been the chief leader of the rebellion against what God was trying to do in Israel with their Kingdom Program. Only God would have called Saul of Tarsus to become the apostle of the Gentiles, no man would.

Notice that this epistle was not just to the saintsin Ephesus but it was also to all the faithfulthat were in Christ Jesus wherever they may be. This letter was for all the Body of Christ and was meant to be shared with other Churches.

Paul was not the twelfth apostle replacing Judas, or even the thirteenth Apostlebecause there were only supposed to be twelve Apostles that were to one day sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of the Nation of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom.

Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Those twelve Apostles had to have followed Christ in his earthly ministry as Christ and Peter both had declared in order to serve as judges in the regeneration (Kingdom):

Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

That is why there had to be twelve apostles selected to sit on twelve thrones prior to the kingdom being offered to Israel after Pentecost in Acts chapter three. Paul also said he was not one of the twelve on three different occasions.

Luke (the writer of the book of Acts) who was Paul's traveling companion never corrected the choosing of Matthias because he was the proper selection and Luke would have known.

Luke also mentions "the twelve" in chapter six prior to Saul's(Paul's) conversion in verse two. Paul himself states he was not a part of the twelve in his epistle to Corinth:

1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he (Jesus) was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

It is very important for your understanding that you see the unique office that was given unto Paul as the Apostle of the Gentiles that you may be able to rightly divide God's word.

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Much ado is made of the Apostle Peter when it is Paul that has earned the reputation as being the greatest Christian to have ever lived. Paul of course would exalt his office of course and not himself as it is Christ who should always have the preeminence. Back to the text:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace are what God is giving to the Body of Christ today. In this age of Grace, we are at peace with God because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

During the Tribulation period, after the church age has ended at the rapture, it will no longer be the age of grace and peace,as God makes his enemies his footstool before he returns to reign. Psalm 110:1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

A key to understanding Ephesians is to understand who God has blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. The group that God has blessed is us, the Body of Christ.

Us who have been saved during the Church Age, and not those of earlier or even later ages are the ones who are blessed will all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

Notice that we are blessed with "all spiritual" blessings and that they are in "heavenly" places. The Church has a heavenly destiny so our blessings are in heavenly places which necessitates that they all be spiritual blessings and not carnal earthly blessings as are promised to Israel because the nation of Israel has an earthly destiny in an earthly kingdom.

4 According as he hath chosen us in himbefore the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Notice how that the verse here starts out with us having been chosen to be holy and without blame, before the foundation of the world.

We were not chosen for salvation here, we were chosen to be holy and blameless. This is part of the Mystery that Paul spoke about earlier in the last chapter of the book of Romans:

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Why did God keep this mystery a secret since the world began?

1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

God hid the truth of Jews and Gentiles beingin one body and thus making of twain, the one new man which would have his eternal dwelling place in the heavenlies, because when Satan fell and took a third of the host of heaven with him he also took their thrones and dominions in heaven as well.

These thrones and dominions will one day be given out to the members of the Body of Christ after that Satan and his hoard are thrown out of heaven at the midpoint of the tribulation period.

If Satan would have known that by crucifying Christ he was sealing his own defeat in the heavenly realm he would have never crucified Christ. Satan literally evicted himself from the heavenlies in his stupidity because of the manifold wisdom of God.

Just imagine how Satan must have felt on the day that the first Christian died in the Church Age. Prior to this day, Heaven was not populated by human beings only by God and the angels.

Satan must have cried out in horror at the sight of one of those humans that God had loved so much as he walked about in Heaven. He probably yelled out in surprise, "What is he doing here?" which was probably followed by, "How did he get here?"

When God made us a part of the Church which is his Body we became an earthly seed that only needed to die to become a heavenly creature. This mortal has to put on immortality in order to live forever in heaven. Our Celestial bodies had to become Terrestrial bodies in order to survive in the Terrestrial Heavens.

The nation of Israel has an earthly future where they will rule and reign with Christ here on the earth. When a Jew died in the time prior to the Cross they would go to Abraham's Bosom and not to Heaven as we in the Church Age do today.

Paul speaks of this revelation in greater detail in the fifteenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthian Church. I will allow the Apostle of the Gentiles to be your commentator for a while:

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Remember these revelations had been kept secret until God gave them unto the Apostle of the Gentiles to give unto us. Peter did not know them and preach them at Pentecost. John the Baptist had no clue about all the things what would take place after his death.