An embarrassment of riches? (of his glory) – Part 1
or
The embarrassment of wretches! (Into the lake of fire) – Part 2
Note please the question mark at the end of the first phrase above and the exclamation point at the end of the second. It’s important to the story, the purpose of the ages and the end of all things, as we know it. Think I’ve overstated my approach to this wee Biblical blog?
Not really, since we as Christians have a Commission greater than the one Jesus gave to his Jewish disciples in Matthew 28. Yes, we are certainly to go preach and teach the Word (Jesus’ word was “gospel”) to all the people on the planet (Jesus’ “nations” which literally meant “Gentiles” (only)) and yes we are indeed (in a way) the “disciples of Jesus” (term used only once in Scripture of Joseph of Arimathaea being such a one (John 19:38)). But what about the commission in Ephesians 3:9-11; what do we do with that?
or
The embarrassment of wretches! (Into the lake of fire) – Part 2
Note please the question mark at the end of the first phrase above and the exclamation point at the end of the second. It’s important to the story, the purpose of the ages and the end of all things, as we know it. Think I’ve overstated my approach to this wee Biblical blog?
Not really, since we as Christians have a Commission greater than the one Jesus gave to his Jewish disciples in Matthew 28. Yes, we are certainly to go preach and teach the Word (Jesus’ word was “gospel”) to all the people on the planet (Jesus’ “nations” which literally meant “Gentiles” (only)) and yes we are indeed (in a way) the “disciples of Jesus” (term used only once in Scripture of Joseph of Arimathaea being such a one (John 19:38)). But what about the commission in Ephesians 3:9-11; what do we do with that?
Even to make plain to everyone the dispensation of this secret, which for ages
past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that
now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should
be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now, the subject has changed, the object has changed and the message might be a bit extraordinary. The subject is not the “disciples of Jesus” except in some stretched circumstance that says all Christians are his disciples (I call this the cosmic meaning of “disciple” which word in simplicity only means “one who is taught”…by anyone). The subject is “the church” and in this day and time it’s not the one Jesus was talking about in Matthew 16:18 upon which rock Jesus was doing the building, except in some stretched (again, cosmic) circumstance that says all Christians are in the “church which is his body” and we are growing (building?) up into him in all things. Are you all following this?
Let’s talk dispensational turkey can we? Christians are not specifically the disciples of Christ. Yes we can “learn” from Jesus, in the sense that he’s giving revelation even at this time, but we are actually “members in particular” of his body, the church. It’s a symbolic body (some like the term “mystical”, but that has connotations that stretch the figure in a wrong direction, IMHO) where the church on earth has “eyes” and “ears” and “feet” (just read 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27) and Jesus is (presently) it’s “head” (Colossians 2:19). The church of Moses (see Acts 7:38) and the church of Jesus on earth and the church in the Apocalypse have their own symbology delineating them. We as the “body” church are a bit different. We actually have an “upward” and greater calling. The language of the Church is more elevated, more extravagant.
Back to our story…the object of our gospel proclamations are no longer “the nations” of the world, but rather “everyone” (highlighted in the first phrase) and “the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (highlighted in the last phrase). Quite a change you must admit. And why, you might ask, are we to “make plain the dispensation of the secret”?
You might further ask why we are dealing on such intimate terms with the occupants of the heavenly realm? Good question, I’m glad you asked…I don’t exactly know (perfectly) yet (in my adolescent Christian existence), but I’m thinking it has a lot to do with the second part of my essay. So just hold on there till I can write it.
Finally, the substance of our pronouncements is “the manifold wisdom of God”. How does one start to explain this? It has to do with the purpose of all the ages; both this one and “the age to come” (as well as former ages in which mankind was not). It has to do with a war in heaven between Michael and the dragon that will occur in the future.
The “riches of his (God’s) glory” (Ephesians 3:16) are an astounding birthright that has been made available to us (only) in this day and time.
In Part 2 of this short assignment I’ll open the book on the wretches.
