Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Identity is defined as: “the characteristics that determine who a person is”. Paul has already described a non-believers identity in [v.17-19] in very broad terms. Now in [v.25-32] Paul fleshes out what a life with and without Christ looks like in the ebb and flow everyday life. He is explaining to Christians how to live out their new identity. The Christian life is a life of consistent willful submission.  It’s consistent because being lax in this will cause us to move away from God.  It’s willful because it takes a conscience act of our will to do this.  It’s submissive because we live for the Lord and not ourselves. Our practice and our theology are tied together. Christians should not only live differently from unbelievers, but they also should live differently for different reasons. - God wants His people to replace lying with truth-telling. [Proverbs 6:16 & 19] - God wants His people to replace selfish anger with godly anger. [Psalm 4:4-5]

Think back through biblical history. We see Israel’s enemies attack constantly, we see Israel’s constant idolatry, unholy sacrifices, rampant disobedience, and often times just general chaos. But God, despite Satan’s constant attacks, did not leave His people to fend for themselves. And though it seemed He had fallen silent, things were happening behind the scenes that no human eye could see or mind comprehend, and God’s eternally wise plan was about to be kicked into the next gear. Jesus’ birth was the demonstration of God launching an all-out war on the Devil and on sin itself. If we see Christmas as a war, then we should look into the manger and see a Warrior. Two historical events where this war has been plainly seen: Genesis 3:1-7 & Matthew 4:1-11. The result of Adam and Eve’s actions in the garden set in motion a series of events – planned by the all-knowing Father – that would include a similar stand-off with the Devil. Jesus came as the warr

Be sure of this - the Gospel doesn’t just promote change in a sinner, by its very nature the Gospel will change a sinner. A changeless gospel that leaves you living for yourself and not for the glory and honor of God, isn’t the Gospel. Something has change. A saved person thirsts for the exaltation of cross. A calloused or hardened life is proven in the giving over to sensual (lustful desires, not limited to sexual desires) and greed - an “I want” and an “I must” lifestyle. Sadly, this kind of lifestyle can be maintained if what we believe is a false gospel. A false gospel wants to leave you just like you are. Christianity entails following Christ. Followers or disciples are people who adhere to the teaching and lifestyle of the teacher. Our teacher is unique because we have His Spirit. This means that He, the risen Christ, dwells in us. In other words His life will be lived out through His followers. Paul has pleaded with us and is now commanding us to follow by

In v.7 we see that every believer is gifted by Christ with varied grace, and in v.11 we see that the church is gifted by Christ with people in varied offices. God has given gifted leaders to the church to equip the saints for the work of ministry, not to do it all themselves. This is an “every-member ministry” mindset that we - the church - need to keep in front of ourselves. The result of this kind of mindset is unity and maturity [v.13]. Every believer enters the Christian life as a little child, but no believer should be content to remain that way. Believers should be pursuing maturity, standing firm on believing the Bible, and eagerly speaking truth in a way that shows love and care. Christian maturity involves loving the truth, speaking the truth, and living the truth. The church is able to grow as we should because Jesus took on human flesh, lived a perfect life, died in our place, rose victorious over the grave, and is now exalted at God’s right hand forevermore! * Do you care ab

Paul starts by intentionally pointing out that he is writing from prison. Paul says he is not a prisoner of Rome, he’s a prisoner for the Lord. God's fingerprints were all over Paul's chains, and Paul embraced it. Before Paul gives his readers a description of what a worthy walk looks like, he reminds them that a worthy walk will require sacrifice. Paul then gives a snapshot of proper Christian conduct in v.2-3. Humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, & maintaining unity in the Spirit are all characteristics of Christians who are walking worthy of their calling. These things do not come naturally or easily, so it takes the power of the Spirit [3:16] and the grace of of God [4:7] for us to walk in them (practice them). - If you are humble, you will be gentle, and if you are patient, you will bear with one other. Doing these things maintains the Spirit of unity in the body. We should be eager to maintain unity in the body because God is unified in Himself. Unity doesn

Paul's second intercessory prayer points to 2 truths we cannot forget: #1. God’s greatness and #2. Our need. Paul was driven to his knees in gratitude of everything the Spirit had just revealed to him. He was stunned at God’s grace in saving sinners individually and at His grace in uniting them corporately. A realization of God’s love and undeserved kindness drives Paul to worship and to pray. This is how it says we come to know the breadth & length & height & depth of His love; when we give up control to the One who’s really already in control of it all. We need strength for our “inner being” because this is where we fight sin, have courage to proclaim the Gospel, and love people the way Jesus loves us. It takes the power of the Spirit to allow us to know the fullness of God’s love for us. God is at work among His people, and He is at work through His people. And in v.21 we're told why God does this – for His own glory – “to him be glor

Through the preaching of the Gospel, those outside the Jewish nation can now be heirs, members, & partakers [v.6]. Paul’s teaching on this signified a momentous shift in the nation of Israel’s understanding of salvation that had stood largely unchanged for thousands of years. Now Paul is coming and telling churches everywhere that God’s promises are still for His chosen people, it’s just that he's redefining who His chosen people are. Paul is saying that God’s chosen people are all who are in Christ, all who believe. [Gal. 3:24-29] This unification of Jew and Gentile is how God’s multifaceted & perfect wisdom is revealed - through the church. Is it any wonder, then, that Satan & his demons work hard to keep the church focused inwardly and not on the lost world around us? The enemy loves to see the church out of sync with Scripture, because in that state it denies the wisdom of God it’s supposed to be portraying. From the newest believer to the most seasoned s

James isn't giving us a command in James 1:26-27, he's describing what real, genuine religion looks like - what real faith does. It isn't just lip service, it's action. Part of the action described is caring for orphans. Steven Ince helps us understand fostering and adoption better, the church's role in it, and gives practical ways for churches and individuals to get involved with caring for those in need.

Let's recap what Paul has been telling the Christians in Ephesus: - You were dead – now you’re alive. [v.2&5] - You were children of wrath – now you’re His workmanship. [v.3&10] - You were following this world, slaves to Satan – now you’re saturated in grace. [v.2&7] - You were once living for yourselves – now you have divine purpose (good works). [v.3&10] And now Paul adds: - You used to be separated from God’s people – now you are members of the same family. [v.12&19] - You used to have no access to God – now you have it because of Jesus Christ. [v.12&18] - You used to be strangers – now you are saints. [v.12&19] God accomplished all of this by the blood of Christ and through the cross. [v.13&16] Christ’s substitutionary atonement crushed/removed the separation between a holy God & sinful man. What does the blood of Jesus Christ do? What did the cross accomplish? - those who were far off have been brought near [v.13&17]

The Reformation in the 16th century sought to reorient Christianity on the original message of Jesus and there were five pillars that they stood on. These are called the Five Solas: - Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority. - Sola Fide (“faith alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ. - Sola Gratia (“grace alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone. - Solus Christus (“Christ alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King. - Soli Deo Gloria (“to the glory of God alone”): We live for the glory of God alone. Of those 5 solas, four of them are represented in the first two chapters of Ephesians, and three of them are in verses 8-10. These few verses are hugely important to our understanding of biblical salvation & justification. Grace is a blessing that is undeserved and unwarranted. It is a gift freely given based on the kindness of the giver to a recipient who has no clai

We are dead in our trespasses and sins, hopeless apart from Christ..."But God"... Those two words are the difference between death and life, between despair and hope, between hell and heaven. In Christ, God has never-ending mercies for those who believe. When the Bible says “Christ died for you” it means that He died in your place. Too many people hear that Jesus died for them and believe that Jesus just got to it before they could, and they were going to pay God back for their sin on their own eventually. While they might appreciate the "free pass", people who believe this haven’t truly embraced Jesus as their substitute (Rom. 3:23-25). You aren’t really alive until you have been saved by God’s grace. Paul is contrasting our deadness apart from Christ with the life that only comes to us in Christ. Being raised from the dead is all of grace. You have been saved (past tense), you are being saved (present tense), and you will be saved (future tense). Paul says that believ

No matter where you come from, no matter your earthly standing – everyone is in the same leaky and sinking ship, and without some kind of sovereign intervention, there will be no survivors. Paul illustrates the condition of EVERY person apart from Christ using 3 descriptions: dead [v.1], disobedient [v.2-3a], and doomed [v.3b]. Were it not for His grace, we would be miserable and yet totally content to remain in our sin. Our sin is widespread and far reaching, but there is hope of redemption and forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul has set the stage for a magnificent contrast between the ugliness of sin and the beauty of the Savior. If your heart is nothing but a canvas painted with the darkness of your sin, remember these two words that make all the difference in eternity – “But God…” In Ephesians 2:1-3 the Holy Spirit leads Paul to call our attention to the reality that our sin is great, but God’s love is

Paul’s prayer includes three parts: thanksgiving, intercession, and praise. Thanksgiving: Paul thanks God for the believers faith in Christ and love for one another, recognizing that these are gifts given to true believers. The church wasn't perfect, but Paul was looking for glimpses of grace in their lives. Intercession: Paul pleads with God to teach them, to open the eyes of their hearts to really know Him. Paul wants them to see the hope of “His calling”, the glory of “His inheritance”, and the greatness of “His power”. These are things that God possesses and freely gives to believers, including the power of the indwelling Spirit. Praise: In a day of absolute Roman rule, Paul suggests that Caesar is not really the most powerful entity. Paul is saying that every other power is not just inferior to Christ – they are also subject to Him. Caesar's power is nothing compared to Jesus'. As Jesus Christ “fills all in all”, the Church

The work of the Father in predestining, the work of the Son in redeeming, and the work of the Spirit in assuring believers are gloriously weaved together! None of Christ’s work can be severed from the Father’s sovereign choice in salvation or the Spirit’s guarantee of our inheritance. Redeem means "to buy back". 1 Cor. 6:19-20, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” Every created thing belongs to God, because God is the Creator of it all, but that doesn’t mean that all people are His children. If all were His children, then all would be saved, but all are not saved. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to save all who believe. - John 3:16, “whosoever believes in Him…will have eternal life”. - John 6:47, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” - Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”. So does the death of Jesus Christ make us save-able, or does

Worship is not a secondary issue for Paul – it’s primary, as evidenced here as he begins this long sentence with praise to God. He starts by reminding his listeners of all the incredible blessings that are theirs "in Christ" (this phrase shows up 11 times in the first 12 verses). All these blessings are from God and for God - "to the praise of His glory". While there's much to discover of God's sovereignty in these verses, let's not forget that it's all intended to make us into a people of praise. - The Father chose, predestined, and adopted people for Himself. (vs 3-6) - Through the shed blood of the Son sinners have redemption and forgiveness. (vs 7-12) - The Spirit "seals" and "guarantees" that all those whom the Father gives to Jesus will come to Him. (vs 13-14) A true revelation of the nature of God will always result in praise from His people! God sovereignly saves sinners so they might be holy and blameless before Him - this is His good purpose in election. If God doesn’t choose

Because we are “in Christ”, we are secure in Him even when opposition or difficulties arise. The identity of every believer is firmly bound up “in Christ”. Ephesus was a city wrapped up in idolatry, immorality, and spiritual warfare. Paul's letter the to the churches in and around Ephesus was one of encouragement and instruction, full of truth and grace. In it he explores and expounds the love of God in beautiful ways.

If Christ has saved you, you are a member of His body and you have a job to do in His Church. You belong. You have something unique and wonderful to offer that the rest of the body of Christ needs. We don't determine our giftedness any more than we determine our eye color. God has arranged the members of the body “as he chooses”. God decides, not us. It may seem obvious, but Paul makes sure his readers understand that we are all connected in Christ. Not only that, but we are gifted for a particular reason - "...for the common good" (1 Cor. 12:7). No matter what gift you have or what you think of the gifts given to those in the church, they were all given to build up the church, not divide it. We were designed to need each other, but we are often tempted to feel useless or self-sufficient in the church. The root of both is pride, thinking about ourselves too much. And both viewpoints reveal a lack of trust in the wisdom of God. In the Church, God's good design in that there is unity in the

What exactly is the “Great Commission” and what does it mean in light of our modern world? Does it apply to us small rural churches? Is it a corporate responsibility, or an individual one? Every first-century church was the direct result of missionaries like Paul, who went out and shared the Gospel, establishing local churches and building relationships with them. Our desire to share the Gospel should be driven by love and concern for the lost and an urgency spurred by the fact that hell is real and the lost will be separated from God for eternity. If the body is healthy within the church, then a part of that is disciple making within the body here. We can’t go out and make disciples and teach unless we can put it into practice here first. The Great Commission starts in the local church. “The whole book of Acts centers around not just individual evangelizing and discipling, but evangelizing and discipling in the context of the local church. The story of the spread of the Gosp

When we gather as a church for worship, why is singing part of what we do together? Singing and music – they’re wrapped up in our humanness. Music connects us together in special ways and it connects within us in special ways. God designed it that way, because singing comes from God. Since we believe the origin of singing and music is God Himself, we also believe He intended for us to use it to edify one another and to glorify Him. When we are filled with the Spirit and not the things of this world, what is going to come out? We are going to address one another in song, give thanks to God, & submit to one another (Eph. 5). Paul lists various types of music – psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs. We believe this gives room for musical variety when the church gathers, not to do whatever we wish, but to build up the body through Scripture-focused creativity. Edifying others through our singing in the church is precisely one of the ways we glorify God. By singing together we call our brothers

Jordan Nardi, Jacob Rodgers, and Rod Ohmes talk together about music in the church. Questions discussed by the panel: - What are some criteria for choosing songs? - How do you pursue skillful excellence while not being a distraction? While still maintaining humility? - When we use the term “worship”, what are we referring to? - How would you encourage someone who says “I’m not a very good singer” or “I don’t really like to sing”? [Please forgive my sniffles, I should have turned my microphone off. :-) -Rod]