Tag: Ephesians 2

Seated in Heavenly Places

A couple of years ago my son brought a friend home from college to spend Thanksgiving with us. During that week he participated in the rhythms of our family—eating meals with us, sleeping on our couch, helping us prepare for Thanksgiving, and getting to know our extended family around the table. We welcomed his presence, but he was a temporary member of our household for a short season. Because he didn’t share our last name, he didn’t have keys to our house or his own bed. Nor were we paying for his college tuition or planning to give him an inheritance one day. As much as we enjoyed having him, he will never have all the privileges our sons have. 

Being part of a family gives us a sense of belonging and identity along with certain benefits. It gives us legal rights, security, and protection in the earthly realm. But as we read Ephesians, we discover that God gives those with faith in Christ something even better and more lasting: adoption into His eternal household (Ephesians 1:5, 2:19). Included with this adoption is a rich spiritual inheritance and a new position: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6, NIV- italics added)

If you’ve accepted Jesus, then you’re an adopted child of God; you’ve been brought from death to life and have received salvation by God’s grace. And if that’s not amazing enough, you are also seated with Christ in heavenly realms. We can be physically present on earth but simultaneously engaging the spiritual world.1 When Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts will be opened in Ephesians 1:18, he’s awakening us to the reality of the spiritual world that exists all around us all the time. Let’s explore a few highlights of the incredible privilege of being seated with Christ:

-Christ’s position in the heavenly realms shows His completed work.1 He is seated and at rest after fulfilling all of the requirements He came to earth to accomplish: Becoming a man and identifying with our humanity; shedding blood and dying on the cross to atone for our sins; overcoming death to reveal His ultimate power and authority. After making these sacrifices, the Father “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:20b-21, ESV). His seated position assures us He has finished the work required for our salvation.

-Being seated at the right hand of the Father signifies Christ’s place of highest honor and spiritual authority. “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 2:22-23 NIV) Being seated with Him is “much like being seated at the VIP table of a Presidential luncheon. We have been given the royal privilege of being enthroned with the Son and will one day partake of His glory.”2

-Being seated with Christ in heavenly places means we have access to spiritual privileges and blessings such as redemption, spiritual insight, and forgiveness. We also have spiritual authority and power to defeat forces of evil.* Paul expands on this a few chapters later in Ephesians: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12, NIV)

-God raised us up “in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Our honored position seated with Christ displays God’s rich grace and deep kindness. Letting this spiritual truth sink in should change the way we see ourselves and how we engage the world around us. Our position in God’s family is secure, but we did nothing to earn it. It is only through the love, grace, and kindness of God that we humbly receive all the rights and privileges He bestows on His children.

Consider the incredible truth contained in these points and how you might respond in prayer. Do you need your spiritual eyes to be opened more so that you can see God at work in the spiritual realm? Is it time to marvel at the incredible sacrifices Christ made on your behalf and to praise Him for His completed work? Perhaps now is the time to be in awe of His spiritual authority and to praise Him for sharing it with you. Maybe you’ll want to ask the Father to help you understand His spiritual blessings  and power so you can access them more. Or perhaps you simply want to thank God for His kindness—for including you in His family and lavishing you with all the rights and privileges of a beloved child.

Was this forwarded to you? You can receive new posts automatically in your inbox by going to www.marybethmccullum.com, entering your e-mail address and clicking “subscribe.”

Inspired by Ephesians: A Study of Faith and Practice by Jackie Hill Perry, Jasmine Holmes and Melissa Kruger, Lifeway Press, 2024.

1. Patrick Oben, “Seated in Heavenly Places  In Christ”

2. “What Does It Mean to be Seated in Heavenly Places? (Ephesians 2:6)” 

*Learn more about your spiritual authority in Christ in my blog “Claiming Your Spiritual Authority: The Armor of God Part 1”

The Whole Counsel of God

Wrapping up his third and final missionary journey, Paul takes a farewell tour. Traveling throughout regions where he preached the gospel, he says goodbye to many of the believers he’s poured into over roughly 15 years. One of the most meaningful farewells takes place in Acts 20 with the elders from the church in Ephesus. They travel 63 arduous miles for the opportunity to see Paul one last time in Miletus. The mutual affection between Paul and these believers shines through in the text as they weep, embrace, and pray together for the last time.

In addition to highlighting the tenderness between Paul and the Ephesians, Luke also records Paul’s final reminders and instructions to the church leaders: “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21, ESV). Although he uses different tactics and approaches depending upon his audience, Paul always emphasizes the same thing: “turning away from sin and turning to Christ by faith.”1 He also reminds the Ephesian elders that he “did not shrink from declaring to [them] the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27, ESV) He then warns them to be alert, saying “after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30, ESV)

Let’s take a closer look at these three significant statements Paul includes in his final remarks to his beloved Ephesian elders:

Repentance and Faith: In the Greek the words repentance and faith are joined together by one article.2 They go hand in hand. Faith in Jesus prompts us to repent and turn away from sin; obedience is how we show our love for God (John 14:15). Are you ever tempted to focus solely on God’s love and to leave out the discomfort of confessing sin and choosing to repent? While we may not enjoy admitting it, Jesus came to save us from our sin, so turning from it is a crucial element in following Him.

I’ll never forget mentoring a young woman who was caught and arrested for committing a crime. When she told me about it, I responded first by telling her what she’d done was wrong. Surprised, she admitted she’d expected me to reassure her of God’s grace and forgiveness instead of addressing her poor choice. We had a long conversation about the importance of understanding the gravity of our sin so that we can grasp the magnitude of God’s grace. When we skip over confession and repentance, we cheapen Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.

The Whole Counsel of God: Like Paul, we must be careful to learn and share everything God says to us through His Word. One commentary explains, “the whole counsel of God includes some things that are difficult to hear—the fact that we are dead in sin and deserving of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3) and the fact that we cannot save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is a call to repentance and faith. Believers will face persecution (John 16:33) and likely be considered foolish. But none of these things can dissuade us…Paul did not share half-truths or only parts of the gospel; rather, he shared all of what God has revealed. We must do the same.”3 Rather than avoiding portions of Scripture that make us uncomfortable or that feel confusing, we need to seek greater understanding. Grappling with hard topics in prayer, study, and discussion ultimately deepens and matures our faith as we grow in wisdom.

False Teachers (Fierce Wolves): Paul warns the elders that false teachers will infiltrate their ranks and distort the gospel by speaking “twisted things” that will draw some believers away. We, too, must be knowledgeable about Scripture so we can recognize faulty teaching. With the easy access we have to a multitude of teachers online, this is more important than ever. There are many leaders and influencers who mix a little bit of Scripture with a lot of worldly wisdom. False teachers use Christian language in ways that it was never intended. Often, they are winsome, appealing, and compassionate. They make us feel good by avoiding or re-framing truth.

A close friend asked me about an influencer she followed on social media that she found confusing. The influencer was relatable, funny, and reassuring. She claimed to be a Christian but was encouraging her followers to live and think in ways that were contrary to God’s Word. Her vulnerability and appeal to her followers’ emotions was captivating. After I read a book by this influencer, my friend and I had several conversations about the fallacies of her claims. I’m so glad the Spirit nudged her to start a conversation with me and exposed this false teacher’s deception.

If you hear a wildly different interpretation of Scripture that seems to affirm ideas contrary to anything else you’ve learned, don’t be quick to embrace it as truth— search the Scriptures and seek wise, godly people you know and trust for clarification. Peter echoes Paul when he writes: “there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” (2 Peter 2:1b-2, NIV)

Where are you prone to skipping over the whole counsel of God? Do you tend to focus on what feels good and ignore the harder aspects of our faith? If so, you’re not alone. Take some time to ponder and pray about this. Remember God loves you deeply, wants what’s best for you, and works for your good. Ask the Lord to realign your heart and mind with the truth of His Word. Consider learning more about these issues by reading one of these books:

Live Your Truth (and Other Lies) Exposing Popular Deceptions that Make Us Anxious, Exhausted and Self-Obsessed by Alisa Childers

Live No Lies: Recognize and Resist the Three Enemies that Sabotage Your Peace by John Mark Comer

Was this forwarded to you? You can receive new posts automatically in your inbox by going to www.marybethmccullum.com, entering your e-mail address and clicking “subscribe.”

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s teaching in Acts: The Gospel Goes Out Part 2, Week 7 (Acts 20:1-21:36).

  • 1. Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale/Zondervan, 1991, p. 2004
  • 2. Walvoord and Zuck, Bible Knowledge Commentary, SP Publishers, 1982, p. 4133
  • 3. Got Questions, “The Whole Counsel of God”

Seeing with New Eyes

Handing me an envelope at the Kindergarten gate, my son scampered off to join his friends on the playground. The letter inside detailed the results of the annual vision screening conducted every fall. To my dismay, it recommended making an appointment for him to see an optometrist. Within a few weeks, he’d been fitted for glasses to correct surprisingly poor vision for someone so young. 

Our six-year-old adapted quickly and seemed unfazed by the addition of wire rimmed specs to his cute little face. The only glitch was on the soccer field, where metal frames were a safety hazard. Attempting to find a solution, my husband and I invested in an expensive set of bulky prescription sports goggles. However, our son ended up wearing them exactly one time. With all of the running and sweating he did during games, they slid around on his face and slowed him down. So, for the next six years he played soccer without glasses, preferring the challenge of poor vision to the annoyance of the goggles.

By middle school, our boy was mature enough to handle the responsibility of contact lenses and ready for the greater freedom they promised. I’ll never forget the first soccer game he played wearing them. His confidence and intensity on the field had skyrocketed. With his vision corrected, he dominated his opponents and ended up scoring two goals in that game. His coach marveled at how dramatically his play had improved as he dribbled, passed, and shot the ball. (And yes, we did feel a little guilty.)

No doubt, our physical vision impacts the way we interact with the world around us. The same is true of our emotional and spiritual vision. The lens through which we view ourselves affects everything about us: Our self-esteem, attitudes, outlooks, and relationships. Bible teacher Christine Caine explains, “When we are confident in knowing we are fully seen and fully known by God, we can see others and help them feel fully seen and fully known. When we aren’t confident in knowing He sees us, we can be tempted to behave in a way that begs attention—whether negative or positive—hoping someone else will notice us.”  I’m excited to dive into Caine’s new Bible study: 20/20: Seen. Chosen. Sent. Exploring how Jesus sees us and learning to look at others as He does will be both challenging and inspiring. 

I remember when I began understanding the impact of seeing myself as God does. It was years ago, when I was struggling with underlying depression and insecurity that had been magnified by an unhealthy relationship. A wise friend admonished me to remember that I was the beloved daughter of the King of Kings. Choosing to believe her words and let them change my outlook took time, intentionality, and even some counseling. Understanding this truth also freed me from expecting others to love and fulfill me in a way that only the Lord truly could. 

To be honest, this is an ongoing process for me–there are still days when I forget to see myself through God’s lenses and let people throw me off-kilter. Caine emphasizes, “How essential it is, then, that we come before Jesus daily and ask Him to keep the eyes of our hearts open so we can see those closest to us in the same way He does. When we feel rejected or taken for granted by our husbands, children, friends, or colleagues, we can easily default to a defensive posture and harden our hearts to shield us from being hurt. But if we allow our hearts to harden, then we will lose compassion and, therefore, lack what is required to see others as Jesus does. If we focus on protecting ourselves, we will miss others.”

If you’re ready to improve your spiritual and emotional vision, please join me through this series of posts on Caine’s book. You’ll find new focus using the Bible as your lens. Let’s start right now with a few Scriptures that remind us how God intends for us to see ourselves and others:

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him…God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 3:1 & 4:9-10, NLT)

As we open ourselves to receive the Lord’s lavish love, we’ll learn to let it overflow from us to bless others:

“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” (1 John 4:11-12, NLT)

Seeing people through God’s eyes makes it easier to look past what divides us and enables us approach them with humility, grace, and kindness. This happens when we remember:

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT)

Viewing ourselves as God’s masterpieces spurs us on to do the good things He’s planned for us. Acts of kindness and service aren’t done out of obligation, but as expressions of our love for the Lord. This is all part of His plan. It’s a circular process: God’s love pours into us. We receive it and pass it on to others. As people experience His love demonstrated through us, they discover they, too, are beloved children of the King of Kings.

The song, “God So Loved” by We the Kingdom beautifully communicates God’s tremendous love for us. Enjoy this inspiring music video that captures an array of people and cultures from around the world.

Christine Caine, 20/20: Seen. Chosen. Sent., Lifeway Press, 2020, p. 13 & 26.