"Who Are We?" - Preaching at Harderwyk - Ephesians 2:1-10 - September 26, 2021

Resources For "Who Are We? - The Vision Series" From Each Harderwyk Preacher

I. New For This Week

Bema Discipleship Podcast - CLICK HERE to listen, or search for the Bema Discipleship Podcast, Episode 158 for a great overview of Ephesians around the theme of "Family Membership.

Ephesians 2 “with Christ” [syn Christos] 

“Made us alive with Christ…” (v.5)
suzóopoieó [συζωοποιέω] prefix – syn=with 

“And God raised us up with Christ…” (v.6)
sunegeiró [συνεγείρω] prefix – syn=with 

“…and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (v.6)
sugkathizó [συγκαθίζω] prefix – syn= with 

Romans 6 “with” 

“We were therefore buried with him…” (v.4)
sunthaptó [συνθάπτω] prefix – syn= with 

“we have been united with him…” (v.5)
 sumphutos [σύμφυτος] prefix – syn= with 

“old self was crucified with him…” (v.6)
 sustauroó [συσταυρόω] prefix – syn= with 

“Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him…” (v.8)
apothnéskó / sun [ἀποθνῄσκω / σύν] preposition – “with” 
suzaó [συζάω] prefix – syn = with 

II. From The Commentaries On This Passage

From Andrew T Lincoln in the Word Biblical Commentary: Ephesians:

“God’s act of grace is the ground of salvation and faith is the means by which it becomes effective in a person’s life. In Paul’s thinking faith can never be viewed as a meritorious work because in connection with justification he always contrasts faith with works of the law (cf. Gal 2:16; 3:2–5, 9, 10; Rom 3:27, 28). Faith involves the abandonment of any attempt to justify oneself and an openness to God which is willing to accept what he has done in Christ. The same applies here in regard to salvation. Faith is a human activity but a specific kind of activity, a response which allows salvation to become operative, which receives what has already been accomplished by God in Christ.”

NT Wright  - “Paul sees the people who belong to Jesus as being somehow ‘in’ him, so that what is true of him is true of them.  He has been raised – and so have they! He has been installed in glory, in the heavenly realms – and so have they!  This is the secret truth of the life of all those who belong to Jesus.” 

Billings, Union with Christ. (p.1) - “Union with Christ is a central New Testament description of Christian identity, the life of salvation in Christ.  It entails the giving of a new identity such that in Christ, forgiveness and new life are received through the Spirit.  Union with Christ involves abiding in Christ the Vine.  It means that through the Spirit, sinners are adopted into the household of God as co-heirs with Christ.  It means that God’s Spirit is poured out to make the life and teaching of Jesus real to us… Union with Christ is theological shorthand for the gospel itself – a key image that pulls together numerous motifs in the biblical witness.” 

III. Ongoing Resources

1) Spiritual Formation Resources Page - CLICK HERE - This is still a work in progress, but be a part as we look to build

2) Scotty Smith’s Heavenward Daily Prayers - CLICK HERE - to see the daily prayer blog of Scotty Smith.  You will see an option to have them delivered to your email inbox each day as well.  

3) Simple Lectio Divina Overview - CLICK HERE - for a simple introduction of the spiritual practice of a more personal way of experience the Word through contemplation and reflection.