Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Ephesians 4:10 comments: above all, distinct from all, near to all

10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Christ is higher than the kings of the earth.

Psalms 89:27  Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 

Christ is the authority over the kings of the earth and has made His people, no matter how humble or uneducated or unsophisticated, kings and priests to God the Father.

Revelation 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Christ is above all heavens. There are three heavens in the Bible. There is the heaven in which the birds fly and clouds float, there is the heaven of what we call Outer Space, and there is the heaven that is the abode of God and the blessed dead. Christ is above all we know or think.

In fact, Christ is as far above the greatest saint as He is the greatest sinner as the famous Congregationalist preacher, Jonathan Edwards, pointed out in his sermon, “Pardon for the Greatest Sinners.” So, Christ’s greatness is no impediment to your believing and trusting in Him and being accepted by Him. It is in His nature to have mercy and to answer a plea for salvation.

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One of the basic doctrines of Christianity, or at least the Christianity of the Bible, is the Omnipresence of God. He is distinct from His universe but is everywhere present.

David said;

Psalm 139:8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

God told Jeremiah;

Jeremiah 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? 24  Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

So, as God’s presence is everywhere in the universe He is also near to each of us. This is the doctrine of His Immanence.

Acts 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Back in verse six we saw God’s Transcendence, as in this verse, it shows that He is above and distinct from all He has made.

6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

God told Isaiah;

Isaiah 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Again, David said;

Psalm 108:5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

But, just remember, that as far above all things that God is;

Psalm 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

No comments: