GOD AND FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST
Ephesians 1.3
Here again Paul returned back to a very important matter of hierarchy in the Highest between GOD Father and His Son. The Words "GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" reflect and indicate that Christ as a GOD also has the GOD above Him, His Father. Jesus Christ in not the Original GOD but only the Mirror Image of Original GOD Whom we call Father.
Christ as the Image of His GOD Father: (Romans 8.29) (2Corinthians 4) (Colossians 1.15, 3.10) (Hebrews 1.3)
1Corinthians 11.3
3. "But I want you to understand that Christ is the Head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and GOD (GOD Father) is the Head of Christ."
My GOD and your GOD: (Psalm 45.7) (Micah 5.4) (John 20.17) (1Corinthians 11.3) (2Corinthians 11.31) (Ephesians 1.3) (Hebrews 1.9) (Revelation 3.2.12).
The Lord said to my Lord: (Psalm of David 110.1) (Matthew 22.43-44) (Mark 12.36) (Luke 20.42-43) (Acts 2.25.33-35).
- the Son of GOD, the Image of His Father is the Subject to His Father GOD, which Jesus Himself numerous times proclaimed in His speeches showing that He is fully subjected to His GOD Father.
Some people who do not understand hierarchy in Highest Heaven argue about this point and saying that Jesus is GOD because they have nothing else to say. Yes Jesus is GOD, to us and to everything else what exist, but not to His Father. Jesus' Father is the GOD to Jesus, and Jesus is GOD to all of us.
As Paul and others wrote, it is GOD Father Who sent Jesus to Earth, and it was GOD Father Who resurrected Jesus from the dead back to life, and everything what Jesus ever done and performed, all of that came by the power of His GOD Father.
Verse 20, like many other similar verses in the Bible shown undeniable proof that the GOD of Jesus is His Father, because the Image of GOD Jesus Christ cannot be higher or even equal to His GOD Father Who gave Him Birth.
Above all, GOD and Father of Jesus seated His Son at His right hand. This gesture always indicates from ancient times that whoever seat at the right hand of the ruler is his second man in charge, the first man in charge is always the king.
So, the point of Paul is this that Jesus Christ is the second in charge GOD to His GOD Father. The GOD and Father of Jesus Christ gave His Son everything, whole creation, and His Son Jesus Christ became GOD and Owner all over His Father's domain and in charge of it. This writing of Paul also shows that in order for us to reach Heaven of GOD Father we must go through the Door which is Jesus Christ.
PREDETERMINED CHOICE
Ephesians 1.4Verse 4 is another wonderful statement of Paul. Here Paul reveal that the GOD Father chose us, those who believe, have faith, and dedicated to His Son Jesus Christ, He chose us even before creation of the world! This act of selection and choice of GOD reveal knowledge and preference of certain people who already had been chosen for certain task and work even before existence of the world!
Perhaps and Abraham, from whom GOD had created a special people for Himself in order to be worshiped and serve by them, to have a priestly nation for Himself, also was predetermined and chosen long before Abraham himself was born. And so in the same way GOD perhaps include and incorporate all the peoples of the world, to be His followers due to their personal character and personality that GOD foreseen in them.
In another place of the Bible it said that the "Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25.34). It is also making full sense, because in order to be the Leader and GOD of the people, the certain place, in this matter the Heaven - Kingdom of GOD, must be prepared for them.
So, we are already had been in the plans of GOD even before our own existence, and the Kingdom of GOD was prepared for us even before our world was created.
~ 4. From the foundation of the world: (Revelation 13.8, 17.8) (John 17.5.24) (Ephesians 1.4).
In other words, our inheritance of the Kingdom of GOD already had been predestined by the GOD and Father of Jesus, and through the Christ's purpose and works we will enter the Kingdom with accordance of His Father's will (verse 11).
SEALED IN CHRIST
Ephesians 1.13
"Sealed in Christ" means to live like the Christ, to speak like the Christ, to do good deeds like the Christ: (Galatians 6.4.7-10) (1Timothy 5.25) (James 2.14-26) (Hebrews 13.16).
~ 13. *Marking (sealing) GOD'S people: (Exodus 12.7.13) (Ezekiel 9.4-6) (John 3.33, 6.27) (Ephesians 1.13, 4.30) (2Corinthians 1.21-22) (2Timothy 2.19) (Revelation 7.2-8, 9.4, 14.1.9-11).
It is also may mean as a Mark of Christ, indicating that this particular person belongs only to GOD. The explanations of this verse can be many, but the point is this, that by listening to the Message of Truth - the Gospel of our salvation, and having also believe in it and in One Who delivered it to us in Jesus Christ, we now in Christ as One with Him, just like He is One with His GOD Father.
~ To be One with GOD: (John 10.30, 14.8-11, 17.11.21-23) (Ephesians 1.13, 4.3-6) (1John 2.5-6.24.27-28, 3.6.9.17.24, 4.12-16, 5.20).
~ See also: GOD dwells in your: (John 14.23) (Romans 8.9-11) (2Corinthians 13.5) (Ephesians 3.17) (1John 4.4).
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Ephesians 1.22-23~ 22-23. Here Paul indicated that the church is the Body of Jesus Christ, subsequently when Jesus broke the bread during His last Passover, He presented the bread as His Body to be eaten. In this case by such gesture Jesus compared the life giving ordinary bread to His Own Life Giving Body, which is like the ordinary bread, His Body gives Life to those who "consume" it, means who believe and followed Him. See related places in: (Matthew 26.26) (Mark 14.22) (Luke 22.19).
