1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15: Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16: Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23: Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

After reading this first chapter of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians we can not help but be struck to the fact that it introduces quite a number of aspects of truth that you will not find anywhere else. No where else do you read of all spiritual blessings. No where else do read of any company than this who are related to heavenly places where Christ sits at the right hand of God. But the chapter that makes the definite claim to which we might give a passing glimpse for now, until the end of this entire study, is chapter 3. The first 13 verses. Lets skim that so that we can put the thing in its place and then we will have to concentrate more particularly to the calling in this dispensation of the mystery.

It starts off by a claim by the Apostle as the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. He says, for this cause. But he doesn't go further. He says in the next verse, oh dear I have made a claim and perhaps you don't understand the claim. So I'd better explain to you. So he says I'm taking for granted that you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God. verse 2: If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery Not by my seeking. Not by my searching. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery When you get the revised version you get a change of word in verse 9. And to make all men see not what is the fellowship. That is very glorious thought. But the revised text reads  And to make all men see what is the dispensation Now of course in English there is no comparison between the two words in their spelling. But if you ever written out chapter after chapter of the book like the bible you would be surprised to see how many mistakes you make no matter how careful you are. And its quite easy to see that perhaps the one who was written this copy put down " koinonia " instead of "oikonomia". That is the difference between fellowship and dispensation. Don't think there is any trifling the word of God over this. To make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Then he comes back after verse 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, This is balancing, for this cause verse 1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you These tribulations for you, which is your glory. And back again, for this cause. So its taken this long parenthesis of 13 verses to tell you what he was going to say. But aren't we glad that he stopped himself and said, oh wait a minute, I'd better explain. Of course there are some passages that we wished he stopped again. But there are some that God leaves us to have a look at you see. There is one that is very tantalizing in Hebrews about the cherubim of which we can not now speak particularly. Oh dear, we almost wish he had. But God says, no, leave a few things in the word of God to exercise the minds and hearts of my people so that they may not come to the conclusion, we know everything. But when you got there, instead of being a blessed people your being stupefied. So here we are. Now for the rest of this study we shall be occupied with the emphasis on the word calling in these prison epistles. You see, he is a prisoner. And Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 2 Timothy are all marked with the word prisoner. And they combine together to give us a complete four square presentation of this high and wonderful calling. And so we start looking at chapter one of this epistle to the Ephesians. As you read this chapter at the beginning of this study you might have noticed that the first half, the Apostle is making a revelation. He takes you back before the foundation of the world. He takes you up to heavenly where Christ sits. And then he stops and says well now, it is one thing to have a revelation of truth given to you, its another thing to you to enter in to it. So he says, I am going to cease talking to you and I am going to pray for you. And his prayer is this verse 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16: Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; Now you may be acquainted with the Apostle Paul's ministry. This may have had already given you a thought of, ah. How many times did he say faith, hope, love? Oh, he says it many times. So he says, I am glad to have recognized your faith. I am glad to see your love. But he says, there is one thing that needs a little bit more help. So the next verse says verse 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,  So you see, the bible has been so written that it tells you something's and that it says "now" go on. Make it your own. Here the Apostle doesn't tell you what is the hope of your calling. He is leaving you now to piece together other parts of scripture. So that you may be exercised and grown. If you have a little baby and your so concerned that it doesn't fall on its bottom every time, the poor little child will never walk. It want do it any harm, it hasn't got very far to go. And nature has made a nice cushion for it to bounce on. And then they'll get up and scramble again all over. So we are thankful for the revelation that teaches us. And we are also thankful that God steps back and says, now pursue it. Here we have then a prayer. What is there necessary, if we would understand what is the hope of our calling. Well he says, you want a wise and revealing spirit. Well you can't make that to your self. But you can ask God to give it to you. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Now then, your not asking for that. That is an assumption. He said, of course I am assuming that you've got your eyes opened. Because if you haven't, your listening to me and saying, what on earth are you talking about? So supposing a blind man would say to you, what are you carrying on about saying what a wonderful color that picture is. He says, I don't see it! Would you say well because he doesn't see it, perhaps its not there? If you say to me, why I don't see it. That doesn't prove that it isn't there my friend. It may prove that you don't have your eyes opened, mightn't it. And if you feel in that position don't be upset. Be thankful that somebody has brought you up with a jerk. And go back and read John the ninth chapter, when a man that was born blind confessed that he didn't know any thing about theology. When the doctors of the law began to bombard him and he says, one thing I know, where as I was blind now I see. And you can almost here him say, now take it out of that! That is a good start. Here he says, now what you must have is verse 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that the elementary fact of salvation is Christ is your redeemer.

Your Savior. Now, he says, assuming that, that he may give you a wise and revealing spirit. The word knowledge is also translated in quite a number of passages as acknowledge. Perhaps we should look at Colossians chapter 2 verse 2. Here we have this word which we've got here as knowledge but is translated as acknowledge. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, Again you see that it is not merely brain work and head work. This is heart work. A unity. and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God Same word. And if you would like to have another passage to look at in measure there is 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 25 and Titus chapter 1 verse 1. Many passages are translated "acknowledgement". And I don't know whether you know that in the old English that it was all one in the same word. You know the tedium that is said in church services, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Well the man who wrote that didn't say that. In the old English he said, we knowledge thee to be the Lord. And we couldn't say that know, that is bad English for we drop it out. But don't you see the truth that is behind it. Knowledge isn't of your accumulation of material. It is what you do with it that makes it knowledge. You may have upstairs in an attic the whole encyclopedia Britannica. But that is not knowledge. You've got to bring it down stairs and read it and ponder it. And then it becomes knowledge. That is acknowledging it. Recognizing it. Other wise you'd have to say like Hamlet, when he pretended to be mad and asked, what are you reading, and he answers, Words, Words, Words! That is what some people do with the book. But the words are there to lead you to the WORD Himself. And an enlightenment is to have an eye opened to see that He fills it with His glory. Well here we are. This is leading up to this question of our calling. Our subject through this study has been really from scriptures, ye see your calling. And we are considering the special calling of this company. So here we have in verse 18 that you may know. That you may know. You see acknowledgement, if that is the way you should translate verse 17, is one of the reasons that some people never go any further. Some people come so far with you. And then they suddenly come to the fact that if they believe that, they will be turned right out of their church. Or their husband won't speak to them. Or anything else might happen. And so unless you acknowledge what God gives you, you'll stop your self. The scriptures says, then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, but if once God reveals a truth to you and you shut your eyes to it. It may be a beginning of a blindness and a hardening that you'll never get over. It's a solemn moment. So he says. that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, And this prefaces another set of knowledge. When once you know His calling and its hope, you'll understand that you've got an inheritance. Look at the next part of the verse and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, It is a power that is beyond your dreams which is waiting for you. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, The very power that was wrought in Christ when He was raised from the dead. So you see, this is an important feature in our Christian growth.

Now you notice it says His calling. In the doctrine, the calling comes from Him. His calling. But if it never becomes your calling, it has fallen on deaf ears hasn't it. So when we come to the practice, of course you know what we are going to do know don't you. Chapter 4, it is still the prisoner, but not the prisoner of Jesus Christ any more. Oh no, same person, but different title. He is now the prisoner of the Lord. And when you speak of the Lord, as our Savior said, you call me master and the Lord, well you must do the things that I tell you if that is the case. This is practice. verse 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk You see, walk is practice. It assumes that you have life. And you are beginning to realize that you have responsibilities. that ye walk worthy And the word worthy as we have seen many times before "axios {ax-ee'-oce}" is borrowed from a pair of scales. That puts in one side the blessings that God has given you and puts in the other side you corresponding thankfulness in a consistent walk. But how many of us have the scales perfectly horizontal? I don't know any body. I'm not rude, because I am including my self. But it is a goal in front of you isn't it. That the blessings that God has given you should have some correspondence with the walk that we now follow down here.

So he says I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation  Of course now, the word vocation is the word calling. It is an alternative rendering. So here we have a calling. But in verse 4 he calls it the "hope of your calling". There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; As I have said earlier, in chapter one it is His calling. That's the doctrine. In chapter four, it is your calling, because it has reached you and you've responded. There's the calling, chapter 1,2, and 3. And then the bibles of every Christian that possesses a bible. But I wonder how many percent of those who've got that bible can say, and I've responded to it. I've realized it is true. I understand its difference from the other callings. So if you do, you've now got His calling and your calling.

Lets look at the next epistle. That is Philippians. It says here verse 10 chapter 3 That I may know him, And that I may be told the history of the resurrection but that I may know its power. It is one thing to believe that Christ was rose from the dead. It is another thing to realize this that it is the power that worketh in us. That is an irresistible power, if there ever is one in God's creation. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; What are you after Paul? verse 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Now that is a very strange passage. First of all, you'll find the very words "if by any means I might attain", or we might attain, in the record of the shipwreck is given in the last chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. They've reached a port that was a barren spot and they hoped and they took a risk, if by any means that I might attain unto a port that is a better to winter in. But instead of that, they were a wreck. And the Apostle Paul was in that ship. And He wrote these words. So it means to say that he was up against something now, that he might not reach. But you say, he could not possibly have any doubts that he was going to be raised from the dead for it was the very part of the gift of God. Oh yes, but the moment you get a puzzle like that you want to be sure of the word. And here we have the little word "ek" which means out of, coming in to play. This is not a resurrection, this is an out resurrection. Out from among the dead. This is peculiar. Oh he says, I am saved alright, but what I have in mind now, is the prize of this calling. Now a prize in the scripture is something you can win. Or lose.

They all are running a race. But one receiveth a prize, said the Apostle. So he said in regard to him self, Philippians chapter 3 verse 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: Apprehend means to lay hold of something. Later on he says in another epistle, just before he died, and he says, I have finished my course. Here he says, I am running, so lets let him go on. verse 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,  And this man had already written about these people in the wilderness when they left Egypt left their heart behind. And when they came out to the wilderness they said, we remember the fish and the onions, and the garlic and the cucumbers which we did eat in Egypt freely. He says, if your going to run this race then stop looking back. You will lose! So he says, one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14: I press Now our version say "toward the mark". But if you got it in front of you, the original, "according to a mark" because there was a white line, just as we got in the middle of the roads here, which you must not step over. If you do, you are disqualified. keep the rules, he said, no man is crowned except he strive lawfully. So according to the mark I press toward the goal For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Now no body has to press to a goal for the hope. The hope is yours by redemption. It's yours if your a saved person. You can't avoid if you wanted to. But the prize is the added bit that God gives. It says in the scriptures, even a cup of cold water given in His name will be remembered by Him. We are not doing it just to get the remembrance. But never the less the epistle to the Hebrews, which has to do with running the race set before them, despising the shame just like Christ, he says that those that come to God in that character must believe not only that He is, but He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

This is an aspect that sometimes is so mixed with the basic facts that we do well to realize it is something over and above. Now we turn the page to Colossians. And we find a calling mentioned in chapter 3 verse 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Now, this is in the midst of an exhortation. You go right back to chapter 3 verse 1 {{Now he says, if what I say is true of you}} If ye then be risen with Christ,  What sort of person should you be? Where a mans heart is, theres is his treasure or where a mans treasure is, there is where his heart is If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Because you are told in the original passage that we have before us, that you are blessed with all spiritual blessings "in heavenly places". "In Christ". And the same chapter tells you that these heavenly places is where Christ sits. Far above all principality and power and dominion and might. Fancy that. The inheritance is yours. So verse 2 Set your affection not merely affection. The word means your bent. If people know you they say, you've got Christianity on the brain. He's got heavenly places on his mind. Its a good thing to. For the more it occupies your thoughts the more you will be able to say, I seek mercy to walk worthy in this calling.

Verse 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3: For ye are died. It is a pity to read our version "For ye are dead". That is absolute! You have died, when Christ died. You were reckoned to die with Him. When He was raised, you were reckoned to be raised with Him. And your life is hid, with Christ, in God. Can you think of a safer place in the whole of the universe for that precious life in which God has given you now? What can you do with it to preserve it? You can't do anything. But here it is. verse 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, Now this is the word that gives us the word to characterize the hope of this calling. You do know that there there distinctive words in the new testament for the second coming of Christ. There is the "Parousia", His personal presence which is practically concerned with Matthew 24 and parallel passages. This you can verify also in the Kypros dictionary which gives the following meaning. papousia = attendance, presence. Or you can simply use Strong's which gives basically the same meaning. There is the "apokalupsis" which is a revelation. And that again has to do particularly with kingdom teaching. But this particular word the "Epiphania" or as we put it, the epiphany, is the word that characterizes the hope of this company.

Now it looks as though the second coming of Christ falls in to three stages. He is there at the right hand of God hence forth expecting. So the first move in the second coming must be there, mustn't it. When He stands up and is manifested in glory this church will be manifested with Him. Then somebody says, how are we going to bet there? Fancy asking me. I know no more than the man on the moon. But I already read in this epistle to the Colossians that we give thanks unto God who has made us meet, all sufficient, for the inheritance of the saints in light. And that doesn't mean merely to give an inheritance in glory. But it gives you a first class ticket to get there. All expenses paid. And every thing you need waiting for you. Your going to be presented in that holy presence with out spot or wrinkle. So he says here in the original, verse 4 When Christ, who was our life was made manifest, then shall you also be made manifest Not in the air. Not in the new Jerusalem. Not on the earth. But in glory, where He is. Then He descends from heaven with a shout with a voice of the arc angel. And then another company of Gods people who belong to another calling, all redeemed by the same Christ, but having another inheritance, meet Him in the air. So shall they forever be with the Lord. And then His feet will stand in that day on the mount of Olives. And then the earth comes under Him. The right hand of God, in the air, on the earth. Now, even you can't be at three places at once. I know some people if you say to them where will you go when you die say, oh I'm going to heaven. And you believe the sermon on the mount is for you? Oh yes. So I read the sermon of the mount, the meek shall inherit the earth. And the sermon on the mount is for you, and your going to heaven? Well then your coming or going, you see? You must not mix these things. They are as distinct as any thing in the scriptures. And there are three companies who what is called the adoption or the first borns position. Israel, on the earth, Romans chapter 9. The company of Jew and Gentile that have to do with the meeting the Lord in the air and connected with the Jerusalem which is above, Galatians. Then the epistle to the Ephesians chapter 1 where we have a new company all together at the right hand. First born on the earth. First born in the new Jerusalem. The church of the first born are written in heaven it says and the first born at the right hand. And you can't be those three.

Now we come to this passage that is leading up to this. He says verse 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, Put on something to manifest that you belong to this.  holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13: Forbearing one another, It looks as though your going to have a bit of a bother. Ah my friend, even though you are fellow members of one body, would you believe it, you are not absolutely perfect, yet. And either am I. Does that surprise you? And I know that we sometimes expect others to understand and to be perfect, which we our selves are certainly not. So it says Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel So do they have a quarrel, even though they believe Christ? Oh yes, there down here still my friend. And the old man sometimes has to give it a go. Yes.  even as Christ forgave you, You see? Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye. 14: And above all these things put on Love. Not charity. That's lost its meaning. which is the bond of perfectness. Ephesians says, the bond of peace. But Paul, whom wrote these words, was a Hebrew. And he knew the word "shalom", which is translated peace, is the word that means perfect. You see, peace in the bible doesn't mean to say that two armies that blown them selves up so much to bits and have exhausted all their money, that they say we are now at peace. That's not peace. They will be at it again when they can. You can look at the middle east and know that is for certain. Peace is to pay the price. To give satisfaction. To make amends. They are all the words translated from saying the word "shalom". So he says the bonds of peace in one epistle is the bonds of perfectness in the other, and is exactly the same thing. The fruit of righteousness shall be peace therefore being justified by faith we have peace . You can't have it any other way. There must be satisfaction.

So he says, let the peace, oh it comes in the very next verse verse 15 And let the peace of God rule Now that word rule means to act as an umpire. Isn't it good to know that you should have an infallible rule, not leaning to you, not leaning to the other side. But always deciding in the line of the will of God. And let the peace of God act as the umpire in your heart. What a difference it would make to us all, wouldn't it. And so he says here  to the which also ye are called This is the very essence of our calling. This is the way in which we express this calling. which also ye are called in one body In one body. So this calling is not merely a cipher, it is a reality. And it should be expressed in these terms.

There is one more passage we should look at and that is in 2 Timothy chapter 1. Where we have a reference to the calling. verse 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner Oh he is the prisoner again. These prison epistles got a grouping, they belong to a company. but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9: Who hath saved us, and called us You remember Romans, who He did predestinate then He also called. He called and He justified. Who He justifies He ultimately glorifies. Calling is a part of the great work of redemption. So he says here  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, Philippians says it is a high calling. And the other epistles speak of the hope of His calling. And working out your calling. A holy calling. And this goes on to expand not according to our works you can't earn salvation no matter what you do. It is almost certainty that if you ask a little child what they got to do to go to heaven they will say, be good. That seems to be in the heart of every one of us. But the scriptures says, there is not that doest good, no not one. It is because we can't do good that we need a Savior. So he says, not of works.  but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus Now our version says, before the world began. Well the word "world" is already found in Ephesians. before the foundation of the world, there we have the word "cosmos" which should be world. But this is strictly speaking of times of ages.

In as much as the same man writing to the same calling, it says where you want to know where the ages start in the bible, it starts in between Genesis 1 verse 1 and verse 2. So that's good it puts that change. But he says, I am concerned with now, not only with past. verse 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, So there was an appearing when He came here. And there will be an appearing when He comes again. the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: As you come to the end of Paul's ministry, "life" seams to be stressed very much. When he is getting near to the end there is life. It is a very sweet thing for him to say, Titus chapter 1 verse 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Same thought. Or lets look to Timothy, where you will see immortality is there. chapter 1 verse 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, Then to chapter 6 verse 15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;  Well that is a title of Christ. And that speaks about the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 14.

Then in verse 16 Who only hath immortality, No Body else has immortality but HIM, Christ! But you say, I have an immortal soul. Is that so? I think the word soul occurs 458 times in the bible. Supposing I am wrong 300. NEVER once does it say an immortal soul. It says the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Immortality is the gift of God. And 1Corinthians verse 15 says its put on at resurrection. So he says here, Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see:  .... That balances on to the king eternal invisible. The one concerning God in the abstract sense. The other concerning Christ in His own person. Do you see your calling Brethren.