SEATED IN THE HEAVENLYS EPH.2: 5-6
Today we’ll talk a little about being seated in the heavenlys, what does that mean?
EPH. 2:5-6
"But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, [He made us alive spiritually by imparting the life of Christ in us. This is what is meant by the new birth.] (by grace are ye saved;) AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER, AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS" (vv. 4-6).
Notice the phrase "IN CHRIST JESUS." This speaks of the believer’s spiritual union with Christ.
Our union with Christ is seen in . . .
1. The church’s description as, “THE BODY OF CHRIST.”
In 1:11-23 Paul writes that the Father "gave [Christ] to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body . . .."
Jesus’ said in (John 15:5)."I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES"
--so Jesus is the Head , we that are saved, we that are in Christ Jesus are His Body, the church, He is the Vine and the reason we’re alive in Him is seen in us being the branches.
What happened PHYSICALLY to our Lord Jesus Christ has happened SPIRITUALLY to believers:
1. Jesus physically ROSE from the dead; we have spiritually risen from the dead.
2. Jesus physically ASCENDED into heaven; we have spiritually ascended into heaven.
3. Jesus physically SAT DOWN in heaven; we have spiritually sat down in heaven.
One day every Christian will physically rise, ascend, and sit down in heaven, but right now this is only true of us spiritually.
Notice that this passage in our text refers to these things in the past tense:
"HATH quickened us together with Christ";
"by grace ye ARE saved";
"and HATH raised us up together";
"MADE us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus".
So just what exactly does " HEAVENLY PLACES" mean?
Some translations say "the heavenly realms," "the heavenly sphere," "the heavenly world," "the heavens," "the heavenlies," and "heaven."
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that he was once "caught up to the third heaven." The first heaven is the atmosphere. The second heaven is space. The third heaven is the dwelling place of God, so the third heaven is the same as "the heavenly places."
Ephesians 2:6 describe every Christian as seated in heaven with Christ. What does that mean for us right now?
It means THE CHRISTIAN NO LONGER BELONGS TO THE WORLD—HE BELONGS TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
The Christian once belonged to the world.
(Ephesians 2:1-2a)."And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sin; wherein in** time past YE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD"
Paul is not talking about the PHYSICAL WORLD. World here refers to THE MENTAL & spiritual corruptness OF LIFE APART FROM GOD.
The Bible presents the world as being the enemy of God and the Christian:
• The Bible commands in, (1 John 2:15)."DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD." "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”
• The Bible commands, (Romans 12:2)."DO NOT CONFORM TO THE WORLD." "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind . . .
• The Bible commands, "DO NOT BEFRIEND THE WORLD."
(James 4:4)."Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God"
If you’ll remember, it was the worldly crowd that hated and crucified Jesus.
Listen to this little illustration;
~~Just suppose that in a certain community live a man and his wife who love each other very much. But across the street lives a man who develops a hatred for the woman’s husband.
One night he invades their home and kills her husband. And then he is arrested, but as in many cases a loophole in the law allows him to escape punishment, and he is released to return to the community.
And then in a few short weeks you see the widow and her husband’s murderer walking down the street together. Her hand is slipped onto his arm and she looks smilingly into his face. She says to him, "I’m so happy."~~
What would we think about a woman like that? Most likely we’d brand her as disloyal to her husband’s memory and unworthy to bear his name.
We must never forget that this godless world hated Jesus enough to kill Him.
Therefore a person who walks hand in hand with a system headed by our Lord’s enemies is disloyal to Jesus Christ.
The Christian now belongs to the kingdom of God.
The Christian is in the world, but he is not of the world.
Christ "gave himself for our sins, (Galatians 1:4). THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD"
God (Colossians 1:13)."hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON"
We don’t belong to this world. In 1 Peter 2:11 "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS."**
In Philippians 3:19 Paul talks about those "whose end is destruction, who’s God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
But, he writes, (v. 20). "OUR CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN" That means our citizenship is in heaven.
The Christian is in the world, but he has overcome the world.
(1 John 5:4-5). "WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH. WHO IS HE THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD?"
The Christian is in the world, but his heart is not set on the world.
(2 Peter 3:11)."Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YE TO BE in all holy conversation and godliness"
(Colossians 3:1-2)."If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH"
~~I read that a young man once found a $5 bill on the street and he decided that from that time on he would never lift his eyes while walking. The article went on to say that over the years he accumulated, among other things, 29,516 buttons, 54, 172 pins, 12 cents, a bent back, and a miserly disposition.~~
Just think of what he lost by not looking up, the smiles of friends, and the freshness of the blue skies, and the beautiful mountains among many other things.
There may be some Christians like that in a manner of speaking.
While they may not walk around staring at the sidewalk, they are so involved with the things of this life that they give little attention to heavenly values.
THE CHRISTIAN NO Longer UNDER THE CONTROL OF SATAN—HE IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE Holy SPIRIT.
The Christian was once under the control of Satan.
(Ephesians 2:2-3a). "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE"
The Christian is no longer blinded by Satan.
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4"If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HATH BLINDED THE MINDS OF THEM WHICH BELIEVE NOT"
Christ commissioned Paul to go to the Gentiles (Acts 26:18)."To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and FROM THE POWER OF SATAN UNTO GOD"
The whole world is being held like a baby in the arms of Satan.
(1 John 5:19). "We know that we are of God, and THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS [the wicked one]"
The Christian is now under the control of the Spirit.
(Romans 8:14)."AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD"
(1 John 4:4)."GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD"
If we could only realize this truth about ourselves we would understand what James means when he says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you".
Jesus said in matt. 16: 18-- and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
