DOGMA

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DOGMA

• Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians
• Christ and The Church
• Nabil Shenoda
• July 18, 2010

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• Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians
• Both Written by St. Paul in Rome in prison in
  the last part of his life.
• Ephesians and Colossian epistles naturally have
  much in common having been written at the same
  time and in the same place by the same hand.
• Although small epistles, they present the
  understanding of Christ and the true Church.
• the main theme of the books as a whole is the
  riches of Christ in the church
• they also present deep understanding of the
  mysteries of the Church.

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•  Chapter 1 of Ephesians,
• 9 having made known to us the mystery of His
  will, according to His good pleasure which He
  purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation
  of the fullness of the times He might gather
  together in one all things in Christ, both which
  are in heaven and which are on earthin Him.
• Chapter 1 of Colossians,
• 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages
  and from generations, but now has been revealed
  to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make
  known what are the riches of the glory of this
  mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in
  you, the hope of glory.

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•  
• Chapter 2 of Colossians,
• 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit
  together in love, and attaining to all riches of
  the full assurance of understanding, to the
  knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the
  Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all
  the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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• In Both Ephesians and Colossians,
• St. Paul starts by giving praise to the sovereign
  Father of all creation.
• He goes on to explain that all who believe in the
  Son have redemption through His blood. The
  mystery of Gods will was manifested when He sent
  His only Begotten Son in the fullness of times.
• St. Paul states that it is Christ who is seated
  at the right hand of God and that all things are
  under His feet. He is unquestionably the head of
  the church, the church itself, therefore, is His
  body.

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• In Ephesians Chapter 1, 22 And He put all things
  under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all
  things to the church, 23 which is His body, the
  fullness of Him who fills all in all.
• In Colossians, Chapter 1, 18 And He is the head
  of the body, the church, who is the beginning,
  the firstborn from the dead, that in all things
  He may have the preeminence.

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• In Colossians, Chapter 2, 9 For in Him dwells all
  the fullness of the Godhead bodily 10 and you
  are complete in Him, who is the head of all
  principality and power.
• Unfortunately some people believe they can be
  Christians without the church.
• It is true that it is Christ who saves, not the
  church, but to say we love Christ, who is the
  Head of the Church, and at the same time reject
  His body is to deny New Testament teaching.
• Our Lord told St. Peter On this Rock, I will
  build My Church

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• If the Church is the object of that redeeming
  work by which God everlastingly determined to
  reveal Himself, and that this revealing of God is
  the mystery of creation,
• then
• The Church must be and is the central and the
  greatest object in history, takes precedence over
  all institutions, orders, systems which may have
  gone before her. Certainly nothing after her, for
  she is the bride, the body, the spouse of Christ
  and the total fruit of His sacrifice of Himself
  at Calvary.

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15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up
in all things into Him who is the headChrist 16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies, according
to the effective working by which every part does
its share, causes growth of the body for the
edifying of itself in love.
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1. Christ, Head of the Church (1) What do the
metaphors, "Head" and "body" convey? That will
help us to understand the organic relationship
between Christ and the church. "Head" is a common
metaphor used of Christ. In this instance it
conveys the idea of rule, or the one who gives
direction and meaning to the body, It also
expresses the concept of the body living in
dependence upon the head. No body can function
without a head
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(2) By using these terms we are reminded that
the church is more than an organization it is an
organism, fully alive, functioning under the
authority of its head. This concept must
penetrate our thinking about the church.
Otherwise, we will find ourselves having a
low-view of what the church is. It is a living
organism which we need which must not be
neglected of which we are a part.
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• "that the church is a living organism, composed
  of members joined vitally to one another.
• b. that the church is the means by which Christ
  carries out His purposes and performs His work.
• c. that the union which exists between Christ and
  His people is most intimate and vital"

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2. Christ, first in rank   The phrases, "And He
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,"
are somewhat parallel in meaning. Both imply the
idea of Christ being first in rank or priority ,
with both pointing to His rule and authority over
the church.   (1) By virtue of Christ's
pre-existence, he is first in rank to the church.
This is the implication of the term "beginning"
it points to Christ as the one who is
pre-existent, the one in whom the church
originates.
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• 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers
  and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the
  saints and members of the household of God, 20
  having been built on the foundation of the
  apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being
  the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole
  building, being fitted together, grows into a
  holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are
  being built together for a dwelling place of God
  in the Spirit.

• The Church (Household, dwelling place)

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• 4. Christ, the Reconciler
• In Ephesians Chapter 2
• St. Paul explains the Reconciliation, 13 But now
  in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have
  been brought near by the blood of Christ.
• In Colossians (Chapter 1)
• 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the
  fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile
  all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on
  earth or things in heaven, having made peace
  through the blood of His cross.

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• Chapter 4
• Who are the members of the Church?
• In Ephesians,
• 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
  prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
  teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for
  the work of ministry, for the edifying of the
  body of Christ,
• All the members must work together in love.

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• 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up
  in all things into Him who is the headChrist 16
  from whom the whole body, joined and knit
  together by what every joint supplies, according
  to the effective working by which every part does
  its share, causes growth of the body for the
  edifying of itself in love.

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• The mysteries of the Church,
• All the mysteries of the Church are mentioned or
  hinted upon in the Books of Epesians and
  Colosians
• Baptism In Ephesians Chapter 4, verses 4-5
• 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
  were called in one hope of your calling 5 one
  Lord, one faith, one baptism 6 one God and
  Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
  and in you all.

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• Baptism In Colossians Chapter 2,
• 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the
  circumcision made without hands, by putting off
  the body of the sins of the flesh, by the
  circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in
  baptism, in which you also were raised with Him
  through faith in the working of God, who raised
  Him from the dead.

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• Confirmation Ephesians Chapter 2
• 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the
  word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in
  whom also, having believed, you were sealed with
  the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the
  guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption
  of the purchased possession, to the praise of His
  glory.

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• The 2 most Spiritual and most important Verses in
  the Bible
• Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 22 -23

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• 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the
  Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as
  also Christ is head of the church and He is the
  Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the
  church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be
  to their own husbands in everything.

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• Not as powerful as the previous but still counts
• 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also
  loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26
  that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the
  washing of water by the word, 27 that He might
  present her to Himself a glorious church, not
  having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but
  that she should be holy and without blemish. 28
  So husbands ought to love their own wives as
  their own bodies he who loves his wife loves
  himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh,
  but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord
  does the church.

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• Also in Colossians Chapter 3,
• The Christian Home
•    18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is
  fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your
  wives and do not be bitter toward them. 20
  Children, obey your parents in all things, for
  this is well pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers,
  do not provoke your children, lest they become
  discouraged.

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• The Character of the Church (Colossians Chapter
  3)
• 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
  beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness,
  humility, meekness, longsuffering 13 bearing
  with one another, and forgiving one another, if
  anyone has a complaint against another even as
  Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But
  above all these things put on love, which is the
  bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God
  rule in your hearts, to which also you were
  called in one body and be thankful.

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• 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in
  all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another
  in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
  with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And
  whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the
  name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
  Father through Him.