What is the meaning of title of this post, “What?”? Let me turn your thoughts to Eph 1. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know three things:
- what is the hope of His calling
- what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
- what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe
Eido vs. Ginosko
The word to know (eido) means to know intuitively, experience and perceive. The other word to know (ginosko) is process of learning about a subject. This is an important point. Knowing the three things above does not require brainpower and effort learning. It is imparted by the Holy Spirit. Paul emphasized that the Holy Spirit seals every Christian and that the Holy Spirit’s divine presence is a down payment of the fullness of God’s presence in heaven. Have you experienced the hope, the riches of His inheritance, and the great resurrection power that the Holy Spirit can give you? It doesn’t require effort to learn, it requires yieldedness to the Spirit. This website exists to encourage you to do good works. These good works are accomplished by the Holy Spirit empowering you. Let’s look into how knowing these three What’s will give you greater confidence to do good works.
Hope Of His Calling
Hope is confident expectation. Are you confident in knowing what God’s calling is for you? You may be thinking, my calling is to be a doctor or a teacher, but this calling is meant to give you greater confidence, trust and hope in God. Your service for God or your vocation can change. But the verses below convey the unchanging nature of your calling.
You are a friend of Jesus Christ. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends…” (Jn 15:15) What a special calling indeed. Not only are you a child of God, but you are a friend of Jesus. Do you feel like His friend? Do you think like His friend? Your friendship with Him entitles you to know what He is doing.
You are called into the grace of God. “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel…” (Gal 1:6) It is good news that you are no longer under the law of judgment but you are under grace, forgiveness, and freedom. Do you feel free? Are you free or are you aware of something that is controlling you? Are you experiencing God’s grace and favor? Are you experiencing God’s favor? You can. John wrote, “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” (Jn 1:16) You have received God’s fullness and grace when you received the Holy Spirit.
You were called by the gospel to obtain Jesus Christ’s glory. “to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Thes 2:14) You are a vessel of Jesus Christ’s glory! You and I have a glorious calling.
You are called to be holy. “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” (1Pet 1:15) Sin creates a barrier to experiencing hope and confidence in God. Do you need to ask God for forgiveness? In the penitent Psalm 51, David prays, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” Accept your calling of being holy.
You are walking in the Light. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1Pet 2:9) You were once in darkness and now you are in the Light. Do you fell like you are in darkness or in a dark period? Ask God for His light. You are also described as light, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light…” (Eph 5:8) Darkness represents bondage, fear, and judgment. Light represents freedom, confidence and forgiveness. Continue to shine for the Lord.
Riches Of His Inheritance
You have riches of His inheritance right now. Jesus made us rich in grace by becoming poor and taking our sin on Him. Paul wrote, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Do you feel rich now? You have the resources of God to receive and give away.
You are entitled to understand the riches of His grace that will take God eternity to show. God’s favor to you is exceeding! “…that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:7)
Are you ready to start searching? Christ’s riches are unsearchable, but you can find them in God’s Word. We are saved by faith in the Gospel which unlocks to us the riches of Christ. “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…” (Eph 3:8) Are you learning more about Christ? He is the Word made flesh.
The Holy Spirit strengthens you with the riches in glory. “…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man…” (Eph 3:16) Do you feel weak or weary? Are you suffering from an illness? You can receive strength from God’s glory. Let God’s glory strengthen you, so that you can be a doer of good works.
Here is a famous verse about provision. God will provide for all of your needs. Here, glory provides Christ’s riches. You can receive more of God’s glory when you receive the riches through Christ. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:19) This is a spiritual benefit of having the Spirit by faith in salvation.
Exceeding Greatness Of His Power
Lastly, you have great power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in you, “…which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…” Do you walk in God’s power? Jesus is sitting now. He is exalted and His reigning power is in you. Paul wrote in 2Tim 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Do you have nagging fears or are you in bondage to fear? You are free in Christ and have His resurrection power to live a new life, “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:4)
Seek God
Paul’s prayer has been answered. You know the hope of your calling, your access to His riches, and the fullness of the resurrection power in your body to live a new life. Paul prefaced his section of “What’s” with a prayer to receive God’s wisdom and revelation and His enlightenment. “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened…” (Eph 1:17-18) You can find God when you seek Him, “I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.” (Prov 8:17) Grow in your awareness of His calling, inheritance, and power in abundance today, to do great things in the name of Jesus Christ.