When Jesus ascended he did not abandon us, He actually set an entire plan in place for us to follow in order to make us fully complete. He gave us ministries to grow us up and to focus our attention on a special day. Because he descended into hell and then rose up into heaven he is able to gift us himself as Messiah. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and will raise us on the day of the off-ransom. We are the “first” of the Holy Spirit. This is what the ministry of service should be teaching and informing the rest of the Body of Christ until we all come together. Paul gives us a few basic principals that everyone in the Body of Christ should believe, but we can see that we do not all agree. Our fullness and our layered knowledge comes from heaven to earth and we are stamped. Yet we groan within ourselves awaiting the hope. We groan because we live here and are not ransomed just yet. We are however the off-first of the Holy Spirit. Let’s explore.
Paul starts out chapter 4 of his letter to the Ephesians admonishing people to walk worthy of the invitation that they were called to. He uses three different words for “calling”, which sounds redundant, but he is getting our attention so that we will remember what he said.
Ephesians 4:1 G3870 I appeal G3767 then G1473 to you, G1473 I G3588 the G1198 prisoner G1722 in G2962 the Lord, G516 [2worthily G4043 1to walk] G3588 of the G2821 calling G3739 of which G2564 you were called
“Call near therefore I you the captive in Yahweh worthily conduct life the invitation that summoned.”
3870
παρακαλέω
parakaleō par-ak-al-eh'-o From G3844 and G2564; to call near, that is, invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation) KJV Usage: beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray.
2821
κλῆσις
klēsis klay'-sis From a shorter form of G2564; an invitation (figuratively) KJV Usage: calling.
2564
καλέω
kaleō kal-eh'-o Akin to the base of G2753; to “call” (properly aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise)
We could read this as ‘I call you to live worthy of the calling you are called to’.
Paul says I, the captive in Yahweh, call you near to worthily conduct life in the invitation you were summoned to. All of us are invited to the Body of Christ this is our calling, the Body. Paul then explains how to be worthy of the invitation; with humility, gentleness, leniency, and love. He then says “…hurry to protect the unity of the Spirit”.
Ephesians 4:3 G4704 hurrying G5083 to keep G3588 the G1775 unity G3588 of the G4151 spirit G1722 in G3588 the G4886 bonding together G3588 G1515 of peace.
“Hasten protect the unity the Spirit in the binding together the peace.”
Hurry, hasten, make an effort to protect the unity of the Spirit in the binding together of peace. In other words, be quick about keeping people united in the Holy Spirit. Bind people together in peace. That is a great idea on the surface, but we know how varied the knowledge of Yahweh Jesus Messiah is. People who may have believed on Jesus for fifty years may still only have an elementary understanding of the Messiah. Likewise people who are relatively new to Jesus Messiah may actually make an effort to study, learn, and grow, so that they are at a college level in the Messiah. The door is open for anyone and everyone to learn and grow at their own pace. Simply conduct your life worthy of the invitation that you have received.
Paul clarifies some basic points of the faith in Jesus Messiah. These should be unifying points, but in our time they are not. We have denominations that disagree strongly on even these basic elements of the Body of Christ and the unity that we should have.
Ephesians 4:4 G1520 One G4983 body, G2532 and G1520 one G4151 spirit, G2531 as G2532 also G2564 you were called G1722 in G1520 one G1680 hope G3588 G2821 of your calling. G1473
“One Body and one Spirit how and called in one expectation the invitation your.”
There is only one body. There is no Jewish Body or Gentile Body, there is only one Body, the Body of Christ. When a Jew believes on Jesus Messiah then he is of the Body of the Messiah, the Body of Christ. Technically a Christian, or Christ-in, or Messiah-in. One Body, the Body of the Messiah.
There is one Holy Spirit. There are not many Spirits in the Elohim, only one Spirit, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Wisdom, also known as the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of the Lord, the one who brooded over the waters in the beginning. The architect alongside Yahweh Elohim.
We are called in one expectation of the invitation. There is only one invitation. There are not many different invitations, meaning one person is invited to the Body of Christ, one is invited to the Body of the Father, another is invited to the Holy Spirit’s Body. There is one Body that our invitation is issued for. We expect to have the same invitation as every other believer, no matter their race or gender. That is our expectation in the invitation.
Ephesians 4:5 G1520 One G2962 Lord, G1520 one G4102 belief, G1520 one G908 immersion;
“One Yahweh one faith one baptism”
There is one Yahweh, one Lord. There may be many lords on earth, but there is only one who will be King of kings and Lord of lords. There is only one Yahweh Elohim. If someone doesn’t want Jesus as their Lord, Yahweh, then they will not be in the Body of the Messiah. There is only one who died and rose up on the third day, Yahweh Jesus Messiah.
There is one faith. Believing in the Father Elohim while denying the Son of the Elohim or the Spirit of the Elohim is not faith. There is one Elohim, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Remember “im” at the end of a word is plural and means “three or more”. This is the Godhead. Faith in something else will not get one into the Body of Christ. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work together for us.
There is one baptism or immersion. John’s water baptism was a shadow of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit given on Pentecost. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the only Baptism required for the Body of Christ. However if one wishes to be water immersed that is fine, it is just not the power of the immersion of the Holy Spirit, as on Pentecost. People took the idea of water baptism off center as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15 that people were getting baptized for the dead. There are some denominations that still do this, they use a family member as a proxy for a dead loved one to be baptized on their behalf for remission of sins. It is a tradition that some have but is not required.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is required, otherwise how will the Spirit dwell in us? How will the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, dwell in us, John 14, 15, 16? How will the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, guide us into truth if we do not have the Holy Spirit on the inside, Joel 2, Acts 2? How can the Spirit bear witness with our spirit, help our infirmities, or make intercession for us if the Holy Spirit is not in us, Romans 8? The Holy Spirit will raise us up at the harpazo, as we are adopted, but only if the Spirit dwells in us, Romans 8. The Holy Spirit reveals the deep things of the Elohim to us because we received the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2. Immersion in the Holy Spirit is essential.
Ephesians 4:6 G1520 one G2316 God G2532 and G3962 father G3956 of all, G3588 the one G1909 over G3956 all, G2532 and G1223 through G3956 all, G2532 and G1722 in G3956 you all. G1473
“one Elohim and Father all the over all and through all and in all you.
There is one Elohim and Father of all. The Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Messiah. Jesus is the Son of the Most High. The Elohim Father is over all, through all, and in us all who believe. The Father loves us and sent his Son for us, and to rescue us because Satanas attempted a coup d’état. It didn’t really work out for Satanas, but he is still trying. We have a series of events that will take place in the future, maybe the near future, for Satanas to bring the world into war against the Lamb of God. Again it won’t work out. Then after one thousand years Satanas will try again to rally followers against the Messiah reigning from Jerusalem. That won’t work out either. But the process is purifying. One day the faithful believers in Christ will meet the Father on his throne. What a day that will be.
Why is Paul trying to square away the basics of Christianity? So that we can be unified. He is calling us near to be worthy of the invitation that we have been summoned to. Paul tells us that we are all given a measurement of grace.
Ephesians 4:7 G1520 [3one G1161 1And G1538 2in each] G1473 of us G1325 was given G3588 the G5484 favor G2596 according to G3588 the G3358 measure G3588 of the G1431 gift G3588 of the G5547 Christ.
“One but each one given the favor downward the measurement the free gift the Christ.”
The favor is a free gift downward from heaven to earth, it is a set measurement like a measuring cup full of the free gift of Christ. Paul is saying that everyone is given this free gift from heaven. Not all will accept it but everyone can have it. Paul then explains what Jesus did to acquire this free gift. He had to go into hell, capturing captivity. Then He left hell and ascended into the heavens to fulfill everything. Then Jesus did something else for us. He gave the world five ministries or gifts of service so that all people could come to know Him. This gift to the world is so that humans can avoid hell. Although some will insist that they know better and forge their way into hell headlong, others will recognize that they do not control what happens to them after their body dies and will want to know more. This is where the unified Body of Christ comes in.
Ephesians 4:11 G2532 And G1473 he G1325 gave G3588 some indeed for G3303 G652 apostles, G3588 G1161 and some G4396 prophets, G3588 G1161 and some G2099 evangelists; G3588 G1161 but some G4166 shepherds G2532 and G1320 teachers,
“And he gave truly the apostles but the prophets, but the evangelists but the shepherds and teachers.”
Some people get hung up on “their calling” as if whatever they are doing is the most important and only thing everyone should do. But a more balanced understanding is that we all are called to all these things at varying times. Sometimes we are apostles, we have to go out as a messenger to a group of people who may not know about Christ. Think about Jonah, he got the whole city of Nineveh to repent. Jonah didn’t even want to go. Once he told them to repent Jonah expected that the Elohim would wipe them out, but they didn’t. Jonah was a reluctant apostle who was miffed that he had to go to the sinful city in which they all repented and rebuffed their own spiritual destruction. Don’t be a Jonah, go to sin city with a good attitude and a smile.
After Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples became apostles and went out into other nations. Some days we speak to a group of people at a club or at a sporting event. We can all be apostles.
There are times when we are prophets, we speak from the Elohim to whoever we are told to speak to. It is up to the Elohim, not us. No one is shooting out prophecies like a Pez dispenser, that is a distortion of this type of service. Some people may have more prophetic insight than others but that is generally due to how much time one spends in communication with the Elohim. There are many false prophets who prophesy for money. If it is from the Elohim then we should not be charging others to be the vessel that the Elohim speaks from. How much money was Elijah paid? Or Elisha? How about Isaiah? Or Jeremiah? There is a difference between our paid prophets and the Elohim’s prophets. They didn’t get paid and they were greatly disliked, but I’m sure each would say that it was well worth it.
We talked about evangelists a few weeks ago. Some people are highly skilled at talking to random people they see in the parking lot of Costco, while others are willing to get involved in community events to befriend people so they can speak Christ to them. Either way, bringing the words of reconciliation, repentance, and redemption, are assigned to everyone. We can all evangelize, but we may not all evangelize like Billy Graham.
Everyone knows people that need shepherding or pastoring. We have to teach people the basics on how to live godly and holy lives. This is important for people to grow up in the Lord, but not everyone has the patience to work with new believers. Some churches are geared towards teaching people a self-help doctrine. Not everyone needs that type of church, others may want a stronger biblical teaching church. There is a great variety of churches and a church for everyone. What everyone does need from a pastor is to be guided into confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, and that he rose up on the third day. The church pastor is no different than the lay pastor, everyone needs to communicate the way of salvation to people then coach them into holiness.
All believers in the Body of Christ can teach. Some may only feel comfortable teaching basics, some may feel inspired to teach college level doctrine, but either way everyone can teach others. What we do not want to do is teach our own opinions, or our own ideas, but teach from the scriptures. No matter how we do it, we can simply read the King James to others. Teaching is really important to grow people up in Christ. Teaching can be done in home groups, churches, or on Zoom meetings, but no matter how it is done we are doing it to build up the Body of Christ. That is the goal or intent. If we had better teachers then we would have unity in the foundations that Paul just pointed out of one Body, one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Elohim and Father above all, through all, and in all.
These ministries are a gift for the Body of Christ. Some people may excel in one or two gifts, and some may make a career out of these gifts. This is a narrow walk because in order to keep making money people have to have new and bigger and better things to say, whether it is prophecy, teachings, or pastoring. Growing a ministry based on a persons’ ability for the benefit of paying people to work in that ministry, leaves an opening for distortions. For example there are people who won’t teach certain subjects because their followers do not want to hear about those subjects, like the harpazo, or Day of Redemption. The “ministry” that is in need of money will only teach palatable subjects, not hard ones so as not to lose income. This rather fine line is difficult for many to walk. Don’t fall into the trap, because the entire point of these ministries is to completely build the Body of the Messiah. And there is a reason for building the Body of the Messiah, it is for Redemption Day.
Ephesians 4:12 G4314 for G3588 the G2677 readying G3588 of the G39 holy ones G1519 for G2041 a work G1248 of service, G1519 for G3619 edification G3588 of the G4983 body G3588 of the G5547 Christ;
“Towards the downward complete furnishing (katartismos) the saints into labor ministering (diakonia) into building the Body the Messiah.”
Whenever we see the word “holy” in the text we want to compare the usages in the LXX-WH. The LXX-WH suggests hagios more properly used as a “holy person or saint”, it is a plural masculine, where as some translators use hagion which is in the neuter of hagios. The translators use the neuter hagios and add the word “one” for clarification that it is in reference to a person. It seems like a small distinction but the added word is not in the text, and hagios properly ascribes the idea of a person without the added word. Therefore if we simply use “saint” when we see hagios in reference to people we will make the text more clear.
Katartismos means “downward fit together, downward complete”. Diakonia is “attendance or ministry/ministering”. The purpose of the five ministries listed is for making a downward complete furnishing of saints into the Body of Christ so that they labor also. In other words the ministries are to make more ministers for the Body of Christ. The ministries work toward a downward (from heaven to earth) complete furnishing of saints. This is a key element, the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, all work with downward ability to completely fit together the saints. They do this for a period of time, until…
Ephesians 4:13 G3360 until G2658 we should [2arrive G3588 G3956 1all] G1519 in G3588 the G1775 unity G3588 of the G4102 belief, G2532 and G3588 of the G1922 full knowledge G3588 of the G5207 son G3588 G2316 of God, G1519 in G435 [2man G5046 1a perfect], G1519 in G3358 the measure G2244 of the stature G3588 of the G4138 fullness G3588 of the G5547 Christ;
“until all downward come (katantaō) into the unity the faith and the over knowledge (epignōsis) the Son the Elohim into man complete into measured portion maturity, the full measure the Messiah.”
Katantaō means “downward meet downward arrive or downward come”. The way we arrive in unity is from heaven to earth. Epignōsis is an “over knowledge”, it is not just a basic knowledge it is a full knowledge “properly meaning a superimposition of something, like time, place, and/or order”. It is superimposing or layering, in this case how Jesus the Son of the Elohim into a man complete, into measuring cup of maturity, the full measure of the Messiah. We have the faith, the belief in Him and we can be unified in faith, but we should also have a layered knowledge of these three parts. the Son of God into a man makes us complete, into measured maturity, which is the completion or fullness of the Messiah. What is the fulness or completion of the Messiah? When the Body of Christ is called up into Him. He is building a body for Redemption Day.
Pauls sentences are so lengthy, heavy, full, and deep, we can spend days meditating on just one sentence alone. When we read something that is so extremely intense that we do not understand it, we can simply review it for several days by writing it down and thinking about it until the Holy Spirit who is dwelling in us reveals more about Paul’s words. Understanding the prefixes to the words helps as well, downward, over, on, or off, all give us the direction that word is moving in. With Epignōsis we have layered knowledge or knowledge over knowledge over knowledge. Think of a layered cake, there is a base of cake, there is a center of fruit filling, there is another layer of cake, and a topping of frosting. All together it is a cake, or a layered cake, but we can understand the layers individually as we make them in separate bowls, then put them together. In Christ we have the person, layered with repentance, layered with redemption, layered with a seal as a member of the Body of Christ, which is part of every invitation to the calling we are called to.
The period of time that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are to work downward, to completely furnish the saints in the Body of Christ, is until all saints downward come into unity of faith, and a layered knowledge of the fulfillment of the Messiah. We have not reached the point of “until”. The Messiah is building his Body through the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. When is the “until” coming?
“And he gave truly the apostles but the prophets, but the evangelists but the shepherds and teachers towards the downward complete furnishing the saints into labor ministering into building the Body the Messiah until all downward come into the unity the faith and the over knowledge the Son the Elohim into man complete into measured portion maturity, the full measure the Messiah.”
Where is the end of the work of the ministry? When all the saints are built into the Body of Christ and have the layered knowledge of the Son, Yahweh Jesus Messiah, to make a complete man, completely measured in the full measure of the Messiah. When are we all come into the full measure of the Messiah?
Paul goes on to talk about how we should live, giving good life coaching advice to us and then answers the question of the “until” or when the full measure of the Messiah will be.
Ephesians 4:30 G2532 And G3361 do not G3076 fret G3588 the G4151 [2spirit G3588 G39 1holy] G3588 G2316 of God, G1722 in G3739 which G4972 you were sealed G1519 for G2250 the day G629 of release by ransom!
As Paul is explaining how we should live, he then tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. If we live like unsaved people we will be in constant turmoil. We have to gather our mind, will, and emotions together and be a new man in Christ. We have to renew ourselves in the spirit of our mind by putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Then we will not grieve the Holy Spirit, then we will not cause the Holy Spirit sorrow.
We are sealed, marked, stamped until a specific day. What day are we sealed until? The Day of Off-Ransom.
LSJ Gloss: ἀπολύτρωσις a ransoming
Dodson: ἀπολύτρωσις redemption, deliverance release effected by payment of ransom; redemption, deliverance.
TBESG: ἀπολύτρωσις redemption
G:N-F
ἀπο-λύτρωσις, -εως, ἡ
(< ἀπολυτρόω, to release on payment of ransom, cf. λύτρον), [in LXX: Da (LXX) Dan.4:30 with * ;]
release effected by payment of ransom, redemption, deliverance; metaph., Heb.11:35; of deliverance thr. Christ from evil and the consequences of sin:
(AS)
Thayer:
1) a releasing effected by payment of ransom
1a) redemption, deliverance
1b) liberation procured by the payment of a ransom
ἀπολύτρωσις
apolutrōsis ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis From a compound of G575 and G3083; (the act) ransom in full, that is, (figuratively) riddance, or (specifically) Christian salvation KJV Usage: deliverance, redemption.
575
ἀπό
apo apo' A primary particle; “off” , that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
Here the word apo gives us the direction of lutron, “off ransom” or “off redemption”. It means away. Away from what? Off of what? The key is where one is being held captive. Where are we held captives against our will? Who is the god of the world? Who is the prince of the power of the air? Who binds us here in this dystopian existence and tells us that this is as good as it gets? We have been victims of the adam’s kidnapping. We were born into the kidnappers lair. But we are not doomed to exist here throughout all eternity. We have an exit if we choose it. We can leave, break free of our kidnapper, even though we have to physically live on the earth we can spiritually, emotionally, and mentally break away from dystopia world and move into utopia world. But on one day, a specific day, there will be a physical moving out of dystopia world into utopia world, the Day of Redemption.
This is what we are to prepare for, this is what our ministries to the Body of Christ are for. There is one day, not every day, not many days, not repeated days, not every few minutes, but one day for all believers in Jesus Messiah to be off ransomed. One Ransom Day. All together, both living and dead in Christ.
Romans 8:11 G1487 And if G1161 G3588 the G4151 spirit G3588 of the one G1453 raising G* Jesus G1537 from G3498 the dead G3611 lives G1722 in G1473 you, G3588 the one G1453 having raised G3588 the G5547 Christ G1537 from G3498 the dead G2227 shall restore to life G2532 also G3588 G2349 [2mortal G4983 3bodies G1473 1your] G1223 on account of G3588 G1774 [3dwelling G1473 1his G4151 2spirit] G1722 in G1473 you.
“But if the Spirit the raise up Jesus from out of dead dwells in you the raise up the Messiah from out of dead make alive and the mortal body your by means of the dwelling in His Spirit in you.”
Clearly Paul tells the Romans that it is the Holy Spirit who raised up Jesus from the dead and the Holy Spirit lives and dwells in us and will also raise us up from the dead. The Holy Spirit has a future job to do, we should not grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and will restore out mortal bodies on the Day of Redemption. This is why we want the immersion in the Holy Spirit. Paul continues and explains our dystopian existence. We are all groaning along with the earth. The earth and humans are suffering together, until…
Romans 8:22 G1492 For we know G1063 G3754 that G3956 all G3588 the G2937 creation G4959 groans together, G2532 and G4944 suffers distress together, G891 as far as G3588 the G3568 present.
23 G3756 [2not G3440 3only that G1161 1And], G235 but G2532 also G1473 ourselves G3588 [2the G536 3first-fruit G3588 4of the G4151 5spirit G2192 1having], G2532 even G1473 we G1473 ourselves G1722 in G1438 ourselves G4727 moan, G5206 [2adoption G553 1awaiting] -- G3588 the G629 release by ransom G3588 G4983 of our body. G1473
“ but not only however and us the “off-first” the Spirit have and us we in itself groan adoption expect anxiously the “off-ransom” the body our.”
We are the first fruits. The first fruits of the Spirit are the people who have been immersed in the Holy Spirit, in who the Holy Spirit lives and dwells. The word aparchē is a compound word, apo meaning “off” and archomai “begin or commence (in order of time)”. Archomai comes from the word archō meaning “first” as in “to be first”. The literal word means “off first”. We are the off-first of the Spirit. Off of what? Off the dystopian earth where we groan awaiting for our adoption. The Holy Spirit who dwells in us will raise us off the earth.
The release by ransom is again literally the off-ransom, the time when Jesus calls from the clouds and ransoms the dead and the living together. We see here that the intent of Paul is to explain the off-first of the Spirit and the off-ransom. We simply have not understood the original words to see that what Paul is talking about is the Day of Redemption. Presently we await our adoption and we have been sealed. This is our hope. Paul says hope that is seen is not hope.
Romans 8:24 G3588 For in the G1063 G1680 hope G4982 we were delivered. G1680 But hope G1161 G991 being seen G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1680 hope; G3739 for what G1063 G991 anyone sees, G5100 G5100 why G2532 also G1679 does he hope?
We would not hope if when we died we entered heaven immediately. Instead we hope for now while alive on the earth and wait for the Holy Spirit to raise us either from the place of the dead in Christ, Paradise, or from off the earth.
We are summoned and invited to the greatest future that we could ever imagine. A future where we will know the great mysteries of the universe. In the meantime we are summoned and invited to be servants to others, making them part of the Body of Christ, until.… When the Body of Christ is complete we will be fulfilled in the Messiah. Then the Holy Spirit who dwells in each believer will raise us up, whether living or dead, on a specific day the Day of Off-Ransom. We have special ministries while on the earth to help others come to know the Messiah, but in the present we groan inside ourselves, knowing the glorious future that awaits us. Every day we can come to a greater understanding of the layered knowledge of Christ. Everyday we can share the glory of His great plan for us coming into completion and being filled in the Messiah. Everyday we hope and expect the off-ransom as the off-first of the Spirit. Redemption Day.
