Why the Ascension Gifts Were Listed in Ephesians

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie
(Let Clyde read the Goodie for you!)

In Ephesians 4 Paul is reviewing the history of the Body of Christ – from its prior infancy, under the auspices of Israel, to its positional maturity as the “Perfect Man.” He is showing how the Body functioned in the previous Acts Administration. These Ascension Gifts had to do with the Body’s childhood phase, while it was under the parental guardianship of Israel (with Abraham as father and Jerusalem as mother) and has nothing to do with its mature sonship position as the “One New MAN” (Ephesians 2:15).

Among other things, the Secret Administration has no “offices” or “gifts” – no “bishops,” no “deacons,” no “apostles,” no “prophets,” no “evangelists,” and no “shepherd-teachers.”

The “Perfect Man,” having left childhood behind, has become “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” This “Perfect Man” (4:13) is the “One New Man” (2:15). This “One Body” (2:16; Colossians 3:15) is the leading component of the “unity of the Spirit” to which we have been brought and are to endeavor to “keep” (Ephesians 4:3-6).

Thus, the “Perfect Man” is a positional unit in which we now have standing, rather than an individual state that we have achieved.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Daily Email Goodies

The Son-Place

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie!

In love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:5).

According to His own sovereign will, in love, God has predestinated, or foreordained us to the Son-Position. The word “adoption” does not bring out the clear teaching of this passage. Believers in Christ Jesus are made new creatures in Christ and given the position of SONS. Literally speaking, we are given the Son-Place. Just as Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we who are “in Christ” are given the “Son-Place” and become the sons of God by grace.

Dr. Vincent Bennett
Brief Studies in Ephesians (1934)
(edited excerpt)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

Spiritual Position

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie!

Our position is said to be in the heavenlies in Christ, and that is not just a mental spiritual realm in which we live, but we see that it represents our being utterly separated from, in spirit, the whole of this world system.

In work of the Lord, for instance, there must be no desire for some earthly thing as such, to see established on this Earth some great movement, institution or organization, something which man can take account of and recognize and call a success, something that we would like to see here on the Earth, prospering according to natural standards of prosperity, and feeling that the thing was really a success. And we must remember that a thing is effective today, from God’s standpoint, only in the measure in which it is spiritual.

T. Austin-Sparks (1888-1971)
In the Heavenlies
Daily e-Mail Goodies

The Realization of a Son of God

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

“The realization of a son of God” (Ephesians 4:13) – how few have it! The majority are taken up with the figure of the “new birth” and know nothing of the higher, nobler blessing of sonship by adoption, through love. And here it is necessary to emphasize for heart understanding that sonship does not figure mere relationship, but those honors granted to the heir only when he comes of age, investing him with the highest dignities and wealth his father can bestow. It means far more to be a son of God than a child. This is the appointed work for those divinely graced with spiritual endowments: pressing this glorious truth until all saints have a realization of a son of God.

A.E. Knoch (1874-1965)
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 25 (1934)
(edited)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

Vastly More to Be a Son than a Child

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

Sonship is a much higher thought than that conveyed by the figure of the “new birth.” Indeed, Paul leaves that illustration to the Kingdom proclamation. He makes us a new creation, rather than a regeneration. Sonship is not necessarily based on birth. It may be obtained by adoption. It does not figure mere relationship, but the honors granted only to the heir when he comes of age, and is invested with the highest dignities which his father can bestow. It is vastly more to be a son of God than a child. A teacher in this economy should press this point, so that the saints may realize their sonship (Ephesians 4:13).

A.E. Knoch (1874-1965)
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 23 (1932)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

The Fullness

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

Well nigh lost is the dominating doctrine of the pleroma or fullness. The reconciliation of the universe rests upon this transcendent truth. Apart from the Fullness of the Son, God could not be conciliated nor could His enemies be reconciled to Him. In Him is found all that God needs and all that His creatures need. Nothing apart from Him is of any avail: anything apart from Him is an affront to His Father.

God’s approach to His creatures is clear and open through the death of His Son. Likewise, our entrance into His presence is unobstructed and unhindered through the death of God’s Son. But before that death and its proclamation God had carefully hedged Himself with a barrier of Jewish forms and ceremonies, dwelling alone behind an unrent veil in awful and unapproachable majesty. But now that veil is rent, the cleansing flood flows as a river, the victim has bled, the barriers all are down, and, lest we are yet too timid to approach, God comes forth and takes up His abode within the spirits of His people. He beseeches the sinner to be reconciled, He implores the saint to enjoy it, and we respond – all upon the ground of the Fullness which His Son is for us.

A.E. Knoch (1874-1965)
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 4 (1913)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

Things Which Were “Out of an Instalment” Have Been “Discarded”

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

… For out of an instalment are we knowing, and out of an instalment are we prophesying. Now whenever maturity may be coming, that which is out of an instalment shall be discarded … (I Corinthians 13:8-11, CV).

Because of Paul’s message of God’s conciliation to mankind, both those who were once near (but separated by a cloud) and those who were far off, now have access, through our Lord Jesus Christ, into the very presence of God. God no longer dwells in a man-made temple, but His spirit homes in human hearts, in close communion with each believer. Those things which were “out of an instalment” have now been “discarded.” With Paul’s perfection epistles “maturity” has been reached. Where, at the time first Corinthians was written, they observed by means of a mirror, in an enigma, yet now it is possible to view face to face and recognize according as we are recognized also (I Corinthians 13:8-12). In spirit we are face to face with God, our Father, right now! There are no clouds in between.

A.E. Knoch (1874-1965)
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 50 (1959)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

“Maturity” Has Now Come

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

Even Paul could speak of a time when his knowledge was based on an “installment” yet later he was able to recognize the facts. Even while writing this epistle he could say:

At present we are observing by means of a mirror, in an enigma, yet then, face to face. At present I know out of an instalment, yet then I shall recognize as I am recognized also (I Corinthians 13:12).

But now maturity has come:

Unto the end that we should all attain to the unity of the faith and of the realization of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the complement of the Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

A.E. Knoch (1874-1965)
“Material Mirrors of Spiritual Truth”
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 48 (1957)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

Knowing Even as We Are Known

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

For out of an instalment are we knowing, and out of an instalment are we prophesying. Now whenever maturity may be coming, that which is out of an instalment shall be discarded (I Corinthians 13:9-10, CV).

Here we have the revelation concerning two eras of time and the respective degree of knowledge and recognition possessed and enjoyed in each. The time of minority or immaturity, when believers knew only out of “parts” or “instalments” of God’s spiritual endowments, apportionments of graces and the preparatory epistles of the Scriptures which they had received “in that era,” in contrast with the time when that which is “perfect,” fully developed, finished, “maturity” CAME, as a result of the revelation of “the SECRET,” which “filled up” or “completed” the Word of God, thus making it possible for them to “know even as also we are known,” with full assurance of understanding and realization in our pre-eonian designation and sonship, our holy calling and justification, our conciliation and peace with God, our transcendent grace and spiritual blessings, in Christ, our Celestial allotment and destiny, our heavenly citizenship and future glory!

Adlai Loudy (1893-1984)
Unsearchable Riches, Volume 38 (1947)
Daily e-Mail Goodies

Complete in Christ

Listen to Today’s Audio Goodie

 

In the revelation of the Secret Administration found in Ephesians and Colossians Paul revealed that all has been accomplished beforehand by Christ, so we are now “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10). All things emphasized in the past by the Barrier Wall have been removed (Ephesians 2:14, CV). We now live under an administration where there is:

• no water baptism;
• no physical circumcision;
• no divinely recognized nations;
• no observance of days;
• no dietary restrictions;
• no religious feasts or suppers;
• no signs or wonders;
• no miraculous healing;
• no casting out of demons;
• no snake handling;
• no raising of the dead;
• no tongues;
• no visions;
• no Mosaic law observed;
• no vows;
• no animal scarifies;
• no ordinances;
• no altars;
• no manmade temple;
• no priesthood;
• no confession of sins;
• no prophecies being fulfilled;
• no selling of personal possessions to have things in common;
• no neglecting of the family;
• no apostles;
• no prophets;
• no bishops;
• no pastors;
• no offices;
• no miraculous gifts;
• no local assemblies.

All of these were characteristic of God’s past dealing with Israel, and most will represent His future work in the restoration of Israel. All of these were true when the Barrier Wall was present, “but now” (Ephesians 2:13) – in the absence of that wall – we are “complete in Him.” There is nothing that needs to be added.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Daily Email Goodies