Auburn Church of Christ

06/14/2026

What's interesting is that in the Bible, David was just talking about the giftedness that we have in Christ, and that comes out of our Sunday morning Bible study in 1 Peter. Peter has been talking about that. What's interesting is that Paul talks about the same subject, and it's found in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

You might be familiar with 1 Corinthians 13, but especially those of you who are in our Bible study, I want you to pay attention to something. I do this a lot—pay attention to the fact that Paul and Peter are teaching the same thing in their own words. They understand the same concepts. They're teaching the same principles.

Don't take for granted the fact that these are revolutionary principles. When we get into what Paul says here, this is not coming out of Jewish culture at the time. It is not coming out of Roman culture at the time. It is the exact opposite.

For instance, in 1 Corinthians 12, starting in verse 12, Paul says:

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)

He's going to use the analogy of the body. You have one body, and yet your body is made up of all kinds of parts that do all kinds of different things. He says that's just like the body of Christ.

The church is called the body of Christ. It's kind of an odd thing to say when you think about it. Why would we be called the body of Christ? Well, we are part of Christ, and we are still physically in this world.

He says:

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)

This is a unifying statement. You are one body in Christ. You are one church. You are a body, but there are many different parts.

Then he says:

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV)

We all came the same way, into the same Spirit, into the same body.

When he says "Jews or Greeks, slaves or free," those are the biggest divisions in his world. The divide between Jew and Gentile was enormous. By "Greek," he essentially means Gentile—anyone who is not Jewish.

Likewise, slave and free. In the Roman world, people did not associate on the same level. Slaves were given commands by those above them. They were not viewed as equals. Yet here, in the body of Christ, those barriers are broken.

People coming from all those different divides come into one body. This is one of the most profound things sociologically about the church and what it accomplished. In a world with a caste system, Christianity cut through all of it.

The Romans had a caste system. Roman citizens occupied one level. Below them were others, and eventually slaves. Even among slaves there were levels of hierarchy. That was the Roman world.

Christianity cut through all of that. In one body, people who were sociologically divided became one family and one body.

Paul says:

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV)

The Spirit is the unifying factor. All these different backgrounds became one body.

Then he says:

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many." (1 Corinthians 12:14, ESV)

It's an important point. Just as the body is made up of many members, it's still one body. In the same way, the church is made up of many people.

It is the very nature of the church to be made up of different people from different backgrounds. From the very start, the point of the church was to bring everyone together under Christ and break down those divides.

Jesus did this constantly. He spoke with people He was not supposed to speak with socially. Think about the woman at the well. There were all kinds of barriers between them. Jews and Samaritans did not like each other. They did not associate with each other. Then there was the male-female dynamic. Men and women who were not married generally did not have public conversations like that.

You can see her surprise when she says:

"How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (John 4:9, ESV)

Jesus breaks through those barriers, and then He establishes the church, His body.

Within that body, Paul says:

"If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body." (1 Corinthians 12:15–16, ESV)

Why is Paul saying this?

Corinth was a massive city in the ancient world. It was a major port and one of the most multicultural places in the Roman Empire. People traveled there from all over the world. Many of them became Christians, and now they're together in one church.

What do you do when you're surrounded by people who are different from you? They have different gifts, different backgrounds, and different strengths.

Paul addresses the first issue: how do you view yourself when you look at other Christians who seem more significant than you?

Think about the analogy. The foot says, "I'm not a hand." What's the foot thinking? The hand has an important role. It can pick things up. It can shake hands. The foot looks at the hand and thinks, "That role is important. I'm not like that. Therefore, I must not matter."

Paul says that's ridiculous.

The foot has an important role too. It holds up the body. It takes the body places it otherwise couldn't go.

We struggle with comparison. We look at other Christians and think, "What a powerful Christian. What an effective person in ministry." Then we think, "I'm nothing like that."

I met somebody once who could walk up to complete strangers and naturally connect with people from every background imaginable. It was amazing. I remember thinking, "That guy has incredible giftedness."

Paul says it would be silly for the foot to say to the hand, "Because I can't do what you do, I must not belong."

Likewise, the ear says to the eye:

"Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body." (1 Corinthians 12:16, ESV)

The eye is incredibly important. It sees where we're going. It sees what's coming. But the ear does things the eye cannot do.

It's absurd for the ear to say to the eye, "I'm not as good as you."

Different giftedness. Different purpose. One body.

Paul continues:

"If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?" (1 Corinthians 12:17, ESV)

The imagery is intentionally absurd. Imagine a giant eyeball. It needs the rest of the body.

God didn't create cookie-cutter Christians. He didn't create a bunch of look-alikes who all act the same and have identical gifts. He created people who are vastly different from one another, with different backgrounds, different strengths, and different purposes within the body.

Yet notice what Paul said earlier:

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body... and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13, ESV)

We are united in Christ. We are united by the Spirit. We are united in salvation.

Within that body, we each bring something different to the table. We are not to compare ourselves to one another and think less of ourselves because someone else has gifts we don't have.

And if you don't understand how significant this is, people do this all the time.

I've been a Christian for so long I can't even remember when I wasn't, and I still find myself thinking, "Man, I'm not as good as that person."

Some people show hospitality naturally. Others have to fight their own attitudes to show hospitality. That's why Peter says:

"Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." (1 Peter 4:9, ESV)

Some people can do that naturally. Others have to fight their sinful desires every step of the way.

That's okay. We have different gifts.

Then Paul says:

"But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose." (1 Corinthians 12:18, ESV)

It isn't merely that you're better at certain things and I'm better at other things. God is behind the fact that we're different.

Find your giftedness. Find the areas where you excel in the body of Christ because they matter.

The variation is God's design.

Paul continues:

"If all were a single member, where would the body be?" (1 Corinthians 12:19, ESV)

If we were all exactly the same, we wouldn't really be a body at all.

Then he says:

"As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." (1 Corinthians 12:20, ESV)

God is behind that.

So don't beat yourself up by comparing yourself to other Christians.

Then Paul addresses the other extreme:

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" (1 Corinthians 12:21, ESV)

Now we're dealing with arrogance.

On one side is, "I'm not good enough."

On the other side is, "I'm better than you."

Paul rejects both.

The eye saying to the hand, "I don't need you," is just as absurd as the foot saying, "I don't belong."

We appreciate one another for who we are and for what we bring to the body of Christ.

Paul continues:

"On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable." (1 Corinthians 12:22, ESV)

That is a verse worth memorizing.

The parts that seem weaker are indispensable.

Then:

"And on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor..." (1 Corinthians 12:23, ESV)

Some people are rough around the edges. Their heart is in the right place, but they don't always communicate well.

Different cultures interact differently. Different personalities interact differently.

What do we do?

We treat people with honor, dignity, and respect.

Why?

Because that's what Christ did.

Christ stopped and spoke with lepers. He spoke with outcasts. He treated people with dignity.

We may perceive someone as weaker or less honorable, but Paul says we are to show greater honor.

Then he says:

"But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it." (1 Corinthians 12:24, ESV)

Again, Paul brings it back to God.

God composed the body this way.

And why?

"That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." (1 Corinthians 12:25, ESV)

That's the point.

How do slaves and masters come together in the same assembly and treat one another with honor?

How do people from radically different backgrounds become family?

The answer is Christ.

The Romans did not believe all people were equal. They believed some people were inherently superior.

Christianity challenged that.

We honor one another. We respect one another. We recognize that God has given different gifts for different purposes.

Then Paul concludes:

"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Corinthians 12:26–27, ESV)

I love how he ends this section.

You are the body of Christ.

Individually, you are members of it.

God made us different on purpose. God is the reason we bring different things to the table.

Therefore, I shouldn't think I'm less important because I can't do what someone else does.

And I shouldn't think I'm more important because they can't do what I do.

We are meant to be different, and yet we are called to love one another.

Let's praise God that He has brought us into a family.

06/10/2026

06/07/2026

James 1:16, first out of context, first verse by itself, you're like, "Okay, do not be deceived." How do you not be deceived? About what? When? "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers."

Talking about context is so important when it comes to Scripture. There are lots of verses you can pull out and memorize, and they make an important statement. But there are also many verses that need context in order to understand them. Who is he talking to? What is he talking about? What is this in relation to? Does it directly apply to me? Maybe. Does it indirectly apply to me?

"My beloved brothers"—well, he just talked about something, and he's going to continue talking about something. So what does he continue to talk about in verse 17?

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

Okay. Don't be deceived. Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above. He calls Him the Father of lights here, talking about God. Every good gift, every perfect gift, is from God.

So when you told somebody, "Thank you so much, this is the perfect gift," it didn't actually come from them. Ultimately, it came from God. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.

It's an interesting way to think about it. He even prefaces it by saying, "Don't be deceived." You thought you were getting all this good stuff from other people, or from situations, or as a result of a lucky business deal, or whatever it is. You thought all this good stuff was coming through all these other people or all these other situations. But you're being deceived. It's actually coming from God.

He may bring it to you through other people or through circumstances, but ultimately it is God who ordains the course of history and directs what happens. Every good and every perfect gift is from above.

So good things come from God. God is the One who brings good into your life. He prefaces it by saying, "Don't be deceived. Don't think it's coming from somebody else. It's coming from God." God brings good. He brings the good.

All right, well, what did he just talk about?

Verse 12:

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has those who love him." (James 1:12, ESV)

Then James continues:

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one." (James 1:13, ESV)

And then:

"But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." (James 1:14–15, ESV)

Then comes verse 16:

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers."

Notice what James is doing. He has come from something, and he is going somewhere. He is correcting a misunderstanding. He is addressing a deception—a lie that people often tell themselves.

The lie often sounds something like this:

"Where is God in my struggle?"

"Where is God in my trial?"

"Does God hear me?"

"Does God even see me?"

"Maybe God doesn't care."

"Maybe God is punishing me."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Did I anger God?"

"Have I not been righteous enough?"

"Should I have gone to church more?"

All these thoughts can run through our minds when life becomes difficult.

Sometimes people even begin to wonder:

"Maybe God is testing me because He wants me to fail."

"Maybe He's tempting me."

"Maybe He doesn't like me."

James says, "Don't be deceived."

Look again at verse 12:

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial..."

Blessed.

That is probably not the word most people would use to describe themselves while they're going through a trial.

When life is hard, we tend to feel cursed, not blessed.

Yet James says the person enduring the trial is blessed.

Why?

"...for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

This raises an important question.

If God desires to mature us, strengthen us, and prepare us for His purposes, does that mean the test itself is evil? Does God bring evil into our lives?

James immediately answers that question:

"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one."»

God is not trying to get you to fail.

God is not setting traps for you.

God is not tempting you.

God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one.

So what is happening during the trial?

What's happening during the struggle?

What's happening during the frustration?

James explains:

"But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."

The temptation isn't coming from God.

The temptation is arising from our own sinful desires.

Then James describes the progression:

"Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

It begins in the heart.

A sinful desire takes root.

Then that desire leads to sinful actions.

Sin grows and ultimately produces death.

That's why we needed Jesus.

Our problem was never that God was trying to get us to fail. Our problem was our own sin.

So what are we supposed to make of the trials we endure?

James says something remarkable:

You are blessed.

And many people respond, "That is exactly when I do not feel blessed."

That's understandable.

In the ancient world, especially among people coming out of pagan backgrounds, hardship was often viewed as evidence that the gods were angry with you. If something bad happened, it meant your god was punishing you.

James is correcting that way of thinking.

You're blessed if you remain steadfast through the trial.

Why?

Because God has promised the crown of life to those who love Him.

Notice something important in James 1:12:

"...he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

The emphasis is not on achieving a perfect score during the trial.

Many Christians struggle with this. We begin to think the trial is some kind of divine examination where God is grading our performance.

We imagine God saying, "Well, you got a B-minus through that trial, so I'll let you slide."

But that's not what James says.

The focus is not on perfection.

The focus is on steadfastness.

The question is not, "Did you perform flawlessly?"

The question is, "Did you remain faithful?"

At the end of the day, do you still belong to Jesus?

At the end of the day, do you still love God?

At the end of the day, do you still trust Him?

That is what James is emphasizing.

The crown of life is a symbol of eternal life with God. When we hear the word "crown," we may not immediately connect with the imagery. We might think, "I don't care about a crown. I just want to get through this trial."

But the crown is symbolic.

It represents victory.

It represents life.

It represents belonging to the kingdom of God.

Throughout the New Testament, believers are described as members of God's family, heirs with Christ, and citizens of His kingdom. The crown points to that reality.

One of the great dangers during trials is the temptation to conclude that God has abandoned us.

People sometimes say things like:

"It feels like God doesn't care about me."

"It seems like God has it out for me."

I've heard people say that before.

But if you understand who God is, you realize that cannot be true.

God is not trying to get you to fail.

He came down to this earth and endured a brutal, torturous death so that you could succeed.

He came to make you part of His family.

That is exactly why James says:

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers."

Then he reminds us:

"But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."

The temptation comes from our sinful nature, not from God.

Many times, the trial becomes difficult because it exposes areas where we are tempted to sin.

Perhaps the trial makes us angry.

Perhaps it makes us fearful.

Perhaps it makes us bitter.

Perhaps it tempts us toward despair.

Different people struggle in different ways.

But James says the source of that temptation is not God. It comes from our own sinful desires.

Meanwhile, the God who loves us is the same God who came into the world and died so that we could be saved.

That is the exact opposite of a God who is trying to destroy us.

So James continues:

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights."

You are blessed if you remain steadfast through the trial.

And remaining steadfast does not mean perfect performance.

It means that at the end of the day, you still belong to Jesus.

At the end of the day, He is still Lord.

At the end of the day, you are still following Him.

You may have stumbled.

You may have failed.

You may have made mistakes.

But that is not the point James is making.

The question is whether you remain steadfast.

Do you still trust Christ?

Do you still belong to Him?

Then James says:

"...with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

God does not change.

He is not loving one day and hostile the next.

He is not generous one day and cruel the next.

He is not faithful one day and unreliable the next.

There is no variation in Him.

There is no shadow due to change.

You can trust Him.

You can trust His character.

You can trust His goodness.

You can trust His love.

Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from Him.

Even during the trial, we often become so focused on the hardship that we fail to see the blessings surrounding us.

God is still at work.

God is still providing.

God is still blessing.

God is still loving.

And James concludes:

"Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1:18, ESV)

Don't get lost in the imagery.

The main emphasis is found right at the beginning:

"Of his own will..."

God initiated salvation.

God was not responding to a plan that we came up with.

Humanity did not approach God and say, "We've made a mess of things. Could You come up with a way to save us?"

No. Before the foundation of the world, God already knew what He would do.

Salvation was His idea.

Redemption was His plan.

Grace was His initiative.

Of His own will, He brought us forth.

The God who planned salvation, the God who sent His Son, the God who loved sinners enough to rescue them, is not a God who is trying to trip you up or make you fail.

That is not who He is.

James is helping believers understand who God truly is while they are walking through trials.

God is not a deceiver.

God is not against you.

God is not looking for opportunities to destroy you.

God is bringing good.

God is giving good gifts.

God is blessing His people.

So remain steadfast.

It will be difficult.

It will be messy.

There will be struggles.

There will be failures.

There will be days when you feel overwhelmed.

Remain steadfast.

You are blessed.

And don't become confused and start thinking that your performance during the trial earns the crown of life.

That is not what James says.

The crown of life is not a reward for flawless performance.

It is the promise of God to those who love Him.

Why?

Because He brought us forth through the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Never underestimate the love God has for you.

Never underestimate the goodness of God.

And never forget that even in the middle of your troubles, God is still actively blessing you.

Because every good gift and every perfect gift comes from Him.

05/31/2026

This passage has been meaningful to me for quite a long time. It is found in Ephesians 3:

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20–21, ESV)

You might look at that and think, "Wait, there are words after that 'Amen.' I thought 'Amen' ended the conversation."

Paul is in the middle of his conversation with the church in Ephesus, and he suddenly breaks into praise to God based on everything he has been talking about. He says, "Now to him who is able to do abundantly more than all we ask or imagine."

I want to look at the buildup to this statement because sometimes in Paul's letters he does what we call a doxology—a word you can immediately forget because it simply means that he erupts in praise to God right in the middle of his teaching.

Sometimes we do that too. We can be teaching about Jesus and suddenly stop and say, "Praise God! Isn't this amazing?" And it is.

Think about it. Stop right now and consider this: here we are, sitting in a room 2,000 years after Jesus, on the other side of the planet, and we have salvation. We have community. We have been given a family. Praise God!

You are going to heaven. When this life is over, you are going to heaven, and nothing can take that away from you. This is one of those passages that helps us understand that.

Look at the lead-up to it. If you jump back to verse 13, Paul says:

"So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory." (Ephesians 3:13, ESV)

Right away we realize that Paul himself is going through difficult times. He wants the church not to worry about him.

Then in verse 14 he says:

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father..." (Ephesians 3:14, ESV)

And continuing:

"...from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." (Ephesians 3:15–16, ESV)

Paul says, "For this reason I bow my knees." For what reason? He does not want them to be discouraged by his suffering. So he prays for them.

This is why, when we look at people in Scripture, we ask questions like: Why was Paul called to be an apostle? Why was Peter called? Why did God choose Abraham? Why Moses? There is something remarkable about these people.

Paul is suffering. He is in a leadership position. He knows the church in Ephesus is concerned about him, and he does not want them to lose faith because of what he is going through. So he prays for them.

When I go through suffering, guess who I tend to pray for? Me.

"Lord, take this away."

And there is a place for that. That is legitimate. But Paul is suffering and says, "I do not want this to negatively affect you." So he bows his knees and prays that the riches of God's glory and grace will strengthen them.

He says he wants them:

"...to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." (Ephesians 3:16, ESV)

The Spirit of God working through the Christian.

Then we come to verse 17:

"...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..." (Ephesians 3:17, ESV)

There is the purpose.

When people go through suffering—whether it is ourselves or someone else—there is a bigger issue at stake: faith. Many people struggle with faith during suffering. Paul is concerned about that.

Notice the phrase:

"...Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..." (Ephesians 3:17, ESV)

That word "dwell" carries the idea of living or abiding. Christ lives in your heart.

But notice why He dwells there.

Christ does not dwell in the heart of a Christian because the Christian is a good person. Christ dwells in the heart of a Christian because the Christian has faith.

That is important.

Sometimes we get this backward because of how we feel.

Later, in Ephesians 4:1, Paul says:

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called..." (ESV)

Christians are absolutely called to live differently. We are called to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. We are called to live like God's people.

But that statement comes after Paul says Christ dwells in your heart through faith.

The Christian walk is not what causes Christ to dwell in your heart.

We do not say, "If I become a good enough Christian, then Jesus will live in my heart."

No.

Think about what that would mean. That would make our righteousness the basis of our relationship with God.

As Christians, we absolutely want to live righteously. We want to live as Jesus lived. That is what we are called to do.

But Christ does not dwell in your heart through your righteousness. He dwells in your heart through faith.

Practically speaking, this is extremely important for confidence in salvation.

I said earlier that if you are in Christ, you are going to heaven. Some of you may say, "Well, I know that on Sunday. Monday morning, I'm not so sure."

That misunderstanding comes from a struggle all of us have experienced.

Think about it practically.

You are driving down the road. You are feeling good. "I love Jesus. Jesus dwells in my heart."

Then a deer runs out in front of you.

You sin.

Now what?

"Am I out? Does Jesus no longer dwell in my heart because I sinned?"

If that is your thinking, then you have confused two different things.

You have confused the fact that Christians are called to live righteously with the basis upon which God declares us righteous.

Christ dwells in your heart through faith.

You put your faith in Christ, and He gives you His righteousness.

When Christians sin, we sometimes think, "Now I'm out. Do I need to get back in? Am I in again? Am I out again?"

No.

You were never presenting your righteousness to God for salvation in the first place.

You are presenting your faith.

Are you faithful?

Yes. You live a lifestyle of repentance. That is what Christians do.

When you sin and feel conviction, that is evidence of a repentant life. But your standing with God was never based on your personal righteousness. Your sins were covered at the cross, and Christ's righteousness was applied to you.

This constant struggle of "I'm in, now I'm out, now I'm back in" comes from the misunderstanding that your righteousness is what secures your salvation.

That was never the case.

Jesus gives you His perfect, sinless righteousness, and that is the basis of your entrance into heaven. Jesus' work is the basis; our response is faith.

Paul continues:

"...that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge..." (Ephesians 3:17–19, ESV)

To comprehend the depth of Christ's love is connected to understanding that He loved you regardless. He takes your faith and gives you what is required.

We need to reconcile with this truth because I do not think we have always done the best job of explaining it. We rightly emphasize Christian living, but we must not confuse Christian living with the basis of salvation.

There is freedom and joy in understanding this.

There is confidence in salvation when we understand: He gives me His righteousness, and I give Him my faith.

Then Paul says:

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us..." (Ephesians 3:20, ESV)»

That is an interesting statement.

You might expect Paul to say, "according to His power at work," but instead he says:

«"...according to the power at work within us..."»

What is that power doing?

It is saving you.

It is cleansing you.

It is making you holy because you are not holy on your own.

It is taking the righteousness of Christ and applying it to you.

Then Paul says:

«"...to him be glory..." (Ephesians 3:21, ESV)»

He gets the glory, not me.

My righteousness fails. It is not good enough. I am not good enough.

He has done it for me.

I give Him my faith, and my salvation is secure.

To Him be the glory for all of this.

But notice where that glory is displayed:

"...to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 3:21, ESV)

We understand glory in Christ Jesus, but Paul also says glory in the church.

Why?

Because Christ dwells in your heart through faith.

Jesus is working in you. You are His representative to the world. His glory is being displayed in the church and in Christ Jesus.

And this continues:

"...throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:21, ESV)

It has been happening through previous generations, it is happening now, and it will continue in generations to come.

Forever and ever.

Amen.

That is a declaration. A seal. A statement that this is the will of God.

The power of salvation is at work within you.

You can be confident.

"But didn't you sin?"

Yes.

"Didn't you have a bad attitude Monday morning?"

Yes.

But I still have Jesus.

And I still say:

Praise God.