Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Paul in love and full encouragement asks the believers at Ephesus, for whom he has labored much, not to lose heart at the hardships he suffers for their sake, for those hardships are for their honor. His plea belongs to the revealing of the mystery long hidden in God, that through the church His manifold wisdom according to His eternal purpose in Christ would be made known, in whom believers have boldness and confident access by faith, leading to prayer for inner strengthening by the Spirit, for Christ dwelling in the heart, for grounding in love, for grasping the breadth and length and depth and height of Christ's love, and for being filled with all the fullness of God. That boldness is not self-confidence but courage gained by humility before God, reaching heavenward in godly character, and kneeling to the Father to be strengthened in the inner life by His Spirit with Christ abiding within. The chapter shows the work for all who are saved and united to Christ, that He be revealed in them and through them by a sanctifying and refining truth, and with the end near this becomes a worldwide last message of warning and salvation to be done quickly, unitedly, and without hindrance from sin. Therefore believers are to take courage in the Lord and bear living testimony without doubt or unbelief, not fainting under present or coming trials and demanding labor, for Jesus by His Spirit goes before them to prepare the way and help in every emergency.
Paul's Plea and Context
Paul's plea is a desire that the believers faint not at his tribulations suffered for them, which is their glory. It was spoken in love and commendation and large and full encouragement as part of a precious prayer offered in behalf of the church at Ephesus, for which he had labored much. The whole letter is to be read in connection with the message to the church at Ephesus.
The plea belongs to his account of the mystery hidden from the beginning of the world in God and now revealed. That revealing was to the intent that by the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose in Christ Jesus would be made known to principalities and powers in heavenly places. In Christ believers have boldness and access with confidence by faith, leading to prayer to the Father for strengthening by the Spirit in the inner man, for Christ to dwell in hearts by faith, for grounding in love, for comprehending the breadth and length and depth and height and knowing the love of Christ, and for being filled with all the fulness of God.
What is thus set forth is part of what God has revealed for diligent students to understand and cherish as truth that works by love and purifies the soul. It stands distinct from unrevealed mysteries and from spiritualistic ideas of God, which are to be shunned. The boldness and access with confidence by faith in Christ means not self-confidence but courage gained by taking a humble position before God, reaching heavenward, and living in well-ordered godly character that glorifies God. That courage is exercised in bowing the knees to the Father in prayer and in being strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man with an abiding Christ.
Work for the Present Time
The chapter sets forth the work appointed for everyone who is saved, that Christ is to be revealed in them, by them, and through them. That work for the present time is the magnifying of truth through its sanctifying, cleansing, and refining influence, and it is to be carried forward by the whole church, by all who are united to Christ by faith and belong to God's family.
With the end near, the message of the third chapter is a present message to be proclaimed worldwide, the last message of warning and salvation, and its call not to faint carries with it the burden believers must now bear. That burden includes proclaiming the last warning and showing God's people their sins. It is a great work to be done in a short time, intelligently and unitedly as with one voice, and it must not be hindered by transgression and sin or by their actions. Believers are to be aroused to their true position and made ready for the Lord's sudden coming, for there is no second probation, and now, while it is called today, those who hear the Lord's voice and turn fully to Him will receive mercy and abundant pardon.
The verse belongs to solemn instruction that means much and is to be read to hearers and impressed upon their minds together with all of Ephesians 3 and Ephesians 4, while the whole letter is to be read in connection with the message to the church at Ephesus. It confronts hard-spiritedness that comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit. It calls for a great reformation in the lives of believers, in words and works and spiritual understanding, catching the inspiration of the angels in the heavenly courts and daily breathing the atmosphere of heaven.
The verse gives the lesson of the whole third chapter, and of Ephesians 2 and 3, for all to study and for all teachers, all ministers of the gospel, and all who occupy responsible positions in the work of God. This shows the privilege of every shepherd of the flock and every minister in every conference, whether formally ordained or not, to know God and the power of His grace. Paul's prayer and teaching there is for ministers personally, calling them not to a casual interest but to earnest travail for souls and to earnest heart searching and prayerful seeking for God, so that their religious history is not tame and commonplace but an experience marked by grace and the decided working of God's power with their efforts.
The verse requires converted character in spirit and action in the family, in the school, in the church, and in the world wherever they may be. Those who should be ensamples to the flock but manifest imperfections of character and set a wrong example and act the spirit of the unbeliever and lead others in the wrong direction must become converted or be advised to take up some other work where they will not lead others in a wrong direction. The human agent must look to God and seek wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer and will then learn the way of the Lord as no human voice or counsel can teach. He will see that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem him, will hate the sins that wounded Jesus, and will keep a contrite heart while viewing Jesus as a compassionate tender High Priest.
Courage Amid Coming Trials
The verse calls for courage in the Lord and for bearing a living testimony for God under all circumstances, and that call is to be met by reading the third chapter and practicing its instruction. Paul's sufferings for the believers were for their glory, so they were not to lose heart because of them. Rich blessings are to be grasped by faith in divine strength, and courage and strength and faith are to be spoken without one breath of doubt or word of unbelief.
Believers are urged not to lose heart because of the trials ahead in serving God. The greatness of the work and its disheartening difficulties and demanding work need not make them faint. Jesus will be with them and will go before them through His Holy Spirit to prepare the way and to help them in every emergency.
Not fainting under tribulation means making a way through it in the strength of God. The will of God is to be done patiently and well instead of consulting pleasure or wishes, even at the cost of giving up a pleasant retreat and rest. God's work is the believer's work, done from love for souls and desire for them to be saved in the kingdom, following Jesus who bears with the waywardness of men, while Satan works to blind eyes to light and labor is hard and unceasing.
Paul in love and full encouragement asks the believers at Ephesus, for whom he has labored much, not to lose heart at the hardships he suffers for their sake, for those hardships are for their honor. His plea belongs to the revealing of the mystery long hidden in God, that through the church His manifold wisdom according to His eternal purpose in Christ would be made known, in whom believers have boldness and confident access by faith, leading to prayer for inner strengthening by the Spirit, for Christ dwelling in the heart, for grounding in love, for grasping the breadth and length and depth and height of Christ's love, and for being filled with all the fullness of God. That boldness is not self-confidence but courage gained by humility before God, reaching heavenward in godly character, and kneeling to the Father to be strengthened in the inner life by His Spirit with Christ abiding within. The chapter shows the work for all who are saved and united to Christ, that He be revealed in them and through them by a sanctifying and refining truth, and with the end near this becomes a worldwide last message of warning and salvation to be done quickly, unitedly, and without hindrance from sin. Therefore believers are to take courage in the Lord and bear living testimony without doubt or unbelief, not fainting under present or coming trials and demanding labor, for Jesus by His Spirit goes before them to prepare the way and help in every emergency.
Paul's Plea and Context
Paul's plea is a desire that the believers faint not at his tribulations suffered for them, which is their glory. It was spoken in love and commendation and large and full encouragement as part of a precious prayer offered in behalf of the church at Ephesus, for which he had labored much. The whole letter is to be read in connection with the message to the church at Ephesus.
The plea belongs to his account of the mystery hidden from the beginning of the world in God and now revealed. That revealing was to the intent that by the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose in Christ Jesus would be made known to principalities and powers in heavenly places. In Christ believers have boldness and access with confidence by faith, leading to prayer to the Father for strengthening by the Spirit in the inner man, for Christ to dwell in hearts by faith, for grounding in love, for comprehending the breadth and length and depth and height and knowing the love of Christ, and for being filled with all the fulness of God.
What is thus set forth is part of what God has revealed for diligent students to understand and cherish as truth that works by love and purifies the soul. It stands distinct from unrevealed mysteries and from spiritualistic ideas of God, which are to be shunned. The boldness and access with confidence by faith in Christ means not self-confidence but courage gained by taking a humble position before God, reaching heavenward, and living in well-ordered godly character that glorifies God. That courage is exercised in bowing the knees to the Father in prayer and in being strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man with an abiding Christ.
Work for the Present Time
The chapter sets forth the work appointed for everyone who is saved, that Christ is to be revealed in them, by them, and through them. That work for the present time is the magnifying of truth through its sanctifying, cleansing, and refining influence, and it is to be carried forward by the whole church, by all who are united to Christ by faith and belong to God's family.
With the end near, the message of the third chapter is a present message to be proclaimed worldwide, the last message of warning and salvation, and its call not to faint carries with it the burden believers must now bear. That burden includes proclaiming the last warning and showing God's people their sins. It is a great work to be done in a short time, intelligently and unitedly as with one voice, and it must not be hindered by transgression and sin or by their actions. Believers are to be aroused to their true position and made ready for the Lord's sudden coming, for there is no second probation, and now, while it is called today, those who hear the Lord's voice and turn fully to Him will receive mercy and abundant pardon.
The verse belongs to solemn instruction that means much and is to be read to hearers and impressed upon their minds together with all of Ephesians 3 and Ephesians 4, while the whole letter is to be read in connection with the message to the church at Ephesus. It confronts hard-spiritedness that comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit. It calls for a great reformation in the lives of believers, in words and works and spiritual understanding, catching the inspiration of the angels in the heavenly courts and daily breathing the atmosphere of heaven.
The verse gives the lesson of the whole third chapter, and of Ephesians 2 and 3, for all to study and for all teachers, all ministers of the gospel, and all who occupy responsible positions in the work of God. This shows the privilege of every shepherd of the flock and every minister in every conference, whether formally ordained or not, to know God and the power of His grace. Paul's prayer and teaching there is for ministers personally, calling them not to a casual interest but to earnest travail for souls and to earnest heart searching and prayerful seeking for God, so that their religious history is not tame and commonplace but an experience marked by grace and the decided working of God's power with their efforts.
The verse requires converted character in spirit and action in the family, in the school, in the church, and in the world wherever they may be. Those who should be ensamples to the flock but manifest imperfections of character and set a wrong example and act the spirit of the unbeliever and lead others in the wrong direction must become converted or be advised to take up some other work where they will not lead others in a wrong direction. The human agent must look to God and seek wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer and will then learn the way of the Lord as no human voice or counsel can teach. He will see that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem him, will hate the sins that wounded Jesus, and will keep a contrite heart while viewing Jesus as a compassionate tender High Priest.
Courage Amid Coming Trials
The verse calls for courage in the Lord and for bearing a living testimony for God under all circumstances, and that call is to be met by reading the third chapter and practicing its instruction. Paul's sufferings for the believers were for their glory, so they were not to lose heart because of them. Rich blessings are to be grasped by faith in divine strength, and courage and strength and faith are to be spoken without one breath of doubt or word of unbelief.
Believers are urged not to lose heart because of the trials ahead in serving God. The greatness of the work and its disheartening difficulties and demanding work need not make them faint. Jesus will be with them and will go before them through His Holy Spirit to prepare the way and to help them in every emergency.
Not fainting under tribulation means making a way through it in the strength of God. The will of God is to be done patiently and well instead of consulting pleasure or wishes, even at the cost of giving up a pleasant retreat and rest. God's work is the believer's work, done from love for souls and desire for them to be saved in the kingdom, following Jesus who bears with the waywardness of men, while Satan works to blind eyes to light and labor is hard and unceasing.