The Power of Christ in Our Hearts

Ephesians and Rooted in Christ’s Love

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Paul concludes Ephesians chapter three with a prayer for believers. Scripture passages are from biblehub.com using Berean Standard Bible translation. Paul gives us numerous examples of prayer(s) for others throughout his New Testament letters to believers. This specific prayer found in Ephesians 3:16-21 explains Christ dwelling in our hearts.

How does God establish followers in faith, love, and knowledge? This article includes Greek terms with hyperlinks . Understanding the Greek words gives this passage deeper meaning! Greek explanations are from Biblehub interlinear.

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Passage 1

16I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,

The term riches ploutos indicates an abundance, or wealth. Paul indicates that Christ’s glory strengthen krataiōthēnai us with power through Holy Spirit. The term for power is the same root English uses for dynamite. God’s glory is a mighty power that strengthens us!

The term dwell  katoikēsai means to “properly, settle down as a permanent resident, i.e. in a fixed (permanent) dwelling place as one’s personal residence.” Christ makes His permanent home in us through faith! God makes His dwelling in us. Recall that the Gospel Good News includes the promise of new hearts and minds through Christ’s grace and presence.

Faith is pisteōs. This word means more than just a belief or intellectual concept–“it is God’s warranty that guarantees the fulfillment of the revelation He births within the receptive believer.” God is intimately involved in creating faith in our hearts! Faith is a warranty that God will accomplish His promise(s)! The Bible doesn’t refer to the “heart” as the literal organ that circulates blood, it refers to our ” desire-producer that makes us tick” (G. Archer)”

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Agape Love

Overview article on agape by Got Questions

https://www.gotquestions.org/agape-love.html

Explanation:

“The type of love that characterizes God is not a sappy, sentimental feeling such as we often hear portrayed. God loves because that is His nature and the expression of His being. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely, not because we deserve to be loved or because of any excellence we possess, but because it is His nature to love and He must be true to His nature.”

Love that Acts

“Agape love is always shown by what it does. God’s love is displayed most clearly at the cross. “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5, ESV). We did not deserve such a sacrifice, “but God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s agape love is unmerited, gracious, and constantly seeking the benefit of the ones He loves. The Bible says we are the undeserving recipients of His lavish agape love (1 John 3:1). God’s demonstration of agape love led to the sacrifice of the Son of God for those He loves.”

Rooted in this case refers that which causes something to take root. Consider Bermuda grass and other plants that send out rhizomes to spread. Bermuda easily spreads with proper nutrients, heat, and water. God’s love is a dynamic force in our lives–it moves us forward and grows us.

The term grounded here is tethemeliōmenoi literally translated as “being founded.” Proper construction involves establishing a suitable, firm foundation. God’s love spreads through us and establishes us on the firm foundation of Christ’s love. Paul then moves forward linking this foundation to a process of “knowing this love.”

Passage 2

18will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth 19of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Verse eighteen literally begins with so and the term exischysēte “fully competent or able to katalabesthai. This word comes from two terms in which Paul combines two words together.

2638 katalambánō (from 2596 /katá, “down, according to,” which intensifies 2983 /lambánō, “aggressively take”) – properly, take hold of exactly, with decisive initiative (eager self-interest); to grasp something in a forceful (firm) manner; (figuratively) to apprehend (comprehend), “making it one’s own.”

We should eagerly seek to make the knowledge of Christ’s love personal! Knowledge here is gnōnai a personal experience of the knowledge. Knowledge of Christ’s love comes through a relationship and experience(s) of His love.

God doesn’t give us just part of Himself. Paul uses plērōthēte to indicate an complete capacity. God’s fullness comes to us through experiencing and “personally knowing” Christ’s love. This love then fills us to capacity!

Passage 3

20Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

God is capable of much more that we can even imagine! Part of God’s Nature is His Mighty Power. God spoke creation into existence. He speaks and His desire(s) come about. Paul reminds us that God’s power is at work in us! This is a great comfort in times of distress, confusion, and struggle. God is moving, He is at work even in our weaknesses and frequent mistakes.

Conclusion

Consider that God can do more than we as limited, mortal humans (creatures) can even imagine! God is Infinitely Larger than our dreams and limited comprehension. In your moments of difficulty, remember:

1st God is our Firm Foundation: we’re rooted and established in Him not in the shifting sands and things of this world.

2nd God’s Power is at Work: God saves the lost and transforms the humble and weak into His Mighty servants.

3rd God’s glory: God glorifies Himself in our live and impacts those around us as the Good News becomes apparent in our lives.

Group of Friends enjoying sunlight together while hiking.

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