What keeps a congregation from having an effective ministry? When Yahuwah calls and blesses us with privileges, it becomes our responsibility to be found worthy of that calling. It is our duty to walk out the commandments and instructions of our Heavenly Father, laying down the traditions that have been adopted by our forefathers so that we can step into our roles.
Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for the Master, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called— Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Ephesians 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The true gospel’s formula is thus:
calling + privileges = great responsibility; to be found worthy of our calling!
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Ruach, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, Ephesians 4:6 one immersion; one Elohim and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
In v.4 we find a very early creedal formula present. In it’s First Century context this is the formula to the One New Man; the Commonwealth of Israel calling.
There are strong echoes of Deuteronomy 6:4 here too, something not inconsistent with Paul’s other writings ( 1 Corinthians 8:4 there is none other Elohim but one., 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one Elohim, and one mediator between Elohim and men, ben adam, Yahusha Messiah).
1 Corinthians 8:6 yet to us is one Elohim the Father, of whom are the all things, and we to Him; and one Master, Yahusha Messiah, through whom are the all things, and we through Him.
The ‘whom are all things’ – Gk. pas; in the LXX is used for El ‘Shaddai’ and the ‘tamid’ offering – the daily sacrifice in which all things were present and represented before all Israel and the priesthood!
Malachi 2:10 Have ye not all one father? Did not one Elohim create you? why have ye forsaken every man his brother, to profane the covenant of your fathers?
Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Messiah Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men Ephesians 4:9 Now what does “He went up” mean, except that He first went down to the lower regions of the earth? Ephesians 4:10 The One who came down is the same One who went up far above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
Psalms 68:18 LXX (Septuagint) Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts among men, yea, for they were rebellious, that thou mightest dwell among them.
Psalms 68:18 MT (Masoretic Text): Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received tribute of men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psalms 68:18 NNT (New Nolanite Translation) Thou hast become an Olah, and have released the captives, you took gifts in the Man, yea, for the rebellious also, that thou mightest dwell among them.
Yahusha became an Olah accession offering having released the captives in the Paradise section of Abraham’s bosom, יהוה accepted and received the gifts contained in His Son alone (He’d previously rejected man’s gifts – Psalms 40:6) the gifts accepted in the Son even have the ability to cover the rebellious.
The Hebrew verb laqach can mean ‘take to or for a person’ i.e fetching something that is later going to be distributed. So ‘laqach’ can mean ‘to give’ or ‘to take’ when you consider the whole action of the verb.
In the Targum on Psalm 68 it says of Moses; ‘you ascended to the firmament, O prophet Moses, you captured captives, you taught the words of Torah, you gave gifts to sons of men, and even the stubborn who are converted turn in repentance, and the glorious pretense of the LORD God abides upon them.’
Paul’s usage in v.7 of the text of Psalms 68 which is attributed to events connected to the BoC mountain in the past, is brought into his present; our day -Paul’s future by the accession of Yahusha and the scene of angelic hosts and victory over principalities.
Yahusha provided a link with the heavenly world that couldn’t be matched by Moshe and the seventy elders – even the paved work of sapphire stone (Exodus 24:10 comes all the way forward into the prophetic future in the book of Revelation – 15.2. where they sing the song of Moses.
Moshe distributed יהוה gift of the BoC to Israel, but the covenant was later thwarted by fallen principalities influencing man through sexuality and idolatry at the Golden Calf.
Who are the captives? 2 views:
YHWH’s enemies
the righteous dead who were in the Paradise side of Sheol (Luke 16:22)
What is meant by ‘He descended?’ 4 views:
Yahusha’s incarnation or birth
His death and burial
His decent into Sheol following his death
The Holy Spirit being poured out at Shavuot
Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire has been kindled out of my wrath, it shall burn to hell below; it shall devour the land, and the fruits of it; it shall set on fire the foundations of the mountains. (Sheol/hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: – grave, hell, pit.)
Remember Korah? Numbers 16:32 And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Korah, and their cattle. 33 And they went down and all that they had, alive into Sheol/Hades; and the ground covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.
Psalms 63.9 But they vainly sought after my soul; they shall go into the lowest parts o the earth. Isaiah 14:9 Hell from beneath is provoked to meet thee: Romans 10:7 or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead).”
Known as ‘the harrowing of hell’ or ‘Christ’s triumphant decent into hell to claim his own.’
1 Peter 3:19 through the Ruach He also went and preached to the spirits in prison.
Yahusha made known His victory over death and Sheol to the specific rebellious Nephelim who rebelled with the Watchers in Noah’s day, those Nephelim who are awaiting their time of release upon the whole earth in Revelation 9.
The Apostles Creed: Yahusha “suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead and buried; he defended into hell.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your all strength, for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going.
Is Paul suggesting a transition point occurring?
Ephesians 4:11 He Himself gave some to be apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists of the Good News, and some as pastors and teachers Ephesians 4:12 to equip the kedoshim for the work of service, for building up the body of Messiah.
Restoring a biblical understanding of what these roles and callings mean:
The original 12 that Yahusha appointed (minus Judas Iscariot)
The subsequent ‘sent out ones’ in each successive generation.
Apostles: are spiritual pillars, they lay foundational truth in people’s lives, apostles don’t fit into denominational hierarchy. They can’t freely function in their role within the structure of committees, elected leadership and denominational red tape. They undergird and build; they’re visionaries.
Prophets: reveal Elohim’s heart to His people, giving guidance to individuals and the body, giving revelation, as well as often interpretation, application and timing.
Evangelists: carry the burden for those who aren’t a part of the kingdom of Elohim yet, they have an anointing to preach the gospel that comes with great conviction and draws them to Yahusha. Often they’ll show signs and wonders to confirm their message.
Pastors: care for the sheep. They want them to be fed, to grow, to be equipped, to develop their gifting’s and step into the calling of Elohim.
Teachers: reveal the specifics and spectrum of the revealed truth; having a literal guard set upon them by יהוה for the teaching and edifying the assembly.
To truly fulfill the Fivefold we need to be focused on five things:
Missions:
Schools
Poor, widows orphans
Meeting halls
Leadership/Administration.
Ephesians 4:13-32 13 This will continue until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Ben-Elohim—to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of Messiah’s fullness. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be like children, tossed around by the waves and blown all over by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men with cunning in deceitful scheming 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all ways into Messiah, who is the Head. 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 So I tell you this, indeed I insist on it in the Lord—walk no longer as the pagans do, stumbling around in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of Elohim because of the ignorance in them due to the hardness of their heart. 19 Since they are past feeling, they have turned themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of immorality, with greed for more. 20 However, you did not learn Messiah in this way— 21 if indeed you have heard Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Yahusha. 22 With respect to your former lifestyle, you are to lay aside the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 So lay aside lying and “each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down on your anger. 27 nor give the devil a foothold. 28 The one who steals must steal no longer—instead he must work, doing something useful with his own hands, so he may have something to share with the one who has need. 29 Let no harmful word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for building others up according to the need, so that it gives grace to those who hear it. 30 Do not grieve the Ruach ha-Kodesh of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and quarreling and slander, along with all malice. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other just as Elohim in Messiah also forgave you.
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