CapitolCommissionGeorgiawww.capitolcom.org/www.pray1Tim2.org

RonJ.Bigalke,Ph.D.POBox7,FloweryBranch,GA30542-0001(912)659-4212ron.bigalke@capitolcom.org AAANNNeeewwwIIIdddeeennntttiiitttyyy

Tuesday,12thofJanuary2021

CapitolCommissionBibleStudyTuesday(12thofJanuary)@12Noon–12:45pm,132CAP(&Zoom)

Member’sBibleFellowshipWednesday(13thofJanuary)@7:00am–7:50am,RoomTBD

(ministry“friend”sponsorshipbyHouseMajorityWhipTreyKelley)

The current Bible study is the beginning of an exposition in the book of Ephesians. The first Capitol Commission Bible study of the 155th General Assembly (2021), which is open to the entire Capitol community, will be on the 12th of January, and will continue weekly every Tuesday during session. We are going to have an in-person Bible study (with social distancing) in 132 CAP (House Judiciary Room) and also use Zoom. The members’ only Bible Fellowship will begin on the 13th of January, and will be held every Wednesday (unless not a legislative day) from 7:00-7:50am. An announcement will be made with regard to the room number prior to Wednesday. For archives of past Bible studies (dating from 2010), please visit http://www.capitolcom.org/georgia/studies.

I pray that this study will be edifying to you. The sole intent of the ministry of Capitol Commission is to serve you, as a resource for pastoral attention, counsel, and prayer. The present Bible study is just one aspect of that desire to serve.

– Dr. Ron J . Biga lke , Georg ia State Minis t er , Capi to l Commiss ion

Capitol Commission Bible Study i s

Tuesday, 12 January 2021

Ephesians 1 – “A New Identity”

Imprinting occurs with young birds, after hatching, when they identify the first being they encounter as their mother. Birds are not born knowing what they are, which means they visually imprint on paternal figures shortly after hatching. They will identify with whatever species they see after hatching and their imprinting is for life.

Ducklings will often imprint on a human, especially from the time of hatching until they are approximately five days old, especially if no other ducks are present. Imprinted ducklings need constant care. Therefore, it is important for a

chick to imprint on an appropriate mother figure. The downside of imprinting is that young animals struggle to detach themselves from their adopted “mother” which can result in a confused identity.

God’s people can also experience confusion in their identity. Every person is born into a fallen world that seeks to imprint with its beliefs and values. When a person is saved – by grace through faith in Jesus Christ – a new identity emerges. Nothing is more important to the life of a believer than to understand his or her position in Christ Jesus.

The believer’s position in Christ is one’s legal standing with God. In his goodness and grace, God changes a person’s standing (one’s position) before Him when he or she places trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The riches of God’s grace bestow a new position in Christ, which makes all the difference in living with purpose and satisfaction.

To be “in Christ” means one becomes “a new creature” (2 Cor 5:17). In Christ, love of the world and “the things in the world” ceases (1 John 2:15). Ephesians 1 helps believers to identify more readily with Christ Jesus, and teaches how to live more consistently like Him.

ABUNDANT GRACE (Eph 1:1-14) The human author of Ephesians is Paul, who was called and gifted by God as an apostle. The letter is addressed to the “saints who are in Ephesus.” All believers are saints in the sense of being “set apart for God” because they are faithful followers of Jesus (1:1). “Grace” and “peace” are essential qualities to God’s people; their source is in God and in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 2).

Scripture teaches two truths which appear to be an apparent contradiction, but which are in perfect agreement. The two truths affirm the sovereign work of God in salvation, in addition to human responsibility. To state these two certainties propositionally, the form would be:

1) God is sovereign so that He is just in declaring the moral actions of humanity as either good or evil; and,

2) Humanity is responsible to God for all moral actions.

The fact of God’s sovereignty does not negate human responsibility. The two truths are not contradictory because they assert true statements regarding entirely different subjects. In verses 3-14 of chapter 1, the sovereignty of God is emphasized in relation to the faith of those in Christ.

Verse 3 is prefatory for the theme of Ephesians. The Greek word (euloghtos) translated “blessed” is used only in reference to God; it refers to Him as the one who is worthy of

CapitolCommissionBibleStudyCapitolCommissionBibleStudy

TUESDAYS@12NOONin132CAP(&ZOOM)(BASEMENTOFGEORGIA’SSTATECAPITOL)

Members’BibleFellowshipMembers’BibleFellowship

WEDNESDAYS@7:00AM(ROOMTBD)

Tuesday,12January2021

NEXT CAPITOL COMMISSION BIBLE STUDY: Tuesday, 19th of January @ 12 Noon in 132 CAP (& Zoom)

thisweek’sCapitoloutreachsponsoredby:

RepresentativeTreyKelleyGeorgiaHouseDistrict16

Biblestudycopiesprintedby:

http://www.kennickell.com

adoration, praise, and worship. In his very character and being, God is blessed. God the Father is identified in the context of Jesus Christ. The primary emphasis for the redeemed is upon Jesus Christ and his substitutionary atonement on behalf of sinners.

The believer’s relationship to God the Father is also addressed. The redeemed have a relationship to God the Father by virtue of their relationship to Jesus Christ. Therefore, God the Father is seen in the context of his relationship to Jesus Christ, and believers are seen in the context of their relationship to Christ. Believers have a relationship to God the Father through Jesus Christ. God is the one “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

THE FACT OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY DOES NOT NEGATEHUMANRESPONSIBILITY.

Verses 3-14 use some redundancy. Grace is referenced as freely bestowed, which is true by definition. When sinners stand redeemed before the presence of God, all attention will be focused on God to the effect of praising his glory. Believers “have redemption” in Christ “through his blood.”

The riches of God’s grace are lavished upon believers. God’s character is to bless, and redemption is his gracious provision. The spiritual blessings in Christ include: heavenly citizenship, election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, revelation and wisdom, completion, inheritance, and glorifi-cation. The evidence of God’s spiritual blessings is confi-dence, empowerment, hope, peace, assurance, and sanctity.

ABUNDANT THANKS (Eph 1:15-23) Believers are rich by God’s grace, with the blessings that are abundantly “lavished” on them. What should be the response? The answer is fourfold: (1) humility due to God’s eternal choosing; (2) sanctity because God’s choosing was to make the saints holy; (3) confidence because salvation is secure in the eternal counsel of God’s will; and, (4) praise because God’s grace makes his people richly and fully blessed.

When the Apostle Paul first experienced God’s grace, it made him a man of prayer (cf. Acts 9:11). Even years later, Paul still bowed his knees “before the Father” (Eph 3:14). Beginning with verse 15 of chapter 1, we find Paul praying for the church because their lives had been transformed by the gospel. The evidence of this transformation is “faith in the Lord Jesus” and “love for all the saints” (1:15).

The faith and love of the churches led the Apostle to give thanks to God in his prayers (vv. 15-16). His prayer was for even more spiritual blessings to be experienced in their life (vv. 17-21). As a consequence of “the riches of the glory of his inheritance” (v. 18), the Apostle petitioned God to grant wisdom and revelation for the purpose of obtaining complete knowledge of Christ. Do you ever f e e l perp l exed? Do you ever ques t ion what i s the bes t a c t ion in r e sponse to a par t i cu lar c i r cumstance or i s sue? Pray for wisdom in accordance with the words of verses 17-21.

When you pray for wisdom expect that God will grant a more complete knowledge of Christ as the answer. The reason is that the more you and I know Christ – the more we become like Him – then the more we are able to make wise decisions that are pleasing to God. Not only does God provide wisdom regarding particularities, but also by granting a more intimate knowledge of Christ in whom are the treasuries of wisdom and revelation.

Following his resurrection, Christ was exalted (v. 20) “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (v. 21). Christ is preeminent (cf. Col 1:15-23), and rules “all things in subjection” for the sake of those who belong to Him (vv. 22-23). The power of God and authority of Christ are exercised on behalf of the church, “which is His body” (v. 23). The church is “His body” through which Christ works fully to accomplish his will everywhere and in everything (cf. Rom 8:28). My prayer is for God to equip us by his grace and for his glory. Pray and be expectant of God’s calling!

Thank you for the pr iv i l eg e in prov id ing you wi th the Capi to l Commiss ion Bib le s tudy . I f we can serve you in any manner ,

p l ease ta lk wi th us , or contac t by emai l or phone .

AboutCapitolCommissionScripture calls the church to pray for the salvation of our leaders, resulting in them having knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:1-4). As churches are faithful in prayer and proclaiming the gospel of God’s grace, our society and government wil l be impacted . Capitol Commission is committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ and promoting the mandate to pray for those in the capitol communities throughout the United States and the world.

Romans 10-14-15 affirms, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent. . . ?” Please notice the reverse progression. If we desire anyone, including our government leaders, to (5) ca l l upon the Lord and to seek Him and his Word for life decisions, they must prior to that (4) be l i eve in Him, which means they must previously have (3) heard the Word of God, which means prior to that someone needs to (2) preach to them, which requires that others have first (1) sent someone.

Capitol Commission is committed to the second part: preaching (proclaiming) the good news of salvation, yet this cannot occur without someone doing the first part: sending . All funding and prayer for this work comes from people who want the light of the gospel of God’s grace brought into our State Capitol. As you do #1 and we do #2, we can rejoice together as the Lord accomplishes in the Capitol what only He can produce in someone: #3, #4, and #5. What an exciting co-mission! Please join us in this ministry!