Strengthened By His Spirit For Increased Faith And Love

 

"To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus..."
(Ephesians 1:2)

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers..."
(Ephesians 1:15,16)

A good report card for these folks!

"For this reason I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth has been named, (so) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN,(so) THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH, (so) THAT YOU, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL THE SAINTS WHAT IS WIDTH AND LENGTH AND DEPTH AND HEIGHT- TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH PASSES KNOWLEDGE; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations , forever and ever. Amen."
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

We should consider that, even though these saints of God clearly were upright and blameless in that they were faithful in what they had heard from Paul and others, there was more to be done. Although they had faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints, Paul was encouraging them that there was a strengthening through the Holy Spirit available for increased understanding and even more love resulting in a glorious church by Christ Jesus- walking, through intimacy with He and the Father, just as He walked!

I live in a physical home that has been finished completely. No element of weather is able to get in. There is furniture and other amenities for comfort. The yard is neatly kept. It looks like someone lives there. I see other structures that are in the process of building - those structures look like they are being well-built but are not yet ready for complete living.  

"Coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, ARE BEING BUILT UP A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
(1 Peter 2:4,5)