The opposite is true. You are not factoring in the power of deception by the flesh...and self-interest. I know you like to piggy-back on my statements...but you are doing this to continue in your deception.
Why does a person NOT factor in the carnal mind and the self-interest it engenders? Because it IS the carnal mind at work.
Any non-indoctrinated person would see the vast difference between building on something in you...and something that is in Christ.
You are assuming that having a template of Christ...to be added to with whatever materials you deem to be appropriate...is the same thing as going to where Christ IS and building in the heavenly realm.
Obviously you see abiding in Christ to be where HE IS as something that happens when you "go to heaven." (I'm using religious speak here for your understanding)
Read John 14...and the abodes that Jesus says...that where I am, you may be also" Most non-spiritual believers see that as a future after-life abiding...the heavenly mansions and such.
And yet John 15, using the very same word for abiding is understood to mean right now. Where are we to abide if we can only inhabit abiding places in some after life?
Abiding in Christ is through being translated into the higher walk in Zion WHERE Jesus is. That is NOT the same as trying to be more Christlike based on a sample of grace. Will you be now made perfect through your own understanding?
You are missing the scale...by a whole dimension. ...the kingdom dimension.
2 Tim 2:19-21
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The
Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but
also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every
good work.
1 Cor 3:10-17
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let
every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z 31
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of
what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a
reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall
be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of
God is holy, which temple ye are.
"by it having put to death the enmity"
NKJV"thereby putting to death the enmity"
NRSV"thus putting to death that hostility through it"
TEV"Christ destroyed the enmity"
NJB"in his own person he killed the hostility"
The English translations show that this phrase can be understood in two ways. This is because the singular pronoun can be a dative masculine (TEV, NJB) or dative neuter (NASB, NRSV). In context either is possible. The emphasis of the larger context is on Christ's finished redemptive work.
2:17 This is an allusion to Isa. 57:19 or possibly 52:7. Paul, by typological exegesis, applied OT texts to exiled Jews to Gentiles. Even the rabbis, going back to Isa. 56:6, used this phrase to refer to Gentile proselytes.
2:18 The work of the Triune Godhead is clearly stated in this book (cf. Eph. 1:3-14,17; 2:18; 4:4-6). Although the term "trinity" is not a biblical word, the concept surely is (cf. Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; John 14:26; Acts 2:33-34,38-39; Rom. 1:4-5; 5:1,5; 8:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 13:14; Gal. 4:4-6; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:18; 3:14-17; 4:4-6; 1 Thess. 1:2-5; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jude 20-21).
"we both have our access"
This is a present active indicative meaning "we continue to have access." This is the concept of Jesus personally bringing believers into the presence of God and giving them a personal introduction (cf. Rom. 5:2; it is also used in the sense of confidence in Heb. 4:16; 10:19,35).
"in one Spirit"
This is also emphasized in Ephesians 4:4.
The false teachers were causing disunity, but the Spirit brought unity (not uniformity)!
2:19 The Gentiles who were estranged (Eph. 2:11-12) are now fully included. This is clearly stated by the use of four common biblical metaphors.
1. fellow citizens (city)
2. saints (holy nation set apart for God)
3. God's household (family members)
4. a spiritual building (temple, Eph. 2:20-22a)
2:20 "having been built upon"
This is an aorist passive participle.
The foundation (cf. Eph. 2:12) of our faith has been fully, finally, and completely laid by the Triune God. God's good news was proclaimed by the Apostles and prophets (cf. Eph. 3:5).
"the foundation of the apostles and prophets"
Jesus laid the foundation of the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11). Jesus is the new temple (cf. John 2:19-22). The OT prophesied the coming Kingdom of God, Jesus' Spirit-led life, death, and resurrection accomplished it, and the Apostles preached its reality. The only question is, to whom does the term "prophets" refer? Are they OT prophets or NT prophets (cf. Eph. 3:5; 4:1)? The order of the terms implies NT prophets (cf. Eph. 2:3:5; 4:11), but the OT Messianic allusion to the "cornerstone" implies OT prophecy.
The reason for the distinction between OT and NT prophets is the issue of revelation. OT prophets wrote Scripture. They were God's instrument of inspired self-disclosure. However, prophecy is an ongoing gift in the NT (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). Does Scripture writing continue? There must be a distinction drawn between inspiration (Apostles and OT prophets) and illumination and spiritual giftedness (NT gifted believers).
"the cornerstone"
This is an OT Messianic metaphor (cf. Isa. 28:16; Ps. 118:22; 1 Pet. 2:4-8). In the OT God's stability, strength and perseverance are often visualized in "Rock" as a title (cf. Deut. 32:4, 15, 18, 30; Ps. 18:2, 31, 46; 28:1; 31:3; 42:9; 71:3; 78:15).
The metaphor of Jesus as a stone.
1. a rejected stone - Ps. 118:22
2. a building stone - Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16
3. a stone to stumble over - Isa. 8:14-15
4. an overcoming and conquering stone (kingdom) - Dan. 2:45
5. Jesus used these passages to describe Himself (cf. Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17)
He was the key construction item who was ignored in OT ritualism and legalism (cf. Isa. 8:14).
2:21-22 The collective or corporate idea of God's people seen in Eph. 2:19 (twice),
21 and 22 was expressed in the plural "saints." To be saved is to be part of a family, a building, a body, a temple (cf. Eph. 1:23; 4:16; Col. 2:19).
The concept of the church as a temple is expressed in 1 Cor. 3:16-17. This is an emphasis on the corporate nature of the church. The individual aspect was expressed in 1 Cor. 6:16. Both are true! Jesus is the new temple, cf. John 2:19-22.
The verbs in Eph. 2:21-22 also have a corporate focus. They have the compound syn which means "joint participation with." They are both present passive. God is continuing to build/add to His church.
There is a Greek manuscript problem connected with the phrase "the whole building." The ancient uncial manuscripts א*, B, D, F and G have no article, while אc, A, C, and P do. The question is, was Paul referring to one large building (NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NIV, TEV, REB) or to several smaller buildings (ASV, NJB, Phillips) united in some way? The United Bible Society's 4th Edition Greek text gives a "B" rating to the anarthrous construction, which indicates they are "almost certain" that it refers to one building. This one building is not finished. It is in the process of growing. The building metaphor alluded to the spiritual temple (the people of God).
Utley.
