Covenant Commitment (Ephesians 1:1; Genesis 15:6)

EPHESIANS 1:1 speaks of the "Believers", or "Faithful", in Christ Jesus.

FAITHFUL

(Pistos),4103 [Strong's], can be used either passively, as "faithful", or active, as a "believer". In the Greek world, it was a common title given to 'individuals, who were committed to people', whether slaves to their masters, in not running away, or people to individuals.

AMEN

The Greek word is consistently used to translate the Hebrew word (aman), 539,[Strong's], in the Septuagint (LXX) translation of the OT. (Aman) is where we get the English word "amen" from, and it means something 'immovable; unshakable; secure; firmly fixed, or established; solidly placed as support; not subject to change'. When used to describe God, or individuals, it means those who personify all those adjectival qualities.

COVENANT AGREEMENT

The original idea of the Greek word denoted 'conduct that honored, or kept, a covenant agreement, or a bond'. In Greek religion, the gods would vouch for the alliance; treaty; or covenant, made between two parties, whether individuals; groups of people; or separate kingdoms. The word related to the fidelity of persons, to binding obligations.

ABRAHAM

In Genesis 15:6 is the hallmark of faith, and the oft quoted scripture, where in one verse, three foundational concepts are introduced ( faith; imputation; and righteousness).Key to this discussion, is not only the idea of "faith", but what the implications and meaning of the verse convey. When the scripture says that Abraham believed God, and it was counted/imputed to him as righteousness, it is referring not just to what God said, but to the covenant that God made with him.

COMMITMENT

When Abraham chose to commit to the covenant, he chose to make God, his God, and God chose to commit to Abraham, and identified Abraham as His covenant partner, conferring His acceptance of Abraham; which we call righteousness. Very simply, God chose, that everything He had belonged to Abraham, and everything Abraham had belonged to Him. Abraham's battles became His battles, and all their victories were shared.

MUTUALLY BINDING

When considering the introduction to Ephesians, Paul isn't just greeting those who have placed their trust in God, Paul is addressing those who have, like Abraham, and through Christ Jesus, the seed of Abraham, entered into a mutually binding covenant, with Almighty God.

BELONGS

All that you are, and all that you have, belongs, in covenant, to God. All that He is, and all that He has, belongs, in covenant, to you.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours