17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
17 that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
5 So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding,
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,
(Read 2 Peter 1:1-11)
Faith unites the weak believer to Christ, as really as it does the strong one, and purifies the heart of one as truly as of another; and every sincere believer is by his faith justified in the sight of God. Faith worketh godliness, and produces effects which no other grace in the soul can do. In Christ all fulness dwells, and pardon, peace, grace, and knowledge, and new principles, are thus given through the Holy Spirit. The promises to those who are partakers of a Divine nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit. The believer must add knowledge to his virtue, increasing acquaintance with the whole truth and will of God. We must add temperance to knowledge; moderation about worldly things; and add to temperance, patience, or cheerful submission to the will of God. Tribulation worketh patience, whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence and submission. To patience we must add godliness: this includes the holy affections and dispositions found in the true worshipper of God; with tender affection to all fellow Christians, who are children of the same Father, servants of the same Master, members of the same family, travellers to the same country, heirs of the same inheritance. Wherefore let Christians labour to attain assurance of their calling, and of their election, by believing and well-doing; and thus carefully to endeavour, is a firm argument of the grace and mercy of God, upholding them so that they shall not utterly fall. Those who are diligent in the work of religion, shall have a triumphant entrance into that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns, and they shall reign with him for ever and ever; and it is in the practice of every good work that we are to expect entrance to heaven.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ephesians 3:17
Commentary on Ephesians 3:13-19
(Read Ephesians 3:13-19)
The apostle seems to be more anxious lest the believers should be discouraged and faint upon his tribulations, than for what he himself had to bear. He asks for spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings. Strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man; strength in the soul; the strength of faith, to serve God, and to do our duty. If the law of Christ is written in our hearts, and the love of Christ is shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there. Where his Spirit dwells, there he dwells. We should desire that good affections may be fixed in us. And how desirable to have a fixed sense of the love of God in Christ to our souls! How powerfully the apostle speaks of the love of Christ! The breadth shows its extent to all nations and ranks; the length, that it continues from everlasting to everlasting; the depth, its saving those who are sunk into the depths of sin and misery; the height, its raising them up to heavenly happiness and glory. Those who receive grace for grace from Christ's fulness, may be said to be filled with the fulness of God. Should not this satisfy man? Must he needs fill himself with a thousand trifles, fancying thereby to complete his happiness?