«　WEEK 5　DAY 2　»

　　Eph. 3:1 "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you, the Gentiles."

　　Eph. 4:1 "I beseech you therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called."

　　Although Paul was a steward, …the apostle…considered himself the prisoner of Christ [Eph. 3:1]. Apparently he was confined in a physical prison; actually he was imprisoned in Christ. On the basis of such a status, the status of his actual living as a prisoner in Christ, he besought the saints [4:1].

　　Paul considered himself the prisoner of Christ because he had been imprisoned by Christ.…Christ was Paul's prison. One day, the very Christ whom you love will become your prison. Sooner or later, every steward of God, every minister of God's riches, every faithful lover of Christ, will be imprisoned not only by Christ but also in Christ. The more you love Him, the more you will be in Him. Eventually, you will be in Him to such an extent that He will become your prison. Once you are placed in this prison, you will not want to get out, because you will love this prison very much. Here you enjoy Christ to the uttermost. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 242-243)

　　Everyone who loves the Bible has a high regard for the Epistle to the Ephesians.…Ephesians contains the highest revelation in the Bible. This revelation was given to a man imprisoned in Christ, a man who enjoyed Christ as his prison. This indicates that in order to see something so heavenly and divine, we need to be a prisoner in the Lord. The more freedom we have, the more blind we are. But if Christ is our prison, our eyes will be opened to see the heavenly vision, and we shall receive the highest revelation.

　　Christ is unlimited, immeasurable, and unsearchable. He is the all-inclusive One that fills all in all (1:23). He is even the very dimensions of the universe: the breadth and length and height and depth (3:18). What a Christ He is! Ephesians 5:25 says that Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” This verse indicates that Christ is a church-loving Christ.…[He is also] the new-man-creating Christ, the all-things-heading-up Christ, the gift-making and gift-giving Christ, and the home-making Christ. What a Christ we have! (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 243, 662, 668)

　　God's hand led and directed Ezekiel as a person who spoke for God. His every action was under God's hand. Wherever he went, whatever he did, and how he acted and behaved were all due to God's leading and directing hand. Whether he was bound or free, whether he mourned or rejoiced, whether he went or came—everything was under the leading and directing of God's hand. Here we see that a man who speaks for God no longer has his own freedom and can no longer do things according to his own convenience. If God's hand leads him to go to a certain place, he must go there. If God's hand directs him to do a certain thing, he must do it. His actions are according to the leading of God's hand and are under the strict directing of God's hand. Where he goes and what he does are not according to his choice but are under and according to the leading and directing hand of God. This requires the one who speaks for God to pay a considerable price. (Life-study of Ezekiel, pp. 21-22)

　　Among so many who have been captured by Christ, Paul was one. He was one of the biggest opponents to Christ and to His gospel. One day on the road to Damascus, he was conquered, subdued, and captured (Acts 9:1-9). From that day he became a captive of Christ. We may think that Paul was going out to travel here and there as a wonderful preacher. But according to his feeling, he was in the triumphal procession of Christ.…Paul was a captive in the celebration of Christ's victory. (CWWL, 1967, vol. 2, “An Autobiography of a Person in the Spirit, “p. 151)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Ephesians, msgs. 28, 79; Life-study of Ezekiel, msg. 2; CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “The God-man Living, “msg. 8; CWWL, 1967, vol. 2, “An Autobiography of a Person in the Spirit, “chs. 3, 6