{"id":3552,"date":"2023-09-06T16:07:10","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T16:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/?p=3552"},"modified":"2024-01-09T17:29:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T17:29:37","slug":"dgccs-vision-joyfully-treasuring-christ-and-prayerfully-pursuing-christlikeness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/2023\/09\/06\/dgccs-vision-joyfully-treasuring-christ-and-prayerfully-pursuing-christlikeness\/","title":{"rendered":"DGCC’s Vision Part II: Joyfully Treasuring Christ and Prayerfully Pursuing Christlikeness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preface<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why We Exist: Gospel Purpose<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Our mission statement at DGCC says the following:<\/p>\n

We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is why we exist. This is our gospel purpose<\/em>. This has been DGCC\u2019s identity from the time it was planted 20 years ago. And, by God\u2019s grace, this will be DGCC\u2019s gospel purpose for the next 20 years and beyond. The question is, what<\/em> exactly do we aim to do to live out this gospel purpose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What We Do: Gospel Pursuit<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

For the past several months the Vision Team here at DGCC has met regularly to pray and discern DGCC\u2019s vision for the foreseeable future. Essentially, the Vision Team aimed to articulate what we do<\/em>, our gospel pursuit<\/em>. And, by God\u2019s grace, in our most recent members meeting, the Vision Team shared with our fellow members the vision we believe God has led us to. This statement below captures that vision.<\/p>\n

We glorify God by joyfully treasuring Christ and prayerfully pursuing Christlikeness in the love of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Scripture birthed this statement. Specifically, Ephesians 3:14\u201321 became the foundational text that informed and shaped this vision statement. Over the next several blog posts, I will unpack this vision statement. And I aim to do that by unpacking Ephesians 3:14\u201321 in order to (1) reveal the wonderful truths within this glorious prayer of Paul and to (2) hold those truths up as a glorious vision for the saints of DGCC.[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In our initial post, we considered the core of this vision: We glorify God<\/a><\/strong>. Here in the second installment of this series, we consider the following portion of our vision statement: by joyfully treasuring Christ and prayerfully pursuing Christlikeness.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Purpose of Paul\u2019s Petitions in Ephesians 3:14\u201321<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s prayer to God on behalf of the Ephesians ultimately aims at glorifying God. But what exactly does Paul request of God on behalf of the Ephesians? Paul makes two petitions in his prayer to God the Father on behalf of the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:14\u201321. First, Paul prays that God the Father would strengthen the Ephesian Christians with Holy Spirit power. Second, he prays that God the Father would strengthen the Ephesian Christians with Holy Spirit power to grasp and know God the Father\u2019s love for them in Christ.[2]<\/a> But these petitions are not ends in themselves. Paul makes these each of these petitions for specific purposes: the treasuring of Christ<\/em> and Christlikeness<\/em>. We can apply those purposes to all Christians, including us.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First Purpose: Treasuring Christ<\/em><\/p>\n

First, Paul prays for the Holy Spirit\u2019s power to strengthen the Ephesians in order that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith<\/em> (Ephesians 3:14\u201317).[3]<\/a> Thus, we as Christians need Holy Spirit power in order that Christ would dwell more richly in our hearts, that he would have the throne of our hearts, and that he might begin to shape and mold our hearts, fashioning them to reflect his desires. Carson likens this to remodeling a recently purchased, dilapidated house in order to make it a permanent, livable, lovely home, that is intentionally shaped and curated to the renovator\u2019s specifications, desires, and purposes.[4]<\/a> Thus, we as Christians need the power of the Holy Spirit to open up even more of our hearts to our king so that he would have full access to \u201ctake up residence in our hearts as we exercise faith in him<\/em>.\u201d[5]<\/a> This exercise of faith in Christ so that he dwells in our hearts is the treasuring of Christ above all things and submitting ourselves to him (Philippians 3:7\u20138). Because Jesus is our greatest treasure, this isn\u2019t done begrudgingly, but joyfully (Philippians 3:1). In short, we as Christians need the Holy Spirit\u2019s power in order that we might joyfully treasure Christ more<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Second Purpose: Christlikeness<\/em><\/p>\n

Second, Paul prays that God the Father would strengthen the Ephesian Christians with Holy Spirit power to know God\u2019s love for them in order that they might be filled with all the fullness of God<\/em> (Ephesians 3:18\u201319).[6]<\/a> Being \u201cfilled with all the fullness of God\u201d refers to Christian maturity (Ephesians 4:11\u201314).[7]<\/a> Elsewhere, Paul uses the phrase \u201cfullness of Christ\u201d to make the same point (Ephesians 4:13). Thus, we as Christians need the Holy Spirit\u2019s power to strengthen us to know spiritually, emotionally, experientially, and intellectually God\u2019s love for us in Christ in order to grow in our maturity as Christians\u2014in order to become more Christlike.[8]<\/a> Indeed, the entire Christian life aims at Christlikeness\u2014conformity to the Son\u2014which God has predestined (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:9; 1 John 3:2\u20133). Therefore, we as Christians live out our identity in Christ by actively pursuing Christlikeness. Notably, though, we are completely dependent on the Holy Spirit to give us this greater revelation of God the Father\u2019s love for us in Christ. Therefore, our pursuit of Christlikeness is a prayerful pursuit. In short, we as Christians need the Holy Spirit\u2019s power and a deeper knowledge of God\u2019s love for us in Christ in order that we might grow in Christlikeness<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Conclusion: Joyfully Treasuring Christ and Prayerfully Pursuing Christlikeness<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, Paul\u2019s ultimate aim in this prayer for the Ephesians is God\u2019s glory (Ephesians 3:21). This is why the core of our vision at DGCC is this: We glorify God<\/em>. And here in Paul\u2019s prayer, we see what Paul prayed for so that the Ephesians would do just that. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would (1) have Christ dwell in their hearts through faith, or treasure Christ<\/em>, and (2) reach full spiritual maturity as Christians, or be Christlike<\/em>.<\/p>\n

According to Ephesians 3:14\u201321, then, Christians glorify God by treasuring Christ and pursuing Christlikeness.<\/em> This treasuring of Christ is a joyful<\/em> treasuring of Christ rising from deep gratitude for God\u2019s kindness toward us in Christ (Ephesians 5:20). And this pursuit of Christlikeness is a prayerful<\/em> pursuit that recognizes our utter dependence on God to fill us with all his fullness (Ephesians 3:14\u201321).<\/p>\n

Therefore, we at DGCC make this our aim: We glorify God by joyfully treasuring Christ and prayerfully pursuing Christlikeness.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Exegesis of this passage was aided by and leans heavily on Carson, who unpacks this passage in D. A. Carson, Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation<\/em>, Second. (Baker Academic, 2015), 159\u201381.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 161.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> See Carson on this point in Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 163\u201367.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 163\u201364.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 164.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> See Carson on this point in Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 167\u201376. Especially 172.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 172.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Carson, Praying with Paul<\/em>, 173.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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