Sermon by Aje Pelser at Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town, South Africa.
Spheres of Living
Part of a Series on Truth from Ephesians, by Apostle Aje Pelser
Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

Eph 2:1-10
“And you being dead with reference to your trespasses and sins, He made alive;
in the sphere of which trespasses and sins at one time you ordered your behaviour as dominated by the spirit of the age in this world system,
as dominated by the leader of the authority of the lower atmosphere, the source also of the spirit that is now operating in the sons of disobedience among whom we all ordered our behaviour in the sphere of the cravings of our evil nature, continually practising the desires of our evil nature, continually practicing the desires of our evil nature and of our thoughts, and were continually children of wrath by nature, as also the rest.

But God, being wealthy in the sphere of mercy, because of His great love which He loved us, and we, being dead with respect tour trespasses, made us alive together with Christ; by grace we have been saved completely, and raised us with Him and seated us with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, in order that He might exhibit for His own glory in the ages that will pile themselves one upon another in continuous succession, the surpassing wealth of His grace in kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For by the grace have you been saved completely, through faith, with the result that your salvation persists through the present time; and this salvation is not from you as a source; of God it is the gift, not from a source of works, in order that no one might boast;

For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus with a view to good works which God prepared beforehand in order that within their sphere we may order our behaviour.”

It’s up to us to decide in which sphere of life we want to live. God can transport us from the sphere of darkness into the sphere of light. He can remove us form the snares of the sphere of sin into the sphere of liberty.

1. Lower Sphere
Here is a good description of the Lower sphere of existence:
“The sphere of which trespasses and sins at one time you ordered your behaviour as dominated by the spirit of the age in this world system, as dominated by the leader of the authority of the lower atmosphere, the source also of the spirit that is now operating in the sons of disobedience among whom we all ordered our behaviour in the sphere of the cravings of our evil nature”
The wisdom of this world is earthly, sensual and demonic.
James 3:14-17 “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

2. Higher Sphere
The higher sphere is a sphere of love and mercy:
“sphere of mercy, because of His great love which He loved us”
God can afford to be merciful. He is wealthy in the sphere of mercy. The world is lacking in mercy.
We operate from a different sphere of existence because: He has “seated us with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation is obtained in the higher sphere, and it is not from ourselves as a source; “of God it is the gift, not from a source of works.”
Repentance from dead works is one of the first foundations of our faith. Hebrews 6:1,2

3. Operational Sphere
Having established that our spiritual GPS is His predestination for our lives, we can be led by the Spirit on a daily basis, receiving His guidance as He shows us things to come, works to do so that we can walk in them and glorify our Father in heaven.
For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus with a view to good works which God prepared beforehand in order that within their sphere we may order our behaviour.”
We can’t hide our lamp under a bushel, but place it on a lampstand for the world to see and to glorify God. Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

As long as we operate according to our measure of faith, in the sphere of the good works He is showing us, we can live out the hope of His calling and explore the riches of the glorious inheritance of the saints together. We can also access the resurrection power of Jesus that God used to raise Him from the dead.

The name of Jesus gives us access to the higher sphere, the Holy Spirit lifts us into it and energizes and empowers us to live out our calling in the sphere of good works.