Ephesians

Chapters 1-4

The letter to the Ephesians is arguably the apostle Paul’s crowning achievement, centering on the doctrine of what Paul calls ‘the mystery.”  What he means by that is the unveiling of a wonderful truth never revealed before but now made known.  The wonderful truth is the announcement that believing Jews and believing Gentiles are now one in Christ (our position as co-heirs with Him in all things).  They are fellow members of the church, the Body of Christ.  At the present time, they are seated in Christ in the heavenly places.  In the future, they will share His glory as Head over all things.  We tend to take our position in Christ for granted and live our lives unaware of the wonder of this promise and all of its implications for eternity, yet our standing before the Almighty God is perfect, not because of anything we have done, now do, or will ever do; it is perfect because of the imputed Righteousness of christ to us, making us holy and blameless, justified, sanctified, and glorified forever!  Paul teaches us about this mystery in all six chapters of the epistle.

Chapter 1 – The Believers Position In Christ

The letter is addressed to “God’s holy people,” the saints in Ephesus.  Saints are people who have been separated to God from the world and applies to all born-again believers.  It refers to a believer’s position in Christ rather than what he is in himself.  It is God’s will that we be saintly, even though in ourselves be are not always saintly.  “Faithful” means, “believing ones” and is the description of all true believers, meaning primarily that they acknowledge Christ Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.

Next comes Paul’s greeting to the saints.  Grace means divine assistance in daily living, receivin from Him that which we do not deserve.  Believers have already been saved by the grace of God, His undeserved favor to the lost.  But now they need strength from God to face the problems, trials, and sorrows of life.  Peace speaks of a spirit at rest with the trying circumstances of life.  Believers are at peace with God at conversion, but need the peace of God, that is, the calm and assurance that comes from taking everything to God in prayer.  Notice that in Paul’s writings, grace always comes before peace.  Only after the sin question is resolved can peace be known and only through God can the believer experience peace.

Often our Christian experience seems to be a one-way street.  We seek God’s blessings but fail to bless Him in return.  Paul tells us in v.3 to “praise Him, the Father.”  Why?  - To bring joy to His heart by praise and worshipping love.  We bless Him with our praise and He blesses us “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.”  Why?  – Because we belong to the Lord Jesus, His Son.

1.      What are “spiritual blessings” and why are they set apart to believers?  (A) In contrast to the blessings of the OT, when Jews were blessed with long life, a large family, abundant crops, and protection from enemies (all temporal blessings), the blessings of Christianity are spiritual, that is, they deal with treasures that are nonmaterial, invisible, and imperishable.

2.      The expression, “In the heavenly places” is used 5 times in Ephesians.  Why is it so significant?  (A) They refer to all that the Christian has, his position (holy, blameless, set-apart, seated with Christ possessing all that Christ has and is, a right standing before the Father) and his experience as a result of being united to Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (at the moment of salvation).  It refers to everything that God has for the believer in the Lord Jesus.  How do we receive these blessings?  By uniting with Christ by faith, at that moment the new believer comes into possession of them all!

3.      “We belong to Christ” (v.3) means that God no longer looks on the believer as one condemned “in Adam,” rather he is “in Christ.”  When he is in Christ, he stands before God with all the acceptability of Christ Himself, and will enjoy all of God’s favor and acceptance as long as Christ does, namely, forever!

What are some of the “spiritual blessings?”

V. 4 introduces us to the (first) - which is election, the positive fact that God chose us.  It teaches that God does choose men to salvation (2 Thess. 2:13, Eph. 1:4, 2:8; Rom. 1:7, 1:16, 3:23-25).  It speaks to believers as those who are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God” (one Pet. 1:2).  How do people know they are elect?  By their response to the gospel: those who hear and believe are elect (1 Thess. 1:4-7).  Yet, God never chooses men to be lost.  Does any one ever deserve to be saved (there are none)?  But in Romans, Paul speaks of the elect as “vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory (Rom. 9:23).  The Bible clearly teaches that man also has a human responsibility in salvation (that is, to believe) and God makes an offer to salvation to everyone (the General Call)  (John 3:16; 3:36; Rom. 10:9,13).

The (second) blessing (1:5) we see is predestination, somewhat related to election, but not the same.  It means that God determined ahead of time that all who would be saved would also be adopted into His family as sons.  He could have saved us without making us his sons, but He chose to do both!  The implications are that, as sons, we have all the privileges and responsibilities of sonship (Gal. 4:4-7).  We are adopted “through Jesus Christ” (v.5).  The Father could never have brought us into this place of nearness and love as long as we were in our sins.  So, Jesus came to earth, and by His death, burial, and resurrection He settled the sin question to God’s satisfaction (called "Propitiation).  It is because of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary that God can call us His sons.  What was God’s motivation behind our predestination?  “This gave Him great pleasure!”  It reflects God’s purpose in His gracious dealings with man – His glory!  We are His pleasure!

The (third) blessing we see in God’s plan for His people is their redemption – “How He purchased our freedom through the blood of His Son, and our sins are forgiven” (v.7).  This wonder is known as propitiation, Christ satisfying the penalty for sin.  One might ask the question “How much forgiveness?”  His grace is infinite – so is His forgiveness!

Paul now begins to unveil “God’s secret plan,” the mystery scripture talks of, revealing to us, so that we can embrace with “all wisdom and understanding” (v.8), the wonderful truth concerning Christ and the church.  It is a plan centering in the sovereign will of God, apart from any outside influences (such as nations, demonic influences, man’s pride and self-will, etc.), and its subject is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Its purpose –for God’s pleasure! 

Paul unfolds a look at future aspect of the plan: “at the right time,” (v.10), that is, the Millennium, when Christ will return to the earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, God will bring  “everything together under the authority of Christ.”  This is and has always been God’s perfect plan; to set up Christ as Head over all things, heavenly and earthly, in the kingdom.

V.11-“we have received (past tense –we have already received it!) an inheritance from God, for He chose us from the beginning, for (all) things happen just as He decided long ago.”  How many things happen?  All things, just as He decided.  He is in control of everything!  Who is “we” in this promise?  (A) Paul speaks of the mystery in relation to Jewish believers in vv.11,12; in relation to Gentile believers in v.13; then he combines them in v.14.  What is the inheritance?  (A) This looks forward to the time when they and all true believers will be obvious to an amazed world as the Body of Christ, the Bride of the Lamb.  From all eternity past, these believers were marked out for this place of privilege by the sovereign will of God.  Why?  For the praise of His glory!

Verses 13,14 speak of the Gentile promise of salvation.  They speak of the process God uses for conversion: “you have heard the truth (the gospel of salvation); believed in Christ; sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, the guarantee that all God’s promises to the believer will be fulfilled.  As the “seal,” He guarantees that we ourselves will be kept safely for the inheritance.  As the “earnest” (the down payment), He guarantees the inheritance will be kept securely for us (we can never lose it or have it taken away!).  His role as “earnest” will cease when the “purchased possession” is redeemed at the end time.  What is the purchased possession?  (A) It may mean our inheritance (all that God possesses is ours as joint heirs with Christ); it may mean the believer’s body –our spirits and souls were redeemed when we first believed, but the redemption of our bodies is still future; or it may refer to the church, “His Own special people”, looking forward to the Rapture when Christ will present the church to Himself , glorious, without spot or wrinkle.

Verse 15 is the fulfillment of the commandments which Jesus left us –Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor-this covers everything a Christian does in his life.  What is the “spiritual wisdom and understanding (revelation), so that you might grow in your knowledge of God” referring to in v. 17?  (A) Paul is speaking not of knowledge in general, but a specific knowledge of God.  He wants the believers to have a deep, spiritual knowledge of God, one not gained by intellectual ability (anyone can know about Him), but only through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Why?  So that we can understand with the eyes of our heart, all that God wants to reveal to us.

Chapter 2 – Made Alive With Christ

“Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins (v.2:1).”  This should make us shudder with the reality of how close we were to eternal death.  The NKJV adds, “And you He made alive.”  This is everything for a believer and Paul builds on this truth throughout chapter 2.  “We were once lifeless before God, spiritually dead, living like the rest of the world, obeying Satan, full of sin.”  In and of ourselves, there was no hope –we were doomed, “following the passions and desires of our evil nature...under God’s anger” (v.3).  Some believe that Original Sin does not exist, but this verse clearly describes every person's standing before God, sinful and lost, trapped by the spirit (Satan) who "works in the sons of disobedience (v.2)."  The qestion one must ask, "If I am dead (spiritually) in my sins, how am I supposed to come to a beleiving faith?  After all, a dead man can do nothing!

That is what was, but now we are free because, “Even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life.”  When?  “When He raised Christ from the dead, He raised us from the dead with Him (vv.5,6).”  “It is only by God’s special favor (grace) that you have been saved.”  Grace means that we get the salvation we do not deserve, the grace being our regeneration (born again) through the power of the Holy Spirit.  What was the marvelous result?  “We are (at this very moment) seated in the heavenly realms, holy, blameless, perfect forever in our standing–all because we are one with Christ Jesus!  (v.6)”  The enormity of these verses is humbling.  It is in Christ that we are seen as already delivered from this present evil world and seated in Christ in glory!  This is how God sees us.  It is in Christ that we have been made alive, raised and seated.  Because we are “in” Him, His triumphs and His position are ours!

Verses 8-10 present a clear statement of God’s simple plan of salvation.  It begins with grace (His special, undeserved favor):  He takes the initiative in providing it.  It is undeserved because salvation is given to those who are utterly unworthy of it, given based on the Person and work (the cross) of the Lord Jesus.  How do we receive it?  V.8 – when you believed (through faith -our responsibility) while you were still a guilty, lost sinner.  And we can’t take credit for it – “it is a gift from God.”  This gift is offered to all people everywhere (the general call to salvation).  Unfortunately, many, maybe most, do not answer His call.

“For we are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago (v.10).” We are a new creation through Christ Jesus, for “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17).”  What kind of “good things” has He planned for us to do?  God has blue print for every life, which He planned before our conversion.  He mapped out a spiritual life for us.  Our responsibility is to find His will for us and then obey it.  of course, through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, His will is revealved.  We do not have to work out a plan for our lives, but only accept the plan that He has drawn up for us.  How do we find out the good works He has planned?  (1) Confess our sins and turn from them; (2) be continually surrendered to Him; (3) study the Word of God to discern His will and then do whatever He tells us to do; (4) pray each day; (5) accept opportunities of service as they arise; (6) be in fellowship with other Christians and seek their counsel.

It is a tragedy when we hear loved ones or friends say something as foolish as “I don’t need God right now in my life” or “Maybe someday I’ll be ready, just not now.”  V.12 says that “you were excluded from God’s people…you lived in this world without God and without hope.”  It is like they feel they are giving up something to follow Christ, but in reality, it cost Christ everything, His life and His blood in order to offer to them the free gift of salvation.

The same is true for all people – we were all lost and without hope at some time.  Paul explains that Jews and Gentiles were united as one people through Christ.  “His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new person from the two groups.  Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death (vv.15,16).”  What are the benefits we have as this new “one body”?  “We Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners, but citizens along with His holy people the Jews, members of one family.”  Believers are now members of the household of God, adopted into the divine family.  And finally, they have been made members of the church (His house) whose cornerstone is Christ.  It says that this “House” was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.  The foundation was laid once and for all time on the confession and teaching of the apostles and prophets teaching the great truth concerning Christ and the church.  The symbolism of v.21 brings us joy –“We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.”

Chapter 3 –God’s Secret Plan Revealed

Paul returns to the main theme of the letter, the “mystery” of God’s plan, and gives us the most complete explanation of it.  Paul calls himself “a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”  He was indeed a prisoner in Rome at the time he wrote the letter, sometime between A.D. 60-62, but in spit of being in a Roman prison for two years and prior to that a prisoner in Caesarea for another two years, he did not consider himself to be a prisoner of any government or person.  Rather, he knew he was under Christ’s control, and every aspect of his life was in the Lord’s hands.

He was a prisoner for preaching to the Gentiles and explains that it was not his choice but that God had given this special ministry to him, announcing God’s grace to the Gentiles.  He preached about the unveiling of God’s “secret plan” the mystery of Christ.  The plan was to bring Jews and Gentiles together in one body in the Messiah.  For the Jews, this was an unbelievable message, even though God had promised universal blessing through Abraham (Gen. 12:3; Isaiah 49:6).  They believed that they were the only race of people that God would someday save through the promised Messiah.  Paul preached the truth that within the church, made up of all the saved since Pentecost in one united body, Jew and Gentile, there would be no social, racial, or spiritual distinctions.  We are fellow  heirs, fellow members, and fellow partners of His promise in Christ through the Gospel.

Some claim that Israel and the church are the same or that the church replace Israel in God’s eternal plan.  Israel was called to be God’s chosen earthly people.  The church is called to be the heavenly Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:2,9).  In the coming Kingdom, Israel will be the head of the nations (Isa. 60:12) and the church will reign with Christ over the entire universe, sharing His glory (Eph. 1:22,23).

Part of Paul’s ministry was to explain to everyone this plan of God (v.9).  Part of God’s present purpose was to reveal His “His wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm (v.10).”  Who are these rulers?  He is talking about the angles, both good and fallen.  The church in Christ is the lesson being taught and from heaven, the angels will see the glory of God in the salvation and preservation of the church.  They see how God has won over sin to His own glory.  They see how He sent His own Son to redeem earth’s worst sinners, you and me.  They see the price God paid, conquering over sin through love and sacrifice.  They see how He prepares the redeemed to be Christ’s eternal Bride.  And they see the glory that is God’s through the sacrifice of Christ at the cross.

As a result of Christ’s work and our faith in Him, we now have the incredible privilege of entering into God’s presence at any time (v.12), in full confidence of being heard, and without any fear of being scolded or rejected (Jas. 1:5).  This is possible because of our faith in Christ.  In times past, the Jews could not even utter or write His name.  Now we come calling to him, Abba Father.

Verses 14-21 – Paul understands the tremendous scope of the plan he has just revealed to the Ephesians.  In praise and honor he prays to “the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.”  What did he pray for?  V.16 – “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit.”  This emphasizes the “mighty inner strength” that the Father gives from His unlimited resources, resources that know no bounds, no limits, have no constraints; all that He has He gives to those who are willing to receive.  The strength he prays for is spiritual power.  Not the power to perform miracles, but the spiritual power needed to be mature, intelligent Christians.  That strength comes only from the Spirit.

The second part of the plan Paul prays for is “that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust Him (v.17).”  It is the reason we are strengthened –in order that Christ may live in our hearts.  Christ lives in us from the time we are converted.  What Paul means is not about His being in the believer, but that He might have access to every corner and deep recess of our hearts so that our heart becomes the home of Christ, the place where He loves to be.  Paul prays that “our roots may go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love (v.17).”  What does he mean?  That we may become so deeply involved with His love that it becomes our way of life, the life of love, full of kindness, selflessness, surrender and humility.  It is Christ’s life reflected through ours.

Notice in v.18 that Paul prays “that all of God’s people might have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.”  By ourselves, we can only grasp a small part of that wisdom, but as we share with one another in study, in prayer and discussion, we might find the H.S. deepening our understanding of what it means to be in Christ and to share His love.  So many Christians are caught up in the everyday manipulations of this world that they never experienced the depth of the love of Christ.  It is his prayer that we might learn more about from day to day and that we might be filled with the “fullness of life and power that comes from God.”  How?  By allowing Jesus to live in our hearts more fully, day by day.

Finally, to God’s glory, His mighty power is at work in us through His Spirit.  The more we are surrendered to Him, the greater will be the Spirit’s effectiveness in conforming us to Christ (v.20).

Chapter 4 –Unity In the Body

V.1 – “Therefore I…beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”  The last three chapters have dealt with the Christian’s calling.  In the last three chapters, he is urged to lead a life worthy of his calling.  Paul explained the position in to which  grace has lifted us.  From here on it will be the practical out working of that position.  Other translations read, “Walk worthy” – how do we walk worthy?  It describes an entire lifestyle, one that is consistent with a Christian’s position as a member of the Body of Christ.  We are to be everything the Lord desires and empowers us to be.

Paul describes the lifestyle as consisting of: Lowliness – a humility that comes from living in Christ –the opposite of conceit and arrogance.  Gentleness – the attitude that submits to God’s dealings without rebellion.  It is mild-spirited and self-controlled.  Patience or longsuffering – patience under long-drawn-out aggravation – comes from being humble and gentle.  Making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love – making allowances for the faults and failures of others, or their different personalities, abilities or character.  Keeping united in the Spirit and binding yourselves together with peace – living at peace with one another.  We are one in the Spirit in Christ but often act as if it wasn’t so.  Too often, the reaction to problems is to divide and start another party, join another church, seek a different denomination, etc.  MacDonald suggests our reactions should be: “In essentials, unity.  In doubtful questions, liberty.  In all things, charity.”

VV. 4-6 - Seven positive realities which form the basis of true Christian unity:

One body, made up of all true believers from Pentecost to the Rapture;

One Spirit, the same H.S. indwells each believer and also the Body of Christ;

One glorious future, all believers called to one destiny –to be with Christ, to be like Him, and to share in His glory forever – all that awaits the saints at the return of Jesus and forever.

One Lord, there is One God and One Lord Jesus – over all things and living through us;

One Faith – the Christian faith, the body of doctrine “once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), given to us in the NT.  Add nothing to it and take nothing away from it (Rev.22:18,19)!

One baptism – One baptism by the Spirit, by which those who trust Christ are placed in the body (1Cor. 12:13).  There is also one baptism by which converts confess their identification with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection.  By being baptized, believers express their commitment to Christ, the burial of their old self, and a determination to walk in the newness of life.

One God –Believers recognize one God and Father of all – over us all-the supreme Sovereign of the universe; In us all - He acts through all, using everything to accomplish His purpose; living through us all – He dwells in every believer and is present in all places at the same time.

V.7 – “He has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ.”  The Holy Spirit is the One who gives some gift to every saint, and who also gives the ability to use that gift.

VV.8-10 – The main idea here is that the Giver of gifts (quoted from Psalm 68:18) is the Ascended Christ.  Ascended means He first had to descend.  Where?  To the earth, to the manger in Bethlehem, to the cross and the grave and now ascended above all the universe to fill all things THROUGH HIM, the supreme Sovereign over all.

V.11 – in addition to the personal gifts for all believers, He gives not abilities or talents, but people; apostles, prophets, evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Why?  To perfect or build up , to equip all Christians to serve the Lord and to build up the church, the Body of Christ.

V-13 – answers the question of “how long will this growth process continue.” Until the Lord takes His church home to heaven, when “we will arrive at the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son, then we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.”  It must be one of our main goals, to come to the knowledge of the Son of God.  How?  Through prayer, faithful study of His Word, and obedience to His commands.  Maturity is the life-long work of the process of Sanctification whereby we are, day by day, made into the image of Christ.  Part of that knowledge is understanding that “positionally,” after the cross and resurrection, we are already seated at the right hand of God and will be forever, holy, blameless, seen by the Father through the veil of Christ.

V.14 – Paul says, “Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe…”  Using the gifts God gives us, practicing the unity of faith required and knowing God’s Son Jesus, we won’t be like those immature Christians who are not grounded in the knowledge of Christ through God’s Word and are forever changing their minds, accepting every doctrine that tickles their fancy while all the while destroying their walk with Christ.  We must know the Word, be grounded in it and live it to our fullest capacity as the Spirit leads.

V.15 – “Instead, we hold to the truth in love…”  The NKJV says “speaking the truth in love…”  This speaks of the evangelism we are all called to, which is most effective when the truth is spoken in love.  “Becoming more and more in every way like Christ…” – as we yield and surrender ourselves and are obedient to His will, the Spirit in us makes us more and more like the Lord Jesus.

V.16 – is important because we are “under His direction”   The power for producing mature, equipped believers comes not from the effort of those believers alone but from the Head, the Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 2:19).  “The whole body is fitted together perfectly.”  Godly, biblical church growth results from every member of the body fully using His spiritual gift, in submission to the Holy Spirit and working together with other Christians.  The Christian experience should never be about self – it is all from Him, and through Him and for Him.

VV.17-24 tells us that Christians should no longer walk in the old way that once defined them, hopelessly confused, apart from God and full of darkness.  We once lived in the old way because we shut our minds and hardened our hearts to God’s authority.  But now we have learned, heard and were taught (vv.20,21), the essence of the salvation experience.  Now because we have been taught and learned, we are to throw off our old evil nature and former way of life and live a life of spiritual renewal of our thoughts and attitudes.  He calls us to show the world our new nature because we are a new person, created in God’s likeness –righteous, holy, and true (v.24)!

V.25 – because we have put off the old man and have put on the new man, we must put aside all falsehood and “tell our neighbor the truth.”  Here Paul means fellow believers when he mentions neighbors.  It is unthinkable for one Christian to lie to one another –we have Christ in us and are members together with Him in one body!

V.26 –Is it ok for a Christian to be angry?  Yes but do not sin in your anger.  It can be either good or bad, depending on motive and purpose.  Anger that hates injustice, immorality, ungodliness and every other sin may be righteous anger.  When anger is unselfish and based on the love for God and others, it is not only permissible but also commanded (Matt.21:12).

The rest of the chapter from v.27-32 continues to give good instruction on how a Christian is to work out the practical expression of his position in Christ.  “We are not to let the sun go down on our anger – get it resolved.  Don’t use foul language, instead let it be good and helpful and an encouragement.  Don’t bring sorrow to God’s people by the way you live.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage , anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tender hearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you.”