CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION:
AUTHOR: the apostle Paul (see vs 1)
DATE: Probably between 60 & 61 A.D.
THEME: GRACE and FAITH
ABOUT: Paul had been imprisoned, and sent this letter.
Some have said it was a circular letter, sent to many churches.
The church would insert its own name when received.

The folk at Ephesus were mostly Gentile.
Paul, in this letter, asserts an equality in Gentile and Jewish believers.
ALL must come Christ by His grace.
And all must exercise faith.

1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Perhaps one of the reason this is thought to be a circular letter is that last statement
"...and to the faithful in Christ."
It is certainly possible that the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit caused Paul to include that phrase because
it would be used by all the churches.

The word "faithful" in the Greek is pistos and means trustworthy.
He who believes Jesus Christ, and lives by that belief is "faithful."

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul greets them with "grace...and peace."

As I have stated before, If you are a believer in Christ, you are capable of imparting grace and peace
to others with your words and actions.
Grace and peace are WITHIN the believer by the presence of God's Holy Spirit.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

God has provided "spiritual blessings" IN Christ!
Those blessings are contained in "heavenly places" and are imparted by God's GRACE to ALL mankind!
(see Eph. 2:8)

We must understand that, here it is stated they are provided, not necessarily given.

But following, we will find some spiritual blessing that are GIVEN to those who BELIEVE!

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

BEFORE God ever created the world (universe), He chose that those who believe in Him (Christ)
would be considered holy and without blame!

The blessing of being able to appear before God without fault can ONLY come through belief in Christ
as LORD of who we are.

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

There has been MUCH misunderstanding of the word "predestinated"!
It APPLIES to those who are "the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself!"
And THAT is "according to the good pleasure of HIS (God's) will"!

The word "predestinated" comes from the Greek proorizo which means to determine beforehand.
God has determined that one who believes in Christ as Lord, will be accepted.
It is NOT based on birth of some "elite"!

For instance, in old days, the water at the creek was there for one's use.
But one had to GO GET IT!

Just as Jewish people like Paul were birthed into a family, but had to BELIEVE IN CHRIST to be saved!

This places equality in salvation!
ANYONE who surrenders to Jesus CAN be saved from condemnation!
(Luke 9:23, John 3:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 4:12, Rom. 10:9-10)

"For there is no respect of persons with God!" (Rom.2:11)

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

When one is accepted (adopted) by surrender to Christ as Lord, it is to "the praise of the
glory of HIS grace!"
Anyone CAN be saved, but ONLY those who COMMIT to Christ WILL be saved!!

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Redemption from the slavery to sin, and forgiveness of sins ONLY come "according to the riches
of HIS grace"!

Grace is God's charitable offer of salvation through the price Jesus paid on the cross.
Christ's blood was given as the ONLY acceptable sacrifice for our sins.
And THAT is "the riches of HIS grace!"

Thus, one can ONLY receive redemption through believing Jesus offered that blood
for ANYONE who comes to Him pleading forgiveness and turning his/her life over to Jesus.

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

God's "wisdom"(vs 9) has been exhibited in the fact that "the mystery of His will" is
revealed in the Person and Act of Jesus Christ.

His wisdom is that He purposed beforehand, that even though we are sinners all, He CAN
and WILL save us through what Christ has done, if we only believe and yield to Him as Lord.

"Prudence" comes from the Greek froneesis.
It means that God acted with intelligence in forethought.

God has ALWAYS "abounded," or been excessive, in wisdom and intelligence.
And, the "mystery of His will" is SHOWN through the offer of salvation in Christ.

God "purposed in Himself" that the offer would be made!
Is.43:11 says, "I am the Lord thy God, and beside me there is no Savior!"
In other words, Jehovah God even laid out His plan in the Old Testament.

This "Purpose" is further explained in the following.

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Christ came "in the dispensation of the fulness of times."
In other words, He came at the PERFECT time in the age of the world.

That perfect time was:
* when there had been NO prophet for 400 years; * when the most cruel death instrument ever invented (the cross) was being used; * and when ONLY believing could give sight.

God did "gather together in ONE all things in Christ!"
Everything in heaven and earth takes its direction from Christ!
Jesus said, "ALL power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matt. 28:18)

And it is ONLY through Christ that we might receive "an inheritance" of eternal life.
That "inheritance" was "predestinated" according to God's Holy will!

Therefore, FIRST, those who have received Christ as Lord are to the "praise of"
God's glory!!
Being saved is PRAISE to God's GLORY!

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

OH! How I LOVE this verse!!
The word "sealed" comes from the Greek sphragizo which means, in our day,
NOTARIZED, CERTIFIED!
In those days (when Paul was writing), a king would have a special signet ring.
Many others might have the same KIND of ring, but would have a DIFFERENT type.
The ring was used to seal in wax an important document.
That seal certified that it was from the person who wore the insignia in his ring.

My friend, if you have "heard" the gospel of salvation through Jesus, and you have
"believed" it, then you have been SEALED by the blood of the cross!

ONLY Jesus (God in flesh) bore THAT seal!!!

And, following, is MORE about that seal.

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

That seal is only the "earnest", or down payment!
That seal WILL LAST "until the redemption of the purchased possession!"

If you want to know more about that seal, read my book, which you can find here:
https://www.linktojesus.org/page10a.html

Again, when we reach the point of ultimate redemption, and reside with God in glory
it will be "unto the praise of HIS GLORY!"

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

This is one of Paul's prayers for the saints in Ephesus. (Another is in Eph. 3:14-21)

One thing we can learn from this is to be DAILY in prayer for others in the faith of Christ.

Paul asks that they receive "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowlege of Him (Jesus)."
This wisdom is found by daily Bible study, which is always accompanied by the Holy Spirit. (See John 14:26)

The "eyes" (vs 18) are indicative of SIGHT.
Jesus is the "light" by which we see and understand. (John 1:4)
The "light" of Jesus shines in the darkness of the world, and the darkness is NOT ABLE to overcome it. (John 1:5)

In vs 19, Paul speaks of the "power" of God to work IN and THROUGH the believer.
In Philippians 2:13, Paul sad, "For it is God which worketh IN you both to WILL and do of His good pleasure."
God works in the believer to PURPOSE and PERFORM those things which please Him!

In vs 20, Paul speaks of this same "mighty power" as that which "raise Him (Jesus) from the dead!"
Imagine that!!!
The same power which raised Jesus from the dead WORKS in the believer!

In vs 21 we find that "mighty power" is from Christ, Who is "above ALL!!"

In vss 22-23, the Lord God has placed EVERYTHING "under His (Jesus') feet!"
And, Jesus is the "HEAD" of the church -- the physical body of Jesus on earth. (1Cor. 12:27)

An AMAZING thought is in vs 23!
The CHURCH has a relationship with Christ, just like your body has a relationship with your head.
It is the head that tells the body how to act and react!

Another thought here is COMPLETENESS.
The body will be FULLY complete when Christ gathers ALL to Himself!

TODAY, we Christians are "children," born again and sealed in the Spirit of God.
We are to strive toward being in "unity" until we are grown at the ultimate redemption of Christ.
(See Eph. 4:13-16)

Christian, you have the "power" (vs 19)!
Are you USING it?

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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