Ephesians CHAPTER 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:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself:
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:
QUESTIONS & OBJECTIONS 1:7 "I know I'm a sinner, but I confess my sins to God daily. I tell Him that I'm sorry and I won't sin again."
If you find yourself in court with a $50,000 fine, will a judge let you go simply because you say you're sorry and you won't commit the crime again? Of course not. You should be sorry for breaking the law and, of course, you shouldn't commit the crime again. But only when someone pays your $50,000 fine will you be free from the demands of the law.
God will not forgive a sinner on the basis that he is sorry. Of course we should be sorry for sin—we have a conscience to tell us that adultery, rape, lust, murder, hatred, lying, stealing, etc., are wrong. And of course we shouldn't sin again. However, God will only release us from the demands for eternal justice on the basis that someone else paid our fine. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. His words on the cross were, "It is finished!" In other words, the debt has been paid in full. All who repent and trust in Him receive forgiveness of sins. Their case is dismissed on the basis of His suffering death.
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works 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.
13 In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to 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 to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
SPRINGBOARDS FOR PREACHING AND WITNESSING 2:4,5 The Love of God Imagine a place on the earth that never saw the sun. Day in, day out, it is covered with thick clouds. From the time a person was born until the time he died he never saw even a glimpse of the sun. Suppose you visited this place and tried to convince the inhabitants of the reality, the beauty, and the power of the sun. "Where I come from," you say, "a huge yellow ball rises up over the sea each day and floats across the sky, no strings attached, giving warmth and light to those upon the earth. The reason you don't experience it is because you are cut off from it by the clouds."
Although the thought may seem fantastic to those people, the fact that they don't believe in it does not change the reality that it exists.
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you 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 toward us 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 has 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 fills all in all.
1:1 Sainthood. There are those who believe that someone must be dead for many years, and have performed miracles, before he can be "exalted" to sainthood. Not so. Paul is writing to living people and, as he often begins his letters, he refers to them as "saints." The word "saint" comes from the same Hebrew root as "sanctified" and "holy," which mean "set apart." The moment we are born again, God sets us apart from the world
(sanctifies us) for His use. In addressing the Corinthian church, Paul writes: "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:2). A saint is not someone who has lived a "holy" life, but a forgiven sinner who has called upon the name of Jesus and been made righteous by the grace of God.
1:9 The will of God is no longer a mystery ("having made known..."). The next verse makes His will clear: He wants to gather the redeemed together. We can work within His will by seeking to save that which is lost. He is not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance. He has commanded us to "Go."
We don't need to wait for another moment. To wait upon God for His will, when it is so plainly given, is to sit in disobedience. If you are paralyzed by fear, leave a gospel tract in a shopping cart. Crawl before you walk. Do something to bring the message of eternal salvation to a dying world.
1:13 Many think that to "believe" in Jesus is merely an intellectual assent. However, when the Bible speaks of believing in Jesus
Christ, it means to trust in Him in the same way you trust yourself to an elevator. It is more than a mere acknowledgment of its ability to transport.
1:19 Our God's power is so great that He could easily turn 800 billion enemy tanks into fine powder with the flutter of an eyelash.
Never, never lose sight of the victory! Don't let the lies of enemy propaganda penetrate your mind. Remember the command, "Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; ... yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
To be discouraged is to dishonor God. If He is with us we must never lose courage. A