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“From
Paul, who by God’s will is an apostle of Christ Jesus – To God’s people who
live in Ephesus, those who are faithful in their life in Christ Jesus: May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
give you grace and peace” (1:1-2).
Ephesians has well been described as ‘the Alps of the New Testament’.
(a) The Writer
Despite claims of critics to the contrary, we believe the author to be Paul, writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
(b) The Recipients
It may well be that this was a circular intended for all the churches. Not all manuscripts have the words “in Ephesus”. And there are no personal greetings.
(c) The Reason
Paul here outlines the mission and destiny of the Church.
Whereas Colossians puts the emphasis on CHRIST as HEAD of the Church … Ephesians emphasises that Christ is Head OF THE CHURCH!
Chapters 1-3 Doctrinal. Our Standing … How God sees us.
Chapters 4-6 Practical. Our State … How we really are – or should be!
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“Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ! For He has blessed us, in
our union with Christ, by giving us every spiritual gift in the heavenly
world. Before the world was made, God
had already chosen us to be His in Christ, so that we would be holy and
without fault before Him. Because of
His love, God had already decided that through Jesus Christ He would bring us
to Himself as His sons – this was His pleasure and purpose. Let us praise God for His glorious grace,
for the free gift He gave us in His dear Son!
“For by the death of Christ we are set free, that is, our
sins are forgiven. How great is the
grace of God, which He gave to us in such large measure! In all His wisdom and insight God did what
He had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan He had already decided to
complete by means of Christ. God’s
plan, which He will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation
together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as Head.
“All
things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be His own people in union with Christ
because of His own purpose, based on what He had decided from the very beginning. Let us, then, who were the first to hope in
Christ, praise God’s glory!
“And so it was with you also; when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation, you believed in Christ, and God put His stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit He had promised. The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised His people, and assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are His. Let us praise His glory!” (1:3-14)
Paul now outlines for us some of the blessings that God “has given” His people (v. 3).
In the Old Testament the blessings promised to His earthly people were of a material nature … e.g. long life, victory over enemies, good harvest, lots of children (Deuteronomy 28).
But to the Church (Spiritual Israel), the blessings are spiritual. Material blessings may also come as a fringe benefit … but they are not the important thing!!
1. SALVATION … v.4
“He chose us to be His in Christ”.
The key phrase, of course, is “in Christ”.
God did not arbitrarily pick and choose who He would save “before the world was made”. But He did then decree that those who placed their faith in Christ would partake of His salvation.
He did not choose (elect) some to be saved and some to be lost … but He did choose HOW man might be saved … by being “in Christ” … and that is a choice each individual must make.
2. SONSHIP … v. 5
The Authorised Version has “children”, but “sons” is the correct translation. We are BORN into God’s family … and become His “children”. But we are ADOPTED (see A.V.) into His family as “sons”.
The doctrine of “adoption” (which the Good News Bible dodges), is not based on contemporary Western adoption laws. It has to do with a Roman custom prevalent in Paul’s day. Somewhere around the mid-teenage years the child in the family would enter into full adulthood with a special adoption ceremony. He then inherited all the rights of sonship.
Regeneration (which makes us God’s children) has to do with our relationship to Him.
Adoption (which makes us God’s sons) has to do with the rights and privileges that are ours. But there is no need to wait fifteen years or so. Our adoption takes place at the same time as our regeneration. It is one of the blessings we have “in Christ”.
3. REDEMPTION … v. 7a
The effect of our redemption is that we have been set free from Satan’s bondage.
The price of our redemption was the “blood of Christ” (A.V.)
4. FORGIVENESS … v. 7b
Not only are we released from the Devil’s prison house … but the charges against us are blotted out.
“How great is the grace of God!!” (v. 7).
5. GLORY! BYE AND BYE … vs. 9-13
The Day is coming when God will bring all creation together with Christ as Head (v. 10). That does not mean everybody will be saved. It will only include those who make Christ “head” of their lives now (v. 13).
6. SECURITY … vs. 13-14
Those who are “in Christ” are “stamped” (sealed, AV) with the Holy Spirit. It is the analogy of a king putting his signet ring upon the wax and sealing some document with it. It is HIS … and we are His!
The Holy Spirit is the “guarantee” (deposit, NIV) that God will one day claim His purchase. Whilst we “abide in Christ” that security is ours.
Then
on each He setteth His own secret sign.
“They
that have My Spirit, these,” saith He, “are Mine!”
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“For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks
to God for you. I remember you in my
prayers, and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give
you the Spirit, Who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know
Him. I ask that your minds may be
opened to see His light, so that you will know what is the hope to which
He has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings He promises His people,
and how very great is His power at work in us who believe. This power in us is the same as the mighty
strength which He used when He raised Christ from death, and seated Him
at His right hand in the heavenly world.
Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and
lords; He is above all titles of power
in this world and in the next. God put
all things under Christ’s feet, and gave Him to the church as supreme Lord over
all things. The church is Christ’s
body, the completion of Him Who Himself completes all things everywhere” (vs. 15-23).
Paul thanks the Lord for two things – their faith in Christ, and their love toward others (v. 15). Some believers are like a rowboat with one oar … they have the faith but no love … and hence they make no spiritual progress.
He goes on to pray that God will open their spiritual eyes that they might understand four needed truths (v. 17a).
1. KNOW HIS PERSON … v. 17
Now there are three ways to “know Him”: we need to know Him personally (that’s Justification); we need to know Him progressively (that’s Sanctification); and one Day we will know Him perfectly “even as we are known” (that’s Glorification).
It is the second of these to which Paul here refers – “know Him better” (NIV).
These readers were converted, but Paul prays for them to grow in their Christian pilgrimage. We accomplish this by getting to know the Written Word better, for “beyond the sacred page we see the Lord”.
The devotional life must be cultivated by Prayer, Bible Study and Christian fellowship, if we would ‘know Him’ better.
2. KNOW HIS PURPOSE … v. 18
It is twofold. The first aspect we have noted in Ephesians 1:4.
(a) Holiness now … He saved us that we might be holy!
(b) Heaven then … In the Age to come there is Glory bye and bye! (1:9-13).
It is this second aspect here emphasised. The Living Bible translates verse 18a: “that you can see something of the future He has called you to share…”
John’s poetic picture of Heaven’s glories boggles the mind (Revelation 21:10-22:5).
Paul speaks of his glimpse of heaven … and words fail him! (II Corinthians 12:4.)
Even so, a certain amount has been revealed … and it is the apostle’s prayer that his converts will understand something of what is in store for them. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed hereafter! (Romans 8:18.)
3. KNOW HIS POWER … vs. 19-20
It has been well said that what the world needs today is not atomic power but apostolic power. Those early disciples were able to turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6) … which is what it needed because its sense of values was upside-down … and they did it by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Paul actually says that the same power that raised Christ from the dead (!) is available to every believer (v. 20). Or should I say, “Every believer should make himself available to the Holy Spirit? ‘Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?’”
That’s the recipe for the Spirit’s fullness!
** The power of the
Holy Spirit in our lives will be in proportion to the commitment we make to Him
…
4. KNOW HIS PRE-EMINENCE … vs. 21-23
He Who has been exalted to the throne at the Father’s right hand must also take His place upon the throne in the believer’s heart. In all things He is to have the pre-eminence (Colossians 1:18). He is the Head of the Church … and those who are members of that Body should submit to the Head’s commands.
If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all …
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“In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. At that time you followed the world’s evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. Actually all of us were like them, and lived according to our natural desires, and did whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. Like everyone else, we too were naturally bound to suffer God’s wrath.
“But God’s mercy is so abundant, and His love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience He brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved. In our union with Christ Jesus He raised us up with Him to rule with Him in the heavenly world. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of His grace in the love He showed us in Christ Jesus. For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing, but God’s gift. There is nothing here to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts. God is our Maker, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good works, which He has already prepared for us to do” (vs. 1-10).
In these verses we have a brief biography of every believer … and Paul includes himself (v. 3, “all of us”).
1. HOW WE WERE … vs. 1-3
(a) Dead! … v. 1
Cut off from the source of life. In our unsaved condition we were dead in the sight of a Holy God.
(b) Disobedient! … v. 2
We followed our own desires instead of the Lord’s. We were not only sinners by nature (dead!), but also sinners by choice (disobedient!)
(c) Deceived! … v. 2
We listened to the Devil’s lie. Judged by his standards … and the world’s … we may have considered ourselves something!
(d) Doomed! … v. 3
Jesus said it too … that the wrath of God rests upon the unsaved (John 3:36).
“He that believeth not is condemned already …” (John 3:18).
“BUT GOD ….” (v. 4) !!!
Despite our lost and rebellious condition, God stepped in!
2. HOW WE ARE …vs. 4-6, 8-9
(a) He loved us … v. 4
He showered His grace upon us! v. 8.
In our hopelessness, He took the initiative and provided salvation for us.
(b) He saved us … v. 8
Forgiven! Redeemed!
(c) He quickened us … v. 5
He filled us with new life!
(d) He raised us to the Heavenlies, in Christ! … v. 6
We have become citizens of Glory. He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies! (1:3).
(e) He invites us to partake of this great salvation, by faith … v. 8
Salvation is a gift (v. 8), and we need to take it! The Cross does not automatically save … it provides salvation for those who will put their faith in Christ.
3. HOW WE WILL BE … v. 7
The Church is destined to become God’s show-piece! In the Age to Come, when the Heavens are continuing to display His Power, and the Angels are displaying His
Holiness, the Church will display the Riches of His Grace (1:10-12a).
4. HOW WE OUGHT TO BE … v. 10
We should be showing forth good works that glorify Him! For this purpose He chose us in Ages past (1:4). We are not saved by our works (v. 9), but we are certainly saved to do good works (v. 10).
I would not work my soul to save,
For that my Lord has done;
But I would work like any slave
For love to God’s dear Son.
(Anon)
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“You Gentiles by birth – who are called the uncircumcised by the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (which refers to what men themselves do on their bodies) – remember what you were in the past. At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners, and did not belong to God’s chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were based on God’s promises to His people. You lived in this world without hope and without God. But now, in union with Christ Jesus, you who used to be far away have been brought near by the death of Christ. For Christ Himself has brought us peace, by making the Jews and Gentiles one people. With His Own body He broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies. He abolished the Jewish Law, with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with Himself, in this way making peace. By His death on the cross Christ destroyed the enmity; by means of the cross He united both races into one body and brought them back to God. So Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all – to you Gentiles, who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to Him. It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father” (vs. 11-14).
In Ephesians 2:1-10 Paul gave us the biography of every believer. Now he gives us the ‘biography’ of the Gentiles …
1. THE RECONCILIATION OF THE GENTILES … 2:11-14
(a) Reconciliation Needed!
Note how the Gentiles were before the Lord stepped in …
* Without Christ
* Aliens … (12)
* Strangers
* Without Hope
* Without God
* Far off
“BUT NOW …” (v. 13)
!!!
(b) Reconciliation is Provided!
(i) Christ broke down the wall that separated the Gentile from the Jew … a reminder of the Temple wall between the Court of the Gentiles and the Jewish Court (v. 14).
(ii) And He rent the Veil to reconcile both Jew and Gentile to God! (v. 16).
2. THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE APOSTLE … 2:15-22
Paul describes the Church, comprised of saved Jews and Gentiles, in four ways …
(a) A New Man! … v. 15 (KJV)
“One body” (v. 16), of which He is the Head (1:22-23).
(b) A New Nation … v. 19
“Fellow-citizens”!! Neither the Jewish nation nor belonging to a Gentile nation is what counts in God’s eyes … but being a member of this “new nation” comprised of all who belong to Christ, regardless of nationality (I Corinthians 10:32).
(c) A New Family … v. 19
All are brothers and sisters, in Him!!
(d) A New Temple … vs. 20-22
Built on Him … living stones (Jew and Gentile), all indwelt by His Spirit … just as the Glory Cloud filled Solomon’s Temple in Old Testament days.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
3. THE
REVELATION FROM THE LORD … 3:1-13
“For this reason I, Paul, the
prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles, pray to
God. Surely you have heard that God, in
His grace, has given me this work to do for your good. God revealed His secret plan and made it
known to me. (I have written briefly
about this, and if you will read what I have written you can learn my
understanding of the secret of Christ.)
In past times men were not told this secret, but God has revealed it now
by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. The secret is this: by
means of the gospel the Gentiles have a part with the Jews in God’s
blessings; they are members of the same
body, and share in the promise that God made in Christ Jesus.
“I was made a servant of the gospel by God’s special gift, which He gave me through the working of His power. I am less than the least of all God’s people; yet God gave me this privilege of taking to the Gentiles the Good News of the infinite riches of Christ, and to make all men see how God’s secret plan is to be put into effect. God, Who is the Creator of all things, kept His secret hidden through all the past ages, in order that at the present time, by means of the church, the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might know God’s wisdom, in all its different forms. God did this according to His eternal purpose, which He achieved through Christ Jesus our Lord. In union with Him, and through our faith in Him, we have the freedom to enter into God’s presence with all confidence. I beg you, then, do not be discouraged because I am suffering for you; it is all for your benefit” (vs. 1-13).
Paul shoots off on a tangent … “For this reason” (v. 1), he begins, and then takes it up again in v. 14, “For this reason” he prays for them!
But before he gets to that he tells of his imprisonment, and the revelation that was given to him by the Lord.
(a) A Secret Plan … v. 9
Not clearly revealed in the Old Testament is the fact that Gentiles would be on an equal footing with the Jews in this new “nation” … the Church.
But now the secret is out! (v. 6).
Why was it hidden? It has something to do with the Angelic Host! Tho’ I’m not sure what!! (v. 10).
(b) A Special Preacher … vs. 1, 8
Paul was especially chosen to take this message to the Gentiles. Peter was the apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:8).
And it was because Paul had preached to the Gentiles that he had ended up in a Roman prison (v. 1). (See Acts 21:27-29.)
(c) A Sacred Privilege …
* For Paul, it was a privilege to be able to tell the Gentiles of “the riches of His grace” toward them (v 8).
* For us (Jews or Gentiles) who are “in Him”, we have the privilege of entering the presence of God with all confidence (v. 12).
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Studies in Ephesians – Number 5
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”For this reason, then, I
fall on my knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on
earth receives its true name. I ask
God, from the wealth of His glory, to give you power through His Spirit to be
strong in your inner selves, and that Christ will make His home in your hearts,
through faith, I pray that you may have your roots and foundations in love, so
that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how
broad and long and high and deep is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know His love – although it can never be
fully known – and so be completely filled with the perfect fullness of God.
“To
Him Who is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of,
by means of the power working in us: to
God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, for all time, forever and
ever! Amen” (vs 14-21).
We are about to eavesdrop on another of the apostle’s prison prayers. See 1:15-23 for the previous one.
1. THE PROMPTING OF THE PRAYER … v. 14
“For this cause” … because of all the things just outlined for us in this Epistle …
because the Father loved us and made us members of His family … because the Son died for us to give us fellowship and forgiveness … because the Holy Spirit empowers us … because of all these things and more, Paul prays.
2. THE POSTURE OF THE PRAYER … v. 14
“I fall on my knees” … There is no one posture commanded for believers in the Scriptures concerning the posture we are to adopt in prayer.
Paul knelt. So did Daniel (Daniel 6:10).
Joshua lay prostrate upon the ground (Joshua 5:14).
David ‘sat’ and talked with the Lord (I Chronicles 17:16).
The important thing is the attitude of the heart before God, rather than the outward posture. It is possible to have knees bent and an upright stubborn heart.
3. THE PATTERN OF THE PRAYER … vs. 14-15
The prayer is directed to God the Father. Jesus taught His disciples to address their prayers to “Our Father”.
Normally we pray to the Father, through the Son - Who has made access possible for us into the Father’s presence - and our prayers are constrained and guided by the Holy Spirit.
But normally we address our prayers to the Father.
Notice in verse 15 that God the Father is spoken of as the pattern for all fathers. Human fatherhood should reflect the characteristics revealed by the Heavenly Father.
Nothing lies beyond the
reach of prayer except that which lies beyond the will of God.
4. THE PURPOSE OF THE PRAYER … vs. 16-19
Paul asks the Lord to bestow four things upon his readers :
(a) Power …to withstand the attacks of the enemy! (v. 16).
Whilst it is true the outward man may grow weaker as the days draw on … yet our inner man should grow stronger!
(b) Permanence … a stability that prevents one from being blown around with every new ism … (v. 17; 4:14). Let’s get our roots grounded in the Word of God.
(c) Perception … Paul prays that they might understand something of the magnitude of Christ’s love (vs. 18-19) … which can never be “fully known” anyway!!
(d) Plenitude … i.e. “fullness”. Let God permeate every aspect of your being.
THE KNIGHT’S PRAYER
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.
5. THE PINNACLE OF THE PRAYER … vs. 20-21
Paul concludes with a great burst of praise to the Omnipotent God … Who wants to display that power “in us”!
“Lord, may I be a clean channel through whom Thou canst work.”
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Studies in Ephesians – Number 6
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“I
urge you, then – I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard
God set when He called you. Be
humble, gentle, and patient always.
Show your love by being helpful to one another. Do your best to preserve the unity which the
Spirit gives, by the peace that binds you together. There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to
which God has called you. There is one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; there is
one God and Father of all men, Who is Lord of all, works through all and is in
all” (vs. 1-6).
“Walk worthy” is the phrase used in the King James Version.
It is the PRACTICAL portion of this Epistle that now commences.
Chapters 1-3 had to do with DOCTRINE.
Chapters 4-6 have to do with DUTY…
As Vernon McGee so often says, we now come to the part of Scripture ‘where the rubber meets the road!’
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1. WALK IN HUMILITY … v. 2
Think of others and be considerate towards them.
“Don’t cherish inflated ideas of your own importance” (Romans 12:3, J.B. Phillips).
There is no room for pride in the Christian’s walk.
2. WALK IN UNITY … vs. 3-6
We do not need to work for unity … Christ has purchased and accomplished that for us. But we need to work at maintaining that unity. After all, we are bound together in a common Body (v. 4); indwelt by the same Spirit; we all have the same Hope of Glory bye and bye; we all acknowledge Jesus as Lord; we hold to that Faith “once delivered unto the saints”; we were all “baptized into the Body of Christ” (v. 5; I Corinthians 12:13); and we all have the same Heavenly Father.
So really, we ought to be united!!
However, it ought to be pointed out that there are some folk who claim to be Christians but deny the Faith, the apostolic doctrines! We are not to “walk” in fellowship with a denier of the Lord’s resurrection, or of His virgin birth, or His atoning death. There is a doctrine of separation in the Bible as well as a doctrine of unity.
“Each one of us has been given
a special gift, in proportion to which Christ has given. As the scripture says, ‘When He went up to
the very heights He took many captives with Him; He gave gifts to men.’
“Now,
what does ‘He went up’ mean? It means
that first He came down – that is, down to the lower depths of the earth. So He Who came down is the same One Who went
up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with His
presence. It was He Who ‘gave gifts to
men’; He appointed some to be apostles,
others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and
teachers.”
“He did this to prepare all God’s people for the work of Christian service, to build up the body of Christ” (vs. 7-12).
3. WALK IN DIVERSITY … vs. 7-12
Recognise that we who are in the Body of Christ all have different gifts. It is a theme Paul also dealt with in I Corinthians 12. Do not despise the person whom you consider to have a lesser or less spectacular gift that yourself.
It is the Lord Who decides who gets what!! (v. 11).
Psalm 68:18 is quoted (v. 8), referring to our Lord’s ascension and this aspect of His ministry.
4. WALK IN MATURITY … vs. 13-15
Why did the Lord give the aforementioned gifts to certain people in His Church? … to help Christians become spiritually mature!
“And
so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge
of the Son of God; we shall become
mature men, reaching to the very height of Christ’s full stature. Then we shall no longer be children, carried
by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of
deceitful men, who lead others to error by the tricks they invent. Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit
of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, Who is the head” (vs. 13-15).
Baby Christians fall easily, they cry and grumble if they do not get their own way. The servants of Christ who have been given ‘ministry’ gifts are to help these babies “grow up” in their walk with the Lord (v. 15).
5. WALK IN HARMONY … v. 16
Again Paul uses the illustration of the human body … and compares it with how the Body of Christ ought to be. A diseased limb does not function as it should.
A believer who is spiritually immature is like that. Christ’s Body should be a perfect physical (sorry, spiritual) specimen … with every member at the peak of his condition.
All working together in perfect harmony as the Head dictates.
“Under His control all the different parts of the body fit together, and the whole body is held together by every joint with which it is provided. So when each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love” (v. 14).
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Studies in Ephesians – Number 7
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Chapters 4-6 of Ephesians deal with the believer’s “walk” in relationship to others.
4:1-16 Our
Relationship to the Saints
4:17-5:20 Our Relationship to Society
5:21-33 Our Relationship to our Spouse
6:1-4 Our
Relationship to our Sons (and Daughters)
6:5-9 Our
Relationship to Slaves (Employees)
6:10-20 Our Relationship to Satan!!
Thus it is we turn our attention to our “walk” in Society.
“In the Lord’s name, then, I
say this and warn you: do not live any
longer like the heathen, whose thoughts are worthless, and whose minds are in
the dark. They have no part in the life
that God gives, because they are completely ignorant and stubborn. They have lost all feeling of shame; they give themselves over to vice, and do
all sorts of indecent things without restraint.
“That
was not what you learned about Christ!
You certainly heard about Him, and as His followers you were taught the
truth that is in Jesus. So get rid of
your old self, which made you live as you used to – the old self that was being
destroyed by its deceitful desires.
Your
hearts and minds must be
made completely new. You must put on
the new self, which is created in God’s likeness, and reveals itself in the
true life that is upright and holy.
“No more lying, then! Everyone must tell the truth to his brother, because we are all members together in the body of Christ. If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin; and do not stay angry all day. Don’t give the Devil a chance. The man who used to rob must stop robbing and start working, to earn an honest living for himself, and to be able to help the poor. Do not use harmful words in talking. Use only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. And do not make God’s Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults. No more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you in Christ” (4:17-32).
In the King James Version verse 17 reads, “walk not as other Gentiles walk” … and Paul goes on to outline certain areas where the previous way of living is to be “put off” and the Christian way “put on” (4:22, 24).
1. SENSUALITY … vs. 4:17-19
Darkened minds (4:17) lead to indecent acts (4:19) … and that without any “feeling of shame”. Christians are to walk “a life that is upright and holy” (4:24).
“Since you are God’s dear
children, you must try to be like Him.
Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave
His life for us, as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.
“Since
you are God’s people, it is not right that any questions of immorality, or
indecency, or greed should even be mentioned among you. Nor is it fitting for you to use obscene,
foolish, or dirty words. Rather you
should give thanks to God. You may be
sure of this: no man who is immoral,
indecent, or greedy (for greediness is a form of idol worship) will ever
receive a share in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
“Do
not let anyone deceive you with foolish words;
it is because of these very things that God’s wrath will come upon those
who do not obey Him. So have nothing at
all to do with such people. You
yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord’s
people you are in the light. So you
must live like people who belong to the light.
For it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of
goodness, righteousness, and truth. Try
to learn what pleases the Lord. Have
nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, that belong to the
darkness. Instead, bring them out to
the light. (It is really too shameful
even to talk about the things they do in secret.) And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true
nature is clearly revealed; for
anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, ‘Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the
dead! And Christ will shine on you.’
“So
pay close attention to how you live.
Don’t live like ignorant men, but like wise men. Make good use of every opportunity you get,
because these are bad days. Don’t be
fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do.
“Do
not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another in the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred
songs; sing hymns and psalms to the
Lord, with praise in your hearts.
Always give thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ” (5:1-20).
2. SPEECH
We are not to be UNTRUTHFUL (4:25) or UNHELPFUL (4:29) with our words. “If you cannot say something nice, don’t say anything”, I was told as a youngster.
Nor must our tongue be UNCONTROLLED (4:31), and most certainly not UNCLEAN (5:4). But our speech should be UNTAINTED (5:19) by the defilements of the world.
3. STEALING … 4:28
Now you are a Christian, says Paul, you don’t do that any more!
4. SECRECY … 5:8-12
The Gentile world had many secret societies, often entered by immoral initiation ceremonies. In any case, regardless of the ceremony, secrecy has no place in the Christian walk. Walk in the Light … and even rebuke the sin of the secret places! (5:11).
If a secret society has truths that help its members then it is wicked to keep those truths hidden from others.
Our Faith is to be shared, not hidden behind locked doors.
5. SOBRIETY … 5:18
No drunkenness … but filled with a new Spirit, the Holy Spirit!
Just as being drunk with wine affects one’s walk and talk and generosity … so being filled with God’s Spirit should affect the way we talk, and talk, and ‘fork’ out when the offering plate comes our way.
If it is a sin to be drunk with the Devil’s spirits … it is equally a sin not be filled with God’s Spirit. Both are commanded in the same verse (5:18).
6. SONG … 5:19
There is a new song in our mouth (Psalm 40:3).
And shall I use these ransomed powers of mine
For things that only minister to me?
Lord, take my tongue, my hands, my heart, my all,
And let me live and love and give for Thee.
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Studies in Ephesians – Number 8
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“Submit yourselves to one
another, because of your reverence for Christ.
“Wives,
submit yourselves to your husbands, as to the Lord. For a husband has authority over his wife in the same way that
Christ has authority over the church;
and Christ is Himself the Saviour of the church, His body. And so wives must submit themselves
completely to their husbands, in the same way that the church submits itself to
Christ.
“Husbands, love your wives in the same way that Christ loved the church and gave His life for it. He did this to dedicate the church to God, by His word, after making it clean by the washing in water, in order to present the church to himself, in all its beauty, pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle, or any other imperfection. Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. (No one ever hates his own body. Instead, he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ does the church; for we are members of His body.) As the scripture says, ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother, and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.’ There is a great truth revealed in this scripture, and I understand it applies to Christ and the church. But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband. (5:21-33).
Paul has dealt with the relationship of the believer to the Saints (4:1-16), and their relationship to Society (4:17-5:20).
Now he takes a look at the Domestic situation … walking with our Spouse (5:21-33), our Sons and daughters (6:1-4), and our Servants (slaves, 6:5-9).
1. A WORD TO WIVES … 5:22-24
The wife is to be in submission to her husband. But having said that, Paul is quick to point out that she stands in the same relationship to her husband that the Church does to the Lord Jesus. It is not inferiority … but a willing submission to the one God has delegated to care and provide for her.
Peter, in I Peter 3:1-3, agrees with this teaching (after all, the same Holy Spirit inspired both writers), and he takes it a step further, saying the wife is to submit even if the husband is unsaved.
In church matters there is an equality “in Christ” … and the Holy Spirit gives gifts “as He wills”. Sometimes the woman may be called to preach … and not the husband! But on the home-front … the wife is to let the husband take the role of leadership to which God has called him.
2. A WORD TO HUSBANDS … 5:25-33
He is to love his wife! And he stands in the same relationship to her that Christ does to His bride, the Church.
That Church is to be “without spot or wrinkle” … pure and holy (v. 27). The trouble is (as an Anglican Bishop commented), “Not only does the Church today have spots and wrinkles … but sometimes she bulges in all the places a bride should not bulge!”
Notice verse 21 – there is a submission each gives to the other. It is not a bossy headship on his part – nor a ‘Women’s Lib.’ attitude on hers…
3. A WORD TO CHILDREN … 6:1-3
“Children, it is your Christian
duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. ‘Honour your father and mother’ is the first
commandment that has a promise added:
‘so that all may be well with you, and you may live a long time in the
land.’
“Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction” (6:1-4).
Obedience to parents was even commanded in the Decalogue (v. 2). If you or I were drawing up a list of the ten worst sins … I wonder if we would have thought of this one??
4. A WORD TO FATHERS … 6:4
On the other hand, there is a word for the fathers. (Our translation has ‘parents’ … but ‘fathers’ is better.) As the head of the household it is the father’s task to discipline the children. And that must be done justly … not making them angry by unjust punishment (v. 4).
5. A WORD TO SLAVES … 6:5-8
“Slaves, obey your human
masters, with fear and trembling; and
do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ. Do this not only when they are watching you,
to gain their approval; but with all
your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ. Do your work as slaves cheerfully, then, as though you served the
Lord, and not merely men. Remember that
the Lord will reward every man, whether slave or free, for the good work he
does.
“Masters, behave in the same way towards your slaves; and stop using threats. Remember that you and your slaves belong to the same Master in heaven, who judges everyone by the same standard” (vs. 5-9).
This can be applied to employer/employee relationships today (v. 8).The worker is to do an honest day’s work. And the employer is to give him an honest day’s pay (v. 9).
Being a Christian should influence our “walk” in all places that we move. The Church, the World, the Home. Someone has said that it should even have an effect on the way we treat our dog …
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Studies in Ephesians – Number 9
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“Finally, build up your
strength in union with the Lord, and by means of His mighty power. Put on all the armour that God gives you, so
that you will stand up against the Devil’s evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human
beings, but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the
rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. So take up God’s armour now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be
able to resist the enemy’s attacks, and after fighting to the end, you will
still hold your ground.
“So stand ready: have truth for a belt tight round your waist; put on righteousness for your breastplate, and the readiness to announce the Good News of peace as shoes for your feet. At all times carry faith as a shield; with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation for a helmet, and the word of God as the sword that the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God’s people. And pray also for me, that God will give me a message, when I am ready to speak, that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel’s secret. For the sake of this gospel I am an ambassador, though now I am in prison. Pray that I may be bold in speaking of it, as I should” (vs. 10-20).
Paul concludes with a look at the believer’s relationship to Satan … and the Spiritual Warfare … The Church, thus far, has been compared to a Body (1:23); a Temple (2:21); a Mystery (3:4-6); a Bride (5:32) … and now he likens it to an Army (6:10-20).
1. THE ENEMY … IS THE DEVIL
His Reality is clearly taught in Scripture, though some modern theologians deny it! … his Ruse is to get folk to deny his existence … or see him behind every bush (v. 11), and his Rule is over fallen angels (demons?) and the unsaved (2:1).
2. THE EXPECTATION OF THE BELIEVER … IS VICTORY!!
Satan is already a conquered foe. Ephesians 6:10 assures us that the Lord is ready to grant His mighty power to us in this spiritual battle.
3. THE EQUIPMENT … IS SPIRITUAL !
There is no victory for the Christian who tackles the Devil without God’s armour.
Seven pieces are mentioned …
(a) The Belt of Truth
It means integrity … character … not just what we say but the reality of our commitment to Christ. No hypocricy.
(b) The Breastplate of Righteousness
Not just the righteousness imputed to us at the time of our conversion … but imparted righteousness – a holy life day by day.
(c) Sandals of Peace
Knowing God’s peace in the midst of the battle. See Paul’s confession in II Corinthians 4:8-9. Oppressed on every side … but still singing!!
(d) The Shield of Faith
A big shield (so the Greek word means … not the type illustrated here) that protects the whole body and links together with the shields of our fellow soldiers.
There is a picture of unity here … the soldier who deserts his post leaves a gap for the enemy to attack with his fiery missiles.
(e) The Helmet of Salvation
Perhaps the emphasis here is not just being saved but having that assurance of salvation. The helmet covers the head … the mind needs to have a good grasp of this blessed doctrine of Assurance. The doubting warrior will never be effective in the battle.
(f) The Sword of the Spirit
… which is the Word of God! This is the item of attack … the first five mentioned were for defence. When the Lord Jesus spoke of the Gates of Hell not prevailing against us, the thought is not that of us “holding the Fort” against their onslaught … but them giving way against our attack.
(g) The Greaves of Prayer
“Praying always…” The leg coverings are a reminder that the battle is really won on our knees. This is illustrated in the Old Testament story of Joshua doing battle with Amalek (Exodus 17).
“Tychicus, our dear brother
and faithful servant in the Lord’s work, will give you all the news about me,
so that you may know how I am getting along.
That is why I am sending him to you – to tell you how all of us are
getting along, and so bring courage to your hearts.
“May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace and love to all the brothers, with faith. May God’s grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying love” (vs. 21-24).
The letter is sent by the hand of Tychicus. He will tell the churches more news about Paul.
In the meantime … “WALK WORTHY OF THE VOCATION WHEREWITH YE ARE CALLED…” (Ephesians 4:1).
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A Meditation on the Death of Christ
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It is not just a sermon topic for the Easter season … the death of our Lord Jesus is foundational to our Christian faith.
And it is good to remind ourselves … from time to time … of some of the aspects of that sacrifice supreme.
“Be
ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also have loved us, and hath given
Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Ephesians 5:1-2).
1. THE SACRIFICE THAT WAS OFFERED … “Himself”
The Old Testament saw the blood of a multitude of bulls and goats and sheep and doves, all slain upon the Jewish altars. But the Lord Jesus … the Lamb of God … offered Himself. He was the great Anti-type. In Him all the Old Testament sacrificial system found its fulfilment.
Hebrews 10:1-12 spells out the greatness of our Lord’s sacrifice in contrast to the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament.
2. THOSE FOR WHOM THE SACRIFICE WAS OFFERED … “for us”
There are some verses that speak of our Lord’s sacrifice being for “the world” (John 3:16; I John 2:2), other texts bring it down to the individual … “He gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Both are true. Whilst the sacrifice was great enough to be universal in its scope, yet it only avails for those who place their faith in Him (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9).
3. THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THAT SACRIFICE … “Christ hath loved
us”
It has been well said that our Saviour left the glories of Heaven to come to this world of woe … “because He couldn’t help it! Loving as He loved, He could not stand by and see men perish without making every effort to save them.”
It was His love … “so amazing, so divine” that took Him to Calvary.
4. THE ONE TO WHOM THE SACRIFICE WAS OFFERED … “to God”
Many an ancient writer suggested that the payment of sin’s debt … paid by our Lord Jesus … was given to Satan. Something like a ransom to set us free from the Devil’s slave-market. This verse reminds us that the offering was given to God … the penalty of Judgement for breaking His law was met by the Saviour. He suffered in my place. The debt I owed was paid … to God. And in so doing I was freed from Satan’s grasp.
5. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SACRIFICE WAS MADE … “a
sweet-smelling savour”
This is a phrase that occurs nearly 50 times in the Old Testament … a picturesque way of saying that it was acceptable to God, the Father. And the voluntary offering of Himself was in accord with the Father’s will.
6. THE RESULT OF THE SACRIFICE … “be … followers of God …
and walk in love …”
The interesting thing to notice is that word “follower”. Most modern translations render it “imitator” (NIV; ASV; RSV; etc…) For it is the Greek word “mimeetai”, from which we get out English word “mimic”. We are to copy the same sacrificial love that our Lord Jesus displayed when He gave Himself for us …
It is the kind of love that puts others before ourselves …
He is to be … not only our Saviour … but our Example!
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“Because
Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do, we are all made clean from sin
by the offering that He made of His Own body, once and for all.
“Every Jewish priest stands and performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is good for ever, and then sat down at the right side of God” (5:10-12).
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Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace,
Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heavenly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name,
And richer blood than they.
My faith would lay her hand
On that dear head of Thine,
While like a penitent I stand,
And there confess my sin.
My soul looks back to see
The burden Thou didst bear
When hanging on th’ accursed tree,
And knows her guilt was there.
(Isaac Watts)
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