Ephesians
overview and principles
Introduction
The Biblical book of Ephesians is one of Paul's letters written to the new believers living in the town Ephesus. Paul wrote this while he was imprisoned and had the time to consider the Ephesians struggles and write them a letter of encouragement.
The Gentiles (non Jewish people) living in Ephesus felt like they were the lower-class believers because they were treated as such by the Jewish Christians. A cloud of judgment and misunderstanding hindered them from chasing God and being the people they were meant to be.
This letter encourages through 3 different topics:
-The calling of a believer (chapters 1-3)
-The conduct of a believer (chapter 4-6
verse 9)
-The conflict of a believer (chapter 6 verse
10 through the end of the letter)
I'll try to simplify what Paul is saying and pull what we can get out of the letter to Ephesus as we go through each chapter.
Topic One: The Calling of a Believer
In three chapters, Paul walks us
through the blessings of Christ taking us out of
darkness and lifting us into His own family.
Chapter 1: 4 Spiritual Blessings
It's important to know what we have as followers of Christ. Paul spends the opening of his letter to explain things that we as Christ's followers can have. These are things which the rest of the world cannot claim. If you read through the chapter, depending on the translation you're reading, you'll find a phrase similar to "according to". These links show us what blessing we are associated with as Christ's own.
verse 4-6- We have been adopted
God has chosen not only the Jews,
but all people to become His people. Through
Christ we are adopted into His family and this
has always been His plan for us. Nobody of any
race or status can limit God's family, since
we're all either Jew or non-Jew.
verse 7-8- We have been forgiven
Christ's blood shed for us so we can
be redeemed. There's no other sacrifice that
needs to be made to pay for our trespasses.
verse 9-10- We can know the
mystery of His will.
We may not have in our view every
answer to the equation, but we can now see the
answer to God's overall process through
mankind. Paul spends more time on this in
Chapter 3.
verse 11-14- We have an inheritance
This inheritance is a part of God
who works in us according to God's will. The
inheritance is the Holy Spirit, who comes after
we hear the gospel and believe. The Holy Spirit
also acts as a proof of pledge, to ourselves,
that we are God's.
verse 15-17- a personal note,
that Paul is both praying for their belief in
the Lord and thankful for it happening to the
Ephesians.
verse 18-19- This section sets the tone
of the whole letter. Paul lays out what he is
praying for as he continues offering it to the
Ephesians. He wants them to know...
-the hope of His calling (the
calling of a believer)
-the riches of His inheritance
(the
conduct of a believer,
linked to the Holy Spirit)
-the greatness of His power
(the
conflict of a believer
and the corresponding solution)
verse 20-23- Paul makes clear
the source of all the things
he's writing about: Christ died and was raised
from the dead to take control of eternity.
Chapter 2: Illustrations of Belonging
Paul simply gives two parables to illustrate to his readers, first the change done in us, and second, how that change applies to our relationships with others. We see the association and depth of what our calling as a believer means.
verse 1-10-
Dead vs. Alive
God sees those who are lost
and separate from Him as dead. We were like
mindless zombies, bound to a set of evil
cravings and needs. Our natural state is one of
disobedience and being destined to receive the
wrath of God as ones under control of God's
enemy. The dead can't experience spiritual life
and are stuck on a lie of mortal reality. God
has compassion and sent a sacrifice of grace to
bring us to Him and His truth of reality
A side note to that, we are a result
of God's work, not our own. No self-righteous
follower can claim being a result of their own
deeds or heritage.
verse 11-22-
Adoption
Because we became alive, we
see how that change relates us to others. All
non-Jews were separated from God and there was
nothing we could do about it.
We were outsiders without hope.
Christ's sacrifice has brought us into God's
family. Now Jews and Gentiles are in the same
category and the separation between the two is
gone in God's eyes. Christ offered this peace
to Jews and to Gentiles and became a cornerstone
to connect all believers together in one single
structure.
Chapter 3: Revelation of God's Mystery
Paul states what His ministry
is: to reveal that God's plan has always been
to bring all men into His family, and Paul's
life is to further that. Paul explains that he
has been going through hard times because he
gets to, at the same time, live out his
purpose. His challenge is for us to follow this
example.
verse 1-2- Because we're in the same family, Paul is in charge of sharing with the Gentiles God's grace.
verse 3-5- Paul now knows God's plan, but this plan was a mystery all the way up until now. Now God has made it known.
verse 6- The Mystery
(drum roll...)
Gentiles are fellow heirs, members
and partakers of God's promise.
verse 7-12- God is working in
Paul to show the Gentiles this new revelation.
This was always God's plan with Christ, and Paul
gets to be a big part of it.
verse 13-21- What God's plan is
for us NOW. Don't loose heart because
of the bad, the good is SO good. Just focus on
God's plan:
-be strengthened
-together know the love of God,
which is beyond knowledge
-be filled up to the "completion" of
God (in Him we are complete)
-these entirely for God's glory
Topic Two: The Conduct of a Believer (5 Walks)
We were told the "perks" of
following Christ, now we'll look at some of the
responsibilities associated with this great
privilege. The next topic will is delivered to
us in five different walks that need to
practice, and then talk about relationships.
Chapter 4:
verse 1-16-
Walk in a manor worthy of the calling (1st walk)
In this walk, we first hear
the instructions before we then hear what we're
trying to do with those instructions. Paul
wrote the how before the what, then follows that
with the result.
car keys illustration-
Parent gives the car keys to a teenager
and allows them to enjoy it but parent doesn't
want their child or someone else hurt, their car
wrecked or a law violated, so they would set
rules for the teenager to drive worthy of the
blessing.
So we don't hurt ourselves, each
other, the vehicles we're in as Christians or
violate the law of God's character (which is
love), we need to walk in a manor worthy of this
blessing of following Him. Here's what
we need to have: ("Here's what we need
in preparation for what we're about to hear that
we need to do")
-humility
-gentleness
-patience
-a bearing with each other in love
-a diligence to preserve unity
Everything God is doing is unified
as one, but He sends separate parts out to
accomplish that goal of being unified in Him.
Living worthy is living
to build unity, something we don't do
much of. He gave some as:
-apostles (those who get things
started and cast vision of the gospel)
-prophets (one who speaks by
inspiration)
-evangelists (preacher of the gospel
through relationship)
-pastors and teachers (one's who
exhort AND teach, not one or the other)
The result is a
strong body that can resist false doctrine,
which is really just trickery from man's
scheming. Back to Chapter 3, we need to be
excited with our role in Christ's plan and run
with it so we can press through discouraging
factors.
verse 17-32-
Walk no longer as the world (2nd Walk)
You can simplify this walk
down to a list of natural properties of a fallen
human lifestyle that we should, as followers of
Christ, work to avoid. So it starts out with
the tone: "these following things the other
gentiles do, don't do them:"
17: don't have a mind that's reaching
for nothing
18: don't ignore God and refuse letting
Him speak to your heart
(This leads to darkened
understanding and exclusion from real life)
19: no guiltless greediness for
enjoying filth
instead...
22: lay aside the old self, which is
corrupted by deceitful lusts
23: have a new mind-set
24: be the new self, which has been
made to be pure, set-apart and set in truth
...since we were made to be
pure, set-apart and set in truth...
25: speak truth
26: quotes Psalm 4:4
Psalm 4:2-4 is David looking
at the world's vanity, being angry at that, and
meditating in bed to be still. Be stirred by
the world's deception, but don't be an angry
person. "Hate the sin, love the sinner" by
separating the two in meditation when you can be
still. Paul says, don't pass up that time when
you can work on that.
27: ...because that would give
the devil a chance to work.
(Paul applies what is harmful to the
other extreme, to make it useful)
28: don't steal, but create a blessing
to share.
29: speak nothing rotten, but speak the
needed edification (building of a structure)
30: Don't have the following because
they sadden the Holy Spirit, who is our
wonderful inheritance.
31: -bitterness (separating
mindset)
-wrath (ferocious
personality)
-anger (violent
passion)
-clamor (outcry in
grief... i.e. negative groaning)
-slander
(evil/rebellious speaking)
-malice (naughtiness)
32: be kind (useful), tender-hearted
(compassionate) and forgiving, because we're
following The Example (Christ Jesus).
Chapter 5:
verse 1-7-
Walk in Love (3rd Walk)
2: Easy way to
remember to walk in Love is to meditate on
Christ's love for us personally.
3: These have no place among us:
immortality-
spiritual or physical adultery/idolatry
impurity-
being morally dirty as the result of something
dirty
greed-
wanting something you don't own, followed by an
evil act to get it.
-A saint isn't a saint if these
are a part of them.
-All of these have the
underlining of cheating another for selfish
gain.
4: there must be no:
filthiness- just that
silly talk- foolish talk
that's so ridiculous it moves people away from
edification
Coarse jesting- abusive
reflections that expose another and make them
look ridiculous
- Instead of filling your
mind with profane wit, be delighted by God's
goodness.
5: Nobody caught up in any kind of adultery (physical/spiritual) has an inheritance.
If I cheated on my wife, she
may or may not leave me, but the things I would
have otherwise inherited would now be gone. It
works the same way in the spiritual realm.
6: Do not accept empty words.
-Empty words attempt to
flatter and manipulate
-Satan was the first one to
use this trick on mankind
-We walk into punishment
when we allow words that sound encouraging,
which are really evil.
7: Don't accept flattery, don't use
flattery.
-People like to hear how
good they are. It's wrong to use that to your
advantage and God punishes for doing so.
verse 8-14-
Walk as Children of Light (4th Walk)
Paul drives some good points for living with
light, which is aiming to please our Master: we
gain what gives benefit, meaning and truth to
our lives. As the light of Christ shines, the
darkness around us becomes light. Pleasing God
will have this result: that's walking with
light.
8: Because you have
been changed, walk as changed (walk
with light)
9: Light produces everything
that's in what's good, what's
right by God and what's the
truth.
-goodness:
beneficence (gives benefit)
- righteousness:
justification (gives meaning)
-truth: God's
sight (understanding)
In other words:
Light produces what gives us benefit, what gives
us meaning and what show's us how things really
are.
10: walking with the light
is aiming to please the Lord
11: Don't participate in
empty darkness, go as far as to expose them.
12: We shouldn't even focus
on those things in order to expose them,
instead...
13: Live a life of
contrasting light, which will expose it.
Everything visible is light.
You can't make a
cave bright by going in without a light. Shine
the light to make it bright. Everywhere in the
world is that dark cave. Make sure you're
shining, or you're simply participating in
darkness.
14: Christ is what gives that
light.
-Not sharing
ourselves, our plans, our lives alone, but the
light of Christ through all we are.
verse 15-21- Walk as Wise (5th Walk)
Wisdom is understanding cause and
effect. This walk is all about realizing
the results of a walk, and applying that
knowledge to the current walk.
15: since
we are light, live NOT as unwise, but as wise
16: How? (rescue from
loss/redeem/ make the most of) your time,
because the days are evil.
17: consider and
understand the Lord's (will/ desire/ pleasure)
so you're not foolish.
Sum-up:
Live using wisdom by making good use
of your time to please the Lord.
^ how ^ ^ what
^ ^ result ^
18: don't be filled
with drunkenness, which is (excess/ rot)
-being
filled with other obsessions (media,
possessions, money...) is also going too far.
instead, be filled
with the Spirit
19: the result
= speaking to another in...
psalms: set
piece of music with voice and music
hymns: religious
ode
spiritual song:
words sung
(in other
words)-singing and making melody from your
thoughts and feelings towards the Lord
20: always give
thanks, and give God the credit for
what you're thankful for
21: have guiding
relationships with each other, in fear of
Christ.
Sum-up:
Be filled with the Spirit, instead of
fleshy pleasures so your attitude can be right.
^ how
^
^what^
-reflected in
songs and thankfulness towards the lord and
subjective relationships with others.
^ result ^
verse 22-33- The Romantic Relationship
This
section reveals God's plan for marriage, in
design and function. Using a relationship with
Christ and the Church vs. Man and Woman, we can
gain a better concept for how both
relationships work. There is a loved side of
the relationship in both, and a respected side
of the relationship in both. This should be the
constant model to make both relationships
perfect.
God intentionally made
marital relationships an important one so we
understand how much more important the
relationship between us all and Him are. And by
the way, an earthly romance won't fill the
void. There's still a constant loneliness
without Christ.
22-24: Wives be subject to
husbands as the head as the church is subject to
Christ.
-The first 3 verses
are "Wives submit to the husband as he leads
like this..."
25: Husbands love your wives
as Christ loves the church
26-27: How/Why Christ loves
the church
-sanctify by
cleansing with washing of the word (the truth)
-for a glorious and
beautiful bride
Husband: lead the
marriage with truth to enable the wife to be
glorious and beautiful
28-30: Your wife is
yourself. Nourish and cherish her like Christ
does for His church.
31: We leave our parents
behind to be devoted to her.
32: Christ left His father
in Heaven to be be devoted to us.
33: The wife needs love.
The husband needs respect.
-there are two
distinct roles.
-there are two
distinct needs.
Chapter 6
verse 1-10 The Family Relationship
Paul talks about relating to those you're bound
to beyond an outward act. How do we treat our
Parents, our Children, those above us and those
below us? Are we putting on an act to please, or
are we relating to others as a result of how we
relate to the Lord
-As children:
1- Children obey parents
2- Honor your Father and Mother (the 1st
commandment w/ a promise)
3- The promise= Peace in family;
resulting a long life
When we honor our Parents, we
receive a promise from within the Ten
Commandments, that we will live longer.
-As Fathers:
4- Do not provoke your children to
anger, but raise them with discipline and
instruction of the Lord
The natural tendency of a parent
and a growing child is for frustration. We're
told to resist this natural tendency by applying
both discipline and the instruction of the Lord
(the Law) to the raising of children.
-As Slaves:
5- Be obedient to masters with honor, as
to Christ
6- Don't be a fake, man pleaser, but an
actual slave of Christ.
7- Have a good attitude, as to the Lord,
not to men
Paul spends the most time on the
two "beneath" relationships, because they're the
most difficult. When we shift our attitude from
any master, to the true master, who we know that
loves us and asks us to serve our masters out of
love for Him, it becomes much easier to be
"beneath" another who is beneath the true
master.
-As Anyone:
8- Whatever good thing each one does,
this he will receive back from the Lord.
So we should all do as it says
in verse 7: Have a good attitude unto the Lord,
not unto men. When we do good for God, he does
good for us.
-As Masters:
9- Please God in relationships. Give up
threatening. The only true master is above all
and He's not partial (a respecter of persons).
God holds no person as higher or
lower than any other, so if we have a false and
proud perception of ourselves, we deserve some
humbling.
The last section was finished, but misplaced. I'll add it when I take the time to look for the writing on the "Armor of God".