Category: Ephesians

Five Ways God Calls Us to Unity

12/4/2022

Read Ephesians 4:1-6

If you have followed along in my look at Ephesians, you will have noticed a theme by now. Paul was trying to instill in the Gentile converts at Ephesus who they now were in Christ. He was also trying (in a not-so-subtle way) to remind the Jewish converts that because of Christ, the promises given to the Jews also now belonged to the Gentiles. This, of course, could lead to friction. So, since Ephesians chapter one, he has expounded on who they are in Christ and the importance of unity within the body of Christ (aka - the church).

In today's verses, Paul urges the Ephesians to walk in a worthy manner befitting their calling (their new life) to salvation. I think the church as a whole needs to take this to heart. So how do we "walk in unity" with our fellow believers when so many have differing opinions on Scripture and what it says? In today's verses, Paul explains how.

Five Ways God Shows Us How to Walk
In Unity With Each Other

Walk in Humility - The KJV uses the word "lowliness". In other words we are to have a humble opinion of ourselves. The Greek word used is tapeinophrosynē and means "a deep sense of one's moral littleness."

Walk in Gentleness - The Greek word used is praotēs and means "meekness". In today's culture, meekness is not considered a virture, but in the ancient world those who were meek were considered very virtuous. For example, a meek person is one who is guided by God's Spirit and able to accept God's ability to direct events in their lives. Meekness is not a resignation to fate, or a passive submission to life events (there is no virtue in that), but it is more of an ability to see the "larger picture" and is therefore an active and deliberate choice to accept God's sovereignty over all aspects of an individual's life.

Walk in Longsuffering - Longsuffering is an excellent word choice in the KJV because it means patience. This isn't just in reference to someone's personality traits that rub us the wrong way. To practice patience also means that we need to recognize that every individual's spiritual journey is different. Everyone has at some point met that person who insists you are wrong about your beliefs. They question why you go to a certain church and they have "dug in their heels" about what they believe (even if it is contrary to Scripture) to the point where they are more annoying than a mosquito. But what we need to realize and remember when dealing with difficult people, is that God deals with each of us in different ways. What you learned twenty years ago in your walk with God, may take someone else a longer time to learn and accept. But we all get there eventually. We just have to trust the Holy Spirit, who resides in everyone who has accepted Jesus as Saviour, to lead us into all truth, which Scripture has promised He will do (John 16:13). But, that leads us to the next point on keeping unity.

Bearing With One Another in Love - No, this does not mean "putting up with each other". The original Greek uses the word anechō and is translated as "forebear" which means, "to hold up, to sustain, to bear, to endure." In other words, we need to help each other stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ. So if you see your brother or sister in Christ falling away, or perhaps they have been deceived and are listening to false doctrines like the prosperity gospel for example, don't stand idly by and watch them falter or be deceived, rush in, help them to continue to stand firm on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Help them grow in their faith.

Endeavour to keep unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace - I love the word used for "bond" in Greek. It is syndesmos and it means "that which binds together, a band, a bond." It is the Holy Spirit that unites us. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us peace and because we all share in the same Holy Spirit, we are "banded" together as one. Think about that for a minute! There is no other unity like this on earth in which people are capable of sharing equally. We have different talents, we come in different colours, shapes and sizes, we are some poor and some rich, but it is the Holy Spirit alone that unites us as brother and sister in Christ when we accept Jesus as our Saviour. This peace should be something we all cherish and go out of our way to keep unified.

And so Paul reminds the Ephesians once again (and us) how truly united we are in Christ, with the following words:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6, NKJV).

As we celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas season, let us rejoice together that we are united as one because of Him.

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The Mystery of Christ

11/28/2022

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Read Ephesians 3:1-21

In Ephesians three, Paul talks about a "mystery" which was revealed to him and the other apostles and prophets of that time that was hidden from the "sons of men" (children of Israel) that went before them. The mystery, of course, was that the Gentiles (all those who weren't Jewish) would now, because of Christ, be partakers in the same blessings God had promised the Jews (Ephesians 3:6-7). In Ephesians chapter two, Paul goes into great detail on what that unity for humanity now meant.

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How Jesus Unites Humanity

11/14/2022

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Read Ephesians 2:11-18

In my last post, we learned through Paul's letter to the Ephesians who we are in Christ and that trying to "work" our way into heaven is futile, for our salvation is secured through faith and God's grace alone, not by works.

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Why Your Good Works Won't Save You

11/6/2022

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Read Ephesians 2:1-10

As we continue our study of Ephesians, we come across a passage most Christians know by heart. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). But first, a little background on the Ephesians and why Paul was spending so much time instilling in them the knowledge that they are loved by God and saved.

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The Real Meaning of Spiritual Wisdom

10/30/2022

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Read Ephesians 1:15-23

I don't know about you, but I have often asked God for wisdom many times in my life. So that I may understand the "right" decision to make in a situation or how to approach someone with the right words that won't leave them angry or offended. But have you ever noticed what Paul prayed for regarding the people of Ephesus? After assuring them of the many blessings they had in Christ, he followed that up with how he prayed for them, and it is an example we can all take to heart.

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Why God's Grace is Amazing

10/16/2022

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Read Ephesians 1:7-14

Last week I began a new study in Ephesians, and we started with the Four Spiritual Blessings God Gives Us. This week I would like to look at four more blessings we receive from God because of Jesus.

We have redemption through Jesus' blood.
We have the forgiveness of sins.
We have an inheritance.
We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.

What a mighty God we serve! He has blessed us with so much, so let's examine the four blessings above.

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Four Spiritual Blessings God Gives Us

10/9/2022

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us
to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to
the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His
grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV

NOTE: THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED IN 2016 AND I AM REPOSTING IT AGAIN.

Have you ever noticed how much about us is packed into the opening verses of Ephesians? Just look at what we are and have in Christ:

We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing.
We were chosen before the foundation of the world.
We were adopted by Jesus as sons (and daughters).
We are accepted because Jesus made us beloved.

Can you even begin to fathom such great love or mercy? We don't deserve it, but it is offered to all freely. So let's break these verses down.

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The Armor of God

2/6/2017

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Read Ephesians 6:10-18

And so we come to the end of our study on Ephesians. Throughout the book of Ephesians Paul has encouraged and warned the new pagan converts on several issues. He has shown them the spiritual blessings they now have in Christ and the meaning of spiritual wisdom. He has explained to them why good works will not save them, and how Jesus' sacrifice unites humanity. He showed them how they should live in light of their salvation. He also explained to them the importance of Spiritual Gifts and what it means tosubmit to one another. So far, it would seem, everything Paul has shared in this letter is to help the Ephesians understand who they are now in Christ and what their lives should look like in light of that. But he has one final word of warning for them.

To put on the full armor of God.

And like a commander calling his soldiers to war, Paul uses a Roman soldier's armor as a tool to help them remember how important it is to always be on their guard, ready to do battle with the evil one.

With that in mind, the first thing Paul exhorts the Ephesians (and us) to do, is to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." What does that mean exactly? Being "strong in the Lord" is all about how much we trust Him and how much we will obey Him and resist the devil. Taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) to make it obedient to Christ. Without that basic trust and obedience we have no armor to put on! Being strong in the Lord means our faith and obedience to God reside solely in His power, His might, and the knowledge that He is God. He is our strength. He is our power. He is our Saviour. He is the one who is most trustworthy in all the universe, who deserves our allegiance - our obedience. So we are to be strong in Him. Rest and abide in Him. Trust Him!

So the first important step for the Ephesians and us is to remember who we have placed our trust in and why. The why, Paul explains, is so that we can "stand against the wiles of the devil." Keep in mind who Paul is talking to - Gentile converts from the idol capital of the ancient world. Where the dreaded Nicolaitans (Revelations 2:6) had snuck in and were preaching a false doctrine that promoted the belief that you could worship God and idols at the same time. Keeping the entire letter of Ephesians in context we see that once again Paul is emphasizing the struggle the Ephesians had to face in regards to their new faith in Christ - the lure of idol worship and the temptation to sin.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV).

In the NIV the above verse takes on a completely different meaning and reads: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." In the NIV the reader is lead to believe that our battle is with evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. This idea of doing battle with invisible evil forces is where we get the concept of Spiritual Warfare. A topic I will not touch here today as it needs its own book! But if we take the above verse in context with the rest of Ephesians and the Torah (Old Testament), it is my belief that the "high places" (Leviticus 26:30; Numbers 22:41; Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 3:3) referred to here are more likely not in reference to anything in heaven, but are instead in reference to the places of idol worship that were scattered throughout Ephesus and around the ancient world. In fact, most temples sat in high places where they could be seen by the populace. The temple of Artemis (Diana) was one such place in Ephesus. It's structure was large enough and high enough that it could be seen from any vantage point in Ephesus. Even the temple of God in Jerusalem was built in this manner - on a high place for all to see. So in my opinion the verse above is not in reference to evil forces in heaven, but in reference to the wickedness that took place in the high places. This makes even more sense when we think of the temple in Jerusalem and the wicked acts of the Roman emperors who tried to install their own idols there, as Caligula did when he tried to install a statue of himself in the temple in 40 A.D.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV).

The word "day" in Greek is hēmera and is a reference to time as opposed to a specific day. So it could be translated as "hour, time or season". Again, this makes sense when we look at the surrounding context. Paul is urging the Ephesians to be ready for those times when the adversary will deceive, tempt them to sin, or try to destroy their trust and faith in God.

How to Dress for War

With each piece of armor Paul reminds the Ephesians what he has discussed with them and why. The first piece of armor he encourages them to take up is the belt of truth.

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14).

A Roman soldier strapped a belt around his waist that was sometimes made of leather and sometimes made of metal. It protected his lower regions, but it was also used to hold his sword and other weapons. Basically, this belt held everything in place. This is an excellent analogy Paul uses for the Ephesians because it drives home the point that they must "gird" themselves with the truth. If their faith is not founded on the truth that eternal life and salvation can be found in no one else but Jesus Christ, then they will falter in their faith. That basic truth holds all the other pieces of armor in place.

It is followed with the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate protected the heart and internal organs of the soldier. This piece of armor was crucial to staying alive and because of its weight and how it was put together, Roman soldiers had to help each other put these breastplates on.

Our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ and Him alone. We cannot be good enough, or do good enough to attain this righteousness on our own. The analogy of the breastplate is crucial then as it helped to cement in the mind of the Ephesians that they were forgiven of their sins and were now made righteous in God's sight - but only because of Jesus. His "armor" now protected them from a life separated from God.

'...and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

Hetoimasia means preparation or readiness in Greek, but it also has the meaning of "firm footing" as in foundation. What an excellent example Paul uses here, to show the Ephesians once again how to withstand the wiles of the devil - by being prepared - at the ready - with the Gospel of peace. Giving the believer a firm footing that he (or she) might walk in a worthy manner.

"...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16).

A Roman soldier's shield was about four feet long and two feet wide. When held in front of their body it protected them a great deal. It was their first source of protection against actual fiery arrows. Likewise, our faith in Jesus is our first line of defence against fiery darts from the evil one.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17)

Each piece of armor had a purpose in protecting the soldier and Paul uses them to show us how to protect ourselves from the enemy. The helmet of salvation protects our minds from deceit, temptation, worry and doubt that the devil loves to throw at us. We bear it like a crown or seal upon our heads that we receive because of Jesus. Without it our minds are unprotected. When we put on the helmet of salvation it reminds us to "take every thought captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The Sword of the Spirit, Paul points out, is the Word of God. And it is the Word of God that Jesus used against any arrows the devil flung at him, so we should always be learning it.

Paul finishes by reminding the Ephesians of the importance of prayer.

"...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18)

Supplication means making your needs known and we do this for not only ourselves but for the needs of others as well. When we pray, we are conversing with God and so our entire being is insulated and protected from head to foot as we clothe ourselves in Christ, ready to face the day.

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How to Have Peace At Home and at Work

1/30/2017

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Read Ephesians 6:1-9

And now we come to the last chapter of Ephesians. After instilling in the Ephesians the importance of submission and what that looks like for married couples, Paul then continues to instruct these new Christians on how they should treat their children and their servants, and how children and servants should respond to those in authority over them.

Interesting to note is that Paul's underlying theme of submission can still be seen in his instructions by three little words, "in the Lord." For it is in the Lord we abide and it is through our reverence for Him that we submit to one another and learn to live in peace with each other.

For children, this meant obeying their parents and it came with a promise from God, "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." Their act of submission in the Lord, was by obeying their parents. But there was an added warning from Paul when dealing with children. It is specifically addressed to the fathers, "Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." In the pagan world of Paul's day most men ruled their families with rigid and domineering authority. The feelings of wives and children were seldom considered. But Paul is showing them a new way to raise children. The word "admonition" is nouthesia and means "the training by word," whether of encouragement, or, if necessary, by reproof, so Paul is showing the fathers the importance once again of being the spiritual head of the home. For it is through the Word of God that we find our peace. This act of putting God first above all in the home had a "trickle down" affect. Women would submit to their husbands, out of reverence for God and children would obey their parents out of reverence for God.

The same principle was put into practice for those with servants. Servants were to serve their masters as they would serve Christ and masters were to do the same thing. The only exception being in regard to a command that involves clear disobedience of God’s Word as illustrated in Acts 4:19, 20.

In today's world we are to serve our bosses (however disagreeable they may be) as we would serve Christ and vice-versa. Submission to each other "in the fear of the Lord" (reverence for God) is how peace within the body of Christ is established and the only way the church will survive in this turbulent world.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. - Colossians 3:15

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How Submission Really Works

1/23/2017

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Read Ephesians 5:22-33

This is going to be a long post but stick with me because in the end you will never have a problem with the word "submission" again.

Today we will carefully examine a section of Scripture that most women have struggled with for centuries. The modern woman of today finds it extremely offensive and some Christian men who have misinterpreted it, use it as an abusive form of control over their wives. It all stems from this one verse: "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Let's look into the Word of God and find out exactly what it means to submit to our husbands.

Before we begin, please grab a coloured pencil or highlighter and open your Bibles to Ephesians 5:22-33. Every time you see the word "own" colour it in, or underline it. Do something to make it stand out. You will see why in a minute. Don't have your Bible handy? Visit Biblegateway.com and highlight the word "own" there. It is an excellent site for Bible study as they not only allow you to highlight, but you can take notes that are saved for you as well. So, go highlight the word "own" and then come back here. I'll wait...I'm not going anywhere.

Now, that you have done that, let's look at these verses in context. At the beginning of Ephesians chapter five, Paul encourages the Ephesian converts to be "imitators of God" and so he lays out several keys and examples on how a Christian should live and what is expected of them. Last week, we looked at the Eight Keys to Godly Living and one of the last keys precedes the verses for today. But before we look at that, let's look at the entire section which says:

17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:17-21, NKJV).

As you can see, Paul is setting the context on how we should live for the Lord, and what that should look like in how we relate to each other as members of Christ's body. Last week I shared the meaning on what it meant to submit to one another "in the fear of God". Here it is again: "The word fear in Hebrew is yirah and means "awe or reverence". The "fear of the Lord" means to have an overwhelming sense of His glory or worth. Submitting to one another in the "fear of God" therefore, means we submit out of reverence for God and His holiness. This kind of submission means we do not try to use our wealth, gender or position to "bulldoze" someone into doing what we want. Instead, this kind of submission is done with respect and love for each other and our unity in Christ, out of reverence for God."

Now, with that in mind, let's look at the first few verses and the word "own" that I had you highlight.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything (Ephesians 5:22-24).

Ever wonder why that word "own" is there? Or why Paul had to make such a big deal about wives submitting to their own husbands? The Ephesian converts were a particular concern for the Apostle Paul because Ephesus was the capital of idol worship in the Roman world. It is here where most idols were made and sold. And it is here where the acts of idol worship involved prostitution, orgies, and other sexually immoral acts. This is the culture the Ephesian converts came out of, but it still went on around them every day. These immoral acts did not stop because some became Christians. Every day they struggled with reverting back to their old ways. But, the early believers were torn because of two false doctrines that were sweeping through the church.

The first false doctrine spread was antinomianism. Antinomianism is the belief that you could sin all you want and still be saved because of grace This doctrine, is something that is still promoted today in churches, through leaders like Joseph Prince. The other false doctrine being spread was by the Nicolaitans. They put themselves forward as believers in Jesus Christ and, at the same time, practiced black magic, offered sacrifices to numerous idols and were sexually immoral, all while teaching new believers that all these things were okay with God. In Revelation 2:6 Jesus commended the Ephesians for hating the practices of the Nicolaitans.

Despite that, these false doctrines were spreading throughout the early church because of the practice of idol worship. This is why Paul stressed in Ephesians 5:11, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." He was earnestly trying to help the Ephesians understand what life in Christ was supposed to look like - and it didn't involve the occult and sexually immoral practices of idol worship. Keep this bit of history in mind as you read this section of Ephesians.

Getting back to the word "own" - because of the sexual immorality involved in idol worship, Ephesian wives (and their husbands) thought nothing about sleeping with other people, hence the reason why Paul needed to stress the importance of wives submitting to their own husbands, as to the Lord.

Now, did you notice that last part - as to the Lord? It goes back to submitting to one another (Eph. 5:21) in the fear of God. So we submit to our husbands because we have reverence (fear - yirah) for God. Why? Because the husband is the head, as Christ is the head of the church and Jesus is the Saviour of that church. So the church as a whole is subject to Christ. We are under his authority. Not in a dogmatic "you do what I say" way, but because His ways (His authority) are for our benefit, that we might become like Him, sanctified, ready to serve Him not only in this world but in the one to come.

Now here is the kicker - we submit to our husbands not because they are superior in any way, but because God has placed upon them a huge responsibility for our spiritual welfare.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25-27, NKJV).

Again, keep the history of Ephesus in mind. As wives are to be subject to their own husbands (no longer submitting to other men), husbands were to love their own wives. How? As Christ loved the church. And how did Jesus love the church? He gave Himself up for her! And this is what husbands must do for their wives. Why? For one purpose - to sanctify and cleanse them. Jesus is counting on husbands to see that their wives are properly loved and washed (the Greek word is "loutron" and means bathed) in the Word, so that when Jesus comes again, both husband and wife will stand before Him holy and without blemish.

Submission therefore, has nothing to do with women meekly doing whatever they are told, or being subject to the whims of other men. Submission is solely in relation to the husband and wife partnership that is entered upon marriage. Women submit to their husbands out of reverence for God, with the knowledge that the husband is responsible to do everything in his power (give himself up for her) to ensure she will be loved and washed (or bathed) in the Word of God.

Ultimately, we are each responsible for our relationship with the Lord. Single women answer to Jesus alone. He is their head. But those who are married enter into a unique covenant with God. The two become one (Ephesians 5:31) just as Christ and the church are one. And their relationship as Christians is made stronger because of this.

I want to make one thing very clear before I finish. This doesn't always mean the man is right in every circumstance. It also doesn't mean the woman is always right. God's Holy Spirit resides in each of us and He leads and guides each of us equally. So a husband and wife who read the Bible together and pray together will be so much stronger in the Lord and in hearing His voice, then they would be if they ignored this aspect of their marriage. Therefore, if you keep Christ as your head in your marriage submission will come easily.

“The woman was made out of Adam’s side. She was not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.” - Matthew Henry

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Unlocking God's Word

Five Ways God Calls Us to Unity

Read Ephesians 4:1-6

Five Ways God Shows Us How to Walk
In Unity With Each Other

The Mystery of Christ

Read Ephesians 3:1-21

How Jesus Unites Humanity

Read Ephesians 2:11-18

Why Your Good Works Won't Save You

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

The Real Meaning of Spiritual Wisdom

Read Ephesians 1:15-23

Why God's Grace is Amazing

Read Ephesians 1:7-14

Four Spiritual Blessings God Gives Us

The Armor of God

Read Ephesians 6:10-18

How to Dress for War

How to Have Peace At Home and at Work

Read Ephesians 6:1-9

How Submission Really Works

Read Ephesians 5:22-33

Archives

Categories

​Unlocking God's Word

Read Ephesians 4:1-6

Five Ways God Shows Us How to WalkIn Unity With Each Other​

Read Ephesians 3:1-21

Read Ephesians 2:11-18

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

Read Ephesians 1:15-23

Read Ephesians 1:7-14

Read Ephesians 6:10-18

How to Dress for War ​

Read Ephesians 6:1-9

Read Ephesians 5:22-33

Archives

Categories

Unlocking God's Word

Five Ways God Shows Us How to Walk
In Unity With Each Other

How to Dress for War