Ephesians 1:1-2

                                                                 Ephesians 1:1-2

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Greetings are an important part of any letter as they let us know important information about the author, recipients, and the content of the book.  We know that this letter was written by Paul to the believers of the church in Ephesus.  Paul has spent over two years in this city and saw God move in astounding ways.  The city was a hub for commerce in Asia Minor so many people traveled to and from this port city and as a result of Paul’s time in this place the Gospel spread throughout the entire region (Acts 19:10).  This letter is a vital message to a strategic and influential church.

 

PAUL WAS SENT: Paul was chosen by God to be sent as an apostle to the Gentiles.  God’s will in the life of a believer is an important truth that should motivate, comfort, and challenge us.  It is motivating because we understand that the Creator of the universe has an interest in our lives, and we are privileged to serve Him.  It comforts us because God’s will informs us that He is in control in even the darkest of circumstances.  It is a challenge because the Lord has a mission on this earth and calls us to be active in that mission.  Paul’s conviction about his calling helped him stand firm in the face of opposition and persevere in times of suffering.    

 

THEY WERE SAVED: This letter is addressed to the saints in Ephesus.  The members of the church are believers in Jesus Christ and as such have been separated from the world unto God.  They are holy in their standing before God and they are therefore called saints.  Believers may not always feel holy and they may not always act holy but because of our standing in Christ, we are holy before the Lord and will be perfectly holy for eternity.  However, Paul also refers to his readers as faithful.  In essence, faithfulness means living in a way that is consistent with our standing in Christ.  Those who are faithful will not rest in their position of holiness but will pursue holiness in their actions, attitudes, and motivations.

 

GOD HAS SERVED: Those who God calls to salvation and who follow Him in a life of faithfulness will experience the grace and peace of God.  He serves His children with these wonderful gifts.  Nothing we experience as believers is because of our own merit; it is all by grace.  It is such a blessing that God deals with us according to His grace and not by what we deserve.  Because of God’s grace we can truly live a life of peace.  We have peace with God because of Christ, and we can experience the peace of God in every circumstance of life.  The knowledge that He is working in all things for His glory and our eternal good should fill our hearts with peace.  We should experience peace in our relationships and in all circumstances because these are the gifts of God to us as believers and followers of Christ.

 

APPLICATION: Understand that we are who we are by the will of God.  He has called us to a life of holiness and faithfulness.  As a result we should rejoice in the grace of God and experience the peace of God in every situation life may bring our way.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 1:3-7

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not   to teach any different doctrine,   nor   to devote themselves to myths and endless   genealogies, which promote   speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.    The aim of our charge is love   that issues from a pure heart and   a good conscience and   a sincere faith.    Certain persons, by   swerving from these, have wandered away into   vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law,   without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.   There will always be false teachers that come into the church attempting to distract people from the truth and destroy people’s faith.  When this happens, it is the job of spiritually mature leaders to confront these false teachers and correct their teachings.  However, it is important that this correction be accomplished with the right motives and methods. 
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more