Ephesians 3:1

Ephesians 3:1 says, For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, Paul considered himself a prisoner of Christ and not of the powers of the world.  He was a prisoner of Christ because of his commitment to preach salvation to the Gentiles.  When accusations were made against Paul, they all centered on the fact that he was preaching salvation to all equally, and this made the religious leaders angry at him.  We must be prisoners to our faith in Christ no matter what the powers of the world may do to us.  Verse two adds, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:  Paul said that God had given him the dispensation of grace.  What Paul was preaching was not something that he himself had decided was the truth, but was the truth given to him by God.  When we proclaim the gospel today, we must make sure that it is what God Himself declared as the truth of the gospel, which is that Christ died to restore any who believes in Him to God.  Verse three continues, How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  Verse four concludes, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  Paul said in these two verses that he had already written about how he came to know about the mystery of salvation through Christ.  It really is a mystery why God would choose such a way to salvation, until we come to acknowledge the truth of that mystery.  Salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, and until we meet Him personally through faith salvation will always remain a mystery.  Verse five states, Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  Paul said that the truth of salvation was hidden in times past but was now revealed to God's apostles and prophets by the Spirit.  Why God chose to wait until this time to fulfill the law through Christ is not something we need to understand, but we can only accept by faith that the time was right, just as the time of the return of Christ will be.  Verse six adds, That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Paul tells us that the Jews and the Gentiles will be fellow heirs through the salvation of Christ.  We today are all fellow heirs of Christ with all other Christians.  Countries or denominations do not separate us, but we are all a part of the same body of Christ.  Verse seven continues, Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.  Paul said that he was a minister of Christ through the grace and power of Christ.  Whatever our calling today, we are called through the grace of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out that calling.  Paul did not claim to be anything of his own abilities and strength, but always gave the glory to God.  Verse eight declares, Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;  Again, Paul states his own unworthiness to be called a saint but proclaims his calling to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.  We can never truly understand the riches that are ours through Christ in this world, nor will we ever deserve them.  This should prevent us from feeling superior to any other Christian, but as Paul we should feel that we are the least worthy.  We should always be humble in our service to Christ.  Verse nine adds, And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:  Paul wanted everyone to understand that salvation had always been and always would be through Christ.  This was God's plan from the beginning.  Salvation would come through Christ Who created all things.  Paul called this a fellowship of the mystery, and we still cannot really understand all aspects of the nature of the Trinity, but we can accept it by faith. Verse ten continues, To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,  Paul said that through Christ we can begin to understand the manifold wisdom of God.  Verse eleven states, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:  God's purpose, salvation for every person who would believe, was always to be made possible through Christ.  It is not that God had one plan, the law of God, which failed so He had to devise another plan, salvation through Christ.  The law of God was never meant to bring salvation, since it was based on man's abilities and not God's grace.  Verse twelve adds, In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  Paul tells us that our faith in Christ should give us boldness and confidence in the world today.  Even when imprisoned, Paul was still bold in his proclamation of Christ as Savior and Lord of his life.

Ephesians 2:11

Ephesians 2:11 says, Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;  Paul said that those Gentile Christians had not been considered a part of God's people before they came to God by faith in Christ.  They were looked down on by the Jews, who considered themselves to be God's only people based on things of the flesh, such as birth and circumcision.  Verse twelve adds, That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:  Paul reminded the Christians at Ephesus that as Gentiles they had been aliens from those who were identified as God's people.  They were strangers to the covenant of God and without God in their lives.  I don't believe that this means that all people who were not a part of the nation of Israel before the coming of Christ were lost forever, any more than being born physically into the nation of Israel meant that they were automatically saved.  Through Christ, all have hope.  Verse thirteen continues, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  Paul declares that those who had been far away from God, the Gentiles in particular, were made close to God through the blood of Christ.  This in no way depended on anything that they did other than accept salvation through Christ alone, and that has always been and always will be the only way to salvation.  Verse fourteen states, For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Christ allows us to find peace with God by breaking down the wall of partition that separates us from God.  We do not need anyone or anything else to give us access to God, the heavenly Father, except Christ.  As followers of Christ, we have total access to God.  Verse fifteen adds, Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  Paul tells us that Christ, in His flesh or human nature abolished the enmity between God and man, which the commandments could not do.  Christ was a new Man, one that lived in total obedience to the law and thereby fulfilled the requirements of the law once and forever.  Verse sixteen continues, And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  Paul said that by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross that the enmity between God and man was slain.  Through Christ alone can we have a right relationship with God.  Verse seventeen says, And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.  Jesus did indeed preach peace to the Jews and the Gentiles, and Paul had continued to do the same, as we must also.  Christ died for the sins of everyone, but it is up to each individual to accept that gift of salvation.  Verse eighteen adds, For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  Through Christ we all have the same access to the Father under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse nineteen continues, Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  As fellow citizens in the kingdom of God, we do not need visas or green cards.  We are all equally citizens of God's kingdom.  Verse twenty states, And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  Paul said that the apostles and prophets had built the foundation of the church through preaching Christ as Savior and Lord, and Christ was and is the cornerstone of salvation.  If the cornerstone is not laid correctly, then what is built will be faulty.  If salvation through Christ is not the cornerstone of our faith, then whatever we build will ultimately fail. Verse twenty-one adds, In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:   Verse twenty-two continues, In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.  Paul was continuing to emphasize that all spiritual growth comes through the cornerstone of Christ.  We are all a part of God's church, but we can only be a part of that church, or body of believers, by faith in Christ alone.  The law or the nature of our physical birth, whether we are Jew or Gentile, can never save us.

Ephesians 2:1

Ephesians 2:1 says, And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Paul tells us that before we accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord that we were dead in our trespasses and sin.  No matter how good we may think we are, we will always be under the power of sin until we accept the salvation of Christ through faith.  When we accept Christ into our lives, we are made spiritually alive forever.  Verse two adds, Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,  Paul said that before accepting Christ that we walked in the course of the world.  In other words, I believe Paul was reminding the believers at Ephesus that they were no better than any other sinner based on their own ability.  No one can claim a right relationship with God except through the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse three continues, Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  Paul continued to remind the church at Ephesus that they had been no better than those who refused to accept Christ.  I hear someone say occasionally that as soon as they correct a few things in his or her life that they will accept the salvation that Christ offers, but we can never become good enough to be followers of Christ.  We can only come to Him as a sinner saved by grace.   When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord we will no longer be ruled by the desires of the flesh but will be ruled by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  When we are led by the lust of our flesh, we are children of wrath.  Verse four states, But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Paul said that God loved us because of Who He is and not because of who we are.  It is because of the richness of the mercy of God that we may be saved.  This mercy and love of God is extended to all people, but it is up to each individual to accept it.  Verse five adds, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  There is no way to become good enough to be saved as already stated.  When we are spiritually dead, we are given everlasting life by faith in Christ.  Paul once more states that this is by God's grace and has nothing to do with who we are.  Verse six continues, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  Paul tells us that we are raised up together.  There are no separations between Christians in heavenly places, nor should there be in the world today.  Some people who would separate Christians today based on earthly status are going to be surprised in heaven, I believe.  Those who may have been looked down on will be equal in heaven.  Verse seven declares, That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  This is a continuation of what was said in verse six.  We are united in Christ, and in the ages to come, or in heaven, we will see the richness of God's kindness toward us.  We may experience the richness of God's love here, but sin will always keep us from experiencing the total depth of His love.  Verse eight adds, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  This is the heart of the gospel.  The only way to be saved is by faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord, and even this faith comes from God.  Verse nine continues, Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Paul tells us that if salvation could come by works then we could boast about our own abilities.  Since we can never do this, we can only come to God through Christ as sinners saved by the grace of God.  Verse ten concludes, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  We are God's creation.  We are created by Christ for good works, and we are redeemed by Christ in order to be able to do good works for God.  Though we are saved by faith, we are saved to do the good works of Christ for the glory of God.

Ephesians 1:15

Ephesians 1:15 says, Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  Paul told the church at Ephesus that he had heard of their faith in Christ.  As stated before, news did not travel that fast in Paul's day, but news of their faith had reached Paul.  He said that he had not only heard of their faith in Christ, but also of their love for all saints, or Christians.  We need the same testimony to be ours today, and that is that through Christ we love all people, and especially that we love all fellow believers.  Verse sixteen adds, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;  Paul said that he gave thanks to God for their faithful obedience to God and that he prayed for them.  I believe that when Paul said he made mention of them in his prayers that it meant more than just saying their name, but that he sincerely lifted them up to God that He might strengthen them.  We should be thankful for all fellow Christians and sincerely pray for them.  Verse seventeen continues, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus would grow in their knowledge of God.  They could only do this as they looked to God to increase their knowledge of Him.  The Holy Spirit will lead us to a better understanding of what we should be as followers of Christ if we allow Him to.  Verse eighteen states, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  This is just a further expansion of what was said in verse seventeen.  We will see life in the hope of God's calling with the riches of the glory of the inheritance that God will give us.  This is not a promise of the temporary riches of the world, but of the everlasting riches heaven.  Verse nineteen adds, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  I believe that Paul was saying that even as the Holy Spirit leads us to a better understanding of God that we still fail to understand the greatness of God's riches and power.  Verse twenty continues, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Paul tells us that God revealed His power and greatness through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  What the world viewed as a defeat of Christ really only led to His victory over sin and death, not only for Himself but for all who put their faith in salvation through Him.  Verse twenty-one says, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  Paul tells us that the power of Christ is not only greater than any power of this life, but His power is greater than any in the world to come.  We belong to and are protected by God forever if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-two adds, And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head overall things to the church,  Paul tells us that everything is placed under the feet of Christ, or ultimately under His redemptive power.  This is especially true of the church, of which Christ is the head.  If we allow any person to become the source of authority in the church, other than Christ Himself being the authority, then something is wrong.  Verse twenty-three continues, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  Paul was still referring to the church, with Christ as the head and the believers as the body.  We, as the church or the followers of Christ, are to always be under the leadership of God through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Ephesians 1:7

Ephesians 1:7 says, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;  If we are redeemed to God, it is only through the blood of Christ.  If our sins are forgiven, it is not by any action on our part, but by the blood of Christ.  This is only made possible by the grace of God.  There has never been nor never will be any way to salvation except by accepting what Christ did for everyone on the cross.  Verse eight adds, Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;  God gives us the wisdom to know the truth of salvation through Christ.  God not only provides the only way to salvation, but He gives us the faith to have the knowledge accept that salvation.  Rejection of salvation is purely an act of self will on the part of an individual, and salvation is purely an act of faith in following the will of God.  Verse nine continues, Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:  Paul said that God had made known the mystery of His will.  We can never know God by our own ability but can only know Him as He reveals Himself to us.  Salvation will never be dependent on any act of people other than the acceptance of Christ as their Savior and Lord through faith, which is itself giving to them by God.  Verse ten states, That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  I believe that Paul was speaking about the second coming of Christ.  When God determines the time to be right, then all of those who belong to Christ through faith will be gathered together.  We do not need to worry about when, but only be assured of the truth that we are assured of that fact.  Verse eleven adds, In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  Paul just offers further assurance that those who put their faith in Christ have gained a part in His inheritance.  I believe that salvation by Christ is what was preordained, and not the salvation of any particular individual or individuals.  Verse twelve continues, That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  We are not saved for our own glory, but for the glory of God, as Paul states here.  This glory to God comes through our acceptance of Christ, a free will act on the part of every individual.  Though God could have forced us to serve Him, it is to His glory that He allows us to make the choice.  Verse thirteen proclaims, In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  These promises are made to those who put their faith in Christ.  Once someone accepts the truth of salvation by Christ alone, they are sealed to a relationship with the Father by the Holy Spirit.  The only way a person who is truly saved could lose their salvation would be if they were more powerful than God, since He seals the relationship.  Verse fourteen adds, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.  The Holy Spirit is the assurance of our inheritance until the final redemption.  We need only rest assured that we are God's forever through our faith in Christ.

Ephesians 1:1

Ephesians 1:1 says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:  As usual, Paul identified himself and those he was writing to.  He identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.  Paul did not feel that this was a title that he had somehow earned but was a position that God had called him to.  Paul said he was writing to the saints at Ephesus.  As we should already know, this did not mean some group of super Christians, but to all who were believers in Christ.  Paul also identified them as the faithful in Christ.  If we are to be identified as saints of God, those who are set aside from the world, then we must be faithful to Christ.  Verse two adds, Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul asked that the grace of God would be with the church at Ephesus.  The grace of God would lead to peace in their lives and should in ours as well.  The church was not a place, but a fellowship of believers.  When Paul said from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, he was not speaking about two Gods, but one God that we see manifested in two ways.  Though Paul did not mention the Holy Spirit, we know that He is the other Person of the Trinity.  We cannot divide God into three separate gods.  The Bible is consistent throughout that there is but one God.  Verse three Paul continues, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  As just stated, Paul was not dividing God, but was simply acknowledging that God as our heavenly father should be blessed for sending the Son to redeem us.  Paul said that God is the source of all spiritual blessings.  We cannot just decide what blessings we want from God and expect Him to have to give them to us .  Paul was persecuted and imprisoned for much of his ministry, but he said that God should still be blessed.  We cannot allow material things to come between us and God.  Verse four states, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  There are those who read this and claim that certain people were ordained before creation to be saved and that they are the only ones who will be saved.  I do not believe that this is what Paul was saying, but instead was saying that even before the foundation of the world that God had His redemption plan in place.  This plan of salvation is available to everyone and not just a select few.  Verse five adds, Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  As just stated, I believe this adoption is what was predestined, and not just a particular person or group of people who could receive it.  We can never be any more than the adopted children of God through faith in Christ.  Verse six continues, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  Paul praised God for His grace, from which He had made us acceptable through Christ.  It is only by the grace of God that we are saved.  For this alone, with no earthly or material reward, we should praise God.  If everything on earth is lost, our salvation is still secure by our faith in Christ.

Galatians Review

In the book of Galatians, Paul addressed false teachings that had entered the church there.  Paul did not just go to an area and preach the gospel then go away and forgot them.  It was much more difficult to know what was going on in other places then, and Paul himself was being persecuted.  Still, he managed to keep up with what was going on in the churches he had helped to establish.  We today need to have that same concern for churches around us.  We may have had nothing to do with their establishment, but if false teachings enter into any profession of the gospel, we need to stand ready to correct it.  The particular issue that Paul was addressing was the requirement for Gentile believers to be circumcised in order to be saved or accepted as a part of God's people.  We today may not face that same issue, but there are those who would add to the requirement of salvation by faith alone, and they lead many into following their teachings.  Paul recognized the danger of this and said that anything added to the requirement of faith in Christ alone for salvation was wrong.  Paul also addressed the issue of feeling superior to other Christians.  Some of those who were Jews felt that they were somehow more important than those who had been Gentiles because God's law had been given to them.  Paul said that the only purpose of the law was to lead them to faith in God.  Instead of proving their worthiness, the law did just the opposite.  Since in order to be justified by the law a person needed to keep all the law perfectly, in thoughts as well as in action, then no one could be justified by the law.  Christ came to fulfill the requirements of the law, and through faith in Him alone could anyone, Jew or Gentile, male or female, be restored to a right relationship with God.  The Holy Spirit indwells all believers to give them guidance and make intercession for them with God.  Paul said that once we are freed by the gospel of Christ, then we would be foolish to return to the requirement of the law.  We as followers of Christ are all made equal through the cross and should never allow anything to separate us.