Quick Overview of Ephesians
The book of Ephesian was written by Paul the apostle. The six chapters can be divided into two parts.
1. Chapter 1-3 Vision as God sees it from the heavens (not from earth)
2. Chapter 4-6 Living the Christian Life – Application and Practice
Top Keywords in Ephesians: Jesus Christ, God, purpose, glory, church, inheritance, economy.
God’s goal for the Church
- Christ has broken down walls between Jews & Gentiles, making peace and removing hostility (2:14ff)
- Jews & Gentiles fellow citizens of heaven & members of household of God (2:19)
- Jews & Gentiles are fellow heirs in Christ (3:6)
- Edify itself in love (4:16)
The Two Great Prayers in Ephesians
- Ephesians 1:15-23 – a prayer that God would grant the believers a spirit of wisdom and revelation (so we believers could see what God sees)
- Ephesians 3:14-19 – a prayer for spiritual strength so that Christ could dwell in our hearts through love (so that the riches of the vision could be practical in the believers lives)
Relationships among Christians in the early Church
- Members together of the family of God (brothers and sisters in Christ)
- Body of Christ
- Marriage being a type of Christ and the Church (chapter 5)
- Faithful service, exemplified by Tychicus (6:21)
- Comfort and encourage one another (6:22)
- Peace between brothers (6:23)
- Recipients of God’s grace (6:24)
- Mutual love resting on their mutual faith
- Top “Church” keywords: church, Body of Christ, family, household, brother, marriage, husband and wife, members,
Who you are in Christ
- Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ (1:3)
- God has had a plan (purpose) for me since eternity past (1:4)
- Adopted son of God (1:5)
- Accepted in the Beloved (1:6)
- Redeemed from slavery to sin (1:7)
- Forgiven (1:7)
- Recipient of His rich grace (1:7)
- Can understand the mystery of His will (1:9)
- An heir of God (inheritance)
- Sealed in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, therefore eternally secure (1:14)
- I am the beneficiary of His great power (1:19)
- Because He was raised from dead, I will be too (1:20)
- Made alive together with Christ (2:1; 2:5)
- I am in Christ positionally—security (2:6)
- Saved from wrath of God by grace through faith (2:8)
- Have boldness of access to God with confidence (3:12)
The believer’s mission
- Gospel presentation (bold ambassador for Christ) (6:20)
How you should behave in light of your identity
- I should live to the praise of His glory (1:13)
- Have love for all the saints (1:15)
- I should do the works God has prepared for me to do (2:10)
- Walk worthy of the calling I have in Christ (4:1ff)
- Lowliness
- Gentleness
- Longsuffering
- Bearing with one another in love
- Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
- Speaking the truth in love (4:15)
- Exercise the spiritual gift God has given me to edify the Church (4:12ff)
- Do my share to help edify the body in love (4:16)
How you become able to live as God wants
- Strengthened with might through His Spirit in inner man (3:16)
- Through Christ dwelling (being at home) in my heart through faith (3:17)
- By being rooted and grounded in love (3:17)
- He does the work according to the power in us (Holy Spirit) (3:20)
- Know God’s Word so I am not tossed about by every wind of doctrine , and subject to the trickery of men (4:13ff)
- Put on whole armor of God (6:10ff) – warfare
- Truth (6:14)
- Practical righteousness (6:14)
- Gospel of peace (6:15)
- Shield of faith (6:16)
- Helmet of salvation (6:17)
- Sword of the Spirit (Word of God) (6:17)
- Praying in the Spirit (6:18)
Prayer – lots is needed
- Praying always in the Spirit (6:18)
- Watchful in prayer (6:18)
- Perseverance in prayer (6:18)
- Make supplications for all saints (6:19)
- Pray for open doors for the gospel (6:19)
- Pray for boldness for those who are ambassadors of Christ (6:20)