Preface

Friends in India asked if I would write some helps on Ephesians to be a companion to the booklet on Colossians. The two books seem to be a pair, and be addressed to similar audiences. There is a greater emphasis on the Holy Spirit in Ephesians and a greater emphasis on the Word of God in Colossians, perhaps because the Gnostics in Colosse put so much emphasis on provate knowledge "by the Spirit."

I have used Walter l. Liefeld's commentary, published by the IVP Press as my main source.

The truth that has stood out most strongly for me in preparing the teaching is that the Holy Spirit is the Administrator of the Church. It is He who raises up the ministry gifts in the church, and it is He who imparts particular spiritual gifts to the believers.

Ephesus was a capital city in the Roman empire. It was on a major east-west trade route, and had a port on the Cayster river. It was cosmopolitan, with both Jews and gentiles. There was a temple to the fertility goddess, Artemis, and there was a theater that could hold 50,000 people. It was a center of idolatry.

We know from Acts 18:19 that Aquila and Priscilla spent time in Ephesus and that they influenced Apollos there. The Christians met in a lecture hall where a teacher with the fearful name Tyrannus taught. it seems that the 7 churches of Revelation were established from Ephesus. John may have spent time in Ephesus. Timothy was there for a time. Paul's time there is described in Acts 19, and he met the elders in Acts 20. Revelation 2 refers to the church in Ephesus.

When Paul went to Ephesus, there was a major disturbance because he taught that idols had no value. Idol-makes worried that it would affect their income, and they stirred the people up to demonstrate against Paul and his group. The civil leaders stopped the riot by insisting that they follow the normal court procedures if they had an accusation. In this way, the believers were protected by civil law.

This booklet is prepared to help the village pastor in teaching his or her own people. I have tried to give as much structure as possible, so it will be easier to stay organized as you teach the Word of God. I suggest that you read the entire book of Ephesians every day for a month before starting a teaching series so that you have the content clearly in mind. There are many passages that can be memorized. The most poopular are 2:8-10 ("by grace are ye saved") and 6:10-18 ("The armor of God"). As you teach through the book, you can challenge your members to learn these passages by heart.

May God bless you as you enter into the study of the book.

Winston Mattsson-Boze

Herald of Faith

PO Box 278

Ramona, CA 92065

USA

 winstonmb@gmail.com

Ephesians overview

After the introduction, Paul blesses God for a number of things that we often don't think about when we count our blessings. The fact that he starts and ends his first section with "blessed be God" and "to the praise of His glory" indicates that these phrases are ot mere courtesies, but form a bracket around the blessings. For Paul, and for us, the glory of God is the principal thing and the final purpose of creation. The blessings are there to enhance His glory much more than to exalt the position of the believer.

He lists about 9 things in the first section. We bless God because:

1. He blesses us with every spiritual blessing.
2. He chose us in Christ before the world was created.
3. He predestined us to adoption as sons of God.
4. He freely bestows grace on us in Christ. Grace is richly lavished on us.
5. We have redemption through Christ's blood.
6. He makes known the mystery of His will.
7. The Spirit is summing up all things in Christ.
8. We obtain an inheritance inChrist.
9. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of the inheritance.

All these things are for the praise of His glory. The glory is the reality of God inherent in His nature in heaven as well as the glory as it is manifested to man and expressed by man in word and deed.

Our challenge in all this blessing is to submit to the administration of the Holy Spirit in bringing all things, beginning with the church, into unity in Christ.

Paul continues with a prayer that emphasizes the means used to fulfill the unity of all things in Christ:

1. He praises the Ephesians' faith and love for all the saints.
2. He prays that they will receive wisdom and revelations.
3. He prays that the eyes of their hearts will be opened.
4. He prays that they will know the hope of their calling.
5. He prays that they will know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Not only do we have an inheritance; we are God's precious inheritance.)
6. He prays that they will know the surpassing greatness of His power to us.

• It was wrought in the resurrection.
• His name is above all powers and other names.
• It is for all time.
• All things are under His feet.
• The church is His tool to achieve final victory.

When we achieve faith and unity we will be prepared to understand and experience the fullness of the power. We will also demonstrate God's power to the unseen spiritual forces of the universe.

It is clear that the eyes of the heart are opened before understanding comes to the mind.

With this basis, Paul devotes most of the letter to describing our progression towards making God the ultimate center of glory in the cosmos. God is glorified as:

1. We are brought from death to life. 2:1-16
2. Jew and Gentile, formerly hostile to one another, are reconciled. 2:11-22
3. The church is formed as one body. 3:1-21
4. Unity is maintained in the church. 4:1-6
5. Corporate unity comes through God’s ministry gifts to the church. 4:7-16
6. Christian morality is accomplished through radical change. 4:17-6:9

God is concerned with the salvation of the individual, but also with the formation of a church that will serve as the proclamation of His glory inn the face of all spiritual powers. That testimony calls for corporate unity and individual holiness.

The final section presents the challenge to us as His workmanship. It calls for constant alertness and preparedness in spiritual warfare and in prayer. So we take the armor of God on us:

• Salvation
• Faith
• Truth
• Preparation
• Word of God
• Righteousness

In this battle, we constantly pray in the Spirit for ourselves and for all saints.

Theology of Ephesians

1. Sovereignty of God over the cosmos. God initiates, plans, and accomplishes the multifaceted cosmic agenda by which He will bring blessing to the church, and through it, to the entire universe. 1:3-14, 3:10-11, 3:20-21
2. The supremacy of Christ in God’s plan. Believers share this exalted perspective of Christ, from which they can sense the flow of history and their own experiences as part of God’s will. This is God’s intentional plan; it is not only cosmic, but also personal.  God’s plan pertains to our ethical decisions as well. 2:6, 1:4-5, 1:11, 2:10, 4:13.
3. God’s sovereign grace. Stress on God as the initiator of salvation combined with humanity as dead in sins and helpless to achieve salvation. We need grace; God chose to be gracious. 2:8-9
4. The heavenly realms. The word carries us up to the sphere that Christ has entered following his resurrection, in which we 1) receive God’s blessing, 2) share the exaltation of Christ, and 3) gain perspective on the role of the church. 1:3,20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12, 1:21
5. Mystery. God’s purposes and plans during the present age cannot be fully known or understood apart from revelation. 1:9, 3:3,4,9, 5:32, 6:19
6. The church.  Ecclesia and soma are each used 9 times in the book as references to the church. Various believers who minister in the church do so as part of a wonderfully functioning body. 4:1-16
7. Theology of ministry. There is a progression from individual to Jew and gentile together to working together as a holy temple that displays God’s wisdom. Such a goal is achieved by ministry from within the body itself. Chapter 4.
8. Spiritual powers and spiritual warfare. There are spiritual beings who seek to exercise spiritual authority (exousia). Christ’s exaltation is far above all existing spiritual forces; yet we believers are engaged in a constant battle against them. 1:21, 2:2, 3:10, 6:12
9. Prayer. Paul both teaches and demonstrates it. 1:3, 15-23, 3:14-21, 618-20

 Sixth, He makes known the mystery of His will. We have a knowledge from God concerning purpose of all creation. This mystery is communicated by the Holy Spirit to our human spirit. As we walk in the Spirit, our minds understand more fully what His purposes are. God is able to communicate with us. This communication comes primarily through Scripture, but also through other, lesser types of revelation: dreams, prophecies, visions, etc. All revelation is judged by the written Scriptures.

Seventh, The Spirit is summing up all things in Christ. All things in both heaven and earth are subject to Christ, but we understand that we don’t see the full realization of that fact as yet. The Holy Spirit is the administrator of the church and the world, and is bringing all things together through the work of the church, so they will come under Christ’s headship. The entire focus of the church is to bring all things under Christ. This section also includes the phrase “an administration suitable to the fullness of times.” This refers to the stewardship of the Holy Spirit in the period between the ascension and the second coming of Christ. As in the beginning, “God saw that it was good,” and as on the cross Jesus said, ‘It is finished,” so at the end of the ages the Spirit will say, “All things are now summed up in Christ.” (We realize that there are those who see the phrase as referring to a “dispensation” after the Second Coming, and we accept that as a possibility. Our preference is to see the scriptures as they apply to us today, and not as they apply in some future time.)

Eighth, We obtain an inheritance in Christ. We have heaven in the future, but we also have much to inherit here on earth. As we realize the blessings that God has for us, we will reach out and possess them by faith.

Ninth, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit fills us and imparts spiritual gifts to us so that we have a foretaste of the things that are yet to come. We “see through a glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13: 12) but the things that we do see indicate the more wonderful things yet to come.

Our challenge in the church is to submit to the administration of the Holy Spirit in bringing all things, our own lives, our churches, the world, and the entire universe, into unity in Christ.

Ephesians: Paul’s Prayer 1:15-23

Notice in this prayer that it isn’t a “shopping list” of things he wants God to give the Ephesians. He doesn’t talk about their sicknesses or their need for buildings or the broken marriages, etc. His prayer is concerned with the things that concern God the most. His prayer emphasizes the means used to fulfill the unity of all things in Christ.

First he praises the Ephesians for their faith and their love for all the saints. We know from Revelation 2:4 that they later fell from their “first love.” This indicates that we must constantly be alert to maintaining love in the church.

Second, he prays that they will receive wisdom and revelation. Paul, more than anyone in the Bible besides Moses, received revelations from God. God doesn’t reveal things to just anybody, but He does reveal things to “his servants, the prophets.” (Amos 3:7). God wants to reveal His secrets, but He doesn’t “cast pearls before swine.” (Matthew 7:6) He wants people who are able to receive wisdom and revelation responsibly.

Third, Paul prays that the eyes of their hearts will be opened. It is one thing to see things in a natural way; it is another thing to see them in a spiritual way. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:16, “we know no man after the flesh.” We don’t see by outward appearance, but with the eyes of the renewed man. It is clear that the eyes of the heart are opened before understanding comes to the mind.

Fourth, he prays that they will know the hope of their calling. We are called in order to fulfill a purpose that God has for us. Good works have been prepared for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) But we will not do them if we don’t see the hope of success. God wants to open our eyes to the possibilities that we will fulfill as we submit our lives to Him. Philippians. 3:14 speaks of the “upward call.” Our hope is that we will go “up.”

Fifth, he prays that they will know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. It is not only that we have an inheritance, but that we are God’s inheritance. As the Levites were set apart as priests to the Lord in the Old Testament, so all the saints are set apart as His priests in the New Testament. Because of this, we constantly “minister to the Lord” to proclaim His glory. We examine the details of His grace and all of His perfections. In this we magnify His Name, and also find our own highest joys.

Sixth, he prays that they will know the surpassing greatness of His power to us. We know intellectually that we have “all power,” but we don’t know it experientially as we ought. Paul mentions several facts about the great power:

• It was accomplished in the resurrection. When God raised Jesus from the dead, He released great power to the church.
• His name is above all powers and other names. Jesus has authority over every power in heaven and earth.
• It is for all time. The power in Christ is for eternity, but it is not limited to a distant future. Rather, it is to be put into effect now.
• All things are under His feet. Jesus, the creator of the universe, is also its Lord. Everything is subject to him, including the “laws of nature” themselves.
• The church is His tool to achieve final victory. Christ has chosen to work through His body on earth, and not simply through spiritual individuals. The church stands in a unique relationship to the cosmos and to the spiritual powers in the heavenly places. As the church understands and assumes its proper position, the rest of the world will come into line.

When we achieve faith and unity, we will be prepared to understand and experience the fullness of the power.

We see that Paul’s prayer comes out of deep thinking and revelation about the role of the church in the universe and the earth. It is important that we keep this high purpose in mind as we pray about our own churches. We are in an exalted position when we are in “heavenly places in Christ.” This position is not to be a place of imagining or pretending, but a place of real power that influences the world.

Ephesians Step 1

From Death to Life (2:1-10)

Salvation is a second breath from God, imparting the spiritual life that was lost in Adam’s fall. Before salvation, we were in a state of spiritual death. We were not merely neutral, but were enemies of God and subject to His wrath. We walked according to the “age of this world.” (Age is temporal; world is spatial) We indulged the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

We conformed to the way of the world because we were in bondage to its power over us. This power was the personal influence by which Satan controlled us. He placed within us the inclination to sin and distorted our human understanding so that we would not grasp spiritual truth.

We know by experience that when we are in an atmosphere where one attitude dominates, we tend to conform to that way. Positively, it happened when King Saul came among the prophets and he prophesied. (1 Samuel 10:11) Negatively, we find that the prophets confronting Jeremiah were all saying the same thing, but it was wrong. (Jeremiah 14:14) They had not stood in the counsel of God (Jeremiah 23:22), but were listening to each other.

Years ago I was teaching in a rather worldly school, and the teachers would use crude language. I started using the same language. I was walking in worldly places rather than being seated in heavenly places. But I also observe that when I walk with those who have a gift for evangelism, I find myself evangelizing. The atmosphere in which we live is contagious. That is why we need to assume our “heavenly place.” We want our churches to be like the “heavenly places” influencing the members.

When Paul writes, he puts our previous way in the past tense. It was so, but because of God’s grace, it is not so. How wonderful that the old life is past!

The gift of God is that of spiritual life in place of wrath. God is rich in mercy. While His wrath is justified, He “remembers mercy in wrath.” (Habakkuk 3:2) God’s love is not isolated and confined to His heavenly realm or His own being, but it has an object. It is the great love with which He loved us. Most of us feel that we have hearts of love, but oftentimes it breaks down when it comes to actually demonstrating love to someone who seems unlovely. God chooses to redeem us from death and make us alive together with Christ. Christ came to us in our unlovely condition.

To be effective such redemption must have a donor who is able to redeem and a recipient who is needy of redemption. God is able to save, and we need to be saved.

Spiritually, we were like the dry bones in Ezekiel 37. Ezekiel himself doubted that they could ever live, but he was commanded to prophecy to them. The bones came together and developed flesh and turned into the army of the Lord. This is the resurrection power that comes to the church through Christ. Those who were dead in trespasses and sins become the army of the Lord.

We are raised up to spiritual life so that God might show the wealth of His grace in the coming ages, both the ages yet to come on earth and the ages that come after the world is done away with. God’s glory is the overriding purpose in all the He does and in all that we do. Jesus says that our good works are done so that men may glorify God (Matthew 5:16). But His work is greater than our works; it demonstrates God’s grace and glory to all creation and all eternity.

Our part is not to boast because we have done such good things, for salvation is the gift of God to us, not an achievement on our part. Rather, we are to walk in the works that God has prepared for us.

As God’s workmanship, the believer is linked with Christ in His ultimate exaltation at God’s right hand.

Salvation comes by faith and not by works.

• Our life comes by faith (2:8).
• Our healthy relationship comes through access by faith (3:12).
• By faith Christ fully occupies our hearts (3:17).
• Faith is our shield against the attacks of the enemy (6:6).

We are “his workmanship.” The Greek word is “poema,” and has interesting overtones because of its association with art. As God’s artistic product, each one is uniquely suited for the work God has designed him for in His kingdom. We were made and formed specifically by God for a purpose that He has for us. God prepared these works for us to do even before our conversion. We are not saved by, but for good works

So we move from spiritual death, which is enmity to God, to spiritual life, which makes us able servants of God in fulfilling His purposes for us and for all of creation.

Ephesians step 2

Reconciliation of Jew and Gentile through the cross. (2:11-22)

Paul frequently contrasts the Jew and the Gentile in Ephesians. When he says “you” he is generally referring to the gentiles; when he says “we” he is referring to the Jews. Before salvation, Jew and gentile were alienated from one another; after salvation, they are integrated in a single structure that brings them together.

The Jews were one step away from salvation because they already had a contact with God through the Old Testament prophets. The gentiles were two steps away from salvation, because they had no previous special revelation. This led to an attitude by the Jews of, “I’m more spiritual than you are.” That attitude is overcome in the realization that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) The Gospel is given both to those [gentiles] who are far off and to those [Jews] who are near.” Jesus is the instrument of reconciliation, and they are made one through the common application of the blood of the cross.

The blood of Christ is a constant theme is scriptures.

• It reconciles us to God (Colossians 1:20).
• It purifies (1 John 1:7).
• It buys/redeems man (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Revelation 5:9).
• By the blood we overcome (Revelation 12:11).

Jesus, who is our peace, removes the dividing effect of the law. Unity is achieved in Him. He creates a third race, neither Jew nor gentile, but Christian.

The Jews had “a fence around the law,” a series of derivative laws that would protect them from coming close to violating the law itself. This “fence” came to have as much authority as the law itself, and was confronted numerous times by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere. (Examples are the Sabbath day’s journey, the ritual washing of hands before eating, rules regarding oaths, etc.) These rules led to an extreme separation between Jew and gentile that is overcome in Christ.

In our time the division takes other forms. Those who are traditionally inside the church often fail in their ability to receive those who come in from outside the church culture. If a new believer is from a different caste or race or tribe, feelings of superiority set in, and it is difficult to maintain unity in the Spirit. There are cultural differences and prejudices regarding hair, clothing, food and customs that we must overcome

Jesus renders every artificial rule inoperative when we permit Him to reign in the church.

The cross brings a new unity in creating an organism that didn’t exist previously. In this structure, Jew and gentile together have open access to the Father. As they are reconciled, they become God’s dwelling place. There is a relationship between their reconciliation and their being [corporately] the holy temple of the Lord.

As living stones, they grow in relationship with each other into the temple of God. The “foreigner” becomes a “member,” whether he was previously a Jew or a gentile. Their new alignment is with Christ, and not with a previous standard.

Law and Commandment are distinguished from each other. Law has a legal, judgmental connotation. Commandment is a directional word that comes from God directly to the human heart. The Ten Commandments are often called the Law, but they are actually the 10 “Words” that God spoke for our well-being. We follow the Commandments without being subject to the Law.

Ephesians step 3

The Formation of the Church as One Body (3:1-21)

Paul shows us that God’s mystery was still unfolding. His interest in it is not merely theoretical, for he has been imprisoned because of his reaching out to include the gentiles.

A story is told from the First World War. A soldier died, and they wanted to bury him in a Catholic churchyard. The priest didn’t know if the man was Catholic, and so he wouldn’t let them have a burial spot within the churchyard, but he did arrange so they could bury him just outside the fence. Later the priest began to meditate on his action, and decided it was wrong. So he moved the fence to bring the man’s grave inside the churchyard.

This is what Paul has done. No longer is the faith confined to the physical descendants of Abraham; indeed, many of them are rejected. Rather, it is open to all believers who come through Christ, whether Jew or gentile. This is the spiritual Israel, and is the heir of the promises. (There are irrevocable promises given to natural Israel as well, of course.)

Paul has been given a role in the carrying out of this divine work by the grace of God. Paul has been given the insight necessary to developing the teaching and to inviting the gentiles. He has become a servant of the Gospel. Other words used to describe this ministry are “administration” and “stewardship.”

The insight comes by revelation, not by human understanding. Revelation conveys what humans would not know otherwise. It is progressive and gradual.

The mystery is the Jew and the gentile are:

(1)   heirs together (1:14, 18), receiving the inheritance from God

(2)   members together in spiritual Israel, and

(3)   sharers together of the promises (Romans 4:13-16, 9:8)

All of these things occur in Christ. The phrase “in Christ” is used 18 times in the first two chapters, indicating how strong a concept it is for Paul.

Their Unity comes through the Gospel, not through an administrative decision or other human means.

As Paul understood his role in the administration of the Spirit, so it is important for each of us to fulfill our specific role in God’s kingdom. Salvation is given to us not primarily to escape the flames of hell, but to equip us for the Kingdom of Heaven, and especially for its manifestation on the earth. As we evangelize and bring people to Christ, we must complete the work by integrating the new believers into the church and helping them find their role in God’s Kingdom. Evangelism is not complete until the new believer is functioning in the Kingdom.

Paul is called to his role in spite of the fact that he was “less than the least” of the saints, and that he formerly persecuted the church. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) God seems to delight in upsetting human logic! That fact gives hope to all believers that they can be used of God to change the world they live in. Your former condition does not determine how God can use you, for you have become a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The content of the mystery is the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” Wealth is often used figuratively in the Bible. It is clear that Paul is referring to spiritual wealth more than material wealth, because he describes himself in 2 Corinthians 6:10 as, “poor, yet making many rich.” When he says “unsearchable,” the meaning is more like uniqueness than inaccessibility. We find the riches in Christ, but as we see more and more of it, it seems like there is always so much more to be discovered. That is why heaven will be so interesting: we will not be bored, but will have an increasing curiosity to experience the greater depths of God.

The church has a role in God’s eternal purpose. It is not pictured as simply a place to come and worship, but rather as a place that demonstrates God’s manifold wisdom. (Romans 11:33-36) Those who observe this wisdom in the church are the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. That is, the church does not play to a worldly audience, but to a heavenly one consisting of cosmic creatures both good and evil.

While it is important that Salvation brings benefit to the individual believer, the greater significance of Salvation is that it brings glory to God.

Paul concludes this section with prayer in verses 14-21. When we pray, it allows God to act. He has not promised to do things without prayer that he has commanded us to pray about. It is not that God has withheld His hand, but that we have too often withheld our prayer.

Paul addresses God as Father. His fatherhood brings unity to the church, because He is the common father of both Jewish and gentile members through the New Birth.

He prays that they be strengthened with the power of the Spirit in the inner man. (Also in Ephesians 5:18) The contrasting verse in Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Paul wants us to be permeated by God and by His word. He wants it to reach into our hearts, our wills, our minds, and not simply remain on the shelf as a Christian doctrine. If the power doesn’t come to the inner man, it cannot change us.

He speaks of love, and refers to it in four dimensions, depth and height being seen as two distinct dimensions. That is to say that God’s love goes beyond our normal ways of reasoning. The purpose of having love is to be filled with all the fullness of God, whose essence is love. The ultimate expression of that full divine nature is the cross. There it became available for all of us to experience.

When he prays that we be filled up to all the fullness of God, it implies a movement forward toward something. We have not attained it yet, though we have experienced it in part. So there is a tension between “already” and “not yet.” We have it, but we still seek it.

Paul often moves into a doxology (20-21) when he prays, because he sees that God is omnipotent beyond our comprehension, and that He exercises His power on our behalf in the church. Grace is there, and it is applied to us. Unto Him be glory in the church. The ultimate purpose of the church is again expressed: Unto Him be glory.

Ephesians Step 4. (4:1-6)

The Unity of the Church.

Paul exhorts us to live a life worthy of the calling. (This is repeated in Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:10, and 1 Thessalonians 2:12) The implication is that the calling is larger and more significant than our own lives.

The church needs to demonstrate to its heavenly and earthly audience the unity and reconciling force of Christ. The are basic qualities necessary for that unity:

• Humility instead of a triumphal attitude.
• Gentleness instead of aggressiveness.
• Patience instead of rush.
• Bearing with people instead of discounting them.

It calls for effort in all these areas to keep unity in the church as a whole.

There are certain doctrines that are basic to our unity:

• One body, one Spirit, one hope.
• One Lord (1 Corinthians 8:6, 12:3, Romans 10:9, 14:8-9, Philippians 2:9-10). We all maintain that Jesus is the Lord of the church, and we hold to the same understanding of His supremacy.
• One faith. Faith is used in the sense of trust, but also in the sense of the body of basic teaching  (Jude 3). There is a logical continuity from faith in Christ to faith in the doctrine. We do not accept individualistic and eccentric beliefs.
• One baptism. Baptism is the visible sign that identifies one as being a Christian. There is discussion as to whether the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a “second” baptism, or whether it is an experience that has its roots in water baptism. There is also discussion whether infant baptism is effective in saving the child brought by parents. John the Baptist said, “I baptize you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”  I believe the baptism referred to here is the water baptism based on the confession of faith in the believer.
• One God, transcendent, pervasive, and immanent. (1 Corinthians 8:6, Romans 11:36)

It is one thing to attain unity and another thing to maintain unity. It can be difficult to maintain it, because as people learn more about the faith, they tend to find areas of disagreement over things that may not be so important.

We must remember that our unity is a testimony not only to the world but also to the (good and evil) powers in the heavenly places. The enemy cannot come against a united church; the good angels rejoice when they see us united.

One often has to give up the “right to be right” as an individual for the sake of the unity of the body as a whole.

Ephesians Step 5.

The Maturity of the Church Accomplished through God’s Gifts. (4:7-16)

God shows His concern for us as individuals when He says “to each one.” God gives his grace (charis) to each individual, whether through a spiritual gift or a ministry gift that helps equip others.

There is a basis in the Old Testament for God’s giving gifts. Psalm 68:16-19, Numbers 18:6. We also see it in 1 Peter 2:9. In the Old Testament, the ministry gifts were given to the Levites. In the New Testament we see the gifts given to all believers, according to the prophecy in Joel 2:29, “In the last days I will pour our my Spirit on all flesh.” Thus the priesthood is extended to include all believers.

The giving of the gifts is done on a cosmic scale. They come from above, where Christ is seated. They are not natural abilities, and they are not given for personal benefit. (Simon the sorcerer discovered that when he tried to buy a gift from Peter in Acts 8:9-24)

Ephesians refers especially to the ministry gifts. It is important to recognize that individual gifts, like healing and prophecy, work under the covering of the ministry gifts, and are to be submitted to them. This provides good order in the church.

The ministry is people given to the church, not a gift given to people. They are not focused on the individuals in the position, but on the entire church.

• Apostles are first, but the scriptures give only a few references to apostles beyond the original twelve. It is better in our day to apply the word only informally. There are people doing apostolic things with the appropriate signs of an apostle. But others seem to love the title of apostle, but don’t have the apostolic fruit in their lives. In my experience, those who call themselves apostles seldom show the fruit of their apostleship.
• Prophets are those who bring the living word of God to bear on a particular circumstance. They have an ability to discern God’s prophetic direction for the church. We distinguish between a gift of prophecy and the ministry of the prophet. It is true that the Prophet has a gift of prophecy, but it is not true that everyone who prophecies has the ministry of the prophet. The leadership role is distinct from the gift role.
• Evangelists seek converts to Christ. They have a special zeal and gift for reaching to those outside of the church family. Their work is most often done outside the walls of the church, and their goal is to build up the church. The evangelist is distinct from the “witness.” All Christians are to bear witness and share faith with people. The evangelist has a special intentionality about declaring the Gospel, and has an ability to mobilize the witnesses. The evangelist’s work is not complete until the new believer has been integrated into the church and has found the work God has called him to do in the church.
• Pastors are called to care for the sheep. This means feeding them with the word of God. They look after them when they are spiritually hurting or sick. The bring comfort to those needing it, and bring challenge to the lethargic. They work in an especially intimate way with the congregation in order to maintain unity and purpose.
• Teachers help the people understand and apply Biblical truth to the pastoral needs of the flock. Pastors often function as teachers as well.  Perhaps the difference between pastoring and teaching lies in the empathy with the people. The phrasing in the original language allows you to consider the two ministries as one pastor/teacher or as two distinct ministries.

These are ministry gifts given by the Spirit. They may be recognized in ordination, but they are not imparted by the act of ordination. [1 Timothy 4:14 speaks of gifts being imparted in the laying on of hands, but this does not seem to have been an ordination service. Rather, it seems that some sort of impartation came as the apostolic team blessed Timothy.]

There is no Greek word for “office.”  It is the Holy Spirit who administers the church through the ones He chooses. Human structures can be built around that guidance, but must never be confused with His work.

The gifts have two purposes: the work of the ministry and the equipping of the people for the work of ministry. There is a tension between the two areas.

The word “equipping” is a noun in Greek, not a verb. It refers to the person or thing in need of completion or restoration. (1 Thessalonians 3:10, Luke 6:40, 1 Corinthians 1:10) We recognize that those who come to Christ are in great need. The work of ministry is to make them “whole,” to help make them what God intended. There is a healing factor. The word is used of mending nets in Matthew 4:21, and of ordering the world (framed) in Hebrews 11:3. Thus, it is not only a teaching word, but also a restorative concept. It involves much more than simply training people to do certain jobs.

Ministry is the other word in the tension. The ministry gifts are also to do the work of ministry. Ministry is whatever you do for God and in His name. In modern churches, there is a tendency to see ministry as the work done by paid professionals. We must recognize that those ministry gifts that God has given to the church are to be responsible in carrying out their responsibilities without consideration of financial reward. (1 Peter 5:2)

The goal of all equipping and ministry is that the church will grow in maturity, knowledge and unity so that it can bring full glory to God. We desire a full comprehension of the exalted Son of God, and we desire a basis on which we can grow in number and in understanding. Thus the church will be whole.

There are false teachings that want to crawl into the church. The enemy uses cunning, as a card player uses tricks to deceive. He is crafty and unscrupulous. He schemes to get wrong things into the church.

That is why it is necessary to speak the truth in love. There are certain areas where we cannot compromise, even while there may be areas where we can tolerate difference of opinion.

The goal is that we will grow into Christ, the head, who is our source. We grow into him as each part of the body does its work.

Chapter 4 starts with unity, and then speaks of diversity of gifts in ministry. But then it comes back to unity at the end of the chapter. The diversity of ministry and spiritual gifts is necessary if we are to come to unity in the knowledge of Christ. It is important that we receive God’s ministers and give them access to our lives as they fulfill their work of equipping us for the work of ministry.

Ephesians Step 6.

Christian Morality Accomplished through Radical Change. (4:17-6:9)

The marks of a Christian are Unity, Maturity, and Morality. This is in sharp contrast to the previous way of life, and indicates the presence of a radical change.

The former life is described as one of separation, ignorance, hardening, sensitivity, sensuality, indulgence and lust. The new life is characterized by clear, spiritual thinking and understanding.

The basis for this radical change is Christ Himself, not creeds or sacraments.

We are taught to “put off” the old man and  the “put on” the new man, as if they were garments. Colossians 3: 8-14

4:25-5:2 give examples of this radical change:

• Instead of falsehood, there is truth.
• Instead of anger, there is forgiveness.
• Instead of stealing, there is giving.
• Instead of unwholesome talk, there is edifying.
• We no longer grieve the Holy Spirit by not making the radical change required of us.
• Instead of malice, there is forgiveness.

But there is still need for further moral improvement, as described in 5:3-14. This comes when we:

• Identify with the people of God.
• Renounce sexual immorality and coarse joking.
• Emphasize thanksgiving that expresses (and creates!) satisfaction.
• Exclude everything that is immoral, impure, greedy or idolatrous. Such things are not of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Ten Commandments begin by speaking against idolatry and end by speaking against covetousness.
• We demonstrate “God’s photosynthesis” by producing the fruit of the light: Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth.
• Find out what pleases the Lord, by testing and approving that which is good. This is in contrast to the fruit of darkness, which must be found out and exposed.

We have a need to be filled with the Spirit. 5:15-21

• The Spirit gives wisdom. Colossians 4:5
• Wisdom makes the most of time. We “buy”—pay the price for—time.
• Our need to be filled. It is part of the filling work of Christ, and is related to understanding and doing God’s will. God’s work cannot be done by human effort; it must be done by the Spirit working through us.
• The Spirit produces joyful results as He works in us: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs. Singing is spiritual communication with other believers. We sing from the heart; it is not merely a communal song. We sing to the Lord.
• The Spirit produces an attitude of reverence and respect, and mutual submission.
• Children are called to obey; wives are called to submit. There is a subtle difference between the words that indicates a broader understanding on the part of the wife.

The radical change is expressed in human relationships. 5:22-6:9

In Christian marriage, the wife’s submission is balanced by the husband’s sacrificial love (v. 25). 1 Peter 3:1-7, Titus 2:5

The ideal is a wife who is not withholding submission selfishly and a husband who does not demand unreasonably.

The caring love of Christ is a model for husbands (5:25-27). His love makes her holy and radiant.

The fact that he says “leave mother and father,” implies that there have always been problems with the in-laws, whether they are present or not. When two people marry, they bring the cultures of two different families together, and must make appropriate adjustments.

Fathers, at the time Ephesians was written, had extraordinary power over their children and their decisions. That is why moderation is advised.

The command to obey is given to the children themselves. They must learn to obey rather than being forced to obey.

The relationship between slave and master was also in consideration of a world where slavery was common. Slaves were to serve with respect and sincerity of heart, as if they were serving the Lord. The command to masters was to reciprocate in like manner. It was through the church that slavery was finally overcome. Even in the earliest years of the church, there are records of slave owners setting their slaves free as the love of God was placed in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. This admonition can be applied to the employer-employee relationship as well.

The Spiritual Battle. 6:10-20, 1 Peter 5:8, 2 Corinthians 11:3

We resist the enemy because we understand from the Bible that we are in a spiritual battle. This struggle is not always outwardly visible, and most frequently starts a struggle with our own thoughts and passions. It calls for our being subject to the Spirit more than to our own way of thinking.

We enter this battle with the assumption that Christ has already won the victory. (1:20-23). Nevertheless, the battle continues as we proclaim the victory already won.

This battle is important. So we are:

• Exhorted to be strong. Romans 4:20. This is a growing strength. 2 Timothy 2:1, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 John 2:14. We recognize that the battle is not one where we yield to the enemy, but one where we face him and defeat him. But this requires the strength that the full armor provides.
• Reminded that the source of our strength is the Lord and the mighty power. The protection is complete in Christ as we put on the full armor. The armor as a whole is effective, and it is also effective in its individual parts. We cannot have weak places in the armor for the enemy to exploit.
• Reminded of our need for strength because of the viciousness of the enemy. He has “schemes (4:14, 4:27) whereby he gains a foothold in any area of life that he finds a weakness. The enemies are supernatural: rulers and authorities, powers of this dark world (a reference to magical arts and astrology), and spiritual forces of evil (1 Corinthians 10:20-22, Revelation 20:3)
• Admonished to employ our strength. We are to stand. We assume a posture that prevents Satan from retaking the territory that is no longer his. To stand in military terms is to form a line of defense. There is no room to play with sin, when we realize that the enemy’s purpose is to destroy our lives completely. God gives us armor so that we will use it. Talking about it can be useful to our understanding, but in the battle for the soul, it is power that speaks loudest.

The armor needed for spiritual battle is described in 6:13-17. The various pieces are:

1. The loins girt with truth. This calls for truthfulness and faithfulness in all that we say and do. We are tempted to deceive others by being less than truthful.
2. The breastplate of righteousness Is. 11:5. Micah 5:8 tells us to do justice and love mercy. Righteousness is doing the right thing.
3. The shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace. Isaiah 52:7. We are to be ready to show forth God’s good news.
4. The shield of faith. Psalm 7:10. The shield was shaped like a door. It was made of leather and was soaked in water, because enemies would shoot burning arrows.
5. The helmet of salvation Isaiah 59:17 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Salvation is the best way of protecting the mind.
6. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The reference is to the short sword that was used in hand-to-hand combat. Skilled use of the scripture is vital to the believer.

These pieces of armor are not only our armor, but they are also God’s armor and the Messiah’s armor. We, unlike David, are admonished to use the King’s armor.

Two basic purposes are expressed in the armor: 1) the achievement of righteousness and justice, and 2) the proclamation of God’s truth that brings peace.

Prayer is important. 6:18-20

We are to pray on all occasions. It is not an activity to be done only in religious contexts, but we are to find ways to incorporate prayer into all our activities. Frequently in India, when I have visited homes, we have united the people to pray a blessing on the home. Even non-Christians have welcomed such a blessing. In Eastern Europe, we often go on our knees and pray when we enter a home. Once I recall having a prayer time with friends who met me as I claimed my baggage at the airport in Chicago!

We are to learn to pray with all kinds of prayer and requests. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Peter 5:8-9.

• There are times when our prayer is focused on worship.
• Other times it is focused on a particular need that weighs on our hearts.
• Sometimes we go through a list of people to be sure we don’t forget to pray when we have promised to.
• Sometimes our prayer is silent, because we are listening more than speaking.
• At times we find a scripture and pray that scripture back to God (This is an especially effective way of going through the Psalms.).
• We are also to pray in the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15. This is a prayer that grows out of a spiritual relationship with God. It is “born of the Spirit” in a way that transcends our own way of thinking. It may be in tongues and it may be in your own language.

Paul asks for specific prayer that he may speak out boldly in the prison from which he writes his letter. He is an “ambassador in chains,” but he senses the need to speak with more boldness. When we are under pressure, our temptation is to shrink back rather than proclaim the Gospel more boldly.

By praying, the people participate with Paul in his situation. In a sense, you can “travel” to other places as you pray, and you have an influence on the spiritual warfare that goes on in that place. We have many stories of people who have been burdened to pray for someone on the other side of the world just at the time when they were facing great danger.

Concluding Encouragement

Paul speaks of Tychicus, who carried the letter to Ephesus. Colossians. 4:7-8, Acts 20:4, 2 Timothy 4:12, Titus 3:12. He was clearly a faithful servant to Paul.

He concludes with the message of grace, a grace that is indestructible.