Podcast Notes:

Last time:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

 

1-2 Follow God’s example – living a life of love

3 -6 Living holy lives

7-14 Living in the light

 

10 and find out what pleases the Lord

 

Today:

 

Ephesians 5:15-20 Living in the Spirit

 

15 Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise,

16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Paul continues the theme of how we should live as Christians.

In verse 15 we are to be careful how we live. In other words, we are to be careful to live lives of love, live holy lives and live in the light.

In verse 16 we are to make the most of every opportunity. What does Paul mean by this? Looking back to the section on living in the light it seems that Paul is saying that we should take every opportunity by our right living to expose the works of darkness.

In verse 17 we are told not to be foolish but to understand what the will of the Lord is. This takes us back to the theme of our last talk which we based mainly on verse 10 where Paul tells us to find out what pleases the Lord.

In fact, the remainder of his letter is devoted to this theme. It is the will of the Lord that:

We be filled with the Holy Spirit  (5:18)

We live in right relationship with each other

• Husbands and wives (5:22–33)
• Children and parents (6:1-4)
• Slaves and masters (6:5-9)

We know how to stand against the devil’s schemes (6:10-20)

So today we will begin to look at what Paul means by being filled with the Spirit.

What does he say in verses 18 to 20?

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

 

The meaning of do not get drunk is perfectly clear.

Note that Paul does not teach total abstinence but he does clearly teach moderation.

He warns of the dangers of what drinking can lead to – debauchery

 

Drunkenness is one of the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21

By contrast, self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

 

Did the disciples act in a drunken manner when they were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost?

 

Acts 2:13 Some made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine’.

Although many have interpreted the verse in this way, I personally see no need to do so. Would the Holy Spirit really cause people to appear to be manifesting the works of the flesh?

There is a far more satisfactory alternative explanation. Luke does not tell us that the disciples looked drunk. But imagine 120 people all speaking different languages at the same time! That in itself would be enough for the disciples’ critics to say they were drunk – something which, of course, Peter quickly denies.

 

But does Paul’s contrast with drunkenness mean that to be filled with the Spirit is the same as sanctification?

 

By no means. The role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification is a very important one.

But the book of Acts makes clear that being filled with the Spirit is being clothed with power which leads to charismatic manifestations.

Beware of the suggestion that Paul’s understanding was different from Luke’s.

If the Bible is God’s word, then systematic theology must be possible

We must be able to harmonise the different emphases of different writers because the same Holy Spirit inspired them all.

Luke was one of Paul’s travelling companions and it’s hardly likely that they would have had different views on such an important subject.

Consider the value of narrative passages of the NT (e.g the Gospels and Acts) to help us understand the terminology used in the epistles.

Paul tells us to be filled with the Spirit. Luke tells us what it looks like!

Paul is telling us to maintain the experience we received when we were first filled with the Spirit. And keeping filled with the Spirit will certainly help us to overcome temptation.

 

So, what more can we learn from verses 18-20?

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

First, notice that ‘be filled with the Spirit’ is a present imperative in the passive voice!

This means that:

 

It’s a command

It’s a continuous command. We are to keep on being filled.

And it’s a command in the Passive Voice

Consider the implications of this:

It’s our responsibility to do it. Compare 2 Timothy 1:6-7 fan into flame.

With the command comes the enabling. Compare the command be healed

 

Second, note that Paul tells us how we can do this

 

Verse 19 says literally:

 

speaking to yourselves with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs singing and making music from your heart to the Lord, giving thanks…

 

Note:

 

The connection between being filled with the Spirit and speaking (cf. Acts 2:4)

 

The Greek is literally to yourselves

ἑαυτοῖς not ἀλλήλοις

 

(cf. 1 Corinthians 14:28 where Paul refers to speaking in tongues as speaking to oneself and to God)

 

In the phrase ‘spiritual songs’ the word used is pneumatikos which is used in 1 Corinthians 12 to describe the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

The speaking will include tongues, but not exclusively so. Cf. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15.

 

Finally, in verse 21 Paul tells us to submit to one another ἀλλήλοις in fear of God.

Note both the personal and collective aspects of being filled – privately and in church.

 

Next time:

 

Living in right relationship with each other

• Husbands and wives (5:22–33)
• Children and parents (6:1-4)
• Slaves and masters (6:5-9)

Podcast Notes:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

10 and find out what pleases the Lord

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible

14 and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’

 

3 sections:

1-2 Follow God’s example – living a life of love

3-6 Living holy lives

7-14 Living in the light

 

1-2 Follow God’s example – living a life of love

 

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Before considering these verses, let’s remind ourselves of what Paul was saying at the end of Chapter 4.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:29-32

Chapter 5 continues the theme of how we should live as Christians in the light of:

• what God has done for us
• who we are in Christ

He says:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

What God has done for us

In these verses Paul uses Christ’s sacrificial death as an example for us to follow

But in the NT Christ’s death is never just an example.

Compare Peter’s encouragement to Christian slaves in 1 Peter 2.

2 Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Who we are in Christ

• 1 dearly loved children
• 3 God’s holy people
• 8 children of light

So because of what Christ has done for us and because of who we are in Christ we are to live lives of love following the example of Jesus himself.

The theme of living lives of love continues in verses 3 to 6 which I have titled living holy lives. But living holy lives and living lives of love are effectively synonymous terms.

3-6 Living holy lives

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

 

Here Paul lists several things which are totally incompatible with Christian behaviour

These include:

Sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talk, course joking

 

There must not be even a hint of these things (3).

Cf. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness

 

Why? Because:

 

These are improper for God’s holy people 3 cf. v8 you are now light in the Lord

Those who do these things have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ 5

God’s wrath comes on those who do them 6

 

The key to avoiding these things is seen in v6. Let no one deceive you with empty words

We mustn’t let our thinking be influenced by the worldly ideas of those around us. If we do, there is a danger that we become partners with them. 7

7-14 Living in the light

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

10 and find out what pleases the Lord

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible

14 and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’

 

In ch 4 Paul tells us to put off the old self and put on the new

You’ve been made new, so act accordingly

He says something similar here in v 8.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

So, 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them

By living lives that please the Lord we become living examples of what is right and expose what is wrong in the lives of others

 

Compare John 3:19-21

This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

 

Things that please the Lord

 

General

Total dedication (Romans 12:1-2)

…present your bodies… acceptable to God

 

Faith (Hebrews 11:5-6)

By faith Enoch was taken up … for he obtained the witness before he

was taken up that he was pleasing to God … and without faith it is

impossible to please him

 

Spirituality (Romans 8:8)

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God

 

Sanctification (1 Thes. 4:1-3)

1 Thes. 4:1 You received instruction from us, how you ought to walk

and to please God … for (v3) this is the will of God, your sanctification

 

Specific

 

Speech (1 Thes. 2:4)

We speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who examines our hearts

 

Doing good and sharing (Hebrews 13:16)

Do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased

 

Support for the ministry (Phil.4:18)

I am amply supplied, having received what you sent, an acceptable sacrifice, well–pleasing to God

 

Obedience (to parents) (Col.3:20)

Children, be obedient to your parents … for this is well–pleasing to the Lord

 

Putting our neighbour first (Romans 14:18-15:2)

14:18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God

15:1-2 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just to please ourselvesLet each of us please his neighbour for his good, to his edification

  

Incentives to help us

 

The promise of answered prayer (1 John 3:22)

 

Whatever we ask, we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do

those things that are pleasing in his sight

 

The promise of God’s work within us (Hebrews 13:20-21)

 

Now the God of peace who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep

through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight,

through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

 

The challenge of the cross (Romans 15:3)

 

… even Christ did not please himself

Podcast Notes:

Our passage for today is Ephesians 4:17-32

We’ll begin by reading it and then we’ll:

• Briefly look at the background to the passage
• Offer a short overview of the passage
• Seek to apply the teaching of the passage to our lives today

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ

21 and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.

26 ‘In your anger do not sin’: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Background to the passage

In the NIV the passage begins with the word ‘so’.

However the Greek is somewhat stronger and is better translated ‘therefore’

This takes us back to what he has been saying previously

So far in the letter Paul has emphasised:

• The many blessings of being in Christ
• The fact that Gentiles believers are fellow-heirs with Jewish believers
• That the church, the body of Christ, is a holy temple in which God lives by his Spirit

Because of all this, at the beginning of Ch.4 he urges us to:

Live lives worthy of our calling, which, as we saw last time, will involve each member of the body pulling its weight and fulfilling the role that Christ who is the head of the body has assigned to it.

Now, in v17 he says:

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

In other words, in the light of all I’ve been telling you, don’t go back to what you were.

Overview of the passage

Don’t go back to what you were (17-19)

Remember what you were taught when you became Christians (20-24)

Let your attitude and behaviour reflect what you are in Christ (25-32)

 

Don’t go back to what you were (17-19)

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

 

Remember what you were taught when you became Christians (20-24)

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ

21 and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught…

 

Let your attitude and behaviour reflect what you are in Christ (25-32)

25 … put off falsehood and speak truthfully

26 ‘In your anger do not sin’: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Application of the passage

The application of Paul’s teachings to our lives today is fairly obvious.

He gives a list of instructions telling us what to do and what not to do.

Let’s look a little more closely at what I consider to be the heart of the passage – vv.20-24.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ

21 and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

He tells us to put off our old self (22) and put on the new self (24).

This is clearly a metaphor relating to clothing.

We are to put off the old sin-stained clothes that we wore before we became Christians

and put on the new clean clothes that we received when we were converted

In other words, we are to stop behaving as we used to and to start behaving in accordance with the teaching and example of Jesus.

But how do we do this?

We need to know what is right and what is wrong

Notice the emphasis on the mind in these verses:

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ

21 and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Gentiles (or pagans) don’t act right because their thinking isn’t right

As a result they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity (19) – and we used to do the same

But now we know better because we’ve been taught the truth in Jesus

We must act in accordance with what we know

This involves a conscious decision (cf. given themselves over v.19)

Putting off the old self means refusing to act in ways we know are wrong

Putting on the new self involves a conscious decision to do what we know is right

But we will only do this if the attitude of our mind is right (23)

Paul says something similar in Romans 6 where, by using a somewhat different metaphor, he tells us to think of ourselves as dead to sin

We must keep on doing this

Putting off the old self and putting on the new is not a once off thing

All Paul’s instructions in vv25-32 are in the Present Imperative

We must keep on:

• putting off falsehood and speaking truthfully to your neighbour (25)
• not letting the sun go down while we are still angry (26)
• not giving the devil a foothold (27)
• stealing no longer (28)
• not letting any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths (29)
• not grieving the Holy Spirit, with whom we were sealed for the day of redemption (30)
• getting rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (31)
• working, doing something useful, sharing with those in need (28)
• building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (29)
• being kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us (32)

Finally, bearing in mind the theme of our last talk, it is only as we work at these things that the body will make increase of itself in love as each member does its work (vv.15-16).

Compare v. 25 for we are all members of one body.

Chapter 4 is something of a turning point in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians

As in his other letters, the opening chapters tend to be more theological in nature, the concluding chapters being more practical

So here in Ch. 4 v1 Paul says:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

In other words, in the light of all the blessings I’ve been talking about, live appropriately

Cf. Rom 12:1-2     I urge you therefore…because of God’s mercies…

What blessings?

In Ch. 1 he tells us that in Christ:

• We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing
• We are chosen and adopted to be God’s children
• We have been redeemed by his blood and our sins have been forgiven
• We have the promise of the Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
• We have the assurance that Jesus is already seated at God’s right hand far above all…

In Ch.2 Paul reminds us:

• Of our lost condition before we became Christians
• Of the change that Jesus has made in our lives because of God’s love and grace
• That we are seated with him in the heavenly realms
• And that he has a wonderful plan for our lives
• These blessings are not just for those with a Jewish background but are for Gentiles too
• In fact, when Jesus died the barrier between Jew and Gentile was broken down
• And God is creating one new humanity out of the two by forming his church which is the new temple in which God lives by his Spirit.

In chapter 3

he continues the theme that the Gentiles are now fellow-heirs with the Jews

Because he has a special responsibility for Gentile believers he prays that we may grasp the greatness of God’s love for us and that we might be filled with all the fulness of God!

And if this seems an unrealistic aspiration, he reminds us that God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or even imagine!

Now in Ch 4 in the light of all these amazing blessings, he encourages us to:

live a life worthy of the calling we have received.

How can we be sure we are doing this?

4 ways:

• By recognising the Lordship of Christ
• By working relationally
• By growing up individually
• By fulfilling our responsibilities in building up the body of Christ (the church)

 

Let’s read the passage together.

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

8 This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’

9 (What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed to and fro by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

So how can we be sure we’re living lives worthy of our calling?

By recognising the Lordship of Christ

 

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service…

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

By working relationally

(There were probably tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers)

To work relationally we must have a loving respect for all other believers

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The qualities in v.2 are especially relevant to our relationship with other people

The fact that he encourages them to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit suggests that maintaining unity in the local church is something that needs to be worked at. It doesn’t come automatically!

One reason for this is that people are so different

Despite our differences, however, there is much that unites us

The Ephesian church was a mixture of people some of whom were Jewish and others Gentile by background, but who were all now one in Christ (Eph. 2:11-22, esp. v.15)

Paul stresses this unity in vv.4-6, which leads us to our next point:

To work relationally we must recognise the things we all have in common

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Note:

• 7 references to one
• 4 references to all
• the reference to the Trinity

To work relationally we must recognise and respect our differences

The differences between us are God-given

Each member of the body has a unique contribution to make

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The theme of unity and diversity is a common theme in Paul’s writings

For example, compare 1 Corinthians 12

In both passages Paul teaches that:

• the church is the body of Christ
• its members are very different from one another
• but must seek to be united by showing their love for each other
• by building one another up with the gifts God has given them

There is also a reference to the Trinity in both passages which may well reflect the idea that just as there is diversity and yet unity within the Godhead so too there is to be diversity and yet unity within the body of Christ

By growing up individually

The main emphasis in verses 11-16 is growth of the body (v12)

But the body cannot grow unless its members grow individually

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants…

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

By fulfilling our responsibilities in building up the body of Christ (the church)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed to and fro by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

From this passage we learn four main things:

• The church is the body of Christ, who is its head
• God’s purpose is for his church to grow
• God has equipped his church to enable this to happen
• For this to happen we must work in unity

The church is the body of Christ, who is its head

 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

God’s purpose is for his church to grow

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed to and fro by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 God has equipped his church to enable this to happen 

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

For the church to grow we must work in unity

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

So, the body must grow, and it must grow strong

It must reach maturity

This involves:

• Unity in doctrinal understanding (v.14)
• Unity in working relationship (v.16).

United heads and united hearts leading to united effort.

 

Unity in doctrinal understanding

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed to and fro by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

 

Unity in working relationship

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

Love is the key to unity (vv 2-3, 15-16)

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

 

The emphasis on work in these verses

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are not there to do all the work

They are God’s gifts to his church to prepare God’s people for works of service (v.12).

 

The importance of every part of the body

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

The church will only be what God wants it to be as the individual members find their place in the body of Christ and lovingly help and support each other. When they do, the body will make increase of itself (KJV).

 

Back to the beginning

We started with a challenge:

To live a life worthy of the calling you have received

 

From what we have seen, this in intimately connected with our relationship to and function within the local church.

 

Ephesians 3:14-21 A prayer for the Ephesians

 

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

In considering this passage we will look at:

• The reasons for Paul’s prayer
• The content of Paul’s prayer
• The audacity of Paul’s prayer

 

The reasons for Paul’s prayer

 

v1 For this reason

Compare v1

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles –

In v 1 this reason refers back to what he has been saying in Ch. 2 where he talks about:

The wonderful change that has been made in our lives by the grace of God

The fact that God has a plan for our lives and has prepared in advance good things for us to do

The fact that in Christ Gentile believers are now united with Jewish believers and that, through the new humanity he has made out of the two, God is building a holy temple in which he lives by his Spirit

In vv 2-13 he develops this theme (as we saw last time).

Looking back at this passage we can see 5 reasons why Paul was praying for the Ephesians and from today’s passage we can see another 2.

Seven reasons why Paul praying for them:

 

The Gentiles are now fellow-heirs with the Jews

6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

 

He has a special responsibility for Gentile believers

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ

 

God has a wonderful purpose for the church

10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

He knows he (and they) can approach God with freedom and confidence

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

 

He knows they are in danger of being discouraged

13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

 

To these we can add a further two reasons from today’s passage:

 

The fatherhood of God

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father

 

The power of God that is at work in us

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…

 

The content of Paul’s prayer

 

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, (pater)

15 from whom every family (patria) in heaven and on earth derives its name.

 

God is our Father

He has a family – in heaven & on earth

 

God is the source of all fatherhood

Fatherhood in heaven existed before fatherhood on earth

 

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches (the glorious riches of his Fatherhood)

he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…

 

God wants to reproduce his Son in us

He’s a rich Father!

But Paul does not pray that we might be materially rich

Rather that we might be strengthened with power…

and that Christ may dwell in our hearts…

‘Dwell’ here (κατοικειν) implies not just visit but abide

Christ is God’s Son.

He’s exactly like his Father (Hebrews 1:3)

If Christ lives in us, we will be like the Father

 

How? By faith and by love

 

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…

 

Through faith

Christ already lives in our hearts because of our initial faith in Christ as Saviour

But the Christian life is a life of faith from start to finish

Paul is praying that the nature of Christ will increase and grow in us as we go on trusting him

 

Through love

We have been rooted and established in love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…

Our faith in Christ is rooted in God’s love

We didn’t love him, but he loved us

We now love him because he first loved us

 

 

God wants us to grasp the greatness of his love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

 

God wants us to know this love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 

The audacity of Paul’s prayer

 

God wants us to be filled with all the fulness of God

19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God

 

This is not the same as being ‘filled with the Spirit’ (Acts 2:4, Eph. 5:18)

which relates primarily to gifts.  This relates to fruit, esp. love.

Is this possible?! Yes, because of his power that is at work within us

 

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

 

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

God is glorified when we love like Jesus.

 

Podcast Notes:

 

Welcome to Talk 11 in our series on Ephesians.

Today we’ve reached Chapter 3 and we’ll be looking at the first 13 verses.

But first let’s set it in context by reminding ourselves of what Paul has been saying so far.

In Ch. 1 he concentrates on the blessings of being in Christ.

 

In Christ:

• We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing
• We are chosen and adopted to be God’s children
• We have been redeemed by his blood and our sins have been forgiven
• We have the promise of the Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
• We have the assurance that Jesus is already seated at God’s right hand far above all…

In Ch.2 Paul reminds us:

• Of our lost condition before we became Christians
• Of the change that Jesus has made in our lives because of God’s love and grace
• That we are seated with him in the heavenly realms
• And that he has a wonderful plan for out lives
• These blessings are not just for those with  a Jewish background but are for Gentiles too
• In fact, when Jesus died the barrier between Jew and Gentile was broken down
• And God is creating one new humanity out of the two by forming his church which is the new temple in which God lives by his Spirit.

This theme continues in Ch. 3 to which we now turn.

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles –

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,

9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

In this passage I notice three main themes:

God’s messenger – Paul

God’s mystery – the inclusion of the Gentiles

God’s measureless love

 

God’s messenger

Paul was a prisoner

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

 

4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

 

6:19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

 

Paul was a prisoner of Christ Jesus (v1) – not of circumstances – not of Rome

Cf. v7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

 

Paul was a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles

13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory (Greek: is your glory)           NB There was a purpose in his suffering

 

Paul saw his suffering for the gospel as a great privilege

 

Or, more precisely, his ministry was a privilege, and if that meant suffering, so be it

 

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

 

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,

 

God’s mystery

 

Note the repetition of the word mystery in vv 3, 4, 6, 9.

 

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,

9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

 

The mystery was something kept hidden by God

9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

 

5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

 

The mystery was made known by revelation

3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

 

10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

NB The inclusion of the Gentiles was God’s eternal purpose!

 

Paul had special (but not exclusive) insight into this mystery

 

3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

 

God has a specific purpose for each of our lives (cf. 2:10)

So what is this mystery that Paul is talking about?

 

6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

 

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ

 

God’s measureless love

the boundless riches of Christ (8)

 

We are:

 

6 …through the gospel we are heirs together with Israel

members together of one body

sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

 

11… part of God’s eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

12 …through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

 

And all this is because of God’s LOVE

As we shall see next time:

 

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

(Apologies for missing fragments in the audio – this is due to a technical error at the recording stage)

Notes:

In our first talk in this series we said that the overall theme of Ephesians could best be summarised with Paul’s words in Chapter 5.

I am talking about Christ and his church.

This is particularly noticeable in our passage for today where Paul describes the church as a temple. But first let’s remind ourselves of what we said last time.

We started to look at Ephesians 2:11-22 and we saw that the main purpose of this passage is to show that through the death of Jesus:

• The enmity and barrier between Jews and Gentiles has been broken down
• Whether we are Jew or Gentile, citizenship in the true Israel is dependent on being in Christ
• Through the new humanity created by this, God is building a holy temple in which God lives by his Spirit.

The first two points we dealt with last time, so it’s the final point we’ll be concentrating on today, but first let’s read the whole passage again together:

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth (in the flesh) and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) – 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

15 by setting aside (abolishing) in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

God is building a new temple – it’s the church!

This is the first of four metaphors Paul uses for the church in Ephesians:

• Building  (Ch.2)
• Body  (Ch.4)
• Bride (Ch.5)
• Batallion (Ch.6)

God’s temple is no longer a physical building

God’s dwelling place is not a temple or cathedral made of stone.

By his Spirit he inhabits the company of the redeemed.

The ‘church’ is not the place we go to on Sundays,

but the company of people who gather there in Jesus’ name.

Membership of the church (being part of God’s true temple) is not dependent on ethnic or religious background, but simply on being ‘in Christ’

It is ‘in Christ’ that the Gentiles have been brought near (v 13).

It is ‘in him’ (v 21) that the different parts of God’s temple are joined together.

And it is in Christ Jesus that we have been created to do the works which God has prepared for us to do (v 10).

Whether we be Jew or Gentile it is only if we are ‘in Christ’ that we are part of his church.

The apostles and prophets are the foundation and Jesus himself is the chief cornerstone of the building v20

 At first sight this seems to contradict 1 Corinthians 3:11 where Paul says

No other foundation can anyone lay than that which has been laid – Christ Jesus.

 But it’s probably just a different handling of the same metaphor

Jesus here is the cornerstone against which the rest of the foundation must line up

Apostles and prophets both then and now only have authority as they square up to the teaching of Jesus.

Being part of the church is a very serious and yet a very wonderful thing

This ‘temple’ God is building is ‘holy’ (v 21), a place where God lives by his Spirit (v 22).

The temple must be holy if it is to be a place for God to dwell – and it is, because it’s made up of people who have been made holy!

This truth is reinforced by the choice of the Greek word Paul uses for ‘temple’ here.

In Greek there are two main words for ‘temple’.  One is hieron, the other is naos.

Hieron was usually used to signify the temple as a whole, including all its outer courts and precincts, whereas naos would generally refer to the innermost shrine

In a pagan temple this would be thought to be the dwelling place of the god to whom the temple was dedicated.  In the Jewish temple it would be the Holy of Holies.

The fact that Paul uses naos rather than hieron here to refer to the church as God’s temple may very well suggest that he sees the church as God’s Holy of Holies.

Not only may Christians have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19), but the church actually becomes the dwelling-place of God through the Spirit!

This most solemn and awesome thought is underlined by what Paul teaches the Corinthians:

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple (naos) and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

From this we learn that the local church – even a very imperfect local church like that of the Corinthians – is to be thought of as a holy temple in which the Spirit of God abides.

But this is no reason to be complacent. The fact that God dwells in his church is here used as a solemn warning to those who were destroying the church by their divisions.

When we gather in Jesus’ name the Spirit of God is present among us.  This should cause us on the one hand to be careful that our attitude and behaviour are pleasing to God, and on the other, to expect that the Spirit’s power will be manifest among us.  We are in the presence of God himself!

The importance of knowing our place in the building

21 In him the whole building is ( being ) joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

 

Note:

The importance of being together

The importance of being ‘fitly framed’ together (KJV)

Compare Paul’s metaphor of the church as a body in Ch. 4 where every part must do its work.

The building is not yet complete

We are being joined together (Present Participle)

Last time: Ephesians 2:1-10 Made alive in Christ

What you WERE and why (1-3)

We were dead in our transgressions and sins (1, 5)

We were by nature deserving of wrath (3)

Why?

We followed the ways of the world (2)

We lived in sin (2) because we lived among sinners (the disobedient)(3)

We followed the ways of the Devil (2)

We followed the desires and thoughts of the flesh (3)

We were by nature deserving  (children) of wrath

Why were we ‘deserving of wrath’? (Greek: children of wrath)

By nature, but because we followed our nature

However, 2 Peter 1:3-4

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 What you ARE and why (4-10)

What we are:

alive with Christ (5)

saved (5, 8)

seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (6)

God’s handiwork (10)

Why?

Cause

God’s love, mercy, grace and kindness     Our response of faith (not works)

Purpose

Now

v 10 …created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

in the future.

7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Now we turn to:

Ephesians 2:11-22

The main purpose of these verses is to show how, through the death of Jesus, the enmity and barrier between Jews and Gentiles has been broken down and that, through the new humanity created by this, God is building a holy temple in which God lives by his Spirit.

Let’s read it together:

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth (in the flesh) and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) –

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

15 by setting aside (abolishing) in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

1 This passage is mainly addressed to Christians with a Gentile background

 

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth…

Note the use of you in verses 11, 12, 13, 17, 19

(Not we because Paul was a Jew)

2 The condition of the Gentiles before they came to Christ

They were ‘uncircumcised’

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham

To be uncircumcised was to have no covenant relationship with God

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth (in the flesh) and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands) –

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

To be separate from Christ is to be:

excluded from citizenship in Israel

foreigners to the covenants of the promise

without hope

without God.

Citizenship in Israel conveyed many blessings.

However, as Paul makes clear in Romans,

true circumcision is of the heart

as distinct from circumcision ‘which is done in the body by human hands’ (v11)

Romans 2:25-29 NIV

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a law-breaker. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Galatians 3:27-29 NIV

…for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

3 The condition of the Gentiles after they came to Christ

This can best be summarised as ‘United with the true Israel’

(Reminder: Jews are only part of the true Israel if they have believed as Abraham believed.

Gentiles who believe are as much part of the true Israel as Jews who believe.)

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility

 This is a clear reference to the stone wall in the Jewish temple which divided the Court of the Gentiles from the temple proper.

It carried an inscription in both Latin and Greek which ‘forbade any foreigner to go in under pain of death.’

This inscription was discovered by the French archaeologist, M. Clermont Ganneau, in 1871 (Foulkes, F., Ephesians, London, IVP, 1963, p.81).  Cf. Acts 21:29ff.  But now, through Christ, both Jew and Gentile have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit (v 18).

 The blessings that result from this are made clear throughout vv. 13-19.

13 brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 he has made the two groups one

and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

 15 he has abolished the law with its commands and regulations.

He has created one new humanity out of the two

16 he has reconciled both of them to God through the cross

17 He has preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18 we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household

NEXT TIME

The church as the new temple God is building.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

What you WERE and why (1-3)

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

 

Note:

We were dead in our transgressions and sins (1, 5)

We were by nature deserving of wrath (3)

 

Why?

We followed the ways of the world (2) We lived in sin (2) because we lived among sinners (the disobedient)(3) 1 Cor.15:33 Bad friends will destroy you.

We followed the ways of the Devil (2)

We followed the desires and thoughts of the flesh (3)

 

We were by nature (phusis) deserving of wrath

Why were we ‘deserving of wrath’? (Greek: children of wrath)

By nature, but because we followed our nature

 

However, 2 Peter 1:3-4

 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

What you ARE and why (4-10)

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –

9 not by works, so that no-one can boast.

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

What we are:

alive with Christ (5)

saved (5, 8) (— χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι, lit. You are having been saved)

seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (6)

God’s handiwork (10)

 

Why?

Cause and purpose

 

Cause

God’s love, mercy, grace and kindness

Our response of faith (not works)

 

Purpose

 

Now

v 10 …created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

And in the future

7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

 

… no eye has seen, … no ear has heard, and … no human mind has conceived …the things God has prepared for those who love him

1 Corinthians 2:9

Ephesians 1

17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (his holy people),

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

 

What is this incomparably great power?

It’s the power that raised Jesus from the dead.

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

20 which he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given (name that is invoked), not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

What are the heavenly realms?

This is a technical term used by Paul only in Ephesians.

The heavenly realms are that spiritual area of conflict where Christians are engaged in battle with the forces of evil. They are the battleground where we are fighting the enemy.

6:12 Our struggle is against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

BUT

1:3 we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ …

1:21 Christ is at God’s right hand… far above all

2:6 we are seated with Christ…

3:10 Through the church God demonstrates his wisdom to the rulers and authorities…

The power that raised Jesus from the dead and set him at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms is a power made available to us!

This is manifested in two ways:

1. One day we too will be raised from the dead
2. Meanwhile, we have power over the enemy because we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)