Written by Paul J Bucknell on August, 08, 2022
Ephesians 1:1 Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ! (Verse 1 of 3)
Our lives as God’s children are blessed beyond comparison. It is hard to understand what has really transpired to bring us into such a fortunate state. It is this very thing that Paul the Apostle attempts to do for us in this letter that he has written to the disciples in Ephesus. Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire and sat at the end of the famous Silk Road that traveled from Asia to the Mediterranean. Paul went to Ephesus on the return leg of his second missionary journey and established a church there better known as the Ephesian Church. The amphitheater that Paul met at in Acts 19 held 25,000 people (see the picture above).
Paul was asked to be the middle man, the preacher and author, to tell these disciples about the good news of what the Lord was doing in their lives. He wasn’t the man one would expect for this job. All we need to do to more fully understand this is to remember, the Apostle Paul was a strong Hebrew Pharisee who went so far as to persecute Christians far away from his home in Damascus, the capital of Syria.
Paul An Apostle (Eph 1:1)
When Paul describes himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,” he is not only referring to his special status as an apostle, but the way God brought him to that point. He did not just drift into that position; God Himself decided that he would make him His apostle. It was God’s will that brought him to that point.
God takes a man who is not at all interested in Him, and rather antagonistic, then does significant work in his life. As a result, he became radically changed. Paul used the words “by the will of God” to describe the unbelievable change in his life. This change was two-folded. He not only became a believer in Jesus as the Messiah but also devoted himself to serve the Lord. Both steps are miraculous and awesome by any standard one might use.
Although this process is so dramatic, it is happening all around the world. Of course, these apostles had something special about them because they lived during the time of Jesus. We have no record of the Apostle Paul as to whether he met Christ. He observed this and called himself as untimely born, (“and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:8). Although structurally similar to typical greetings, the message is shaped by the facts of faith: blessing and reconciliation derive from God and not from man. The point is that God is doing a mysterious work in many people across the globe whether it be in South America, Africa, Middle East, India or China. We might think God does things differently now in our age, but I have met a number of individuals who were just like Paul. They even have gone through a name change. Let me mention one.
I have visited Pastor Stephen a number of times in India. His father is named Paul (with Bible in hand). Of course, this was not his original name. In India, when one becomes a Christian, the government says that they must take on a new name. This is not necessary, but it does nicely represents their new life in Christ. Just like Saul, the Pharisee who was devoted to his religion, this man was devoted as a Hindu worshipper. He did all the Hindu rituals but found no peace of heart. He thought Christianity was foreign, and so, he said abusive words to Gospel workers. God sent a man to share the Gospel with him, and He came to know the Lord. He went all around the district and the east side of the Indian state preaching the gospel, often with hostile audiences. He even brought the gospel to the cannibals. My point is not to lift up this man, but to show you that God is doing the same thing today, bringing radical changes to individuals who have found the amazing love of God in their lives.
Paul will talk more about his call at a later point, but the key point is that as God’s people, we all have gone through times of transformation, by God’s presence, and now in gratefulness carry out God’s work to others.
Saints and holy service (Eph 1:1)
Paul, as a good instructor, is helping us recognize the special work that God has done in our lives. The more this is understood, the more one is amazed. Becoming a follower of Jesus is absolutely the greatest thing that could happen to us or anyone, rich or poor, good family life or bad family life, Muslim or Buddhist or Catholic or Protestant. Please note that Paul doesn’t use the phrase ‘becoming a Christian’ or the word Christian in this book. He uses the word ‘saints’ to describe the Ephesian believers. This only reinforces what we have been saying; we are wholly unworthy of the kind favor of God in Christ Jesus.
Today, in Roman Catholic circles, the word ‘saint’ refers to great Christian heroes of the past. They have already died. Paul uses saints to describe God’s people who are living. Think of it more personally: You, as followers of Jesus are saints.
The word ‘saint’ literally means ‘separated one’ or ‘holy’. Paul is not describing the apostles this way but all of Christ’s disciples, “to the saints who are at Ephesus” (Eph 1:1). This is what a true Christian is. Many are uncomfortable with this thought. After all, does not lust, impatience, selfishness, or lack of love make one unholy? How can we be that special of a person to serve in God’s holy service? This is part of the mystery that Paul will later share with us.
Paul had received a call as an apostle, but all disciples of Jesus are equally called of God. They no longer belong to themselves but to God. It might help to remember the background of this epistle. One of the seven wonders of the world was located there in Ephesus. The huge temple, dedicated to a goddess named Diana (Artemis), had people from all around visiting it. She, after all, had a history of falling down from the sky. Her origins were probably just a meteorite. (How this contrasts with Christ who not only came from God but ascended to heaven (see Eph 5:8-10!) Immorality ran rampant due to the belief that sexually intimacies with her priests and priestesses was to give one extra favor with the goddess. These disciples were not set apart to this temple or Diana, but instead set apart for God; they “are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Eph 1:1). They belonged to God and were necessarily loyal and faithful to Him. Chapter 4 will later show us how our service stems from this calling to be saints to God. Calling intimates service.
BFF’s Directory and Outline to the Book of Ephesians
Introduction to the Book of Ephesians
Book of Ephesians Survey: Setting & Background
Book of Ephesians: Purpose & Outlines
Book of Ephesians: Major Themes
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey to Ephesus - Map
Chronology Chart of Pauline Letters
1. Spiritual Blessings (1:1-2:10) Life with God
- Our Heavenly Calling (1:1-3:21)
Ephesians 1
Ephesians 1:1-3 Every Spiritual Blessing
Ephesians 1:1 Only by the Will of God
Ephesians 1:2 Only in Christ Jesus
Ephesians 1:3 Every Spiritual Blessing
Ephesians 1:1-3 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 1:4-6 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 1:1-14 Redemption & Sovereignty
Ephesians 1:15-17 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2:1-3 Our Need, His Grace
Ephesians 2:1-3, an Introduction
Ephesians 2:1 A) Man’s Nature
Ephesians 2:2 B) Man’s World
Ephesians 2:3 C) Man’s Heart
Questions (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Ephesians 2:8-10 Extraordinary Purpose
Ephesians 2:8-10, an Introduction
Ephesians 2:8-9 A) Purpose of Salvation
Ephesians 2:10 B) Purpose of our Lives
Questions (Ephesians 2:8-10)
2. Corporate Blessings (2:11-3:21) Life with believers
Ephesians 2:19-22 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 3
Ephesians 3:1-10 Growing in Our Commitment
Ephesians 3:1-10, Introduction
Ephesians 3:1 The Value of the Gospel
Ephesians 3:2-5 The Reliability of the Gospel
Ephesians 3:6-7 The Glory of the Gospel
Ephesians 3:8-10 The Calling of the Gospel
Questions (Ephesians 3:1-10)
Ephesians 3:14-21 The Fullness of God’s Love
Ephesians 3:20-21 God’s Unlimited Power
Ephesians 3:20-21 Unlimited Power
Ephesians 3:20 God’s Amazing Power
Ephesians 3:21 God’s Amazing Glory
Ephesians 3:20-21 Bible Study Questions
B. Our Earthly Walk (4:1-6:24)
1. Serving Together (4:1-16) Devoted to one another
Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4:1-3 Preserving the Spirit’s Unity
Intro: Problems of Disunity
Ephesians 4:1 Calling to Unity
Ephesians 4:2-3 Our Oneness of the Body
Ephesians 4:3 Preservation of Unity
Ephesians 4:1-3 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 4:4-5 Reason for Oneness
Ephesians 4:6 One God & Father
Ephesians 4:4-6 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 4:11-16 The Purpose of Training
Ephesians 4:11-13: A) God’s Word in the Church
Ephesians 4:11 Gifts in the church
Ephesians 4:12 Purpose of equipping
Ephesians 4:13 The final goal
Ephesians 4:11-13 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 4:14 B) Responsibility 1. Deceit
Ephesians 4:15a 2. Speaking the truth in love
Ephesians 4:15b 3. Grow up into Christ
Ephesians 4:16 Summary: Function of the Church
Ephesians 4:14-16 Bible Study Questions
2. Loving One Another (4:17-32) Personal Integrity
Ephesians 4:17-24 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 4:11-14 Chart: Equipping of the Saints
Ephesians 4:25-32 Five Examples of Christian Growth: A Study on Ephesians 4:25-32 ...
Ephesians 4:25 Power of Speaking the Truth
Ephesians 4:25 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 4:26-27 The Urgency of Resolving Anger
Ephesians 4:31 The Tree of Bitterness
Ephesians 5-6
3. Living Close to God (5:1-6:9) Holy living like Christ
Ephesians 5:1-2 The Glory of Imitating God
Ephesians 5:8-14 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 5:21 A Biblical Study on Mutual Submission - The Bible ...
Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives be Subject to your Husband
Ephesians 5:25 Marital Love
Ephesians 5:31-32 Redemptive Analogy & Marriage
Ephesians 5:31-32 ... The Picture of Marriage and Missions (
Ephesians 5:31-33 Building a Great Marriage
Ephesians 6:1-4 Parent-Child Relationships
Ephesians 6:1-4 Modern Family Problems
Ephesians 6:1-2a Obedience pleases God
Ephesians 6:2-3 Obedience brings profit
Ephesians 6:4 Obedience requires training | Questions
Ephesians 6:10-13 Mistakes! Questions | Video (New)
Ephesians 6:17 Sword of Spirit
Ephesians 6:18-24 Prayer in Believer’s Life | Questions
