Ephesians | Session 8 | 2:1-5

In our study through Ephesians today, we break into chapter two where Paul reminds us that even though we used to walk according to this world in our trespasses and sins, and obeyed the desires of our flesh, now we have been made alive in Christ because of his great love toward us.

Chapter 2 

Verse 1: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  The word quickened means to be made alive. Just as he was made alive, so we too. However, notice what it is in italics in the KJV. It literally says, And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins. He is reminding them of where they once were. In other passages, Paul points out that we were blind (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), slaves to sin (Romans 6:17), aliens (Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 2:19), children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), under the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13), i.e., nothing good. Also notice that he says in trespasses and sins. Trespass speaks of willful disobedience and sins speak of simply failure to live up to the standard. 

Verse 2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  The emphasis is that dead people walk according to the course of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air. His point is that people who have been made alive no longer do either (Colossians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The children of disobedience are the lost. The Greek indicates that these have no faith. 

Verse 3: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  He is saying that all of us in time past lived according to the lusts of the flesh (1 John 2:16) and fulfilling its desires, and were just as much children of wrath as the heathen were (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:21-25; Romans 3:9-12; Romans 5:12-19). 

It has been said that while a dead man might feel comfortable in a coffin, a live man does not. When we were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins, it was all we knew, but now that we have been made alive, it is no longer comfortable. Children of the day no longer feel comfortable walking in darkness (Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 5:11). 

Verses 4-5: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) But God has to be two of the greatest words in all of the Bible. He loved us anyway and in spite of ourselves. I have heard it said that God does not love me because of who I am but in spite of who I am. This also reveals that God's motivation was love toward us: love (Romans 5:8). 

Quickened 

Notice it says that he hath quickened us together with Christ. That means to be made alive. It is also used in verse 1. Paul again seems to be pointing out the power of God as evidenced in the resurrection and his exaltation to the right hand of God that he just mentioned in chapter 1:19-23. 

Mercy and Grace 

Notice that he mentions both mercy and grace meaning they are not the same thing. Mercy is not getting what you deserve while grace is getting what you don't deserve. 

By Grace are Ye Saved 

Notice also in parenthesis he says by grace ye are saved. In other words, Paul wants them to understand that their salvation was completely unmerited and was not the result of anything that they had done.

Ephesians | Session 7 | 1:18-23

In our study today we take a closer look at Paul's prayer, break it down, and discuss what it means to us, Christ's place of honor, heavenly places, principalities and powers, and the world's future subjection to him.

Verse 18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  Paul's prayer that he prayed for the ones who had faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all saints (verse 15) was that through the knowledge of God they would would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation (verse 17) and that their eyes now in verse 18 would be opened to the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 

His first prayer was that they would be enlightened to know what is the hope of his calling. Notice that it says his calling and not ours. Many commentators seem to miss this part. Bullinger says that his calling is our sonship mentioned in verses 4-5 (Ephesians 4:4). Barnes says, "The meaning here is, that it would be an inestimable privilege to be made fully acquainted with the benefits of the Christian hope, and to be permitted to understand fully what Christians have a right to expect in the world of glory. This is the first thing which the apostle desires they should fully understand." His calling seems to not only include our sonship, but also everything that comes along with it, i.e., adoption and the riches of his inheritance is in the saints. 

Guzik says that it is a future that includes resurrection, eternal life, freedom from sin, perfected justification and glorious elevation. That is God's calling for us and Paul wants us to know this. To know God is the key to the highest form of knowledge! The writer of Proverbs says that it begins with a fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 2:2-5). Pretty much explains the complete ignorance in our culture today and the abject failure of our education system! There is no knowledge without the fear of the Lord. 

His Exceeding Greatness 

Verses 19-20: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, His prayers continues in that he wants us to know God's exceeding greatness of his power that he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places. 

His greatness can be found in what He brought about in Christ by raising him from the dead and setting him at his right hand and he wants us to know that kind of power. How can we know it? Perform miracles? or just know that God can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us as he will say in 3:20. He wants us to know that that same God is working on our behalf! The same God that raised Christ from the dead is also working in and through our lives! Again, he will expand on this in Ephesians 3:16-20. F.F. Bruce said of this, “If the death of Christ is the supreme demonstration of the love of God… the resurrection of Christ is the supreme demonstration of his power.” 

Place of Honor 

Notice that after God raised him from the dead, he then set him at his own right hand. The right hand is the position of honor (1 Peter 3:22). Clarke adds that the right hand is historically the place of not only honour, but friendship, confidence, and authority. Heavenly Places Interestingly, Ephesians is the only book that uses the term heavenly places and that four times, here and Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:6; and Ephesians 3:10. Paul's point is that we who are in Christ are also in heavenly places. Understand that our promises as the Body of Christ are celestial while those made to Israel are terrestrial. We are not them and they are not us. 

Far Above Everything Else 

Verse 21: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  He mentions these principalities and powers three times in this letter. These are referring to angelic beings, both good and bad. The statement also seems to be referring to a ranking system that we do not totally understand. But what is clear, is that Jesus has been raised above them. One commentator said, "We do not need to know all of the officers of the king's court to know who the king is." 

Head of All Things 

Verses 22-23: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  As such all things are under his feet. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. This means that all things are in subjection to Christ. Of course, one day it will be subdued completely (Psalms 2:6-9; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15). 

Words in Italics 

Also notice that there are a lot a italics in this verse. Remove them and it clearly says And hath put all under his feet, and gave him the head over all to the church. It clearly states that he is the head of the church. The church is the mystery that was revealed to the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 5:32) and Christ is the head of it, not the groomsman as many say. He is not going to marry his own body. I will speak to this more later, but for the moment, the words Bride of Christ are no where to be found in the Bible. The Bible makes perfectly clear in Revelation 21:2 that the holy city, new Jerusalem is the bride. If you need further evidence, read the next verse. 

Is The Church Israel? | Session 1

Many teach today that upon salvation, we the church (Body of Christ) become part of spiritual Israel. Not physical Israel, but a spiritual one. The question that I pose today is does the Bible truly teach that? Is God really through with the physical nation of Israel? Has He really given all of the promises that He gave to Israel to us now? Some will go on to say that Israel in the Old Testament is merely an allegory for the church, i.e., the church is the true Israel. What does the Bible say?

Directional Bible Ministries · Is The Church Israel? | Session 1

Ephesians | Session 6 | 1:14-17

In our study today we take another look at verse 10 regarding the fulfillment of times, and Paul's specific prayer for the Ephesian believers.

Verse 15: Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  Paul is pleased by their faith and love for each other. 

Verse 16: Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;  As a result he is thankful for them and prays for them. 

Verse 17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  His prayer is that the Ephesian believers would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Wisdom is by definition just good sense. Revelation is a revealing or enlightenment. Knowledge is the fact or condition of being aware of something, i.e., information. 

His prayer is that we would have a spirit of good sense and enlightenment that comes only through a knowledge of him. Man, that explains a lot in the wicked world in which we live! They have no wisdom or revelation because they do not know him (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10; Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 2:1-5; etc).

Ephesians | Session 5 | 1:13-14

Today we explain what Paul meant when he was speaking about those who had trusted after that they had heard the word of truth which was the gospel of their salvation, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the earnest of our inheritance which will be realized one day.

Verse 13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  The whom is a reference to Christ who was trusted in the previous verse. 

The word trusted is italicized in the KJV meaning it was placed in there by the translators to make it clearer, but it was not necessary in my opinion. So, it would read "In whom ye also after that ye heard the word of truth." It doesn't change the meaning at all. Just FYI, the words trust, faith, and believe all basically mean the same thing. 

Today, our culture is being ripped apart because truth is being taught as something that is not a constant. That is why you hear people talking about 'their truth' all the time. When the Devil started teaching that in our education system, it was a direct attack of Christ (John 14:6). Man thinks that he is so smart when he does nonsense like that, e.g., evolution. Make no mistake it was the Devil that planted that idea in man's little over-educated pea brain in an attempt to deny God and cast doubt on the Bible. 

Notice after that ye heard the word of truth. Reminds me of Romans 10:14; Romans 10:17. 

What is the word of truth? - the gospel of your salvation. And where do we find the gospel of our salvation? - 1Corinthians 15:1-4. Amazing how the church has spent so much time trying to make that complicated! They do so because they do not rightly divide what Paul said from the Twelve. That's why they end up adding baptism, works, tongues, and everything else to the equation. All salvation requires is belief plus nothing. 

After that happens, we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise. The seal being referred to here speaks of ownership. He placed his seal of ownership on us the moment we placed our faith in Him. 

Verse 14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.  And that sealing is the guarantee of our inheritance that will be given when we are redeemed. I believe that redemption will take place at the Rapture of the church (Philippians 3:20-21). 

Randy White points out something at this point that trust can only come about after hearing the word of truth. The gospel must be shared with words because "the gospel is not love that can be displayed but logic that must be accepted." That is point on in my opinion and aligns with Romans 10:13-14. 

Again, the word of truth for the Body of Christ today is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4). Again, this message must be shared with words, not just actions. 

Notice that it says ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. The order of salvation: 1) you hear, 2) you believe, 3) you are sealed. That word sealed means to stamp for security or preservation. In the book of Revelation we see just that when the 144,000 are sealed during the Tribulation period (Revelation 7:1-8). This sealing is also mentioned in Ephesians 4:30. This is just one of many reasons that I believe in eternal security. 

Bear in mind that any argument that is made against this is the result of wrongly dividing. Obviously, if we can rightly divide, we can also wrongly divide. The primary point of the verse is not the inheritance, but the sealing which is the promise of preservation as well. This Spirit of promise is received by faith and not works (Galatians 3:18). 

Notice, that it says until the redemption of the purchased possession. What I find interesting is that the word translated redemption is apolutrosis and it is only used ten times in the KJV (three of them in Ephesians) and it is a compound word which means the act of ransom. I find it significant because who normally pays a ransom? - The one to whom it belongs. We, the Body of Christ, are the purchased possession that was redeemed or ransomed (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23). Redemption refers to our being delivered from corruption (Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:23). And he purchased us to the praise of his glory?