Ephesians 1:1-14

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:1-14

A1 Scripture

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:1-11 NKJV)

A2 Outline

B1 Intro

C1 Author: Holy Spirit

C2 Writer: Paul

B2 Addressees

C1 God's people in Ephesus

C2 The faithful in Christ Jesus (the rest of us)

A3 Notes: Dealings with God and His people (Christians)

B1 Who has blessed us .

C1 When the lesser blesses, he thanks and praises the greater.

C2 When the greater blesses, it is gifts of many types.

D1 Spiritual blessings

E1 Fruit of the Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control–against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, WPNT)

E2 Some blessing listed here

F1 Adoption

F2 Forgiveness of sins

F3 Knowledge of the mystery (The Gospel)

F4 Our gathering together (Unity—God's unity not the worldly unity that is currently preached uniting believers with heretics and apostates).

F5 An inheritance (Heaven and especially fellowship with God).

E3 God himself. (Jesus Christ is the ultimate blessing in this life, because of all He is and is, has, and will do).

D2 Heavenly blessings

B2 He has chosen us.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 A choosing for Himself.

D2 To pick out as in upon seeing a number of choices, one is picked out. If I went with a brother to a cafe, and he said, "Pick out something on the menu; I'll pay for it," and I picked out the fried ehis word means.

C2 He chose us.

D1 This decision, the plan, was made before the creation of the world.

D2 This decision is God's plan.

D3 This does not seem to involve individuals as much as the group/set consisting of Christians. (Consider corporate election).

D4 Election is different than unconditional election.

E1 Unconditional election, in its various versions, is where God makes His choice of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. The elect for heaven have no choice in the matter, nor those who are the elect for hell. God does the choosing. (See, Election is, therefore, that decree of God which He eternally makes, by which, with sovereign freedom, He chooses to Himself a people, upon whom He determines to set His love, whom He rescues from sin and death through Jesus Christ, unto Himself in everlasting glory.

This election is sovereign - God's sovereign and free choice. This election is eternal even as God's counsel is eternal. This election is unchangeable even as God's counsel is unchangeable. This election is efficacious so that the decree of election itself is, through Christ, the power by which the elect are actually saved. Source).

E2 Conditional election is, Therefore, election is corporate and embraces individual persons only as they identify and associate themselves with the body of Christ, the true church (Ephesians 1:22-23 and source).

C3 Chose for a purpose.

D1 For us to be holy

D2 And blameless

D3 To be adopted

E1 Sons and daughters of God

E2 Privileges of the family

E3 Possible because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ

E4 2 Corinthians 6:18 WPNT And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the LORD Almighty.”

B3 He predestined us.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 Plan, though, because of theology it has picked up the meaning of exhaustively determined.

D2 Predetermine in the sense of a decision was determined before the situation that demanded it. So, it is a plan, a decision, that occurred in the past before creation.

D3 It does not mean to pick out an individual and determine him/her to heaven or hell.

D4 I would never chose him for I was dead and could not, but the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and heart to the Gospel and offered me salvation. I could resist or not resist. If God had not predestined me, I would never have believed.

C2 Predestination was done "in love," though "in love" might refer to verse 4 in which it would refer to our love to Him.

C3 Predestination is for adoption not salvation. It was God’s plan.

C4 The good pleasure of His will, that is, this was a happy decision.

C5 It is of grace, which is receiving what we do not deserve.

B4 He has made us accepted in the beloved.

C1 Grace has made us accepted.

C2 Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

C3 We deserve hell, but instead, because of His grace we are accepted, not rejected.

C4 Those who are rejected are those who resisted God's gracious call.

D1 Luke 13:34 EMTV "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

D2 John 5:40 EMTV But you are unwilling to come to Me, so that you may have life.

B5 We have redemption.

C1 Meaning of the word

D1 Freedom because of something paid.

D2 Deliverance

D3 Jesus suffered and died to pay the penalty of sin.

C2 How

D1 Through His blood. No blood shed, no salvation.

D2 Because of His shed blood, we have forgiveness of sins.

C3 Some cross references

D1 Galatians 3:13-14 EMTV Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," 14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

D2 Colossians 1:13-14 WPNT who delivered us out of the dominion of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins.

D3 Romans 5:6 EMTV For while we were still weak, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

D4 Hebrews 13:12 EMTV Therefore Jesus also, so that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

D5 John 19:30 EMTV Therefore when Jesus received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

B6 His grace is abounded.

C1 Not just a little grace but lots of grace.

C2 Wisdom

D1 Wisdom deals with decision making.

D2 God shows His wisdom in salvation and the plan of salvation.

C3 Prudence

D1 Making a choice with moral insight

D2 Deals with the practical details of how to carry this plan/decision out.

B7 He made known to us the mystery of His will.

C1 The mystery of His will is the Gospel.

D1 1 Timothy 3:16 EMTV And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among [the] Gentiles, believed on in the world, [and] was received up in glory.

D2 t2 Timothy 1:10 EMTV but has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ, having abolished death on the one hand, [and] having brought to life immortality through the gospel on the other.

D3 A mystery: what was hidden is now known

C2 He knew the plan but did not reveal it until the time of Jesus on this earth.

D1 This plan was done in

E1 Accordance with His good pleasure (satisfaction, delight)

E2 His plan not a plan put together by others

E3 Psalms 33:11 GNB92 But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally.

D2 A plan hatched in justice and love

B8 He will gather us together.

C1 The true unity of believers is not the forced, and we are still a family in the 21st century.

C2 God does this gathering, not some pastor, church, or group of people.

B9 We have an inheritance.

C1 Our main inheritance is God himself.

C2 Jesus shares His inheritance with us (Romans 8:17 CSB - and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him).

C3 Includes

D1 Forgiveness of sins

D2 Heaven

D3 Fellowship with God, holy angels, and God's people

D4 Relief from the sufferings caused by sin.

B10 Applications

C1 God made a plan. He followed that plan.

C2 Jesus always was, is, and will be Messiah.

C3 God’s plan, through Abraham, was to have a physical nation, Israel, and a spiritual nation, the church. When one is born again, they enter the spiritual nation, the church, which is Christ’s body.

C4 We are a family of believers.

C5 We have an inheritance.

C6 We need to preach the Gospel.

Rags to Riches

Theme: Heirs of God

Scriptures: Galatians 4:1-31

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: We are heirs of God through faith in Christ, not by our own merits.

Think: View my life as an opportunity to bring glory to my Father.

Do: Live by faith in Christ, free to obey Him in the power He gives me.

B1 Galatians 4:1-7,

C1 Children Some interpret this as

D1 Jews under the elementary principles of Jewish laws.

D2 Jews and Gentiles before they believed.

D3 Gentiles (the Galatians) who believed in many gods before believing into Jesus Christ.

C2 Elementary principles Some interpret this as

D1 Mosaic law

D2 The many gods of idolatry

D3 Sin

C3 Whatever the meaning is the principle taught is every human is under bondage.

C4 What are some things that people are in bondage to?

C5 What is the significance of God sending His son as Redeemer?

C6 Why did Jesus have to be born of a woman and under the Law?

C7 Adoption as sons

D1 Sons here includes male and female gender.

D2 The word for adoption is υἱοθεσία huiothesia. It means adoption.

D3 It is used in Scripture 3 ways:

E1 Physical adoption as going through an agency to adopt a son or daughter. It is this sense the Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses (Exodus 2:10).

E2 National adoption as Israel was adopted by God (Romans 9:4).

E3 Spiritual adoption as being brought into the family of God, thus a believer is a son of God or a daughter of God. He is our Father. He has adopted us.

E4 It is a present reality for believers: Ephesians 1:5 NKJV Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

E5 It is also future:

F1 Romans 8:19 NKJV For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

F2 Romans 8:23 NKJV Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

E6 A note from Vincent’s Word Studies on this passage:

Then an heir (καὶ κληρονόμος): Καὶ marks the logical sequence. Comp. Rom 8:17. The figure is based upon Roman, not upon Jewish, law. According to Roman law, all the children, sons and daughters, inherited alike. According to Jewish law, the inheritance of the sons was unequal, and the daughters were excluded, except where there were no male heirs. Thus the Roman law furnished a more truthful illustration of the privileges of Christians. Comp. Gal 3:28.

E7 Give some of the benefits of being an adopted son or daughter of God.

E8 Remember that we were slaves of sin: Romans 6:20-21 NKJV For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

E9 Now we are slaves to righteousness and heirs of God: Romans 6:22-23 NKJV But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

C8 What is good about being able to address God as "Abba, Father?”

C9 What do we inherit?

D1 The earth (Matthew 5:5)

D2 Eternal life (Matthew 19:29)

D3 A heavenly family (Matthew 19:29)

D4 God’s Kingdom (James 2:5)

D5 The Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)

D6 Kings and Priests (Revelation 5:9-10)

D7 What we need to live a Christian life (2 Peter 1:3)

D8 The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)

D9 Forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9)

D10 Freedom from guilt (Romans 8:1 and Hebrews 10:22)

D11 Free from slavery to sin (Romans 6:18)

D12 A heavenly home (John 14:1-2)

D13 Perfect knowledge and freedom from ignorance (1 Corinthians 13:12)

D14 Some other blessings: Revelation 21:4 NKJV And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

B2 Galatians 4:8-20

C1 Name some things that the Galatians were enslaved to.

C2 In Galatians 4:10, days, months, seasons, and years are mentioned. What would Paul be referring to?

C3 We don’t know for sure what Paul’s physical condition was (Galatians 4:14). It was not mentioned, because today there are many physical conditions that would appear to be offensive. Why didn’t the Galatians reject Paul and his message?

C4 How do people become an enemy for telling the truth?

C5 Are we to ask forgiveness for telling the truth?

C6 Some truths:

D1 The truth that they were sinners. (Galatians 5:11 and 1 Peter 2:8). Truth can be offensive.

D2 The truth that it is appointed to die, then to be judged. (See Hebrews 9:27).

D3 Galatians 5:7 NKJV You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

D4 Galatians 2:11 NKJV Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed. (and read then through verse 14).

C7 Galatians 4:17-18

D1 Two versions

E1 17 They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. 18 Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you. (CSB)

E2 17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you. (NLT)

D2 How do false teachers butter us up to manipulate us?

E1 Butter up—flatter with the intention of getting something.

E2 How can we avoid being manipulated?

C8 What is the pain that Paul is feeling for the Galatians?

C9 When does Paul state that he will not feel this pain anymore?

C10 Christ formed in you

D1 Bob Utley makes this comment of the passage:

"until Christ is formed in you" "Formed" [Greek root morphç] was used in a medical sense for fetal development. Morphç could refer to the abiding character of something. This text refers to their maturity in Christ (cf. Eph. 4:13), or in other words, their Christlikeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Gal. 4:19; Eph.1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3,7; 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15). This does not necessarily mean two different experiences of the Christian life—salvation and maturity—and yet we all know that maturity is a developmental experience.

Paul showed that his motives in teaching and preaching to the Galatian churches were totally different from those of the self-seeking false teachers.

D2 Would this include right doctrine, a Christian worldview, a Christian lifestyle in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds?

D3 How do we develop this?

B3 Galatians 4:21-31,

C1 Explain in your own words Paul’s allegory of the 2 sons (Galatians 4:21-26).

C2 Why is being under the law (obeying Mosaic Law) being in bondage?

D1 John Calvin writes in his commentary on Hebrews 12:22:

Then he contrasts mount Sion with mount Sinai; and he further adds, the heavenly Jerusalem, and he expressly calls it heavenly, that the Jews might not cleave to that which was earthly, and which had flourished under the Law; for when they sought perversely to continue under the slavish yoke of the Law, mount Sion was turned into mount Sinai as Paul teaches us in the Gal 4:21 of the Epistle to the Galatians. Then by the heavenly Jerusalem he understood that which was to be built throughout the whole world, even as the angel, mentioned by Zechariah, extended his line from the east even to the west.

D2 What are we Christians to be firmly attached and steadfast towards—the earthly or the heavenly?

C3 In Paul’s allegory, how are Christians the children of the free woman?

C4 Are we to obey the Law of Moses? If so, how? (Basically, only when it is repeated in the New Testament to be obeyed. Nine of the ten commandments are repeated in the New Testament, for example. The Sabbath Laws are not).

C5 Is our righteousness only from faith or do we have to do good works and follow the Law of Moses to be saved, forgiven, reconciled with God?

B4 Next week

C1 Family first

C2 Theme: Household of faith

C3 Scriptures: Galatians 6:1-10