All Nations Community Church
This Bible Study series takes a close look at the major themes presented in the book of Ephesians. Discussing the issues of God’s sovereignty, his plan of redemption, his grace, our responsibility to love one another and to pray, and more... We will seek to understand that God has a divine plan to reconcile the world to himself, and he wants to use us to do it.
Ephesians 1:1-14 ESV
Ephesians 1 is a beautiful introduction to how we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. We have been adopted to sonship, we have been chosen, forgiven and redeemed. We have been marked with a seal and given the Holy Spirit as a down payment of our inheritance.
Context:
1:1-2 The Author and the Audience. Paul starts by addressing those who are “in Christ”: all the believers in Ephesus.
Author: the Apostle Paul:
- Formerly, "Saul of Tarsus," the persecutor of the church -- Acts 9:1-2
- An Apostle of Jesus by the will of God
- The Book of Ephesians bears the name of Paul (1:1; 3:1), and it sets forth many of Pauline themes, such as Justification by faith (2:1-10) and the body of Christ (4:15-16).
Ephesians is primarily written to Gentile (non-Jewish) followers of Christ (calls them saints and faithful in Christ)--likely the church in Ephesus. The story of the church plant is recorded in Acts 19 and 20
Ephesus:
It was an important gulf city, a crucial export center, they had sea trade, 3 main routes converged there; it had the great Temple of Artemis/Diana (1 of the 7 wonders of the ancient world). It was wealthy, politically influential, & a very pagan city
Predestination, vv. 4-5, 11
1:3-4 (Predestination): Paul repeatedly mentions “in Him” or “in Christ” throughout this epistle. He expresses our unity with God through Christ, united because God chose us
1:5-6 (Predestination-Salvation): A son that was adopted in the Roman culture received all the rights as one who was born into the family.
1:7-9 The definition of redemption here means a freedom by payment of a ransom. The blood of Christ was the payment, setting us free from the penalty of sin.
1:10-12 (Predestination): All believers will receive the inheritance in the Kingdom come
1:13-14 Here Paul addresses now the Gentiles who are also to receive the inheritance.
Reflect:
What new things did you discover in the story/text that you did not know before?
What did you learn about God?
What did you learn about people?
Which person is most like you in the story?
What will you take away from this discussion?
What will you do with what you have learned?