The Beautiful Relationship We Have in Christ

In 62 A.D., four men left Rome, traveling east to modern Turkey. Tucked in their satchels, each carried a letter written by a Roman prisoner waiting to appear before the emperor. These four letters are Paul’s prison epistles—Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Together, they paint a picture of Jesus Christ, the church, the Christian life, and how they interact together.

As we look closer at Ephesians, we discover the body of Christ, God’s masterpiece. We are built with living stones—the Holy Spirit living in us, helping us to walk as Jesus would walk. Paul wrote to the Ephesians how Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Return His love, Paul encouraged them and us. Respond to Him. This beautiful letter to the Ephesians invites you to a closer relationship with Christ.

As we study Ephesians, we’ll examine its two sections: the first half is doctrinal, and the last is practical. We need both. A high view of our salvation (chapters 1-3) gets down where we live (chapters 4-6). In the first half, we see the church as a body, a temple, and a mystery. In the second half, the church is seen as a new man, the bride of Christ, and a soldier fighting an enemy.

Paul begins Grace and peace to you. Grace—”charis!”—was the typical way to greet someone in the Gentile world. And peace—”shalom!”—in a Jewish community is how people say hello. Paul combines these greetings and lifts them to new heights. Grace is how God saves you first, and then you can experience His peace. Paul always puts them in that order—grace before peace. You must have charis before you can experience shalom (see Romans 5:1).

Paul states he is an apostle, the highest of church offices. Apostles had power from the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and write Scripture. Today, the mark of a godly leader is teaching the right doctrine.

The book of Ephesians was written, “to the saints ….” Is that you? A saint trusts Christ as Savior. We’re saints not because of how we act but because we belong to Him to be used of Him. Saints are the “faithful in Christ Jesus.” God calls us saints, and man calls us believers. A saint should be saintly, and a believer should be faithful.

We are “faithful in Christ Jesus.” The critical word? In. To be saved means we’re in Christ. We belong to Him, and there’s nothing as wonderful or profound as that (see 1 Corinthians 6:17, Romans 8:1, and John 15:6). The church, which is “the body of Christ,” is in Christ, the Head. All the truths of Ephesians revolve around this fact.

Stop and think of what you have in Christ. In Him, God has blessed you with all spiritual blessings. Jesus Christ gives you a way to know Him as Savior and walk with Him in a new life. You have everything in Him the moment you come to Him in faith. Grasp this truth and live as a real child of God.

Next: What predestination really means.