The Christian Path ~ An Overview of Ephesians One

Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is different than any of his other writings. It is quite impersonal in comparison. Ephesians is reflective in tone and theme. It wasn’t written to answer a problem in a church like the heresy in the Colossian church. The book was written to give Paul’s thoughts on the highest church truth. Ephesians contains three lines of truth within the six chapters. They are the believer's elevated position through grace; the truth concerning the body of Christ; and a walk in accordance with that position. Chapter one teaches us all the spiritual blessings of God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ having chosen us in Him before He created the world.

In verse one Paul mentions God’s will; he used the similar phrase “His will” in verse nine. The apostle cites Ephesus in his greeting and in 1 Corinthians 15:32. In verse three, Paul uses the phrase in the heavens for the first of five times in Ephesians according to the Holman translation. The other verses are in Ephesians 1:20, 2:6, 3:10 and 6:12.

When the future Saint Paul utilizes grace in verse six, he discusses grace in Romans 5:2 and 2 Corinthians 4:15 also. In using “the Beloved” in verse six, he used a similar expression, “the Son He loves” in Colossians 1:13. Redemption, in verse seven, is stated similarly in Hebrews 9:12. In verse nine, Paul remarks about the mystery of God’s will. Paul commented on this mystery in Romans 11:25, 16:25, Ephesians 3:3 and Colossians 1:27.

The disciple Paul references hope in verse twelve and in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. “The message of truth” in verse thirteen is declared in Colossians 1:5 and 2 Thessalonians 2:10. The faithful Paul reveals his thoughts on the Holy Spirit in verse thirteen and in Romans 8:9, Galatians 5:25 and Titus 3:5. In verse twenty three Paul notes Christ’s body. He had a parallel statement in Ephesians 4:4. The apostle had other words and phrases which he used in Ephesians one and referenced in other writings.

Ephesians one is a lesson in grace. When we accept, believe and walk in the spirit, we start our journey toward Christ-likeness. By being faithful to the commands of God and loving God and others, we are adopted into the family of God. While true we are adopted into the family of God at our rebirth, we get more acclimated to our new position as we obey God as we live our lives to serve Him. It is this new beginning which Paul addresses in the first chapter and continues through the end of chapter three.

 

Robert Dodson

02/28/2012