There is no epistle in which we find more about theΒ graceΒ of God than that great and wonderful epistle of Paul to the Ephesians! It is one of his prison epistles and, interestingly enough, he was actually and literally in jailΒ for telling a secret, the secret ofΒ the mysteryΒ (Eph.Β 6:19,20). Evidently he had a great deal of opposition in trying to make this secret known. Thatβs rather unusual, isnβt it?
The Ephesian epistle was probably written about 64 A.D., and was evidently sent by the hand of a man named Tychicus (Eph.Β 6:21,22), along with two other letters, one to the Colossians (Col. 4:7-9), and that to Philemon (Col. 4:7-9 cf. Phile. 10-12). Never, never were more valuable documents entrusted to human hands!
Now, in the earlier epistles of Paul, we learn a great deal about dispensational change and development, but in Ephesians we have arrived, and find ourselves on the highest, broadest spiritual ground. Here the Holy Spirit reveals to us, in all their fullness, those blessed truths which distinguish this dispensation from others.
For example, the mystery or theΒ sacred secretΒ is here revealed in all its fullness. He says that this secret isΒ now made knownΒ (Eph.Β 1:9) through him (Eph.Β 3:1-3), but it is for all to see (Eph.Β 3:9), for it concerns our close relationship to Christ (Eph.Β 5:30,32). And since Satan will oppose the proclamation of this secret, boldness is needed to proclaim it (Eph.Β 6:19,20).
In this epistle, the one Body of Christ, the Church of this dispensation, is emphasized throughout. The whole body, he says, is the fulness, theΒ complement, the fulness of Christ (Eph.Β 1:23). He says God is making one new man today (Eph.Β 2:15), reconciling Jews and Gentiles to Himself in one body (Eph.Β 2:16), aΒ jointΒ body (Eph.Β 3:6), in which we are to keep the unity of the Spirit (Eph.Β 4:3,4). The Body, he says, mustΒ grow up, and it mustΒ build itself up in loveΒ (Eph.Β 4:11-16). Christ is the Head of the Body, and its Savior (Eph.Β 5:23), and we are the members (Eph.Β 5:30). HowΒ closeΒ that brings all believers to each other! How close it brings us toΒ Christ!
Our position in the heavenlies is prominently brought out in this epistle. We read that, immediately upon conversion, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (Eph.Β 1:3). Weβre told that Godβs power in raising Christ from the dead and exalting Him far above all is now extended to us-ward who believe (Eph.Β 1:19-21). Positionally, he says, weβve already been raised from the dead and seated in the heavenlies (Eph.Β 2:6). Now, he says, it is ours to occupy this position by faith, as a witness to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies (Eph.Β 3:10). Hence we must wrestle with the rulers of the darkness of this age, wicked spirits in the heavenlies (Eph.Β 6:12). And for this, he says, weβre going to need the whole armor of God (Eph.Β 6:10,11).
In this epistle, all is grace. Read Ephesians and see how it isΒ permeatedΒ with grace. Even the salutation speaks ofΒ grace and peaceΒ (Eph.Β 1:2). Compare that with what we read about the second coming of Christ to this earth, where He will come toΒ judge and make warΒ (Rev.Β 19:11). Grace and peace is the exactΒ oppositeΒ of judgment and war! Thank God He hasnβt declared warΒ yet. He hasnβt visited this world in judgment yet. He still offers to sinners everywhere, and to saints, of course, in greater measure,Β grace and peace.
The doxology in the Ephesian epistle is the longest of all of Paulβs doxologies, and in the original it is his longest sentence. Weβre blessed because we areΒ chosen by God the FatherΒ to the praise of His glory (Eph.Β 1:4-6). WeβreΒ made accepted in the SonΒ to the praise of His glory. WeβreΒ sealed by the SpiritΒ to the praise of His glory. Glory to the triune God!Β Glory for His grace!
We read individual things, too, about the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All throughout this epistle, everything emanates from the Father. The Father is always the source. The Father has chosen us (Eph.Β 1:3,4) according to the good pleasure of His will (Eph.Β 1:5), according to the riches of His grace (Eph.Β 1:6,7), according to His good pleasure (Eph.Β 1:9), according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph.Β 1:11), according to the working of His mighty power (Eph.Β 1:19), and according to His eternal purpose (Eph.Β 3:11). Thereβs more about that in the epistle, showing that everything finds its source in the will of God.
Then we see how our salvation centers in the Son. Heβs always the second person in the Trinity. His place is always in the midst. We read, for example, that weβre have redemption through His blood (Eph.Β 1:7), in whom we are greatly enriched (Eph.Β 1:11), in whom also we areΒ saved, andΒ sealedΒ (Eph.Β 1:13). Think of that! We areΒ in Christ, and because of His finished work, the believer is sealed until the day of redemption.
Then we come to the Spirit. It all comes down to us through, or by the operation of, the Spirit. Weβre sealed by the Spirit (Eph.Β 1:13), and we have access to God the Father by the Spirit (Eph.Β 2:18). We are an habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph.Β 2:22), and weβre strengthened by the Spirit (Eph.Β 3:16). We must not grieve the Spirit (Eph.Β 4:30), but rather bear the fruit of the Spirit (Eph.Β 5:9). We must be filled with the Spirit (Eph.Β 5:18), use the sword of the Spirit (Eph.Β 6:17), and we mustΒ prayΒ in the Spirit (Eph.Β 6:18).
What a tremendous, tremendous epistle! source
