In him we have redemption …
Summary: What does it mean to be redeemed? When it comes to spiritual matters, we may never fully understand them. But we can know this much; we need it!
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:7a – The Day God Died”Ephesians 1:6b – The One He Loves
… which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Summary: Keeping up with Paul’s train of thought can be a challenge. Today’s passage is the caboose on a long train of words that describe why Jesus came to earth as a man.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:6b – The One He Loves”Ephesians 1:6a – Motivation
… to the praise of his glorious grace …
Summary: Ever wonder why God does something? Today we take a brief look at how Paul sees God’s motivations.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:6a – Motivation”Ephesians 1:5 – He Made Us Anyway
And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it.*
Summary: The way God made us his own children is by adopting us into his family. Adoption changes who we are and changing who we are changes our future.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:5 – He Made Us Anyway”Ephesians 1:5a – The Cosmic Clock
In love he predestined us …
Summary: Knowledge is a concept that presumes something can be known. Imagination is the tool God gave us to fill in the gaps where knowledge is not possible. In between is a place where people argue over the meaning of words.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:5a – The Cosmic Clock”Ephesians 1:4b – The Plan is Jesus
… to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Summary: Being holy and blameless is not something we can achieve on our own. We need help! Fortunately for us, God has a plan. The plan is Jesus.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:4b – The Plan is Jesus”Ephesians 1:4a – The Meaning of “Chose”
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world …
Summary: Paul’s insights can be logically challenging. The Word of God can seem non-sensical from a worldly point of view. Viewed correctly, everything makes sense.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:4a – The Meaning of “Chose””Ephesians 1:3 – Amazing Claims!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Summary: Paul makes unusual claims in his letter to the Ephesians. Whether or not we understand what the Bible tells us about God will determine how much of what Paul is saying makes sense.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:3 – Amazing Claims!”Ephesians 1:2 – Good Authority
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: When Paul speaks, people listen. People listen because he speaks with authority, the same kind of authority that set Jesus’ teachings apart from the Pharisees (Matthew 7:29).
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:2 – Good Authority”Ephesians 1:1 – The Challenge of Christianity
…the faithful in Christ Jesus
Summary: When it comes to the Scriptures, the meaning of words is important. Understanding what it means to be faithful in Christ Jesus is a foundational step to understanding our roles as Christians.
Continue reading “Ephesians 1:1 – The Challenge of Christianity”