LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for March 3
Ephesians aids in discovering purpose of church
___ Ephesians 1:1-14
___By Roy Cotton
___BGCT DFW/Metroplex Church Starting Center Consultant
___How would you respond if someone asked you: "What is the purpose of the church?" The epistle of Paul to the Ephesians could serve as a biblical basis for part of your answer.
___The text for the first study in this series on "Ephesians: God's New People" suggests several assertions for the purpose of the church. The first lesson of the unit asserts that an emphasis for God's new creation (the church) is to bring praise to him. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have been adopted as God's new people created for his glory. He is
the source and the essence of our joy and praise.
___Kenneth Osbeck, hymnologist and author of several inspirational daily devotionals including "101 Hymn Stories" and "101 More Hymn Stories," writes: "A life of praise and an inner joy are interwoven--they are compliments of each other. Such a life is the result of being absorbed with God."
___The first-century Christians seem to have understood the life of praise and the interweaving of inner joy for daily living. They were absorbed with God and the doing of his will in the church.
___Ephesians is one of the five prison epistles of Paul written from about 60 A.D. to 64 A.D. Ephesus was an important cultural center. It was the capital of pro-consular Asia. The city was about one mile inland from the eastern portion of the Aegean Sea. A great theater, seating about 50,000 people, was located within the citadel (Acts 19:31). The temple of Diana (Artemis) also was located in Ephesus. Paul first visited Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18-21).
___Ephesians and Colossians are similar epistles. The contents of both are devoted to doctrine and practical Christian living. Christ is portrayed as the head of the church in Colossians, whereas in Ephesians he is the ascended, glorified Christ.
___The first 14 verses of the first chapter, according to the LifeWay commentator, should have a four-part outline: Greetings from Paul (verses 1-2); blessings from the Father (verses 3-6), blessings in Christ (verses 7-12) and blessings through the Spirit (verses 13-14).
___The greeting from Paul contains specificity and generality. It is written specifically to the "saints who are at Ephesus." However, some translations do not include "at Ephesus" as does the New American Standard and the NIV. But there is more. It was written for the church in general. The second part of verse 1 connects the saints at Ephesus to the church in general by the words "and who are faithful in Christ Jesus."
___The key verse of the passage is verse 3, which begins with praise to God the Father. "Blessed" is literally translated "to speak well of, one who is well spoken of, worthy of praise." No one is inherently worthy of praise except God. He is the One who has initiated our salvation by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for sin (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10).
___Some have taken certain words and phrases out of context, such as, "he chose us" (verse 4), and "he predestined us" (verse 5). The Bible teaches us that God has chosen us (Ephesians 2:10 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13). And the Bible clearly teaches that "whoever believes in him (Jesus) has forgiveness of sin" (John 3:16; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38-39).
___The sovereign purpose of God is "our adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself" (verse 5). Human choice and responsibility can mean we either receive him or reject him. Yes, it is our choice, but we are responsible for the decision we make. The church has the responsibility to make known the gospel of his grace to the whole world.
___The third outline is a declaration of praise to God for the blessings in Christ, because "in him we have redemption through his blood" (verse 7). The Greek word used for redemption literally means "redemption from" (Luke 1:68, 2:38; Hebrews 9:12). Redemption can mean a "ransom" or "a price paid" (Matthew 16:26; 1 Peter 1:18,19). This comes from recalling captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom for them. The debt has been paid by Christ's death on the cross. Someone has said, "He paid a debt he did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay." All the world's religions spell "do," but the Christian faith is spelled "done." Elvina Hall's hymn is our praise declaration for redemption: "Jesus Paid it All!"
___God's new people are to praise him for the blessings through the Holy Spirit (vv. 13-14). We have been "sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise" (v. 13). Baptists have traditionally paid the least emphasis to the Third Person of the Trinity.
___God the Spirit is the One who empowers our witness. We cannot do the work of the church in our own strength. We need the work of the Holy Spirit. Because of our need to be in charge, we have a fear of being out of control and letting the Holy Spirit fill us. The filling of the Spirit is giving him control. Ephesians admonishes us to "be filled with the Spirit" (5:18). God deserves our praise for the Holy Spirit's work as the guarantee of salvation.
___Questions for discussion
___ What is the purpose of your church? How do the functions (activities) of your church match the purpose of the church?
___ What is the difference between praise and worship? Is there a difference?
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