"THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS" Chapter Two OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THE CHAPTER 1) To consider the riches of God's grace toward sinners, how we are saved by grace through faith 2) To understand the Gentiles' condition outside of Christ, the effect Jesus' death had on the Law, and what Gentiles can now become in Christ SUMMARY Having expressed his desire that his readers might know the exceeding greatness of God's power toward those who believe (1:19), Paul reminds them of how they had been dead in sin but made alive together with Christ. Indeed, they were raised and made to sit together with Christ in the heavenly places, that God might show even more riches of His grace in the ages to come. All this God did by His love, grace, and mercy. While it involved their faith, it did not involve any works whereby one could boast. The end result is that they have been created in Christ to walk in good works, as God planned beforehand (1-10). Paul also wants them to remember how far they have come as Gentiles, courtesy of Jesus Christ. Once strangers from the promises made to Israel and without God in the world, they can now draw near through the blood of Jesus. By His death on the cross Jesus abolished the law of commandments which separated Jews and Gentiles, and has reconciled them both to God in one body. The Gentiles can therefore be fellow-citizens and members of God's family; they are also part of that grand temple being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone, in which they serve as a habitation of God in the Spirit (11-22). OUTLINE I. RAISED AND SEATED ON THE THRONE (1-10) A. OUR CONDITION OUTSIDE OF CHRIST (1-3) 1. Dead in trespasses and sins (1) 2. Walking according to the course of the world and the devil (2) 3. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the children of wrath (3) B. MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (4-10) 1. God made us alive together with Christ (4-5) a. By virtue of His mercy and great love b. Even when dead in trespasses c. By His grace we have been saved 2. God raised us with Christ (6-7) a. Made to sit with Him in heavenly places b. That in ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace 3. Saved by grace through faith (8-9) a. Not of ourselves, it is the gift of God b. Not of works, lest any man should boast 4. We are thus God's workmanship (10) a. Created in Christ Jesus for good works b. Created to walk in good works which God prepared beforehand II. RECONCILED AND SET INTO THE TEMPLE (11-22) A. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "WITHOUT" CHRIST (11-12) 1. Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel 2. Strangers from the covenants of promise 3. Having no hope and without God in the world B. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "THROUGH" CHRIST (13-18) 1. Made near by the blood of Christ (13) 2. Can now be "one body" with the Jews, because... a. Jesus has made Jew and Gentile both one, breaking down the wall of division between them (14) b. Jesus abolished in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances that had separated them (15) c. Jesus now reconciles them both to God in one body through the cross (16) d. Jesus preached peace to those afar off and those near (17) 3. Can now have access by one Spirit to the Father (18) C. THE GENTILES' CONDITION "IN" CHRIST (19-22) 1. They are now "fellow citizens with the saints" (19) 2. They are now "members of the household of God" (19) 3. They are now part of "a holy temple in the Lord" (20-22) a. Built upon a foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus the cornerstone b. Joined together and growing as a holy temple, a habitation of God in the Spirit REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER 1) What are the main points of this chapter? - Raised and seated on the throne (1-10) - Reconciled and set into the temple (11-22) 2) What was our condition outside of Christ? (1-3) - Dead in trespasses and sins - Walking according to the course of this world and the devil - Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind, by nature the children of wrath 3) What motivated God to save us? (4) - His rich mercy and great love 4) What did God do, even though we were dead in trespasses? How? (5) - Made us alive together with Christ - By grace 5) What else has He done? Why? (6-7) - Raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places with Christ - To show the riches of His grace and kindness toward us in Christ in the ages to come 6) Upon what basis have we been saved? Upon what basis have we not been saved? (8-9) - By grace through faith, as the gift of God - Not of ourselves or of works, lest anyone should boast 7) What are we now in Christ Jesus? For what purpose? (10) - God's workmanship - Created in Christ Jesus to walk in good works which God prepared beforehand 8) What was the Gentiles' condition outside of Christ? (11-12) - Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel - Strangers from the covenants of promise - Having no hope, without God in the world 9) What has Christ done through His blood? (13) - Those who once were far off are now brought near 10) How has Jesus become "our peace" through His death on the cross? (14-17) - By breaking down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile - By abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances that had separated Jew and Gentile - By reconciling them both to God in one body - By preaching peace to those afar off (Gentile) and those near (Jew) 11) What do we both have through Christ? (18) - Access by one Spirit to the Father 12) What can Gentiles now become because of what Christ has done? (19) - Fellow citizens with the saints - Members of the household of God 13) Upon what are we being built? (20) - The foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the chief cornerstone 14) What kind of building are we? For what purpose? (21-22) - A holy temple in the Lord - To be a habitation of God in the Spirit
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