Overview of the Letter to the Ephesians

1. Our Inheritance in Christ Our Life in Christ 1:3 2:1 3:1 4:1 6:10 Blessings in Christ Experience of Salvation Growing, Knowledge and Strength Christian Conduct Christian Armor Introduction 1:1-2 Conclusion 6:21-24 WORK of God WALK of Christian Overview of the Letter to the Ephesians

2. themelios, support or base for the building 1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. :11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. epoikodomeo Aor. Pass, at salvation believers are placed as a brick on a wall Colossians 2:7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. The corner stone was carefully laid for it determined the shape and orientation of the building and was main structural center/focus sunamologeo, pres pass, “pieces of a wall, furniture or puzzle joined together”—God places us together on purpose Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Auxano, pres act, increases, becomes greater or larger Colossians 2:19 … the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. A living organism (not just an organization 1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Individually the Spirit indwells us: Rom 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. But here it is corporately: 2 Cor 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." The New Man as a Building Ephesians 3:5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

3. Price to pay: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things 2 Tim 1:11-12 2:11-22 People are always the objective; and are always worth the sacrifice We become accountable for all truth understood to share it and fulfill its purpose: 1 Cor 9:17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. By revelation to Paul, by teaching to us—always so we can share it with others musterion, a secret only known when it is revealed; newly revealed truth sunesis, flowing together of known knowledge; trustworthy application Eph 3:1-4 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles– if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,