Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Ephesians 1

"To the praise of his glory . . ." The Ephesians letter begins with a description of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and a prayer for deeper understanding, enlightenment and fuller awareness of the place of our Lord Jesus Christ in creation and the heavenly realms. The progression of the description moves from being blessed with spiritual blessings (3) chosen in love since the foundation of the world (4) destined for adoption as children (5). It then describes the blessing we have received: redemption (7) the revealing of God's mysterious will (9) an inheritance and a new way of living (11-14). Paraphrased and summarized he says, "We are blessed by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be forgiven, received into a new community of grace and challenged to live a whole new life."

The Prayer (15-22) is the summary theme of the letter. It is a prayer for spiritual depth and maturity.

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