CRATE DETAILS
- Veggie Tales Sticky Mosaics Friendship Box (MSRP $14.99)
- “101 Annoying Things About Other Drivers” Paperback Book (MSRP $10.99)
- “Her-oics: The Amazing Female Trivia Book” with Super Scratch-Off Scoring!” (MSRP $5.99)
- “God’s Masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)” Mirror (MSRP $19.99)
- “Tackling Truth: 180 Spiritual Insights Drawn from the Great Game of Football” Hardcover Book (MSRP $14.99)
- “Heaven Changes Everything: Living Every Day with Eternity in Mind” Audiobook on CD (MSRP $19.99)
Crate News
In 2017 we will highlight a book from the Bible each month.
This month we are highlighting
The Book of Ephesians
Ephesians
SUMMARY
The Epistle to the Ephesians, also called the Letter to the Ephesians and often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul the Apostle. According to tradition, the Apostle Paul wrote the letter while he was in prison in Rome.
The main theme of Ephesians is “the Church, which is the Body of Christ.”
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1–3
Another major theme in Ephesians is the keeping of Christ’s body (that is, the Church) pure and holy.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1–2
From Ephesians 4:17 thru 6:20 the author of the Epistle to the Ephesians gives practical advice in how to live a holy, pure, and Christ-inspired lifestyle.
Some theologians agree the main theme of Ephesians is in response to the newly converted Jews who often separated themselves from their Gentile brethren. The unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers.
Ephesians is notable for its domestic code treatment in 5:22 thru 6:9, covering husband-wife, parent-child, and master-slave relationships. In 5:22, wives are urged to submit to their husbands, and husbands to love their wives “as Christ loved the Church.”
Ephesians is one of the most encouraging books in the New Testament.
PURPOSE
Part of the calling of the church is to be giving praise to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes about predestination in the first two chapters of Ephesians. Predestination is a comfort for Christians who are steeped in the secular world, like the church at Ephesus was. Ephesians is an amazing descriptive letter about God’s election and His predestining of believers that describes God‘s calling of us before the earth even existed. That He predestined us before the earth was even created is just too awesome to consider in all its implications. This call from God is entirely from His good pleasure and His own call alone (Eph 1:4). His call of believers and our salvation is God’s doing alone. We simply have to throw ourselves on the mercy of God and accept Jesus Christ as Savior. That is the only thing that the believer contributes to their salvation.
Even though we are saved by grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone, a believer is nonetheless called to become holy and blameless in His sight. Our obedience is an expression of our love
for Him. God’s goal of our election is that we will be a praise of His glorious grace. Christians are chosen so that they will praise God and the Father and this is part of the great purpose of God in calling men, women, and children to Him.
There is also Paul’s emphasis that Jew and Gentile are one in the same in Jesus Christ and so this ought to be expressed in their love for one another. Paul is also interested in the practical implications of Christian behavior. And the Christian needs to put on the whole armor of God to be protected from spiritual warfare.
THE POWER TO SAVE
The Holy Spirit seals us as a guarantee of our salvation so we don‘t have to worry that one day we are saved only to believe that the next day we might be lost. When the Holy Spirit seals us He gives Christians inheritance rights that we already hold since we now already belong to and are a possession of God’s. How much more is God glorified in us than by taking wrath-deserving sinful vessels and making them “trophies” in God’s showcase of His grace? This defies human logic.
Another part of our calling is that He brings the dead to life by His power alone which brings Him glory. The miracle that Jew and Gentile, which were in relationship to each other hostile by nature, are made to be in union with one another in Christ and is further cause for God’s glorification and praise worthiness.
TO GLORIFY, BE HOLY AND HUMBLE
And we were called by God for good works that God has ordained for us eons ago so that His workmanship can be displayed to the world (Eph 2:10). This absolutely glorifies God because it is not for us to brag about but a sovereign work of God alone (Eph 2:9). We are saved for good works and never by good works.
For the church to walk in unity and holiness the church should live worthy of their calling by God. Humility promotes unity as believers consider or esteem others better than themselves. Humility is the opposite of pride. The Greeks saw humility as a weakness and as something to be practiced only by slaves but God highly esteems meek and gentle spirits because pride and humility can not coexist. Holiness and unity are bedfellows because if we are bearing with one another we are treating others with love and respect. Since believers all have the same hope we should act as a unified body of believers.
GIFTS OF THE BELIEVERS & UNITY
God tells the church to walk in holiness and to be separate from the world (Eph 4:17-32). Putting off the old self of the former carnal nature enables believers to walk as a new creature in Christ; in holiness and in righteousness. Walking in love is to be more like Christ and thus more holy, however if we hold grudges and try to avenge ourselves then Satan can get a foothold in us and we can turn to bitterness and become slanderous and unforgiving. The church is made to walk in love in light of their lives. Walking with God is basically living out God’s principles in a Christian’s daily life just as Enoch walked with God and never tasted death. (Genesis 5:24) Holiness is displayed when we love each other as Christ loves us and when we are unified in purpose as Jesus was in unity with the Father and was one in purpose with Him.
When we walk in love (that is living it out) we imitate God because He is the consummate expression of love. Walking in love is sacrificing our time, energy, and assets for others. As He gave Himself up for us, we should give up ourselves and even our own agendas to serve others.
BE READY FOR BATTLE
If the church is to survive in her spiritual warfare she needs to have the full armor that a warrior would wear as he goes into battle (Eph 6:10-20). The arrows and fiery darts are not literal arrows but they are no less real and dangerous. To stand is like a warrior digging in and taking up arms with which to fight. To stand is not to be passive but to be proactive. The enemy is too much for mere mortals so Christians had better be equipped with the weapons and armor of God. This is the only way we can stand in defense of the powerful spiritual forces of evil.
God’s truth is the believer’s integrity and faithful obedience secures the belt on them. Christ’s own righteousness is the breastplate that believers wear for protection from the enemy’s assaults and protects them in knowing that they are secure in Christ. The Gospel’s assurance for the believer gives them sure footing in this battle. The shield of faith is able to extinguish the wicked spirit’s fiery darts that will be fired at them. Faith in the Lord enables the believer to stop these otherwise deadly arrows of Satan. The helmet of salvation is close to the believer’s brain and typifies the knowledge of their future deliverance which protects their thoughts and keeps them from giving up. The Word of God, the Bible, is the only offensive weapon the believer has. It can be used offensively when needed and is a good reason for believers to hide God’s Word (Scripture) in their heart or memorize it.
WHY IS EPHESIANS SO IMPORTANT?
Paul intended that all who long for Christ-like maturity would receive this writing. Enclosed within the Book of Ephesians is the discipline needed to develop into true children of God. Furthermore, a study in Ephesians will help to fortify and to establish the believer so he can fulfill the purpose and calling God has given. The aim of this epistle is to confirm and to equip a maturing church. It presents a balanced view of the body of Christ and its importance in God’s economy.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
This letter to the church at Ephesus encourages, admonishes and teaches believers even today of God’s plan for His church. Paul offers so much information in these six chapters. When you read and study this book you can understand that the Holy Spirit gives the believer what they need to be saved, holy and God-honoring. You will also come to understand and perhaps even consider the gifts that God has given to you as a believer. Paul compares and explains the purpose of our earthy marriage and how that relates to things in eternity. He finishes the book by explaining that all believers will be faced with spiritual warfare and he gives six examples of the weapons that are at every believer’s disposal to thwart the wiles of the devil. This is a book in the Bible that should be studied and understood by all believers.
September’s Crate contains gifts for you and gifts for sharing.
A little something for a special child you know, a little laughter, something inspirational for the football fan and some enlightenment just for you!
Enjoy!
As always, you can certainly keep all of your Crate’s contents for yourself, but we also like to suggest that you think of someone who’s life you’d like to touch and give them a gift from your Crate this month.
We hope that you will enjoy all of the contents of your Crate, that we bring a smile to your face and that something in your Crate will inspire you to explore your relationship with God on a deeper level.
Until your next Crate arrives…we wish you many blessed days!