By The Will Of God

Bobservations' Column

Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Among Paul’s Prison Epistles, Ephesians was the first in chronological order. Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are the other three; the studies of latter two we have just completed.

The Prison Letters are unique among the Epistles for their strait-to-the-point way of addressing problems within the churches. They remind me very much of Jesus’ letter to the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation.

Those letters were a final plea from the Lord to repentance, and a fuller commitment to Himself. The words that John wrote to the churches are strong: full of conviction and encouragement, underscored by the statement off Who’s words they truly were! “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:” and the letters revealed things about each church that only the Alpha and the Omega could know.

God’s all-knowing foreknowledge is how Paul opens this first Chapter of Ephesians. Paul understands that nothing happens without the Lord knowing ahead of time. His own circumstances are the result of God’s foreknowledge.

The Apostle is deeply committed to the believers there because of his extended stay with them in their city, which was a stronghold of idolatry. Paul knew the people there well; he knew their pastor and leaders also. Many in the congregation were no doubt personal friends since he had been there for more than two years. His affection for them is evident in his words and those are filled with all of Paul’s experience and teachings.

After being confined to House Arrest in Rome, his visitors would keep him aware of the events in the many churches he helped to establish. He would teach while confined to his own house. His confinement, visitors, and teaching also left him enough time to write letters such as this.

And God smiled from above. Everything was working out according to His perfect will.

“According as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:” - Ephesians 1:4

Today's Audio Message:

Ephesians 1:1-14 - "By the Will of God"

Summary:

The book of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Turkey. Ephesians is one of 13 epistles, or letters, that he wrote to various churches or followers of Christ. Whereas some of the Pauline epistles were written to address issues that had arisen in certain churches, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written to give revelation to the most important themes of Christianity – kind of a grand summary of what it means to be a Christian. The first 14 verses of Ephesians 1 are important, as they set the tone for the rest of the book, dealing with God's foreknowledge and God's will in His plan of Redemption.