INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS
The Epistle to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul during his imprisonment in Rome (60-61 A.D.). Ephesus was an important trade center and the leading city of Asia Minor. The temple of Diana was there, and the silversmith trade of making idols fueled the economy. Paul spent three years of his third missionary journey there, and from this ministry, the seven churches of Asia Minor took root and grew.
In this epistle, Paul writes about the mystery of the gospel--God's great purpose of world redemption through Jesus. The mystery of the gospel is that God planned to save all peoples of all nations, and Jesus died to save the Gentiles as well as the Jews. So the church must be a missionary community, always reaching out to the non-Christian world to bring all tribes and nations to a saving knowledge of Christ and into true unity in the body of Christ. We must welcome one another in love, maintain spiritual order in our fellowship, and be fully equipped with spiritual armor and weapons to do battle with our adversary, the devil. Paul calls himself an ambassador in chains, imprisoned because of his declaration of this mystery of the gospel, and he asks for prayer so that he may fearlessly proclaim the gospel.

Paul calls himself an apostle (or a missionary) by the will of God. Though he was a prisoner, he did not see himself as a victim. Rather, he saw that God chose him according to his will, and God also chose the faithful Ephesian saints. Paul blessed them with grace and peace from the Father and from our Lord Jesus. We need to affirm our identity that Jesus chose us (Jn 15:16) and have real grace and peace from the Father and our Lord Jesus that enables us to live our lives day by day.

Paul praises God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Sometimes we think, "What blessing?" We feel we are not blessed when we compare ourselves. But, in truth, we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ. We should praise God for this!

In predestination, God chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight, like Noah. We don't follow the trends of this world. Moreover, we are adopted as his children and inherit his kingdom in the next life. Praise Jesus who blessed us spiritually!


Application: Father, thank and praise you for giving us every spiritual blessing in Christ and adopting us as your heavenly children. Please help me to see my identity in Christ today and praise you!
One Word: Praise Jesus that I have received every spiritual blessing in Christ!