Epistle to the Ephesians

But if your beliefs are wrong, they are going to manifest themselves in unhealthy behavior.

For that reason, anytime you read one of the epistles, the Apostle Paul spends the first section of that epistle, whether it be Ephesians or Romans or Philippians, talking about beliefs.

He establishes beliefs.

The most important thing about you, my friend...

Yo.

Ephesians 4:5.

And it's one of the spiritual battles we must all fight.

We must fight to become one as a church.

Now you are still a foundation.

Do you know why? They are no longer to- they are no longer one.

So Ephesians 4:5, "One Lord, one faith," one what?

[whispering]

Let's pray.

Lord, we thank you for your Word, and we thank you for the privilege that it is to be able to look at this portion of scripture from the Book of Ephesians today.

And Lord, as we look at this portion of your Word, you show us that you are the one we're called to imitate.

We recognize that there are many people in our day-to-day lives that we also have copied or learned things from, just like children learn from their parents, and students learn from their teachers, or apprentices learn from their mentors.

And that marriage material includes providing as a male for a family, but also doing that self-work of responsibility, growth in faith.

And I was sharing about some of the great work of St. John Chrysostom that ties directly into St. Paul's writing in Ephesians chapter 5 about how to choose a wife.

And I think that all of this is relevant because it helps young men understand that question.

I've been asked this before.

How do you know if I should ask that woman out? How do you know if I should ask that girl out? Now, ultimately, St.

John Chrysostom comes down along the lines of the same place in which we read in Ephesians chapter 5.

Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church.

What did Christ do? He laid down his life for his bride, the church.

I should like to call your attention this morning to the words which are to be found in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians in the second chapter and the second half of the 15th verse.

The second half of the 15th verse in the second chapter of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians.

For to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

But again, I must remind you, of the immediate context.

If we take the trouble to look at his phrases one by one, to see the connection of any one with the previous one, and how it inevitably leads to the next one.

But in addition to that, we do need the enlightening which the Holy Spirit alone can provide.

And the apostle, before he ever embarked on this mighty demonstration of the wondrous grace of God, had already prayed for these Ephesians who were to receive the letter that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightened.

Without that, the whole thing is hopeless.

Think about the angels first of all.

Paul writes about them in Ephesians.

He's talking about the church.

He says God's intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, that is to the angels.

That's their business.

They do it constantly.

But what Paul is telling us in Ephesians, that as they look at the church and see what is being done in the people of God, by God, for his glory, the angels constantly find more and more for which they should praise God.

That true view? Are you demonstrating something of the grace and power of God in your life so that even the angels look on and say, isn't that wonderful what God is doing in that person? Or again, the natural creation.

Haven't read the whole Bible, tell you that.

I really focused on for many years Ephesians and Proverbs, you know, God's relationship, man's relationship with God, man's relationship with man, to try to understand better how to, you know, conduct myself here in this planet.

But over the course of time, it wasn't just an intellectual thing, it was a spiritual thing.

I could never get there, no matter how, I wanna be one, I wanna be this good example in this world.

Luther.

Yeah, so faith alone, right? And was it Ephesians 2, 8, and 9? Mm-hmm.

For you have been saved by grace through faith and not by your own works.

Apart from the works of the law.