1. The PREFACE of Paul’s letter to the believers
Vs. 1-2
1) The preface includes the AUTHORSHIP.
The author is identified here as Paul, formally Saul of tarsus.
An apostle
Eph 2:20
Here apostles and prophets are equal.
The apostles- The prophets
Eph 3:3-5

So, there were certain Apostles and Prophets that God spoke through and gave us His word.

In 53 AD he first ministered in Ephesus. Two years later on this third missionary journey Paul came again. This time staying for at least 2 years and evangelizing the entire area. Acts 19 and 20. It is now 10 years later and he is writing from a jail in Rome where he awaits execution. So, the letter was written from Rome about the year a.d. 62.


2) The preface includes the ASSEMBLY to whom it was directed.
The assembly in this case is identified as the Saints.
Nine times in this brief letter, Paul addresses his readers as saints (Eph. 1:1, 15, 18" class="scriptRef">18; 2:19; 3:8, 18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18).
The word saint means “one who has been set apart.”

3) The preface includes the location of the assembly in ASIA minor.
The assembly is located in Ephesus. Ephesus, with its 300,000 inhabitants, was the capital city of the Roman province of Asia and its most important commercial center.

4) The preface includes the Paul’s ACCEPTED greeting of Grace and Peace.
GRACE- Charis
It is used 12 times in a reference of god's kindness toward an undeserving group of people.

Peace- Shalom
This is what comes to our lives as a result of God’s grace.
This greeting is unique to Christians and it is a greeting of another world.



2. The heavenly PERSPECTIVE of the believer
Vs. 3
1) It allows us to RECOGNIZE God as the initiator.
Vs. 3
Paul begins this doctrinal section by calling attention to God the Father. Prov 1:7

2) It allows to REALIZE our spiritual blessings.
Eph 2:4-5
‘Translated, all the blessings of the spirit"
In the O. T. much of the blessings of the Lord came materially (Deut 28) Paul here tells us that God will supply all that we need spiritually.


3) The REALITY of those blessing exists in the spiritual realm, in heaven.
Vs. 3b
There are two realms, earthly and heavenly.
Paul says we exist in both.
Our citizenship, our names, our Father, and so our attention and affection should be centered on Jesus, in heaven.
Eph 2:6-7, Col 3:1-2

3. The knowledge that we POSSESS as believers.
Vs. 4-6
1) He CHOSE us before the creation of the world.
Just to be clear on what this means, the verb chose means it has nothing to do with us.
It is in the aorist tense- in a moment in time in the past
It is middle voice- this means God acted out of his own interest.
John 15:16
Why Does He Choose Us?
Vs. 5 says
“according to the good pleasure of His will”

The first purpose of God’s choosing which Paul notes is sanctification: Vs. 4

2) We have become his special CHILDREN.
He "ADOPTED US"
Vs. 5
The word, “predestined” simply means “to ordain beforehand, to predetermine.”
The Balance
But at the same time God still allows our own free will choice.
Matt 11:28, Matt 23:37

In this case God predetermined to adopt us as his sons.
Adoption is the act of God by which He gives His “born ones” an adult standing in the family.
Gal 4:6-7

3) The CERTAINTY that He has accepted us.
Vs. 6b by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Notice He, by His grace, makes us accepted in Christ.
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We are a non-denominational fellowship of believers in the God of the Bible, who simply seek to know and walk with Him in Spirit and in Truth. A distinctive of Calvary Chapel is that we place an emphasis on the Word of God, simply and yet diligently studying and teaching it book-by-book, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse. Please join us at Calvary Chapel Windward as we worship God and study his word.

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