This title might be seen as a possible TL:DR of one of the crucial applications of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (ch 5:21-32). Back in 2010 for my MTh dissertation I had the privilege of studying that particular passage in depth. You can read the results of that study here:
Tag: Ephesians
Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Spiritual Warfare”? You perhaps think first of all about demon possession and exorcism, perhaps too about witchcraft and sorcery. Perhaps you will have in mind some famous secular films like the Exorcist or popular level Christian literature. Well you would not be wrong to think about… Continue reading Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians
Marriage health-check (applying Ephesians 5)
In my previous article, I suggested that we should be cautious about attempting to be over prescriptive about what it means to practically apply Ephesians 5:21-32. I’m convinced that rather than looking at each aspect individually to see if wives are submitting, husbands are being good heads etc that we do best to look at… Continue reading Marriage health-check (applying Ephesians 5)
Strengthened in love (A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 for Pentecost)
What is love? Famously, a set of cartoons back in the 1980s offered the answer “love is…” with lots of examples. Perhaps, given he was not too sure himself at the time and what was to follow, they were unwise in one suggestion “Love is Charlie and Di” We might suggest that love is our… Continue reading Strengthened in love (A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 for Pentecost)
The Church United
If Ephesians is about God’s purpose for his people, then this means that a central focus is on the church. In fact one of the ways that we might express Paul’s overall theme is that God’s people should be united together in love to Christ first and then to one another as his beautiful body.… Continue reading The Church United
Predestination in Ephesians
One of the most controversial statements in the New Testament is found in Ephesians 1:5 where it says: “ he[b] predestined us” It’s controversial because if God has determined from eternity what will happen to us, then where does that leave free will. It seems that everything has already been decided. If, God “chose us …before the foundation… Continue reading Predestination in Ephesians
The Spirit in Ephesians
A central theme in Ephesians is the work of the Holy Spirit. If this is a letter about God’s purpose for his church, about how to be united in love as his alternative society and about standing firm in spiritual warfare, then the Holy Spirit is crucial to all of that. But before Ephesians is… Continue reading The Spirit in Ephesians
Sealed in the Spirit
This Sunday our church begins a new teaching series going through the book of Ephesians. A key theme of the book is the work of the Spirit. We learn early on that we are sealed with the Spirit and so, we are to be filled with the Spirit which becomes the launchpad for the closing… Continue reading Sealed in the Spirit
What is Ephesians all about?
Yesterday, I gave an overview of Ephesians based on five key phrases from the book. We can however get a little bit tighter as we seek to sum up what the main message of the book is. Whenever I prepare a sermon, I try to sum up the core message in one or two sentences. … Continue reading What is Ephesians all about?
The Anti-Christ and The Anti-Church
In Ephesians 5:21-32, Paul paints a picture of the church as the bride of Christ. Jesus is the loving, faithful, self-giving husband who pours his life out for her, he seeks her beauty and her good. She is faithful, honouring and submitting to him and so, the church, the bride he has won is the… Continue reading The Anti-Christ and The Anti-Church
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