Lesson 16

What about the fullness in vs:23

1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

- The important words here are cognates; fullness plh,rwma - fills plhro,w

- It is the church, which is the body of Christ, which is being filled.

Important conclusion from the context!

- Since the body's vital connection is with the "head," Christ; it is His power, His gifts and His resources which are being made available to the church to accomplish its intended purposes in time!

- So the church receives from Him what He possesses and is endowed by Him with all that is required for the realization of its goals and objectives .

Believers Vital life source!

The will of the Head is to be carried out, exercised through the body!

What is growth? Increase in knowledge of truth illuminated by the Holy Spirit that becomes a part of your frame of reference for application in life.

With all the resources at our disposal as believers, being in Christ, there is no reason for us to be overwhelmed by the circumstances of life when we are linked to the power source to deal with any and all as we are filled with Christ and live out that truth.

Ephesians Chapter Two

Intro: Chapter 2 is an expansion of 2 ideas that Paul covered in Ch-1.

#1. In 1:7 In Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This is expanded in 2:1-10.

#2. In 1:12-13 interplay of pronouns indicating 2 groups in view, ie. Jew and Gentile;

In 2:11-22 we find the union of these 2 groups into one body in Christ!

Outline

Eph 2:1-10 Focus is on the individuals who make up the church!

Man's Spiritual History! Working of God's Grace in Us!

#1. What we were; How God saw us as unbelievers. 2:1-3 Dead in Sin;

How God views all humanity without Christ.

#2. What we now are; God's grace manifested to the believer. 2:4-6 Made Alive;

#3. What we shall be; The display of Grace! 2:7

#4. How we are made new; A New Creation by means of Grace. 2:8-10

1. What we were; How God saw us as unbelievers. 2:1-3 Dead in Sin;

a. Every Unbeliever is dead! 2:1

1) This speaks of their existence, a very real condition before Salvation.

** The Bible never speaks of death in terms of annihilation or cessation of existence; the idea of death is always that of separation.

- What Paul has reference to here is of spiritual death;

2) Not only is the UB'r dead they are continually in the sphere of their trespasses and sins.

- trespasses = para,ptwma basic idea is to overstep; to exceed the boundaries of a standard.

- sins = a`marti,a basic idea is to fail to meet a mark, to come up to a standard.

Note: 1 Cor 15:21-22 Gives us a clue as to how this death occurred.

It was Adam who by his disobedience brought disaster and death on the entire human race.

It was Christ, the Messiah, who brings deliverance to all who believe in Christ and are now "in Him."

- How do we fit into the picture as Paul lays it out here??

- Need to ask just how are we related to Adam and to Christ and what are the consequences of this relationship.

Ø Let's Examine In Adam All Die. What's this telling us!

- Everyone is subject to death as a result of Adam's sin.

- In Adam everyone has inherited a sin nature, therefore all will die. Rom. 5:12,18,19

Why is being dead or death a very appropriate metaphor to describe the Unbeliever??

1st It describes a condition beyond human remedy.

2nd It requires a solution that only God can provide.