Ephesians--Heavenly Places in Christ

Ephesians--Heavenly Places in Christ In this Epistle the teaching of Paul reaches its spiritual climax. He unfolds God’s purpose of blessing to the Church, the body of Christ, redeemed and brought nigh by His blood (Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Ephesians 5:23-32), built upon one foundation, an holy temple in the Lord, with no middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. Its Key-note is Heavenly Places in Christ.

(1) The Heavenly place of Blessing (Ephesians 1:3). (Notice the words “all” and “in.”) Christ the Inheritance of the Church (Ephesians 1:11). The Church the Inheritance of Christ (Ephesians 1:18).

(2) The Heavenly place of Power (Ephesians 1:19-20). The same power of God which raised Christ from the dead is to work in the believer.

(3) The Heavenly place of Rest (Ephesians 2:6). In Christ we enter our heavenly Canaan here below. This Epistle corresponds with the book of Joshua.

(4) The Heavenly place of Manifestation (Ephesians 3:10). The Church is to manifest Christ, His riches, wisdom, love, unity, fullness.

(5) The Heavenly place of Victory (Ephesians 6:12). The “wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11), the enmity of the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), is, as we might expect, manifested in this Epistle, and is provided for in the Christian’s armor. The length and breadth and depth and height of the love of God in Christ comes out in every chapter (Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 2:4; Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 3:17-19; Ephesians 4:2-6; Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 5:2; Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 6:23-24).

Ephesians 2:1-13 is a complete epitome of the Gospel.

Ephesians 2:14-15; Ephesians 2:17, Christ is our Peace. He made peace. He preached peace.

Ephesians 3:1-21 contains the fullest and deepest of Paul’s prayers.

Study the subject of Paul and Prayer throughout his Epistles.