A Graphic View of Sin

Journal Entry January 14th, 2008:

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived with them. 

 Once walked…How many times do I find myself still walking in those things – in fornication, sexual immorality, in uncleanness, the vile thoughts and actions that come from such putrid behavior, the passion, living and behaving on impulse, desiring things I ought not to have, and things that were not allowed to me, and coveting those things which are not mine, and thus making myself a worshiper of those things. Oh that I would be free of the flesh! But we are commanded to put to death, which seems to indicate that this is possible, and it is a choice! I am to be walking in the Spirit, which this too is a choice that I must make. I perceive that it is far more difficult to do these things when I am alone, for there is no one to perform for – and I am left to see myself as I truly am, and oh the battle that ensues, and how many times I falter, and am struck down by that vile flesh and made to plunge in the vomit and stools of this world! And how I am deceived by none other than myself that I enjoy this! So that I am rinsing my mouth in the diarrhea, sniffing up the stench as though I were walking by a rose garden, and lathering my hair and body in the puke that ensues from the most vile mouths! Yes this is a gross depiction, oh, but how accurate it is when we understand the vileness of that sin that we pretend and try to so much enjoy! 

Ephesians: God’s Glory Through and Purpose For You and the Body of Christ

II. CHOSEN OF THE FATHER TO BE BLESSED IN THE SON

Ephesians 1:4-7

A. The Father Has Chosen Us According To His Good Pleasure

According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will... v. 4, 5

Two of the most controversial words are dealt with this the text that we are now looking at – two words which have separated believers for centuries into separate schools of thought and theology: Chosen and Predestinated and it is with these two words that I want to focus. It will not be my aim to persuade you to one side or the other with how God chooses or with how God predestinates, however, this passage does present both concepts and so both will be handled.

Ephesians: God’s Glory Through and Purpose For You and the Body of Christ

I. BLESSED BY THE FATHER WITH ALL

SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ… Ephesians 1:3 

1. The Blessed Father

The first word of verse three is a significant one: Blessed. What does it mean to bless someone? Commonly used, it means to make someone happy or to do good for someone. Someone might say to you that they were really blessed by a kind act that you did for them. From man to man it means to do good for another for their happiness. However, the word carries a different meaning when it comes to God. The Greek word is εὐλογητός (eu-logetos) which comes from two Greek words that mean to speak well of someone (we get our English word “Eulogy” from a form of this Greek word), used in verse 3 of Ephesians it literally means “praised” with the idea of worship. This word, εὐλογητός is only ever used of God in the New Testament and is found only eight times in the New Testament: Mark 14:61; Luke 1:68; Romans 1:25; 9:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Epheisans 1:3; and 1 Peter 1:3.

God alone is worthy of our praise as He alone is infinitely good and holy. He has also provided us with His infinite love and goodness towards us, consider the Psalm 103 with such phrases as:

Ephesians: God’s Glory Through and Purpose For You and the Body of Christ

Blessed by the Father with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places 

Ephesians 1:1-3

INTRODUCTION

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:1-2

Much could be said from the first few verses of Ephesians. Here we see the grace of God in the life of a man who was once a persecutor of the Church, a man who at one time zealously pursued Christians to put them to death, and whose name was feared by every Christian of his time. He was present at the stoning of Stephen and consenting unto his death. He wreaked havoc among the early churches, dragging both men and women out of their homes and committing them to prison (Acts 8:1-3), and Acts chapter 9 tells graphically states that Paul was yet breathing out threats and slaughtering against the Church! This same man was on his way to Damascus to continue his persecution of the believers when Jesus miraculously saved him. From there he was made by the will of God and apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul was no stranger to grace and this letter to the Ephesians is all about the grace of God towards those who believe.