Ephesians 5
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a]
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 ...find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives and Husbands
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—
30 for we are members of His body.
31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c]
32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Christ left His father and became united with us the church.)
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Ephesians 4
Unity in the Body of Christ
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (We should live lives that are worthy of the calling God has called us to. Do not live a mediocre life but one that would make God proud & allow His calling to shine even more).
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Where there is no peace-there is no unity)
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—
5 One Lord (Jesus Christ), one faith, one baptism;
6 one God (our Father) and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (Christ has given each one of us grace that He measured out to each one of us individually).
8This is why it[a] says:
"When He ascended on high,
He led captives in His train
and gave gifts to men."
[b] 9(What does "He ascended" mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
11 It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Living as Children of Light
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.
21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
26 "In your anger do not sin"[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (We should live lives that are worthy of the calling God has called us to. Do not live a mediocre life but one that would make God proud & allow His calling to shine even more).
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Where there is no peace-there is no unity)
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—
5 One Lord (Jesus Christ), one faith, one baptism;
6 one God (our Father) and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (Christ has given each one of us grace that He measured out to each one of us individually).
8This is why it[a] says:
"When He ascended on high,
He led captives in His train
and gave gifts to men."
[b] 9(What does "He ascended" mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
11 It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Living as Children of Light
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.
21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
26 "In your anger do not sin"[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Ephesians 3-More Insight on Paul
Ephesians 3-Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles
Ephesians 3 lets us know more about who Paul was in Christ Jesus
vs 1 Paul was a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of us Gentiles
2 Paul was allowed to adminster God's grace to us
3 So, the mystery was made known to Paul by revelation, as he has already written briefly (in chapters 1 and 2 and the book of Acts I think)
4 In reading this (letter), then, we will be able to understand Paul's insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 This mystery was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit (because Jesus Christ had to come) to God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.****Amen :)
7 Paul became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given to him through the working of God's power.
8 Although Paul is less than the least of all God's people (that's how Paul saw himself), this grace was given to him: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches (only God can reveal His Will to you) of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
10 God's intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to God's eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 Paul asks us then, not to be discouraged because of the suffering he went through for us, for it is our glory (his suffering).
A Prayer for the Ephesians/ How Paul Prayed
A) Reverence and Honor is given to God
14 I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name.
B) Intercession
16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Closing Remarks, Praise and Honor
20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3 lets us know more about who Paul was in Christ Jesus
vs 1 Paul was a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of us Gentiles
2 Paul was allowed to adminster God's grace to us
3 So, the mystery was made known to Paul by revelation, as he has already written briefly (in chapters 1 and 2 and the book of Acts I think)
4 In reading this (letter), then, we will be able to understand Paul's insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 This mystery was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit (because Jesus Christ had to come) to God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.****Amen :)
7 Paul became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given to him through the working of God's power.
8 Although Paul is less than the least of all God's people (that's how Paul saw himself), this grace was given to him: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches (only God can reveal His Will to you) of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
10 God's intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to God's eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 Paul asks us then, not to be discouraged because of the suffering he went through for us, for it is our glory (his suffering).
A Prayer for the Ephesians/ How Paul Prayed
A) Reverence and Honor is given to God
14 I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name.
B) Intercession
16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Closing Remarks, Praise and Honor
20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Understanding Ephesians 2
1) We should not forget that we all were sinners and lost in our transgressions. Thus we should not forget this fact and look down on new Christians or people who still live according to the world.
vs 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
-So now that we know Christ we should no longer be held captive by gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and the desires and thoughs of the flesh. We need to constantly (each day or more) ask the Lord Jesus to renew our minds lest we go back to our sinful natures.
2) We should not be held captive by our guilty consciences because we stumble- no that is the trick of the enemy. Jesus makes us strong through our weaknesses because this shows us that we need him- however, this is not an excuse to continue sinning. That is why God did not just use anything or anyone to save us...no longer did He use the blood of animals but He used the blood of the one who was without sin- His only begotten son. The price of Jesus Christ is immeasurable that is how much God wants us reconciled back to Him- so there is nothing that we can do that is bigger than the blood of Jesus Christ. All our sins can be forgiven if we ask God. He sent His son to save us while we were sinners; He let His son that had no sins die for us who had/ have uncountable sins. Do not let Jesus' death be in vain come to the cross- you are never too far gone. Paul killed many Christians- he had the blood of many innocent people (that believed in Christ) on his hands- but God was able to forgive him and use him to spread the word and write a large chunk of the new testament.
vs 4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
-God loved us and continues to love us (even when we were/are dead in sins). It is only by His grace-His favor that we are saved. It was definately not up to us on our own or upto our works. We are created to do good works-that God predestinated for us to do.
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
Amen
vs 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
-So now that we know Christ we should no longer be held captive by gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and the desires and thoughs of the flesh. We need to constantly (each day or more) ask the Lord Jesus to renew our minds lest we go back to our sinful natures.
2) We should not be held captive by our guilty consciences because we stumble- no that is the trick of the enemy. Jesus makes us strong through our weaknesses because this shows us that we need him- however, this is not an excuse to continue sinning. That is why God did not just use anything or anyone to save us...no longer did He use the blood of animals but He used the blood of the one who was without sin- His only begotten son. The price of Jesus Christ is immeasurable that is how much God wants us reconciled back to Him- so there is nothing that we can do that is bigger than the blood of Jesus Christ. All our sins can be forgiven if we ask God. He sent His son to save us while we were sinners; He let His son that had no sins die for us who had/ have uncountable sins. Do not let Jesus' death be in vain come to the cross- you are never too far gone. Paul killed many Christians- he had the blood of many innocent people (that believed in Christ) on his hands- but God was able to forgive him and use him to spread the word and write a large chunk of the new testament.
vs 4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
-God loved us and continues to love us (even when we were/are dead in sins). It is only by His grace-His favor that we are saved. It was definately not up to us on our own or upto our works. We are created to do good works-that God predestinated for us to do.
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
Amen
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