Bible Commentaries
Ephesians 1

Verses 1-23

CHAPTER 1

The author of this letter is ___________. He is an apostle. The word apostle means ____________________. He states that he is not an apostle by his own choice. He is an apostle by the will of _________. The letter is addressed to the _____________ at Ephesus. It is also addressed to the _______________ in Christ Jesus.

"____________ and ____________" was a common form of greeting. The greeting was given a spiritual emphasis by showing that these blessings come from God our ______________ and from ___________________.

God is to be ___________________ because:

A. He is the ________________ of Jesus Christ.

B. He has given us ___________ spiriutal _______________.

C. These are located in ________________ places.

D. These places are found only in _____________.

God has ______________ us who believe to be in __________. God made this decision ____________ the creation. The reason for this decision is that we should be __________ and without __________. We should show our ________ as we live before God.

Paul now introduces the subject of ______________________. The word come from two words. _______, means before, ahead or in front of. The second part of this word, _____________, means to decide, determine, make up one's mind.

NOTE: Some hold to a view that God makes all the decisions and choices for us. They believe that our ________________ is already decided and there is nothing that we can do to change this. This is known as _______________ predestination.

Paul speaks of _________ predestination. God has predestinated _____. What has God __________ before the creation? He decided:

A. The ___________ will be the family of God.

B. Each member will be ______________ by God.

C. The church will be composed of all ____________ children.

All that God does is ________________ to His will. God is _________. He will not make decisions that will __________ us. God is ________. His decisions will always be consistent with that love.

Instead of questioning God's decision, we need to offer ___________ to the ____________ of his grace. We are saved by ___________. (2:5) It is through his grace that we are ______________. This is only possible through the salvation work of the ______________ Jesus, the Son of God.

It is in Christ that we have _______________ through his __________. It is only possible for us to have ______________ of sins if we are in ___________. Such blessings come from the ____________ of his grace.

Christ has _______________ toward us all the riches of heaven. This includes ____________ and _______________.

NOTE: Both of these are attributes of God. They are also things that should characterize the child of God. Wisdom is the ability to __________ knowledge and made it practical and useful. Prudence is the special ability to _______________.

God does not keep his decision a _____________. He has ____________ it to us. It was a _______________. The word "mystery" is often used of some-thing that is beyond ___________ comprehension until it is _______________. It was God's good ________________ to reveal it to us.

HERE IT IS! HERE IS THE "MYSTERY" REVEALED.

In the last of the three __________________.

In a ___________ when God was fully prepared.

God will ____________ together in __________.

All the ____________ of God will be in ____________, both those in __________ and those on __________________.

In Christ we have the __________________ of all that belongs to God. This is part of what God decided would fit his _______________. He predestined that the _____________ would be the family of God. As members of the __________, we inherit all that God has placed in _____________.

Why did God decide to do this? Answer: God chose to bless the church so that we would offer our ______________ of his glory. God decided to __________ into his family (the _____________) all who first ____________ in Christ.

Through __________ in Christ we heard the __________. Truth is used interchangeably with ___________. To obey the _____________ is the same as obeying the ________. After we _________________ and obeyed the truth we were __________ with the Holy Spirit. This is not a command. This is a ____________. The ________ is proof of the item being _________.

The presence of the _____________ is an _________ of our inheritance. It is temporary until we are __________ and the purchased ____________ is ours.

Paul heard of the _______ of the Ephesians and their ______ for all ________. He offered ________ to God.

Paul remembered them _______. He did not _______ to give thanks and to mention them in his __________. This is called _______________ prayer. Intercession should be made in our prayers for several groups of people. Name several for whom we should pray.

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

What should be say in our _________ of intercession? Paul gives us some suggestions. PRAY FOR:

1. God to give us a spirit of _________.

2. A _____________ of knowledge.

3. Knowledge of _________.

4. Your eyes of _________________ to be enlightened.

5. That you may know the ______ of his calling. (See 4:4)

6. The _________ of his glory.

7. The ______________ of the saints.

8. Appreciation of the _______ of God in us.

9. God's _________ power to ______ in our lives.

It was by this mighty __________ that God raised Christ from the dead. Christ is now set at the _______ ______ of God.

God's power is far ________ all _______________, power, might, and ___________. All of these words refer to civil and temporal powers.

NOTE: The greatest power shortage is not electricy or oil and gas. It is in our ___________ lives. Will Paul's prayer be answered in your life? God has power over ____ ________. This means that all things are under his ______. He has made Christ the ______ of all things. This headship includes the ________ which is his ______. The church is the __________ of God who fills all in all.