Ephesians by Chris Hearty (2022)

Starting off the book of Ephesians, Paul states that God has blessed His people with every spiritual blessing and gives us an eternal inheritance. He goes on to say that at the moment we put our faith in Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Paul recalls that all believers were once separated from God and living lives of sin, but God, in his unfailing mercy, saved us while we were dead in our transgressions. Paul emphasizes that we are saved by grace and not works, and salvation is a gift from God, so we cannot boast about receiving it.

Paul reminds the gentiles that they were once separated from God, but have been reconciled through Christ. There is now no separation between the Jews and gentiles, or between a believer and Christ.

Paul lays out God's plan for the gospel, explaining that this mystery has now been revealed through the Holy Spirit. God is now putting focus onto the Gentiles as well as the Jews coming to know him through Jesus.

Paul writes of the spiritual gifts God has gifted us in order to equip the church. He then calls on us to reach unity and maturity in our faith. \r\n

Without God, humans have no point of reference for meaning or morality. Paul urges us to live out our new identities, not resorting to our old ways of living.

Paul tells us be righteously angry, but to forgive one another and watch out for Satan's schemes. Our speech should be used to build up the body of Christ.