A word, if I may, about “dispensation.”

God has predestinated that all who are in Christ will be saved. He has not only included the chosen Hebrew people, but He has included the outcast Gentile people who had been without hope and without God in the world. This is the grand mystery.

He has placed His Spirit within us. It is in this way that He has abounded toward us, or lavished upon us, these tremendous blessings. He has given us Himself!

Can’t you almost hear your heart leaping for joy at this incomprehensible truth? Saints, we are forgiven completely.

A theme central to the book of Ephesians, and indeed to all of Paul’s teaching, is that we should know that we are “in Christ.” These words, “in Christ” or “in Him” reverberate through this epistle 19 times.

As we face ever increasing tribulation, we can take great comfort in the sure knowledge that the Lord Jesus sees all of it. He knows every aspect of the persecution we face, and it grieves Him. He takes it rather personally because we are His family, His body, His bride.

Many of us feel spiritually poor, but the Lord Jesus will have none of that. We are rich. Come and see.

All we need is the Holy Spirit of Christ living in us and a willingness to be led by Him in searching the scriptures to see if what we are being taught is the Truth.

The Lord sees and knows the things the Church does, how hard we work, and that we stick with it; He values it.

Acceptance by God can come about in only on way. We must be holy as our Father in heaven is holy.

Remember that I mentioned that verses 3-14 are a single sentence in Greek? The next two words in our text bring that into the forefront. They are “in love.”

He chose that all who would agree to be reconciled, would be forgiven of their sins and wickedness and placed into relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Kingdom of God is within us. We carry in our being the heavenly realm.

Ephesians 1:3-14 are all contained within a single very lengthy sentence in the Greek. Notably, there are three sections we might observe. Each section ends with praise for God and each highlights a different Person of the Trinity.

I find it difficult to read the word “saint” without commenting on the Greek behind it. (Okay, I find it hard not to comment on the Greek much of the time.) But “saint” translates a Greek word that I think we would all benefit from committing to memory.

As is Paul’s way, he presents us first with the doctrinal truth upon which his practical instructions rest. First he tells us what God has done for us and who He has made us. Only when this has been established does he instruct, admonish or command.

Over the course of our study, we will become very familiar with the word “witness.” The Greek from which it is translated is martus from which we derive our word martyr.

The Lord Jesus introduces Himself to the church at Philadelphia as “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.”

You are so free that Paul had to address with the Corinthian church the idea that everything is permissible.

God’s love, agapé love, that’s true love.