Ephesians Lesson 1 part 4

Acts 28:29
"And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning (or arguing, vain imaginations of debate, questionings) among themselves."
Now you say, "What are you bringing all this out for?" Well, you see this makes again a point of departure of the Hebrews in Paul's writing of this Gospel of Grace written to the Church, and we're going to do it like this. On our outline we have Romans, I & II Corinthians and Galatians. But now we would like to draw another line above the first elementary line. And here we reach a plateau that goes above Romans, I & II Corinthians and Galatians and when we get now up to the letter of Ephesians we come to what we call the prison epistles or prison letters. After Acts 28, while in prison, Paul writes Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians (as a high revelation of spiritual things, that is to say the greater workings of Christ within us), we're going to have the same format that we had on the first line with Romans, I & II Corinthians, and Galatians. Except now Ephesians is now going to be a higher level of doctrine. Philippians is going to be a higher level of reproof, and Colossians is going to be a higher level of correction. You won't see that until we get to it verse by verse, but here's the point we want to make. Once Paul makes this jump up into higher or deeper spiritual truths we will find there is no longer any mention of a Hebrew or the Old Testament. Now isn't that amazing? For from this point on its all about Grace and Faith working in us through Love. Because as Israel did not pass through the night of darkness (the cloud that separated them from the Egyptians is but one example of this) those who have become son's of God have by this time so passed. After the statement of Acts 28, in fact Paul does not make any references to the devil, Satan or demons, they're mute -

Acts 28:28
"Be it know therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it."
There is not another word out of the Old Testament, and not once is the Hebrew mentioned again in the inspired letters of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, and what's the purpose? Well, as soon as we get into these prison epistles and higher or deeper Church truths, we're no longer concerned with that demarcation between Hebrew and Gentiles because now God is dealing with the whole human race on one level ground, the promise land which is Christ. Every person that is saved comes into the One Body of Christ on the same level ground whether he's Hebrew or Gentile or whatever.

The Hebrew has lost his identity so far as the Church Age and the New Covenant (the break of Psalm 2 between verses 8 and 9, the parenthetical insertion by God in His divine timeline) is concerned as such. And this is what we have to be aware of that this is in God's purposes that now the whole idea is the bringing together of both Hebrew and Gentile into One Body, and there is no difference. Now this is what a lot of even our messianic Jews, are beginning to turn away from, and this is these Pauline teaching that for the Age of Grace there is no difference. A Hebrew has to be saved (redeemed) today as a sinner, as a fallen son of Adam just exactly like we Gentiles), and too many of them are losing sight of that. They're trying to jump back up into that place of privilege that they enjoyed before (because as I was told "I'm a futurist, meaning that all that was said about obedient Israel still hold true for rebellious Israel, NOT so), and listen it's not there, and they have to understand that. We are now all One in Christ, and in these prison Epistles of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. There is no division between a Hebrew or a Gentile. There is no reference to the Old Testament, and it's all for a purpose.

This again leads to our teaching over and over that people have to get out of the Four Gospels and get into Paul's writings because the Four Gospels are still 90% Jewish, though Jesus spoke by means of metaphoric, symbolic and parabolic language to reveal spiritual realities they're not understood by most people. All of that has now been set aside, and is no longer in God's program. Though when properly understood they will reveal the animosity between the Jewish priests and say John the Baptist and Jesus. Remember Christ's betrayer thought originally that Jesus would become a zealot for the cause of nationalism. But when he realized that He would not do so he turned against Him and betrayed Him and then repented for his error. Now that doesn't mean that you throw it away anymore than you throw away the Old Testament. But it's just as ridiculous to say, "Well I go by what Jesus says" as it is what we discussed about touching dead things, and bringing a sacrifice to the Temple. It's the same difference. So we have to put all these things in perspective of the unfolding and the progressive revelation of Christ, even of the letters of the Apostle Paul. So we're going to start a verse by verse study of Ephesians and be constantly aware that God is no longer making any reference to the Hebrew or to the Old Testament, and it's for His own purposes.

Before we start the Book of Ephesians we have one more segment of this unfolding of the Church Epistles of Paul, and that is the I & II Thessalonian letters. Again we came through Paul's original ministry among the area, especially Asia minor and Greece, Corinth, and the letters to the Romans and Corinthians, Galatians. That we saw beginning with Acts 28:28 from his time in prison he writes what is called the prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. These three Books are just a jump up doctrinally, in depth, and understanding from what we have back in Romans, I&II Corinthians, and Galatians. When we come to earlier letters that were written, but they're really final in their content, and those are I & II Thessalonians which can now follow the format of doctrine, reproof, correction and we go to instruction in righteousness. And again it's up on a higher plane even than what we have in the prison epistles because in I & II Thessalonians, where does the Word take us? Up to glory! Remember I Thessalonians chapter 4?

I Thessalonians 4:17
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
And in II Thessalonians Paul speaks of the Church being taken out of the way in verse 7, and verse 8 we find.

II Thessalonians 2:8a
"And then shall that Wicked (now many would say, wicked one) be revealed...."
But the truth is that it's not "one" but many because all who profess to be "Christian" but are in a religion institution of religious performance are the wicked herein spoken of. They remain so because they've used or taken His name in vain not understanding that they like Israel serve with lip service only, not in spirit and truth. This can best be illustrated by way of marriage where the woman takes the mans name but does NOT submit to his lordship of the house. She wants it her way no matter what her mate say or does, after all its her house, her phone account....her money and bank account because she may work outside the home as well..her...her, do you get the point, she may even be a liberal in mindset. So those two letters take us on up to that which we are all waiting for, and that is the fruition of everything, when we will finally be in glory with our crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord. Now let's get right into the meat of the Book of Ephesians.