Ep 576 – Ephesians 1:1-14

Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus is part of what has come to be known as his prison epistles – a collection of correspondence he wrote to various churches while under house arrest in Rome. This particular letter, written to the believers living in Ephesus is filled with references to love, unity and mystery. Located in a prominent pagan city, the Ephesian church was comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, a remarkable distinction that Paul describes as "This mystery … that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6 ESV). This blending of Jews and Gentiles into a single entity which Paul refers to as the body of Christ, was unexpected by the Hebrews and unimaginable to those outside the Jewish faith. But God was doing a new thing. Through His Son's death on the cross, He was redeeming for Himself a remnant from among sinful mankind and adopting them as His sons and daughters. Through a common faith in Jesus Christ, this diverse group of individuals found themselves bound together by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the unmerited love of God. This letter provides a powerful reminder of the mysterious, yet glorious plan of God to redeem a people for His own. He did for them what they could not have done for themselves, and Paul wants them to live in a manner that reflects their calling by God.