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    Ephesians Equipping The Saints
    Part One

Author: Paul the Apostle
Date: A.D. 60-63

INTRODUCTION: KNOWING WHO YOU ARE!
   Ephesians unveils the “mystery” of the church (called out ones)
as no other epistle (letter). God’s “secret” intention is revealed: 1) to
form a BODY OF BELIEVERS to express MESSIAH’S
FULLNESS on Earth 1:15-23; 2) to do this by uniting one New
People in Himself…both Jew and Gentile, among whom God
Himself dwells by the promised Holy Spirit 2:11-3:7; and 3) TO
EQUIP, EMPOWER, AND MATURE THIS PEOPLE TO THE
END THAT THEY EXTEND CHRIST’S VICTORY OVER EVIL
3:10-20; 6:12-20… “TO THE PRAISE OF GOD’S GLORY!”

   We, Saints, have not been this way before…is what Paul is
explaining. Paul has received an expanded revelation in his maturity
in Christ Jesus. The word “glory” occurs eight times. Ephesians
reveals awesome blessings of grace 1:6 and awesome unusual
measurements of spiritual authority over evil “according to the
power that works in us,” 3:20. But this awaits the believer’s first
accepting the disciplines of unity 4:1-16, purity 4:17-31, forgiveness
4:32, and walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit 5:1-21. “O, my
forehead is HOT!!!” Paul is stating that being firmly established, true
spiritual power flows from true obedience and personal conduct, it is
granted to the individual saint in which the Spirit dwells, as a
member of Messiah’s Body.

  The goal is in Yeshua, Jesus’ commitment to build a glorious,
mature, and ministering church (body), “not having spot or wrinkle”
5:27. Therefore, each member of His body must be EQUIPPED.
Ephesians unfolds stages of time by which Yahweh God is bringing
the body to its destined purpose in Christ. Steps for maturing us are
being taken for our appointed encounter in the battle with dark
satanic powers: 1) before the church is called to war, she is taught to
walk; and 2) before being called to walk, the body is taught where it
stands. This we
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learned in part in the lessons “Seven Strategies of Jesus.” The
Ephesian letter confirms those lessons; 3) The Believers Position,
chapters 1-3, and 4) the Believer’s Practice, chapters 4-6. In chapter
1 Paul’s insisting words again and again “in Christ” sums up the
Christian's position “in Christ” as having been given “every spiritual
blessing in heavenly places!” Remember, “Without Me you can do
nothing,” so He has blessed us in Himself with ALL spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies!

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians style had changed because of his own
maturity and the Spirit’s unveiling new revelation regarding the
purpose of the church, remember? … therefore, Paul is developing
his doctrine at a “deeper level.” Paul wrote another letter in which he
restructured his teaching also…to the Christians in Colossae. These
letters are addressed to the whole Body of Messiah, though it is
meant in a special way to the Flock at Ephesus where Paul spent
three years.

It has been revealed to Paul that Christian believers make up the
Body of Messiah and He is the head of His own Body, the universal
Body of Christ (not the Roman Catholic Church). The Ephesian
letter is not the work of just any casual thinker…but of someone
with a genius mind for creative thinking, with wide new horizons
which Paul was given insight by none other than the creative mind of
the Holy Spirit.

THE ANGELIC WORLD
The teachings in the cities of Colossae opposed by Paul and those
taught at Ephesus about the celestial or cosmic powers, were the
powers thought to be responsible for the regular movement of the
cosmos, and the doctrines about them, influenced by Hellenist
philosophy, had attached a great importance to these powers, that
threatened the supremacy of Messiah Jesus. They had experienced
the angelic powers for themselves as all ancient manuscripts
reveal…including those of the Hebrew writers. Paul accepts these
cosmological powers and, far from expressing any doubts about
these angelic forces, he associates them with the teachings of angelic
beings of Jewish tradition, Col 2:15; he is concerned only to show
they are lower in rank, and their place in the designed plan of God’s
salvation. Satan and his angels had been defeated on the Cross of
Christ and in His resurrection! They are under the authority of His
Body! But the Body must clothe itself with the same armor Jesus
clothed Himself with that Paul mentions in chapter 6!
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   The task of God’s angelic forces had been to “mediate” the Law
and to administer it, and that task is now accomplished: Christos
Kyrios, Christ the Lord, has established a new order of things and
He now governs the cosmos. Raised up thru the Heaven, He is
above all the cosmic powers and has stripped them of their ancient
dignities Colossians 2:15. Because He is the Son, the Father’s image,
He was their Lord already when the world was created; now in the
new creation He is their confirmed and absolute Master, for gathered
into Him is the pleroma, the fullness of Being, that is to say, the
fullness both of God and of all that exists through God’s creative
power, Colossians 1:13-20. Christians have been set free from these
“elements of the world,” Colossians 2:8, 20, through being united
with their Master and thus sharing in His fullness, Colossians 2:9-10.
Christians must never again accept their tyranny by submitting to
outworn and ineffective observances of elemental spirits Col 2:16-23.

    United to the risen Messiah by baptism (the Holy Spirit),
Colossians 2:11-13, believers are parts of His Body and receive a
new life from Him, as from the life giving Head, 2:19. Paul’s
primary interest had always been in the salvation of Believers; the
teachings at Colossae regarding the supremacy of satanic angelic
powers over the cosmos, stirred up the spirit of Paul, and the Spirit
of Messiah gave Paul an expanded revelation to equip the saints in
their standing with the Most High God for the work of their ministry
in the cosmos, resulting in these letters to the Christian in Ephesus
and Colossae.

  Since the human race forms part of the cosmos, the cosmos itself
must be influenced by the saving act of the One and only Lord of all
creation. In this new revelation, a whole new thinking is given to the
concept of the “Body of Christ,” which was an idea that, a few
years earlier, Paul had only touched on. This broader view, which
focuses on the ministry of Christ as the Head of His Body, not the
Catholic Church, are seen to be the scope of salvation and it’s
cosmic effect; that Messiah, into whom the Church has been
structured itself, is the victor who has triumphed over the whole
cosmos; and finally that the destiny of the future, eschatological,
promise already realized, the Body should become very much more
aware in the Believers thought life…they must renew their thinking
and be equipped for their ministry each and every one!
We are told to stop laying the foundation over and over and over
again
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each Sunday morning…the Believer needs fresh Manna from behind
the Veil, the Curtain. “On this subject we have many things to say,
and they are difficult to explain because you have grown so slow at
understanding. Indeed, when you should by this time have become
masters, you need someone to teach you all over again the elements
of the principles of God’s sayings; you have gone back to needing
milk, and not solid food (meat). Truly, no one who is still living on
milk can digest the doctrine of saving justice, being still a baby. Solid
food is for adults (mature believers) with minds trained by practice
to distinguish between good and evil. Let us leave behind us then all
elementary teaching about Christ and go on to its completion,
perfection, without going over the fundamental doctrines again; the
turning away from dead actions (works), faith in God, the teachings
about baptisms and the laying on of hands, about the resurrection of
the dead and eternal judgment…for when we should by this time be
teaching others…we have need again to be taught the principles of
Christ…” we must go on to completion, precious Saints of God,
Hebrews 5:11-6:2.

   The Hebrew writer here wants to explain the Melchizedec(k)
Priesthood…but the Christians are still sucking the bottle! As are
many Christians in today’s global society; when one wants to feed
them solid food, the babies throw it up and will not digest it…many
get diarrhea!
We have a teaching on the Melchizedec Priesthood that will be sent
to some of you later…that have not already received it.

   Paul is teaching that the Body of Christ is the fullness of Him who
fills all in all, the whole universe 1:23. Messiah has opened to the
Gentiles the same salvation promised to Israel which is the great
“mystery,” and Paul writes about the infinite wisdom of this
“mystery.” Paul asks the Saints to pray and ask God to reveal this
‘wisdom’ and the “mystery” of it to them and also to ask Him that
they may be filled with the “fullness” of God Himself! As we said,
this plan of salvation was revealed gradually, according to God’s
eternal design, and its culmination is the Wedding of Messiah to
saved humanity…His Bride, which is revealed as His Body; the two
are One! Just like Husband and Wife are one, Selah! Ephesians is
called “The Royal Capstone of the Epistles,” the majesty of Messiah
is revealed, and He is the Resurrected Lord who not only has risen
over death and hell, and reigns as KING NOW, pouring His life
through His body, the church, the present
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expression of Himself on Earth. He is the Chief Cornerstone of the
NEW TEMPLE consisting of His own people to be indwelt by God
Himself…we must emphasize this teaching…lest you forget who the
church is, it is not a material building; IT IS THE THIRD TEMPLE
CHRIST IS BUILDING OUT OF LIVING STONES TO THE
GLORY OF GOD, THE FATHER!

Christ, by the Holy Spirit, is revealed “through the believer!” He is
the Sealer, authorizing the believer to represent Messiah; He is the
Revealer, enlightening the heart to perceive God’s purpose; He is the
Empowerer, whom Christ gives to equip within; He is the Spirit of
Holiness, who may be grieved by insistence on carnal pursuits; He is
the Fountain, from which all are to be continuously filled; and He is
the Giver of the Word as a Sword, for battle and the heavenly
Assistant given to aid us in prayer and intercession until the victory is
won!

Portions of this Introduction are taken from: the Spirit Filled Bible;
the New Jerusalem Bible; and SheepShed’S own spiritual comments.
Also, here is an explanation taken from the dictionary on the
meaning of the elements that Paul mentions so frequently in his
letters…i.e. elemental spirits.
Element
el-e-ment n. the first principal or rule; a component part; ingredient;
constituent; essential point’ the habitation most suited to a person or
animal; (Chem.) a substance which cannot be separated into two or
more substances. –s n. pl. the bread an wine used in the Lord’s
Supper; fire, air, water and earth, supposed to be foundation of all
things; the physical forces of nature which determine the state of the
weather. –al a. of the powers of nature; not compounded; basic;
fundamental. –ary a. pertaining to the elements or first principals of
anything; rudimentary; simple.

In our Lesson on Ephesians Part Two, we will begin detailing Paul’s
letter written while imprisoned at Rome…Saints, what a price has
been paid by those who have given us the Scriptures throughout the
centuries. Surely, we must give our all to continue in their
footsteps…    body, soul & spirit!
We love you so much!
Shalom, SheepShed of Sent Ministries

SheepShed Publications

Lessons

Ephesians Part One