We are going to begin this lesson looking at a verse in the OT.
Deuteronomy 29:29 ‘…The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
Here is a little closer of a look at the first part of that verse:
Deuteronomy 29:29a ‘…There are some things that the Lord our God has kept secret…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
This shows us mere human beings, just how sovereign God really is. God didn’t have to tell us that He keeps secrets … but He did. Remember this fact as we begin our study in the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 1
vs4 ‘…Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love…’
vs5 ‘…God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose…’ GNT
God knew all the way back from the beginning of time that He was going to SAVE us Gentiles. But reading the entire OT you would never read that statement anywhere or in any book.
Even when man divided up God’s Word into 2 sections, the OT and the NT, the 4 synoptic gospels do not include the Gentiles being saved either.
It is because of that reason why I believe the 3 synoptic gospels and the gospel of John, should ALL be included in with the OT.
In the book of Acts, we can READ in chapter 9, where God decided to let it be known that He was going to save the Gentiles.
Romans 11:11
‘…I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy…’ AKJV
‘…Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves…’ NLT (New Living Translation)
God knew beforehand. It’s been written in God’s Word back when Paul wrote his letters back in the 1st century.
The Jews knew but they were blinded. Christendom has had the letters, but they too have been blinded. I believe Satan is the reason their loss of sight. Why else can an excuse be made?
Ephesians 1:11 ‘…All things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning…’ GNT
The main message found in the book of Ephesians is that God’s grand plan is to unite everything in heaven and on earth under Jesus Christ, His Son.
Here we haven’t made it half way in the 1st chapter and already, all we’ve seen is God’s plan for us.
Ephesians 1:23 ‘…The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere…’ GNT
The church is NOT a Catholic, Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist or non-denominational building.
The church is Christ’s body. Christ’s body is made up of BELIEVERS seeking to find His Word.
We MUST OPEN up our Bibles to find His Word … the Word that is meant for us to see.
One of my favorite verses found in the Word of God:
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE are ye SAVED through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God…’ AKJV
We don’t have to do anything except BELIEVE what is written in the Word. Not the words that are preached on a Sunday morning, but rather the words that God has intended for us to HEAR in His Word.
Ephesians 2
vs11 ‘…You Gentiles by birth – called the uncircumcised by the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (which refers to what men do to their bodies) – remember what you were in the past…’
vs12 ‘…At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners and did not belong to God’s chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were based on God’s promises to his people, and you lived in this world without hope and without God…’
vs13 ‘…But now, in union with Christ Jesus you, who used to be far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ…’ GNT
We are going to dive deeper into this secret of God.
Ephesians 3
vs3 ‘…God revealed his secret plan and made it known to me. I have written briefly about this…’
vs4 ‘…and if you will read what I have written, you can learn about my understanding of the secret of Christ…’
vs5 ‘…In past times human beings were not told this secret, but God has revealed it now by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets…’
vs6 ‘…The secret is that by means of the gospel the Gentiles have a part with the Jews in God’s blessings; they are members of the same body and share in the promise that God made through Christ Jesus…’ GNT
In the book of Ephesians, God is revealing His secret to Paul so we all will know.
To contradict what has and is being taught in the man-made religions throughout this world, we have not been told we are replacements for the Jewish individual, we are offered everlasting life through the GRACE of God.
To repeat the verse, we studied just a moment ago:
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE are ye SAVED through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God…’ AKJV
Now throughout the entire OT, there is no mention of a 2000 year period known as the times of the Gentile.
Right now, there has been 1983 years since the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
In the past I have made the comment, who’s to say there may not be more secrets that God has kept to Himself that will happen before the end is here?
ONLY God knows for sure.
We are told to be READY. We are told to TRUST in Him.
Ephesians 4
vs20 ‘…But when you learned about Christ, you did not learn to do things like that…’
vs21 ‘…I am sure that you have heard about him properly. People taught you the true message that comes from Jesus…’
vs22 ‘…They taught you to change the way that you live. You must put away the nature that you had before. That old nature deceived you. As a result, you wanted to do things that would destroy you…’
vs23 ‘…Instead, let God’s Spirit make you think in a new way…’
vs24 ‘…Take up the new nature that God has prepared for you. That nature is like God’s own nature. Then you will live in a truly good way that pleases God…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
God is what makes us NEW. We cannot just decide that we are going to be different and then go and break new trails. We have to leave what we’ve known, and we have to OPEN up His Word and FOLLOW the words that He wants us to HEAR.
God is the One that has given us LIFE and He is the ONLY One that we can find the words that He wants us to FOLLOW.
We have to trust in Him.
We have to have the FAITH to BELIEVE in Him.
Ephesians 6
vs10 ‘… Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…’
vs11 ‘…Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…’
vs12 ‘…For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…’
vs13 ‘…Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand…’
vs14 ‘…Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness…’
vs15 ‘…and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace…’
vs16 ‘…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one…’
vs17 ‘…And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…’
vs18 ‘…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…’ NKJV (New King James Version)
God knows what we are going to be up against every day of our lives.
God loves us and He wants us to be prepared to defend ourselves from the evil one.
God has given us His armor that we should wear every day when we leave our house.
Notice, among the pieces of armor, there is ONLY one offense piece of equipment.
That equipment is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Our Holy Bibles, God has given us His Word so we could defend ourselves.
We can know when someone is lying to us when they tell us something that is NOT written in the Word.
If we are wise and knowledgeable with what is in the Word, we can use it offensively and defensively.
I want to invite you to follow me in my pursuit to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
I love ALL of y’all.
Here is a reading plan I’d like to suggest for the one searching to find God in the 21st century:
Day 1 – Galatians 1-6, 1Thessalonians 1-5
Day 2 – 2Thessalonians 1-3, 1Corinthians 1-8
Day 3 – 1Corinthians 9-16
Day 4 – 2Corinthians 1-13
Day 5 – Romans 1-10
Day 6 – Romans 11-16, Philippians 1-4
Day 7 – Colossians 1-4, Ephesians 1-6
Day 8 – Philemon 1, 1 Timothy 1-6, Titus 1-3, 2Timothy 1-4
Day 9 – Acts 1-7
Day 10 – Acts 8-13
Day 11 – Acts 14-20
Day 12 – Acts 21-28
The entire Bible, ALL SCRIPTURE has been given to us by God (2TIM3:16), but NOT ALL Scripture has been meant for us ALL to follow … we are told we MUST know how to RIGHTLY DIVIDE the truth of God (2TIM2:15).
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