Blessed & Bearded's Biblical Blog

2:1-10 2:1-3 Ok so in 1:19-23 Paul just set forth the overwhelming glory and might of Jesus. Now he moves back to us in 2:1-3; and wow what a contrast that is.  What are some ways Paul describes us in 2:1-3? Dead in trespasses and sins following the course of this world following the prince of the power of air-who works in the sons of disobedience  of whom we once were because we carried out the passions of our flesh/desires of the body/mind  by nature children of wrath. Why does Paul describe mankind this way? He’s describing the truth of our existence without God. Let's unpack that existence a little more before continuing to 1:4. Whats’ “dead in trespasses and sins” mean? How were we dead in sin? We had no life in God but only our sin. “and sin when it is full grow gives birth to death” (James 1) We continually did sin; it was the whole sphere of activities in our life (that’s what I think Paul means by “walked”); we sinned naturally, ...

So for tonight’s study, we’ll be covering the first, of 3, prayers of Paul.  1:15-16 So for what reason did Paul give thanks for the saints at Ephesus?  He heard of their faith in Jesus and love to all saints.  What do y’all think was the root of their love? Their faith in Jesus, according to this verse.  So their faith in Jesus caused these new(ish) converts to love all their kin. Why? Because Jesus’ love overflowed out of them from Jesus once the saints understood all that God has done and is doing for them as Paul just set forth in our last study. From that understanding of Christ’s richness, the love of Christ overflowed to the rest of the saints. The gift of faith also gave them the gift of love. So we first love God then man.  So help me apply this verse. what are some particle ways we can love each other (given that we’re all now saints)? Notice the pattern set forth in this chapter also. Paul unl...

This text tonight, and all of the ones following, are weighty and I pray that we believers get much out of it to see how much Christ loves us and how much God has in store for us.  To the heathen, this is but a tiny peek into what you’re missing out on, and an open invitation for you to join us in this great mystery revealed and treasure received.  So we just went over the “what” of Christ did for us in John. Now Paul is about to explain the “what” thereof, the “why” and the “how”,  Let me get an idea of where y’all are at right now:  How many of y’all have read Ephesians and what did you get out of it then? So, basically, this letter can be divided into 2 halves; the first being Paul explaining the mechanics of the Gospel-that is what is it and how and why do we care; the second half being Paul showing us how to live what all that has just been taught.  A couple to key things to look out for as we go throu...