Let’s Get Started With The Book Of Ephesians
Let us get started with this devotional look at the book of Ephesians. This was written by Paul while he was in jail. This letter was an offspring of the Colossians letter in that it covers more things in detail.
Vs 1 Paul wrote this as and an apostle and he declares that his being one is by the will of God. Do you know God has a will for your life? See Philippians 2:12-13. Can you say I am what I am by the will of God?
To the saints at Ephesus. There is nowhere that I am aware of that teaches that only certain believers are saints. This is not an exclusive letter to privileged believers at Ephesus; it is to the whole congregation. It is important that we see ourselves as saints as we read this book because it is instructions for saints. The will of God is for every believer to be a saint and that is why God is having Paul write this. A saint is one who is sanctified, which mean something set apart. We were outcast as sinners, but when we repent and call upon the name of the Lord we get set apart from the damned to be reserved unto everlasting life.
When a person with any sense of duty and worth is given a title they try to live up to that title. If you receive a title, then that becomes something you strive to be good at. If you are part of a team and you are assigned a position you strive to be good at it. So with this in mind, we must carefully read the book of Ephesians so that we can become good at being a saint.
Vs. 2 If one tries to think of themselves as a saint they can feel wholly inadequate and rightly so. So that is where grace comes in. Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve and this is understood in the idea that God has made us saints even though we were outcast sinners. Comprehending this fact should bring great peace. If you feel that you would never be disowned or rejected by someone, you feel great peace around that person, and so we have peace with God.
Action: Say to yourself today at least three times and once to someone else; “I am a saint.”