Tag: thelema

Romans 15:32 – Following With Joy

Posted on by Will

that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.

Truth to Learn

Following God’s will is not always comfortable or easy but it will produce joy in our hearts.

 

Behind the Words

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which is based on the verb thelō meaning “to will or wish.” But it implies more than just a wish or a desire, it implies purpose and determination. There is another Greek word, boulomai, which is also translated “will.” Thelō refers to a person’s determined will, whereas boulomai refers to a person’s desirous will. It is like a child being sent into a candy store with a limited amount of money. His (or her) desirous will is to have everything in the store, but the child determines (decides) to purchase what can be acquired with the money he or she has; this is the child’s determined will.

The Greek word translated “refreshed” is an interesting word. It is the Greek word sunanapausomai. This is a compound word made up of three parts. The Greek word sun means “with” or “together with.” The middle part of this word is ana, meaning “again,” and the final part of the word is from the verb pauō, meaning “to cease or to give rest.” Putting these all together we see that Paul wanted to be “refreshed again together” with the Christians in Rome.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul had another reason for wanting the Christians in Rome to pray for him, and he shares the reason in the current verse. He has already told them that he expected to go to Spain and to stop at Rome on the way. If his ministry to the Jews in Jerusalem was not successful, it would be a disappointment to him. If he could successfully deliver the gifts from the churches in Greece to the saints in Jerusalem, however, then it would be a joyous thing for Paul.

But he knew that he was bound by the will of God to go wherever God sent him. That’s why Paul said, “so that I may come to you with joy by the (determined) will of God.” If God had other plans for Paul (and we know that he did), then Paul was willing to be part of those plans. He did eventually go to Rome, but it was not in the manner that he was expecting. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and remained imprisoned for three years before being sent to Rome to stand before Caesar.

That is not to say, however, that Paul did not go with joy. He was not surprised that he ended up in chains in Jerusalem, for that’s exactly what had been revealed to him on numerous occasions. Paul certainly would rather have gone to Rome as a free man, but following God’s will was more important to him and being God’s bondservant was all the freedom that Paul needed. Because he knew that the imprisonment was God’s doing, I’m sure that it was with joy “in the Lord” that Paul eventually got to Rome.

Even though Paul had never actually met most of the people in the Church in Rome he felt a fellowship with them through the blood of Christ. And, when he did eventually get to Rome the saints there not only welcomed him with open arms but they provided for his needs while he was in prison there.

 

Application

Let’s all determine to make following God’s will the full focus or our lives. If that means pain or sorrow, we can still have joy in our hearts knowing that we are serving the King of Kings.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 2:18 – Biblical Indoctrination

Posted on by Will

and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

Truth to Learn

Every Christian needs to study the Bible to learn its truths.

 

Behind the Words

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which denotes “that which has been determined.” The word “His” is not in the Greek text, although it can properly be inferred since “that which has been determined” certainly refers to what God has determined.

The word translated “approve” is the Greek word dokimadzō, which means “to test something with the intent of finding good.” It is the word used with regard to a precious metal like gold when it is tested in fire to determine its value. In this sense it could be translated as “determine.”

“Things that are excellent” is translated from the Greek word diapheronta, which means “those things which are different.” Since the intent of the verb dokimadzō is to find goodness or excellence, it is clear that Paul means that those who have been instructed from the Law are able to discern the things which are good or excellent as opposed to those which are not.

The word translated “instructed” is katēcheō (from which we get our English word catechism). It refers to “formalized instruction in religious doctrine” or indoctrination.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul began a message condemning pride. The early Christians, who were primarily converted Jews, were still hung-up by pride, believing that they were the chosen people of God. He has just said that the Jews “rest in the Law, and boast in God.” He now implies that the Jews know the will of God. By this, what he means is that they have the ability to know what God has determined through the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament).

As we just saw in Behind the Words, Paul is saying that the Jews (because they have the Old Testament) have been able to test or to distinguish those things which are different. That is, they are able to discern which things are good or spiritual from those things which are evil or carnal. Why are they able to make this distinction? It is because they have been instructed from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. They have had the Holy Scriptures to teach them doctrinal truths.

This verse and those that follow are ones that we as Christians need to give special heed to. Just as the Jews became arrogant because they had the Holy Scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, we need to be careful that we don’t get just as arrogant because we have an even more complete form of God’s word in the Bible. Remember what Paul said back in verse 13? “It’s not the hearers of the Law who will be justified, but the doers of the Law.” But in order to be a doer of what is taught in the Bible, you first have to know what the Bible teaches, don’t you? That means reading and studying. We need to be instructed in the doctrinal truths from the Scriptures!

 

Application

There are many Christians who claim that they don’t like doctrine and they don’t like studying the Bible. However, if we haven’t learned the doctrinal truths of the Bible, we won’t know God very well, and we won’t understand His will for us.

How much do you study God’s Word?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 3:17 – Good Suffering

Posted on by Will

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Truth to Learn

Sometimes God chooses to have us suffer even when we are doing what we know is right.

 

Behind the Words

“Better” is translated from the Greek word kreitton, which is the comparative form of kratus, meaning “strong.” So, kreitton literally means “stronger.” However, used figuratively as it is here, it refers to something that is “better.”

The word translated “will” in today’s verse is thelēma, a form of thelō, which refers to what God has determined. There are two words that are commonly translated as “will” in the Bible. They are boulomai (desirous will) and thelō (determined will). It’s like a child going into a store to buy candy with a limited amount of money. There is his desirous will (to have all the candy) and his determined will (the specific candy purchased with his limited funds).

If we look carefully we see that Scripture refers to God’s will in both ways. An example of God’s desirous will can be found in 2 Peter 3:9, where it says:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

This is a use of boulomai in reference to God’s will. Hence, God does not desire that any should perish.

 

Meaning Explained

Peter has not been talking about our suffering as being discipline, though it sometimes feels that way. Let us not miss the truth that he is teaching us. When we suffer for doing good, we have a tendency to turn to God and say, “Hey, wait a minute, God! I did the right thing! Why am I suffering for it?”

In today’s verse, the use of thelema indicates that God has determined that in some cases we will suffer for doing what is right and good. Peter is telling us that even if that is the situation for you or me, it is better than suffering for doing evil. When we suffer for doing good we can, with a good conscience, turn our hearts toward God and give Him the glory for our suffering, knowing that it is part of His plan. When we suffer for doing evil, we can only hang our heads in shame and wish we hadn’t done something so stupid.

In the next chapter of this letter, Peter will say a similar thing about suffering:

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this matter. … Therefore those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (1Peter 4:16, 19) [NASB]

Incidentally, the word translated “will” in 1 Peter 4:19 is also thelēma; that which God has determined.

 

Application

Are you suffering right now because you have done what is right and you can’t understand why? If so, get on your knees and thank God for finding you worthy to suffer for Him. Then, be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have in Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 2:15 – Good Works = God’s Glory

Posted on by Will

For this is the will of God, doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish men;

Truth to Learn

God will use our good works to bring glory to Himself.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “will” is thelēma, meaning “a desire or disposition toward something,” but it also implies action taken based on that desire. This is derived from the verb thelō, meaning “to wish, to will, implying volition and purpose with a determination or execution of that which is desired.” Hence, it is sometimes referred to as “determined will.” This is different from the Greek word boulomai, meaning “to desire something, not necessarily implying the execution of that desire,” which is sometimes referred to as “desirous will.”

The expression “doing good” comes from the Greek agathopoieō, which, as we learned from a similar word in the previous verse, means “to do good things.”

“To silence” comes from the Greek word phimoō, which means “to muzzle” or “to silence.”

“Ignorance” is translated from the Greek word agnōsia. This is compound word made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of gnōsis, meaning “knowledge.”

The word “foolish” is translated from aphropon, made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of phren, meaning “understanding.” Hence, it literally means “mindless” or “stupid.”

 

Meaning Explained

“For this is the will of God…” What is Peter referring to; the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do well. That’s what he said in the previous verse. The grammatical rule of immediate antecedence would seem to dictate that’s what he meant. However, it is not what was said before, but what is said after that defines what Peter means. He says that “putting to silence the ignorance of foolish men” is the will of God (what God has determined). And he does that through our good works. Now, let me remind you what he said in verse twelve:

having your behavior good among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of inspection. (1 Peter 2:12)

Do you see it? Do you see who Peter is talking about? As you will recall, in verse twelve we learned that the “Gentiles” are non-Christians. They are unsaved. They are unbelievers. They are the foolish ones who are “without understanding.” And since they don’t understand the truth of the gospel message, they speak out of ignorance. They speak out against Christians, calling us evil doers when they are the real doers of evil.

Not only will God silence (muzzle) their evil speaking about us, as Peter tells us in this verse, but they will glorify God on that fateful day when they stand before Him as their judge, as Peter told us in verse twelve.

 

Application

When all your efforts to do good make you feel like a salmon swimming upstream, remember that we are doing it for His glory! And though we may not see the fruit of our labors on this earth, someday we will see our Savior, and He is worthy!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 4:3 – It’s Very Clear!

Posted on by Will

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Truth to Learn

Christians are to avoid all sexual impurity.

 

Behind the Words

“Will” is translated from the Greek noun thelēma, which is one of two Greek words translated “will.” The other word is boulēma. Both words indicate a desire or intent to do something, but thelēma also implies combining the desire with action. Thus, we often refer to thelēma as God’s determined will and to boulēma as God’s desirous will.

The word translated “sanctification” is hagiasmos, which is based on the verb hagiadzō, meaning “to sanctify.” To sanctify something means to set it apart from common usage to usage devoted to God. Thus, sanctification carries the meaning of being set apart or separated. Sanctification and holiness are often used interchangeably, both indicating separation from sin and dedication to God.

The word “abstain” is from the Greek verb apechomai, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of echo, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Thus, apechomai means “to hold off from.” It is expressed here in the middle voice indicating an action done by the subject (you) to the subject (yourself). Thus, this word means for you to hold yourself back from something.

“Sexual immorality” is translated from porneia (from which we get our English word pornography). This word is based on the verb porneuō meaning “to commit any sexual sin” or “sexual immorality.”

 

Meaning Explained

“What is God’s will for my life?” This is a question that many Christians ask early in their walk with God. While attending a Christian college years ago, I encountered many students asking that same question. I remember one student, not knowing which direction to turn, stating that he was going to just sit and “wait on the Lord,” not making any decision until he knew for sure what God wanted him to do. Fortunately, a wise professor said to him, “It is much easier to turn a ship that is moving than one that is sitting still.” In other words, “Step out on faith and God will guide you by His spirit.”

Sometimes our Father-Guide makes His will very clear, while at other times we have to seek His face in prayer, not knowing if we are going the right direction, but trusting that He will tell us if we are going the wrong way. In today’s verse we are told that God’s determined will is that we be sanctified (set-apart). God has determined that we will be set apart from sin and from the world system. Ultimately He will accomplish that determination when we are glorified in His presence. Until then, however, we are told that there are certain things He desires us to do as we walk the pathway of Christian life. We have a responsibility to be obedient and take the right path.

One of those paths is made very clear in today’s verse. We are to hold ourselves back (separate ourselves) from sexual impurity. The Christian walk is composed of many choices. When we choose, we have to decide whether we will follow our own desires, or take the path He desires for us.

 

Application

God is very clear on this one. If you are unmarried, stay away from all sexual activity. If you are married, enjoy it, but only with your husband or wife. No ifs, ands, or buts!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:17 – God’s Will?

Posted on by Will

Therefore do not be ignorant, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to understand God’s will.

 

Behind the Words

“Be” is translated from ginomai, which primarily means “to begin to be” or “to become.” It implies a change of state from one condition to another.

Aphrōn is the Greek word translated “ignorant.” It is made up of the negative particle a and a form of phrēn, meaning “understanding.” Thus, the word aphrōn literally means “without understanding.” It is variously translated as “unwise, foolish, mindless, ignorant, or stupid.”

The word “understand” is from the Greek verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send.” The root meaning of suniēmi, therefore, is “to put together,” that is “to understand or comprehend.”

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which is derived from the verb thelō, meaning “to will,” “to purpose,” or “to determine.” There is another word translated “will” in the New Testament. It is boulomai, meaning “to be disposed or to intend.” It does not indicate that action is taken regarding the decision, whereas thelēma is resolved and is acted upon. God’s will is almost always referred to as thelēma, because He always does that which He determines. Man’s will, however, is expressed in the New Testament as boulēma. Thus, we can think of thelēma as determined will and boulēma as desirous will.

 

Meaning Explained

We are to be imitators of God, loving others as Christ loved us. We are to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness, forsaking any close fellowship with others who do such things. We are to allow the light of God to shine through us, reflecting off us and shining on others around us. We are not to allow the comforts of this world and the allure of sin to lull us to sleep. Instead we are to wake up, getting up from among those around us who are spiritually dead and taking a good look at the way we are living our lives. We shouldn’t live like those who are ignorant of God. Instead, we should make the most of every day because the world is full of evil.

Therefore – we should not be ignorant of God’s will for our lives. Instead, we should learn what God’s will is. How can we know what God’s will is for our lives? Paul told the Christians in Rome to do several things to know God’s will:

Therefore, brothers, I call on you through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

We need to offer our bodies (our lives) as a sacrifice on God’s altar, allowing Him to use us however He wants. We need to resist conformity to the world around us. We need to be mentally transformed by consistently reading and studying His word. If we do these things, then we will know God’s will for our lives.

 

Application

Knowing what God wants from us takes a lot of commitment and dedication. If Jesus was willing to learn and do God’s will, how can we do any less?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:3 – Wrath Avoidance

Posted on by Will

among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Truth to Learn

Before we were saved we were destined for God’s wrath.

 

Behind the Words

The word “among” is translated from the Greek preposition en, meaning “in” or “among.”

“Conducted” is from the verb anastrephō. This is made up of ana, meaning “again” and strephō, meaning “to turn.” So, literally it means “to turn again.” When used of a person it is a metaphor meaning “to live one’s life.”

Epithumia is the Greek word translated “lusts.” It is made up of epi, meaning “over” or “above” and a form of thumos, which refers to “a passion or desire of the mind.” Thus, epithumia refers to “overly strong desires.”

The word “doing” is from the Greek verb poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” It is expressed here as a present participle, so it means “doing.”

“Desires” is translated from thelēma which refers to “an act of determination.” So, it really means more than “desires.” It means “those things which we decided to do.”

“Flesh” is from sarx, which literally refers to “the meat or flesh of a living creature.” This word is commonly used to refer to the physical part of our existence as opposed to the spiritual part.

The word “mind” is translated from dianoia which refers to “deep thought” or “imagination.”

“Nature” is from the Greek word phusis, which is derived from the noun phuō, meaning “to bring forth in birth.” It is used here as a metonym in reference to our natural inclination.

The word “wrath” is translated from orgē, which means “desire, strong emotion, anger, or wrath.”

“Others” is from the Greek word loipos, which is from the verb leipō, meaning “to lack” or “to leave something where it is.” In other words, it refers to “that which is left.” So, it could be translated as “the remainder” or “the others.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told us that before we became Christians we lived according to the ways of the world system in which we live. Our behavior was influenced by Satan who controls those who don’t believe in Christ.

What he tells us in today’s verse is that we used to live our lives controlled by the lusts of our flesh. Another way of saying this is that we used to be controlled by our sin nature. In the book of Romans, Paul calls it our “old man,” and he tells us that we used to be the slaves of sin:

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be nullified, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Romans 6:6)

Because we were controlled by our fleshly desires and our imagination, Paul says we were children of wrath just like the rest of unsaved humanity. What he means is that before we were saved, we were God’s enemies and subject to his wrath. Some Christians think of God as a vengeful God, waiting for us to slip up so He can punish us. Other Christians don’t like to think of God as vengeful and exhibiting wrath; they like to think of God as a God of love. He is both. Those who receive Jesus Christ will one day experience God’s love completely, whereas those who reject Jesus Christ will one day experience the full fury of God’s wrath.

… And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15c)

 

Application

As a Christian you still have a sin nature, but you don’t have to be controlled by it. Instead, you can submit your will to God and allow the Holy Spirit to control your life.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:9 – Lord Over All

Posted on by Will

having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

Truth to Learn

God is completely sovereign. He does according to His own will.

 

Behind the Words

The words “having made known” are from gnoridzō, which means “to make known” or “to certify.” It is expressed here as an explanatory participle tied to the phrase “which He made to abound toward us.”

“Mystery” is a transliteration (a word from one language spelled with the letters of another) of the Greek word mustērion. There are two trains of thoughts on the derivation of this word. Some believe that it is based on the verb muō, meaning “to shut the mouth.” Thus, it is something kept secret. Others believe that it is based on the verb mueō, meaning “to initiate;” that is, “to learn a secret.” Therefore, both schools of thought see mustērion as meaning “something kept secret.” In the New Testament it always refers to a truth which has previously been kept secret but that is now revealed.

“Will” is from the Greek word thelēma, which we learned back in verse five means “a determination” as opposed to “a desire.”

The Greek word translated “purposed” is protithēmi, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in position or time” and tithēmi, meaning “to place.” It is expressed here in the middle voice (action done by the subject to itself.) So, protithēmi literally means “to set before oneself.” By application it means “to purpose” or “to determine for oneself.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the opening verses of this letter Paul proclaimed a blessing on God because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, He chose us before He created anything, and He predestined us to be adopted into His family. All this, we learned, was done to showcase God’s marvelous grace, through which we have redemption and forgiveness. Now he tells us that through this grace God makes known to us a truth about His will (His determined plan). He calls this truth a mystery.

The Apostle Paul talks about mysteries no fewer than seventeen times in his New Testament letters. These mysteries include: the mystery of the rapture (1Corinthians 15:51), the mystery of Israel’s spiritual blindness (Romans 11:25), the mystery of the gospel message (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3), the mystery of the church being the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:32), the mystery of Christ indwelling presence (Colossians 1:26, 27), the mystery of lawlessness in the end times (2Thessalonians 2:7), the mystery of the faith (1Timothy 3:9), and the mystery spoken of here. So what is this mystery of God’s will? Paul tells us more completely in Ephesians 3:3-6 where he says: “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.”

Why has He revealed the truth of this mystery to us? Paul says it is simply because God thought it was a good thing to do; therefore, He decided to do it.

 

Application

This is yet another example of God’s sovereignty. God is not constrained to do or not do anything. He acts as He determines to and is answerable to no one. He is Lord over all!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:5 – Holy Adoption

Posted on by Will

having predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Truth to Learn

Not only has God chosen us, He also has adopted us.

 

Behind the Words

“Having predestined” is the translation of the verb prooridzō. The first half of this compound word is pro, meaning “before in time or place.” The second half is horidzō (from which we get our English word horizon), meaning “to mark out or create a boundary,” that is, “to establish or determine.” Therefore, we see that prooridzō means “to establish or determine something beforehand.”

The phrase “adoption as sons” is from huiothesia, which is made up of huios, meaning “son” and a form of tithēmi, meaning “to set in place.” Huiothesia, therefore, refers to the action of establishing a person as a son, not by natural birth but by legal action.

“Good pleasure” is from eudokia, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of the verb dokeō, meaning “to think.” Thus, eudokia refers to “good thoughts.” It stresses the freedom of an intention regarding what is good. Thus, it could be translated as “good intent” or “kindness.”

The word translated “will” is thelēma, indicating a determination. It is one of two nouns translated “will.” The other is boulēma which implies a desire. Therefore, we can translate the end of this verse as “… according to the good intent of His determination.”

 

Meaning Explained

The expression “having predestined us” is grammatically tied to “He chose us” in the previous verse. Thus we see that in eternity past, when God chose us (to be holy and without blemish), He also predestined us. That is, before time began God also established ahead of time (pun intended) that we would be legally adopted as His children. One exciting thing about this is what Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans:

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption by which we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, also heirs, truly heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, (Romans 8:15-17a)

Because God chose us, He also adopted us, making us legally his children and heirs to all that He has. This adoption has two aspects. Presently, we Christians are God’s children, having access to our Father and the spiritual riches He has bestowed upon us. The future aspect is alluded to in Romans 8:23:

And not only so, but also we ourselves having the firstfruit of the Spirit, also we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly expecting the adoption, the redemption of our body.

As adopted children, God will one day provide for us a perfect, heavenly body.

Finally, we are told that He has done this according to His own determination, which He is pleased with. It is not legally required of Him, even by His own righteousness. He did it simply because He wanted to do it.

 

Application

Thank you, God, for choosing me and for adopting me into your heavenly family. In gratitude I offer all that I am and all that I have to be used to bring glory to your name!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:1 – Paul’s Letter to You

Posted on by Will

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the decision of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful ones in Christ Jesus:

Truth to Learn

If you are a Christian, this letter was written to you!

 

Behind the Words

“Apostle” is transliterated from the Greek word apostolos, made up of apo, meaning “from or away from” and a form of the verb stellō, meaning “to withdraw from” or “to send forth.” Thus, apostolos, as it is used here, means “one who is sent out by Christ.”

The word translated “decision” is thelēma, which indicates “a determination or decision.” The verbs thelō and boulomai are both translated “to will” but boulomai expresses a desirous will (wish) whereas thelō expresses a determined will (decision).

“Saints” is from hagios, which literally refers to something which causes awe. Its root meaning is “that which has been set apart from common use to Godly use.” As we will learn from Paul in this letter, all Christians have been set-apart by God; that is, all Christians are saints.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul begins this letter with a typical salutation identifying himself (Paul the apostle) as the writer. He immediately sets the tone for this letter by indicating that his apostleship is a result of God’s determination (it was God’s decision). One of the key underlying themes of this letter is the complete sovereignty of God in choosing whom He determines. This doctrine of “election” has been hotly debated since the time of the Reformation in the sixteenth century; however, writings of the early church fathers indicate that the early church readily accepted it. Throughout this letter we will see that Paul clearly teaches that God chose us, not because we decided to get saved, but because He decided to save us.

The next phrase in this opening verse, “To the saints who are in Ephesus,” has been questioned by some. The reason for this is because the words “who are in Ephesus” are omitted in two key Greek manuscripts. Some scholars believe that the letter was written with these two words intentionally omitted, allowing copyists to insert the name of a particular church to make it more personal. An overwhelming number of the manuscripts, however, contain the words “who are in Ephesus;” therefore, it is reasonable for us to conclude that this letter was specifically addressed to the church in Ephesus.

The final phrase of this verse indicates that Paul intended that is should be read by more than just the Ephesians. He addresses this letter to all the “faithful ones in Christ Jesus.” This is not a reference to those who have a sense of fidelity and perseverance, but to those who are “of the faith.” In other words, this letter was sent to the Christians who lived in Ephesus and to anyone else who has professed faith in Jesus Christ. If you have accepted the blood of Jesus Christ as payment for your sins and have declared Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then this letter was written specifically to you.

 

Application

The God of all creation, the great I AM who lead Moses and the Israelites through the wilderness, wants you to know Him completely. It’s not very often that we recognize that God had the Bible written for you and me individually. This letter called Ephesians was written to you, Christian!

In God's service, for His glory,

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