This Is the New Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture. This week, we move from the Gospels and Acts into the Pauline Epistles.
What Is Ephesians? In this letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul calls the Ephesian believers to unity in Jesus because of the gift of salvation they have received. He writes that this unity is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.
How Ephesians Fits Into the Story: Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is an anthem to the grace of God displayed toward sinners in Christ. It contains some of the worst and best news in all of Scripture: we were once spiritually dead because of sin, but God made us alive through Christ. Because of this grace and the gift of salvation, we are called to live righteous lives.
Reflection Questions:
1. Read Ephesians 2:1–6 again. According to verses 1–3, what were the conditions of our old life? According to verses 4–6, what are the conditions of our new life?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
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45 thoughts on "Ephesians"
The enemy has tried again and again to make a battleground of my mind and a graveyard of my dreams. BUT GOD. Thank goodness for the grace of GOD. I love this reminder that I am made new in Him and so is my life ❤️
The beginning of the story (Genesis 6:5-7) led to the end of the story (Romans 5:12-17), which led to the beginning of our story to tell.
Sin and death entered the world through one man, and one man redeemed the world defeating sin and death. Through grace and faith, we are led to live a new life by the spirit. Following the ways of Jesus (Ephesians 4:32) and being kind to one other, treating others as Jesus did.
The beginning of the story (Genesis 6:5-7) led to the end of the story (Romans 5:12-17), which led to the beginning of our story to tell.
This is the difference…Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. – Romans 10:4,7
❤️
I have fallen behind in this study with the sheer busyness of my life. I’m praying for peace, clarity, and focus so that I can be the best I can be.
Today’s ready had seriously reminded me how how much I live in the flesh, and how much I want to live in the Spirit.
I am so grateful for this study to keep me in the word.
Sarah,
Where is the area that you are referring to?
We were dead in sin, children of wrath.
BUT GOD
We are alive with Christ, seated in Heavenly places!
What a transformation!!!
Hello Sarah D !
I have followed your postings from the struggles you faced and shared when you were in high school and going to LU (I live close by ) and your graduating and going home and now you are coming back ! I am so glad that you have a place to stay with friends (awesome ! God brought this about for you ! ) And you have furniture ! I have a twin xl mattress if you or your friends need one – great condition – free.
I have been with SRT for quite a few years and have grown so much through the studies presented and the community comments. There are so many Godly women with such great knowledge and wisdom who comment and bless us with their writings.
If you would like to meet when you get settled let me know.
(434)609-3380 texting is great ! or calling – whatever your preference is. Hope to see and talk with you soon. May God continue to bless you greatly as you grow in His grace and mercy.
You are a beloved daughter of God.
Very good
There is so much peace in being saved. I regret so many things of my past, but I’m so so so thankful for God’s forgiveness. Have a great weekend ladies!
I’m so glad that God continues to change us as we follow after him. I pray I would be more like him every day.
Thank you for your prayers. I slept in today and worked out, which helped release some stress, and just did the reading. My mind is still reeling from my conversation with my sister/BIL, but trying to remember that they aren’t Christians, and it would-be expected that they don’t agree with the way I’m living my life. I’m moving back to my college town, and apparently to my BIL, that’s the “comfortable” route. But it’s close to home and my family (including them), compared to few and far between jobs that would have taken me all over the country. God provided a full time job with my university, a townhouse with my friends I already know well, and furniture to fill it. It just seems smooth and although I’m a little nervous, I feel at peace that this is where should be. I just want to follow Jesus and I believe I can do that through this. I don’t have to explain myself to my BIL or sister,but it is so frustrating to hear. I need to journal all these feelings out haha…lots coming up this week. I leave for Lynchburg on Sunday. I normally wouldn’t ask this, but if any of you live in that area, I would love to meet another sister in Christ, especially from our community here. I’m thankful to still have some friends in the area too. Love you all! Thank you so much for hour prayers, I truly appreciate them.
Sarah, I can so identify with you. Lean on the Lord and trust where He takes you! I will be praying for confidence as you walk through this time and that you can show grace to you sister!
Ephesians 2:8-10 and 4:1-6 really spoke to me about how I need to be a Christian and walk in Christ’s steps. No I am not perfect but I can try my hardest to do what God has planned for and do my best. God’s grace is never ending we just have to ask for it and be willing to receive it. With God’s grace and Christ’s salvation and the Holy Spirit in me, I need to let the world know and pass on this wonderful and beautiful feeling.
Grace be with you sisters and bless you. Have a wonderful weekend.
Loving the picture of immeasurable amounts of God’s grace and kindness bestowed on us, as His children, forever more.
Thank you for sharing @Rhonda Johnson. I so agree that it is often hardest to share our faith with family members. What you are modeling for your niece is so powerful and I’m sure having you walk with her during her pregnancy means so much to her, to your sister and to God. I missed your request for prayer for her, but I know the agony of watching a young teen wrestle with depression and anxiety and make painful choices out of hard places. I admire you.
Sarah D. I have been reading the comments a day later and saw yours about your family. Praying for strength, wisdom and peace in your heart and in the relationship. I am struggling with one as well with one of my brothers and his current wife, and even though we are many states away l feel the Lord telling me to keep praying even though we can not meet face to face any time soon.
Today’s reading hit deep for me. Especially the Lamentations portion, it just put and explanation point on all the rest. His compassion is new EVERY morning! It does not fail.
Thank you SRT family, I have only posted one other time, but your comments prayers and requests help me to stay grounded in the word!
This reading could not be more timely. At this moment, my husband is at church camp with a group, and as I’ve spoken with him, we’ve both been so grieved over the state of the hearts of our young people. They openly declare that they don’t want God to be in charge of their life, that they want to make their rules. At least they are being honest I suppose. This reminded me that we all have and had those rebel hearts. We were all dead. We were all in agreement and loyalty to the ways of the world. But God! It is God who works, it is God who saves, it is God who draws us out of darkness into light because of His great love! oh thank you Jesus, for dying for us and fixing the brokenness. 
Bessie H and Gerin, thank you for sharing. I tend to drift towards despondency over my perceived inadequacies and feel as though I’m disappointing God and I’ll never be good enough. But these verses really reminded me that God has infinite grace and mercy and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me more. God is so good and merciful. Praise Him!
Even when we were dead in our sins (our old lifestyle) Christ died for us. That’s how much He loves us because he doesn’t want heaven without us. HE wants for us to one day be in heaven with Him.
ARINA – May God go before you and with you!
LEXI B – Praying for you that God gives you wisdom re: His will for you AND, if a green light, put people who know how to manage the “business” part in your path.
BESSIE and MARGARET WELLS — Wow!!!
CLAIRE B – Yay! and please listen to TAYLOR :)
TAYLOR – “…He WANTS other people to see us together.” – I especially LOVE that part!!
MAURA – Praying for Lindy and you.
VICTORIA E – praying!
ERB – Thanks!
❤️ So thankful for everyone in this group, and that I even feel the prayers of those who don’t comment! I feel so blessed re: being entrusted with testimonies that allow the “She” to share but, also allows each of us another glimpse into the challenges, valleys, redemption and triumphs of our long-term and short-term situations…it has really impacted my faith journey.❤️
Our old self chased after our fleshly desires, varied they may be for everyone. Now in our new redeemed self those sins are dead. As we seek God our desires become his desires for our lives. We can live fulfilled lives in our new selves. It is comforting to know our transgressions our dead. I often see people shrouded in shame because of past transgressions, yet they are dead and forgiven. The past transgressions no longer need to define you because you are a new creation.
Praying for the many requests.
Hi Everyone! I know I just posted, but I went over to read another devotional that I do and I felt like this fit with what Bessie had written about! Here is a link: https://myf5.co/524984
Just amazing at the joy and freedom Jesus can give!!!
How great is the love God has for us Sisters. Thankful for the word. Always love the mercy for the woman at the well, the woman who was going to be stoned, the lessons these teach us about His unconditional amazing love and grace. Love Lamentation verses this morning – The Lord is my portion, I will put my hope in Him. Praying I can walk as Ephesians 4:1-6 asks, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing, with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Please pray for my daughter Lindy she went to the ER with an appendicitis late last night. Taking off soon to go be with her. Thank you Sisters, His love and joy to your day. His mercies never end. Amen to this. Hold fast to our Lord God, He loves you so dearly.
@Kristen Me as well, love how The Chosen really brings it to life for us!! Such a touching scene! Encourage you all to watch it!
Thank goodness for the grace of God, and the forgiveness, washing away all those sins! wow! Thrown away, never to be again! I was on a road trip yesterday discussing this with my sister and her daughter who is 21, and has struggled so much with anxiety and depression since her young teens. I asked for prayer for her a few weeks ago, for she is pregnant from basically a one-night affair. So I was telling her how horrible I was in my twenties and wish I could have turned from it. My sister even made the off-hand comment a bit later of “wow- who would have thought you would be so extreme about religion from how you were in your twenties!” ouch! lol. But yes, we are ALL sinful, others more apparent than others, lol, but we all need Jesus’ forgiveness and direction. I responded that I am passionate about my faith, and want to live it and shine it! But it is sometimes the hardest for us to share with those in our families. ( Of course too with all the split feelings on current affairs today). I am so happy that God tested my faith by bringing me to my knees and drew me close to him and turned my life around. Some of us it takes repeat and repeat of “our” sin, But God….He rinses us clean with the blood of Jesus. Happy Friday friends!
SARAH D Good morning, my dear — I pray you slept last night. I felt every word, every letter of your comment from last night. Please know I am praying for you and, in slightly different circumstances, am feeling the same way! When I went for some spiritual guidance this week, so many topics came up related to my situation (e.g. God’s good will vs. His permissive will).
Also that “There is a time and purpose for everything under Heaven” — I, like you, have tried MY BEST (although realizing sometimes misguided) and have regret on one side and, on the other, frequent “replays” of the things that were said/done to me that are NOT OK — TODAY, I can tell you I am able to believe God will work within each of us and bring about the best possible solution, in His time!! I pray I can say the same tomorrow ;). I’m praying for you, Love
But God!!!
@Bessie and Margaret thank you for sharing! What testimonies to His unmatched power and love!!!
I couldn’t help but think of the scenes in The Chosen when reading about the woman at the well. One encounter with Jesus and she was changed. Her shame was gone and she was joyful! She went and told so many others! Praying this happens for all that need that encounter and that they may find forgiveness, Hope, joy, and salvation in the only One that could pay the price for us! Amen! God bless you all today and always!
I was dead in my sin. By His loving grace & forgiveness I am alive (forever) in Christ! His love moves me forward, and never leaves me. Thank you just isn’t enough—by His Spirit I must live for Him & be a light for others.
This scripture (emphasis mine) goes along with the other scriptures we read today and I wanted to share it with you:
2 Timothy 1:6-14 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 HE HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US TO A HOLY LIFE—NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE. THIS GRACE WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, 10 BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED THROUGH THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS DESTROYED DEATH AND HAS BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. 13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 GAURD THE GOOD DEPOSIT THAT WAS ENTRUSTED TO YOU—GUARD IT WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN US.”
Be Blessed today dear sisters!!
I’m so glad jesus loves me enough to forgive me. I want more of the Holy Spirit in my life to lead and guide me. Please pray I have been in terrible pain since yesterday and has awful sleep last night. I’m still pretty uncomfortable.
Praying now Melanie.
Praying for you Melanie
@arina. Praying for your trip. Praying that you don’t have a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a sound mind. Praying for eyes to be opened and hearts to be changed.
@Bessie H thank you for sharing that vision. It blessed me and made me tear up. I struggle so much with shame from my past. But Jesus pushes it off a never ending cliff and WANTS to walk with me, He WANTS to hold my hand. He WANTS other people to see us together. I am so so unworthy BUT GOD. He loves me anyway. Okay now I am crying :) I loved the Lamentations passage today!
Lifting up prayers mentioned this morning and yesterday! @Sarah D praying for your relationship with your sister and her family. @Arina praying for your missions trip! @Claire B praising alongside you following your rotator cuff surgery! I’m an occupational therapist so I see lots of patients post RCT surgery. Keep doing your range of motion exercises! Also @Dorothy praying for the pain in your hands. @Lexi B praying for your job situation that the Lord would open doors and close doors according to His will.
Have a blessed weekend everyone! <3
Arina, praying now that God will use you on your mission trip to share the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ with those you meet!
All of the passages from the NT letters so far have been reinforcing time and time again the richness and awesomeness of God’s Grace, initiative and power in the story of redemption. Thank you Lord for saving me by grace. I lay down all my efforts to try to earn your love and ask that you help me to understand more and more the gift of the new life you have given me in Christ – fully loved, saved, seated with Christ in heaven, an object of your immeasurable richness, grace and kindness not because of anything I’ve done ❤️
God gave me the most beautiful image this morning. I was sitting here thinking about all of the sins in my past. Things I regret and am ashamed of. It felt Ike a huge wall about to fall on me. Then Jesus, so big and strong appeared and pushed the wall over. Not just over, but off of a cliff. All of it was gone. He held out His precious hand and said, “let’s go for a walk together”. ‘Oh the joy that floods my soul’.
I had a very similar revelation! I was so moved I couldn’t do anything but sit and revel at His beauty and grace.
Good morning, Shes
SARAH D – praying that you will be at peace and you relationship with your sister can be healed. That your family can embrace your differences and not make them into walls – unity in diversity
CLAIRE B – good news!
LEXI B – praying for God’s wisdom, peace, and guidance to be poured out to you.
ARINA – may God’s love and wisdom flow through you and the team
1. Death=separation from God. BUT GOD (vs 4) Resurrection=to eternal life with God.
2. God is relentless in nringing His fallen creation bavk to His intended purpose of communion with Him.
Arina, I’m praying that God will use you in a powerful way on this mission trip. May you recognize the divine appointments that God prepares for you, dear sister.
In your old life, we were dead. Now, we have been made alive in Christ. In our old life, we were ruled by satan and the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts. Now, we will rule with Christ in heaven. In our old life, we were under God’s wrath. Now, God is showing us kindness, displaying the immeasurable riches of His grace.
Tomorrow, I will be leaving on a two weeks mission trip. I am excited but also a bit nervous. We will go to a campsite and share the gospel with people who are on vacation there. We’ll also be organising activities for children and teens. Prayers are appreciated. For wisdom, that the Holy Spirit may work through us, and that people are willing to receive the good news of the gospel.