49) The Book of Ephesians

EPHESIANS is the first letter of the prison letters. The other prison epistles are Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. The similarities of Ephesians and Colossians are quite obvious, but Ephesians and Philippians compliment each other through doctrine and instruction. Ephesians focuses upon the doctrinal content of salvation, sanctification, and service, while Philippians focuses upon practical instruction of the same. An overbalance of doctrine can produce a dry dullness in teaching, but an overbalance of instruction can produce a shallow selfishness. A balance in doctrine and instruction produces complete understanding (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

The first work in Ephesus is recorded in Acts Aquila and Priscilla had a great influence in the work at Ephesus. Ephesus had an extravagant temple of Diana that influenced the people greatly. The wealthy leadership of the temple caused a great uproar about the truths that exposed their deception and fraud (1 Tim. 6:10). Paul was forced to leave Ephesus and he went to Jerusalem where he was arrested and imprisoned,

Paul used the time in prison life to write a detailed and doctrinal viewpoint of salvation and its glorious benefits. Paul revealed two vital outlines ofprayer for learning and living the truth (1:15-23; 3:14-19). He disclosed the mystery of the spiritual body of Christ (3:1-8; 5:32). He also wrote practical truth for sanctification and service through the fullness of the Holy Ghost and the full armour of God (5:18-21; 6:10-20). Vital institution for the family was also written (5:22-6:4). The letter contains 6 chapters and 155 verses.

Two major false doctrines place their roots in Ephesians! Hyper-Calvinism sinks its roots in Ephesians 1. Hyper-Dispensationalism sinks its roots in Ephesians 3. Both systems produce a smug, self-satisfied superiority that will destroy the soldier of Jesus Christ. These two heresies claim to focus upon Paul's writings, but they do not show any work similar to Paul's ministry. Both systems slight the practical instructions of the last three chapters of Ephesians.