If God were to appear to you tonight, what would you expect him to say? Perhaps you’d expect him to have a long list of commands or imperatives for you. At the very least, you would expect Him to share what you’re doing wrong. And yet, in Ephesians, we discover an entirely different picture: God begins with what he has done, rather than what we should do. Ephesians 1-3 hardly contain any imperatives (with the sole exception of Eph. 2:11-12). Instead, Paul focuses on our identity “in Christ,” which is the central theme of this letter. This leads into the various applications of this identity. It affects:
Our meaning and purpose in life (Eph. 2:10).
How we love people of other races and ethnicities (Eph. 2:11-22).
The way we approach God with boldness, rather than fear (Eph. 3:12-21).
Our mission as a church (Eph. 4:1-16).
How we transform in key ethical ways (Eph. 4:25-5:21).
The way we approach marriage (Eph. 5:22-33) and family (Eph. 6:1-4).
Our value of human life and human dignity (Eph. 6:5-9).
How we fight in spiritual war (Eph. 6:10-18).
Our view of our own identity transforms everything. This is at the heart of Ephesians.
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
