Ephesians Chapter 1 – Part One

In the Greek, verses 3-14 comprise on sentence and encompass the past, present, and future of God’s eternal purpose for the church. It is Paul’s outline of God’s master plan for salvation. In 3-6a, we are shown the past aspect, election; in 6b-11 we are shown the present aspect, redemption; and in 12-14 we are shown the future aspect, inheritance. Within God’s master plan of salvation is every believer who has or will ever trust in God and be saved. As it is sometimes expressed, history is simply the outworking of “His story,” which has already been planned and prewritten in eternity.

This passage can also be divided into three sections, each of which focuses on a different Person of the Trinity. Verses 3-6a center on the Father; verses 6b-12 center on the Son; and verses 13-14 centers on the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:1

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:"

We immediately see a declaration that this letter is from Paul. He explains that his authority to be an apostle is from Jesus Christ. This is written to the church at Ephesus. Paul explains that he is an apostle of Christ. Paul did not choose to be an apostle, God called Paul to this office.

“Apostle”, the word means “messenger” and served as an official title for Paul and the 12 disciples which includes Mattias, Acts 1:26, who were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus and were chosen by God to lay the foundation for the church by preaching, teaching and writing Scripture, accompanied by miracles (2 Cor. 12:12)

“Saints … faithful” designates those who God has set apart from sin to Himself, made holy through their faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:2

"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ."

Just as grace was the key word in Galatians, it is prominent in all of Paul's letters. He does want the blessings and favor of God to fall upon these people.

True peace, just like true grace, comes from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. From them came the authority with which Paul spoke, v.1, as well as the blessings of grace and peace to all believers. The conjunction “and” indicates equivalence; that is, the Lord Jesus Christ is equally divine with the Father.

Ephesians 1:3

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:"

Blessed here means - “worthy of praise.” When God blesses man, He confers benefits upon him; when man blesses God, as Paul does here, he attributes praise to Him “Who hath blessed us” (or, “because He has blessed us”): The apostle, then, praises God because He has bestowed all “spiritual blessings” on His people.

Where are these blessings located? “In heavenly places, that is, in heaven. As the Christian’s citizenship (Phil. 3:20), high priest (Heb. 4:14), hope (Col. 1:5) and inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4) are all “in heaven,” as his treasure (Matt. 6:20-21) and affection (Col. 3:1-2) are to be “in heaven,” so also the Christian’s blessings are “in heaven.” These spiritual benefits were granted to the believer and are retained in heaven for him, being progressively dispersed to him on earth in accord with his need and Christian growth.

When we bless God we speak good of Him. When God blesses us, He communicates good to us. We bless Him with words; He blesses us with deeds. All we can do is to speak well of Him because in ourselves we have nothing good to give, and in Himself He lacks no goodness.

But when He blesses us the situation is reversed. He cannot bless us for our goodness, because we have none. Rather, He blesses us with goodness. Our heavenly Father lavishes us with every goodness, every good gift, every blessing. That is His nature, and that is our need.

“In Christ”, or, “by Christ,” that is, the Father has conferred these blessings on the church, but He did not act alone; He hath blessed us in Christ. This verse therefore, makes six points:

1.      Who is the Blessed One? God.

2.      What has God done? He has blessed us.

3.      With what? With every spiritual blessing.

4.      When? In eternity past.

5.      Where are these blessings? In heaven.

6.      How did God do this? By Christ.

In this verse, we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our way to the Father is through Jesus Christ, our High Priest. The spiritual blessings for the believer are applied through the Holy Spirit.

Our heavenly Father blesses us with every spiritual blessing. Many Christians continually ask God for what He has already given. The pray for Him to give them more love, although they should know that “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us”, Romans 5:5. They pray for peace, although Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you”, John 14:27

They pray for happiness and joy, although Jesus said, “these things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full”, John 15:11. They ask God for strength, although His Word tells them that they “can do all things through Him who strengthens them”, Philippians 4:13.

God’s divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence, 2 Peter 1:3. It is not that God will give us but that He has already given us “everything pertaining to life and godliness.” He has blessed us already with every spiritual blessing. We are complete in Him.

Perhaps in this third verse here, Paul wants us to see the unity of the Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Christians are in Jesus, and Jesus is in the Christian. He is seated in heavenly places, and we are sitting with Him in heavenly places.

Notice the involvement of them all in the blessings for the believer. Take a look, also, the word "all" in the spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 2:6 "And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

Every human effort at self improvement or self satisfaction, no matter what its religious covering may be, is subject to the law of diminishing returns, such as works righteousness that seeks praise and commendation. Genuine and lasting satisfaction is never achieved and increased achievement only brings increased desire.

The only way a person can achieve a true sense of self worth, meaning and significance is to have a right relationship to his Creator. A person without Christ has no spiritual value, no standing before God, no purpose or meaning in the world. He is like “chaff which the wind drives away”, Psalm 1:4.

As James 1:17 puts it: “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights”.

Those who are Christians are members of God’s dominion, unlike the “sons of this age”, Luke 16:8, are able to understand the supernatural things of God, things which the “natural man does not accept” and “cannot understand, because they are spiritually appraised”, 1 Cor. 2:14.

The key to living as a heavenly citizen while living in an unheavenly situation is walking by the Spirit. “Walk by the Spirit,” Paul says, “and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh, Gal. 5:16. When we walk in His power He produces His fruit in us: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control”, verses 22-23. We receive our heavenly blessing by living in the power of God’s Holy Spirit, because we are in Christ.

Ephesians 1:4

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"

Verse 4 to 6b reveals the past part of God’s eternal plan in forming the church, the body of Jesus Christ. His plan is shown is seven elements:

1.      The method, election

2.      The object, the elect

3.      The time, eternity past

4.      The purpose, holiness

5.      The motive, love

6.      The result, son ship

7.      And the god, glory

The bible speaks of three different kinds of election. One is God’s theocratic election of Israel. That election has no bearing on personal salvation. The second is vocational. Such as the Lord called out the tribe of Levi to be His priests, but they were not guaranteed salvation. Or Jesus when He called the twelve men to be apostles but only eleven of them to salvation.

The third kind of election is salvational, the kind of which Paul is speaking in our present text. Jesus said, No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him”, John 6:44. The Greek word in this, “Helkuo” (draws) carries the idea of an irresistible force and was used in ancient Greek literature of a desperately hungry man being drawn to food or of demonic forces being drawn to animals when they were not able to possess men.

From all eternity, before the foundation of the world and therefore completely apart from any merit or deserving that any person could have, God chose us in Him, “in Christ” (verse 3). By God’s sovereign election, those who are saved were placed in eternal union with Christ before creation even took place.

Although man’s will is not free in the sense that many people suppose, he does have a will, a will that Scripture clearly recognizes. Apart form God, mans will is captive to sin. But he is nevertheless able to choose God because God has made that choice possible. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16, and that “everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die”, 11:26.

God’s sovereign election and man’s exercise of responsibility in choosing Jesus Christ seem opposite and irreconcilable truths, and from our limited human perspective they are opposite and irreconcilable. That is why so many earnest, well meaning Christians throughout the history of the church has floundered trying to reconcile them.

Since the problem cannot be resolved by our finite minds, the result is always to compromise one truth in favor of the other or to weaken both by trying to take a position somewhere between them. We should let the antimony remain, believing both truths completely and leaving the harmonizing of them to God.

I believe that v.4 is explaining that God {who knows everything for all time}, prepared a plan for the fall of man before He made man. Many call this predestination but I prefer to call it foreknowledge. It is really the omniscient of God. "Omniscient" means knowing all things. It is one of the descriptions of God alone, no human has this attribute.

We do know that the desire of God was to fellowship with us. It is His desire for all to be saved. He even provided a Way for that to be possible in His Son Jesus. Mankind is not holy within itself. We are righteous in Jesus Christ.

He has clothed us in His righteousness. The righteousness that Jesus has clothed us in makes us acceptable in the sight of the Father. We are chosen of God.

I Peter 2:9 "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"

You do not read anywhere that God has chosen anyone to be lost. His desire is that all would be saved. We, of our own free will, accept the salvation He offered us, or reject it.

Paul said “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory”, 2 Tim. 1:9. In Acts we are told, “And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed”, 13:48.

It is not that God’s sovereign election, or predestination, eliminates man’s choice in faith. Divine sovereignty and human response are integral and inseparable parts of salvation, though exactly how they operate together only the infinite mind of God knows.

Nor is it, as many believe and teach that God simply looks into the future to see which people are going to believe and then elects them to salvation. Taken out of context, Romans 8:29 is often used to support that view. But verse 28 makes it clear that those who God foresees and predestines to salvation are those whom He has already “called according to His purpose.” Any teaching that diminishes the sovereign, electing love of God by giving more credit to men also diminishes God’s glory, thus striking a blow at the very purpose of salvation.

Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

Because we are chosen in Him we are holy and blameless before Him. It is Christ’s eternal and foreordained plan to “present to Him the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But that she should be holy and blameless”, Eph. 5:27.

Obviously Paul is talking about our position and not our practice. We know that in our living we are far from the holy standard and far from being blameless. Yet “in Him,” Paul said in Col. 2:10 “we have been made complete”. All that God is, we become in Jesus Christ. That is why salvation is secure. We have Christ’s perfect righteousness.

Our practice can and does fall short, but our position can never fall short, because it is exactly the same holy and blameless position before God that Christ has. We are as secure as our Savior, because we are in Him, waiting for the full redemption and glorious holiness that awaits us in His presence.

And because God declares us and leads us to be holy and blameless, we should strive to live lives now that reflect the holiness and blamelessness that are our destiny.

The last two words of v.4 (in love) may well belong to verse 5; the link between verb forms in these two verses is expressed in this rendering: “He chose us … in that He lovingly predestined us.” So the divine choice of verse 4 is further defined by the divine predestination of verse 5.

Ephesians 1:5

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

God elects those who are saved because of His love. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons. Just as He chose Israel to be His special people only because of His love (Deut. 7:8), so He also chose the church, the family of the redeemed.

Predestinated means “marked out in advance,” “determined or appointed beforehand.” Prior to creation God appointed those who would believe unto (or, for) the adoption of children; that is, He appointed them to be His sons.

This divine appointment was according to (because of) the good pleasure of his will; it was due not to anything good in us, but due solely to His kindness. These verses stress the divine sovereignty in salvation. Verses 12 and 13 which mention our trust and belief in Christ emphasize the human responsibility in the process.

His plan from the beginning was to make us His adopted children. We see from the beginning, the plan to save the very elect. God did not choose who the very elect would be, He just knew ahead of time those who would choose to follow Him. The plan, all along, was for Jesus Christ to be our Savior.

John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"

Romans 8:14-17 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."

God chose and preordained the Body before the foundation of the world in order that no human being could boast or take glory for himself, but that all the glory might be His. Salvation is not partly of God and partly of man, but entirely of God. To guarantee that, every provision and every detail of salvation was accomplished before any human being was ever born or before a planet was formed on which he could be born.

The ultimate reason for everything that exists is the glory of His grace. That is why, as God’s children, Christians should do everything they do, even such mundane things as eating and drinking, to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)

Ephesians 1:6

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer from sin, the Beloved (the word indicates the One who is in the state of being loved by God) who Himself paid the price for our release from sin and death. Because we now belong to Christ, by faith made one with Him and placed in His Body, we are now acceptable to God. Because we are now in the Beloved, we too, are “beloved of God” (Romans 1:7)

The reason God predestined us to be His sons, v.5, is expressed in the words “to the praise of the glory of his grace”, that is, in order to magnify the splendor of His goodness to us.

“Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” may also read, “which (grace) He has bestowed on us by the Beloved.” Through Christ we are the recipients of God’s unmerited favor.

We must admit that it is to His praise, and not ours. Salvation through grace is none of our doing, it is His. "Grace", as we have said before, is unmerited favor. Even the fact that we are acceptable to the Father is because we have taken on the righteousness of Christ. Our righteousness is as filthy rags.

It is His righteousness that puts us in right standing with the Father. The Beloved, here, is Jesus Christ. It is only in Him, that we are acceptable.

Jeremiah 23:6 "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

Ephesians 1:7

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

Until a person realizes his need for redemption, he sees no need for a Redeemer. Until he recognizes that he is hopelessly enslaved to sin, he will not seek release from it. But when he does, he will be freed from the curse of sin, placed in Christ’s Body, and blessed with His every spiritual blessing.

Redemption referred to the release of a slave or captive upon receipt of ransom. But the following words, the forgiveness of sins, show “redemption” is used here in a moral sense. The primary result of redemption for the believer is forgiveness. Christians are therefore released from their enslavement to sin and the resulting divine wrath.

Redemption is effected for us through his blood, that is, by Christ’s atonement secured by His death on the cross.

On the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament when the blood was carried into the Holy of Holies for the sins of the people, the sins were covered over with the blood. This did not do away with the sin, it only covered it up. It did not clear the conscience of the sinner.

In the case of the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood does away with the sin. It blots the sin out. It leaves us free of sin. Jesus' precious blood clears our conscience. He not only takes away our sin, but He gives us His righteousness in return.

We do absolutely nothing, except repent of our sins and have faith in Jesus as our Redeemer. He redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Colossians 1:14 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:"

While we were yet in sin, Jesus shed His blood to save us from sin, self, and the devil.

Shedding of blood is a metonym for death, which is the penalty and the price of sin. Christ’s own death, by the shedding of His blood, was the substitute for our death. That which we deserved and could not save ourselves from, the beloved Savior, though He did not deserve it, took upon Him. He made payment for what otherwise would have condemned us to death and hell.

When Jesus comes into our lives as Savior and Lord, He says to us what He said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way” (John 8:11). “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:1-2)

Because we continue to sin, we need the continued forgiveness of cleansing; but we do not need the continued forgiveness of redemption. This does not mean we will no longer sin, or that when we do, our sins have no harmful effect. They have a profound effect on our growth, joy, peace, usefulness, and ability to have intimate and rich communion with the Father. Thus the believer is called on to ask for forgiveness daily so that he may enjoy not just the general forgiveness of redemption, but the specific forgiveness of daily cleansing, which brings fellowship and usefulness to their maximum.

Because God accepts every believer as He accepts His own Son, every believer ought to accept himself in the same way. We do not accept ourselves for what we are in ourselves any more than God accepts us for that reason. We accept ourselves as forgiven and as righteous because that is what God Himself declares us to be. To think otherwise is not a sign of humility but of arrogance, because to think otherwise is to put our own judgment above God’s Word and to belittle the redemption price paid for us by His own beloved Son. A Christian who denigrates himself and doubts full forgiveness denies the work of God and denigrates a child of God. If we matter to God, we certainly ought to matter to ourselves.

“According to the riches of His grace”: We need never worry that our sin will outstrip God’s gracious forgiveness. “Where sin increased,” Paul assures us, “grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Our heavenly Father does not simply give us subsistence forgiveness that will barely cover our sins if we are careful not to overdo. We cannot sin beyond God’s grace, because as wicked and extensive as our sins might be or become, they will never approach the greatness of His grace. His forgiveness is infinite, and He lavishes it without measure upon those who trust in His Son. We therefore not only can enjoy future glory with God but present fellowship with Him as well.

Ephesians 1:8

"Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;"

This verse could be rendered, “He lavished upon us this grace which consists in all sorts of wisdom and prudence (or, insight). The word wisdom refers to a knowledge of the true nature of things; prudence has to do with the practical application of this wisdom leading to the right course of action. But the specific “wisdom and prudence” Paul has in view here concerns a future aspect of God’s will as delineated in verses 9 and 10.

God not only forgives us, but also gives us all the necessary equipment to understand Him and to walk through the world day by day in a way that reflects His will and is pleasing to Him. He generously gives us the wherewithal both to understand His Word and to know how to obey it.

When God takes away sin, He does not leave us in a spiritual, moral, and mental vacuum where we must then work things out for ourselves. He lavishes wisdom and insight on us according to the riches of His grace just as He lavishes forgiveness on us according to those riches.

Ephesians 1:9

"Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:"

This verse more precisely identifies that “wisdom and prudence”, v.8, God lavished on us. This “wisdom and prudence” has to do with God’s making known unto us the mystery of his will.

“Mystery” here refers to a divine truth that is incapable of being discovered by human ingenuity and that, until recently has been kept secret. Why did God disclose this mystery to us? It was according to (because of) his good pleasure which he hath purposed (planned) in him.

The mystery is how a just God of law could ever justify a sinner, such as you and me. He revealed to us the plan. It is up to us to act upon it. The word "according" here, tells us a lot. With man's reasoning, there would have been no reason for God to give His Son on the cross that we might live.

He did it not because it was the logical thing by our reasoning to do it, but because it brought Him pleasure for us to be saved. Notice, also, that this was not someone else's plan, it was His plan. It was not on advice from others, but was His plan from the foundation of the world. All of this is true, because God willed it.

Why has God done so much for us? Why has He blessed us with every spiritual blessing, chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, made us holy and blameless, predestined us to adoption as His children, redeemed us through His blood, and lavishly given us forgiveness, wisdom and insight according to the infinite riches of His grace?

Ephesians 1:10

"That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:"

God redeems men in order that He might gather everything to Himself. The time of that gathering will be the millennial kingdom, which will be an administration suitable to the fullness of the times. When the completion of history comes, the kingdom arrives, eternity begins again, and the new heaven and new earth are established, there will be a summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. Jesus Christ is the goal of history, which finds its resolution in Him. The paradise lost in Adam is restored in Christ.

This verse refers back to God’s “good pleasure”, v.9. Verse 10 is made plainer by the paraphrase, “for the purpose of executing it (i.e. God’s good pleasure) in the fullness of times and His good pleasure is to head up all things in Christ, things in heaven, and things on earth.”

In the near future, when the time is ripe, God will put His good purpose into effect and carry it out. And His “good pleasure” or intention is the restoration of original universal unity, when all things are brought back into harmony with Himself and under the headship of Christ.

We are all one in Christ, whether we are Jew or Greek, whether we are male or female.

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

In man's scheme of things, this would be impossibility. In God's plan, it is not only possible, but will happen.

Acts 17:28 "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” We Christians are His church, we are His bride and we are His building.

He is the head of the church, we are the body. He is the chief Cornerstone, and we are the lively stones which are held together by Him. We are, also, His inheritance. He is Creator God, we belong to Him. We are His creation.

Read the first chapter of John to know that not anything was made without Him. The heavens are His and the earth, as well. At the name of Jesus all will bow.

Philippians 2:10-11 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;" "And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The summing up of “All things in Christ”: He designed His great plan in the ages past; He now sovereignly works it out according to His divine will; and in the fullness of the times He will complete and perfect it in His Son, in whom it will forever operate in righteous harmony and glorious newness along with all things in the heavens and things upon the earth.

Galatians Chapter 5 Part One

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

“Free”: Deliverance from the curse that the law pronounces on the sinner who has been striving unsuccessfully to achieve his own righteousness (3:13, 22-26; 4:1-7), but who has now embraced Christ and the salvation granted to him by grace.

“Stand fast therefore”: Stay where you are, Paul asserts, because of the benefit of being free from law and the flesh as a way of salvation and the fullness of blessing by grace.

The verse could be rendered: “For freedom Christ freed us. Therefore stand fast and do not again be subject to a yoke of bondage.” The “freedom” in view is freedom from the law, here called “a yoke of bondage.” Paul wants the Galatians to “stand fast,” that is, retain their spiritual freedom.

“Yoke of bondage”: “Yoke” refers to the apparatus used to control a domesticated animal. The Jews thought of the “yoke of the law” as a good thing, the essence of true religion. Paul argued that for those who pursued it as a way of salvation, the law was a yoke of slavery.

We are to stand up for God and continually stand in the salvation the Lord provided for us. We are no longer under the bondage of the law; we are free to serve the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."

A person, who had just been set free, would never choose to go back into bondage, if they were thinking clearly.

Galatians 5:2 "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing."

“If ye be circumcised”: Circumcision was the external ritual symbolizing acceptance of the law (verse 3). In such a case, one depended on legal works rather than on God’s grace as the means of salvation. “Christ,” then, “shall profit you nothing.”

Paul had no objection to circumcision itself (Acts 16:1-3; Phil. 3:5). But he objected to the notion that it had some spiritual benefit or merit with God and was a prerequisite or necessary component of salvation.

Circumcision had meaning in Israel when it was a physical symbol of a cleansed heart (Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4; 9:24-26) and served as a reminder of God’s covenant of salvation promise (Gen. 17:9-10).

“Christ shall profit you nothing”: The atoning sacrifice of Christ cannot benefit anyone who trusts in law and ceremony for salvation.

It appears that these Galatians believed if they were circumcised, that would somehow put them in better standing with the Lord. It is as if they believe this to be like baptism. Circumcision and sacrifices are almost as if they are saying that the shed blood of Jesus is not enough.

Hebrews 9:12-14 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]." "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:" "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

You can see that there was nothing left for us to do, Jesus did it all for us.

Galatians 5:3 "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."

“He is a debtor to do the whole law”: God’s standard is perfect righteousness, thus a failure to keep only one part of the law falls short of the standard (see note on 3:10).

Circumcising is recognition of the law. To recognize the law in this manner would be to deny the power of grace in Jesus Christ. If you go back to the law to make you perfect in the sight of the law, then you are under the covenant of the law, and not under the covenant of grace.

Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

“Christ is become no effect … fallen from grace”: The Greek word for “severed” (no effect), means “to be separated”, or “to be estranged.” The word for “fallen” means “to lose one’s grasp on something.” Paul’s clear meaning is that any attempt to be justified by the law is to reject salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

Those once exposed to the gracious truth of the gospel, who then turn their backs on Christ (Heb. 6:4-6) and seek to be justified by the law are separated from Christ and lose all prospects of God’s gracious salvation. Their desertion of Christ and the gospel only proves that their faith was never genuine (Luke 8:13-14; 1 John 2:19).

“Justified”: Through Faith.

This verse could be translated: “You will be severed from Christ, if you try to be justified by law; you will forfeit the favor in God’s eyes which Christ won for you.” This does not teach the loss of salvation which one earlier possessed.

Rather it means that if the readers truly renounce grace through faith alone as the way of salvation, if they depend on legalism to secure divine favor, then they show that they never really knew God’s grace in the first place.

You have decided to look for salvation in another, if you go back to the law. Grace is actually a freeing of yourself, but a freeing from the law, as well. Wherever you put your trust, is what you are depending on to save you. This would be turning away from Christ as your Justifier, and looking to the law for justification.

Galatians 5:5 "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

“Though the Spirit … hope of righteousness”: means that by the Holy Spirit’s help, which is obtained “by faith,” believers “wait for the hope of righteousness,” that is, live the Christian life awaiting the consummation of their salvation.

Christians already possess the imputed righteousness of Christ, but they still await the completed and perfected righteousness that is yet to come at glorification (Rom. 8:18, 21).

Christians are not like the rest of the world who have no hope. We have hope of the resurrection. Our hope is in Christ Jesus. He is our blessed Hope. Our righteousness is His righteousness that He clothed us in.

Colossians 1:27 "To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

Galatians 5:6 "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

“For” justifies the importance given faith in verse 5. In Christianity one does not profit spiritually either by being circumcised or uncircumcised. “Faith which worketh by love” means “faith that is produced by love.” Faith is a man’s response to God who loves him, and this divine love that produces faith results in his justification.

“Neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision”: 6:15. Nothing done or not done in the flesh, even religious ceremony, makes any difference in one’s relationship to God. What is external is immaterial and worthless, unless it reflects genuine internal righteousness (Rom. 2:25-29).

Circumcision is of the flesh. This, then, makes no difference either way, because Christianity is of the spirit. Christianity is a personal relationship with Christ.

“Faith which worketh by love”: Saving faith proves its genuine character by works of love. The person who lives by faith is internally motivated by love for God and Christ (Matt. 22:37-40), which supernaturally issues forth in reverent worship, genuine obedience, and self-sacrificing love for others.

Romans 2:28-29 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:" "But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God."

We see in all of this that Christianity has very little to do with the flesh. The only thing it does have to do with it is that we must cut away the flesh that the spirit might live. For us to be in a position that we desire to be with Christ, we must crucify our flesh and live in the spirit.

Galatians 5:7 "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?"

“Ye did run well” shows that the Galatians were making good progress spiritually. But the Judaizers “did hinder” them with a false gospel, so that now the readers do “not obey the truth.”

Paul compares the Galatians’ life of faith with a race, a figure he used frequently (2:2; Rom. 9:16; 1 Cor. 9:24). They had a good beginning – they had received the gospel message by faith and had begun to live their Christian lives by faith as well.

“Obey the truth”: See note on 1 Pet. 1:22. A reference to believers’ true way of living, including both their response to the true gospel in salvation (Acts 6:7; Rom. 2:8; 6:17; 2 Thess. 1:8), and their consequent response to obey the Word of God in sanctification.

Paul wrote more about salvation and sanctification being a matter of obedience in Rom. 1:5; 6:16-17; 16:26. The legalistic influence of the Judaizers prevented the unsaved from responding in faith to the gospel of grace and true believers from living by faith.

Paul is telling them that they started out correctly. They were running the race of life well. Now they have listened to those who would come in and destroy. We must apply the blood of Jesus to our ear, so only things of God will be heard in our inner mind. We should not listen to others, and let them sway us. We should be thoroughly convinced, and never waver in our belief.

Galatians 5:8 "This persuasion [cometh] not of him that calleth you."

“This persuasion”: Salvation by works. God does not promote legalism. Any doctrine that claims His gracious work is insufficient to save is false. This refers to the pressure tactics the heretics used to persuade the Galatians to embrace legalism.

They have listened to another doctrine other than what Paul had brought. The Lord God of heaven called you, stay with Him. God did not send the message to get back under the bondage of the law.

Galatians 5:9 "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

“A little leaven” [false doctrine] “leaveneth” [permeates, corrupts] “the whole lump” (church). A common axiomatic saying (1 Cor. 5:6) regarding the influence of yeast in dough. Leaven is often used in Scripture to denote sin (Matt. 16:6, 12).

This is the same thing as saying; one rotten apple will ruin the whole barrel, if it is not removed. Leaven is sin. It is a sin to doubt the message of grace. Anything that displeases God is sin. Faith is the only thing that pleases God. It seems that some of these people in the church were listening to the Judaizers.

Galatians 5:10 "I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be."

“Confidence in you”: Paul expresses encouraging assurance that the Lord will be faithful to keep His own from falling into gross heresy. See John 6:39-40; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:31-39; Phil. 1:6-7. They will persevere and be preserved (Jude 24).

“Judgment”: All false teachers will incur strict and devastating eternal condemnation.

Paul believes that the Galatians will retain the true gospel and not be completely persuaded by the heretics.

It is a very dangerous thing to teach anything but the pure gospel message. Paul says; I know you will consider this and make the right decision. He knows, if they have time to consider what he is telling them, they will not accept going back into the law. Grace is too good to trade it for law.

Galatians 5:11 "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased."

“If I yet preach circumcision”: Apparently the Judaizers had falsely claimed that Paul agreed with their teaching. But he makes the point that if he was preaching circumcision as necessary for salvation, why were the Judaizers persecuting him instead of supporting him?

Paul is evidently refuting the accusation that he “yet” (still) preaches a gospel of circumcision, as formerly in Judaism. But, he counters, the very fact that I do “yet suffer persecution” proves that is not the case; for Judaizers would commend, not persecute, him for preaching their gospel.

“Offence” (stumbling block). The Greek word for “stumbling block” can mean “trap”, “snare,” or “offense.” Any offer of salvation that strips man of the opportunity to earn it by his own merit breeds opposition (Rom. 9:33).

One of the reasons they had difficulty with what Paul was saying, is the fact that he circumcised Timothy to appease the Jews. Paul had not circumcised Timothy, so that Timothy would be in better standing with God. He had done it, because the group of people Timothy would be ministering to were Jews, and they would not have let Timothy preach.

Acts 16:3 "Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek."

Paul did not believe in circumcising Christians. Paul's major persecution had come from the Jews. They even followed Paul from town to town and caused people to rise up against him, because he taught that Jesus Christ was the Jewish Messiah.

Paul suffered with Christ. Paul really counted it as gain to be persecuted bringing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The teaching of the cross was an offense to the Jews.

Galatians 5:12 "I would they were even cut off which trouble you."

The Greek word used here is “Mutilate”, and was often used of castration, such as in the cult of Cybele, whose priests were self-made eunuchs. Paul’s ironic point is that since the Judaizers were as insistent on circumcision as a means of pleasing God, they should go to the extreme of religious devotion and mutilate themselves.

The verse may mean, “I wish those troubling you would have them castrated.”

Paul was aware that those who were trying to put them back under the law, were there to destroy their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The best thing would be for these Judaizers to get out of the church, but it was highly unlikely that would happen.

Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

“Liberty”:

“For an occasion to the flesh”: The Greek word for “occasion” (or opportunity) was often used to refer to a central base of military operations (Rom. 7:8). In the context, “flesh” refers to the sinful inclinations of fallen man (see note on Rom 7:5). The freedom Christians have is not a base from which they can sin freely and without consequence.

“Serve one another”: Christian freedom is not for selfish fulfillment, but for serving others. Rom. 14:1-15.

Having shown freedom from the law to be proper protection against legalism (verses 1-12), Paul now demonstrates it to be a proper antidote against unrestrained license to sin (verses 13-26).

Believers are not to abuse their “liberty” from the law “for an occasion” [opportunity] “to the flesh” (sinful nature). That is, don’t think freedom from the law means you can indulge in sin; it means instead that you are free to serve God by serving “one another.”

Our salvation is a free gift from God. He washed our sins away. When we become a Christian, we no longer serve sin.

Romans 6:18 "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."

What this is really saying is that our flesh controlled our will until we became Christians. Now our spirit (filled with Jesus) controls our will. If we are true Christians, it is Jesus in us who controls our will. We are no longer flesh, we are spirit. Just because we are forgiven, does not give us a license to sin.

Romans 6:19-22 "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things [is] death." "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

You see, we have been set free to live in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians Introduction

Ephesians Introduction

The first three chapters are theological, emphasizing New Testament doctrine, whereas the last three chapters are practical and focus on Christian behavior. Perhaps, above all, this is a letter of encouragement and admonition, written to remind believers of their immeasurable blessings in Jesus Christ; and not only to be thankful for those blessings, but also to live in a manner worthy of them.

Paul, whose original name was Saul, was of the tribe of Benjamin and probably was named after Israel’s first king and her most prominent Benjamite. Saul was well educated in what today are called the humanities, but his most expensive training was in rabbinic studies under the famous Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He became an outstanding rabbi in his own right and was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish council at Jerusalem. He also became probably the most ardent anti-Christian leader in Judaism (Acts 22:4-5).

He passionately hated the followers of Jesus Christ and was on his way to arrest some of them in Damascus when the Lord miraculously and dramatically stopped him in his tracks and drew him to Himself (Acts 9:1-8).

After spending three years in the desert of Nabataean Arabia, Paul jointly pastured a church in Antioch of Syria with Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius and Manaen (Acts 13:1). During this earlier ministry Saul came to be known as Paul (Acts 13:9). The new man took on a new name. From Antioch the Holy Spirit sent him out with Barnabas to begin the greatest missionary enterprise in the history of the church. At that point Paul began his work as God’s unique apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13).

The book of Ephesians is actually a letter written by Paul to the church at Ephesus. Some believe that Paul was not the writer, but I tend to believe he was. This letter was written somewhere around 60 to 64 A.D. by Paul from a prison in Rome (Acts 28:16-31) and therefore referred to as a prison epistle.

This letter is a call for the Jewish converts to Christianity and the Christians to be united. The key to the whole letter is unity in Christ. Each church had its own little peculiarities. Paul's special thrust, here, is the unity of the believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile.

Ephesus was a thriving city. It was on the coast of Asia Minor. The people were a mixture of Greek and Asiatic. Diana, a false goddess, was worshipped here. The temple built for Diana had been 220 years in the building, and was thought of as one of the wonders of the world. All sorts of sorcery were practiced here. There were many Jews here, as well.

On one of Paul's visits to Ephesus, he stayed 2 years and 3 months. Aquila and Priscilla helped Paul here at Ephesus. In Revelation chapter 1 verse 11, we see that Ephesus was one of the 7 churches mentioned. Ephesus was visited several times by Paul. He was very interested in Ephesus.

On one of his visits many received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He fought against great odds here. The silversmith fought him over the false goddess Diana. The Jews fought him, and he even speaks of fighting wild beasts.

Galatians Chapter 4 Part Two

Galatians 4:17

"They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them."

“They”: The Judaizers.

“Zealously affect you” (or, “seek your favor”): With a serious concern, or warm interest (the same word is used in 1:14 to describe Paul’s former zeal for Judaism). The Judaizers appeared to have a genuine interest in the Galatians, but their true motive was to exclude the Galatians from God’s gracious salvation and win recognition for themselves.

The Judaizers are wooing the Galatians, “but not well,” that is, with improper intentions. The heretics want to “exclude” or cut them off from Paul, so that the Galatians will then court the Judaizers’ favor.

The problem that we have been dealing with in this is that the Judaizers had been trying to put these Galatian Christians back under the Law of Moses. This, to me, means that they have worked hard at getting them to go back under the law. They were even threatening to have nothing to do with them, if they did not keep the law. This is separation of the wrong kind.

We are supposed to live wholesome lives after we receive salvation, but to go back to sacrificing and circumcising the men, would be denying that Jesus fulfilled the law for all believers. It would really be denying Him to be the Christ, the Messiah.

Galatians 4:18

"But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you."

“Not only when I am present with you”: Paul encouraged the Galatians to have the same zeal for the true gospel of grace that they had once had when he was with them.

It is good to be sought after (wooed, courted) when those doing the courting do so with pure motives. Paul seeks to prevent the readers from thinking that his remark in verse 17 means he wants to monopolize them: “I do not wish to have you all to myself,” to paraphrase the apostle. “I am glad others are fond of you, provided it is with honorable motives.” This is not the case with the Judaizers.

Paul is saying here, that it is a good thing to work hard for things that are right. The main thing is that Paul wants them to be strong in their belief, whether he is with them or not. He wants them to grow up in the Lord, so they will not be influenced to believe a lie. Paul cannot be with them all the time. He wants to know that they will be able to walk the Christian walk, even when he is not there.

Galatians 4:19

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,"

“My little children” Paul’s only use of this affectionate phrase, which John uses frequently (“My little children,” 1 John 2:1, 18, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21).

This reveals that Paul’s concern for them (verse 18) is like that of a parent for his children. “I travail in birth” is the Greek word odino used of a woman suffering labor pains. It discloses the anxious concern, hard work, and pain experienced on his part for his converts.

This labor lasts “until Christ be formed in you,” that is, until Christ’s life, character and virtues are fully cultivated in their lives. Therefore, Paul is not speaking of their conversion but of their growth as Christians. Odino denotes not merely the anguish and exertion for giving birth, for formation of the embryo precedes labor pains.

Rather, a mother’s concern and labor extend from birth until her child reaches adulthood. So it is with Paul in his pastoral concern for the Galatians. But “again” indicates they failed to reach spiritual maturity following conversion, owing to this false gospel. So the writer is “again” laboring to bring them to full growth.

Paul is trying his best to get them into the Truth and then keep them in the Truth. Paul calls them his little children, because they came to Christ under his ministry. He calls them little children, because they had not grown up in the Lord. They were still feeding on milk and honey. He wants Christ to be so fully in their lives that they will not get off the Truth again.

Galatians 4:20

"I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you."

“I stand in doubt of you” is another way of saying, “I am perplexed [disturbed] about you.” The verb means “to be at wits end.” Verse 6.

Paul is concerned that they have gone back into the teaching of the law. He believes if he were there, speaking directly to them, they would be stronger in the Truth.

“Verses 4:21 – 5:1: Paul continuing to contrast grace and law, faith and work; employs an Old Testament story as an analogy or illustration of what he has been teaching.

Galatians 4:21

"Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?"

“Under the law”:

Paul had spoken to them of his love for them, but now he changes to a reprimand. Those who are determined that it is necessary to keep the law of Moses are the ones he is specifically speaking to in this verse.

Galatians 4:22

"For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman."

“Two sons”: Ishmael, son of Sarah’s Egyptian maid Hagar (Gen. 16:1-16), and Isaac, Sarah’s son (Gen. 21:1-7). “The one” [Ishmael] “by a bondmaid” [slave woman, in this case, Hagar], “the other [Isaac] “by a freewoman” (Sarah).

We see in this a very good argument for not going back to the law. We have discussed in a previous lesson how the law symbolized the flesh, and grace symbolized the Spirit. The law brought bondage to them. Grace had brought freedom.

Galatians 4:23

"But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise."

“Born after the flesh:” Ishmael’s birth was motivated by Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith in God’s promise and fulfilled by sinful human means. Ishmael was born in the ordinary manner – natural physical generation. But Isaac’s birth was “by promise,” in other words, as the result of divine promise. Contrary to nature, god enabled his parents to conceive in old age.

The comparison, here, is in the natural birth of the nation of Israel and the law. They were symbolic of the bondwoman's children. This was a religion of works of the law.

The freewoman's son was the son the promise of the redeemer would be fulfilled through. The free woman was the mother of the son the promise to Abraham would come through. We have shown over and over in these lessons how the seed spoken of in the promise to Abraham was Jesus, and through Him His followers.

Galatians 4:24

"Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar."

“An allegory” goes beyond certain surface parts of a historical account and draws out deeper meanings seemingly not inherent in that account.

The Greek word was used of a story that conveyed a meaning beyond the literal sense of the words. In this passage, Paul uses historical people and places from the Old Testament to illustrate spiritual truth.

This is actually not an allegory, nor are there any allegories in Scripture. An allegory is a fictional story where real truth is the secret, mysterious, hidden meaning. The story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac is actual history and has no secret or hidden meaning. Paul uses it only as an illustration to support his contrast between law and grace.

Paul is saying: “These things lend themselves to the following figurative explanation.” Paul makes Hagar represent the Mosaic covenant (i.e., the law) “which gendereth to bondage” (or, “which begets children for slavery”). As Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, sharing her same social status of slavery, so the law puts those subject to it in spiritual bondage.

“Two covenants”: Paul uses the two mothers, their two sons, and two locations as a further illustration of two covenants. Hager, Ishmael, and Mt. Sinai (earthly Jerusalem) represent the covenant of law; Sarah, Isaac and the heavenly Jerusalem the covenant of promise.

However, Paul cannot be contrasting these two covenants as different was of salvation, one way for Old Testament saint, another for New Testament saints – a premise he has already denied (2:16; 3:10-14, 21-22). The purpose of the Mosaic Covenant was only to show all who were under its demands and condemnation their desperate need for salvation by grace alone (3:24 – it was never intended to portray the way of salvation.

Paul’s point is that those, like the Judaizers, who attempt to earn righteousness by keeping the law, receive only bondage and condemnation (3:10, 23). While those who partake of salvation by grace – the only way of salvation since Adam’s sin – are freed from the law’s bondage and condemnation.

“Mount Sinai”: An appropriate symbol for the old covenant, since it was at Mt. Sinai that Moses received the law (Exodus 19).

“Hagar”: Since she was Sarah’s slave (Gen. 16:1), Hagar is a fitting illustration of those under bandage to the law (verses 5, 21, 3:23). She was actually associated with Mt. Sinai through her son Ishmael whose descendants settled in that region.

We see in these two covenants, the law and the grace. The law covenant was made to the physical house of Israel, and the covenant of promise (grace) was for the spiritual house of Israel (all believers in Christ).

The strange thing is that the covenant of the law had to be, before there could be the covenant of grace from the law. The law brought bondage upon the people. Agar or Hagar was the mother of the son of the flesh (Ishmael).

Galatians 4:25

"For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children."

“For” further explains the link between Hagar and Sinai. “Hagar is mount Sinai” means, “Hagar stands for Mount Sinai.” Hagar “answereth” [corresponds] “to” the then current “Jerusalem” (i.e., Judaism). Paul viewed Hagar and Judaism in the same way, for as Hagar and her offspring were in social bondage, so Judaism and her adherents were in spiritual slavery to the law.

“Answereth … Jerusalem”: The law was given at Sinai and received its highest expression in the temple worship at Jerusalem. The Jewish people were still in bondage to the law.

Galatians 4:26

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

“Jerusalem which is above is free”: Heaven (Heb. 12:18, 22). Those who are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20) are free from the Mosaic Law, works, bondage, and trying endlessly and futilely to please God by the flesh.

“The mother”: Believers are children of the heavenly Jerusalem, the “mother-city” of heaven. In contrast to the slavery of Hagar’s children, believers in Christ are free (5:1; Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18; John 8:36; Rom. 6:18, 22; 8:2; 2 Cor. 3:17).

Christianity is represented by “Jerusalem which is above,” that is, the heavenly city. This Christian community is described as being “free,” that is, not under the law.

This is speaking of the New Jerusalem. This is the Jerusalem where Christ reigns. New Jerusalem and the Christians are sometimes spoken of as the same. Of course, the New Jerusalem spoken of as the bride of Christ and the believers in Christ being the bride of Christ is what I am speaking of.

Galatians 4:27

"For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband."

Paul applies the passage from Isaiah 54:1 to the Jerusalem above.

The “barren” woman is Christianity; “she which hath a husband” is Judaism. Initially the latter had many adherents and the former had few. But Christianity “hath” [will have] “many more children” (i.e., followers] than Judaism.

This has to be a spiritual statement. This could not be in the natural. This is speaking of the Christians, who are saved, being so many that they are impossible to number. The Jews, or physical Israel, is small in comparison to that.

Galatians 4:28

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."

“Children of promise”: Just as Isaac inherited the promises made to Abraham (Gen. 26:1-3), so also are believers the recipients of God’s redemptive promises (1 Cor. 3:21-23, Eph. 1:3), because they are spiritual heirs of Abraham.

“Now” begins to apply the figurative manner of explanation. Paul views Christians as “children of promise.” That is, as Isaac was born in fulfillment of divine promise, so the Galatians’ status as God’s “children” rests neither on physical descent nor on meritorious works, but on faith in God’s “promise.”

Believers in Christ (Christians) are the children of promise, through Jesus Christ. Isaac was the spiritual son of Abraham. He was the son of promise, not the son of the flesh. Our blessing is from the right hand. The right hand blessing is the spiritual blessing.

Galatians 4:29

"But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now."

“He that was born after the flesh”: Ishmael.

“Persecuted him that was born after the Spirit”: Isaac, who Ishmael mocked at the feast celebrating Isaac’s weaning (see Gen. 21:8-9).

“Even so it is now,” says Paul; those seeking salvation by works trouble those seeking divine favor by faith in God’s grace (5:10).

Ishmael’s descendants (Arabs) have always persecuted Isaac’s (Jews). So unbelievers have always persecuted believers (Matt. 5:11; 10:22-25; Mark 10:30; John 15:19-20; 16:2, 33; 17:14; Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12; Heb. 11:32-37; 1 Pet. 2:20-21; 3:14; 4:12-14).

The war has always been between the flesh and the Spirit. Christians are born of the Spirit of God. We are not of the flesh.

John 3:5-6 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Paul is warning them here that there will never be peace between the flesh and the Spirit. The flesh wants to put you under bondage. The Spirit frees.

Galatians 4:30

"Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."

“Cast out the bondwoman”: Quoted from Gen. 21:10 to illustrate that those who are attempting to be justified on the basis of keeping the law will be cast out of God’s presence forever (Matt. 8:12; 22:12-13, 25:30; Luke 13:28; 2 Thess. 1:9).

Paul continues applying the allegory by citing Genesis 21:10-12, where Abraham was advised to send Hagar and Ishmael away from Sarah and Isaac. The Galatians are to excommunicate the Judaizers from their ranks. Why? Legal bondage (justification by works) and spiritual freedom (justification by faith) cannot coexist.

Jesus is the Way to heaven. There is only one way to get there. Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ makes heaven your home. It is not possible to believe in Jesus, and not believe Him all at the same time. Romans chapter 10 verses 9-10 tell what you must do to be saved.

Romans 10:9-101 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

This leaves no doubt at all. The son of the flesh denies the Lord Jesus. The son of the freewoman believes. His faith is counted unto him as righteousness.

Galatians 4:31

"So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

“We are not children of the bondwoman”:

Christians are not of the flesh, but are of the Spirit. We are righteous, with faithful Abraham, because we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is saying one more time, stay free and do not go back into the bondage of the law.

2 Corinthians Chapter 13

2 Corinthians 13:1:

Paul informed the Corinthians that he would deal biblically with any sin he found in Corinth.

This is a statement that Jesus had spoken of as being true with the Jews, as well as the Christians. This is one of the reasons that we are not to take everything in Corinthians as doctrine for the general church. Everything must be established by two different witnesses, or else it is a custom, or tradition, instead of a law.

In many of the statements made in Corinthians, Paul is the only one who said it.

Deuteronomy 19:15 "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established."

In the following Scripture, we read what the Lord Jesus had to say about this very thing.

John 8:17 "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true." The number two means agreement.

2 Corinthians 13:2

Paul is saying to those who think he is not coming and are continuing in their sin, that when he comes in person, he will take care of the problem.

As we had found in chapter 12:21 that Paul did not want to find the Corinthians in the same sorry spiritual condition as on his last visit, the one called the “painful visit”. If he came and found them practicing the same sins that he mentions in that scripture, he would have had to discipline them.

2 Corinthians 13:3:

Paul is saying, I may appear in the flesh to weak, but Christ speaking in me is very strong. Even though they had strayed, The Lord Jesus Christ had not abandoned them. They were but babes in Christ who needed further training in the things of God. Paul was just the one who could give this training, because of the power of Christ which worked in him.

Those Corinthians still seeking proof that Paul was a genuine apostle would have it when he arrived. They may have gotten more than they bargained for, for Paul was going to use his apostolic authority and power to deal with any sin and rebellion he found there.

Christ’s power was to be revealed through Paul against the sinning Corinthians. By rebelling against Christ’s chosen apostle, they were rebelling against Him.

2 Corinthians 13:4:

It appeared to the world that the Lord Jesus Christ was weak, because he was crucified. What Satan thought to be his greatest victory, was actually his defeat. The greatest victory of all time was the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. He defeated Satan and sin for all of mankind on the cross.

He defeated death, when He rose from the grave. Paul is saying, we may appear to be weak, but that is our flesh you are looking at. The power of the living God {Jesus Christ} in Paul made him stronger than anything that could be thrown against him. Our lives and Paul's life is hid in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Paul was to come to Corinth armed with the irresistible power of the risen, glorified Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Paul turned the tables on his accusers, Instead of presuming to evaluate his apostleship; they needed to test the genuineness of their faith. (James 2:14-26) He pointed out the incongruity of the Corinthians’ believing as they did, that their faith was genuine and his apostleship false.

Paul was their spiritual father and if his apostleship was counterfeit, so was their faith. The genuineness of their salvation was proof of the genuineness of his apostleship.

"Reprobates", in the verse above, means unapproved, rejected, worthless, or castaway. All true Christians have Jesus within them. The reprobate is those who totally reject Jesus as their Savior.

2 Corinthians 13:6

There was no question that Paul was not a reprobate. He was so full of the Lord Jesus that many miracles were performed by him in the name of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 13:7

Paul is not saying he is reprobate, he is saying, that the false teachers there at Corinth think he is reprobate. Paul's concern is for his church, and not for himself. Paul prayed to God for his churches all the time.

His deepest longing was for his spiritual children to lead godly lives, even if they persisted in doubting him. Paul was even willing to appear “disqualified,” as long as the Corinthians turned from their sin.

2 Corinthians 13:8-9

Lest anyone think Paul’s reference to being disqualified in verse 7 was an admission of wrongdoing on his part, Paul hastened to add that he had not violated “the truth” of the gospel. The apostle may also have meant that he needed to take no action against the Corinthians if he found them living according to “the truth”.

In that case, he would rejoice in his “weakness”, that is, his lack of opportunity to exercise his apostolic power, because that would mean that the Corinthian’ were spiritually “strong”.

The Word of God is Truth. I have said, over and over, the 2 great powers in the world are the spoken and the written Word. Paul's power and, in fact, our power is in the Truth of God. The only way to accomplish anything is with the Truth. When we operate in the power of the Word of God, it is Truth.

Paul is much more concerned for those he led to the Lord than he is for himself. He says, I do not need to be elevated up. Paul wishes that they will be perfect in all their deeds.

2 Corinthians 13:10

This is a one sentence summary of Paul’s purpose in writing this letter to the Corinthians.

Paul is afraid, if he were with them, and they had not repented of their sins, that he would get really harsh with them, and possibly even run them off from God. The Lord has given him power and authority to rule over these churches that he started. Paul would rather build them up, instead of destroy them. This is why he is writing, instead of coming to them in person.

2 Corinthians 13:11

Paul's last words to them are speaking a blessing on them. He wants them to feel his love for them in these last few words of his letter to them. He rebuked them for their sin, which he had to do as their leader, but he wants them to know that he has not stopped loving them.

This was written as an encouragement to the Corinthians to carry out the exhortations in the first part of the verse. Only here in the New Testament is God called “the God of Love”.

He has high hopes for the way they will conduct their lives from here on in. Just as a loving parent, his last words are instructions on how to live peaceful lives. He says, I know you will do these things. Do not fuss and fight. Be of one mind and one accord.

2 Corinthians 13:12

This was a sign of greeting in biblical times, much like the modern handshake. For Christians, it further expressed brotherly love and unity.

2 Corinthians 13:13

Those in Macedonia, possibly Philippi, from where Paul wrote 2 Corinthians are most likely the saints being referred to here.

While encouraging unity within the Corinthian church, Paul did not want the Corinthians to lose sight of their unity with other churches.

2 Corinthians 13:14

The Trinitarian benediction reminded the Corinthians of the blessings they had received: “grace” from the Lord Jesus Christ, “love” from God the Father and “communion” with God and each other through the Holy Spirit. Jesus was mentioned before the Father because His sacrificial death is the ultimate expression of God’s love.