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Ephesians Chapter One

 
Chapter One General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THE CHAPTER
 
1) To review the wonderful blessings God has provided in Christ
 
2) To understand what Paul desired the Ephesians that they know
 
3) To notice the greatness of God's power toward those who believe
 
4) To consider the exalted position of Christ and His church
 
SUMMARY
 
Following a brief salutation (1-2), Paul begins this epistle with an
expression of praise to God for the spiritual blessings that are in
Christ (3). In this doxology is a list of blessings divided into three
sections. The first section describes those blessings related to the
Father, how He has chosen us in Christ, predestined us to adoption as
sons to Himself, and made us accepted in the Beloved (4-6). The second
section focuses on those blessings in relation to the Son, e.g.,
redemption through His blood, forgiveness of sins, the revelation of
His will concerning Jesus Christ, and the inheritance we have obtained,
as predestined according to God's will (7-12). The third section
describes blessings related to the Holy Spirit, how we are sealed with
the Spirit of promise, and how He serves as a "guarantee" (or deposit)
of our inheritance (13-14). The key phrase throughout this section is
"in Him" (or "in Whom") which stresses the point that all spiritual
blessing come through Jesus Christ and enjoyed by those who are "in"
Him (cf. 1:1,3).
 
The last half of the chapter contains Paul's first of two prayers that
are in this epistle. The prayer in this chapter is for their
"enlightenment", that their knowledge and understanding might increase.
Paul especially desires that they might know God more fully, what is
the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints, and what is the great power of God toward
those who believe (15-19). Regarding this "power", it is the same
power God used to raise Jesus from the dead and seat Him at His right
hand. The exalted position now enjoyed by Christ includes authority
over all things, especially the church which is described as "His body,
the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (20-23)
 
OUTLINE
 
I. INTRODUCTION (1-3)
 
 A. THE AUTHOR (1a)
 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
 2. By the will of God
 
 B. THE RECIPIENTS (1b)
 1. The saints (who are in Ephesus)
 2. The faithful in Christ Jesus
 
 C. THE SALUTATION (2)
 1. Grace and peace
 2. From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
 
 D. THE THEME OF THE EPISTLE (3)
 1. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be blessed
 (praised)
 2. For He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
  heavenly places in Christ
 
II. OUR SPIRITUAL POSSESSIONS IN CHRIST (3-14)
 
 A. BLESSINGS INVOLVING THE FATHER (4-6)
 1. We are chosen by God (4)
 a. Chosen in Christ before the world began
 b. Chosen to holy and without blame before Him in love
 2. We are predestined by God (5-6a)
 a. Predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself
 b. Predestined according to the good pleasure of His Will
 -- To the praise of His glorious grace
 3. We are accepted by God (6)
 a. Accepted by virtue of His glorious grace
 b. Accepted in the Beloved (Christ)
 
 B. BLESSINGS INVOLVING THE SON (7-12)
 1. God has redeemed us (7a)
 a. Redeemed in Christ
 b. Redeemed through His blood
 2. God has forgiven us (7b-8)
 a. Forgiven us of our sins
 b. Forgiven us according to the riches of His grace
 1) Which God has made to abound toward us
 2) Abounding in all wisdom and prudence
  3. God has revealed His will to us (9-10)
 a. Revealed the mystery of His will
 1) According to His good pleasure
 2) Which He purposed in Himself
 b. Revealed how He will gather together in one all things in
  Christ
 1) Things in heaven
 2) Things on earth
 4. God has given us an inheritance (11-12)
 a. An inheritance predestined by God
 1) According to His purpose
 2) Who works all things according to His will
 b. An inheritance...
 1) For those who first trusted in Christ
 2) So they can be to the praise of God's glory
 
 C. BLESSINGS INVOLVING THE HOLY SPIRIT (13-14)
 1. The Holy Spirit is our "seal" (13)
  a. Having trusted in Christ after hearing the word of truth,
 the gospel of salvation
 b. Having believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of
 promise
 2. The Holy Spirit is our "guarantee" (14)
 a. The guarantee of our inheritance
 b. The guarantee until the redemption of the purchased
 possession
 -- To the praise of God's glory
 
III. PAUL'S FIRST PRAYER: FOR THEIR ENLIGHTENMENT (15-23)
 
 A. THAT WHICH PRECIPITATED HIS PRAYER (15-16)
 1. Having heard of their:
 a. Faith in the Lord Jesus
 b. Love for all their saints
 2. Resulting in his:
 a. Unceasing thanks for them
 b. Making mention of them in his prayers
 
 B. THE CONTENT OF HIS PRAYER (17-23)
 1. To whom addressed (17a)
 a. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ
 b. The Father of glory
 2. That God would...
 a. Give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation (17b)
 b. Enlighten the eyes of their understanding (18a)
 3. That they might know...
 a. The knowledge of God (17c)
 b. The hope of His calling (18b)
 c. The riches of the glorious inheritance in the saints (18c)
 d. The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe
 (19a)
 4. Regarding this power toward us who believe...
 a. It is according to working of God's mighty power in Christ
 (19b-20a)
 b. The same mighty power which...
 1) Raised Christ from the dead (20b)
 2) Seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places
 (20c-21)
 a) Far above all principality, power, might, dominion,
 and every name
 b) Not only in this age, but also in that which is to
 come
 3) Put all things under His feet (22a)
 4) Gave Him to be head over all things to the church
 (22b-23)
 a) Which is His body
 b) Which is the fullness of Him who fills all in all
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Introduction (1-3)
 - Our spiritual possessions in Christ (3-14)
 - Paul's first prayer: for their enlightenment (15-23)
 
2) Why is God to be blessed (praised)? (3)
 - Because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
 heavenly places in Christ
 
3) What blessings have we received that pertain especially to the
 Father? (4-6)
 - He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world
 - He predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ
 - He made us acceptable in the Beloved (Jesus)
 
4) What blessings have we received that pertain especially to the Son?
 (7-12)
 - God has redeemed us through His Son's blood
 - God has forgiven us of our sins
 - God has revealed His will to us
 - God has given us an inheritance
 
5) What blessings have we received that pertain especially to the Holy
 Spirit? (13-14)
 - We have been "sealed" by the Holy Spirit
 - We have received the Spirit as a "guarantee" of our inheritance
 
6) What had Paul heard, that prompted his prayers in their behalf?
 (15-16)
 - Of their faith in the Lord Jesus
 - Of their love for all the saints
 
7) Concerning what did Paul pray that his readers might know and be
 enlightened? (17-19)
 - The knowledge of God
 - The hope of His calling
 - The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
 - The exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe
 
8) According to what is God's power toward those who believe? (20)
 - The mighty power God worked in Christ, in raising Him from the
 dead and seating Him at His right hand
 
9) What is Christ's exalted position at God's right hand? (21)
 - Far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name
 that is named, both now and in the age to come
 
10) What has been placed under His feet? Over what is He the head?
 (23)
 - All things
 - The church
 
11) What is the church in relation to Christ? (23)
 - His body
 - The fullness of Him who fills all in all

Introduction To The Epistle (1:1-3)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Have you ever heard of "Hetty" Green, known as "America's Greatest
 Miser"?
 a. She died in 1916, and left an estate worth over $100 million
 b. Yet, it is said that...
 1) She ate oatmeal cold, because it cost to heat it
 2) Her son's leg was amputated, because she delayed too long
 looking for a free clinic
 c. Sounds crazy, doesn't it?
 1) For someone who had such great assets, to go through life
 miserable
 2) Living the life of a pauper, when great wealth was at her
 disposal
 
2. But the same could be said of many Christians today...
 a. For in Christ Jesus, we have countless spiritual blessings! - cf. 
 Ep 1:3
 b. However, many of these blessings go unused
 1) Blessings that are wonderful, but unappreciated by many
 2) Resulting in some Christians living what Thoreau would call 
 "lives of quiet desperation"
 
3. God would have us to know about these blessings, or spiritual 
 "riches", and in the New Testament one book in particular describes 
 many of them . . .
 a. It is the book of Ephesians
 b. One expressed purpose of the book is that we might know "what are 
 the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" - cf. 
 Ep 1:18
 
4. Lest we become the spiritual equivalent of "Hetty" Green, we begin a
 series devoted to the Epistle to the Ephesians, in which we plan to
 "mine" for the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus
 
[In Ep 1:1-3, Paul addresses the brethren at Ephesus and begins
immediately to speak of our "spiritual blessings". Let's first more
closely consider...]
 
I. THE AUTHOR (1:1a)
 
 A. PAUL...
 1. Formerly, "Saul of Tarsus", the persecutor of the church - Ac
 9:1-2
 2. But who became the "apostle to the Gentiles" - Ac 9:15
 
 B. AN APOSTLE OF JESUS BY THE WILL OF GOD...
 1. His apostleship was not of his own choosing - cf. Ga 1:1
 2. He knew it was by the grace of God that he had been so called 
 - Ep 3:8a
 3. And his charge? To "preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
 riches of Christ" - Ep 3:8b
 
 C. WHOSE WORK HAD BROUGHT HIM TO EPHESUS...
 1. First, for a short stay - Ac 18:19-21
 2. Then for over two years, one of his longer periods of service
 in one place - Ac 19:1-10
 3. He also met with the Ephesian elders at Miletus - Ac 20:17-38
 
 D. WRITING NOW AS "AN AMBASSADOR IN CHAINS"...
 1. At the time Paul wrote this epistle, he was awaiting trial in
 Rome - cf. Ep 3:1; 4:1; 6:20
 2. This epistle was written about the same time as Colossians,
 Philippians, and Philemon, approximately 60-62 A.D.
 3. I.e., during the time period briefly described in Ac 28:30-31
 
[Now for a few thoughts on...]
 
II. THE RECIPIENTS (1:1b)
 
 A. THE SAINTS WHO ARE IN EPHESUS...
 1. The recipients of this letter were called "saints"
 a. The word "saint" means "one who has been set apart"
 b. It is related to the word "sanctified" which means "set 
 apart"
 c. ALL Christians were called saints in the New Testament, for
 in Christ Jesus even the vilest sinners are "sanctified" 
  upon their conversion - cf. 1 Co 6:9-11
 2. The recipients of this letter were those brethren "in Ephesus"
 a. This is called into question by some, for in a few
 manuscripts "in Ephesus" is omitted
 b. For a detailed examination of this question, cf. New 
 Testament Commentary, Exposition Of Ephesians, William 
 Hendriksen, Baker Book House, pp. 56-61
 c. Hendricksen's conclusion: this letter was written to the 
 churches of Ephesus and surroundings
 3. Historical background concerning the work in Ephesus can be 
 found in Ac 18:19-28; 19:1-41; 20:17-38
 
 B. AND FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS...
 1. This describes the character of those "saints" in Ephesus
 2. They are "faithful in Christ Jesus"; that is, they trusted in 
 Him for their salvation - cf. Ep 1:13
 3. They were "faithful" in another sense, also, in that they were
 trustworthy in their stand for the truth - cf. Re 2:1-3, 6
 4. However, they were to be later rebuked for leaving their "first
 love" - Re 2:4-5
 
[To these "faithful saints", Paul give his customary greeting in which
he prays for grace and peace to come upon them from God and Jesus (1:2).
 
With the very next verse, Paul begins to praise God for the blessings we
have in Christ, which reveals to us...]
 
III. THE THEME: THE BELIEVER'S RICHES IN CHRIST (1:3)
 
 A. THE SOURCE OF OUR BLESSINGS (RICHES)...
 1. They come from "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
 2. As revealed later, they come to us a result of the "riches" 
 of . . .
 a. God's grace - Ep 1:7
 b. God's glory - Ep 1:18
 c. God's mercy - Ep 2:7
 3. As James wrote, "every good gift and every perfect gift is from
 above, and comes down from the Father of lights" - Ja 1:17
 
 B. THE SCOPE OF OUR BLESSINGS (RICHES)...
 1. They include "every" spiritual blessing; not just a few, but 
 every single one!
 3. Blessings that are "spiritual" in nature; unlike many of the 
 blessings to the nation of Israel of old, which were but 
 material
 
 C. THE SPHERE OF OUR BLESSINGS (RICHES)...
 1. First, they are "in the heavenly places"
 a. Lit., "in the heavenlies", a phrase found only in Ephesians 
 - 1:3; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12
 b. Referring to the spiritual realm, as opposed to the physical
 2. Secondly, they are "in Christ"
 a. It has been counted that this phrase "in Christ" occurs 27 
 times in this epistle
 c. Emphasizing that it is only by being "in" Christ that one 
 can have access to "every" spiritual blessing
 
[With verse three, then, we have the "theme" of this epistle stated, and
one would do well to think of it as the "key verse".
 
Before we close this introduction to Ephesians, it may be helpful to
consider the following outline of the book as presented in "The Bible
Exposition Commentary", Volume 2, Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 7...]
 
IV. A BRIEF OUTLINE
 
 A. DOCTRINE: OUR RICHES IN CHRIST (chapters 1-3)
 1. Our spiritual possessions in Christ (1:4-14)
 a. From the Father (1:4-6)
 b. From the Son (1:7-12)
 c. From the Spirit (1:13-14)
 -- First Prayer: for enlightenment (1:15-23)
 2. Our spiritual position in Christ (2:1-22)
 a. Raised and seated on the throne (2:1-10)
 b. Reconciled and set into the temple (2:11-22)
 -- Second Prayer: for enablement (3:1-21; with verses 2-13 as 
 a parenthesis)
 
 B. DUTY: OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN CHRIST (chapters 4-6)
 1. Walk in unity (4:1-16)
 2. Walk in purity (4:17-5:17)
 a. Walk not as other Gentiles (4:17-32)
 b. Walk in love (5:1-6)
  c. Walk as children of light (5:7-14)
 d. Walk carefully (5:15-17)
 3. Walk in harmony (5:18-6:9)
 a. Husbands and wives (5:18-33)
 b. Parents and children (6:1-4)
 c. Masters and servants (6:5-9)
 d. Walk in victory (6:10-24)
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. In our next lesson, we will begin our study of this Epistle to the
 Ephesians in earnest, noticing immediately some of those
 "unsearchable riches of Christ"
 
2. But as we have already seen, the "sphere" in which these blessings
 (riches) are to be found is "IN Christ". How does one get "into"
 Christ?
 
The answer is found in Ga 3:26-27, where we learn that those who have
been "baptized into Christ have put on Christ". Are you in Christ...?

Blessings Involving The Father (1:4-6)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. As suggested in the previous lesson, the "theme" of Ephesians is "The
 Believer's Riches In Christ"
 
2. After his brief salutation (1:1-2), Paul immediately begins in 1:3
 by praising God for the blessings (or riches) we have in Christ...
 a. This "doxology" actually continues throughout verses 4-14
 b. The spiritual "possessions" that are mentioned in this passage can
 easily be outlined as:
 1) Blessings involving the Father (4-6)
 2) Blessings involving the Son (7-12)
 3) Blessings involving the Holy Spirit (13-14)
 
3. In an effort to appreciate how spiritually blessed we are in Christ,
 we will examine this section (4-14) in three separate lessons
 
[With verses 4-6, then, we focus in on "Blessings Involving The 
Father", beginning with the fact that in Christ we are...]
 
I. CHOSEN BY GOD (1:4)
 
 A. DEFINING THE TERM "CHOSEN"...
 1. Comes from the Greek eklegomai {ek-leg'-om-ahee}, and means "to
 pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self"
 2. Related to the idea of "election" which comes from ekloge
 {ek-log-ay'}, meaning "the act of picking out, choosing"
 
 B. THE "TIME" OF THIS CHOICE...
 1. "before the foundation of the world"
 2. Before the world was ever created, God made His "choice" or
 "election"
 3. Just as with Christ Himself, who was foreordained "before the
 foundation of the world" - 1 Pe 1:20
 
 C. THE "OBJECTS" OF THIS CHOICE...
 1. The Calvinist believes that this choice was...
 a. Individual (only certain select individuals have been
 chosen)
 b. Dependent solely upon God's gracious and mysterious will,
 without any foreknowledge of good or evil on the part of
  those selected
 c. Unconditional and final (there is no possibility of
 apostasy)
 2. The Arminian believes that this choice was...
 a. Individual (certain select individuals have been chosen)
 b. Based upon foreknowledge of those souls who would respond to
 the gospel and persevere in the faith
 c. Unconditional and final, in the sense that God already knows
 those who will persevere to the end
 3. Paul says simply "...chose us in Him (i.e., Christ)", and I
 understand this election by God to have been...
 a. General, not particular; corporate, not individual
 b. The body of Christ, the church as a whole, which God chose 
 for His divine and gracious purposes He planned to carry out
 in Christ
 c. And that while in the "corporate" sense this choice is 
 unconditional and final, as "individuals" we must be 
 "diligent to make your calling and election sure" - 2 Pe
 1:10
 1) Just as Israel (as a nation) had been chosen by God to 
 receive His blessings
 2) But individually, the Israelites also had to "make their 
 calling and election sure"
 
 D. THE "PURPOSE" OF THIS CHOICE...
 1. "that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love"
 2. The goal of God's choice in eternity was to produce a people in
 Christ Jesus who would be:
 a. "holy" - set apart for a special purpose
 b. "without blame" - free from condemnation
 c. "in love" - walking before God in a "sphere" of love - cf. 
 Ep 5:1-2
 
[In Christ Jesus, then, we are blessed to be God's "chosen" people (cf.
1 Pe 2:9). How God was able to carry out the "purpose" of His choice
when all He had to work with were sinners will be explained in verses
7-12.
 
But first we also learn that in Christ Jesus we have been...]
 
II. PREDESTINED BY GOD (1:5-6a)
 
 A. DEFINING THE TERM "PREDESTINED"...
 1. From the Greek word, proorizo {pro-or-id'-zo}, meaning "to 
 predetermine, decide beforehand"
 2. Thus this verse speaks of that which God "predetermined 
 beforehand"
 -- WHO was it that God "predetermined"?
 
 B. THE SUBJECTS OF GOD'S "PREDESTINATION"...
 1. Paul simply says "us"
 2. As with election, I understand Paul to speaking of the church 
 as a whole
 3. As B. W. Johnson says: "The whole line of argument is general 
 instead of particular." (The People's New Testament)
 --WHAT was it that God "predetermined"?
 
 C. THE PURPOSE OF GOD'S "PREDESTINATION"...
 1. "adoption as sons"
 2. Quoting Johnson again: God has "foreordained that we, the 
 church of Jesus Christ, should be adopted as his children."
 3. As Wiersbe points out, the word "predestination" refers 
 primarily to what God does for saved people: "Election seems 
 to refer to people, while predestination refers to purposes" 
  (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 11)
 3. So it is here, that Paul reveals that which had been 
 predetermined beforehand was the church (all those who are 
 saved) would be "adopted" into the family of God
 -- WHY did God "predetermine" this?
 
 D. THE BASIS OF GOD'S "PREDESTINATION"...
 1. "according to the good pleasure of His will"
 2. Putting it simply, the idea "pleased" God!
 a. It is something He wanted to do
 b. And by His Divine Will He has made it possible!
 
[What should our reaction be to all this? To praise God for His 
glorious grace ("to the praise of the glory of His grace")! For it is 
His "grace" by which we can now be...]
 
III. ACCEPTED BY GOD (1:6b)
 
 A. DEFINING THE TERM "ACCEPTED"...
 1. Comes from the Greek word charitoo {khar-ee-to'-o}, and means:
 a. To be highly favored
 b. To peruse with grace, compass with favor
 c. To honour with blessings
 2. It is used in Lk 1:28 in reference to the virgin Mary 
 ("highly favored one")
 3. Like Mary, those in Christ are "highly favored" in God's sight!
 
 B. THE BASIS UPON WHICH WE ARE "ACCEPTED"...
 1. "in the Beloved" (Jesus Christ)
 2. As emphasized in 1:3 and throughout verses 4-14, all these 
 blessings are "in" and "by" Jesus Christ:
 a. God chose us "in Him (Christ)" - 1:4
 b. God predestined us to adoption as sons "by Jesus Christ" 
 - 1:5
 c. God has made us accepted "in the Beloved (Christ) - 1:6
 3. Therefore it is by our being "in" Christ that we are privileged
 to be "highly favored" by God, and showered by these wonderful 
 blessings!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. And what should our reaction be?
 a. To praise God for His glorious grace! - cf. Ep 1:6
 b. Offering such praise is a form of "spiritual sacrifice" by which 
 we can say "thank you!" - cf. He 13:15
 
2. How can God afford to be so gracious to those who are sinners? Our 
 next lesson will examine how in detail, but notice Ep 1:7
 a. Have you experienced this redemption through His blood, the 
 forgiveness of sins?
 b. To learn how, carefully read Ac 2:36-41...

Blessings Involving The Son (1:7-12)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. We saw in the previous lesson that Paul starts his epistle to the 
 Ephesians with praising God for the spiritual riches (blessings) that
 we have in Christ - Ep 1:3
 
2. Throughout Ep 1:4-14 Paul lists some of these wonderful blessings
 that are ours, and in verses 4-6 we saw those blessings which 
 center around the Father, how that we who are in Christ are:
 a. "Chosen by God", to be holy and without blame before Him in love 
 (1:4)
 b. "Predestined by God", to receive the adoption as sons of God 
 (1:5-6a)
 c. "Accepted by God", that is, to be highly favored by Him (1:6b)
 
3. How is it that we who are sinners are so blessed by God?
 a. The answer is hinted at in verses 4-6 by the repeated reference
 to Christ:
 1) "chose us IN HIM"
  2) "adoption as sons BY JESUS CHRIST"
 3) "made us accepted IN THE BELOVED"
 b. Thus it is only in and through Jesus Christ that we can receive 
 these wonderful blessings! (remember 1:3)
 
4. This becomes even clearer as we now consider verses 7-12, as Paul 
 expands upon "Blessings Involving The Son"...
 a. Please note that the distinction being made between blessings 
 involving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a narrow one
 b. For truly each of the blessings described usually involve two or 
 more Persons in the Godhead
 c. But for memorization purposes it can be helpful to divide up the 
 blessings in the way we have done
 
[The first blessing we notice in this section is that through His 
Son...]
 
I. GOD HAS REDEEMED US (7a)
 
 A. DEFINING "REDEMPTION"...
 1. The Greek word is apolutrosis {ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis}
 2. It means "a releasing effected by payment of ransom"
 3. As Hendriksen defines it, "deliverance as a result of the
 payment of a ransom"
 4. Hendriksen goes on to suggest that this "redemption" implies:
 a. "emancipation...from the guilt, punishment, and power of
 sin" - cf. Jn 8:34; Ro 7:14; Ga 3:13
 b. "restoration to true liberty" - cf. Jn 8:36
 
 B. OUR REDEMPTION IS "THROUGH HIS (CHRIST'S) BLOOD"...
 1. The purchase price paid in order to redeem us was the blood of
 Jesus - cf. 1 Pe 1:18-19
 2. By His death on the cross, Jesus has paid the price to deliver 
 us from the bondage of sin, for which He deserves our highest 
 praise! - cf. Re 5:9, 12
 
[We now see how God could carry out His choice to have a people who are 
holy and without blame, adopted as sons unto Him, when all He had to 
work with were "sinners". Through the death of Jesus and the shedding 
of His blood, God was just to "redeem" or "deliver" sinners from the 
bondage of sin!
 
There is another way to express what God has done to make it possible
for us to be "holy and without blame before Him in love", and that is, 
through His Son...]
 
II. GOD HAS FORGIVEN US (7b-8)
 
 A. DEFINING "FORGIVENESS"...
 1. The Greek word is aphesis {af'-es-is}, and it's shades of 
 meaning include:
 a. "release from bondage or imprisonment"
 b. "forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they
 had never been committed), remission of the penalty"
 2. With the shedding of Jesus' blood, it is now possible to be 
 "forgiven", that is, "pardoned" so that we are no longer guilty
 of or imprisoned by sin
 
 B. WHAT HAS BEEN FORGIVEN ARE OUR "SINS" (TRESPASSES)...
 1. The Greek word here is paraptoma, {par-ap'-to-mah}
 a. Lit., it means "a side-slip (lapse or deviation)"
 b. Thus it refers to (unintentional) error or (willful) 
 transgression
 2. The very sort of things (faults, offenses, sins, trespasses) 
 that would keep us from being "holy and without blame"
 3. Through Jesus' blood, we can obtain "pardon" from such things,
 and be "holy and without blame"!
 
 C. THE BASIS FOR BOTH "REDEMPTION" AND "FORGIVENESS" IS GOD'S GRACE...
 1. "according to the riches of His grace" - 7c
 2. "which He made to abound toward us" - 8a
 3. As Paul told Titus, it is by God's mercy and grace we are
 justified - Ti 3:3-7
 4. This wonderful grace is manifested by God in all...
 a. "wisdom" - from the Greek word sophia, {sof-ee'-ah}
 1) Defined by Hendriksen as "that ability to apply knowledge
 to the best advantage, enabling a person to use the most 
 effective means for the attainment of the highest goal"
 2) In God's case, His wisdom is often beyond the capability
 of man to find out on his own - cf. Ro 11:33
 b. "prudence" - from the Greek word phronesis {fron'-ay-sis}
 1) Meaning "mental action or activity, i.e. intellectual or 
 moral insight: prudence, wisdom."
 2) With much thought God has chosen to show His grace toward
 us!
 
[According to His wisdom, prudence, and grace, God has provided 
"redemption" and "forgiveness" through the blood of His dear Son!
 
But there is more! While God's wisdom is often beyond the ability of 
man to find out on his own, through His Son...]
 
III. GOD HAS REVEALED HIS WILL TO US (9-10)
 
 A. "HE HAS MADE KNOWN TO THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL"...
 1. As explained by Paul later in this epistle (cf. Ep 3:3-5),
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