Ephesians; The Gospel of Relationships

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  The Church at Ephesus




  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 19, 20:17-38. Memory Text: “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and pre-
  vailed” (Acts 19:20, NKJV).

            he Ephesian church was fortunate to have had the ministry of

  T         Paul. Imagine—Paul as your minister? What a blessing!
               It needed a Paul too. The church itself had many enemies, some
  as ferocious as wild beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), and this explains all the
  more Paul’s closeness to the Ephesian congregation. No wonder his
  m i n i s t ry there was long and arduous, but when he left, he did so with
  the satisfaction that would be the envy of any pastor: “ ‘I have not hesi-
  tated to proclaim to you the whole will of God’ ” (Acts 20:27, NIV).
     Among others associated with the church were Aquila and Priscilla,
  Apollos, Timothy, and the apostle John. Each of them had a role to
  play in the building of this church, one of the f inest of the first cen-
  tury. What can we learn as we delve into this fascinating and instruc-
  tive moment in early Christian history?

 Ephesus: Jesus V. Diana                       (Acts 19:24-29)

   Located at the western edge of Asia Minor, with easy access to the
 Aegean Sea, Ephesus was at the height of its glory in the first and sec-
 ond centuries A.D. The fourth-largest city of the Roman Empire, the
 capital of Asia Minor, Ephesus boasted of a rich heritage of wealth,
 philosophy, and Roman law.
   Perhaps the most attractive point about the city was its temple of
 Diana, the goddess of fertility whom “all Asia and the world” wor-
 shiped (Acts 19:27). Known as Artemis to the Greeks and Diana to the
 Romans, the goddess had a cult of followers who practiced magic and
 astrology; the worship of this figure also brought to the city a flood of
 worshipers and tourists. Built of marble and lined with gold, her
 temple measured 324x164 feet and held in the center of its inner sanc-
 tuary the image of Diana. During Paul’s time the temple was con-
 sidered one of the seven wonders of the world, and the city’s com-
 merce, industry, and economy depended on the multitudes flocking
 there to worship Diana.
   Into this city, absorbed with the worship of the deity of fertility,
 entered Paul proclaiming, “ ‘they are not gods which are made with
 hands’ ” (Acts 19:26, NKJV). In other words, his message struck at the
 heart of all that these people held dear.

   The conflict between Christ and Diana is as old as the conflict
 between Christ and Satan. The war is not always about what is right
 and wrong or about who offers the good life and who does not. The
 conflict is an appeal to the immediate as opposed to the eternal, to the
 emotional as opposed to the spiritual, to the pleasures of life as
 opposed to salvation from sin.
   At Ephesus the two stood in confrontation. Paul was on one side,
 Demetrius on the other, and both were appealing in the name of reli-
 gion. That raises a point we can forget only at our peril: We confront
 an Ephesus at every corner, and that includes our own hearts.

  Read again the argument made against Paul and his faith.
  Notice how his opponents justified their opposition so that it
  appeared their concerns weren’t just about their own livelihood
  but about something greater than themselves. In what ways do
  we do the same thing, making excuses for what we do on the pre-
  text of some cause greater than ourselves when, in the end, our
  real and immediate concern is only ourselves?


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 Ephesus: Aquila and Priscilla
    Paul’s first visit to Ephesus was a brief one, at the close of his sec-
 ond missionary journey, en route from Corinth to Antioch on the way
 to Jerusalem. While in Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla. The three
 had much in common: They were Jews who had accepted Jesus as the
 Messiah. They had traveled quite a bit—Paul on mission, the couple
 on business. They were refugees—the couple driven from Rome and
 Paul from many cities. And they all were tentmakers.
    Forged out of necessity, born out of love for Jesus, and burdened
 with sharing the gospel, the threesome made an effective team min-
 istry. After witnessing in Corinth, the three went to Ephesus (Acts
 18:19). There Paul preached his first sermon (as his custom was) to
 Jews in the local synagogue. His audience was so impressed that they
 requested him to stay longer, but he declined, promising, “ ‘I will
 return . . . God willing’ ” (vs. 21, NKJV). The apostle must have sensed
 the potential of Ephesus to become a great Christian center, and so he
 left Aquila and Priscilla behind. The two faithful laypersons became
 instrumental in the establishment of the early believers at Ephesus.
 Later, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (c. A.D. 57) from Ephesus, he
 sends the Corinthian church greetings from Priscilla and Aquila and
 the church that met in their house (1 Cor. 16:19). The lay couple and
 the church at Ephesus have left us a meaningful role model in lay min-
 istry, particularly that of team ministry.

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   Aquila and Priscilla were a blessing, not only to the Ephesus church
 but also to the early missionary movement in that they brought
 Apollos to the full knowledge of truth (Acts 18:26). Consequently, the
 early church gained an eloquent, educated, cultured, and fearless
 preacher in Apollos.

   Reread Romans 16:3, 4. How many people would you be willing
   to risk your life for? For what causes would you endanger your
   life? Mull over your answers. What conclusions can you draw
   from them about yourself?

 Apollos at Ephesus                  (Acts 18:24-28)

   Even before Paul began his full-fledged ministry at Ephesus, the
 church there was exposed to Apollos, a brilliant orator from
 Alexandria, the second most important city in the Roman Empire. A
 Jew from that great center of Greek learning, he was highly cultured
 and learned in philosophy and rhetoric and knew the Scriptures well
 (Acts 18:24). But what is culture without conviction? And what is con-
 viction without a passion to persuade others toward what one is con-
 vinced about?

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    Despite all that he had going for him, Aquila and Priscilla detected
 a deficiency in Apollos’s message. Evidently “he knew only the bap-
 tism of John” (Acts 18:25, NKJV), not the baptism of Jesus. The
 Baptist himself knew the difference: One was of water, the other was
 of the “ ‘Holy Spirit and fire’ ” (Matt. 3:11, NKJV). It is not enough
 to go through the ritual of baptism. A ritual has no saving power. It is
 only a symbol of something deeper and greater. John spoke of repent-
 ance from sin, and this was only the first step. The whole gospel calls
 us to repent and believe in Jesus—His death and resurrection—and be
 transformed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This Apollos did not
 know, and Aquila and Priscilla “took him aside and explained to him
 the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26, NKJV).
    The church at Ephesus, thus, early in its beginnings, not only had
 the benefit of a great scholar expounding the Scriptures but also
 became the venue of turning this scholar into a true disciple of Christ.

  Apparently, among his other attributes, Apollos was able to
  re c e ive instruction and correction. Why is being open to correc-
  tion so important for any Christian? When was the last time
  someone attempted to correct you on something? How did you
  respond? How can you learn to accept needed correction better?



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 Paul at Ephesus                (Acts 19:1-20)

   During Paul’s third missionary journey he kept the promise he made
 to the Ephesians (Acts 18:21) and returned to the great city where he
 spent about three years preaching and establishing a strong church.
 “All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews
 and Greeks” (19:10, NKJV). Note the phrase Jews and Greeks. The
 church at Ephesus was a mixed congregation that provides the back-
 drop for the joy and celebration of unity and relationships the Epistle
 to the Ephesians speaks so much about.
   Paul’s ministry in the city began on the right note: bringing the full-
 ness of truth to some of the believers who were already there. As in
 the case of Apollos, these believers had the baptism of John but not
 of Jesus and had not even “ ‘heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’ ”
 (vss. 1-3, NKJV). Paul, great teacher that he was, quickly gave them
 more light, which they readily accepted.

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     Despite the obstinacy of some (vs. 9), both Greeks and Jews
 throughout the province of Asia heard the Lord’s message. Paul taught
 and preached daily for over two years, and God performed “unusual
 miracles” through him (vs. 11, NKJV).
    Results of Paul’s preaching and healing ministry were astounding.
 Many believed, confessed their sins, and turned from their past ways
 of magic and sorcery. The world of the occult was shattered, and the
 city had a bonfire of incantation books worth several million dollars
 (vss. 18, 19). Most important of all, the “word of the Lord grew might-
 ily and prevailed” (vs. 20, NKJV). Even as “the name of the Lord Jesus
 was magnified” (vs. 17, NKJV), the city was gripped with fear that
 “ ‘Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed’ ” (vs. 27,
 NKJV).

  Read verses 18 and 19. Look at what their new faith cost these
  people. What has your faith cost you? Look inside your heart.
  What do you need to put on the bonfire?

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  ●2 Have someone in the class read aloud Paul’s farewell address
  to the Ephesians in Acts 20:18-35 and then, as a class, discuss
  whatever comes to your minds about his words.

  ●3 Read again about those who burned all their books (see
  Wednesday’s lesson). Wasn’t that a little extreme (after all, burn-
  ing books)? What message can we glean from their actions? Ask
  people in the class to share their own experiences of having had
  to “burn” something for the Lord: What was it? Why did they
  believe they had to do it? Are they sorry or glad they did it?

  Ephesians: Themes in
  Relationships


  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Isa. 14:12; Acts 26:9-19;
  Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:11-17; Eph. 3:11, 12; Col. 1:20, 21; Rev.
  12:7.

  A
          letter of celebration. Last week we saw that as Paul’s third
          missionary journey drew to a close and as he was on his way
          to Jerusalem, he told the Ephesians they “ ‘will see my face no
  more’ ” (Acts 20:25, NKJV). He was right. Paul was soon arrested in
  Jerusalem and eventually imprisoned in Rome. Away from the pres-
  sures of the mission frontier and shut in Caesar’s prison, Paul reflected
  on his life as the apostle to the Gentiles (Eph. 3:8).
     From the loneliness of imprisonment, the aged apostle celebrated
  the amazing fellowship in Jesus by writing his “prison” Epistles:
  Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, and the one we are now studing,
  Ephesians.
     The letter to the Ephesians deals with no particular problem, doc-
  trinal or social. It celebrates the joy of fellowship, relationship, and
  unity in Christ. It’s also a great expression of thanksgiving and praise
  for what God has done through Christ in the creation of His church.

 The Author: Paul
   “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” (Eph.
 1:1).

    As Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians, he immediately refers to
 himself as an “apostle.” In the kind of Greek Paul wrote in, this word
 carries the idea of being an ambassador, an envoy, or a messenger, cer-
 tainly an apt title to describe the life and ministry of Paul, who,
 indeed, had a message to deliver.
    In the Gospels, the word apostle is used almost exclusively in ref-
 erence to the Twelve whom Jesus called and sent out, known, of
 course, as the Twelve Apostles (see Matt. 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, Luke
 6:13-16). Though not part of the original Twelve, Paul uses the term
 here in Ephesians and in numerous other places in reference to him-
 self, because he was sure of his calling.

 _Acts
   ____26:9-19
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 _1_Cor.
    _____9:1,
         _____2________________________________________________________

 _Gal.
   ____1:1
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 _Gal.
   ____1:11-17
       _______________________________________________________________

   Paul never had any doubt about his call to apostleship. The
 Damascus Road experience had a profound effect on him, and it is in
 that encounter with Jesus that he received his call, chosen as a special
 vessel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15, 22:21). From that moment on, he
 was not his own; he belonged to Jesus. It was God’s will that he be an
 apostle, an ambassador, a sent one, a messenger of Jesus Christ. It was
 a calling Paul accepted with all his heart. His life was never the same
 after that experience. Neither the church nor the world were either.

  Paul had a dramatic conversion experience on the road to
  Damascus. Not many people who are called have had such a
  dramatic encounter with God. Nevertheless, God still calls peo-
  ple today. How have you experienced God’s call in your life? If
  someone were to ask you, What has God called you to do? what
  would you say?

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 The Recipients: The Saints in Ephesus
    The letter is addressed “to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faith-
 ful in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 1:1, NKJV). The early church almost uni-
 versally accepted that the Epistle was written to the church at Ephesus,
 but some important ancient manuscripts omit the phrase “in Ephesus,”
 and hence the problem of whether the Epistle was originally written to
 Ephesians. Conservative scholarship generally accepts that the Epistle
 was addressed to Ephesus as a letter to be circulated among other
 churches in Asia. That explains why Paul omitted any reference to
 local persons or problems but, rather, celebrated Christ’s work from a
 cosmic perspective, embracing God’s work in “heavenly places,”
 Christ’s work on the cross, and the church’s warfare with “principal-
 ities and powers” (Eph. 6:12).

   Paul uses the word saints quite frequently in his Epistles. Of the
 61 times the word is used in the New Testament, 39 are found in
 Paul’s writings. Listed below are five such usages. Study each one
 and note its implication as to the meaning of saints. 1 Cor. 1:2,
 Eph. 4:12, 5:3, Col. 1:26, Rev. 14:12.


   Saint does not refer to any spiritually elite group but, rather, to all
 believers. It literally means “set apart”—and here, set apart in Christ
 Jesus to be “faithful” in Him. The common notion that saints are sinless
 and morally perfect is foreign to the New Testament use of the word.
 While saints are to “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
 Jesus” ( R ev. 14:12), the emphasis is not so much on moral perfection as
 on faithfulness to Jesus. A saint is a sinner saved by God’s grace.
   Also, the saints in Ephesus are “in Christ Jesus.” All those who have
 accepted Christ have two addresses: in Ephesus and in Christ, in this
 world and in the world to come.

  “A little girl who attended worship in a place with a lot of
  stained-glass windows was asked what a saint was. ‘A saint is a
  person the light shines through,’ she replied. A saint is someone
  whose life—speech, actions, attitudes, relationships—points to
  Je s u s .”—L i fe Application Bible Commentary: Ephesians
  (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1996), p. 4. How well have your
  actions or words in the past day pointed to Jesus? If you could
  do something over, what would it be?

 Grace and Peace
   “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
 Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2, NKJV).

   Paul used “grace . . . and peace” as part of his customary greeting
 in most of his Epistles (Rom. 1:7, 1 Cor. 1:3, 2 Cor. 1:2, Gal. 1:3,
 Phil. 1:2, Col. 1:2, etc.). The word for “grace” used here is distinct
 from the common Greek form of greeting, which generally expresses
 a wish for health and prosperity. Instead of greeting his readers with a
 call for health and good wishes, Paul employed a word for “grace”
 that was beginning to acquire a new meaning in Christian faith,
 emphasizing God’s unmerited favor toward sinners. It is through
 God’s initiative and love alone that anyone can be saved from sin, a
 thought Paul will later emphasize: “For by grace you have been saved
 through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph.
 2:8, NKJV).
   In addition to grace, Paul wished for his readers “peace.”

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     The source of both grace and peace are “God our Father and the
 Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:2, NKJV). The verse places Christ and the
 Father in a position of equality, thus recognizing the divinity of Jesus.
 Without Jesus, God’s grace could not have been made manifest to
 humanity; nor could peace between God and sinners have been pos-
 sible. Hence, the focus of the Epistle is on what God has done in
 Christ. He is our redemption. We are saved because of His grace. He
 is our peace. He is the basis of our new relationship with the Lord.

  What has been your own experience of God’s peace? How does
  it differ from the kind of peace you find only in the world? What
  might you need to do in order to better know and experience the
  kind of peace God offers us?


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  The Theme: Unity
   “For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the
 mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in
 Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him,
 things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9, 10, RSV).

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    In these two verses, Paul sets forth unity as the central theme of the
 Epistle. “He was writing to a church . . . consisting of Jews and
 Gentiles, Asiatics and Europeans, slaves and freemen—all symbols of
 a disrupted world that was to be restored to unity in Christ. This would
 necessitate unity of person, family, church, and . . . unity of God’s uni-
 verse.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6,
 p. 995.
    Paul’s concept of unity has two dimensions. The first is dealing with
 the church, in which Jews and Gentiles have been brought together in
 one body. The second is universal, in which all things in heaven and
 earth move toward an ultimate unity in Christ.
    The source, the motive, and the means of this unity among humans
 and in the universe must not be located in human needs and ability or
 in any evolutionary or historic or mechanical process in nature. The
 book of Ephesians points to a higher and surer way. It talks about ulti-
 mate unity in the universe in the mind and will of God. All things
 move in accordance with “His good pleasure which He purposed in
 Himself ” (Eph. 1:9, NKJV).
    A small replica of that universal unity, Paul tells the Ephesians,
 must be seen now and here in the Christian church.

  Why is unity in the church so important? What happens when
  there are disunity, discord, and dissension? Who is hurt? What
  is impacted? In what practical ways can you, as an individual,
  promote an atmosphere of unity in the church?

 The Key: “In Christ”
    “In Christ” and its variations appear some two hundred times in
 Paul’s writings. In Ephesians, it is a key phrase that demonstrates the
 depth of Paul’s understanding of what God has accomplished for us
 and the fallen universe through the life, death, and resurrection of
 Christ. “In Christ,” along with “in Him” and “in whom,” appears more
 than thirty times in the Epistle. A majority of these references are used
 in a way that shows that God’s eternal purposes in Creation, history,
 redemption, and restoration are worked out through Christ. He is the
 key to everything we have from God.
    Thus, Paul not only recognizes the significance of Christ in His
 incarnate mission but boldly affirms that apart from Christ we would
 have no salvation, no adoption, no forgiveness of sin, no access to
 God, no revelation of His love, no church, no cosmic restoration, and
 no future. Thus, in every way Ephesians is a Christ-centered Epistle:
 It is a hymn to Jesus, without whom we would be “aliens” and
 “strangers” (Eph. 2:12).

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    Everything we have, or can hope for, as Christians, we can find only
 “in Christ.” He has done for us what we could never do for ourselves.
 That’s why we owe Him everything; that’s why He must come first in
 our lives; that’s why we must surrender our wills to Him; that’s why
 it’s so unpardonable to reject Him and what He is to us, for by reject-
 ing Him we reject life itself.

  Because Christ is all-important and all-sufficient, He must have
  the central place in our lives. Our homes, our work, our values,
  and our worship must have Him as the focus. “In Christ” God
  has made all things possible.
  “Christ in us” makes that possibility a reality. What practical
  changes do you need to make in your personal life to keep God
  central and in focus?

                                                                      19

  ●2 Are there any issues dividing your local church? If so, what
  can you do, as a class, to help foster unity?

  ●3 As a class, go back over the verses listed in Thursday’s lesson
  about what has been done for us “in Christ.” Have each person
  pick one aspect that means the most to them and explain why
  they deem it so important.

  What God Has                                Done



  SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 8:15, 16; 1 Cor. 2:7;
  Eph. 1:3-14; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8.

        raise and petition. In the original Greek, Ephesians 1:3-14 is one

  P     long sentence through which the apostle introduces major aspects
        of Christian theology, including the idea that the Godhead was
  involved in the formation of the church—God’s family on earth. God
  the Father “chose us in Him [in Christ] before the foundation of the
  world” (vs. 4, NKJV). It is in Christ that “we have redemption through
  His blood” (vs. 7, NKJV). Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit provides us secu-
  rity and guarantees our eternal inheritance (vss. 13, 14).
     Paul recognizes that while God acts in history and time, He dwells
  in “heavenly places.” The phrase occurs five times in Ephesians in
  connection with where our blessings come from (vs. 3), where the
  risen Christ is seated (vs. 20), where we, too, will be seated (2:6),
  where God’s purposes will be made known because of the church
  (3:10), and where originated the powers of darkness with which we
  must struggle (6:12).

 The Chosen
  “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” (Eph. 1:4).

   Paul traces the origin of the church in the mind of God (Eph. 1:4, 5).
God’s plan of redemption and His plan for the redeemed are not acci-
dental; they were conceived before creation, before time began. God
formed a purpose in His mind: to choose us in Christ. Even before we
existed, God saw us through a relationship with Christ, and because of
that He could make us His children. Hence, we are not saved by any-
thing we are or do. We did not influence God; we could not work our
way to God. In fact, when we were not in existence, He already pur-
posed our salvation, so that when we came around, all we would need
to do is accept what Christ offers.

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  A lot of people get confused over the idea that God chose us before-
hand to be saved, because it implies that some people were chosen
beforehand to be lost. But that’s not the biblical teaching. Instead, God
prepared beforehand the plan of salvation, according to His eternal
purpose, in order that everyone would be saved (1 Tim. 2:6, 2 Pet.
3:9). The plan of salvation itself, which included every human being,
was determined before the world began; what was not determined
beforehand was what our individual responses to that plan would be.
That God knows beforehand that our eternal destiny is not the same as
saying He predetermined that destiny. Salvation has been offered to us
because of what Christ has done for us, a plan worked out for us even
before we were created. The only question is, How do we respond?

  God chose beforehand that you should be saved; that is, His
  original plan was for you to be with Him forever in a new heaven
  and a new earth. Write out a prayer of thanksgiving and praise
  for this wonderful hope and what it means to you. Share it with
  the class on Sabbath.



                                                                     23

 Praise God for Adopting Us                           (Eph. 1:4-6)

 ●__Verse
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 ●__Verse
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    The church had its roots in the mind of God when He conceived the
 plan of salvation before the creation of the world. But who would
 form the church? Who would be participants of the family of God?
 Paul has already given a partial answer in Ephesians 1:4—those who
 were chosen in Christ to be “holy and without blame” and walk in
 love. “Chosen in Christ” does not indicate any arbitrary choice on the
 part of God but an acknowledgment of the divine provision, which
 provided salvation for the whole world but made it effective only to
 those who claimed it for themselves.
    Salvation and eternal life are made available to all as a gift of God
 in Jesus (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8, 9), but only “whoever believes in Him”
 shall be saved. The universal nature of the gift is predestined. The con-
 tingent nature of the gift is determined by the choice of “whoever.”
    Paul adds an additional thought: Those who accept God’s redemp-
 tive provision in Jesus are “predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus
 Christ” (Eph. 2:5, NKJV). Again, it’s not that God chose some and
 rejected others; instead, it’s that those who have accepted what Christ
 has done for them have simply fulfilled what was originally planned
 for them from the start.

     God’s church is made up of adopted children. Natural children are
 orphans and prodigals—outside the family of God because of their sin
 and by their own choice to be in rebellion against God. But when they
 accept God’s predestined provision, they are adopted into God’s fam-
 ily. The relationship now becomes a family relationship, a relationship
 founded on love.

  Think of someone you love. How does that relationship help you
  understand what your relationship with God, your adopted
  Father, should be? 24

  Redemption in Christ (Eph. 1:7, 8) According to Ephesians 1:7, 8, through what do we have redemp-
  tion?
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  ____________________________________________________________________

      Redemption means deliverance of a slave through payment of a
  price. In the Scriptures, redemption means God’s provision in Christ
  to save us from the bondage of sin. The shedding of Christ’s blood on
  the cross for our sins has made possible not only the forgiveness of sin
  but also redemption and adoption into the family of God (Gal. 4:4-6;
  Eph. 1:7, 8). Without Christ, none of these would have been possible.
     Forgiveness of sin is free for us; indeed, we cannot put a price on it
  or pay for it. But forgiveness on the part of God cost Him much: the
  blood of Jesus. Sin by its very nature brings death; where a sinner
  ought to die, a substitutionary death was necessary. In the Old
  Testament sanctuary system God provided forgiveness on the basis of
  shedding an animal’s blood. The whole sacrificial system anticipated
  the day when Christ, “the lamb of God,” would take away the sins of
  the world (John 1:29). Jesus on the cross paid the penalty for our sins.
  His shed blood makes forgiveness of sins possible (Rom. 5:8, 9; Eph.
  2:13; Col. 1:20).
     Our redemption and adoption are made possible by the Cross,
  which was “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lav-
  ished on us” (Eph. 1:7, 8, NIV). Paul uses the word riches six times in
  Ephesians (1:7, 18; 2:4, 7; 3:8, 16). We may be poor and destitute in
  many ways, but we are bountifully rich in God’s grace. We are free
  from the guilt of sin.
     Someone asked a wealthy industrialist how much more would sat-
  isfy him. “Always a little more,” the multimillionaire replied. Ask a
  Christian, and the answer will be: “My God shall supply all your need
  according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19, NKJV).

   “Grace is unmerited favor, and the believer is justified without
   any merit of his own, without any claim to offer to God. He is
   justified through the redemption that is in Christ Je s u s , wh o
   stands in the courts of heaven as the sinner’s substitute and
   surety.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Message s , book 1, p. 398.
   Memorize this Ellen White quote; it will come in handy, e s p e-
   c i a l ly when you feel discoura ged or in doubt about your salva-
   tion.

                                                                       25

  The Mystery               (Eph. 1:9-12)

 ____________________________________________________________________

    God’s people have much to praise Him for: election, adoption,
 redemption, forgiveness, and acceptance. Today’s lesson adds one
 more: a great mystery that God has “made known to us . . . according
 to His good pleasure” (vs. 9, NKJV).
    Paul uses the word mystery six times in Ephesians. The Greek term
 has two meanings: first, something secret and known only to a select
 few; second, something formerly hidden but now revealed by God. It
 is in the second sense Paul uses the word.

    Ephesians 3 identifies it as God’s plan to bring Jews and Gentiles
 into one fellowship; that is, to create a common humanity without any
 divisions: a church without walls. But there is another dimension to
 this mystery. What Christ has accomplished through the Cross by
 bringing the Jew and Gentile into one body is only a foretaste of what
 God has “set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite
 all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9, 10,
 RSV). Just as in “the fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4, NKJV) God sent
 His Son to redeem and unite the Jew and the Gentile, so He has a plan
 to unite “all things in [Him]” (Eph. 1:10, NKJV) in the fullness of
 time—that is, when Christ comes the second time.
    “This is the divine purpose—the restoration of a lost unity. It must
 necessarily be in Christ, because He is the center of all things. . . . The
 unity of God’s universe had been broken by sin. The mystery of God’s
 will was His plan to restore this unity when the occasion was ready, a
 restoration to be accomplished through Christ. That mystery will find
 its culmination at the end of the great controversy, when all things in
 heaven and on earth will be united in Christ, and the character of the
 Godhead will have been vindicated.”—Ellen G. White Comments,
 The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1000.

                                                                 27

  ●2 Imagine what it must be like to be an orphan who is adopted
  into a loving, caring family that loves that orphan as much as it
  would a natural family member. How does that analogy help you
  (a) understand God’s love for you and (b) how you should treat
  your brothers and sisters in the Lord?

  ●3 Discuss what you can do, as a class, to help someone in your
  church—maybe a new member or someone really discouraged or
  the young people—understand what it means to be part of God’s
  family.




  28

  Praise and Prayer




  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 1:37; Eph. 1:15-23;
  Col. 4:5; James 2:20, 26; 3:13, 17.

         raise and prayer. Paul was a man who had many struggles, many

  P      trials, many griefs; but he was also a man of praise and prayer.
         Thus, after recounting in the earlier verses the wonderful things
  God has done for us in Christ, he then gives thanks to God for the fa i t h
  of the church in Ephesus because, as he said, he has heard, not only of
  their faith but of their “love unto all the saints” (Eph. 1:15). He then tells
  about the prayer of intercession he makes in behalf of the Ephesians.
     So often we tend to think of prayer only for those who are in bad
  shape, those who really need prayer; but here we have Paul praying for
  those who, apparently, are doing very well. The lesson for us, of course,
  is to take nothing for granted: Whether people we know are thriving in
  their faith or barely hanging on, prayer needs to be offered in their
  behalf.
     Meanwhile, Paul’s prayer of intercession gives us greater insight into
  what God has done for us in Christ and the great hope that’s ours as a
  result.

  Faith and Love
    “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus
  and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you,
  making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:15, 16, NKJV).

    The Greek word for “therefore” can also be translated “for this rea-
  son” (NIV). For the reason of “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3,
  NKJV), with which God has blessed the church at Ephesus, Paul bu r s t s
  forth in thanksgiving. These blessings, as we saw last week, include
  election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, unity in Christ, and the
  ultimate restoration of all creation to its original purpose (vss. 3-14).
    Christian thanksgiving goes beyond merely being thankful.
  Thanksgiving must lead to a life that reflects and shares God’s bl e s s-
  ings in active, meaningful, and day-to-day living. With the Ephesians,
  that seemed to be the case. T h ey were Christians who lived their pro-
  fession. Indeed, while jailed, Paul heard about their “faith in the Lord
  Jesus” and “love for all the saints” (vss. 15, 16, NKJV). To them
  Christianity was more than a system of beliefs; it was a call to trans-
  formed living and dynamic relationship. If faith leads to belief, belief
  must lead to action. For faith works through love (Gal. 5:6), and “fa i t h
  without works is dead” (James 2:20, 26).

     The faith of the Ephesians was a living faith. They believed in the
  risen Christ and confessed that through Him God has acted for the for-
  giveness and salvation of humankind. But faith is more than belief,
  more than mere intellectual assent. Faith is also the spiritual quality of
  being faithful, and the Ephesian church was faithful and loyal to
  Christ and His claims. Their faith in Jesus had its natural outcome:
  “love for all the saints” (vs. 15)—both Jews and Gentiles.
     Love, faith, and hope are the basic graces that mark the Christian
  life (1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4, 5). However orthodox our doctrines, how-
  ever laudable our worship and witness, and however faithful our stew-
  ardship, we cannot be Christians until we are marked by a double
  love—love to God, love to people. Is this not the commandment Jesus
  gave (Matt. 22:37-39)? Is it possible to love God and not to love His
  people? (See 1 John 4:20, 21.)

   How, as a Christian, can you express your love for others? What
   outward, tangible, visible effort can you make in the next few
   days to show someone that your faith in Christ is real?


                                                                         31

 Wisdom and the Knowledge of God
 (Eph. 1:17)

    Having noted the first part of Paul’s prayer—thanksgiving for the
 life of faith and love—we now turn to the intercessory aspect of the
 apostle’s petition (Eph. 1:17-23). We are often tempted to make our
 petitions naive, concentrating on material- and self-oriented needs.
 The nobler aspect of petition is intercession, pleading in someone
 else’s behalf. Paul prays that God may give the Ephesians “the spirit
 of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (vs. 17, NKJV).

   Philosophy may say “Know thyself.” Psychology may assert that in
 understanding self and its potential, one can find life’s meaning. But
 there is no knowledge greater than the knowledge of God, and the
 greatest knowledge that we can have about God is knowledge that He
 Himself reveals to us.

 John 5:39
 ____________________________________________________________________

 John 14:9, 10
 ____________________________________________________________________

 Rom. 1:19-21
 ____________________________________________________________________

 Heb. 1:1-3
 ____________________________________________________________________

   God’s revelation makes possible “the knowledge of him” (Eph. 1:17),
 but “we cannot rightly understand or appreciate divine revelation
 without the aid of that Spirit by whom the word was given.”—Ellen G.
 White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 241. Hence, Paul prays for
 the enlightenment of “the eyes of your heart” (vs. 18, NIV). Believers
 need more than rational knowledge. They need spiritual insight so that,
 with the inner eyes of the heart, they may know better four great truths:
 “the hope of his calling,” “the glory of his inheritance” (vs. 18), “the
 working of his mighty power” (vs. 19), and Christ’s headship over the
 church (vss. 22, 23).

 The Hope and Inheritance                            (Eph. 1:18)

    In addition to wisdom and knowledge, Paul prays that the Ephesian
 church would comprehend fully “the hope of his calling” and “the
 riches of the glory of his inheritance” (vs. 18). In Paul’s writings, call -
 ing underscores both Christian priv i l ege and responsibility. God has
 called us to belong to Christ, to be His saints (Rom. 1:6, 7), and to have
 “fellowship with his Son” (1 Cor. 1:9, NIV). Because of God’s call,
 those of us who were not His people have become His people (Rom.
 9:24). To those who are called, Christ becomes “the power of God and
 the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24, NKJV). Believers are called to eter-
 nal life (1 Tim. 6:12). The call makes them free and enables them to
 “serve one another in love” (Gal. 5:13, NIV). The call ensures a har-
 monious fellowship, cutting across race and class, as we are “called in
 one body” (Col. 3:15, NKJV) and we are charged to lead a life “wo r-
 thy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV). This calling expects us “not . . .
 to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thess. 4:7, NIV) and a peaceful
 life (Col. 3:15)— “ worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom
 and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12, NKJV). This call to the kingdom is “the
 u p ward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14, NKJV), which should
 motivate us to press forward in the Christian race.
    Such is the magnitude of God’s call. It covers the past (forgiveness),
 embraces the present (life of fellowship and peace), and awaits the
 future for that “blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God
 and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, NKJV). This is the “hope to
 which he has called you” (Eph. 1:18, NIV), says Paul, and he prays
 that we may be enlightened to see its enormity and loftiness.
    To hope, Paul adds “the riches of his glorious inheritance” (vs. 18,
 NIV). Inheritance can be understood in two ways. First, believers are
 God’s heritage: “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17,
 NKJV). Second, inheritance is what saints receive from God as His
 heirs. The latter suggests that inheritance is both a present privilege in
 that we have the joy of salvation now and a future reward that has been
 guaranteed and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 14). This final
 reward “is . . . kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4, RSV).

  The Bible says we are to be “worthy of God who calls you into
  His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12, NKJV). As sinners,
  we can never be worthy enough to be saved; but because we are
  saved, we now want to live “worthy of God.” In this context,
  what changes do you need to make in order to exhibit this wor-
  thiness in your own life?

                                                                        33

  The Wo rking of His Mighty Power                                 (Eph.
 1:19-21)

    Paul’s prayer has dwelt on the need for wisdom and knowledge and
 for the understanding of God’s calling and inheritance. Now the apos-
 tle concentrates on the need to know “what is the exceeding greatness
 of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His
 mighty power” (Eph. 1:19, NKJV).

   Paul uses four Greek words in Ephesians 1:19 to emphasize the all-
 inclusive, incomparable nature of God’s power. First, “the exceeding
 greatness of his power,” the word for “power” is dunamis, denoting
 innate ability to accomplish what one has set out to do. The other three
 words are “according to the working [energeia] of his mighty [might
 = ischys] power [kratos].” Paul heaps word upon word, almost similar
 in meaning, to stress the immeasurable and absolute nature of what
 God’s power has accomplished in the universe. Energeia suggests
 activity and effectiveness. God’s power is at work. Ischys refers to
 intrinsic strength or might. Kratos, used in the New Testament in con-
 nection with only God or His Word, suggests the power that subdues
 or is victorious. Putting these four words together, we have a grand
 declaration: “The exceeding greatness of God’s power is seen in what
 He has set out to accomplish. This He did with all His strength, win-
 ning a great victory by subduing and defeating His opponent.”
   The apostle immediately adds that this supreme demonstration of
 God’s power is seen in what God has “accomplished in Christ” (Eph.
 1:20, RSV). Paul defines this attainment in three ideas:
   Resurrection: “He raised him from the dead” (vs. 20). To Paul, the
 supreme manifestation of God’s love is the death of Christ (Rom. 5:8),
 and the supreme manifestation of God’s power is Christ’s resurrection
 (Eph. 1:19, 20).
   Exaltation: “Seated Him at His right hand” (vs. 20, NKJV).
   Universal dominion: “He put all things under His feet” (vs. 22,
 NKJV). Christ is the Lord of the universe.

  The power that brought Christ from the dead is the same power
  that saves us from sin to salvation. Why, then, do we continue to
  fall as much as we do if we have such an incredible power work-
  ing in us? Where must the fault lie? How do our own choices
  determine the extent of what God will do in us?

  The Church, Christ’s Body How does Paul declare the majesty and glory of Christ’s ultimate vic-
  tory over Satan and His intimate relationship with the church?
  Eph. 1:20-23.


    The fourth entreaty in Paul’s prayer is a masterful mix of praise and
  petition. Praise because of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ.
  Petition that the believers may know that Christ’s victory over death
  and His exaltation had two effects of cosmic significance. First, God
  has placed Christ above “all principality and power and might and
  dominion, and eve ry name that is named, not only in this age but also
  in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet” (Eph.
  1:21, 22, NKJV). Here is the signal to the universe that in the great
  cosmic battle between Christ and Satan, Christ has won the ultimate
  victory, and now all things are put under Him. He is the acknow l-
  edged Lord of all (Phil. 2:9-11).
    Second, God has made Christ “head over all things to the church,
  which is His body” (Eph. 1:22, 23, NKJV).

     The body metaphor emphasizes the essential unity of the church
  with/in Christ. The ve ry existence of the church as a community of
  believers is dependent upon the saving work of Christ. Its founding
  and its ultimate destination in the new earth are all grounded in Him.
  Apart from Christ, there is no church. The risen Lord is the Lord not
  only of the universe but also of the church. Hence Paul says, He is the
  Head of the church “which is his body” (Eph. 1:23). As the Head, the
  source and locus of authority and mission of the church is Christ.
     Because of this closeness, this oneness of the church as the body
  of Christ, God has filled the church with “fullness of Him who fills
  all in all” (vs. 23, NKJV). Here is perfect assurance: Christ fills the
  church with eve ry blessing and gift (Eph. 4:11-16) in order that the
  church may remain faithful to Him as His body.

   What wo rds of admonition and counsel would you give to
   someone (in light of today’s lesson) who said, “I don’t need to
   be part of any church or organized body in order to serve the
   Lord”?


                                                                      35

  ●2 Paul prays for wisdom and knowledge in order that the believ-
  ers may fully know God. For the Greeks, to know God means to
  know Him intellectually; in the Hebrew sense, it means to know
  Him experientially. Discuss the difference between the two.

  ●3 In light of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:20-23 about the vic-
  tory Christ has won, discuss, as a class, the important question of
  why the battle with Satan and sin still continues. What insights in
  our understanding of the great controversy help us answer this
  question?

  The Church: God’s
  Workmanship


  SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 3:24-28; 6:8-11;
  2 Cor. 5:18; Eph. 2:1-10; Col. 2:12, 13.

        renchman Michael Foucault once advocated tearing down all

  F     prisons and letting the prisoners go free. Why? Mssr. Foucault
        believed that concepts of morality, or right and wrong, good and
  evil, were purely human constructs, human inventions created by peo-
  ple in power in order to keep other people down. Therefore, taking his
  beliefs to their logical conclusion, he stated that even the idea of crimi-
  nality was a human invention, and thus all the prisoners should be set
  free.
     However extreme his idea, it’s indicative of the prevailing sentiment
  in many places that there is no such thing as sin and that such ideas as
  morality and right and wrong are mere opinions, nothing more.
     This week’s lesson—though ending on a hopeful and positive
  note—begins with a clear expression of the reality of sin and the
  inevitability of its consequence: death (which is hardly a human con-
  struct, to be sure). This week, let’s see what Paul has to say, not only
  about evil but also about the only solution to it.

  Dead in Sin (Eph. 2:1-3)
    From the time Adam and Eve chose to follow their own will instead
  of God’s, sin has become the lot of the human race. “Just as through
  one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
  spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12, NKJV). And
  because sin is universal (Rom. 3:23), death is also.

  Isa.
  _____59:2
        _______________________________________________________________

  Rom.  14:23
  ____________________________________________________________________

  James  1:15
  ____________________________________________________________________

  1 John 3:4
  ____________________________________________________________________

     Ephesians 2:2, 3 tells three things about unbelievers. First, they
  lived “like the rest of the world” (vs. 2, NLT) in disobedience to God
  and disunity among themselves. To be a friend of the world is to be an
  enemy of God (James 4:4), and as enemies they lived a life of dark-
  ness and alienation. Second, they followed “the prince of the power of
  the air” (Eph. 2:2, NKJV). The prince is Satan. Jesus called him “the
  prince of this world” (John 12:31). While some would dismiss Satan
  as a myth, the Bible tells us he is a reality—“a roaring lion,” out to
  devour God’s people (1 Pet. 5:8), and an “accuser of our brethren”
  (Rev. 12:10) who leads men and women to disobey God (Eph. 2:2).
     Third, they are corrupt and “by nature children of wrath” (vs. 3,
  NKJV). Sin corrupts everything—mind, thought, action, desire, will,
  etc.—and, as such, their nature is depraved and within them there is a
  perpetual conflict. This spiritually corrupt and bankrupt nature makes
  sinners the “children of wrath” (vs. 3, NKJV)—children deserving
  God’s judgment.
     So, what is the status of unbelievers? They are dead in sin. They
  have sealed their own fate by choosing to live “the desires of the flesh”
  (vs. 3) and becoming children subject to God’s wrath. They are dead—
  dead in a sense of finality, humanly speaking.

   Look up James 4:4. What does it mean to be “a friend of the
   world”? How are we, as Christians, to understand this impor-
   tant point (after all, to be a friend of the world is to be at enmity
   with God), especially in light of John 3:16, which says that God
   loves the world? Prepare to discuss your answers in class.


                                                                       39

 “But God . . .”
    Paul was a master in conveying God’s great truths. In Ephesians
 2:1-3, He describes the pathetic plight of unbelievers: dead in sin,
 slaves of Satan, walking according to the lusts of the flesh, con-
 demned as children of wrath, hopeless and destitute, unable to save
 themselves. In verse 4, the apostle introduces the glorious alternative
 available to this pathetic lot in two dramatic words, “But God.”
    These two words may be among the Bible’s most beautiful words.
 We were dead, “but God”; we were rebels, “but God”; we were under
 judgment of death, “but God”; we were aliens and strangers, “but
 God”; Satan may seem triumphant, “but God.” As long as those two
 words are in biblical vocabulary, we have hope.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Why did God come forward to deliver us from the bondage of
 death? Why did God choose to rescue us from the clutches of sin?
 Why didn’t He let Adam and Eve perish in their choice? Why didn’t
 He make Himself new creatures who would love and follow His way?
   The apostle provides two answers. First, because God “is rich in
 mercy” (Eph. 2:4). Mercy is intrinsic to the nature of God: “(‘The Lord
 your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you’ ”
 (Deut. 4:31, NKJV), for “He is good! . . . His mercy endures forever”
 (Ps. 106:1, NKJV). Mercy is so important to the salvation process that
 the redeemed are called “vessels of mercy” (Rom. 9:23, NKJV).
   Second, “because of His great love with which He loved us” (Eph.
 2:4, NKJV). God’s love—selfless on the part of the giver, undeserved
 on the part of the receiver—is the motivation for giving “His only
 begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
 everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). God’s “gift of mercy and love is
 as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh
 the earth.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Church, vol. 9, p. 190.

  Write a paragraph that begins, “I [your name] was [talk about
  your spiritual and mental state before you knew the Lord], but
  God [now write out what He has done for you through Christ].”

 “Made Us Alive”                 (Eph. 2:5, NKJV)

   When he speaks of God’s grace, love, and mercy toward sinners,
 Paul repeatedly uses such superlatives as “riches,” “rich,” “great,” and
 “exceeding.” Such usage shows the supreme value this former
 Pharisee placed on salvation as God’s gift and not a result of human
 works. Ephesians 2:1-8 clearly outlines the movement of sinners from
 death to life.

 He
 ____has
     ____“quickened
         _____________us”
                      _______________________________________________

 He
 ____“raised
     ________us”
             ________________________________________________________

 He
 ____“made
     ________us
              ___sit”
                  _____________________________________________________

   In Greek, each of the above phrases begins with the prefix sun,
 meaning “together with.” This indicates that all believers will share
 these blessings together with one another and together with Christ.
   First, He “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5, NKJV).
 Those who believe in Christ and die with Him become participants of
 His resurrection power, and they become spiritually alive together
 with the risen Lord (Rom. 6:8-11).

   Second, He “raised us up” (Eph. 2:6, NKJV). This raising up in
 Christ is not without purpose: We are to live for Him. The new life we
 as Christians enjoy must be a witness to the power of Christ’s resur-
 rection by revealing that power in our life and character.

   Third, He “made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”
 (vs. 6). The Christian’s ultimate privilege will be that of sitting with
 Christ and reigning with Him (2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 22:5). Even now we
 can be examples to the universe of His enduring love and justice. Even
 now we can sit in “heavenly places” with Jesus when we, by faith, live
 in intimacy with Him.

  How have you experienced this “sitting together” with Jesus now?


                                                                     41

  By G ra ce Through Faith (Rom. 3:24-28; Eph. 2:8, 9;
  Titus 3:4-7)

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not
  of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
  boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9, NKJV).

     These two verses summarize the heart of Paul’s gospel. Paul’s the-
  sis is that grace is God’s part in salvation, faith is the human response,
  and the entire salvation experience that comes by grace through faith
  is a gift of God, not of works.
     Grace and faith are the key words here. How do we understand them?
     Grace refers to God’s initiative and the basis of our redemption
  from sin. As sinners we deserve death, and God offers us life. We are
  separated from Him and from one another, and He offers us recon-
  ciliation. We are under bondage to sin and judgment, and He provides
  us freedom. We do not deserve any of what He offers, because we
  have sinned and stand in rebellion against God (Col. 1:21). Hence,
  grace is often defined as God’s unmerited favor to us.
     Grace is God’s sovereign initiative and activity for the salvation of
  sinners. This grace appeared in the “fullness of the time” (Gal. 4:4,
  NKJV) in the historic event of Jesus Christ—more specifically, the act
  of Christ on the cross. We have no part in either the conception or exe-
  cution of salvation. It is God’s gift to “whoever believes” in Jesus
  (John 3:16, NKJV).

     Faith is the human response to God’s provision. In a Christian
  sense, faith is not a virtue we develop on our own. It is a response of
  wonder at what God has done to redeem us from sin and a ready
  acceptance of God’s operating in our lives. Saving faith is a change of
  allegiance—from self to God, from denial or indifference to God’s
  claims to unreserved acceptance. Faith opens the heart to the in-
  dwelling of Christ. As such, it cannot originate in the carnal heart. It
  is “the gift of God, but the power to exercise it is ours. Faith is the hand
  by which the soul takes hold upon the divine offers of grace and
  mercy.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 431.

   How would you help someone who says, “I am just so weak in
   faith. I believe, but my faith wavers so much”? What practical
   steps can we take to make our faith stronger? How does what we
   read, think, and say impact our faith?

   “We A re His Wo rkmanship”                             (Eph. 2:10)

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Paul’s salvation story closes with the affirmation that “we are God’s
  workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
  prepared in advance for us to do” (vs. 10, NIV). We as individual
  Christians or as a community of faith owe our existence to God’s
  grace. We are His workmanship, His masterpiece, His work of art,
  created in Christ Jesus.
     This ought not to be a matter of pride. Paul has warned against such
  boasting in verse 9: “Not of works, lest anyone should boast” (NKJV).
  Our works, however good and great and lasting they may be, cannot
  save us. In salvation, self-congratulation has no place. God expects
  only self-denial, self-death, in order that Christ may reign in our hearts
  as supreme—without any competitor. “Only the covering which
  Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God’s
  presence. . . . This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one
  thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a per-
  fect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.”—Ellen G.
  White, Maranatha, p. 78.
     Christians must guard against two fallacies. First, the idea that we
  need to add something of our own to God’s grace. Second, freedom in
  Christ frees us from obedience to His claims.
     Yes, we are His workmanship. We are a new creation by His grace
  through faith. But we are new creatures in Christ “to do good works,
  which God prepared in advance for us to do” (vs. 10, NIV). Does this
  mean our works are a prerequisite to our salvation? Far from it. But
  they are a requisite of a saved life. Paul’s appeal is for a life and a
  lifestyle consistent with the demands of faith. In effect, the apostle is
  saying: “Yes, you are saved by faith. You are saved by the free grace
  of God. But you are saved to live. Your faith experience must move
  from believing to living. You must live out your salvation. That
  involves a lifestyle of obedience, just like our great model—Christ
  Jesus—who obeyed even to the point of humiliation and death (Phil.
  2:5-12). And, furthermore, your Christian walk is your personal
  responsibility; no one else can do it for you.”
                                                                        43

  ●
  2 As a class, discuss the two Ellen G. White quotes listed above.
  How do you harmonize the teachings presented there?

  ●3 Talk about this idea of morals and values and ideas of right
  and wrong being only relative. Are there some ideas of right and
  wrong that are purely relative, subjective, and personal, or is
  everything absolute?

  ●4 What can you do as a class to help everyone in your local
  church better understand the great truth of salvation by faith
  alone?

  The Church Without Walls




  SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 3:20-31, 5:12-18,
  2 Cor. 5:17-19, Eph. 2:11-22, Col. 1:20-22.

         he impossible possibility: 1 + 1 = 1. Impossible? Not so when

  T      it comes to the mathematics of the gospel of Christ. Paul’s
         forceful message this week is: What is impossible in human
  equation is possible under divine power and provision. Christ has cre-
  ated “in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph. 2:15, NKJV), and
  this He did only through His blood, shed on the cross in behalf of all
  humanity, Jews and Gentiles.
    The transforming power of the Cross creates a new humanity in
  which “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
  there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
  (Gal. 3:28, 29, NKJV). The good news is that while differences may
  exist between persons, genders, cultures, races, and nations, the ulti-
  mate divine purpose is to bring all created order into one unity “in
  Christ” (Eph. 1:10). All these distinctions, though real, are superseded
  by the unity we have in Jesus.

  Outside of Christ: Alienation (Eph. 2:11, 12)
    Having shown in the first part of Ephesians 2 that God’s grace has
  brought the free gift of salvation to individuals, the apostle, from verse
  11, shifts his focus to what God has done to bring about reconciliation
  to hitherto divided communities.

  ●__________________________________________________________________

  ●__________________________________________________________________

  ●__________________________________________________________________

    Paul begins on a practical note. Name-calling is both unchristian
  and offensive. Jews called the Gentiles uncircumcised in a derogatory
  sense and called themselves circumcised in a sense of pride. Paul
  declares the futility of such name-calling by saying the circumcision
  of the Jews was, after all, “made in the flesh by hands” (Eph. 2:11,
  NKJV). Although circumcision had its spiritual significance at one
  time, now in Christ it is surpassed by the circumcision of the heart—
  a spiritual covenant available to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

     In contrast to the Jews, the Gentiles were excluded from the common-
  wealth of God. They had no part in the covenant of promise. They had
  no hope and, hence, no future. Worst of all, they had no true God, even
  though they had “many gods” and “many lords” (1 Cor. 8:5, NKJV). All
  they had was this world with its twisted philosophy, lurid pleasures, and
  pagan lifestyles. That was the plight of the Gentiles; in many ways this
  reflects the plight of all who live in the darkness of sin and separation
  from God.

   Hostility between two groups is nothing new in history. While we
   may be quick to condemn the hostility between Jews and
   Gentiles as being unchristian, are there areas in which we exhibit
   such hostility? What can you or your local church do to elimi-
   nate hostility between differing groups in your community?

                                                                        47

  In Christ: Nearness                    (Eph. 2:13)

    “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
  brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13, NKJV).

    “But now.” Two little words introduce a theme that changed the
  course of redemptive history. At one time the Gentiles were without
  Christ, outside God’s commonwealth, without the covenant of prom-
  ise, without hope and God. “But now” heaven has intervened in the
  person of Christ to deal with the tragic and pathetic situation the
  Gentiles were in.

    The words far and near describe the position of the Gentiles and the
  Jews. The rabbis proudly claimed that no nation is as near to God as
  Israel. That was true as part of God’s covenant with Israel; however,
  “nearness” was not to be understood as exclusiveness but, rather, as a
  communication privilege from which was to flow a witnessing duty to
  those who were “far”; that is, to the Gentiles. Israel failed in this duty.
  Isaiah predicted the day when the distance between “far” and “near”
  will disappear and peace will come to both (Isa. 57:19).
    To Paul, that Messianic day has come “by the blood of Christ” (Eph.
  2:13). One privilege the Jews held dear was that of being near to God’s
  temple and thus near to God’s mercy seat. The sacrificial blood played
  a crucial role in the temple rituals in the forgiveness of sins and keep-
  ing the Jews near God’s presence. The apostle moves from the blood
  of the animal to the blood of Christ, through which “a new and living
  way [has] opened for us” in order that we may “draw near to God with
  a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:20, 22, NIV).
    In Christ, distance disappears. There is nearness, heavenly citizen-
  ship, promise, hope, and peace.

   Ancient Israel believed it had been given special light and truth.
   And it had! Yet, look what spiritual pride had done to the
   nation. How do we as Adventists, who also believe we have been
   given special light and truth (and we have!), protect ourselves
   from this danger?

 No More Walls (Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:14, 15) The blood of Jesus has eliminated the distance between those who
 were afar and those who were near; that is, it eliminated the dis-
 tance between Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:13). How? Why? In what
 ways does Christ’s shed blood show that we are all the same? See
 Rom. 3:20-31, 5:12-18.
 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    From now on, Christ “Himself is our peace” (Eph. 2:14, NKJV).
 Christ—and no one else! As our peace, what did Christ do?
    First, He “has broken down the middle wall of separation” (vs. 14,
 NKJV). The wall points to more than the temple wall that cut off the
 court of the Gentiles from other areas to which only Jews had access.
 It refers to religious, social, and political divisions that kept the two
 groups apart. But in dying for the sins of all humanity, Christ has
 brought peace in two dimensions: vertically, between God and human-
 ity; horizontally, between person and person. The former proclaims
 that God loves all alike; the latter demands that in Christ “there is nei-
 ther Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male
 nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28, NKJV).
    Second, Christ “abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of
 commandments contained in ordinances” (Eph. 2:15, NKJV). Though
 there’s been a great debate over which law Paul is talking about here
 (moral or ceremonial), Paul’s point is that through Christ anything that
 had divided Jews and Gentiles has been abolished in Jesus. All are
 now united in Him. Christ brought peace, and hence Paul says: “For
 in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails any-
 thing” (Gal. 6:15, NKJV).
    Third, Christ created “in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph.
 2:15, NKJV). That is the gospel mathematics: 1 + 1 = 1. The impossi-
 bility becomes possible. No more Jew, no more Gentile, but one new
 creation (2 Cor. 5:17, NKJV) in which people define their status not
 in terms of caste, color, gender, nationality, or tribe but in terms of an
 abiding relationship with the Christ of the Cross. “Jesus has suc-
 ceeded in creating a new society, in fact a new humanity. . . . And this
 new human unity in Christ is the pledge and foretaste of that final
 unity under Christ’s headship.”—John R. W. Stott, The Message of
 Ephesians (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1979), p. 93.

  What prejudices might you be clinging to that go contrary to
  what we have been promised in Christ regarding the “new
  humanity”? How can you change?

                                                                       49

 Reconciliation and Access (2 Cor. 5:17-19, Eph.
 2:16-18, Col. 1:20-22)

    What great privileges we have in Christ! Aliens are now citizens.
 The hopeless have received hope. Those without God have found
 Him. The walls of division are gone. A new creation of unity has
 emerged. Christ Himself has become our peace. In Ephesians 2:16-18
 Paul expounds upon the reality and totality of what Christ has done.
    First, peace is real because Christ has reconciled both Jews and
 Gentiles “to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to
 death the enmity” (vs. 16, NKJV). Christ has reconciled what was
 irreconcilable—that is, the Jew and the Gentile. He did this, neither by
 impressing upon the Jews the need to accommodate the Gentiles nor
 by converting the Gentiles to the religious system of the Jews, which
 was by far superior to anything the Gentiles had. Christ accomplished
 the reconciliation of the Jew and the Gentile by dealing with a prob-
 lem common to both—the problem of sin, which is the cause of all
 enmity. The Cross reconciled both Jew and Gentile with God, and that
 reconciliation became the basis of their unity in “one body,” which is
 the church without walls.
    Second, the totality of the peace is underscored by the apostle in
 verse 18: “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the
 Father” (NKJV). The entire Godhead—Father, Son, and the Holy
 Spirit—is involved in this process of reconciliation and peace, both
 vertically with God and horizontally between people. But that’s not
 all. Both Jews and Gentiles have one common access to God through
 one Spirit. There can be no more walls separating Jews and Gentiles
 in either worship or fellowship.
    The word access in Greek usage pictures someone being presented
 to the king in his throne room. Through Christ, both Gentiles and
 Jews—indeed, all believers—have common access to the very pres-
 ence of God. Both the one who was an alien and far away and the one
 who was near and a citizen are ushered into the throne room of God
 by the same Spirit. Thus, peace and reconciliation in Christ is total and
 real.

  Though the context here is Jew and Gentile, it could really be
  between any number of different groups, regardless of what
  divides them. What barriers stand in the way of fully realizing
  this ideal, and what can be done to remove them?

  “The Household of God” (Eph. 2:19-22)
    From tragedy to joy. From alienation to fellowship. From Gentiles
  and Jews to one new humanity. The saving work of Christ has accom-
  plished all this, and now the apostle introduces the believers to their
  new status. Ephesians 2:19-22 lists three attributes of that standing.
    First, citizenship. Outside of Christ, Gentiles were strangers and
  foreigners and had no share in the “commonwealth of Israel” (Eph.
  2:12). But in Christ they become “fellow citizens with the saints” (vs.
  19, NKJV). The Christian is a citizen of the kingdom of God.
    The kingdom of God has two aspects. The kingdom of grace is in
  operation now as people repent of their sin and accept the salvation
  offered by Christ. The kingdom of glory will be established when
  Christ comes the second time to gather His saints home. Without
  being citizens of the first, we cannot be citizens of the second.

    Second, membership in God’s household. A Christian is not only a citi-
  zen but a member of God’s family. The word family evokes a relationship
  of closeness, equality, and dignity. Parents and children are not distant
  and empty shadows but share a wa rm and intimate relationship in which
  love reigns supreme. They have an obligation to one another, and
  together to the family; likewise, in God’s family, which is the church.
    The church, says Paul, is “built on the foundation of the apostles
  and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph.
  2:20, NKJV). Surely, the man who affirmed that Christ is the only
  foundation (1 Cor. 3:11) cannot reverse himself here in suggesting a
  human foundation. Christ as the Cornerstone (cf. 1 Pet. 2:6) holds
  together the various parts of the house, giving strength and unity to it.

    Third, we are God’s temple. The union of all believers in God and the
  unity between alienated groups serves the end purpose of being God’s
  holy sanctuary, “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22, NKJV).
  A church without walls becomes God’s holy temple (1 Cor. 3:16).

   Write out a paragraph that envisions the ideal “church without
   walls.” What would that be like? How closely does your local
   church embody this great principle?

                                                                        51

  ●2 Mahatma Gandhi once observed that as long as Christians
  practice caste, Hindus have no need to worry about getting con-
  verted. How have Christians been guilty of practicing the caste
  system? What does this say about racism’s effect on religion? In
  what ways has racism impacted even our own church?

  ●3 Peace with God and peace with one another form the basis of
  Christian life and relationship. There’s only one problem: A great
  deal of division and disunity exists within the Christian church
  itself. How can you explain this discrepancy and what can be
  done to help heal it?

  ●4 There will, of course, in heaven be none of the kind of hateful
  divisions we have here on earth. What does this tell us about how
  important it is for us to work at getting rid of such divisions now?

                                          DINA ROSA (left). Until his death, J. H. ZACHARY coordi -
                                          nated outreach among the Jews and Muslims in the
                                          North American Division.

  God’s Mystery: The
  Universal Fellowship


  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 10:5, John 4:9, Acts
  10:26-28, Ephesians 3.

            ystery revealed and proclaimed. Under the inspiration of

  M         the Holy Spirit, Paul has already written about the unique
            unity Christ has established in the church. Writers before
  him have written about unity, but usually it was about unity among a
  single people, not among various classes, races, and nationalities, an
  idea that was all but unheard of in the ancient world. But Paul has
  written about a different kind of unity, one the world up to that point
  had never seen, the unity that comes through Christ.
    Yet, he doesn’t end there. He talks also about the church composed
  of these Jews and Gentiles and about what the Lord will do through
  this church. Most important, Paul points his readers to the love of God
  who has accomplished so many things for us through the sacrifice of
  Jesus.

 The Contents of the Mystery (Eph. 3:1-6) Look up the following texts. How do they help us understand why for
 Paul this unity was such a mystery? Deut. 14:2, Matt. 10:5, John
 4:9, Acts 10:26-28, Gal. 2:11-14.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    “Mystery” in the New Testament usage is not some hidden secret
 but a truth, heretofore unknown, that has been revealed by God in His
 own time through the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of receiving such a rev-
 elation (Eph. 3:3). As Barclay comments: “Into [Paul’s] life had come
 the revelation of the great secret of God. That secret was that the love
 and mercy and grace of God were meant not for the Jews alone but for
 all mankind. . . . In the ancient world the barriers were complete. No
 one had ever dreamed that God’s privileges were for all people.”
 —William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians
 (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1976), pp. 122, 123.
    Years ago American patriot Thomas Jefferson wrote the famous
 words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are cre-
 ated equal. . . .” However nice the sentiment, history shows that this
 view was anything but “self-evident.” On the contrary, all through
 history various groups believed themselves greater than, and superior
 to, other nations and people. This idea was so ingrained that even the
 ancient Israelites—who should have known better because of the rev-
 elation given them by God—were contaminated with this sense of
 self-superiority. Hence, someone as bright, as diligent, and as studious
 as Paul needed a divine revelation to purge him of his native preju-
 dices. For him, the idea that Jews and Gentiles would be one was so
 incredible that he deemed it a “mystery,” a concept hard for most of
 us today to grasp (Why should this be a “mystery”?), because, in our
 day and age, these kinds of ethnic and national and cultural concepts
 of superiority, though existing, are looked down upon. Even if some-
 one were to think themselves better than others because of their
 nationality or race or culture, it’s considered in very bad taste to
 express such a view. Thus, only as we come to understand a bit of the
 mind-set of Paul’s time can we grasp just how radical this idea of unity
 between Jews and Gentiles was to him.

  In what ways might you harbor a sense of cultural or ethnic
  superiority? (Few cultures, if any, are immune to this problem.)
  Why are such concepts so contrary to the gospel of Jesus
  Christ?

                                                                     57

 Evidences for the Mystery Though Paul talks about the gospel going to the Gentiles as a “mys-
 tery,” evidences of this promise we re scattered in the Old
 Testament. Look up the following texts. How do they express the
 idea of the truth about God going to all nations?

 Gen. 18:18
 ____________________________________________________________________


 Isa.
 _____42:6
       _______________________________________________________________


 Isa. 49:6
 ____________________________________________________________________


 Isa. 56:3-8
 ____________________________________________________________________


 Isa.
 _____60:3
       _______________________________________________________________


 Jer.
 _____16:19
       _______________________________________________________________


 Zech.
 _______8:23
         _____________________________________________________________

   It’s a sad but powerful testimony to realize the hold that ethnic, cul-
 tural, or religious prejudice can have on our minds that even with the
 above texts, and more, Paul thought it a great “mystery” that the
 Gentiles should also be brought into the truth about God. Again, it’s a
 thought that most Christians today, the vast majority being Gentiles,
 take for granted; it’s hard, from this perspective, to realize how radical
 an idea this was for someone of the background and education of Paul.
   But then, again, we shouldn’t be surprised, should we? The gospel
 teaches us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44), to bless those who curse
 us (vs. 44), to turn the other cheek (vs. 39), to not render evil for evil
 (1 Pet. 3:9), and so forth. In other words, many of the claims of the
 gospel are radical, going against our basic nature, cutting across some
 of the most ingrained and accepted cultural, ethnic, and political preju-
 dices we have. If our toes haven’t been stepped on, in one way or
 another, by Jesus, then we probably haven’t met Him as we should.

  When was the last time Jesus stepped on your toes; that is, when
  was the last time you felt the claims of the gospel cut deep into
  some of your prejudices or passions? How did you respond?

  T h rough the Church (Eph. 3:9-13)
    “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in
  heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wis-
  dom of God” (Eph. 3:10).

  ____________________________________________________________________
  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________
  ____________________________________________________________________

     We’re new creations in Christ (see also 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15, Eph.
  4:24), and we are also part of the church that God Himself has cre-
  ated. He made us, He remakes us, and He made the church of which
  we, as new creatures, are a part. And it’s through this church, com-
  posed of beings remade in His image, that His wisdom is revealed to
  the universe (Eph. 3:10).
     Indeed, this new community, the church God has created, becomes
  a cosmic exhibit of His power, His grace, and His “wisdom,” which
  defeated the divisive forces of Satan, “according to the eternal pur-
  pose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus” (vs. 11, NKJV). If it is
  through creation that God reveals His power to us, it is through new
  creation that God reveals His wisdom and justice to “principalities
  and powers” (vs. 10), including fallen and unfallen angels.
     “Not to this world only but to the universe are we to make manifest
  the principles of His kingdom.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the
  Church, vol. 6, p. 13.
     In this one text, Ephesians 3:10, we are given another look at the whole
  issue of the great controversy; we are shown the interest of other cosmic
  intelligences in the fate of our world here. What’s even more astounding
  is that according to this text, it’s God’s purpose that through the church
  His “wisdom” will be made manifest to these other intelligences.

   Imagine you were part of these “principalities and powers”
   from somewhere in the cosmos who were watching the church.
   Write a diary entry about what you saw there. Compare notes
   in class this Sabbath.

                                                                         59

 “Wherefore”
    Notice the wonderful promise in Ephesians 3:12; according to Paul,
 through Jesus we have “access”; that is, access to God Himself. This
 is what Jesus was talking about in John 10:9 when He said that “I am
 the door.” Adam had free access to God at first but, having lost it, he
 hid himself among the trees of the Garden because he could no longer
 face God with frankness and a clear conscience. The effect of redemp-
 tion is to restore to humanity a new and bold access to God without
 fear or restriction and without the need of any intermediaries such as
 priests or saints or ritual. God is immediately accessible to the trust-
 ing soul, through the merits of Christ.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Because the Gentiles now belong to the body of Christ, because the
 eternal purpose is being fulfilled through Jesus, because God’s wis-
 dom is being revealed to the universe, and because we have free access
 to God, Paul asks his readers not to be too distressed over his suffer-
 ings, which have come to him on account of his bringing them the
 gospel.
   In other words, Paul is saying “Don’t focus on me or my trials; focus
 on the great news of what God has done for the world through Jesus
 Christ. The good news far overshadows anything I might be going
 through.”

  Struggling? Worried? Fearful about the future? Write out a
  prayer of thanksgiving to God for the things as revealed to us in
  this Epistle so far, things Christ has done. Let the reality of the
  promises we have been reading about overshadow all else in
  your life. Claim these promises as your own.

 ____________________________________________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________________

 The Knowledge of His Love (Eph. 3:14-21) Read Paul’s prayer (Eph. 3:14-21) over and over. Then paraphrase
 the essence of His petition. What is he praying for, and why do you
 think he would offer such a prayer?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Paul prays that Christ would dwell in their hearts. The Greek word
 used for “dwell” is katoikem, which indicates permanent residence.
 Christ is not a guest but a perpetual part of our lives.
    Paul prays for the indwelling Christ so the strengthened inner being
 “may be able to comprehend” (that is, empowered and enlightened to
 grasp) the width, length, depth, and height of Christ’s love (vss. 18,
 19). Paul is praying to comprehend the incomprehensible, but he
 knows that the assurance of the believer rests only in such uninter-
 rupted meditation of God’s love. The believers must know with what
 great love they have been blessed. While Christ’s love cannot be fitted
 into any geometrical measure, it is wide enough to circle the globe
 and reach every sinner. It is high enough to reach the very throne
 room of God. It is deep enough to plumb Satan’s deepest gutter and
 pull out from that mess any sinner who calls upon Christ for help and
 bring him or her to stand under God’s sunshine. It is long enough to
 stretch from “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4) to end-
 less ages of eternity, where that love will be the subject of saints’
 study. It is a love that “passes all knowledge” and fills all the believ-
 ers “with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19, NKJV).
    “Fullness of God” is an expression lavish in assurance and is com-
 mon to the books of Ephesians and Colossians. It signifies that God
 is beyond limitation. He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above
 all that we ask or think” (vs. 20, NKJV). Rich in mercy, unfathomable
 in love, limitless in grace, and abundant in power, God has committed
 the entire resources of heaven to grant “above all that we ask or think”
 in order that His glory may be manifest “in the church . . . to all gen-
 erations” (vss. 20, 21, NKJV).

  How certain are you of the reality of God’s love? If someone
  were to ask “Why do you believe that your God is so loving?”
  what would you answer? How convincing a case could you
  make?



                                                                      61

  ●
  2 Compare your “alien diaries” (see Tuesday’s study).


  ●3 Dwell on Ephesians 3:10 as a class. Discuss the implications of
  that text in light of the great controversy. How do the opening two
  chapters of Job parallel with what that verse is saying?

  ●4 Let individual members of the class give a personal testimony
  regarding their own experience on knowing God’s love. What can
  you learn from the different testimonies?

  ●5 If someone who had been attending your class is no longer
  coming to church, what can you do, as a class, to reveal to that
  person some of the love Paul so eloquently talks about in this
  chapter?

  Unity Amid Diversity




  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 28:18-20, Rom.
  12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:28-31, Eph. 4:1-16.

            e have reached the midpoint of the Epistle. The first three

  W         chapters set forth the theology of Christian unity, a unity
            that overrides all the divisive factors in humankind. The last
  three chapters deal with the practical implications of that unity in the
  life of a Christian. So, Paul moves from theology to practice, from
  exposition to exhortation, from what God has done to what we should
  do in response to what God has done for us. Our theology must inform
  our morality, and our morality must reflect our theology.
     Thus, Paul now turns his attention to the kind of life believers
  should live in accordance with the great theological insight of the
  mystery of Christ. The Jew/Gentile unity is no myth but a reality that
  demands a “walk worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV).

 Walking Worthy (Eph. 4:1-3) In the first three chapters, Paul talked so much about what God has
 done in Christ for us. Now, as a result, he tells us to “walk worthy”
 of our vocation, and he tells us how we should do that. What are
 the five graces foundational to Christian character, and what is
 your understanding of what each one means? (Eph. 4:2, 3). Com-
 pare what you wrote to what the lesson below says.

 ●___________________________________________________________

 ●___________________________________________________________

 ●___________________________________________________________

 ●___________________________________________________________

 ●___________________________________________________________

    Lowliness or humility. Romans and Greeks considered humility as
 a sign of weakness, but to the Christian, it is a source of strength. It is
 the opposite of pride. Pride is at the center of disunity (e.g., Lucifer in
 heaven), whereas humility is at the core of reconciliation as in the
 Incarnation and the Cross (Phil. 2:2-8).
    Gentleness or meekness is essential to the unity of the church. Being
 the denial of self-assertion, meekness does not react even in the face of
 provocation. In the end the meek will inherit the eart h (Matt. 5:5).
    Patience or longsuffering is a characteristic of God Himself. He is
 “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that
 all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NKJV). Patience means
 endurance in the face of affliction, refusal to avenge wrongs, and not
 giving up hope for repairing ruptured relationships.
    “Bearing with one another” (Eph. 4:2, NKJV) means more than
 mutual tolerance. It involves understanding the other person and a
 willingness to forgive and accept one another.
    All these graces, of course, are rooted in love, and it is this active
 practice of love that preserves relationships and promotes peace and
 unity in the Christian community and beyond.

  Humility, gentleness, longsuffering, bearing with one another,
  and love—how well did you manifest any of these traits in the
  past week? If there were something you could do over again,
  what would it be? More important, how can you avoid making
  the same mistake again?



                                                                        65

 Unity: Why Oneness? (Eph. 4:4-6). Read Ephesians 4:4-6. What’s the one crucial theme in these three
 verses, a theme we’ve already seen in this Epistle so far?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Ephesians 4:4-6 is one of the most majestic passages in the Bible.
 The structure of its construction, the grandeur of its prose, and the
 grounding of unity in the fullness of the Godhead are incredible.
 Should anyone dare ask the question “Why should Christians be one?”
 the answer comes in that unassailable argument: Because everything
 about Christian faith and life is one.
   God has mandated the unity of the Christian body. One God through
 one Christ has redeemed us from sin, given to us one faith, regener-
 ated us through one Spirit, made us members of one body through one
 baptism, and given to us one eternal hope.
   As we study this sevenfold formula of oneness, another significant
 factor needs to be noted. The entire Godhead is involved in the one-
 ness of the church. That is in keeping with the spirit of the Epistle,
 which often emphasizes the role of the Trinity in redemptive history.
   God the Father—“who is above all, and through all, and in you all”
 (Eph. 4:6, NKJV). He is all in all.
   God the Son—“the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2,
 NIV), “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27), the foundation of the church,
 His body.
   God the Holy Spirit—the agency of our new-birth experience, which
 leads us to baptism (1 Cor. 12:13).
      “In the fourth chapter of Ephesians the plan of God is so plainly
 and simply revealed that all His children may lay hold upon the truth.
 Here the means which He has appointed to keep unity in His church,
 that its members may reveal to the world a healthy religious experi-
 ence, is plainly declared.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA
 Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1117.

  “Satan separates. God unites. Love binds us together.” So said
  the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody. No one would like to be
  an agent of Satan, and all of us would like to be instruments of
  God’s love. Why are the five graces talked about in yesterday’s
  lesson so crucial in order for us to experience this unity that is
  discussed in today’s lesson?

 Unity: Dive rsity of Gifts (1 Cor. 12:28-31, Eph.
 4:7-11)

    Ephesians 4:6 speaks of God as the “Father of all, who is above all,
 and through all, and in you all” (NKJV). The emphasis that we all have
 the same father stresses the unity of the church. Now in verse 7, Paul
 says that “to each one of us grace was given according to the measure
 of Christ’s gift” (NKJV). All have not received the same gift, nor in the
 same measure (vs. 11). Thus, Paul turns from “all of us” (vs. 6) to
 “each one of us” (vs. 7)—and so from unity to diversity in the church.
 Diversity does not mean division; it means there are different gifts,
 and these gifts should be used for the unity of the church. After all, the
 same Spirit that distributes the gifts allows us to work together for the
 strengthening and building of God’s church.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   “When He ascended on high” (vs. 8, NKJV), He gave gifts to the
 believers; that is, when He ascended to heaven, He poured out the
 Spirit on the earth. But what are we to understand by verse 9, where
 Paul states: “He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth”
 (NKJV)? The contrast between “ascended” and “descended” is not
 spatial but theological. His ascent and exaltation to the presence of
 God is contrasted with His descent to, and deepest humiliation of, the
 Cross (Phil. 2:5-11). The victory in the descent and the exaltation in
 the ascent are celebrated by the giving of the gifts to the church,
 whose members Christ has plucked from the prince of darkness. By
 His victory over Satan and His ascent to “far above all the heavens”
 (Eph. 4:10, NKJV), Christ fills all things. He is the Lord of the uni-
 verse and yet linked closely with the church on earth and fills her with
 His gifts.

  Name the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11. Compare these with
  gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28-31.
  What does Paul say about the nature and use of gifts? At the
  same time, ask yourself, “What is my gift? How have I used it
  recently? What practical ways can I enhance my gift in order to
  make it more effective in the Lord’s work?”



                                                                       67

 Unity: Equipped for the Ministry (Eph.
 4:12, 13)

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    The first deals with “the equipping of the saints for the work of min-
 istry” (NKJV). The Greek for “equipping” comes from a word that
 means “to put right,” such as mending a torn net (Matt. 4:21) or set-
 ting a broken bone. Thus, “equipping of the saints” refers to prepar-
 ing, training, and making them ready for the service to which they are
 called.
    This raises the question, Who are the ministers of the church?
 According to the New Testament, all Christians are ministers, com-
 missioned by the Lord Himself to go, make disciples of all nations,
 baptize, and teach (Matt. 28:18-20). The work of the ministry is not
 committed to a privileged few (clergy) but to all who profess the name
 of Christ. The Christian ministry is a people-to-people, one-to-one,
 ministry. No church member can claim exemption from the ministry,
 and no clergy person can claim exclusive privilege to the ministry.
    The second reason for the giving of the gifts is “for the edifying of
 the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, NKJV). Whatever gifts we have—teach-
 ing, preaching, evangelism, healing, counseling, visiting, comforting,
 helping—are not to be hoarded for personal use. They are for the
 corporate good and growth of the church, and the hoarders will have
 their gifts taken from them (Matt. 25:24-30). The church can gr ow only
 when its members love and care for one another and together reach out
 to the surrounding community with the grace and love of Christ.
 M i n i s t ry of all members will hasten the day when the entire globe will
 be encircled by the saving message of Christ. In this way the church
 will exercise “the unity of the faith” and will receive the “fullness of
 Christ” (Eph. 4:13, NKJV). A person filled with Christ cannot remain
 silent when someone out there is without Christ. That is the motive of
 ministry.

  Imagine what your local church would be like if everyone, using
  his or her gifts, were involved in the work of ministry. What can
  you do to help move your church toward this gospel ideal?

 Unity: G rowing Up in Christ (Eph. 4:14-16)
   Ephesians 4:12, 13 closes with the note that spiritual gifts are given
 not only to equip the saints for the ministry of the church but also to
 lead them to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”
 (NKJV). Coming to Christ, experiencing the unity that transcends all
 divisions and being equipped for the ministry are not enough.
 Christians must grow in Christ. Verses 14-16 outline elements of such
 growth. (Verses 17-32, our study next week, continue to define this
 growth to emphasize living as the new person in full maturity.)

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   God wants us to be childlike but not childish. He expects us to “put
 away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11) and assert the maturity of adult-
 hood with which one can make a distinction between the spiritual and
 the worldly and take solid food instead of milk (1 Cor. 3:2).

    Firmness involves stability in what we believe, in how we sift truth
 from error, and in not being deceived by those who claim to have the
 truth. It requires strong grounding in God’s Word so that when the
 “trickery,” “craftiness,” and “plotting” (Eph. 4:14, NKJV) confront us,
 we may stand firm on God’s testimony (Isa. 8:20).
    Paul also talks about “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).
 Literally, it is doing the truth. And doing it in love. The church must
 distinguish between the gospel and heresy, and even here truth must
 put on love. “Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love
 becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.”—John R. W. Stott, The
 Message of Ephesians, p. 172.
    Finally, the ultimate sign of growth is unreserved commitment and
 obedience to Christ. We are the body, and every part and function of
 the body must be linked to, and integrated in, Christ.

  Is “truth” still “truth” even if spoken in harshness? Defend
  your answer.



                                                                     69

   ●
   2 Look at the Ellen White quote above where she says that at
   every stage of development we may be “perfect.” What does that
   mean?

   ●
   3 Read again Ephesians 4:14. How important is doctrinal purity
   to Paul? As a class, talk about how much importance should be
   placed on doctrine. In what ways might we be guilty of over-
   emphasizing or underemphasizing doctrine?

   ●
   4 Suppose someone were to say to you, “How do I discover what
   my spiritual gift is?” How would you answer them? In general,
   how are we able to discover what our gifts are?

  Living the New Life



  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 1:26-32; 3:10-18;
  12:2; 1 Cor. 2:9-16; Eph. 4:17-32; Phil. 4:8, 9.

         aul’s presentation on the practical implications of Christian

  P      unity began with a call to Christians, both Jew and Gentile, that
         they “walk worthy of the calling with which [they] were called”
  (Eph. 4:1, NKJV). This walk makes several demands of us. The first
  is preservation of the unity of Christ’s body in the midst of diversity
  (vss. 1-12). The second, our study this week, deals with walking in a
  new way, which is crucial for maintaining the unity Paul talks about.
     This new way is neither a modification nor an improvement of the
  old. It is a radical transformation that rejects old values and adopts a
  totally new lifestyle—in thought, character, values, relationships, and
  motives. It is passing from death to life. It is a change of owners: from
  Satan to Christ.

  Put Away the Old (Eph. 4:17-22)
     A life “worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV) is not only a life of
  unity and growth as we saw last week but also a new life. This new life
  is a series of negatives and positives. The first negative is “put off . . .
  the old man” (vs. 22). The Christian life begins with a clean and clear
  break from the past, and Paul appeals to the Ephesians to “no longer
  walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk” (vs. 17, NKJV). To the Romans
  Paul used a more serious language and called upon them to crucify the
  old man “that the body of sin might be done away with” (Rom. 6:6,
  NKJV).

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Notice, in his depiction of the Ephesians, that Paul uses words such
  as “darkness,” “ignorance,” and “blindness” that led them into moral
  decadence. Their mind, because of sin, could not comprehend spiritual
  truth. As a result, their lives were wasted in seeking God either in
  themselves or in worthless idols or in vain philosophy. They indulged
  in wishful teachings and lived in spiritual darkness (Eph. 4:18; see
  also Rom. 1:19-21). Their moral sensitivity was so compromised that
  they could make no distinction between good and evil. The pleasures
  of the body, particularly immoral and deviant behavior, became their
  favorite pastime. They lived in “lewdness,” “uncleanness,” and
  “greediness” (Eph. 4:19, NKJV; see also Rom. 1:26-32).
     Such was their life—the life of the old man—before the Gentiles
  came to Christ. Paul, therefore, appeals to the believers: “Don’t ever
  go back to the old.”

   Look at verse 19. What is Paul saying there? What does it mean
   to be “past feeling”? How does one become “past feeling”? In
   what ways have you experienced this negative principle in your
   own life? Why is this a danger to anyone, even a professed
   Christian? What is the only protection against this problem?

   ___________________________________________________________________

                                                                          73

   “Put On the New ” (Rom. 12:1, 2; Eph. 4:20-24) Having told the believers to “put off . . . the old man” (Eph. 4:22),
  what counsel does Paul give? Eph. 4:22-24.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    In accepting Christ, the believers “put off ” the old lifestyle of the
  Gentiles. But putting off is not enough. Christianity is not a religion
  of negatives. It expects the believer to rise to a higher ground of moral
  and spiritual living. So Paul urges: “Be renewed in the spirit of your
  mind and . . . put on the new man” (Eph. 4:23, 24, NKJV).
    If the life of the old man were characterized by a futile mind, the life
  of the new man is distinguished by a renewed mind. “Do not be con-
  formed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
  mind” (Rom. 12:2, NKJV).

  ____________________________________________________________________

    After describing the vain, dark, and sinful life of the Gentiles (Eph.
  4:17-20), Paul asserts that they were taught to give up such a life when
  they came to Christ. By using three words—learned, heard, taught—Paul
  reminds the believers they already well know the effect of salvation and
  new birth on their lifestyle. This truth did not come to them from any
  human source but from Jesus Himself (Eph. 4:21). Paul’s use of the
  name Jesus is not accidental. He wants the believers to know that the his-
  toric Jesus—the incarnate, the cru c i fied, the risen, and the ascended
  One—is Himself the Truth, Himself the Revealer of truth (John 14:6).
    “Those who receive the Saviour become sons of God. . . . Their minds
  are changed. . . . From cherishing supreme love for self, they come to
  cherish supreme love for God and for Christ.”—Ellen G. White
  Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1117.

   In your experience in becoming a Christian, did you find that
   suddenly your thoughts and heart and motives and actions
   became pure? If not, what practical, day-by-day things can you
   do that will help you reach this desired goal? At the same time,
   what are you doing (if anything) that can hinder this work of
   purification?

  L ive the New Life (Eph. 4:25-29)
    The apostle is no lofty theoretician. At one moment he can lift us to
  majestic heights of theology; at another he can bring us down to the
  realities of our neighborhood. So, he outlines four imperatives of the
  new life. They are so simple yet so vital to maintain good relationships.

    1. Put away lying; speak the truth (Eph. 4:25). Falsehood and
  hypocrisy hurt relationships and destroy trust. Truth, on the other
  hand, builds trust and confidence, strengthens relationships, and pre-
  serves unity.

    2. “ ‘Be angry and do not sin’ ” (vs. 26, NKJV). As humans, we
  inevitably face situations that anger us, and maybe even justly so. In any
  case, in times of anger, three cautions need to be heeded: Do not sin;
  that is, do not let it lead to resentment or transgression of the law. Do
  not let the sun go down without correcting the situation. Do not give the
  devil an opportunity to use anger to destroy unity and relationship.

    3. Do not steal, but work (vs. 28). Thieving takes many forms—
  from downright stealing to withholding what rightfully belongs to
  another to destroying another’s name or character. A Christian lives on
  a high moral plane. Honest work, unselfish life, generosity, and pre-
  serving the other are marks of the new life in Christ.

    4. Guard your tongue, be edifying in speech (vs. 29). Words are
  powerful tools. Used well, they can be a great blessing. But Paul
  warns against “corrupt” talk. The Greek word for “corrupt” also
  means “rotten.” Rottenness, vulgarity, swearing, and gossip have no
  place in our speech. A Christian’s speech should edify and build.

   When was the last time you were hurt by damaging words?
   Also, look at your answers for the day’s questions. What do they
   tell you about how important living as the “new man” (vs. 24) is
   for the unity Paul talks about?


                                                                        75

 “Grieve Not the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:30)
   “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
 sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30, NKJV).

   The church at Ephesus had its beginnings when the apostle laid
 hands on the believers to receive the Holy Spirit (see Acts 19:1-7). No
 wonder Paul speaks so much about the Holy Spirit in Ephesians—at
 least twelve times.

 Eph.
 ______2:18
        ______________________________________________________________

 Eph.
 ______3:16
        ______________________________________________________________

 Eph.
 ______5:9
        ______________________________________________________________

 Eph.
 ______6:17
        ______________________________________________________________

    Elsewhere Paul states that the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6), sonship
 (Rom. 8:16), understanding (1 Cor. 2:10-16), fruits (Gal. 5:22), hope
 for the future (Gal. 5:5), spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11), sanctification
 (Rom. 15:16), indwelling power (Rom. 8:11), etc.
    Paul clearly placed great importance on the role of the Holy Spirit in
 the life of the believer and the congregation. Hence his charge: “Do not
 gr i eve the Holy Spirit.” The statement at once reveals that the Spirit is
 not simply divine power but an active Person in the Godhead, sensitive
 to relationships. To gr i eve the Holy Spirit is equivalent to gr i eving the
 Father and the Son. All we have to do is read the Bible, and we can see
 how much God cares about our actions and how our sin and disobedi-
 ence bring pain to Him. There are moral and spiritual responsibilities
 on all who are brought into God’s family by the Spirit; and when we
 violate those responsibilities, we grieve Him. It’s hard for us to under-
 stand that God could actually be pained by what we do, but that’s what
 our Bible tells us, and certainly the life of Jesus shows us the intimate
 care God has for His creatures. Thus, if He loves us and cares for us,
 it’s not surprising that He could be pained by what we do.

  What things might you have done in the past 24 hours that
  would have grieved the Holy Spirit? Were these actions
  inevitable? If not, why did you do them?

  “Be Imitators of God” (Eph. 4:31–5:1, NKJV)
     Paul’s command to those who are saved and now living as one
  united body of Jews and Gentiles is to walk in the new life. This new
  life involves many details: putting off, putting on, persevering, and
  not grieving the Spirit. In today’s lesson, Paul presents a one-phrase
  summary of the new way: “Be imitators of God” (Eph. 5:1, NIV).

  ____________________________________________________________________

     After telling us to be imitators of God, Paul then makes the charge
  personal and intimate: “as dear children” (vs. 1, NKJV). When a par-
  ent and child have a close and intimate relationship, spending time
  with each other and sharing life activities, often the child tends to be
  like the parent. Thus, the more time we spend with God in prayer,
  meditation, and study, the more like Him we can become.
     “Just as children imitate their parents, so we should imitate Christ.
  His great love for us led him to sacrifice himself so that we might live.
  Our love for others should be of the same kind—a love that goes
  beyond affection to self-sacrificing service.”—Life Application Bible,
  on Ephesians 5:1, 2.

  ●__________________________________________________________

  ●__________________________________________________________

   It was Christmas Eve. A child in tattered clothes was looking
   through the glittering windows of a store, her eyes focused on a
   pretty doll, but she had no way of getting it. Just then a man
   removed that doll. The little girl’s face fell but soon lighted up
   when the man came out of the store and gave the doll to her. She
   looked up and asked, “Are you God?” Maybe no one has ever
   said something quite like that to you, but in what ways have you
   reflected the character of God to someone recently?

                                                                       77

  ● Have someone in class read aloud the second Ellen G. White
  quote listed above and open a discussion on what she is saying.
  How do we strike the right balance here; that is, having a church
  in which sinners are welcomed and brought to the Cross while, at
  the same time, upholding the high standards of conduct the
  Christian life requires?

  ●
  3 In class, ask those who are willing to talk about someone who
  truly was an “imitator of God.” Who was that person, what did
  he or she do, and what impact did that person have on your life?

  ● Go around the class and have each person answer this ques-
  tion: “Name one great change Christ has brought into your life.”
  Discuss the various answers.

  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Exodus 20; Isa. 5:20; John
  15:10; Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18; Eph. 5:1-21; 1 John 5:2, 3; 2 John 1:6.

         aul continues his exhortations on a life that will be “worthy of

  P      the calling” (Eph. 4:1, NIV) by telling us to undertake the
         Christian walk in all seriousness (Eph. 5:1-21). One doesn’t
  have to read very far in Paul before one can see just how seriously
  Paul takes the Christian walk. Paul knows nothing about cheap grace.
  Though we are saved by what Christ has done for us, we must live in
  response to the salvation we have been given in Jesus. We have a new
  life; we now have to live that new life as God commands.
     In the texts for this week, Paul provides five contextual reasons for
  such a walk: love, judgment, light, wisdom, and fullness of the Holy
  Spirit. Though devoting only a few words to each, Paul, nevertheless,
  clearly sets out what is expected of those who once walked in dark-
  ness but now are in the light.

 Walk in Love
    “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in
 love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offer-
 ing and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:1,
 2, NKJV).

   Believers are called to be imitators of God. God in Christ is our
 model in everything—in ethics, in suffering, in obedience, in work, in
 prayer, and, above all, in love. So, we are admonished to “walk in
 love.”
   At least three principles emerge from the words of this text.
   First, Christ’s love is selfless. It is agape love: a love that is based
 on principle, not on emotion; an outgoing love that centers on meet-
 ing the needs of others even though they are undeserving of it. God’s
 love is such that He demonstrated “His own love toward us, in that
 while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NKJV). To
 walk in love is to love the unlovable.

   Second, Christ’s love is sacrificial. Christ is the supreme example of
 sacrifice. He bore the cross of shame and gave up His life in order that
 humanity might be redeemed (2 Cor. 5:21). To walk in love is to aban-
 don self in order to minister to others. “Discipleship means allegiance
 to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that
 Christians should be called upon to suffer.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
 The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1963), p. 101.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Third, Christ’s love is reconciling. Christ reconciled all broken rela-
 tionships and brought complete unity (Rom. 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:18). To
 walk in Christ’s love is to be ministers of His reconciliation.

  In what ways have you seen the power of love bring reconcilia-
  tion? Think of an example you can share with the class.

                                                                       81

 Walk in Vi ew of Judgment (Eph. 5:3-7) Read Ephesians 5:3-7 and then answer the following questions:

   ● What are the specific sins Paul warns about?

  ● In what ways are all these sins violations of the Ten
 Commandments (see Exodus 20)?

   ● Notice how Paul contrasts these sins with his admonition to
 “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2). Why are these sins the opposite of walk-
 ing in love? See also Neh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4; John 15:10; 1 John 5:2, 3;
 2 John 1:6.

   ● Look at the warning Paul gives in Ephesians 5:6. Given the
 context, what do you think those “vain words” were about? See
 also 1 John 3:7.

    One of the great tragedies of life is to live as though God does not
 exist or that it doesn’t matter if He does or not. Such an attitude fos-
 ters a life that is restricted to the present with no thought for the future.
 But the biblical view of life projects that history is moving toward an
 ultimate point when all humankind shall be held accountable before
 God’s judgment (2 Cor. 5:10, Heb. 9:27). Final accountability to God
 is inescapable, and Paul warns that as surely as the love of God
 appeared for the salvation of humanity, so surely “the wrath of God”
 will appear “upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6, NKJV). The
 divine wrath is divine judgment against evil and its children. Because
 of this certainty of judgment, Paul appealed to the believers, “Do not
 be partakers with them” (vs. 7, NKJV). With whom? Verse 6 speaks of
 those “with empty words.” These were false teachers still clinging to
 their pagan philosophy, denying the reality of sin and a final judgment
 for that sin. No wonder Paul warns them to stay away from such peo-
 ple and their philosophy, for they go counter to the truth as it is in
 Jesus. Paul expresses horror at these false teachings and calls those
 responsible as “sons of disobedience” upon whom will fall “the wrath
 of God” (vs. 6, NKJV). As far as Christians are concerned, the apostle
 pleads that among them there should not be even a hint, a thought, or
 a joke concerning such sins.

  If you look at the kind of sins that will bring judgment, Paul
  said nothing about adultery or murder, the more “serious” sins.
  Instead, he talks about such things as jesting and covetousness.
  What should this tell us about the nature of even these sins?

  Walk in Light (Eph. 5:8-14)
  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
 Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8, NKJV).

    Having defined the Christian life as walking in love, with a view of
 the impending judgment, Paul now turns to a third aspect: walking as
 children of light. In keeping with his style, he provides another con-
 trast: Once you were children of darkness, now you are children of
 light (Eph. 5:8).
    While darkness represents the old life, light stands for the new. The
 apostle recognizes that believers have moved from darkness to light
 (vs. 8). Since conversion they have become light in the Lord; that is,
 reflectors of the character of the One who said “ ‘I am the light of the
 world’ ” (John 8:12).

   Notice, too, Paul is so firm about living a life free from moral taint
 that he not only admonishes us to stay away from those who do evil
 but he also calls upon us to reprove them.

 ____________________________________________________________________

  Have you ever known anyone whose lifestyle, demeanor, and
  character acted as light that reproved your darkness? How did
  you respond? Did you accept the silent reproof with humility
  and repentance, or did you flee the light or even fight against it
  by, perhaps, calling it darkness? See Isa. 5:20.


                                                                     83

  Walk in Wi s d o m (Eph. 5:15-17)
     Our Christian walk, Paul has told us, must be different from that of
  the world. We ought to walk according to love. We must be mindful of
  the judgment to come in all we do. We should take care that we walk
  in light. Now Paul adds another dimension: walk with wisdom.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    In contrast to this kind of wisdom, Paul, in these verses, talks about
  a different kind of wisdom, a different kind of knowledge. As seen
  earlier, this kind of knowledge isn’t mere head knowledge, a knowl-
  edge of facts, however useful and helpful and “good” those facts could
  be. Instead, the whole context here places knowledge in the context of
  what we do. The wise do correctly, the ignorant do foolishly, regard-
  less of how much intellectual knowledge either one has.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    The world exists only because of God; everything that exists does
  so only through the will of God. It’s no wonder, then, that knowledge
  would consist in knowing the will of God, at least as much as we are
  able. Though there is much about God and His will we cannot know,
  we can know that His will for us is that we live pure, holy lives, lives
  that reflect His love and His character. This is true wisdom. Thus,
  some of the “smartest” people in the world live in the grossest igno-
  rance and darkness.

   Ephesians 5:15 tells us to walk “carefully” (RSV) so we are not
   “fools” (vs. 17, NEB) but wise. What practical things can we do
   that will help us not to be “fools”?

  Walk With the Fullness of the Spirit
  (Eph. 5:18-20)

    To the four elements of the Christian walk, Paul adds the final and,
  perhaps, the most operative element: “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph.
  5:18). Believers filled with the Holy Spirit will have His empower-
  ment to walk the Christian way in love, in light, in wisdom, and in the
  sense of the coming judgment. Enlightenment and empowerment are
  two of the great blessings that come from the indwelling Spirit.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Though Paul is using alcohol in his example, he could really be
  talking about anything that comes between the believer and the power
  of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we should let nothing control us
  over and beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul is making a
  profound theological statement that is fundamental to the experience
  of the new birth and sanctification that come as a result of the work
  of the Holy Spirit. The question every Christian needs to ask is,
  “Under whose control is my body, mind, and spirit functioning? Is it
  under the control of alcohol or greed or lust or covetousness or any-
  thing else that can hinder my walk with God? Or is it under the con-
  trol of the Holy Spirit?” The Spirit is what guides in the path we
  should go; if anything else controls us, we will surely be led astray.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

   If someone were to ask you, “Have you received the Holy
   Spirit?” what would your answer be? What would you present
   as evidence of your having received the fullness of the Spirit?


                                                                     85

  ●2 “Let no one deceive you with empty words”—that is, false
  teachings (Eph. 5:6, NKJV). What are some of the false teachings
  currently disturbing the Christian faith, and how would you han-
  dle them?

  ●3 Discuss the question of what “holiness” is. Is it more than a
  mere adherence to the law? Can you be a strict follower of the
  law and still not be holy?

  ●4 As a class, take time together to do what Paul tells believers in
  Ephesians 5:19, 20 to do. Sing some songs and have people give
  testimonies of thankfulness to God. When done, ask “What ben-
  efits do we get, as believers, by praising God and openly giving
  thanks? Why should we make a habit of doing this?”

  ●5 Discuss the difference between worldly wisdom and godly wis-
  dom (see Wednesday’s lesson). Are they necessarily in contradic-
  tion with each other? Can worldly wisdom ever help us better
  understand godly wisdom? If so, in what way?

                                           SETRA RATSIMBA is 18 years old. He lives in a small
                                           town near Antananarivo, Madagascar.

  SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 20:12; Judges 1:21;
  Luke 9:23; John 3:13; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-9; 1 John 4:10, 11.

  E
          phesians 1–3 gave us the basic theology of the church. From
          chapter 4 on, Paul discusses the practical application of this the-
          ology and how it applies to the Christian life, which, among
  other things, preserves unity amid diversity, emphasizes the Christian
  walk, and (as we’ll study now) builds adequate relationships.
     In the final analysis, Christianity is a religion of relationships, rela-
  tionships with God and with each other. It makes no sense to claim to
  have a vital relationship with God without that relationship impacting
  how we relate to family and community. Church, home, and work are
  the primary arenas of Christian living. One cannot be a saint in the
  church and a devil at home. Christianity is not holiness in a vacuum.
  It is holiness in wholeness; that is, it affects every dimension of liv-
  ing—spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social. This week’s lesson
  turns to principles of Christian relationships.

 Submit to One Another (Eph. 5:21). Read Ephesians 5:21. What is Paul saying here to us?

    The verse is connected to the clause in Ephesians 5:18: “Be filled
 with the Spirit” (NKJV). Christian submission must not be equated
 with servility but rather with a proper attitude of humility and consid-
 eration to each other. Admittedly, such an attitude is not part of the
 natural self but a result of being “filled” with the Spirit, as was the
 case with fellowship and worship, singing and praising, and continual
 thanksgiving (Eph. 5:19, 20).
    Viewed thus, submission does not carry the meaning we normally
 attribute to it. The biblical view of submission in no way teaches a dic-
 tatorial, authoritarian, unjust stance in social relationships where one
 exercises power and the other crawls in helplessness.
    Indeed, Paul adds a qualifying clause to his counsel on submission:
 “in the fear of God” or “out of reverence for Christ” (NIV). The
 Christians’ conduct and relationship with each other—be it between
 husband and wife, parent and child, master and slave—does involve
 submission but in the context of reverence for Christ. God is not a
 wrecker but a builder. He is not dictatorial and selfish but loving.
 Reverence for Christ draws a line beyond which the call for submis-
 sion does not extend. Where submission is a violation of one’s con-
 science or contradictory to God’s will, Peter’s bold stance, “We ought
 to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), must take over. What
 should a wife or daughter do when the man of the house insists she go
 into prostitution in order to meet his economic demands? What should
 a child do if the father commands him to be a street-corner vender for
 drugs? Submit? Never. Submission in human relationships is never
 absolute and unquestioned. As its border, it has the will of God. When
 a so-called Christian expects submission beyond that border, that per-
 son has no right to be called a Christian and deserves to be dismissed
 from any Christian privilege. Submission “in the fear of God” (Eph.
 5:21) demands respect on the part of wife and dignity and honor on
 the part of husband. This is even more crucial in an age such as ours,
 during which spousal and child abuse abound. No child of God should
 become or should be treated as a doormat.

  It’s one thing to submit when we shouldn’t submit, but what
  about submitting when we really need to? Sometimes that’s
  even harder. Why is the foot of the Cross the only place where
  we can learn the meaning of Christian submission? What role
  does death to self play in submission? See Luke 9:23.



                                                                      89

 Authority (Eph. 5:22; 6:1, 5)
    The question of submission and obedience on the part of a wife, a
 child, or a slave raises the issue of authority. Upon what authority does
 a husband, a father, and a master expect submission and obedience?
 Ephesians 5:21 says submission is to be “in the fear of God” or “out of
 reverence for Christ” (NIV). Similar phrases occur in other places: “as
 to the Lord” (vs. 22, NKJV), “in the Lord” (Eph. 6:1), “as to Christ”
 (vs. 5, NKJV). These repeated references to Christ seem to indicate a
 divine order to this authority structure. Even though Paul does not
 elaborate on this point, he provides a useful analogy in the relationship
 between Christ and the church. “Christ is head of the church,” and,
 therefore, “the church is subject to Christ” (Eph. 5:23, 24, NKJV). The
 headship of Christ is the model to which the church subjects itself.
 Likewise, the headship of the husband, father, and master is to follow
 the model established by Christianity. Authority is not tyranny nor is
 it without limits. In fact, Paul argues that both authority and submis-
 sion are as in Christ, who “loved the church, and gave himself for it”
 (vs. 25). This point cannot be overemphasized. Love, not power, is the
 motivation behind the authority given to preserve the order of an or-
 ganizational unit such as home or household. Similarly, love, not fear
 or a feeling of inferiority, is the motivation for submission.

 Gen.
 ______1:26,
       ______27
              ________________________________________________________

 Acts
 _____17:26
      _______________________________________________________________

 Gal.
 _____3:28
      _______________________________________________________________

 Eph.
 ______3:6
        ______________________________________________________________

   Before the Lord we are all the same: sinners in need of divine grace.
 Though the concepts of authority and submission have been perverted,
 that doesn’t mean they aren’t biblical. Those in positions of authority
 must always remember who they are in relationship to God and to oth-
 ers who might be under that authority. To pervert this role is, surely,
 a grievous sin before the Lord, who knows even if a sparrow falls to
 the ground (Matt. 10:29-31).

  If some people need to learn submission at the foot of the Cross,
  what can those in authority learn at the Cross that could help
  them use their authority in a God-given manner?

  Husbands and Wive s (Eph. 5:22-25)
    As we read the verses for today, we can see that marriage is a divine
  institution, with husband and wife being equal partners (Gen. 2:24,
  Eph. 5:31). The unity and equality of the partners is stressed in the
  divine utterance that the two “shall become one flesh” (vs. 31, NKJV).
  Compare this with Ephesians 2:14, which speaks of how Christ made
  one out of two (Jew and Gentile), and you will realize the marvel of
  the divine origin of both marriage and church.
    Also, Christ and the church are closely linked. Christ is the Head,
  and the church is the body (5:23). Without stretching the metaphor to
  dangerous proportions, it must be noted: (a) As body, the church is
  subordinate to Christ, the Head; (b) as Head, Christ loves His body the
  church, died for it, saved it, and sanctified it.
    Submission and love do not antagonize the partners in marriage but
  bring them together. After all, submission means to give oneself up
  completely to the other. Love means the same thing and includes lov-
  ing to the extent of dying for the other, even as Christ did.

     This intimate relationship between Christ and the church should be
  reflected between husband and wife. And though Paul and Peter are
  clear that wives are to “submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord”
  (Eph. 5:22, NKJV; see also Col. 3:18, 1 Pet. 3:1), he balances that by
  telling the husbands they must love their wives (see Eph. 5:25, 28;
  Col. 3:19). This love is to be modeled after Christ’s love (Eph. 5:25)—
  unreserved and sacrificial. The husband’s headship spells not tyranny
  but responsibility in a partnership, while submission means not ser-
  vility but honor, fidelity, and respect. Of course, we need to recognize
  human frailties: There are husbands who treat their wives as servants
  and abuse them endlessly. But that is a cultural and sin problem that
  Paul is not addressing here.

   What are some of the forces in your own society and culture that
   are warring against marriage? How is what Paul wrote here a
   powerful means to protect marriage against those forces?

                                                                      91

 C h i l d ren and Parents (Exod. 20:12, Eph. 6:1-4)
    No other religion or philosophy has done as much for children as
 Christianity. William Wilberforce, a devout Christian, ended child
 labor in England. William Carey, the pioneer of Christian missions,
 acted to end child marriage and widow burning in India. Today in
 some rural areas in southern India, female infants are choked or poi-
 soned to death, and Christian hospitals and pastors have set up cradles
 outside their doors so that unwanted female infants could be placed
 there without anyone noticing.
    Roman culture during the time of the apostle Paul was even worse.
 Barclay quotes the famous Seneca: “We slaughter a fierce ox; we
 strangle a mad dog; we plunge the knife into sickly cattle lest they
 taint the herd; children who are born weakly and deformed we
 drown.”—The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 176.
    At a time like that, Paul writes to Christian parents and their chil-
 dren in a famous Roman city. How delighted the children must have
 been to be acknowledged in the letter from the great apostle.

 ____________________________________________________________________

     Paul offers two reasons for obedience. First, it is right; it is the natu-
 ral, accepted norm in every society. Second, God’s moral law demands
 it.
     Christian artists have depicted the law on two tablets: one contain-
 ing the first four commandments and the other the last six—dividing
 our duty to God and to humans. But Jews had five on each table, as if
 to signify that honor to parents belongs with honor to God.
     While obedience is expected of children when they are dependent
 on parents, honor toward them is a lifelong duty.
     Paul counsels parents not to “provoke your children to wrath” (Eph.
 6:4, NKJV). Think of some things that may do just that: poor exam-
 ple, hypocrisy, inconsistency, harshness. What else?

  What forces in your society work against strong and loving
  parental/child relationships? What does Christianity offer that
  can protect those relationships?

 Slaves and Masters (Eph. 6:5-9)
   The Roman Empire had millions of slaves during Paul’s day. The
 entire economic and social structure depended on slave labor. Slaves,
 for the most part, were treated as no better than working animals.
 Even a great man like Aristotle taught that slaves were only work
 tools. Ownership of one human being by another without any regard
 or respect to that individual’s God-given rights and dignity must have
 been revolting to a sensitive and deeply spiritual leader like Paul.
   Paul counsels the slaves in Ephesus to obey their masters and do
 their work as if they are doing it for Christ (Eph. 6:5). Work done in
 sincerity and goodwill “as to the Lord, and not to men” will not go
 unrewarded (vss. 7, 8, NKJV). Paul recognizes that slaves cannot
 change their circumstances, but they can conquer them. There we have
 a good Christian philosophy: While we cannot destroy evil at the
 moment, we must not let evil destroy us.

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Paul’s counsel to the masters is also quite pointed. He reminds them
 that they, too, have a Master in heaven, from whom they have received
 grace and forgiveness of sins. Hence his appeal for the slave owners
 to be gentle, not threatening, toward their servants (Eph. 6:9).
    Why didn’t Paul do anything more? “It was not the apostle’s work
 to overturn arbitrarily or suddenly the established order of society. To
 attempt this would be to prevent the success of the gospel. But he
 taught principles which struck at the very foundation of slavery and
 which, if carried into effect, would surely undermine the whole sys-
 tem.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 459, 460.
    Paul’s ministry did bear fruit, and many slave owners became ardent
 Christians, along with their slaves.
    Philemon is a good example. Paul, sending back this escaped slave,
 Onesimus, writes to Philemon to accept him “no longer as a slave
 but . . . as a beloved brother” (Philem. 16, NKJV).

  What principles can you take from Paul’s words that can help
  you better understand how you should act (depending upon
  your situation) toward either your boss or those who work
  under you or both?

                                                                     93

  ●2 As a church, should we keep silent about important social
  issues, or should we get involved? Are there some issues better
  left alone? If so, how do we determine what they are? Also, dis-
  cuss these questions: In what ways can getting involved in social
  concerns deflect us from our real mission? Or, are social con-
  cerns part of our real mission?

  ●3 As a class, talk about the questions asked at the end of
  Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s lessons. What are the forces working
  against our families, and what can you as a class do that could
  help local church members as they face these assaults?

  SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Isa. 35:4; Dan. 10:19;
  Luke 22:31; Rom. 7:15-20; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8; Rev. 12:9.

         he reality of the war. The Bible begins with two great accounts.

  T      First, God created a perfect world and placed Adam and Eve in
         stewardship of this perfect world (Gen. 1:27, 28). Second, Satan
  led Adam and Eve into a rebellion against God, bringing that world and
  the entire humanity under the curse of sin (Genesis 3). The Bible also
  proclaims two great accounts of good news. First, God sends His Son
  to this earth to die for the sins of the world and reconcile the fallen
  humanity unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:14-18). The Cross and the resurrection
  of Christ ensure the ultimate destruction of sin and Satan at the end of
  the world. The second part of the good news is that God will create the
  new heaven and new earth as the home of the saints (John 14:1-3).
     Between these accounts the Inspired Word traces the perils and the
  progress of the great war between Christ and Satan, a war that we are
  all involved in. This week we look at Paul’s words on how we can be
  victorious.

 F i n a l ly . . . the War
   Paul begins his narration of the Christian warfare with the words
 “Finally, my brethren” (Eph. 6:10). The word finally makes a forceful
 point. Thus far, Paul has outlined how God has redeemed us from sin
 through Christ, sealed us by His Spirit, brought us into a fellowship of
 unity, and made us a family of God. As members of this new family,
 God expects us to “walk worthy of [His] calling” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV) by
 putting away the old sinful life; by putting on the new transformed
 being; by walking in purity, in love, in light, in wisdom, and in godly
 relationship with all. The Christian life and walk should be in the full-
 ness of the Holy Spirit (see Eph. 5:18).
   But there is a demonic, evil spirit working against the Christian.
 Satan desires to have us, as he did Peter (Luke 22:31). So, Paul says,
 “Finally, my brethren,” get ready for the daily battle against Satan.
   The word finally provides a summary or a conclusion. But the
 Greek word can be rendered better by the phrase “From henceforth”
 or “From now on.”

    Paul has spoken of God at work in Christ for us. The coming of
 Christ in history has introduced a new and powerful dimension in the
 cosmic battle between God and Satan. Christ’s victory over Satan on
 the cross has become the basis of the believer’s acceptance before
 God. But the believers should know that their journey to the kingdom
 has just begun. “From now on,” they have many battles to fight, a cun-
 ning enemy to contend with, and a war to win “against the wiles of the
 devil” (Eph. 6:11). “With full assurance of faith we may expect that
 He will unite His omnipotence with the efforts of human instrumen-
 talities, for the glory of His name. Clad with the armor of His right-
 eousness, we may gain the victory over every foe.”—Ellen G. White,
 Prophets and Kings, p. 111.

  Think about a time you were victorious in a spiritual battle and
  a time you failed. What made the difference?



                                                                      97

  “The Wiles of the Dev i l ” (Eph. 6:11)
     Paul’s description of the spiritual warfare begins with a general
  warning to be aware of the “wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).
     What are the wiles of the devil? The devil does not always or neces-
  sarily attack the believer in the most obvious and evil ways. Often his
  ways are subtle, and his appeals may appear to uphold higher and
  nobler motives. Note two examples: First, the high motive he offers in
  his temptation to Eve in Genesis 3:1-5; second, the eagerness to estab-
  lish the Messianic kingdom on earth with which he filled the mind of
  Judas.
     In his book The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis presents a series of
  imaginary letters that Screwtape, a senior demon, writes to a junior
  partner not experienced in the skillful art of tripping the saints. For
  example, when John is praying for his mother who is suffering from
  rheumatism, Screwtape advises the junior demon not to cause John to
  lose faith in prayer. Instead, John should be encouraged to pray for his
  mother at all times; meanwhile, John’s attention should be diverted
  from the necessity of massaging his mother’s aching joints.
     In another letter, Screwtape suggests that Christians must be
  encouraged to worry and fret over great and grave issues in order to
  divert their attention from real and immediate problems. The name of
  the game, says Screwtape, “is to have them all running about with fire
  extinguishers whenever there is a flood.”—(London: Collins Clear-
  Type Press, 1956), pp. 128, 129.

  Job
  _____2:9
        _______________________________________________________________

  Zech.
  _______3:1
          _____________________________________________________________

  Mark
  ______4:15
        ______________________________________________________________

  Luke
  ______22:3
        ______________________________________________________________

  2_Cor.
  _ _____2:10,
         ______11
               _______________________________________________________

  1_Thess.
  _ _______2:18
           ___________________________________________________________

  2_Pet.
  _ _____3:4
          _____________________________________________________________

  Rev.
  _____12:12
       _______________________________________________________________

 The Enemy We Face How does Paul describe the enemy we face? What is he really saying
 to us about the kind of battle we are engaged in? Eph. 6:12.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    First, our primary enemy is not “flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12)—that
 is, not human. Selfishness, pride, egotism, and anti-Christian hostility
 are all forces Christians have to contend with, but there are cosmic
 powers greater than all these working to disconnect our relationship
 with God.
    Second, our enemy is described as “principalities,” “powers,” and
 “rulers of the darkness of this age” (vs. 12, NKJV). They are “spiritual
 agents from the very headquarters of evil” (vs. 12, Philips). The
 description is frightening but real, indicating superhuman, cosmic,
 demonic forces that contend for our allegiance in opposition to God.
 Whose shall we be? Satan’s or God’s? That’s the central pursuit of the
 Christian warfare, the great controversy between Christ and Satan.
    Satan is our adversary. A relentless and formidable foe, he is a
 vicious fighter, lurking “about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he
 may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, NKJV). He is the accuser (Rev. 12:10), a liar
 and murderer (John 8:44). He has sinned from the beginning (1 John
 3:8), perverts the way of the Lord (Acts 13:10), “deceives the whole
 world” (Rev. 12:9, NKJV), wars against God’s remnant church (Rev.
 12:17, NKJV), persecutes the saints (Rev. 2:10), can appear even as an
 angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), and, at the end of this age, will lead all
 those opposed to God in a final battle to overthrow His rule (2 Thess.
 2:4-10). It is against this superhuman being and his army of fallen
 angels that Christians are engaged in a constant and continuous war-
 fare. “In every soul two powers are struggling earnestly for the vic-
 tory. Unbelief marshals its forces, led by Satan, to cut us off from the
 Source of our strength. Faith marshals its forces, led by Christ, the
 author and finisher of our faith. Hour by hour, in the sight of the heav-
 enly universe, the conflict goes forward. This is a hand-to-hand fight,
 and the great question is, Which shall obtain the mastery?”—Ellen G.
 White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 328.

  In your own life, how have you experienced this struggle
  between these two forces? In what ways is the battle mani-
  fested? How well does Satan hide? How aware are you of what’s
  really going on?



                                                                      99

  “Be Strong . . . in the Power of His Might”
     The word wrestle (see Eph. 6:12), as used to describe the Christian
  warfare, indicates two things. First, it is like a hand-to-hand combat, as
  in wrestling. Second, the enemy is as close and immediate as the oppo-
  nent in wrestling. The enemy is both subtle and audacious in his
  attempts to deceive those who have their faith and loyalty rooted in
  Christ. Vi c t o ry in this wa r fare depends on three fundamental principles
  of Christian life and faith: “Be strong” (vs. 10); “Put on the whole armor
  of God” (vs. 11, NKJV); and “Stand” (vss. 11, 13, 14). Today’s lesson
  will focus on the first essential; the other two will be examined later.

     Paul’s call is to “be strong in the Lord” (Eph. 6:10). God’s eternal
  foe can be fought only by his oppontnts being on the side of God.
  “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of
  hosts” (Zech. 4:6, NKJV). Spiritual hosts of wickedness cannot be
  fought by human strength, however great and refined and morally pre-
  cise that human strength may be, but only by spiritual forces. Nothing
  short of the power that flows from God through the Holy Spirit will
  suffice in fighting the evil one. “Without Me,” said Jesus, “you can do
  nothing” (John 15:5, NKJV). To this Paul adds: “Thanks be to God,
  who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57,
  NKJV). His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9).
     Paul adds one more specific to “Be strong in the Lord.” The strength
  from the Lord flows from the “power of His might” (Eph. 6:10,
  NKJV). Already, in Ephesians 1:17-21 Paul prays that we would ex-
  perience God’s power as He displayed it in Christ’s resurrection. In
  Ephesians 2:1-7 the apostle explains how he hopes we will experience
  this power. Just as God was able to raise Christ from the dead, so He
  is able to raise us from death in sin to newness of life in Christ, and it
  is in this resurrection power that we ought to fight “the spiritual forces
  of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12, NIV).

  “Put On . . . Stand” Having issued the call to “be strong . . . in the power of His might”
  (Eph. 6:10, NKJV), Paul gives what admonition to the believers?
  What does he tell them to do, and why? Eph. 6:11.


     In ourselves we have neither the strength of the will nor the tenac-
  ity of endurance to face the devil. By nature we are sinners (Rom.
  3:23). Sin has separated us from God (Isa. 59:2), made us its slaves
  (John 8:34, Rom. 6:16), and corrupted our minds and consciences
  (2 Cor. 3:14, 2 Tim. 3:13).

    Even though Christ has defeated Satan on the cross and gives that
  victory to us, our new life is not without its perils. As Herman
  Ridderbos, a noted New Testament theologian, points out: The satanic
  powers, “however much already vanquished in Christ, have not yet
  become harmless. But in order to be able to contend against them suit-
  ably, the church has received an armor from God, so richly furnished
  that it is able to continue to stand.”—Paul: An Outline of His Theology
  (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1975), p. 392.
    It is with this armor that God sends us into battle against “spiritual
  hosts of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV). This armor is more than ade-
  quate to deal with Satan’s deceptive schemes. Satan is a cunning
  enemy and will not fight fair. He will use every trick he can—from
  turning into a talking serpent (Genesis 3) to masquerading as an angel
  of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Hence Paul’s twofold admonition: “Put on.”
  “Stand.”
    “Put on” is a command to take something that does not originate
  with us. Anything that springs from within us is totally insufficient to
  meet the foe. “Put on” also indicates the idea of permanence; the
  Christian cannot live for a moment without the “armor of God” (Eph.
  6:11, NKJV)—and it must cover the entire being, from head to toe,
  from thought to action. In Ephesians 6:11-14, four times Paul urges
  the believers to “stand”—hold the ground, resist the enemy, be awake
  and alert, and never surrender. Victory is ours.

   If you know someone who is going through “hand-to-hand”
   combat with Satan right now, why not spend time with that per-
   son? Besides prayer, what other things can you do to help?

                                                                     101

   ●2 Satan’s wiles often involve a subtle combination of truth with
   error (for example, the common tendency to equate material
   prosperity as God’s approval and blessing on one’s life). What
   are other examples of this mixture of truth and error Satan uses
   to deceive?

   ●3 Is there an individual or a group of people your class knows
   who is in the midst of a deep spiritual struggle? What practical
   things can you, as a class, do that can show these people your care
   and support?

  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: John 14:6; 18:38; Rom.
  1:16, 17; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 6:13-18; 1 Thess. 5:8.

  T
         he whole armor of God. “The Christian life is a battle and a
         march. In this warfare there is no release; the effort must be
         continuous and persevering. It is by unceasing endeavor that we
  maintain the victory over the temptations of Satan.”—Ellen G. White,
  The Ministry of Healing, p. 453.
    While we cannot escape our warfare with Satan, we are given two
  assurances. First, Christ has already defeated Satan on the cross, and
  His victory is ours (Gal. 2:20); second, Christ has provided us a
  “whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11, NKJV). Do not miss Paul’s point
  about the “whole” armor. The apostle lists at least six items that make
  up this armor. We need them all, because all are forged and furnished
  by God as one unit, and we cannot afford to neglect one part without
  weakening the entire armor. This week we’ll study five of the six, sav-
  ing the last one for next week.

  “Gird Your Waist With Truth” (Eph. 6:14, NKJV)
    “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Pilate asked Jesus perhaps one of the
  most important and frequently asked questions in life. Human beings
  have probed the question throughout history. Consider some of the
  possible answers: Truth is what’s logical; truth is what works; truth is
  relative; truth is testable observation; truth is what my religion or
  priest tells me. Look up the following texts; how do they help us understand the bib-
  lical concept of truth?
  Ps.
  ____31:5,
      ______Isa.
            ____65:16
                 ______________________________________________________

  Ps.
  ____43:3
      ________________________________________________________________

  Ps.
  ____86:11,
      _______3__John
                ______4_________________________________________________

  John
  ______14:6
        ______________________________________________________________

  John
  ______14:17
        ______________________________________________________________

  John
  ______17:17
        ______________________________________________________________

     Ultimately, the Christian view of truth is not merely a concept, not a
  philosophic position, not a rational and logical statement. To a
  Christian, truth is a Person: Jesus Christ, in whom “the fullness of God”
  (Eph. 3:19, NKJV) and His truth are revealed. The Truth that is Jesus is
  a saving, redeeming truth: It calls for a death to sin; it calls for a life of
  righteousness, moral integr i t y, spiritual coherence, and a faithfulness to
  God’s expectations in all relationships. Truth involves not only what we
  believe but also what we do. Only unreserved commitment to Christ can
  a rm each one of us with truth in a world of sin and deception. Hence
  Paul’s admonition elsewhere: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make
  no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 13:14, NKJV).
     In New Testament times, a Roman soldier tied a belt around his
  waist to hold up his clothing so he could march without any impedi-
  ment. The Christian’s belt is truth. Jesus, the Truth, must so envelop
  our entire being that what we are within or what we are without do not
  become a hindrance in our spiritual warfare. Our talk and our walk,
  our worship and our work, will reveal we are subject to Him who is
  the truth and in whom there is no variation.

   How would you answer the questions “What is truth?” and
   “What does knowing truth do for you?”

                                                                           105

  The Breastplate of Righteousness (Eph. 6:14)
     The second part of the Christian armor is the breastplate of right-
  eousness. If God’s truth as revealed in Christ forms the foundation of
  Christian life and integrity, that life needs to be guarded by the breast-
  plate of righteousness. A Roman soldier wore a large metal plate from
  his neck to thigh to protect his vital organs from enemy attack—some-
  what like the bulletproof vests of today. The Christian life is protected
  not by a breastplate made of metal but by the righteousness that has
  its source and means in God.

    Righteousness is a distinctive characteristic of God Himself (Isa.
  59:17, Rom. 3:26, 2 Tim. 4:8), and this has been revealed through
  Christ, who has redeemed us from sin (Rom. 1:16, 17). It is through
  this righteousness revealed in Christ that God has justified us (3:25,
  26)—that is, He declared us to be righteous and has forgiven our sins.
  Christ’s righteousness thus makes a right relationship with God possi-
  ble. Surely, then, there is no greater protection against Satan’s attacks
  than being in a right relationship with God.
    “Christ our righteousness” is, therefore, our breastplate. To stand
  with God, to be robed with the righteousness of Christ, to be forever
  faithful to God’s saving grace, is to give notice to the devil: “If God is
  for us, who can be against us? . . . Who shall bring a charge against
  God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?”
  (Rom. 8:31-34, NKJV).

     Righteousness, as a right relationship with God, must lead to right
  living. It is a call to discipleship, where one’s life is consistent with the
  character of the One who calls, with Christ Himself. To be righteous is
  to be like Christ—in obedience to God’s law, in moral rectitude, in a
  life of uprightness and integrity, in extending the love of Christ to all.

   How do we put on the breastplate of righteousness? How does
   this “putting on” relate to the “Christ . . . in me” experience
   described in Galatians 2:20? Does putting on righteousness call
   for putting off something else? If so, what?

  For Feet, the Gospel of Peace (Isa. 52:7, Eph. 6:15) Read Ephesians 6:15. What do you think Paul meant with this verse?
  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Because he was using military imagery in the other verses, Paul was
  apparently referring to the shoes, or boots, worn by the Roman army.
  Roman soldiers wore the kind of footwear that ensured a strong grip on
  the ground during combat. A soldier cannot afford to slide and fa l l
  when locked in battle with the enemy. Likewise, Christians, too, need
  to stand firm and unshakable in the gospel truth in order to be victori-
  ous in the spiritual wa r fare. The New English Bible translation of
  Ephesians 6:15 makes a telling point: “Let the shoes on your feet be
  the gospel of peace, to give you firm fo o t i n g.” If feet are our founda-
  tion, and they need to be on firm footing for the whole body to remain
  stable, it shouldn’t be surprising that the “gospel of peace” is the foun-
  dation of what we believe. Indeed, no matter how important the other
  t ruths we have been given, everything needs to rest upon the founda-
  tion of the gospel message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
  It we don’t have that as a foundation, everything else will cru m ble.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Notice, too, that Paul uses the phrase “the gospel of peace.” Peace
  in the Bible is not so much a negative term as it is a positive one. It
  stands for a tranquillity that comes as a result of victory over sin and
  self. It is a relational word—a relationship of reconciliation between
  us and God (Rom. 5:1) and of togetherness between ourselves as the
  human community, particularly as the community of faith. So,
  Christians are told to pursue peace at all times (2 Tim. 2:22, 1 Pet.
  3:11). An estranged relationship with either God or with one another
  places our Christian calling at risk and leaves us open to Satan’s wiles.

   Have you known the peace of the gospel? If not, what changes
   might you need to make in order to know this wonderful gift for
   yourself?



                                                                         107

  The Shield of Faith (Eph. 6:16)
    This passage tells us three things about faith as a vital part of the
  Christian armor:
    First, “above all” take the shield of faith. “Above all” does not mean
  this item is the most important but that it is indispensable. What Paul
  says is this: “Besides all these” (Goodspeed) or “with all these” (NIV),
  make sure to take the “shield of faith.”
    Second, faith is fundamental to Christian life and victory.

  ____________________________________________________________________

     How do we understand the meaning of “faith” in these verses? It’s
  not so much to say “I believe that” but to assert “I believe in.” The for-
  mer is a mental assent to a body of doctrines (Eph. 4:13), whereas the
  latter is a basic trust in God, a continual trust in His Word and in His
  promises. Such an abiding trust is absolutely necessary for faith to
  function as a shield.
     “Faith is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best
  what is for our good. Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His
  way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our
  weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness.
  Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His owner-
  ship and accepts its blessing.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 253.
     Such a faith empowers us “to quench all the fiery darts of the
  wicked one” (Eph. 6:16, NKJV). Those flaming darts of the enemy
  come in different forms: temptation, doubt, lust, despair, trial, rebel-
  lion, guilt, etc.
     The Roman shield was four feet high and two feet wide, made of
  strong wood and leather, with an iron frame. Shield in one hand and
  sword in another (our study next week), the soldier was equipped for
  both defense and offense. Faith in an unfailing God provides us
  absolute confidence to withstand Satan with all courage. God Himself
  “is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Prov. 30:5, NKJV).

   In your own experience, what fiery darts has faith shielded you
   from? Doubt? Discouragement? Fear? Describe the process of
   how faith has worked in your behalf. What have you learned
   that you could share with others who might be getting pierced
   by those same attacks?

 The Helmet of Salvation (Eph. 6:17, 1 Thess. 5:8)
   Albert was young, handsome, intelligent, and very promising. He
 was the delight of his parents and a blessing to the small church com-
 munity with which he shared his love of music, his computer skills,
 and his knowledge of the Bible. Children sought after him. The older
 ones knew for sure he would grow to be someone in whom their com-
 munity could take pride. But on the day he turned 18, disaster struck
 Albert, plunging his parents into grief and the little Adventist com-
 munity into unbearable sorrow. Within minutes after leaving home for
 a nearby store to get something an elderly neighbor needed, a speed-
 ing truck dashed Albert’s motorcycle from behind, and he landed on
 his head. “Severe head wounds,” the autopsy surgeon said. “If only he
 had been wearing a helmet. . . .”
   A helmet is worn to safeguard the head. In many parts of the world
 the law requires the wearing of a helmet as a possible protection
 against varied hazards. In Paul’s time, a helmet, made of tough metal
 just as bronze or iron, was standard gear for soldiers. No sword could
 cut through it.
   So it is in Christian warfare. Believers must put on their helmet to
 protect the center of their will, for here momentous decisions are
 made as to where their loyalty and hope shall rest. Paul identifies this
 “helmet” as the salvation we have been given in Christ.

   As Christians, we have to live with the “hope of salvation” (1 Thess.
 5:8). And we can have that hope, because that hope is in us; not in
 what we can accomplish but only in what Christ has done for us. If sal-
 vation were acquired by works or by how much we could achieve or
 by how holy we could become—who would not, eventually, give up in
 despair? The good news, however, is that Jesus’ works, His achieve-
 ment, His holiness, is what gives us “the hope of salvation.” If this
 hope were based on anything else, that hope would sooner or later be
 lost.
   Thus, though Satan often casts doubts on our salvation experience,
 we need not fear. As long as we remain in Christ, wearing that helmet
 of salvation, He is our assurance (John 6:37-39, Rom. 8:31-39, 1 Pet.
 1:3-10).

  If you were to die today, do you believe you would be saved? If
  so, why? If not, why not?


                                                                    109

   ●
   2 Many identify truth with a set of doctrines only. Is there a rela-
   tionship between truth and doctrine? Can one be doctrinally cor-
   rect yet not have truth? At the same time, can someone have truth
   but not have correct doctrines? Discuss.

   ●
   3 How is the shield of faith strengthened? How is it weakened?


   ●4 As a class, discuss the crucial difference between the assurance
   of salvation and the dangerous doctrine of “once saved, always
   saved.”

  SABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Ps. 119:9, 11; Mark 13:33;
  Eph. 6:17-24; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Pet. 5:8.

          ommunion and conduct. E ve rything the apostle has spoken so

  C       far in the Epistle—from the origin of our life to the mystery of
          the Cross that established one united family; from the joy of sal-
  vation to the responsibility of Christian living; from the creation of a
  new humanity to the reality of spiritual wa r fare—all have their gr o u n d-
  ing in the Word of God. Without God’s Word, inspired by and revealed
  through His Spirit, we would have no knowledge of His will and His
  purposes for us. It is through His Word He speaks directly to us.
    And though God speaks to us, we must speak to God. Christian life
  demands both listening to what God says in His Word and speaking to
  Him through prayer. The Word and prayer provide power enough to
  withstand the evil one and to stay on God’s chosen path. This week,
  among other things, we’ll take a look at what Paul says to us about the
  role and power of God’s Word.

  The Wo rd and the Spirit
    Take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph.
  6:17, NKJV).

    Although Paul mentions the Word of God last in the six pieces that
  make up the Christian armor, it is not his intention to make it least in
  importance. The Word is foundational to Christian living. Without it
  we will not know who God is, who we are, how we came to be, what’s
  wrong with us, how we are saved from sin, what God has done
  through Christ, or what our ultimate destiny is. History bears witness
  that where the Bible is neglected, even for the briefest period, dark-
  ness of immense magnitude takes over. This is true in individual lives,
  as well as in the church as a corporate body. It is, therefore, not an
  accident that Paul places so crucial an importance on the Word of God
  in fighting life’s spiritual battles.

  John
  ______14:26
        ______________________________________________________________

  1 Cor. 2:10
  ____________________________________________________________________

  2_Pet.
  _ _____1:21
          _____________________________________________________________

     God’s revelation is seen in varied ways (Heb. 1:1-3). The wonder of
  the heavens, the beauties of nature, and the marvel of life all bear wit-
  ness to the Creator God (Ps. 33:6-9). But God’s revelation through
  His Son Jesus and through the Written Word are unique in that the
  former brought us salvation from sin, and the latter bears witness to
  Jesus’ saving act (John 1:1-3, 14; 5:39; 17:17; Rom. 15:4). The Bible
  thus makes us “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ
  Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15, NKJV).
     Note what Paul says further on Scripture’s role in Christian life:
  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doc-
  trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that
  the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every
  good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17, NKJV).

   What are the forces in your culture that have the effect
   (whether intended or not) of weakening trust in the Bible as the
   Word of God? After identifying these forces, ask “What can I
   do to protect myself and others against them?”

                                                                       113

  The Swo rd and the Battle
     In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus set an example for us in how we may rely
  upon God’s Word in our warfare with Satan. His experience in the
  wilderness teaches us two important lessons. First, spiritual warfare is
  real, and none of God’s children can escape from its reality or Satan’s
  vehemence. Satan does not attack his own. The closer we are to God,
  the more Satan tries to get us on his side (Job 1, 2). Second, it is not
  enough to know the Word; we must know the Author of the Word and
  trust in His promises. Satan tried to use the Word to cast doubt on
  God’s promises and purposes, but Jesus trusted the Word and followed
  God’s way. “Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture. ‘It is writ-
  ten,’ He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the
  word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of His
  divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles, a firm reliance
  upon a ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ was a sign that could not be controverted.
  So long as Christ held to this position, the tempter could gain no
  advantage.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 120.

    The Holy Spirit through whom we have obtained the new-birth
  experience (John 3:3-8) is the seal and guarantee of that experience
  (Eph. 1:13, 14). He dwells in us (Rom. 8:9, 11, 14; 2 Cor. 1:22), trans-
  forms our mind (Rom. 12:1, 2), and leads us in the understanding of
  Scripture (John 16:13, Eph. 1:17-23). It is the same Spirit that
  inspired the Word of God, and its indwelling power enables us to take
  up that Word as a sword to fend off Satan’s attacks. The Christian sol-
  dier must use that Word, “living and powerful, and sharper than any
  two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12, NKJV), to penetrate and cut through, to
  discern right from wrong, and to distinguish between the voice of God
  and the whispers of the devil. That’s what makes the Word a weapon
  of both defense and offense.

   “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin
   against You” (Ps. 119:11, NKJV). That’s the testimony of the
   psalmist. That’s the experience of Jesus. What has been your
   own experience with the power of the Word in overcoming the
   assaults of Satan?

 Prayer and Christian Warfare
   “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
 being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication
 for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18, NKJV).

    In Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan describes a moving scene in
 which Christian encounters Apollyon in the great Valley of Humilia-
 tion. Apollyon, symbolic of satanic forces out to crush the saints on
 their march to God’s kingdom, attacks Christian with every weapon at
 his command. Armed with the sword of the Spirit, Christian puts up a
 valiant fight. In the midst of the deadly combat, Christian loses the
 sword. Apollyon rejoices that Christian’s doom is sealed, but Christian
 turns to another tested weapon called All-prayer, and the battle con-
 tinues. Christian, using this weapon skillfully, defeats the enemy and
 raises a powerful shout of victory!

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Although Paul does not list prayer as part of the Christian armor, the
 apostle recognizes it as indispensable to Christian life and victory.
 “Praying always . . . being watchful to this end,” he says (Eph. 6:18,
 NKJV). Prayer is not only a fundamental essential to Christian daily
 living; it also carries an eschatological dimension. That is to say,
 prayer supplies not only strength for today but also hope for the com-
 ing end-time trials. A life girded with the armor of God—truth, right-
 eousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word—and linked with Him
 in prayer can be nothing but victorious over the evil one.
    Perhaps the greatest illustration of prayer as a means of victory is in
 our Lord’s prayer life. Forty days of fasting and prayer, combined with
 His knowledge of and trust in God’s Word, prepared Him to defeat the
 devil in the wilderness temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). The Gethsemane
 prayer, pouring out His soul in agony to know and obey God’s will,
 prepared Him for the crucial battle on the cross (Matt. 26:36-46).

  Make a list of some of the things prayer does for you. Make a list
  of things prayer does not do for you. Be prepared to discuss your
  lists in class.


                                                                      115

  P rayer and Christian Victory                         (Eph. 6:18-20)

    In nonbiblical systems, prayer is the human’s quest for God, a search
  after the unknown. In the Bible, prayer is our response to God’s Word.
  He has spoken. He has promised. “Ask,” He has said (Matt. 7:7, Luke
  11:9). We respond to His bidding. Thus, to a Christian, prayer is not
  the first word; it is the second. The first word is always God’s.
  Standing on the promise of God, we must pray. Listening to His Word
  and seeking Him in prayer make communication with God complete.
    Prayer is often associated with the personal—our needs, our chil-
  dren, our families. The closer an individual is to our hearts, the more
  often we think of that person in our prayers. That is natural, and
  there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s wrong when prayer is limited
  just to that inner circle and does not transcend to include the neigh-
  bor, the community, the church, and, above all, the hastening of God’s
  kingdom. Praying for others is not being magnanimous but rather
  acknowledging that the family of God is more inclusive than human
  nature would let us believe.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Notice, too, the personal note Paul has in the midst of his words to
  the Ephesians. He asks them to pray for him. But what does he ask?
  That he be released from jail? That he have more personal comforts,
  such as better food? No! Instead, in a selfless request, he asks that
  they pray for him to be a bold witness for Christ and that he might
  speak “boldly, as I ought to speak” (vs. 20). What a subtle yet power-
  ful insight into the mind of someone who’s dead to self.

   To “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) requires that we order
   our lives according to God’s priority, so at any time and any
   place we are in tune with God’s will and purposes, and our life
   itself becomes a prayer, a testimony. How high is prayer among
   your priorities? What changes might you need to make in your
   life in order to give prayer the priority it should have?

  ____________________________________________________________________

   ●2 If we are saved by grace, why is Christian character such an
   important aspect of our faith? Why does the Bible put such an
   emphasis on character?

   ●3 If your class were to pen “an Epistle” to your local church
   warning them to be “watchful,” what things would you deem
   most important to watch for? If you were to pen an “Epistle” to
   the world Seventh-day Adventist Church, what would you write?

                                          EDNA RODICH is studying at the Adventist secondary
                                          school in Baraton, western Kenya.

          Nowhere is our relationship with others more important, more
        fraught with both temporal and eternal consequences, than in the
        family. Through family relationships God wants to show His love to
        the world. This quarter’s study, Families in the Family of God, by
        Ron Flowers, has been written in the sad recognition that for many,
        this haven doesn’t exist as it should. Our goal, if nothing else, is
        through study of the Word to help homes and families be what God
        would have them to be.

  Lesson 1: A Family of Families

        The Week at a Glance:
        SUNDAY: Family Roots (Gen. 2:18-25)
        MONDAY: Jesus’ Affi rmation of Families (Matt. 19:4-6)
        TUESDAY: A Variety of Families (Gen. 27:1–28:5, Ruth 1:22, 2:23)
        WEDNESDAY: One Is a Whole Number (1 Kings 17:1–2 Kings 2:11)
        THURSDAY: Household of Households (John 20:17, Acts 9:17)

        Memory Text:             Ephesians 2:19, 20, NKJV.

        Sabbath Gem: Through our family, both in our households and
        in His church, God longs for us to experience His self-giving love.


  Lesson 2: God’s Word on Family Living

        The Week at a Glance:
        SUNDAY: Family Commandments (Exod. 20:12)
        MONDAY: Family Narratives (Ruth 1, 2)
        TUESDAY: Principles of Relationships (Prov. 12:25)
        WEDNESDAY: The Royal Love Poem (Song of Sol. 1:9, 14, 16; 2:3)
        THURSDAY: The Divine Parent and Marriage Partner (Isa. 54:5)

        Memory Text:             Romans 15:4, NIV.

        Sabbath Gem: Within the pages of His Word, God has unfolded
        His plans and purposes for families.

          Lessons for the Visually Impaired The regular Adult Sabbath School
          Bible Study Guide is available free each month in braille and on audiocassette to
          sight-impaired and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink
          print. This includes individuals who, because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis,
          accident, old age, and so forth, cannot hold or focus on normal ink-print publications.
          Contact Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.