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Chapter 1 The very beginnings of all our blessings come from Christ and from Christ alone. When we started down this Christian road, it was not because we started by ourselves. Christ foreknew us, elected us, and predestinated us to eternal life from before the foundations of this world. Chapter 2 Paul speaks about the personal timing of our conviction of sin and salvation. We are saved in time, but predestinated in eternity. We were dead in sins, but have been quickened by Christ Jesus unto good works. Verse 10 – We are the workmanship of Christ, we are not our own workmanship. Chapter 3 Paul reveals the mystery of the local churches, which was not revealed in ages past. It was unthinkable to the Jews that the Gentiles would ever have a part of the kingdom of God, but it was the eternal plan of God. Romans 11:14,15 – When 1% of the world (the Jews) was cast away, the 99% (the Gentiles) were grafted into the kingdom of God. We are one in Christ, and in the kingdom. We are not one as far as Israel or the church is concerned. Israel and the church are two different organizations. Chapter 4 Because of chapter 1-3, saved, scripturally baptized believers should walk correctly. We, that are members of Independence Baptist Church, as those folks were members of the Ephesus Baptist Church, have a common salvation (Jude 1:3 – Jude wrote concerning a "common salvation"), thus we have everything else in common. Chapter four emphasis that we are together. There are no big "I’s" and little "yous", but we are working together to please God. God established his kind of church because he knows we need the fellowship and the correction from one another, as given in the Word of God. We are not to fellowship and correct each other our way, any more than we correct our children our way. All of our fellowship and correction is according to the Word of God, not according to our own personal preferences. This chapter also gives us detailed references as to how to live according to God’s standards. Verse 15-16 gives some positive things to do, while verse 17-32 gives some negative things not to do. Chapter 5 This chapter continues the same line of thought as chapter four. Verse 8 tells why the believer should walk in newness of life. Verse 14-20 gives some specific things to do daily to worship and serve God. Verse 21-33 gives an illustration (using the family – what the people already know) of how the local church is supposed to operate. Chapter 6 Verse 1-9 gives instructions to various groups of people (verse 1-3 – children: verse 4 – fathers: verse 5-8 – servants: verse 9 – masters) as to how they can reflect the kingdom of God in their everyday lives. Verse 10-18 gives instructions as to the proper spiritual clothing every believer should put on. Verse 11 instructs to "put on" – therefore it is the responsibility of the believer to do so. The Christian life is not automatic, any more than the lost seeking Christ for salvation is automatic. It must be worked at, striven for, and achieved by the mercy and grace of God. Verse 19-24 is Paul’s salutation. |