5. What is the relationship between Ephesians 1-3 and 4-6 and what practical significance does that have for Christians?
It is pretty common to divide Ephesians (and other Pauline books) into an initial “indicative” or doctrinal section (Ephesians 1-3) and a concluding “imperative” or ethical section (Ephesians 4-6). While you don’t want to make these chapters watertight compartments, there is a profound truth here that good biblical teaching will lead to deeper faith that will itself lead to holiness of life. Look at how Paul expresses this early on in Ephesians: we have been chosen to be holy and blameless (1:4) because election is to something. And notice how the focus of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is that they will have unshakable convictions about our hope, inheritance, and Christ’s all-conquering power and exaltation (1:18-21), because Paul knows that a deep-rooted faith will yield rich fruit of obedience to his exhortations for holy living in the latter chapters.
No comments:
Post a Comment