1. Webb - Peploe - The Alps of the New Testament
a. Paxon - The Grand Canyon of Holy Scriptures
b. Gaebelain - God's highest and best
c . The high water mark of Holy Scripture.
2. The book is both doctrinal and practical
a. Chapters 1-3 - Doctrinal - Our Position
b. Chapters 4-6 - Practical - Our Walk
1. Paul - ask or pray
a. His given name was Saul (small)
b. Evidently he was a frail child
2. God changed his name to Paul because He was a
man who spent a great deal of time in prayer.
(Eph. 1:15-16) (Eph. 3:14)
3. He also felt a great need for others to pray for
him (Eph. 6: 18-19)
B. The Vocation Stated (an Apostle)
1. This was Paul's only claim to fame
2. Three things are obvious as he makes this statement
a. He belonged to Christ - his life was not his own
b. He was commissioned by Christ - dispatched by
the Lord
c. His authority was delegated by Christ - as he went to
preach the authority of Christ was behind him, (Matt 28:18-19)
C. The Divine Influence (by will of God)
1. Paul did not determine his own vocation
a. He was divinely led and directed
b. His responsibility was immense because he
was assigned & heavenly commission.
c. He did not will to be an apostle he was
chosen by the Almighty for that duty.
(Gal.1:1) (Gal. 1:15-16)
1. The faithful in Christ
2. They lived a double life and necessarily so.
a. They lived in Ephesus and in Christ
b. Every Christian has a human address and a
divine address.
c. The secret of spiritual serenity is to remember
that wherever you are - you are in Christ.
3. Faithful in Christ means that they were not only
living in Ephesus but believing in Christ.
1. A Christian who is unattractive is not testimony
for Him.
2. A griping complaining and bitter person is cer-
tainly no advertisement for Christ.
3. It later came to mean what was defined by Aristolle
as:
a something conferred freely without any expec-
tations of return and finding its only motive
in the bounty and free-heartedness of the
giver.
b. God's free grace has been extended to us being
then as now undeserved by those who receive it.
B. Peace (the verb form means to join)
1. When things are disjointed there is lack of harmony.
2. when things are joined together there is harmony
and well being
3. Hamlet cried - The times are out of joint
4. The word peace is used in scripture in contrast
to strife and turmoil.
5. Col 1:20 - Our Lord made peace through the blood
of His Cross.
6. Our Lord Jesus thus bound together the believing
sinner and a Holy God thus making peace.
7. This peace is not merely negative by that I mean
free of hardship and trouble
8. The peace that God gives is independent of out-
ward circumstances.
9. A man might live in luxury, live in the finest
of houses, the biggest of bank accounts and yet
not have peace.
10. On the other hand a man might be starving in prison
or dying at the stake and be at perfect peace.
11. There is only one source of peace in all the world
and that is God Himself.
12. Both grace and peace are gifts of God.
1. Think of some of the wonderful things He has done
for us.
a. Chose us before the foundation of the world
to be in his presence - holy and blameless (1:4)
b. He predestinated that we be adopted and placed
as His legal heir (1:5)
c. Allowed us to understand the sacred secrets up until
now hidden in Him (1:9)
granted us in Christ.
1. He has given us every Spirit bestowed blessing
found in the heavenlies (1:3)
2. He has fully and completely and for eternity
accepted me in Christ (1:6)
3. He has redeemed and forgiven us in Christ (1:7)
a. He has redeemed ~ us from the
Sinful condition which we in ourselves
found ourselves powerless to handle
b. He has forgiven us all the sin that could
be cataloged against us.
4. He has granted us an inheritance (1:11)
a. In Romans we are told we are joint heirs with
Christ.
b. In Him all things are mine
5. We are saved by and sealed with his Spirit (1:13)
6. An enlightened mind and understanding (1:17,18)
1. That we as Christians be given wisdom (1:17)
2. That we have an enlightened understanding (1:18)
3. That we experience his resurrected power (1: 19 - 20)