Paul’s Letters to Seven Churches: Ephesus

“That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:12 NKJV

Ephesus is the only church to have received letters from both Paul and in the Book of Revelation. Ephesus sat on the western coast of modern Turkey and was a major hub of the ancient world. Paul preached there. Timothy preached there. The Apostle John preached there. When Paul wrote to the Romans he was writing to people he had never met. When he wrote to the Ephesians he was writing to old friends among whom he had worked. His letter to them is very simple.

He opens the book by repeating the glorious gospel message, Christ died for you. In doing this He gave you all the riches of glory along with your new relationship with God. Because of this, he then says, this is how you ought to live your lives to the praise of His glory. He uses that simple phrase three times in the book. He then lists these categories for Christian living. We are to walk according the Holy Spirit’s nature.  We are to walk in purity of life and conduct.  We are to walk in Christ-likeness, as He had walked.  We are to walk in love in all areas of human relationships. We don’t do this to merit anything.  We do it simply because He is worthy of all praise and we should walk to the praise of His glory.

Dear Father, You have given us such indescribable gifts through Your Son.  Help us to walk a life that will rightly glorify Him. Amen.

You can find more Abundant Grace devotions M-F on my website www.davidccraig.net. You will also find a number of excellent Christian books there.