The great epistle of unity now shapes our view of the NT Church and NT Christianity as we continue down this great path of reading through and living out the NT in 40 days.

What I learned today...

1. About God: If Ephesians is a great call to unity regarding the church, then it is a great declaration of sovereignty regarding God. Ephesians 1:3-14 is an overwhelmingly assuring statement of His love, power, election, and blessings (that we all have "IN CHRIST"). Paul taps the phrase "in Him" or "in Christ/Jesus" 9 times in these verses. Since we are in Him, we live with great spiritual blessings and with great assurance.

2. About NT Christianity: They were unified! Paul calls them to pursue this unity by remaining "completely humble and gentle" and by "making every effort" (Eph 4:2-3). Being humble is hard enough, unity requires us to be "completely humble"! Right after that charge, Paul calls the church to recognize its bases for being one body: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father". As a side note here, if baptism were only "an act of obedience" or "an outward sign" as some assert, then what in the world is it doing in this list?!?! But in Scripture, baptism is the way that ordains for us to receive his gift of salvation.

3. DWIS (Do What It Says): "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" (Eph 5:25-26). That's pretty direct and convicting. Practically, that means that I do something selfless, sacrificial today for Deb. And to wash her with the Word, I will share what I've learned today in my quiet time.