Avoid Shameful Sins (5:3 – 6) SEXUAL SIN AND greed. The shift from Christ’s self-giving nature in 5:2 to the self-indulgence of 5:3 is striking. The three sins mentioned — “sexual immorality” (porneia), “impurity” (akatharsia), and “greed” (pleonexia) — were already mentioned at 4:19. The second and third sins are the same in both passages, [...]
Displaying posts written by
William Kang
who has written 33 posts for Gracepoint Devotions.
Ephesians 4:1-16 Devotion Sharing
Submitted by Manny Kim, Gracepoint Austin. What would be commensurate with living a life that is worthy compared to the calling that you have received? The calling is presumed by Apostle Paul to be a high calling, to preach the Gospel, to make plain the mystery that is the church. This knowledge of the Gospel [...]
Ephesians 4 Commentary
Live Worthy of Your Call Focused on Unity (4:1 – 3) With the translation “the calling you have received,” the NIV loses the text’s double emphasis on election (lit., “the calling with which you were called”). Paul reminds the reader of the description of salvation in chapters 1 – 3 and especially of the doxology [...]
Ephesians 3 Commentary
v.1 “Paul’s imprisonment was both a hardship and a potential embarrassment. But surprisingly, he gives little focus to his difficulty. […] Paul’s circumstances were attendant factors, but they did not define who he was. Only the gospel defined him. Paul describes himself here as both the prisoner of Christ and a servant of the gospel; [...]
Ephesians 2:11-22 Devotion Sharing
Submitted by John Lee, Gracepoint Minneapolis In what ways does my old identity as a “foreigner” and “alien” still persist, despite the fact that I am now “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household?” Despite experiencing a restored relationship with God and becoming “fellow citizens with God’s people and member of God’s [...]
Ephesians 2 Commentary
v. 2, “’World’ has a broad semantic range in the New Testament, covering creation, people, and a world system that either leaves God out of the picture or is openly hostile to him. Clearly Paul’s intent here is to focus on this world system, a way of life shaped by a system that does not [...]
Ephesians 2:1-10 Devotion Sharing
Submitted by Alice Rhee, Gracepoint Minneapolis What 3 things does this text say exercise control over unredeemed man? In what ways did I follow these things before I became a Christian? The cravings of our sinful nature, our desires, and our thoughts exercise control over unredeemed man. Before I became a Christian, I was quite [...]
Ephesians 1:1-14 Devotion Sharing
Submitted by Gary Chang, Gracepoint Hsinchu. In this introductory passage of Ephesians, Paul uses a number of related words in describing the course of God’s unfolding His salvation plan, from the creation of the world to the future. In verse 4, it says that He “chose” us before the beginning of the world to be [...]
Devotion Time: June 14-20, 2010
Here is the recommended personal devotions schedule. Monday to Thursday For each weekday, from Monday to Thursday, – Read the assigned text several times – Do Inductive Bible Study using the questions and prompts provided in the downloadable packet – Personal Reflection based on the questions in the packet. Friday to Sunday Read the assigned Old [...]
Ephesians 6 Commentary
Instructions to Children and Parents (6:1 – 4) The Greek word for “fathers” in verse 4 can mean “parents,” but more likely Paul is turning attention specifically to fathers. Fathers had legal control of children and were responsible for their instruction from about age seven. Girls did not normally receive formal education, but were taught [...]