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Q4. (Ephesians 2:6) What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms"? What does this say about God's grace? What does this say about our spiritual authority? How should this knowledge affect our prayers and our boldness? Almighty God, gracious and merciful, has provided the Way to salvation through His only begotten Son, who paid the price for our sins, by his human suffering and death at Calvary. He has done it all through the Father's creation and salvation plan. It is all God and none of ourselves when we gratefully receive the gift of salvation and are then sealed by the Holy Spirit to eternal life with Christ in the heavenly realms.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:4-5) In verses 4 and 5, which words describe God's motivation and character? Which verbs describe what has happened to us in Christ? Eph: 1:4-For he chose us in him before the creationof the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he(5) predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--- God's motivation springs directly from His great love for us. He has done it all. Creation and salvation are all part of God's great love for us. 95)

Q1. (Ephesians 2:1-3) In what sense are our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives "dead"? What's the difference between us and them? If we really believed that they were "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," what would we do? Anyone who has not received Jesus Christ as their Personal Savior, is still in their sins since it's as if to them that Christ has never come. The wrath of God continues to be on them until they accept the grace and mercy that comes through forgiveness in receiving Christ. With us who have gratefully received Jesus Christ as our Personal Savior, there is the assurance through faith of residing with Him in the Heavenly Realms. Thank you Jesus!! We must boldly spread the message of hope available to all through acceptance of Jesus Christ so that more souls will come to the saving knowledge of receiving Christ.

Hello everyone. I am retired US Air Force and Civil Service, now residing in Dumguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines since 1997 with my Filipino American Retired US Army Nurse wife. I am currently participating in our local Church Bible Study in the Book of Ephesians and I joined this Bible Study to reinforce my Ephesian studies. I find this format very informative where I can see so many views from many members.

Q4. (1:13-14) These verses contain two analogies: (1) seal and (2) downpayment, with the balance to be paid in a lump sum at the end of the term. When does the "end of the term" occur? How do these analogies help explain how the Holy Spirit functions in our lives? When we believe after having heard the gospel, we are sealed unto Salvation by the Holy Spirit as a down payment for our glorified resurrection upon Christ's return.

Q2. (Ephesians 1:9-10) What is the significance that all things will be brought under one head -- Christ himself? How does this relate to the Creator? What does it say about unity? Today, the world is splintered into factions of people and powers who have their own peculiar concept of who and what Christ is. On that day mentioned in Ephesians 1:9-10., the reality of who Christ is will be made manifest when Christ will bring all peoples and powers, including death, under Himself and leave no doubt that He is God. Christ will then present this His realm to the Father who is over all as expressed in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Q1. (Ephesians 1:7) In what sense have you been "redeemed" from slavery? What do you think your life up to now would have been like, if you hadn't been redeemed? What would your future be like without redemption, do you think? So many of the previous answers reflect my situation. I became aware of the love of Jesus when I was about seven, however, John 3:16 didn't make sense to me and my family members could not explain to me the purpose of Christ's death on the cross. I could say the verse but didn't realize the spiritual depth of the verse. From the time of seven, I considered myself a Christian and attended church services regularly with my family, my spiritual knowledge was lacking for too many years. Later I was baptized and still could not answer the important question. Subsequently, during my early teens I drifted from the Church and remained distanced until I enlisted in the Air Force and took Roman Catholic Instruction and was later baptized. Drifted into serious sin again while serving overseas. When I returned to the U.S., I was chastised severely following confession and again drifted from the Church. For several years I wallowed in sensuality and alcohol. However, the desperateness of my situation came home to me during the viewing of a secular movie, "The Color Purple", when the wayward daughter of a pastor, after spending Saturday night in a saloon, while walking past her father's church on Sunday morning, heard the choir singing, "God is trying to tell you something." I was immediately convicted by the Holy Spirit and realized that God had also been trying to tell me something over the years. Subsequently, I joined the Salvation Army and during the instruction, my mentor explained that the Person, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh and equal to the Father, was the only One with the credentials to right the wrong I and all mankind had committed against Holy God. Only the sacrifice of God in the Flesh could pay the debt of humankind's sin. Through the sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus Christ, has released me from the bondage of sin, slavery and death. Hallelujah. What a wonderful God we have. Without Jesus Christ, my life would be pointless. c

Q4. (Ephesians 1:5-6) Why is adoption a particularly apt illustration of God's relationship to us? As adopted children, we were chosen by God to be his children and as such, co-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Savior. This again is indicative of how much God loves us. He created us, He sent the Messiah to save us and then adopted and chose us as adopted children. Hallelujah!! Such love, oh my!!

Only God is holy, spotless and pure. We can strive to be holy through the power of the Holy Spirit. Only through repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ are we able to approach and stand before our Holy God.

I don't find predestination scary because I believe that the plan of redemption was determined before creation and in that sense, God, in His wisdom had a plan for sinners, should they through their free will and nudging of the Holy Spirit, choose to receive. Praise God for His great love of creatures such as we. It is comforting to know that we have a God who truly loves us and wants the best for us.