Hebrews by Dr. Ralph Wilson

Lesson 6

Fellow Citizens with the People of God (Ephesians 2:11-22)

Separated from Christ (Ephesians 2:11-12)

Paul begins by listing the elements of the Gentiles' spiritual condition pre-Christ:

Q22. (Ephesians 2:11-12) Why does being out of touch with what it means to be "lost" impede our willingness to witness?

In your own words, what is the spiritual condition of a friend or co-worker who doesn't know Christ?

Brought Near through His Blood (Ephesians 2:13)

Completing the Law's Requirements (Ephesians 2:14-15)

Paul uses two powerful verbs in these verses

Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil Law

Q23. (Ephesians 2:14-15) In what sense did Jesus as Messiah "fulfill" the Mosaic Law?

What is the significance of that for Jewish people?

For us Gentiles?

Jew and Gentile as the "New Israel"

Access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18)

Q24. (Ephesians 2:17) What does it mean to have "access to the Father"?

In what way does the Holy Spirit facilitate this access? In what way does Jesus enable this access?

Made One in Christ (Ephesians 2:18-22)

In contrast to our old place outside of God's blessing and privilege, we now have been given wonderful blessings:

A Dwelling Place for God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)

The Church as a Temple (Ephesians 2:21-22)

Q25. (Ephesians 2:22) What is the significance that your congregation was made to be "a dwelling place for God in the Spirit"?

What hinders that from being fully experienced?

What can you do to help that become more fully experienced and appreciated?

Spiritual Masonry

Verses 21 and 22 use three interesting words which describe Jesus' spiritual masonry:

Prayer

Lord Jesus, bring each of us into the unity for which you lived and died and now intercede before the throne of God. Amen.

Key Verses

(Ephesians 2:18) "For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."

(Ephesians 2:22) "And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

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