WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 14: Prayer and Perseverance

Reading: Ephesians 6:18-24 Context: How does the call to prayer connect with the spiritual warfare theme? What a wonderful, wonderful question. And here is why it is wonderful. To do justice to this question, consider what it means to receive the call to pray. This call to pray invites us to use every method available […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 13: Spiritual Warfare

Reading: Ephesians 6:10-17 Context: Why does Paul end this practical letter with teaching about spiritual warfare? This practical letter is based on spiritual realities. The gospel expresses spiritual realities. It’s the glory of the Gentile and Jew being made a part of God’s family – a spiritual reality. It’s the marvel of how he’s rescued […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 12: Relationships – Family and Work

Reading: Ephesians 6:1-9 Context: How do these instructions fit into Paul’s broader teaching about Christian living? Reading about family dynamics and how work relations should go fits in with the character of Christ that Paul refers to the saints constantly. These instructions outline key qualities of submission and obedience, yet they depend on and are […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 11: Relationships – Marriage

Reading: Ephesians 5:21-33 Context: How does “submitting to one another” (v.21) set the tone for what follows? The healthy, godly understanding and application of submission resolves all relationships. All of them. Especially when done in the right order. If we understand what we’ve read in the first three chapters of Ephesians, we’ll understand that submitting […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 10: Walking in Love and Light

Reading: Ephesians 5:1-20 Context: What does it mean to be “imitators of God as dearly loved children”? This is one of the most important identity verses in Scripture. First, it underpins our identity in Christ. Second, it underpins how parenting and childhood work. Third, it points to something about how we emerge in life. Going […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 09: New Life, New Standards

Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32 Context: How does Paul contrast the Gentile way of life with Christian living? The heart of the contrast lies in the difference that God makes in what it means to live. What makes it Gentile is its ignorance and/or rejection of God. As a result, Paul describes this kind of life as […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 08: Unity in the Body

Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16 Context: How does “living a life worthy of the calling” connect to the previous chapters? The previous chapters have outlined the honour and privilege of being joined to God’s great eternal purpose through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is glorious. We have been rescued from a life destined for God’s full wrath. […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 07: Prayer for Inner Strength

Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21 Context: Why does Paul emphasise praying to “the Father from whom every family… derives its name”? Prayers to God are vast enterprises, even as God is vast. The aspect of God that we refer to in prayer gives a great indication of what we’re saying is important in this prayer. The first […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 06: Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

Reading: Ephesians 3:1-13 Context: Why does Paul refer to himself as a “prisoner for Christ Jesus”? First, he is describing his current location. He’s in prison. The reason he’s in prison is because of Jesus. That is to say, in line with what it means to follow Jesus, he is facing opposition and resistance that […]

WIWO: Ephesians – Episode 05: Unity in Christ

Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22 Context: What was the historical relationship between Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s time? Jews and Gentiles were antagonistically situated. The name Gentile is defined by not being a Jew. Jews were very proud of their identity and had practices that made them distinct from others. Rather than being a bridge to understand […]