The New Testament Story

‘Helping you find your way from Matthew to Revelation’

Regular Baptist Press

Unit 3  ‘Christ’s Church: Her Doctrine

Session 9  The Church’s Doctrine ‘Sanctification’ pt.1

PP Overview    

   This session is a survey of the four Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,    Philemon. It seeks to set forth the great truths of Christian living.

 PP Theme

   Jesus Christ wants the members of his Church to live holy lives and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him.

PP Aims

   By the end of this class, you will be able to:

    1. Summarize the themes of each book of the Prison Epistles

    2. Summarize the major teachings of each Epistle

    3. Relate the message of sanctification to his/her life

PP Introduction

Question: How does (should) wearing a military uniform change someone?

· It is an outward display of an obligation to and testimony of others who wear the uniform.

· It shows that individual has made a commitment to be named with others who stand for something.

Question: How does (should) becoming a Christian change a person?

· The believer carries Christ’s name and gives testimony of Him and of others who claim to be a Christian.

· The believer is joined with Christ…that’s commitment 24/7

PP Key Verse

‘As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling

you have received.’  Eph 4:1

Question: What does this key verse tell us about Christian living?

· The believer must live his/her life in a manner that is consistent with the grace God has provided for their salvation.

PP Review

   PP   Positional Sanctification:

   The righteous (right) standing of the Christian before God. This is possible  by the Christians union with Christ. When God looks at us he sees Jesus.

   PP Practical Sanctification:

   The Christian lives out his righteousness by counting himself dead to sin    (Rom. 6:1) by yielding to God in all things (Rom. 6:13) by being obedient to     righteousness (right living) God (Rom. 6:17)

   PP Perfect or Ultimate Sanctification:

   The Christian’s future state in glory, in heaven. This is when there will be no    difference between our positional and practical sanctification.

PP I. The Epistle to the Ephesians

Question: If you were on house arrest for your faith in Jesus…how do you think you would   spend your time?

· The apostle Paul spent his time witnessing, praying and writing letters to Christians. It is his writing we will examine in this lesson.

PP  A. The city of Ephesus and the Ephesian church

PP The City:

· Ephesus was main city in Asia Minor (Turkey) It was a large and prosperous city.

· It was a city full of idolatry.

· It was known for two structures:

     -The’ theater’ which was the largest in its day seating 25,000

     -The Temple of Diana which was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.

PP The Church:

· Paul visited Ephesus on the return portion of his 2 missionary journey. He came later and stayed for 3 years.

· While in Ephesus Paul taught in the synagogue and the School of Tryannus.

· The gospel really took hold in Ephesus, so much so that the people burned witchcraft books that were worth a fortune even in his day.

· But, the silversmiths started a riot and Paul had to leave.

· This church is Ephesus was one of the strongest in its day.

PP  B. The teachings of the Epistle to the Ephesians

   PP 1. Thanksgiving (1:3-14)

   Verses 1-14 in the Greek are all one verse, the longest in the NT.

   Paul thanked God for all the blessing God gives his children.

Question: What is the scope of God’s blessings to his children?

· Complete, full, abundant, every spiritual blessing

   Paul also thanked God because he has sealed each Christian with the Holy Spirit.

Question: What does this mean?

· It means the indwelling Holy Spirit is the down payment, the guarantee that God will take us to heaven when it is our time.

   PP 2. Knowledge of Christ (1:18)

   Paul prayed that God might give the Ephesian Christians wisdom and knowledge   so that they might know the hope of those who are in Jesus Christ.

Question: What specifically does Paul mention here as the Christian hope?

· The riches of his glorious inheritance

· The incomparable great power

   PP 3. Salvation (2:1-10)

Question: What does it mean to be ‘dead in your transgressions and sins’?

· This death is spiritual, not physical, for unsaved people are very much alive physically. Death signifies absence of communication with the living. One who is dead spiritually has no communication with God; he is separated from God. The phrase “in your transgressions and sins” shows the sphere of the death, suggesting that sin has killed people (Rom. 5:12; 7:10; Col. 2:13) and they remain in that spiritually dead state.

Question: Whose spirit is at work in those who are disobedient?

· This “spirit” refers to the impersonal force or atmosphere, which is controlled and directed by Satan (1 John 5:19). This spirit is presently “at work” (energountos) in unbelievers. “In those who are disobedient” is literally, “in the sons of disobedience.” It suggests conscious and active rebellion and opposition against God.

Question: What is the scope of the power and influence of this ‘spirit’?

· The Jews (“all of us”) also joined in this disobedience. And everyone to this very day.

Question: Who are the object of God’s wrath?

· Like the rest, we are by nature (naturally and innately) the objects ( “children”) of wrath. Unbelievers have a close relationship, not with God, but with His wrath! Disobedience and unbelief lead to the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18-2:29; John 3:36).

   Ephesians 2:1-3 presents a hopeless picture of an unregenerate person who deserves  nothing but God’s wrath.

Question: But God’s wrath is not the end of the story…what is?

· Verses 4-10 show the grace of God which works on some unbelievers and gives them life (4-5), raises them (6a), and seats them in heavenly realms with Christ (6b-10).

Question: According to vss 4-6 what did God do for some unbelievers?

· God’s love has done three things:

   (a)  made us alive with Christ,

   (b) “raised us up with Christ”  

   (c) “seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”.

   An unbeliever, spiritually dead, is “made . . . alive” by God “with (in association with)  Christ” (Col. 2:13). The “us” includes both Jews and Gentiles (“us” in Eph. 2:3-4). The  only way a spiritually dead person can communicate with God is to be made alive,   and  that must be done by the One who is Himself alive. He is the living God, “who gives    life to the dead” (Rom. 4:17).

Question: According to Eph 2:8-9 why does God do this for some unbelievers?

· God is fully aware of the unbelievers’ state. It was clearly described in Ephesians 2:1-3 and is repeated here: even when we were dead in transgressions . This act of God in making the unregenerate alive is an act of grace: it is by grace you have been saved. Paul elaborated on this last statement in verse 8.

· The verb “have been saved” is in the perfect tense which expresses the present permanent state as a result of a past action. Because believers have been “made alive” spiritually with Christ, they have been and are saved and will remained saved.

Question: What is the one condition for salvation?

· Faith

   It is by grace you have been saved, and adding that the means of this salvation is through  faith. Hence the basis is grace and the means is faith alone (cf. Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16;  1 Peter 1:5).

   Faith is not a “work.” It does not merit salvation; it is only the means by which one accepts God’s free salvation.

   Paul said ‘and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God’. Much debate has centered    around the demonstrative pronoun “this” (touto).

     -some think it refers back to “grace” and others to “faith,”

   This salvation does not have its source in man (it is “not from yourselves”), but rather, its    source is God’s grace for “it is the gift of God.” Verse 9 reinforces this by showing that   the means is not by works since its basis is grace (Rom. 3:20, 28; 4:1-5; 11:6; Gal. 2:16;   2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5), and its means is faith (Rom. 4:5).

   Therefore since no person can bring salvation to himself by his own efforts, no one can    boast (cf. Rom. 3:27; 1 Cor. 1:29).

Question: So where do works come into the picture for the Christian?

· Believers are God’s workmanship because they have been created (a work only God can do) in Christ Jesus. The purpose of this creation is that believers will do good works. God’s workmanship is not achieved by good works, but it is to result in good works

    (cf. Titus 2:14; 3:8).

   In the clause, which God prepared in advance for us to do, the word “which” refers back to the “works” in the previous clause. “For us to do” is literally “in order that we might  walk in them.”

   The purpose of these prepared-in-advance works is not “to work in them” but “to walk in  them.” In other words, God has prepared a path of good works for believers which He   will perform in and through them as they walk by faith.

   PP 4. Unity of Jews and Gentiles (2:11-22)

Question: Where were the gentiles, and all of us, before we came to faith in Jesus?

· Separate from Christ

· Excluded from citizenship in Israel (eternal life)

· Foreigners to the covenants of promise

· Without hope

· Without God

BUT NOW…what wonderful words. Through faith in Christ, by God’s grace, none of the above are true, we who were one far away from God have been brought close by faith in the shed blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

   PP 5.  Paul the preacher to the Gentiles (3:1-13)

   Paul discusses the ‘mystery’ of the gospel that was given to him by God.

Question: According to Eph. 3:6 what is the mystery?

· Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body and sharers together in the promises of Jesus.

   PP 6. A second prayer for the Epesians (3:14-20)

Question: What did Paul pray for the Ephesian Christians in 3:1-13?

· To receive God’s strength

· To receive God’s power

· That Christ might dwell in their hearts

· To have love as their foundation

· To know the fullness of God’s love for them

   PP 7. Various exhortations (4:1-6:24)

   Paul closed with 4 exhortations.

Question: What is an exhortation?

· Encouragement

· Advice

   PP A. Be different

    PP Read: Eph. 4:17

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

     Note that Paul says that he ‘insists’ on it. This is a very strong command in the Greek.   Paul is saying it is not an option.

   PP B. Watch your mouth.

     PP Read: Eph. 4:29

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP C. Watch your step

    PP Read: Eph. 5:15-16

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP D. Watch your family

     PP Read: Eph. 5:21

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

     PP Read: Eph. 5:22

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

    PP Read: Eph. 5:25-28

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

     PP Read: Eph. 6:1-3

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

     PP Read: Eph. 6:4

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

     PP Read: Eph. 6:11

     Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

PP II. The Epistle to the Philippians

  PP A. The city of Philippi and the Philippian church

   PP The City

   Large city in Macedonia (formally Yugoslavia)

   Close to rich gold mines

   Very few Jews lived in Philippi and there were no synagogues.

   PP The Church

   Met by the river and was started with women (Lydia)

   Mostly Gentile membership

  PP B. The teachings of the epistle to the Philippians

   PP 1. Salutation and thanksgiving (1:1-11)

   Paul says that he always thanks God for them.

Question: How would you like to get a letter from someone and they said that about you?

  How would that make you feel?

   Notice that Paul is thankful that the Philippian Christians have kept to the true     Gospel , they have not wandered from the truth.

   Paul prays that the Philippian Christians might have discernment to know what is   best and that they might be pure and blameless until they meet Christ.

Question: How often do you pray for discernment for someone?

   PP 2. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of JC. (1:27-2:4)

Question: According to 1:27-28 and 2:1-4 what does this look like?

· Standing firm

· United in one Spirit

· Contending as one man for the faith

· Without fear

· Be like minded

· Love one another

· Do not act selfishly or with conceit

· Look to your own interest as well as the interests of others

   PP 3. Christ’s equality with the Father (2:5-11)

PP Read: Phil. 2:5-11

Question: What does this teach us about Jesus?

· The equality of Jesus, God the Son, with God the Father.

· Jesus gave up his heavenly glory but not his deity.

· Jesus became a man

· Jesus became a servant

· Jesus gave his life on the cross

· Jesus was exalted by God for his obedience and sacrifice

· Jesus is Lord of all creation.

· Jesus still gives all the glory to God the Father

   PP 4. Do w/o complaining (2:12-18)

PP Read: Phil. 2:14

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP 5. Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:19-30)

   Paul speaks of the faithful service of these two men.

   PP 6.  No confidence in the flesh (3:1-11)

PP Read: Phil. 3:7-9  

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP 7. Pressing on toward the goal (3:12-21)

PP Read: Phil. 3:12-14

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP 8. Various Exhortations and greetings (4:1-23)

   PP A. Euodia and Syntyche:

    Get along with each other.

    And have other Christians there help them.

   PP b. Rejoice in the Lord, always.

Question: Does this mean we should always be happy?

· No, but hope is in the Lord in all circumstances and since he always wants the best for us, in every circumstance, that is where our joy lies.

   PP c. Think on these things

PP Read: Phil 4:8-9 

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

PP III. The Epistle to the Colossians

  PP A. The city of Colosse and the Colossian church

   PP The City

Question: What do you think Colosse means?

· Colosse means: big. It was a big city even by our standards today.

   However, it was later included into other cities nearby and lost it’s place in that    society. Probably because the roads were rerouted in another direction and people    didn’t needs to travel through Colosse anymore to get the other main cities.

   Located in Turkey. And was inhabited by Greeks, Phrygians and Jews.

   PP The Church

   We don’t know who started this church but it was not Paul.

   However Paul did know many of the men there including Philemon.  He was    wealthy and the church met in his home.

  PP  B. The teachings of the epistle to the Colossians

   1. Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:1-14)

   Paul commends them on their steadfastness in the faith and for their love for other    Christians.

Question: In Col. 1:9 what does Paul pray for the Colossians?

· Paul prays that they might be filled with knowledge of God’s will

· That they might have spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Question: In Col. 1:10-12 what does Paul say the results of his prayer would bring?

· Live a life worth of the Lord

· Please the Lord in every way

· Bearing fruit in every good work

· Growing in the knowledge of God

· Strengthened by God’s power

· Great endurance

· Patience

· Joyfully giving thanks.

   PP 2. Person and work of Christ (1:15-23)

   In 1:15-23 Paul make three major points concerning the person and work of JC.

    PP a. Christ’s deity (15a)

      Christ is the exact likeness of God

    PP b. Christ’s creatorship (15b)

      Christ was before everything

      Christ created everything

      Christ sustains all things

    PP c. Christ’s headship over the church (18)

      The church is the body of Christ and he is the head of the body.

   PP 3. Paul’s work for the church (1:24-2:5)

PP Read: Col. 1:28-29

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP 4. Christian liberty (2:6-23)

PP Read: Col. 2:8; 16; 18-19

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   PP 5. Christian Living (3:1-4:1)

PP Read: Col. 3:1-2

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

   Paul repeats much of what he said to the Ephesians here about living and loving in the  family.

   PP 6. Closing comments (4:2-18)

PP Read: Col. 4:2

Question: What does this mean? What does it include?

PP IV. The Epistle to Philemon

  PP A. The main teaching of Philemon

Question: What do you think is the main idea behind Philemon?

· Forgiveness

   Onesimus had sinned against Philemon by stealing from him. Paul said he was     willing to pay Onesimus’ debt.

   He told Philemon that we all were sinners and Jesus paid our sin debt to God. And    he paid it in full.

   It is up to us to receive the forgiveness God offers. Just as it is up to Philemon to     offer forgiveness to Onesimus.