In order to be servants of God, you and I need to know what He is like, we need to learn His will for our lives, and we need to have a heart that is willing to submit to His desire . . . that is what servants do.
Some Bible students have found it profitable to focus their attention on one book of the Bible at a time, and within the text of a particular book pay special attention to what they learn in that book about a specific topic. Perhaps one person takes on a study of Romans and what we learn in that remarkable letter about justification. Another person might benefit greatly by examining what is said about baptism in the book of Acts.
What we intend to do is take a journey through the letter which the Spirit guided the apostle Paul to write to the saints of God in Ephesus, the book we know as “Ephesians.” Our topic will be “God.” That, of course, is a broad theme, but here are thirty-three things you and I can learn about God in this epistle:
1. God blesses Christians: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us . . . ” (Ephesians 1:3).
2. God blesses Christians with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in the Christ (1:3).
3. God chose and predestined us in the Christ before the foundation of the world (1:4,5).
4. God has a will for mankind, and He expects humans to conform to it (1:5; 6:6).
5. God has made known the mystery of His will (1:9).
6. God wants us to know the exceeding greatness of His power (1:18,19).
7. God raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand (1:20).
8. God put all things under Jesus’ feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church (1:22)
9. God is rich in mercy (2:4).
10. God loved us with a great love (2:4).
11. God made us alive together with Jesus (2:5).
12. God raised us up and made us sit together in the heavenly places in the Christ (2:6).
13. God has saving grace (2:5,8).
14. God has kindness toward us in Jesus (2:7).
15. God gives salvation as a gift (2:8).
16. God has provided a way for humans to be reconciled to Him (2:16).
17. God has a household in which Christians are citizens with other saints (2:19).
18. God through the Spirit made known the mystery (3:3,5).
19. God created all things by Jesus (3:9).
20. God has manifold wisdom (3:10).
21. God accomplished His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord (3:11).
22. God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (3:14; 1:3).
23. God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think . . .” (3:20).
24. God is given glory in the church by the Christ (3:21).
25. God is unique there is one God (4:6).
26. God is Father of all, above all, through all, and in all (4:6).
27. The Holy Spirit is called “the Holy Spirit of God” (4:30).
28. God in the Christ forgave Christians (4:32).
29. God wants His children to imitate Him; thus, it is possible to do so (5:1).
30. God has a kingdom, known as “the kingdom of Christ and God” (5:5).
31. God is a God of wrath, as His wrath comes upon the sons of disobedience (5:6).
32. God provides armor – He wants Christians to put on “the whole armor of God” (6:11,13).
33. God communicates to mankind through His word – His word is the sword of the Spirit (6:17).
Do you feel tired, mentally drained after reading through such a long list? Do not be! Learn to appreciate God’s magnificence. Be thrilled that we serve such an amazing God. His power is unparalleled! His love is unmatched! His plan to save humans through Jesus is absolutely perfect!
Of course, taking a pen/pencil and pad of paper and writing down each matter that is revealed about a certain topic in a book of the Bible is not the only way to have a fruitful journey through the Bible’s text. But, it is an enlightening one. Friend, keep studying the Scriptures diligently.
— Roger D. Campbell
