The Epistle of Ephesians - Intro Part 1

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written to believers in a pagan and morally complex city, yet God planted His church there to shine the light of the gospel. This opening message emphasized that salvation is not something anyone can earn or work up; it is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world.

To introduce Ephesians, the pastor outlined the long‑standing tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. Using Calvin’s “tulip” and Arminius’s “daisy” as memorable illustrations, he compared the two systems and showed that each contains important truths but also potential extremes. Scripture presents these doctrines not as enemies but as friends. God is sovereign and draws sinners to Himself, yet every person is called to respond to His grace through faith in Christ.

This introduction urged believers to go deeper than secondhand theology, to search the Scriptures for themselves, and to allow the gospel to shape both belief and behavior. Part 1 ends with an invitation to trust Christ alone for salvation.