The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-03-20

Lessou n the international series
jor March ~. 1OO3-psui's Mes
sage 90 the Ephesians-

9. Even when We Were dead w SINS N"el-
quickencd us together with Christ toy
grace sc are savedO
G And hath raised US up togei her aAc
made us SIT together IN Heavenly PAGES
In christ Jesus;
:, That I'm the ages 20 come He might
shew the exceeding riches of HIS grace.
in His kindness toward us through chi-ss
Jesus
5 For by grace are We saved through
faith; and that not Of yourselves " Is ne
gilt OF God.
.. Not Of works. lest any man should
boast
10 For we are His workmanship. created
In Christ Jesus unto good works. whisn
God hath before ordained tha, We shou.o
walk In them.
GOLDEN TENT.-By grace are ye
saved through Saith.-Eph. 2ss.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION
Children OF wrath. 2:i-s.
Saved by grace ;-'...-...-..'EEphh' 5..,i-yS
Fellow-citizens with saints-...Eph- 2:ls----
TIME-A ID 81 or g..
PLACE-Rome.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The experiences which Paul had IN
Ephesus make his letter to the Ephe-
slams Tor perhaps % circle OF churches
Of which Ephesus was the center) OF
exceeding interest. He contrasts their
former heather condition with their
inestimable privileges as disciples OF
Christ. The apostle first shows that
through divine love they were called
10 God. and then that it is their duty
10 walk worthily of their calling (4:D-
Our lesson falls in the first part. where
he is dwelling upon the fact that they
were saved. not by works, but by grace
were in fact Gods workmanship.
The letter of Paul to the Ephesians
has been spoken Of as "a Legacy OF
peace left TO he church by Paul the
aged" Though the letter is short. Il
is one of the greatest of the New Testa-
ment writings. Paul is not far from
the end Of his life: the controversial
tone j. gone, and he speaks OF peace
and unity in Christ. The letter was
writer from Rome. where Paul was
prisoner. II was not written solely
10 the church at Ephesus. but as kind
Of circular letter TO the churches OF
the region. perhaps to all those in the
province OF which Ephcsus was cap
ital. This accounts for the absence.
very unusual in Paul's letters, Of per-
sonal greetings and allusions. The let
ter Is divided into two main parts. CD
! doctrinal (-3). and (2) practical 900.
Our lesson comes from the first sec
ton. and is on the effect OF Christ In
The heart. The lesson should not be
, studied simply a something laid by
another person 30 other persons. bu:
should be AZ the same time serious
looking over of our o~n heart life
Paul begins to the Gentiles. to whom
he was writing: when We were deac
through your irespasses and sins
: but before the end Of the sentence il
has changed TO we. lie speaks OF him
self and his people. the Gentiles. all
: as having been in this condition o
y deafness 70 the claims Of the life tina
] Is high and good. They had been aliv'
, TO desires and lusis. but dead TO obi
r ration and God. The course OF thi
: world" They had lived in n cor-up
. and goddess world. and were like IL
they had drifted with the current
p "The prince Of the powers Of the air.:
r The idea was current in Paurs tim
. tina. the air was peopled with evil spir
h Its. There seems TO be n referee nc
|. here 10 these powers Of the air. as
v mysterious and evil influence anon
: men. Whether Paul used the word
= in their literal or figurative sense W
do not know. We say. somewhat sin
ilarlv. Of prevailing tendency. 1T
In the air" and we speak Of 'the spiri
!, Of the are" children Of wrath"
\ common Hebrew expression meanin
deserving of wrath. Compare "a son Q
= stripes" that is, deserving Of stripe
! Yielding TO the tendencies and tempt;
:. tions which we all have "by nature
= makes us observing Of wrath" Eve
: as the rests" The Gentiles.
: In verse 4 Paul shows us that Go
loved us with an infinite love eve
!. though we were deserving OF wrat
= .Made us alive together with Christ:
!. As Christ was raised from the "a,
SO does the Christian. whether Cent?
or Jew. when he is filled with the spir
OF Christ. rise with him from the deaf
= Of sin 10 a new. divine life. with Hi
= in the heavenly places" Union wit
Christ in His exalted. spiritual lif
- God made this provision for our salv
\, ton because OF His great love. and v
receive IL not because we deserve:
y or have earned IL. but MS the free 81
= of the loving Father
- In union with Christ. all Christian
lows and Gentiles alike, have come
union with each other. All artifici
!. barriers and distinctions have he,
!. swept away. and the result is bless
. brotherhood in Christ. without Who
!. II could not have been. When We a
" Allied with the spirit Of Christ. love
=, God and love to our fellow men bccor
- the natural condition OF our hearts