The Tupelo journal., 1903-03-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson In. the International Series
for March ~, 1QO3-PnuI,s Mes
snEe TO the Ephesinns.
THE LESSON TEXT

g. Wherein in time past We walked ac-
cording to the course of this world. ac-
cording to the prince of the power of the
air. the spirit that now worketh in the
| children of disobedience:
/ ;. Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts
of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind: and were by nature
the children of wrath. even as others.
A. But God, Who is rich in mercy, for
Els great love w%herewith He loved us.
s. Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace We are saved;) q
6. And hath raised us up together, and
made us sit together in Heavenly places
in Christ Jesus:
q That in the ages to come He might
shew the exceeding riches of His grace,
in His kindness toward US through Christ
Jesus.
s. For by grace are we saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God:
9. Not of works. lest any man should
boast.
10. For we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should
walk in them.
GOLDEN TEXT.-By grace are We
saved through fnith.-Eph. 2:S.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Children of .Eph. 2:l-3.
Saved by Eph. 2:4-10.
Reconciled unto .Eph. PILLS.
Fellow-citiZenS with saintS.....E ph. 2:l9-22.
TIME-A. d. 81 or G..
PLACE-Rome.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The experiences which Paul had in
Ephesus make his letter to the Ephe-
slams Tor perhaps TO a 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
to God. and then hat it is their duty
to walk worthily of their calling (4:1).
Our lesson falls in the first part, where
he is dwelling upon the fact that they
We're saved, not by works, but by grace
were in fact Goes workmanship.
The letter of Paul to the Ephesians
has been spoken of as ga legacy of
peace left to the church by Paul the
aged" Though the letter is short, it
is one of the greatest of the New Tesla
ment writings. Paul is not far from
the end of his life: the controversial
tone is gone, and he speaks of peace
and unity in Christ. The letter was
written FROM Rome, where Paul was a
prisoner. 1t was not written solely
to the church at Ephesus, butas a kind
of circular letter to the churches of
the region, perhaps to all those in the
province of which Ephesus was cap
ital. This accounts for the absence,
very unusual in Paul's letters. of per-
sonal greetings and illusions. The let
ter is divided into two main parts, %
doctrinal G-3), and (2) practical (4-6).
Our lesson ONE from the first sec
ton. and is on the effect of Christ in
the heart. The lesson should not be
studied simply as something said by
another person to other persons, but
should be at the same time a serious
looking over of our own heart life.
Paul begins to the Gentiles. to whom
he was writing: "When We were dead
through your trespasses and SINS"
but before the end of the sentence it
has changed to we He speaks of him
self and his people, the Gentiles. all,
as having been in this condition of
deafness to the claims of the life that
is high and good. They had been alive
to desires and lusts. but dead to obi
| cation and God. "The course of this
world" They had lived in a corrupt
and goddess world, and were like it:
they had drifted with the current.
"The prince of the powers of the air."
The idea was current in Paul's time
that the air was peopled with evil spir-
its. There seems to be a reference
here to these powers of the air" as a
mysterious and evil influence among
men. Whether Paul used the words
in their literal or figurative sense we
do not know. We say, somewhat sim
ilarly, of a prevailing tendency, at is
in the air." and we speak of "the spirit
of the age "Children of wrath" A
common Hebrew expression meaning
deserving of wrath. Compare ga son of
stripes thai is, deserving of stripes.
Yielding to the tendencies and tempta-
tons which we all have "by nature"
makes us deserving of wrath" even
as the rest" The Gentiles.
In verse 4 Paul shows us that God
loved us with an infinite love even
though we were deserving of wrath.
"Made us alive together with Christi"
AS Christ was raised from the dead,
so does the Christian, whether Gentle
or Jew, when he is filled with the spirit
of Christ, rise with him from the death
of sin to a new, divine life. "With Him
in the heavenly places:" Union with
Christ in His exalted, spiritual life.
God made this provision for our saliva
ton because of His great love, and we
receive it not because we deserve. it
or have armed it, but as the free gift
of the loving Father
In union with Christ, all Christians,
Jews and Gentiles alike, have come to
union with each other. All artificial
barriers and distinctions have been
swept away, and the result is a blessed
brotherhood in Christ, without Whom
it could not have been. When We are
filled with the spirit of Christ, love to
God and love to our fellow men become
the natural condition of our hearts.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1t is because God is rich in love and
mercy that He breathes upon Een with
His q~uickening Spirit.
Those whom He raises up from spir-
,tual death He causes to sit together in
heavenly places.
Think what it is to be without God
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