Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church…” (Matt. 16:18), and “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:16), Paul said, “4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [a]you all.” (Eph. 4:4-6). Why then are there so many distinctly different and divisive “churches”? Why is there so much religious confusion? 

The answer is because men have sought to pervert or distort the gospel (Gal. 1:6-8), and have done so since day one. But that is why God gave us all that pertains unto life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3), the truth (John 17:17) and why the only way out of all the confusion is to “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

Paul says, “11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:11-13).

But now says Paul (v.13), indicating a change. All who have obeyed the gospel of Christ are included in that simple, yet powerful statement. Listen as Paul explains the change from old to new, from before and now after Christ. 

We know that good works do not save us—but understand me when I say that everything ever made has a purpose. Paul wrote to the Romans saying that God’s “invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (1:20). David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (19:1). These are all God’s workmanship and as for the saved—it is God’s intention that our salvation results in acts of service.

Paul wants every saint that reads this to know who “you are” and to know your current state in contrast to your past condition, which is brought out in verses 2 and 3. Something we must never forget—brothers and sisters—we once walked according to the course of this world, and we were dead in our sins. Do we appreciate this? Do we remember that we once walked in worldliness? As we look back to the first chapter, I pray that we grasp the compelling significance of this truth. Do you understand that you are redeemed—then you had a sin debt. Do you realize you are redeemed by the blood—then you must have been previously walking in sin with no hope of freedom. Do you comprehend that you are adopted—then brothers and sisters—by necessity that means you were formerly separated from God with no rights—no relationship—no spiritual family.

What church comes to mind when you hear the name, Luther, Wesley, Calvin, Smith, Russel? Some you may know and some you may not, but it is certain that the ones you do know you will attribute them to a denomination that was “founded” by them. The name on the building often reminds you of the founder, and such is the case with the Church of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone, builder and head (Eph. 2:20; Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18) of the churches of Christ. There are no others to point to, and no other leader over the church. All decisions are made by Him concerning the practice of the faith. The manner of worship, the work the church is to do is all predefined by Jesus through His word, our guidebook, the Bible. 

Without doubt the saints in Ephesus have shown great love for the Lord Jesus and for all the brethren. It is that kind of love that every child of God needs to have if heaven is to be our home. “15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:” (Eph. 1:15-16). Imagine what great things can be accomplished by you if that kind of love is your motivation. Paul prays the the Lord will give these saints something else, that is, “17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your [a]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” (Eph. 1:17-18).

In this lesson we’ll be discussing what all that means, what is the spirit of wisdom, and what is meant by having they eyes of your understanding being enlightened?

There is one single reason for the tremendous confusion in “Christianity” and that is the avoidance and absence of Bible Authority. Paul pleads for unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-2), then says, “4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [c]you all.” (vs.4-5).

The God of Creation, the Almighty, the One who made it possible, the plans of His heart included a sinner like me to be called His own, His inheritance. I mean—WOW! My hope is that when this lesson is over you will all have a wonderful and encouraging painting before you—that will connect your thoughts of what “an inheritance is”, and what it means to you, as God’s child, how we possess this inheritance, and clearer understanding of the guarantee of your inheritance, as Paul wrote, “who[a] is the [b]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:14).

Many teach that Jesus was overpowered by the Jews in the first century. That Jesus had to fall back, and return to Heaven till the time was right when He could come and finally finish the work He started, set up an earthly kingdom and then reign on earth for a thousand years. If that sounds familiar to you, if that is what you have been taught, then listen in on this lesson, and hear another doctrine that comes from God’s word and is in complete harmony, without holes, without need for explanation. Just simple truth that is contrary to premillennialist teaching.  

We’ll ask and by the word of God answer questions about this subject in this lesson so that we will know the truth, and that truth will set us free from religious division. Join me as we search the scriptures for God’s answers. . . 

Our natural identity is flawed—if it were not—we wouldn’t need redemption. In all of us is the issue of sin, which God through His eternal plan has chosen to lead us to the correction through Christ His Son. Consider all the words that describe man’s state before adoption and the antonyms that correspond to them. LOST, REDEMPTION; CONDEMNATION, DELIVERANCE; FORSAKEN, RESCUED; OPPRESSION, LIBERATION; SLAVERY, EMANCIPATED; IMPRISONED, and FREED. You don’t need Deliverance if you’re not Condemned. You don’t need Emancipated if you’re not enslaved. If you’re not in trouble—you don’t need a way out—you don’t need saved. But the truth is that all have sinned, all have been previously charged (Rom. 3:9) and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:32) and Paul is telling us that through Christ we have redemption (Eph. 1:7). 

Redemption is God’s way of setting you free from the debt—forgiving the debt through the payment made by the blood of Christ Jesus our Savior. And let’s be real, and let’s be honest—we not only have committed sin, but we have committed numerous sins in our lifetime. Sin is accruing a debt, it just keeps mounting up higher and higher and our sins are…