The most important subsection of the church is the family.  In fact, the family is the most fundamental unit of all of society - this is why it is under constant attack by the forces of evil.  In Christlike fashion, the answer to such an attack isn't in kind, but rather victory is won with Godly submission.

"Having the eyes of your heart enlightened" means we can no longer live in the dark.  Through Jesus, God has given His people an illumination of truth so that we are shown the path of a life characterized by righteousness.

God has given us an agent of change, a helper to renew and direct us as we grow: the Holy Spirit.  It is this Spirit that resurrects our spirit and can then serve to reorient our minds and thoughts onto service and submission to God's will and purpose.

The church is designed by God to serve with a multidimensionality that benefits the whole and honors the Head.  No one part is greater than another, and yet it is so easy to miss the purpose of diversity that it can accidentally lead to division.  Only when each part serves the Head will we be truly unified.

When it comes to God's design for the church, the scriptures will repeatedly use terminology that shapes her purpose as a family.  It is this familial commitment that serves as the scaffold for the rest of the New Testament’s commands for how we are to treat one another.

God's design for exacting His will upon the earth is the church.  She is to be a redeemed humanity whose members orient their lives after the lead and love of Jesus.  How critical is it for us then, to make sure that we do not allow the "church" to become a sterile institution or a one-hour-a-week service that remains cursory to the multifaceted lives of Christians. We must know God's plan for the community of believers.

The church is intended to be cross-cultural, international, and yet somehow singleminded. For all of the complexities between different tribes and traditions, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that has brought the nations together, so that the life of Christ would be evident upon the earth.  Observations & Conclusions: Purpose – Without Jesus                 – With Jesus    Estranged                           Adopted […]

The heart of the gospel is under threat by the deception of human achievement.  Every other religion on earth is an expression of man's attempt to reach divine righteousness, whether through ritual expression, commanded devotion, sacrifices, charity, or societal expectations.  It is Christianity alone, as correctly taught from the scriptures, that reveals the good news of God's saving and transforming grace.

It is easy, in our world, to undervalue and under-appreciate our faith.  When we are offered so many other pseudo-promises that capture our excitement and anticipation we often fail to truly treasure the greatest gift offered.  Yet it is our hope in God that will determine how we live here and now.

The letter to the Ephesians is a Masterclass on Christianity.  The Apostle Paul lays out the foundational details for the Christian's calling and purpose on this earth as sourced in God's redeeming work through Jesus Christ.  It is now with an allegiance to Jesus as our exalted Head that the Christian can embrace their God defined purpose according to His will.