"On every page of the God-breathed writings are many thoughts that stretch out like long, clear arms of light across the darkness, discovering things otherwise hidden and illuminating wider areas than those of the immediate context. They are searchlights. I have selected one in each chapter of Scripture, for at least one central thought in every chapter should arrest the mind and affect the life," wrote G. Campbell Morgan, a skilled, wise, warm-hearted Bible teacher who conducted a classic 3-year study called Life Applications from Every Chapter of the Bible. Here is the fruit of that research—summarized, illustrated, and amplified with useful details—on all 66 books of the Bible.
DEUTERONOMY, JOSHUA, JUDGES, RUTH,
1 JOHN, 2 JOHN, 3 JOHN, JUDE, REVELATION
Ephesians 1:11 "According to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will." Paul's letter to the Ephesians presents the most comprehensive biblical teaching on the Church (similar to how his letter to the Colossians does the same regarding the Person of Christ). Paul begins by showing how the Church was the outcome of a purpose and plan of God from "before the foundation of the world." God chose each member to "be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ." When we who love Him reflect on our own weakness and waywardness of will, we stand in awe of this inside information revealed to us. Our God is a God who not only wills, but also "works all things according to the counsel of His will." That word counsel speaks of deliberate planning and arranging how His will is carried out specifically throughout human history. Paul wants God's people to know and be encouraged by these three great realities: 1. "The hope to which He has called you," 2. "The riches of His glorious inheritance for the saints," and 3. "The immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." The same power that rose Christ from the dead is working now through faithful Christians around the world!
Ephesians 2:4 "But God, being rich in mercy..." That but puts two matters into contrast: the pitiful state of humankind and the mercy of God. This chapter begins with the first: "You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." Can any conditions more hopeless be imagined? How can we possibly be made "holy and blameless"? What wisdom can plan such a deliverance? The wisdom of God, who by nature is "rich in mercy." Mercy is compassion, and in God it is active, not passive. It is pity, working on behalf of those who are helpless. It is love, doing what love desires to be done. That is the very heart of the Gospel, which Paul soon describes like this: "By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Over against the appalling facts of our wickedness and weakness we must focus on the wealth of God's mercy, seen especially in the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to say that God's mercy displays "the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." It is an ocean in which all our emptiness is filled without loss to its superabundance.
Ephesians 3:19 "The love of Christ ... the fullness of God." Those great phrases occur in a prayer that flows from Paul's teaching over two chapters on diverse peoples being reconciled "to God in one body through the cross." Paul wants each member of the Body of Christ to know the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God. There is a direct connection between the two. When one is filled with the fullness of God, there is no true desire of the soul left unsatisfied, no power of the soul left undeveloped or idle. That is eternal life; it is perfection and satisfaction. How can it be obtained? By knowing the love of Christ. To the finality of such knowledge and experience we have not yet attained, but if we know anything of the love of Christ, we know something of the fullness of God. That is the story of the beginning, the process, and the joyful, unending pinnacle of true Christian experience. Paul's prayer is "to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Since His love surpasses knowledge, this knowing and filling is an endless delight for us to look forward to as we live out the love of Christ today.
Ephesians 4:30 "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God." Notice what we learn about God the Holy Spirit here: His signature characteristic is holiness, which is no surprise given His title, but He also is characterized by a deep love capable of wounding. Sin in our lives as believers is not only an affront to God's holiness, but also brings Him much sorrow. Paul speaks in this chapter about unity in the Body of Christ and new life in Christ. He says this to every Christian: "Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life ... and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." The new self was created when we came to saving faith in Christ, but this putting off and putting on does not come automatically. It involves everyday choices to flex our spiritual muscles by faith in everyday matters such as Paul lists at the end of the chapter: replacing lies with truth, destructive anger with well-timed zeal, stealing with honest labor, corrupt talk with edifying conversation, bitterness and slander with kindness and forgiveness. That is how we move from grieving the Spirit to pleasing the Spirit out of return love for Him and all that He wants to do in promoting true righteousness and holiness in us.
Ephesians 5:18 "Be filled with the Spirit." This command is for Christians; for non-Christians the command from Jesus's own lips is to be "born of the Spirit." What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? Notice what follows: "singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Paul wrote something similar to the Colossian church: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Scripture is the best interpreter of other Scripture. Observe that being filled with the Spirit is likened to letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. God's Word is the tool God's Holy Spirit uses to produce increasing holiness in our lives. The filling of the Spirit, therefore, is not something that takes place once. The indwelling Spirit is a spring of living water we want to draw from often. As He is yielded to by our obedience to His Word, He fills all the life, and persistently to such an extent that the rivers overflow, bringing life to those beyond. As He fills He cleanses, energizes, and transforms us, working through us in ways that help and heal others. The filling of the Spirit means the end of the self-centered life and the beginning of life that truly glorifies God and blesses others.
Ephesians 6:17 "Take ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." The life of the Christian in this world is one of conflict. It is not conventional warfare, however, but spiritual warfare, which is Paul's closing theme: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the ... cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." As grim as that sounds, we are not at all defenseless. Paul urges the Ephesian church—and all other Christians reading this letter—to "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." How? By putting "on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." By taking up the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the Gospel of peace, shield of faith, and helmet of the hope of salvation, we will "be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." The one offensive weapon is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Let us put perfect confidence in it and learn to use it with skill. It is the weapon by which we may attack and defeat all the evil forces massed against us, seen and unseen. Judging by what Paul says next, this weapon works especially well with prayer, for he tells us to be "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel." May we pray this way for one another today as we faithfully teach the Word of God in our spheres of influence.
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