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Biblical Body Building
A Study in the Book of Ephesians- Session #1
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Ephesians: A manual for the Body of Christ
The Church in Ephesus
To whom is Paul writing?
Theme of Ephesians

What is Paul saying?
The ____________________ of creation resulting in __________________in Christ.
Three sub-themes arise from the text:
1. _________________________: Christ is portrayed as superior to all things in His
resurrection, exaltation, and lordship are emphasized.
2. _________________________: past, present and future.
3. _________________________: the manifestation of the Body of Christ.
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Outline of Ephesians
How does Paul say it?
 - The wealth of blessings granted to us by the gospel. (1:1-14)
 - The resurrecting work of the gospel. (1:15-2:10)
 - The unifying work of the gospel. (2:11-22)
 - The mystery of the gospel. (3:1-21)
 - The results of the unifying work of the gospel. (4:1-16)
 -The results of the resurrecting work of the gospel. (4:17-32)
 - The manifestation of the gospel. (5:1- 6:9)
 - The equipment to the advancement of the gospel. (6:10-20)
Application
 Live in submission to Christ.
 Live in line with your salvation.
 Live in unity with other believers.
Taking It Deeper
 Read through the book of Ephesians. What questions does Paul address?
 What questions does Paul leave unanswered?
 What beliefs would be challenged if Paul had not written this book?

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Who saved us?
The Work of The Father 1:3-6
What does it mean to be predestined? Adopted? (1:5)
To what were we predestined? Adopted? (1:4)
The Work of The Son 1:7-12
Since God smothered us with grace, do we ever have to pursue it? (1:8)
What does all things being united in Christ mean? Is this universalism? (1:10)
The Work of The Spirit 1:12-14

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What does it mean to be “sealed”? (1:13)
How is the Holy Spirit the guarantee? (1:13-14)
Application
 Rejoice in God’s love.
 See yourself as God does.
 Enjoy the fact that you are adopted by God.
 Thank God for His forgiveness.
 Thank God that he took the initiative in your relationship with him.
 Rest in the security of the Holy Spirit.
Taking It Deeper
 Are there parts of your former identity, from before salvation, that you have tried
to keep from God’s adoption? What can you do this week to give those to Him?
 What would your prayers be like if you were praying to God face-to-face? What if
you prayed to Him as you would a perfect dad?
 Ask yourself candidly why it is that you believe yet somebody else does not. Do
you have the impression that the reason why you received Christ while someone
else rejected him is because you were somehow more righteously inclined towards
obeying the summons of the gospel than your neighbor?
 Have you been praying for the spiritual blessings that God has already given you?

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Who saved us?
The Work of The Father 1:3-6
What does it mean to be predestined? Adopted? (1:5)
To what were we predestined? Adopted? (1:4)
The Work of The Son 1:7-12
Since God smothered us with grace, do we ever have to pursue it? (1:8)
What does all things being united in Christ mean? Is this universalism? (1:10)
The Work of The Spirit 1:12-14

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What does it mean to be “sealed”? (1:13)
How is the Holy Spirit the guarantee? (1:13-14)
Application
 Rejoice in God’s love.
 See yourself as God does.
 Enjoy the fact that you are adopted by God.
 Thank God for His forgiveness.
 Thank God that he took the initiative in your relationship with him.
 Rest in the security of the Holy Spirit.
Taking It Deeper
 Are there parts of your former identity, from before salvation, that you have tried
to keep from God’s adoption? What can you do this week to give those to Him?
 What would your prayers be like if you were praying to God face-to-face? What if
you prayed to Him as you would a perfect dad?
 Ask yourself candidly why it is that you believe yet somebody else does not. Do
you have the impression that the reason why you received Christ while someone
else rejected him is because you were somehow more righteously inclined towards
obeying the summons of the gospel than your neighbor?
 Have you been praying for the spiritual blessings that God has already given you?

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“Who do you play for?”
Reunion to Each Other 2:11-18
There are willful atheists who argue against God’s existence and passive atheists that live
as though God does not exist. Can people tell you do not fall into either group? How?
(2:12)
Do you feel near to the Savior? What does 2:13 have to say about this? Who moves?
(2:13)
How is the Law abolished? Does this mean that we are morally “free-agents” (i.e.,
antinomianism)? (2:15)
How do ethnically-based churches connect with this “one body”? (e.g., Korean Baptist
Church, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, etc.)? (2:16)
What effect does the cross have upon believing Jews and Gentiles (in fact, all Believers)?
(2:16)
Reunion to God 2 2:19-22
Why might Paul have used the building motif in writing to the Ephesian saints? (2:19-22)

What does it mean that this house is built on the foundation (NOTE: this is a single
foundation!) of the prophets and the apostles? That Christ is the cornerstone? What are
the implications for those systems built upon another foundation? (2:20)
What does God plan to do with this structure being built? (Paul will further address this
in chapters 3–4, but what purposes for the church do you find in this passage?)
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Application
 Live in unity with others.
 Live in unity with God.
 Celebrate these reunions.
Taking It Deeper
 Is there a relationship in your life that needs to be repaired, or reconciled? If God
could reconcile two such divergent people groups AND reconcile Believers to
Himself, what is standing in the way of this reconciliation happening?
 Is there any group of ethnic people against whom you are racist or hostile in your
thoughts, words, attitudes, or actions? Can you see from this passage that Jesus
Christ shed His blood for this group of people to be near to Himself for
all eternity?
 Check out Dr. Ken Ham’s ministry, www.answersingenesis.org. Dr. Ham and the
Answers in Genesis staff have written many helpful articles on “One Race” that
demonstrate the existence of only one race. Consider how race connects with the
ultimate goal of all things being to the praise God’s glory and grace. “After this I
looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every
nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and
before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).
 Look up a floor plan for Herod’s Temple, which was still standing during the time
Paul wrote to the Ephesians. There may be some connections between the
structure of the temple (primarily the veil that was torn at Christ’s crucifixion and
the courtyard of the Gentiles) and the two reconciliations that Paul mentions here.

What are some good, fun, or happy secrets that you have experienced?
God’s Great Secret 3:1-13
What responsibilities do you think you might have to further the welfare of God’s great
mystery, the church? (3:2-3, 7)
What is the point of investigating a mystery? (3:4-5)
What are some ways we can demonstrate boldness and confidence in Christ? (3:12)
What are some things that might cause us to be disheartened? How does the gospel
change that? (3:13)
God’s Glorious Sovereignty 3:14-21
How do we connect our knowledge and being rooted in love?(3:17, 19)
How would you put “…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” in your own
words? (3:19)
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Paul prays that we be strengthened with power. What is the power? How do we know if
we have it? This is easy to answer when the Lord does the extraordinary, but what about
when he does not? (3:20)
What are some examples of God’s power in your life? (3:20)
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Application
 Pray continuously that the Lord would give you strength with power through his
Spirit, that Christ would dwell in your heart through faith, that you would grasp
the love of Christ, and be filled to the fullness of God.
 Serve in the Body.
 Approach God freely and confidently.
 Build your life on God’s love.
 Give God glory in all you do.
Taking It Deeper
 Paul has much to say about mystery in this passage, but it’s not the first time he
discusses God’s magnificent plan. What can you recall (feel free to look back) from
previous passages about this mystery?
 Take some time to fill out a spiritual gifts analysis and see how they match up
with your answer to the first question above. Some tests might include:
o www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Discover_Your_Spiritual_Gifts.pdf
o gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi
o www.spiritualgiftstest.com/test/adult
 In verse 1, Paul is about to launch into a powerful prayer of intercession that
parallels 1:15–23. However, from verse 2 to 13 he follows a digression that is far
from pointless. Paul is encouraging his readers to view his seeming defeat by
imprisonment through the lens of God’s cosmic purpose. What evidence can you
find that instead of being discouraged by his apparently dismal circumstances,
Paul sees them as evidence that God is at work?
 For Paul’s readers, the unity of Jew and Gentile was a shocking statement. What
surprising unities do you see evidenced in our church? What unities would you
like to see?

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What is your most prized gift?
Building Maintenance 4:1-6
How can we display humility, gentleness, and patience in our efforts to maintain unity in
the one Body of Christ? (4:2-3)
What “guards” can you put up to maintain unity? (4:3)
What is the basis for the Church’s unity? (4:4-6)
Body Building 4:7-16
What is the role of spiritual leaders? What implication does that have for those under
their care? (4:11-12)
In light of our identity “in Christ” we are exhorted in these verses to live appropriately in
relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves. What has particularly changed in
your behavior or actions as you have grown in your Christian life? What about your
identity “in Christ” has most motivated you or encouraged a specific behavior or change
in attitude? (4:13)
What would the Church be without Christ? (4:15)

Is this spiritual reality of being connected to each other “in Christ” more encouraging,
challenging, or intimidating for you? Why?(4:15-16)
How has God used you to fill a need by “being the Body” here at Northfield? (4:12,15)
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Application
 Live like the person you have been called to be.
 Share life with other Christians.
 Develop a love and respect for others.
 Make unity your priority.
Taking It Deeper
 In the body of Christ, where do you fit and work? In what ways are you being
equipped so that you may “work properly” to help the body “build itself up in
love”? In what ways are you equipping others?
 How well is Northfield Baptist Church doing in the area of unity? What exactly
can be done to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”?
What needs to change, if anything, within the Northfield community or the wider
church in Northfield to live out this reality? What can you do to help bring about
this change? What’s stopping you?
 Make a list of the five attributes which are described here as “worthy” ways in
which to walk. Why do you think these words or phrases particularly are used?
What would be the opposites of these attributes, and how might they be
disruptive and even destructive to the church community?

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What “junk” do you hold on to?
Taking Off 4:17-24
Where is the difference to be apparent first in Christians? (4:17-19)
How are you to live and minister among a people so described as the Gentiles are here?
How would your prayer life change if you were reminded of the situations non-Christians
are in everyday? (4:18-19)
What does it look like to have a hard heart or calloused? When have you seen this in
yourself? (4:18-19)
What are the “old man” (the nature we inherited from Adam) and the “new man” (the
nature we receive from Christ)? (4:22-24)
Putting On 4:25-32
What is the common factor of the changes Paul lists, and how does that differ from the
“old man”? (4:25-32)

We can never lose the Holy Spirit, so what does it mean for us to grieve Him? (4:30)
Why should we forgive? Why is that important? (4:32)
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Application
 Watch out for the illusion of wisdom.
 Be sensitive to sin.
 Prioritize the benefit of others.
Taking It Deeper
 Some of the Gentile Christians were possibly nodding their head in agreement as
Paul essentially and accurately described their “old self” before they were made
alive in Christ. Others may have taken offense to his description. What does this
passage say about life in their “new self”? Make a list of the things found here that
describe and identify this “new self.”
 Who comes to mind when you hear v. 32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”? How can you be kind?
What would it take to forgive them? What is stopping you?
 In v. 20, Paul uses the unusual phrase of “learned Christ” to describe the teaching
and truth in Jesus. Learning Christ means welcoming him as a living person and
being shaped by his teaching. How have you learned Christ in your life? Who have
been some of the most influential people that taught you Jesus truth? Parents?
Friends? Pastors? Kids?
 Some of the “old self” dies hard. What from the list of “old self” ways in vv. 25–31
do you still struggle with the most? What needs to die in you? (4:25-31)

In what ways did/do you imitate your parents?
The New Pattern 5:1-21
Paul uses the word “love” three times in the first two verses, with God and Christ as the
standard. How does Paul’s contrast of this love with the activities in the following verses
square with the popular view of love? (5:1-2)
Do these sins disqualify us from the kingdom, or do we sin in these ways because we are
already disqualified? (5:5)
What concrete practices can you continue (or begin) in order to ensure that
thankfulness, “light-talking” and making the best use of the time is replacing any coarse
or cruel “darkness-talking” and time wasting?
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The New Practices 5:22-6:9
What is your response this statement:
“No Christian woman would object for a single moment to be in submission to
her husband, if her husband were Jesus Christ.”? (5:22)
What does it mean for you to give up yourself? (5:25)
How do you think God sees our professional relationships? (6:8-9)

True submission must involve the heart as well as the lips. Outwardly acquiescing while
rebelling inside is not what Paul is calling for here. What attitudes might be evidence of
this sort of hypocritical submission? What attitudes accompany true submission?
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Application
 Impersonate God.
 Eradicate Sin.
 Redeem time.
 Exercise submission.
Taking It Deeper
 Take some time and research the Supremacist, Complementarian, and Egalitarian views
of headship in marriage. (in particular, the writings of Linda Belleville or Wayne Grudem)
Which view do you hold to? Why?
 As a parent, how have you been doing with the command not to exasperate your
children? Have over-protection, over-discipline, expecting too much or too little,
misplaced priorities, abuse, legalism, or an imbalance between discipline and
encouragement crept into your parenting? If you asked your children, what do you think
they would say? If these have shown up, what can you do to correct these issues?
 Husbands, rate yourself on a scale of one to ten on how well you are submissive to the
needs of your wife. Make a list of things you ought to improve. Ask your wife to forgive
you for your failure in that/those area(s) and commit to her and the Lord to do better.
 Wives, rate yourself on a scale of one to ten on how well you are submissive to the
authority of your husband. Make a list of things you ought to improve. Ask your husband
to forgive you for your failure in that/those area(s) and commit to him and the Lord to
do better.
 If you are an employer, how well are you doing at being submissive to the needs of your
employees? If you are an employee, how are you doing at being submissive to the
authority of your employer?

What do you do to protect yourself (emotionally, financially, physically, etc.)? Why?
What is your emotional response to v. 12? Fear? Excitement? Determination? Something
else?
Why do you think Paul makes the following associations? What does this say about each?
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belt  truth
breastplate  righteousness
shoes  readiness given by the gospel of peace
shield  faith
helmet  salvation
sword  the Word of God
Reflecting on your life and the “whole armor” of God (vv. 14–18), what strengths do you
bring individually to this battle? What weaknesses? How can you as a group better
encourage one another’s strengths and protect one another’s weaknesses?

When you think about v. 12, remember other times in the letter that Paul has referred to
the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers. Why do you think he wants his readers to be
aware that these are their most dangerous enemies, not other people? (6:12)
How might you remind yourself and each other that you are engaged in a fierce spiritual
battle every day? What can you do to be mindful that you are prepared and aware of
wearing the armor of God?
How do we share some of the same struggles as the Ephesians? (Rev. 2:1-7)
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Application
 Be battle-ready.
 Know the enemy’s strategies.
 Be aware.
 Avoid “friendly fire”.
Taking It Deeper
 In 6:18, Paul urges Christians to be “praying at all times in the Spirit.” Why does
this fit well into this passage? How is this related to Paul’s later command to,
“keep alert with all perseverance”? Check out the following verses to help shed
some light on what Paul is saying by “praying in the Spirit”: John 4:24; Rom. 8:26;
1 Cor. 12:3; 14:14–19; Jude 20–21. How would you describe what Paul has in mind
when he says this?
 Even as they describe spiritual warfare, verses 10–20 are an amazing reiteration of
the entire letter. Take some time to study the following words and themes that are
found in these verses, and look for places where they occur throughout the letter:
power, put on, the devil’s schemes, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces of
evil, darkness, heavenly places, the evil day, truth, righteousness, the gospel, peace,
faith, salvation, the Spirit, the word, love, prayer, boldness.

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