Central Truth: Salvation by grace unites all believers in Christ.

Focus: Affirm that salvation is through grace alone and recognize that we are a part of a large body of believers.

Evangelism Emphasis: Christ's sacrifice provides salvation to all who believe in Him.

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:8): For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

• Paul gave the believers a grand picture of their spiritual riches
• Like Christ, the Ephesians once were dead, but in Christ they had been raised and enthroned
• The essential meaning of salvation is "restoration"

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:1-3): As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Q: Describe "the course of this world." How can believers resist the world's sinful ways?

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:4-7): But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:8-10): For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Look for Christ

Look for yourself and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else is thrown in. - C. S. Lewis

Q: Explain the role of faith in salvation (v. 8)

Q: Explain the role of works in salvation (v. 9)

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:11-12): Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

Hope for All

There are none in the humanly "down" position so low that they cannot be lifted up by entering God's order, and none in the humanly "up" position so high that they can disregard God's point of view on their lives. The barren, the widow, the orphan, the eunuch, the alien, all models of human hopelessness, are fruitful and secure in God's care. --Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:13-18): But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:19): Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household

Unique Fellowship

The Christian church is a society of sinners. It is the only society in the world, membership n in which is based upon the single qualification that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership.--Charles C. Morrison

Key Scripture (Ephesians 2:20-22): built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Q: What is God building? As believers, what is our part in this project?

• We are tempted to fall back on our own resources and think we can contribute something to our standing before God

M - Sin's Consequence (Genesis 3:14-19) 

T - Unity Invokes Grace (2 Chronicles 30:13-20)

W - Forgiveness for Transgressions (Psalm 32:1-11)

T - Be Born Again (John 3:3-8)

F - One in Christ (John 17:20-26)

S - Unity in Christ's Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)