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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll discover that believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places while being called to walk worthy of that high position in our daily lives.

Key Verse

Ephesians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Introduction

Paul’s relationship with the church at Ephesus was deep and meaningful. He first visited Ephesus briefly at the end of his second missionary journey, but it was during his third missionary journey that he spent several transformative years building up this church. During that extended stay, Paul preached boldly in the synagogue to the Jews, reached out to the Gentiles, performed remarkable healing miracles, and even endured a serious riot in the city when his gospel message threatened the local idol-making industry.

When Paul later passed by Ephesus on his way back to Jerusalem, he met with the church elders and delivered one of the most tender and emotional farewells recorded in Scripture. This shows us how much he loved these believers and how deeply invested he was in their spiritual growth.

Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians while he was imprisoned in Rome, along with three other epistles: Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. What makes Ephesians particularly remarkable is how it balances profound theological truth with intensely practical Christian living. Paul doesn’t just tell us what to believe—he shows us how that belief should transform every aspect of our daily lives.

The structure of Ephesians perfectly reflects this balance. In the first three chapters, Paul focuses on our position in Christ—what we believe about our spiritual blessings. In the last three chapters, he addresses our practice as Christians—how we should live in light of those blessings. (Notebook Moment: How might your daily decisions change if you truly understood your spiritual position in Christ? What areas of your life would be most affected by this understanding?)

Here are the main points we’ll explore together:

• Seated in heavenly places (chapters 1-3)
• Walking in the world (chapters 4-6)

Seated in Heavenly Places

The opening chapters of Ephesians contain some of the most glorious descriptions of our spiritual blessings found anywhere in Scripture. Paul declares that we are seated right now in the heavenly places through Christ. This isn’t something that will happen when we die—it’s our present reality as believers.

Ephesians 2:6: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

What does it mean to be seated in heavenly places? It means that our true citizenship and identity are found in heaven, not on earth. It means we share in Christ’s victory and authority. It means we have access to spiritual resources that the world cannot understand or touch.

Paul begins his letter with what reads like a hymn of praise, listing blessing after blessing that belongs to every believer:

• We are chosen in Christ (1:4)
• We are adopted as God’s children (1:5)
• We are redeemed and forgiven (1:7)
• We have been given wisdom (1:17)
• We have hope (1:18)
• We have power through His Spirit (1:19-20)

These aren’t rewards we earn through good behavior. They are gifts we receive the moment we trust in Christ. This truth transforms how we see ourselves and how we approach life’s challenges.

In chapter 2, Paul focuses specifically on our salvation by grace, returning to the theme that was central to his letter to the Galatians. He reminds us that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world and following the desires of our flesh. But God, in His rich mercy and great love, made us alive together with Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul emphasizes that salvation comes entirely from God’s grace, not from our efforts or achievements. This isn’t just theological theory—it’s the foundation for confident Christian living. When we understand that our relationship with God doesn’t depend on our performance, we’re free to serve Him out of love rather than fear.

But God didn’t save us just to get us into heaven someday. He has an eternal purpose for us right now. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand for us to walk in. (Notebook Moment: What good works do you sense God preparing for you to walk in? How does knowing that God has a specific purpose for your life change your perspective on current circumstances?)

Part of God’s eternal plan was to bring Jews and Gentiles together in Christ, creating something entirely new—the church. This unity was a mystery hidden in previous ages but now revealed through the gospel. Paul describes the church using three beautiful images throughout Ephesians: a building with Christ as the cornerstone, a body with Christ as the head, and a bride being prepared for Christ as the bridegroom.

Paul concludes this doctrinal section with another magnificent prayer, asking that we might be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit in our inner being, that Christ might dwell in our hearts through faith, and that we might comprehend the immeasurable dimensions of God’s love.

Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Walking in the World

After establishing our position in Christ, Paul turns to our practice as Christians. The connection is crucial: because we are seated in heavenly places, we must walk worthy of that calling here on earth.

Ephesians 4:1: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Paul first reminds us that God has given us the church to help us walk worthy. The church isn’t just a place we attend—it’s a body where spiritual gifts operate to build us up and help us grow toward maturity in Christ. Every believer has been given gifts to serve the body, and every believer needs the ministry of others to reach spiritual maturity.

We are to walk in the world but be distinctly different from the world. Our lives are to be living testimonies of God’s transforming power. This requires putting off our old way of life and putting on the new life that is ours in Christ.

Ephesians 4:22-24: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul gives specific examples of what this transformation looks like in everyday life:

• Instead of lying, we speak truth to our neighbors
• Instead of stealing, we work honestly and share with those in need
• Instead of corrupt speech, we use words that build others up
• Instead of bitterness and anger, we show kindness and forgiveness

This isn’t about trying harder to be good—it’s about living out the new nature we have received in Christ.

The secret to this transformed life is being filled with the Holy Spirit. When we are controlled by the Spirit rather than by our flesh, all our relationships are put in their proper place under Christ’s lordship. Paul addresses three key relationships: husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and servants. In each case, he shows how the gospel transforms these relationships by calling us to serve one another out of reverence for Christ:

• Husbands and wives – called to mutual love and submission
• Parents and children – called to honor and godly instruction
• Masters and servants – called to integrity and fairness

(Notebook Moment: Which of your relationships most needs the transforming power of the gospel? How might that relationship change if both people truly served each other out of reverence for Christ?)

Finally, Paul reminds us that walking in the world means engaging in spiritual warfare. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. This is why we need the full armor of God:

• The belt of truth – commitment to God’s truth anchors everything else
• The breastplate of righteousness – Christ’s righteousness protects our hearts
• The shoes of readiness – preparation to share the gospel of peace
• The shield of faith – trust in God deflects Satan’s attacks
• The helmet of salvation – assurance of salvation protects our minds
• The sword of the Spirit – God’s word as our offensive weapon

Notice that the sword is the only offensive weapon in our spiritual arsenal. We are to use God’s Word the way Jesus did when He was tempted in the wilderness, responding to each attack with “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11).

Ephesians 6:18: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Prayer is the atmosphere in which all our spiritual warfare takes place. We put on the armor through prayer, we wield our weapons through prayer, and we stand firm through prayer.

Conclusion

Paul invested years of his life in the believers at Ephesus, and this letter shows the fruit of that investment. Yet a generation later, the church at Ephesus had lost something precious. When Christ spoke to them in Revelation, He said, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” This serves as a warning to us.

It’s possible to maintain correct doctrine and good behavior while losing the heart of our relationship with Christ. It’s possible to be seated in heavenly places positionally while failing to walk in love practically.

Ephesians 5:2: And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The Christian life is both a position and a practice, both a gift and a calling, both resting and walking. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places—this is our secure position that never changes. But we must also walk worthy of that calling—this is our daily practice that requires constant attention.

Understanding our position gives us confidence and security. Living out our practice brings glory to God and blessing to others. When we hold these two truths together, we discover the secret of authentic Christian living: resting in what Christ has done while actively pursuing what Christ calls us to do.

The God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places also empowers us to walk worthy of that blessing here on earth. This is the message of Ephesians—and it’s the message our world desperately needs to see lived out in our lives.

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