Answers to Lesson Three:

Ephesians

Chapter Two

Review Questions:

Question One:  In the scriptures, the term "walk" is used to describe what part of an individual's life?

Answer:  The term "walk" is used to describe a  lifestyle.  It is used of saints (Colossians 2:6) and sinners (Ephesians 4:17).  When one becomes a Christian, he/she begins by "walking in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).  That walk continues "by faith" (II Corinthians 5:7), "in truth" (II John 4), "according to His commandments (II John 6), and "in good works" (Ephesians 2:10).  This walk is described as a mindset in Romans 8:4-6.

Question Two: Paul gives four descriptions of the walk of those who are dead in their trespasses and sins.  List them.

Answer:  This walk includes, according to Ephesians 2:2-3:

(a) "following the course of this world"

 (b) "following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience"

(c) "carrying out the desires of the body and the mind"

(d) "being by nature children on wrath"

Question Three:  By contrast, list the three things God has done for us.  This (salvation) is not something that an individual does for himself, rather it is a gift of God.  Describe the terms used for what God does and what man does to cause this to happen.

Answer: The three things God has done for us are:

(a) “made us alive together with him” (Ephesians 2:5)

(b) “raised us up with him” (Ephesians 2:6)

(c) "seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). 

The term that best describes God's role in this is "grace" (Ephesians 2:7), which is "a gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).  Grace is best described as an undeserved gift.

The term that best describes Man's role in this is "faith" (Ephesians 2:8).  Faith is described in Hebrews 11:1 as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  The rest of Hebrews 11 offers examples of how people of God lived by faith.  This is why Paul says that "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10).

Question Four:  In section four of this lesson you were given four conditions of the gentile world before the coming of Christ.  In the Old Testament God dealt specifically with the nation of Israel.  How would you describe any differences  between Jews and Gentiles today before God?

Answer:  There is no difference before God whether one is a Jew or a Gentile.  This is evidenced by such statements in Ephesians 2:14-19 as "made us both one," "has broken down the dividing wall of hostility," "might reconcile us both to God in one body," "we both have access in one Spirit to the Father," and "you are fellow citizens with  the saints and members of the household of God."

Question Five:  In section five of this lesson you read scriptures that said that everyone has equal access to the Father through the one Holy Spirit and that we all become fellow citizens of the household of God.  What is the household of God?

Answer:  The term "household of God" is used to describe the church (see I Timothy 3:15).  In the New Testament several descriptors are used to define what we call "the church."  The term church means "called out."  The same group is called a "body" (Ephesians 1:22-23), a "kingdom" (Colossians 1:13-14), a "temple" (I Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19) and a "flock" (Acts 20:29).  With each of these and other terms one learns different aspects of what Christ's church is.

Question Six:  Since our bodies are to be the temple of God, describe the kinds of things that are a part of the worship in this temple.

Answer:  The general answer to this question can be found in Romans 12:1 where we are told to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."  More specific parts of our sacrifice to God can be seen in such scriptures as Colossians 3:16-17 (sing), Hebrews 13:15 (continually offer up the fruit of our lips), I Thessalonians 5:17 (pray), II Timothy 2:15 (study), Colossians 1:28-29 (teach) and II Corinthians 8:3-5 (give yourself first and then your dollars).

Click here to go on to lesson 4 which covers Ephesians chapter 3

Click here to email the instructor your questions or comments.