Part 1: Introduction to Ephesians

[Note: This is Part 1 of a 10-part series walking through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.]

Who are you? It’s a simple question, but how you answer it shapes everything about your life. Your identity determines your priorities, your relationships, your decisions, and your sense of purpose. In our world, people find their identity in their careers, their relationships, their achievements, or their political affiliations. But what happens when those things fail or disappoint? What happens when the job ends, the relationship crumbles, or the achievement fades?

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians offers a radically different answer to the identity question. In Christ, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. We are chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed. We are no longer strangers and aliens but fellow citizens and members of God’s household. We have been raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly places. This is not aspirational—it’s already true for everyone who trusts in Jesus.

But here’s the challenge: knowing our identity in Christ is one thing; living it out is another. That’s what Ephesians is all about. The first three chapters unveil the stunning reality of who we are in Christ. The last three chapters show us how to walk in that reality. Understanding transforms living. Identity shapes practice.

In this series, we’ll walk through Ephesians together, exploring what it means to live out our identity in Christ. Before we dive into the text, let’s get some context.

About Ephesus: A City of Power and Influence

Ephesus was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. Located on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), it served as the capital of the province of Asia. The city was a hub of commerce, religion, and culture, with a population estimated at over 250,000 people.

The city was perhaps best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This massive temple drew pilgrims from across the empire, and the worship of Artemis was central to Ephesian identity and economy. The silversmiths who made shrines to Artemis were a powerful guild, as we see in Acts 19 when they stirred up a riot against Paul because his preaching was threatening their business.

Ephesus was also known for its practice of magic and occult arts. Acts 19:19 tells us that when many Ephesians became believers, they brought their books of magic and burned them publicly—books valued at 50,000 pieces of silver. This gives us a glimpse into the spiritual darkness that characterized the city. Into this context of idolatry, occultism, and Roman power, the gospel came with transforming force.

Paul’s Ministry in Ephesus

Paul first visited Ephesus briefly on his second missionary journey (around A.D. 52), leaving Priscilla and Aquila there to continue the work (Acts 18:18-21). He returned on his third missionary journey and spent approximately three years teaching and preaching in the city (Acts 19:1-20:1; 20:31). This was Paul’s longest recorded stay in any city during his missionary journeys.

Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was marked by powerful signs and wonders. Acts 19:11-12 tells us that “God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” The gospel took root deeply in Ephesus, and a strong church was established.

Later, Paul met with the Ephesian elders at Miletus on his way to Jerusalem, delivering a moving farewell address (Acts 20:17-38). He warned them about false teachers who would arise from among them and urged them to guard the flock. Years later, in his first letter to Timothy (who was ministering in Ephesus), Paul’s warnings proved prophetic—false teaching had indeed infiltrated the church.

About the Letter

Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned, probably in Rome around A.D. 60-62. The letter to the Ephesians is part of what scholars call the “Prison Epistles,” along with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. All four were written during the same period of imprisonment.

Interestingly, some early manuscripts don’t include “in Ephesus” in verse 1:1, and the letter lacks the personal greetings typical of Paul’s other letters. This has led many scholars to believe that Ephesians was intended as a circular letter—meant to be read by multiple churches in the region, with Ephesus being the primary recipient. This would explain why Paul, who spent three years in Ephesus, doesn’t mention specific individuals or situations. The letter addresses universal truths about the church and Christian living rather than specific local problems.

The letter was likely delivered by Tychicus, who also carried Paul’s letter to the Colossians (Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-9). Onesimus, the runaway slave who was the subject of Paul’s letter to Philemon, probably traveled with Tychicus, carrying that letter as well.

Structure and Themes

Ephesians falls naturally into two halves:

Chapters 1-3: Our Identity in Christ (Theology)

• The spiritual blessings we have in Christ (1:3-14)
• Prayer for spiritual understanding (1:15-23)
• From death to life through grace (2:1-10)
• From division to unity through Christ’s blood (2:11-22)
• The mystery of Christ and the church (3:1-13)
• Prayer for spiritual strength (3:14-21)

Chapters 4-6: Our Life in Christ (Practice)

• Unity and maturity in the body (4:1-16)
• Putting off the old self, putting on the new (4:17-32)
• Walking in love and light (5:1-21)
• Gospel living in relationships (5:22-6:9)
• Standing firm in spiritual warfare (6:10-20)

The structure itself teaches us something vital: theology must precede and undergird practice. We can’t live out our identity in Christ until we understand who we are in Christ. Paul spends three chapters laying the foundation before he gives a single command. When he does issue commands in chapters 4-6, they all flow from what he’s established in chapters 1-3.

The major themes woven throughout the letter include:

Unity: Paul emphasizes the unity of the church—Jew and Gentile brought together as one new man in Christ. The dividing wall has been broken down. There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

Grace: Everything we have and are in Christ comes from God’s grace. We were dead in our trespasses, but God made us alive. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. God chose us, adopted us, redeemed us, and sealed us—all acts of unmerited favor.

The Church: Ephesians reveals the mystery that was hidden for ages: the church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is the body of Christ and the dwelling place of God by the Spirit. The church displays God’s manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Spiritual Power: Believers have access to “the immeasurable greatness of his power” (1:19)—the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We are blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (1:3) and seated with Christ in those same heavenly places (2:6). We engage in spiritual warfare against spiritual forces of evil (6:10-20).

Practical Holiness: Understanding our identity in Christ must transform how we live. Paul calls believers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, putting off the old self and putting on the new self. This transformation affects every area of life—our speech, our work, our anger, our relationships, and our homes.

The Central Message

If we had to summarize Ephesians in one sentence, it would be this:

Understanding who we are in Christ transforms how we live for Christ.

Paul wants us to grasp the magnitude of what God has done for us in Christ. We’re not just forgiven sinners—we’re adopted sons and daughters, seated with Christ in the heavenly places, blessed with every spiritual blessing, called to display God’s wisdom to the cosmos. When we truly understand this, everything changes. Our identity shapes our practice. Our theology drives our ethics. What we believe about ourselves in Christ determines how we walk in the world.

This is the journey we’ll take together in this series. We’ll marvel at the riches of God’s grace. We’ll explore the mystery of the church. We’ll learn how to walk worthy of our calling. We’ll discover how to stand firm against spiritual opposition. And through it all, we’ll be reminded of this foundational truth: in Christ, we are not who we once were. We have a new identity, and that changes everything.

What to Expect in This Series

Over the next nine posts, we’ll work our way through Ephesians section by section:

• Post 2: Blessed in Christ (1:1-14)
• Post 3: Prayer for Spiritual Understanding (1:15-23)
• Post 4: From Death to Life (2:1-10)
• Post 5: From Outsiders to Family (2:11-22)
• Post 6: The Mystery Revealed (3:1-21)
• Post 7: Unity and Maturity in the Body (4:1-16)
• Post 8: Living as Light, Not Darkness (4:17-5:21)
• Post 9: Gospel Living at Home (5:22-6:9)
• Post 10: Standing Firm in Battle (6:10-24)

Each post will explore the text, draw out its meaning, and apply it to our lives today. Because here’s the thing: Paul didn’t write Ephesians to give us interesting theology to discuss. He wrote it to transform how we live. He wrote it so we would know who we are in Christ and walk in that reality every single day.

As we begin this journey through Ephesians, take a moment to reflect:

• How do you typically answer the question, “Who are you?” Do you define yourself by your job, your family, your achievements, your failures?

• What would change if you began to define yourself primarily by your identity in Christ? What if you really believed that you are chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed, blessed, raised, and seated with Christ? How would that transform your daily life?

In the posts ahead, we’ll discover the answers together.