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Series 2 Study 4 SEVEN TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHURCH (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 3: 1-12) In these verses we are told seven truths about the Church, and it is very important for us to understand these. 1 . The MYSTERY of the Church . The word “mystery” occurs in verses 3, 4 and 9. It does not mean that which is obscure or unintelligible, but it means a divine secret which is known only to those to whom it is revealed – note verse 3, and compare 1 Corinthians 2: 7-12. The special revelation of the truth of the Church was first made to Paul, but he would not have understood the dispensational significance of the “mystery” of the Church apart from the revelation given to him by God; and likewise we cannot understand the significance of the “mystery” without the help and illumination of the Holy Spirit. For further study look up Romans 11: 25; 1 Corinthians 15: 51; Ephesians 3: 3-4 and 6: 19; 1 Timothy 3:l6. 2 . The MEANING of the Church . What do we mean when we speak of the Church? Wh

Series 2 Study 2 GOD’S PICTURE OF THE NATURAL MAN (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 2: 1-12) The Bible, God’s inspired Word (2 Timothy 3: 16), is a picture book, a kind of family album of the human race. The pictures in God’s album are true to life; they are not touched-up, and therefore they are sometimes very uncomplimentary. By “the natural man” we mean the man who is not a Christian, who has never been born again, and who is described in Ephesians 2: 3 by the words “by nature…” – compare 1 Corinthians 2: 14. In this study we are to look at God’s photograph of fallen humanity, of every man and woman who is not a Christian, and of ourselves, apart from the grace of God and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. But before looking at God’s life-sized portrait of ourselves in Ephesians 2, notice the following pictures of the “natural man” in Genesis 6: 5; Psalm 14: 2-3; Isaiah 1: 5-6 and Isaiah 64: 6; Jeremiah 17: 9; Matthew 15: 18-20 and Romans 1: 21-32. When we turn to Ephesians 2:

Series 2 Study 3 BROUGHT NEAR BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 2: 13-22) In Ephesians 2: 1-3, and in verse 12, we are given God’s terrible but true description of fallen humanity. Apart from Christ we are: Dead in sin (verse 1); Deceived by the world (verse 2); Dominated by Satan (verse 2); Degenerate in our living (verse 3), and Doomed to punishment (verse 3). Left to ourselves we are utterly lost, helpless and hopeless. The world does not accept this description, but God declares it – look up Romans 3: 10-18. What is God’s attitude towards fallen humanity? We certainly have no claim on God and our completely bankrupt, destitute and disobedient state would justify Him in having nothing more to do with us. What is His attitude towards us? Notice in the second chapter of Ephesians that there are two wonderful “buts” which reveal to us the amazing love of God in Christ Jesus: the first of these is in verse 4, and the second is in verse l3. The Lord Jesus, by His de