What's the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?

      What's the book of Ephesians all about?  Honestly without the light from the Life-Study of Ephesians I just wouldn't even know where to begin.  In the opening chapter of this Life- Study, Witness Lee points out that the subject of Ephesians is the church.  I really enjoyed  Living Stream Ministry's broadcast  message entitled Introductory Word to the Book of Ephesians-Prog #1.  They kept underscoring that this book doesn't focus on the 
church from man's condition but from God's eternal purpose to have the church.  
    
      I learned in my reading of this first message that in the book of Ephesians Paul talks  7 aspects of the church.Here's the list:  The church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:23 and 4:13), the new man (Eph. 2:15), the kingdom (Eph. 2:19), the household of God (Eph. 2:19), the dwelling place of God (Eph. 2:21-22), the bride of Christ (Eph 5), and the warrior (Eph 6).  After highlighting different features of each aspect, he gave a great summary to put it all together on page 5 and 6 of the Life Study of Ephesians:  

If we put together all these seven aspects of the church, we see a wonderful picture of the church as the Body to express Christ, as the new man taking Christ as the person, as the kingdom with rights and responsibilities, as the family with life and enjoyment, as God's dwelling place for God to live in, as the bride for Christ's satisfaction, and as the warrior for fighting the battle and defeating the enemy so that God can accomplish His eternal purpose.  This is the church (Lee, Witness, Life-Study of Ephesians, Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1978, Print).

      And this church is  expressed through believers all over the earth.  I really like the song It was For Her put out on the New York City Young People's CD I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord!. On Youtube it says that the Church in Jacksonville put together pictures of other saints from around the earth to go along with this song.  I was very touched the first time I viewed this--you can see through pictures of saints in India, the Philippines, Russia, and so many other nations that the masterpiece that Christ created on the cross (Ephesians 2:10) is really the church!
  
Order the Life Study of Ephesians from Living Stream Ministry:  This Life Study of Ephesians contains 97 messages on just these six chapters! You can order your own copy of the Life Study of Ephesians by calling 1-888-543-3788. 

Other blog posts on the Life Study of Ephesians:

What is the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?
What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?
How Does God Head Up All Things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10?
How Does the Spirit Seal us in Ephesians 1:13-14?
What is the Surpassing Greatness of His Power in Ephesians 1:19?
From the Life Study of Ephesians: How Electricity Illustrates God's Purpose to Reach Man
What is the One New Man in Ephesians 2:15?
What is the Stewardship of the Grace of God in Ephesians 3:2?
Do You Know What the Multifarious Wisdom of God is in Ephesians 3:10?
What's God's Calling for in Ephesians 4:1?
What Does It Mean to Learn Christ in Ephesians 4:20?
Seeing the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:32
Seeing the Church as the Warrior in Ephesians 6
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?
What are the Seven Aspects of the Church Seen in Ephesians?
Why Did God Abolish the Ordinances in Ephesians 2:15?
Why is the Spirit Mentioned in Every Chapter of Ephesians?