Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus is nothing like the letter to the Galatians where he called them to task for deserting the faith so easily. Instead the letter to the Ephesians is a letter of encouragement, a letter of peace, love and grace.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. - Eph. 1:18-19 NIV
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. - Eph. 3:17-19 NIV
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Eph. 5:1-2
Live a life of love, he tells them. Submit to each other out of reverence for Christ. Wives submit to your husbands, husbands love your wives, children obey your parents, fathers don't exasperate your children, slaves obey your masters, masters treat your slaves with mercy and love. This sounds like an easy gospel, but in the end it is not easy to do, impossible in fact with only earthly love. There is only one way to be so loving and gentle.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. - Eph. 6:11-18 NIV
The only way to live a life of peace, love and grace is to recognize that it is the enemy that causes all conflict. It is the enemy we war against, not our earthly family, co-workers, or brothers and sisters in the Lord. With the full armor of God, however, we can stand against all of the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms that would bring chaos into our daily lives. That is the only way to experience what Paul gave to the church at Ephesusin his valediction. Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. - Eph. 6:23 NIV
Peace, love and grace.
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