During his three year stay, he created quite a stir. It is said that he did several baptisms and several unusual miracles happened during that stay. Sorcerers had been converted to Christ. At one point, there was an aggressive and violent action in the city by the makers and sellers of idols due to the loss of business because so many were converting to Christ and walking away from their previous idol worship.
Paul begins chapter one by identifying himself and offers a greeting to the faithful in Ephesus. The opening ends with a blessing of peace and grace.
Paul goes on to praise God for the blessing of Spiritual gifts and he attributes all Spiritual gifts as coming from God. They have these gifts because of the union they have with Christ.
God loved us believers and chose us in Christ to be holy in His eyes so we could be adopted into His family through faith in Jesus. He did all this before the world was even made. Because of this great act, we praise God for the grace He extended to us. That grace was not free but it was purchased for us, who now belong to Him, by the blood and sacrifice of Christ. By that great sacrifice our sins have been forgiven and we have been adopted into His heavenly family.
He has revealed His wonderful plan of Christ to us. That plan being that when the time is right, all things in heaven and earth will be under Christ's rule. When this happens, we can look forward to an inheritance from God because of our relationship with Christ. This became guaranteed when we believed in Christ and were identified as His people.He chose us long ago for this blessing and there is nothing that can stop or alter His plan.
So that we would glorify Him, He gave us His Spirit and purchased us, freeing us from sin. God planned the Jews would be the first to trust Christ then the Gentiles. Then we all would understand the Good News that God saves us.
Paul tells the church that he has not stopped praying for them since he first heard of their great faith in Christ. He requests that God give them spiritual wisdom and insight so their understanding of Him would grow even more. He prays that their hearts will be full of light so they could understand the great hope that was given those He had called to Himself.
His prayer continues for them to understand how great God's power is and that it is there for those who believe in Him. The power he prayed for is the same power that was used to raise Christ from the dead and seat Him at the right hand of God in Heaven. Christ's authority is far above anyone else, not only in our world today but also in the world that is yet to come.
He closes chapter one with another statement that God has put all things under Christ's authority so that His rule will benefit the church, the whole body of believers. He declares the church to be Christ's body while He is the head. Christ then makes the body, all believers, complete by His presence and Spirit who fills all things everywhere.
This chapter tells that the faithful believers were chosen before the creation of the world and that all people and things are under Christ's authority who fills all who believe with His Spirit.
Peace and blessings to you all. In His love, Rich.