Chapter 1

1:4-5, 11 - We are predestined by God to go to either heaven or hell. None of our thoughts, words, or actions can affect the final outcome.

* These verses do say that God has predestined believers.  However, it mentions nothing about: 1) unbelievers, 2) the part that our words and will plays in receiving salvation (I know I opened my mouth and verbally trusted Jesus Christ for my salvation, so I had something to do with it), 3) predestination to go to Hell.  This "predestination" is a foreknowledge of who will trust Jesus Christ and who will not.  This "predestination" is not an irresistible force that either gives people eternal life or sends them to Hell.

* It is God's will that not one person should perish (Matthew 18:14).  Christ came and died for the whole world (John 3:16).  God simply knows who will trust Jesus Christ and who will not (Matthew 13).  He doesn't arbitrarily decide where people will spend eternity.  He gives people a choice (Joshua 24:15).

1:7 - God had his son murdered to keep himself from hurting others for things they didn't do.

* Ephesians 1:7 reads, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."  Through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we can be redeemed and have forgiveness for our sins.  He was sinless and only a sinless sacrifice could cover our sins.  Since we are sinners, we could not redeem ourselves.

1:14 - What must you do to be saved? Be chosen (predestined) by God).

* Verse 13 clearly explains the way of salvation; not verse 14

Chapter 2

2:3 - We are by nature "the children of wrath."

* This is correct, however the phrase is actually "children (or sons) of disobedience."  Since we all have sinned and since we've inherited imputed sin from our parents, we are all children of God's wrath.

2:8 - What must you do to be saved? Believe the right things.

* We are saved by God's grace, through our faith in Jesus Christ; not by works (as Ephesians 2:9 clearly states).

2:8-9 - Paul here insists that people are saved by faith alone, contradicting other verses that say people are judged by their works. The idea that our beliefs determine whether we are saved or damned is absurd and unjust.

* We are saved by faith alone.  This doesn't change the fact that our works will be judged (Ecclesiastes 12:14).  The unbelievers will go to Hell after their works are judged and they don't have forgiveness (Revelation 20:12-15).  The believers will receive eternal rewards based on their good works on Earth (Psalm 37:18).

* Our beliefs don't necessarily determine anything.  A person is saved if they trust Jesus Christ's sacrifice for their sins.  "Belief" is a word with many degrees of meaning.  Many people simply "believe" or "think" things and don't sincerely trust in Jesus Christ.  In order to be given redemption and eternal life, God requires a person to trust, accept, and believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son, was perfect, died for our sins, and rose from the dead.  This involves more than a nominal belief in God or the Bible.

* Without a payment for our sins, we cannot have forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).  We are required to either give our own life or trust in the one who gave His life for us.

2:15 - Jesus abolished the law that he said would last forever. (Mt.5:17, Lk.16:17)

* This verse is better understood by reading verses 14 and 16, too.  Ephesians 2:14-16 read, "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."

* Since Jesus Christ came and fulfilled God's will and purpose, He began the New Covenant (a better covenant than the old one).  In the Old Covenant, the laws that the Israelites tried to follow pleased God and made them holy.  This is "the law of commandments contained in ordinances."

* The law was a great blessing from God.  However, the advent of Jesus Christ was even better.  People didn't have to perform the sacrifices, get circumcised, and obey the food laws and such because Jesus gave them a New Covenant.  See Hebrews 8:8-13, 9:15, 12:12, etc.

* In Matthew 5:17, Jesus tells the people that He didn't come to destroy the law and the prophecies, but to fulfill them.  Jesus interpreted the laws of God in a perfect way and fulfilled the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies. He explained the laws of God and even told them how some laws were given because the Israelites were sinful and could not control themselves (like the law about divorce).

* Jesus summarizes his point in Luke 16:16 and 17.  This passage reads, "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."  A tittle (and the jot) is the smallest character in the Hebrew alphabet.  The equivalent is our comma or apostrophe.

* God's laws do not fail.  They are right and eternal.  However, the New Covenant supercedes the Old Covenant and people are no longer required to follow all of the Levitical laws that were given to the Israelites.

* Lastly, Paul is plainly saying that Jesus has "broken down the wall of separation . . . and abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances."  In short, this is correct and correlates with the other scriptures I listed (and more).  Jesus fulfilled the law and brought the entire world the New Covenant.  Were those laws destroyed?  No, they were not destroyed because they will forever be a part of the history of the Israelites.  Were they abolished?  Yes, New Testament believers will not have to obey them.

Chapter 4

4:14 - Paul says, contrary to Jesus (Mt.18:3, Mk.10:15, Lk.18:17), that we shouldn't act like children and believe "every wind of doctrine."

* Like God's multi-faceted character, children also have many qualities.  In this passage, Paul is warning people and telling them to abstain from believing false doctrines.

* In Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:15, and Luke 18:17, Jesus is emphasizing the child-like humility (see Matthew 18:4) that people need when they repent and trust in Jesus Christ.

4:25 - Paul says we shouldn't lie, but elsewhere the Bible approves it.

* Paul tells us to avoid lying.  God never condones lying or tells anyone to lie.  Simply because a Bible character lied (and possibly, seemingly got away with it), this doesn't mean God condones it.

4:29 - "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying." Sounds like a good rule, but if it were applied to the bible, there wouldn't be much left. (See Mal.2:3, Ezek.23:20, and Jg.29:22-30 for some rather unedifying bible verses.)

* Paul exhorts believers to use their words to edify one another instead of hurting them.

* Malachi 2:3 is part of a judgment on unrepentant people (read it from the beginning of Malachi 2).

* Ezekiel 23:20 is recalling Israel's harlotry (idolatry) in Egypt and beyond.

* There is no Judges 29:22-30.

Chapter 5

5:2 - The bloody death of Jesus smelled good to God.

* This passage of scripture indicates that Jesus Christ's sinless sacrifice appeased God's wrath.  Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient to cover our sins, redeem us, grant us forgiveness, and give us eternal life.

5:4-5 - Those who engage in "foolish talking" or "jesting" will not go to heaven. (Guess where they will be going.)

* In this chapter, Paul contrasts good with evil and righteous actions with unrighteous actions. In these verses, he is referring to some sins that unbelievers have and how these unbelievers will not go to Heaven. He never implies that saved believers that simply engage in some foolish talking or jesting will lose their salvation.

5:5 - No "unclean person" or "idolater" will inherit the kingdom of God. (They'll all be going to hell.)

* Once again, Paul is making a reference to the unbeliever that engages in these sins and he illustrates how these people that reject salvation through Jesus Christ and choose evil will not go to Heaven.

5:18 - Is it ok to drink alcohol?

* In the scriptures, we only see drinking condoned when it is either consumed when a person is dying or celebrating. Strong drink was given to people who were very sick because they didn't have medication or pills. During celebrations, drinking a little wine without getting drunk was acceptable.

* Many times, especially in the book of Proverbs, we see warnings against drunkenness. It is clearly foolish and wrong to get drunk. We don't see drunkenness condoned anywhere in the scriptures.

5:21 - Should we fear God?

* Yes, this passage indicates that we are to fear God.  This Greek word for "fear" isn't referring to a constant trembling, though.  It refers to a respect for Almighty God.  This correlates with other passages of scripture (even the passage that indicates God has not given us the spirit of fearing other humans).

5:22-24 - Paul orders wives to submit themselves to their husbands "in every thing" as though they were gods. "For the husband is the head of the wife."

* This is true and consistent with other passages of scripture.  The following verses, in chapter 5, explain the importance of the husband loving and submitting to his wife.

* There cannot be two heads of the household.  In the U.S., we fill out tax forms and only one person can be the "head of the household."  This biblical concept is one reason why homosexual unions (or "marriages") are ungodly.  If there are two men or two women, then who is the head of the household?  Men and women are different.  They have different roles and different requirements from God.  

* If you doubt that God wants a woman to be strong and capable, then read the 31st chapter of Proverbs.  This passage describes a great woman in God's eyes.

5:33 - Husbands are told to love your wife as yourself. Wives are to make sure that they "reverance" their husband. Does this mean that a man can have only one wife?

* This verse has little to do with the number of wives a person should have.  Nonetheless, the Bible doesn't give any verses that indicate God's approval of polygamy.  It does give a number of verses regarding a single wife and how multiple wives can cause serious problems (e.g. Solomon's wives that led him to apostasy).

Chapter 6

6:5 - Paul, who apparently approves of slavery, orders slaves to obey their masters "as unto Christ." But Jesus said that we should have no masters but him (Mt.4:10, 23:10).

* This passage never mentions "slaves."  The word here is "servants."  Paul never condones slavery.

* In Matthew 4:10, Jesus is speaking to Satan.  He tells him that a person should only worship and serve God (and avoid worshiping and serving evil).  This passage has nothing to do with an earthly servant and an earthly master.  This "servant" in Ephesians 6:5 is equivalent to a paid, live-in maid.

* In Matthew 23:10, Jesus tells the people to avoid calling people your "Master" or "Teacher" because "Christ is your Master Teacher."  This is a different Greek word than the word for "master" in Ephesians 6:5.

6:9 - This verse says that God respects no one, but many other Bible verses disagree (Gen.4:4, Ex.2:25, Lev.26:9, 2 Kg.13:23, Ps.138:6).

* The phrase here is "respecter of persons."  This is referring to the fact that God is not a respecter of earthly titles, wealth, social status, etc.  This is consistent with other passages of scripture.

* In Genesis 4:4, Exodus 2:25, Leviticus 26:9, and 2 Kings 13:23, God has "respect" for people that obeyed Him.  These passages are referring to specific people and not titles.

* Psalm 138:6 indicates that God "respects" the poor.  This says nothing about their earthly titles, wealth, social status, etc. (which they obviously do not have).