Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
Text: Ephesians 1:13
SHARING A PRECIOUS COMMON EXPERIENCE
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a common but nonetheless wonderful experience. Paul identified fully with the Ephesian believers as he reflected on how they came to receive salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“In Him you also trusted”
These are the first two important elements that make up our salvation experience:-
1. “In Him”
The Person who made it possible for us to receive salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
2. “You also trusted”
The Greek text simply says, “you also”. The word “trusted” was added in (and correctly so) because of the previous verse. The flow of thought makes this addition admissible.
“After you heard the word of truth”
The next two elements are now reviewed:-
1. “After you heard”
We are reminded of what Paul wrote in another epistle.
“So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.”
ROMANS 10:17
2. “The word of truth”
This is an obvious reference to the proclamation of the Scriptures. The Book of Acts bore testimony of the usual manner in which Paul ministered.
“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them,
and for three Sabbaths, reasoned with them
from the Scriptures…”
ACTS 17:2
“The Gospel of your salvation”
Another two elements were reviewed:-
“The Gospel” (“euaggelion”)
In its simplest most literal sense, this word may be translated “good news”. In a more technical sense, this is a reference to the body of content of all that Paul had been proclaiming everywhere he was sent by the Lord.
“Of your salvation” (“soteria”)
There is no mistaking the personal element here. The Gospel of salvation became very real and personal to the Ephesians. This glorious Gospel led them to wonderful salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.