Paul's letter to the Ephesians concludes with the apostle free whilst within the confines of the prison cell. So often we believe the lie that one day we will serve Christ and live for God, one day when circumstances are more congenial, one day when we are free so to do then we will serve. This denies the experience of Jonah who's spiritual peak was reached within the whale's belly, Paul whose epistles were penned in prison, John who concludes the canon from the Isle of Patmos and Stephen whose greatest sermon is delivered within the circle of his oppressors! Here in prison Paul is as free as anyone can be! Free in the Spirit, free in the gospel and free to serve! In Christ we have freedom to be free! 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Spiritual warfare, the whole armour of God and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Here is the final piece of spiritual armour in Ephesians chapter 6. This sword must be used in the power of the Spirit of God! The word is Spirit inspired, Spirit interpreted and Spirit applied! Enjoy the Word of God, as food for your soul, barley bread, as the light to your path and as the trumpet sound of Divine Revelation. 

Bible teaching from Ephesians 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

The whole armour of God includes the Helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The way in which the Christian life commences with the Word of God, the power of the Spirit of God and God's salvation (Ephesians 1:13) is the way the Christian life continues and spiritual battle concludes! God is mindful of the means of Satanic attack on the Christian's mind! He seeks to discourage, distract, deceive, defile and attempts to lead the Christian to despair! The Christian ust be mindful that the battle is the Lord's and He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee! 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Bridgend Gospel Hall Christian Church 

New Cumnock Systematic bible teaching from Ephesians

The whole armour of God beginning with the girdle of truth and the breastplate of righteousness progress onto feet shod with the preparation of the gospel and the shield of faith. Faith has victory in progress protecting from the fiery darts of the wicked one fired from above! Faith turns to prayer, the word of God, our experience of God's faithfulness and ultimately to the triumph of Divine purpose for His own in fulfilling His purpose for every believer, bringing us ver more deeply and fully into an appreciation of His Son Jesus Christ, in whom we have been chosen, to be set apart in holiness to Christ forever. Life begins with nothing but God. Life concludes with nothing but God. In the depths of Jobs suffering he found he had nothing but God and there he worshipped. Dr J Stewart Gillespie New Cumnock

In Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 to 20 Paul instructs the Christian to put on the whole armour of God. This panoply of God is not only so that I might stand in testimony in the world but so too that I might stand in the presence of God, enjoying fellowship with Him through Christ! It has always been the strategy of Satan to disrupt fellowship between the Christian and God! Adam fell and Job felt blow upon blow! Putting on the whole armour of Ephesians 6 permits the Christian to tap into those deep resources of God's all sufficient power that with the girdle of truth and breast plate of righteousness we might might know His intrinsic power, the power that He is, His ischus power, with feet shod with the preparation of the gospel and shield of faith we may move forward with His dynamic power, the power that He does and weilding the sword of the Spirit, the word of God with the helmet of salvation I may achieve victory, His acheiving power, His 'kratos'. Christian put on the whole armour of God and get into His presence. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

From the wedding of Joe Gillespie and Maisie Cronie conducted at the Brig O Doon Hotel, Ayr, on 25th October 2024, Dr J Stewart Gillespie considers the mystery upon which marriage is founded in Ephesians chapter 6, the pattern, and the principles of marriage found in love and submission and the purpose of commitment when these great priniciples are applied in marriage. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Ephesians chapter 6 describes God's provision for the Christian in the daily spiritual battle and warfare with the forces of Satan; the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Each of these items of armour exquisitely crafted for the task of defeating Satanic attack and defending the Christian from the wiles of the Devil. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Pauls letter to the Ephesians concludes with this chapter on the subject of Spiritual Warfare. Here is a call to put on the whole armour of God! Why conclude this letter to the Ephesians in such a way? Spiritual warfare is: important, we are up against Satan! Spiritual warfare is decisive with victory the end and outcome. Ephesians is not a letter of consolation but of inspiration, inspiring the Christian to fight to victory! This chapter on the panoply of God provides a fitting summary and conclusion to the Ephesian letter as a whole, with each of the parts of the armour; girdle, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword related to truths and teachings we find elsewhere in the letter. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

New Cumnock

The call for fragrant self sacrifice at the beginning of Ephesians chapter 5 echoes not through extraordinary acts of self sacrifice or courage but through the ordinary events of daily life: marriage, family and employment. It is here that the Lord Jesus is glorified in the Christian life. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Paul's letter to the Ephesians presents the church in a three fold fashion; as a building founded upon Christ, as a body united and blessed by Christ and as the bride joined to and part of Christ! It is this pattern of the church as the body, bones and flesh of Christ which paints the most intimate and dramatic of pictures of the relationship between Christ and the church! By the cross of the Lord Jesus, His people are brought into the most intimate relationship with Him! 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Ephesians chapter 5: Husbands love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. 

God's new Society in marriage, family and service. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christian practice is the out working of Christian doctrine. 
Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Ephesians chapter 5 charts the path of being filled, continually by the Holy Spirit. This path is encapsulated by the 2 fold command of walk in love and walks as children of the light. We consider the possibility of the impossible when walking in love and we see the demands of the light in righteousness and revelation. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Be filled with the Spirit, is a command to all Christians in Ephesians chapter 5. It is within this chapter that we discover the secret as to how we may be filled, continually and presently with God's Spirit. Dr J Stewart Gillespie GraceinChrist.org

Rage rage against the dying of the night, to paraphrase Dylan Thomas' famous poem! The night and its unfruitful wickedness dies all around the believer. Chose carefully and chose wisely where you through in your lot and into what you invest your time! Redeeming the time means more than to be busy but rather to be fruitful for God! Our desires reflect our destiny and our belonging. Let us be careful what we are pursuing in time, for the destiny of that pursuit ends in eternity! 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Bible Teaching 

Ephesians chapter 5 Judges chapter 19 - the Levite and his concubine

We may not all have equal opportunities to serve God nor equal gifts nor may we see equal results but we each as believers in the Lord Jesus have equal opportunity to please God. The letter to the Ephesians contains 5 offerings; the ascending offering, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering. The 3 sweet savour offerings are to be seen in Christ and reflected in His people. The Christian life of service is a life of devotion to Christ, and in His service. 

Ephesians chapter 5 

Systematic bible teaching from Ephesians

Every Christian life is a fire that is lit, whose flames ascend to heaven with fragrance of a life lived to God's Glory! This Christian walk which becomes worship imputes lasting meaning to our life below. Like Anna who served in the temple for 84 years or Mary who poured out her fragrant sacrifice upon Christ or Enoch who walked with God and who was not because God took him, our lives too can be a fragrance from a flame that burns wholly to the Lord! Ephesians chapter 5 bible teaching from the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, Dr J Stewart Gillespie