{"product_id":"ephesians-bbs3q23","title":"Ephesians","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe early Christian church battled many headwinds  including the pagan religions that controlled the masses. To this point  Paul urged the saints of Ephesus to embrace a simple and direct faith in Christ. His message was in stark contrast to the fearmongering gods of the day  gods who decreed predetermined futures for their subjects  regardless of their subjects? personal choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen first-century people heard the gospel  it came to them as radically good news. Their lives were not at the mercy of chance and fate. Their destinies were not determined by the astral powers. Instead  God offered them eternal life through Jesus Christ  who  above any competing power  was now the Lord of their lives. By God?s grace and through no merit of their own  the Ephesians freely embraced a bright and exciting future.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Christ?s name  the modern church enjoys the same privilege as the first-century Ephesians: the privilege of choosing the power of God over the powers of darkness. Dr. John McVay shows how Paul  in bold strokes  uses four metaphors to explain how the plan of salvation triumphs over spiritual wickedness. Paul describes the church as:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003ethe body of Christ \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003ethe temple of God \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003ethe bride of Christ  and\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003ethe militia of Christ.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eFaulty as the church may be  God works through it to put evil on notice. The rescue is underway  and Satan is doomed. God?s plan to unify everything in Christ has begun and will succeed!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41309072523315,"sku":"9780816366927","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0103\/8902\/8915\/files\/ephesians_3q23_1ff64463-df56-45cb-90a3-058353287ef0.jpg?v=1774921095","url":"https:\/\/clovisabc.com\/products\/ephesians-bbs3q23","provider":"ClovisABC.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}