Who does Paul address in Ephesians 1:1?
Paul addresses the church of God which is at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. By contrast, the letter to the Galatians is addressed only to the churches of Galatia, with nothing said about them being the church of God or the saints.
Les explains that Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1 is addressed "unto the church of God which is at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." He points out how Paul places the greeting, identifying the believers there in those terms. Then Les has the listener come back to the Galatian letter, where the same verse is quoted as saying "to the brethren who are with me, and unto the churches of Galatia." Les finds that striking: nothing is said about them being the church of God, or the saints, or those who are in Christ — they have simply become the churches of Galatia. He notes that when he first saw this, it reminded him of God's attitude toward Israel when He was writing to Daniel, where He often referred to the nation as "thy people" rather than "My people," because they had degenerated so far from their love for Jehovah that God was not really claiming them. They were Daniel's people, they were Moses' people, but He did not say "My people" as He did at the beginning.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
More Questions
How does Paul address the Ephesian church in Ephesians 1:1?
In Ephesians 1:1, Paul addresses the church of God at Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Who are the saints in Ephesians 1:1?
In Ephesians 1:1, Les defines 'the saints' as the believers.
What does 'in Christ' mean in Ephesians?
Les teaches that the repeated phrase 'in Christ' in Ephesians refers to the believer's position in Christ, or in the body of Christ.