📖 Biblical Definition
One of Paul's four prison epistles (with Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), written from Rome around AD 60-62. Ephesians has two halves: chapters 1-3 lay out the believer's position in Christ (chosen, redeemed, sealed, raised, seated in heavenly places, made one new man with Jew and Gentile reconciled); chapters 4-6 lay out the believer's walk (unity, holiness, marriage, family, work, spiritual warfare). The closing armor-of-God passage (6:10-18) is one of the most-cited spiritual-warfare texts in Scripture.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
EPHESIANS, n.
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A scriptural proper name; one of Paul's prison epistles.
📖 Key Scripture
Ephesians 1:3 — "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."
Ephesians 2:8 — "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
Ephesians 4:1 — "I therefore... beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."
Ephesians 6:11 — "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity preaches Ephesians 6 without Ephesians 1-3; the armor only fits the saint who knows his position.
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Ephesians is structured around a hinge: the first three chapters describe what the saint is in Christ; the last three describe how the saint walks as a result. The order matters. The armor of God in Ephesians 6 only fits the saint who knows his identity in Ephesians 1-3. Trying to fight spiritual warfare without first receiving the doctrine of position is like wearing armor over an empty suit.
Modern Christianity often preaches Ephesians 6 detached from Ephesians 1-3 — armor without identity. The armor will not stay on. Receive your position first: chosen, redeemed, sealed, raised, seated. Then walk worthy of the vocation. Then stand against the devil. The order is: identity, then walk, then warfare. Skip a stage and the armor falls.
Usage
"Modern Christianity preaches Ephesians 6 without 1-3; the armor only fits the saint who knows his position."
"Order: identity, then walk, then warfare; skip a stage and the armor falls."
"Receive your position first; then walk worthy; then stand against the devil."