A major premise of Scripture is that leaders are always called to a higher standard. Indeed, spiritual leaders in the church and in ministry are called to be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2). Leaders in ministry are to be servant leaders, modeling the biblical truths they espouse (see Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:21-30 and John 13:1-17). Leaders are to avoid even the “appearance of evil” in their lifestyles and in their words (1 Thessalonians 5:22). For that reason, when a spiritual leader falls its effect is catastrophic.

Virtually everyone agrees that a democratic society must maintain a high degree of trust or the democratic institutions that undergird that society will collapse. As we begin 2021, the American democratic-republic is in a serious crisis—a crisis of trust. Trust takes many forms. People may trust each other but distrust institutions like the federal government or mainstream media, for example. Furthermore, COVID-19 is testing America’s institutions in ways not seen for decades. Trust in government in America in 2021 is fairly low compared with some other wealthy societies.

An extended discussion on legalism vs. grace.

In 1947 C.S. Lewis published The Abolition of Man, in which he charted the “negation of human dignity in the name of progress.” He lived long enough to see the accuracy of his assessment: “For the power of Man to make himself what he pleases means, as we have seen, the power of some men to make other men what they please.” Transhumanism comes close to fulfilling Lewis’s warning about the “negation of humanity.” It is a philosophy or ideology that aims to control and transform the human species using bio technologies, in order to eliminate suffering, disease, aging and death.

Paul contrasts our past (“dead in our sins”) with now being “alive to God” by grace through faith in Jesus.

Paul prays that God will through His Spirit enable the Ephesians to understand all God has done for them in the past, the present and the future and that they will understand the power now available to them.

After the insurrection of 6 January 2021 fostered by the incendiary words of President Trump, his son and the president’s attorney Rudy Giuliani, various social media giants (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube) responded by permanently banning or suspending the president for violation of their respective “glorification of violence” policies. These actions have raised questions about free speech, the First Amendment and the power of these social media giants.

Paul invites us to praise each member of the Trinity for their work in the plan of redemption.

January 22 is always a dark day in American history, for in 1973 Roe v. Wade legalized abortion across America. The case denied the rights of the unborn and instead gave women the “right” to decide to end her pregnancy. It established the precedent that a woman’s right to choose is more important than a child’s right to live. It therefore demeaned life in the womb as unworthy in comparison to the mother and it established the false ideology that one human is more important than another.

An introduction to the city of Ephesus, its importance and the themes of this letter are presented.