Good morning, everyone. Let us look at the summary of Ephesians. I believe it should be like this: it systematically discusses how people should live out the glory of God."

When there is no one, God can create the heavens and the earth. Even without you and me, God can still do all things. So, what is the Bible written for? The most important theme of the Bible is to "enable you to live out the image of God." This is a crucial foundation of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine Bible study. Do not get caught up in researching: "Who created God before God created man?" That is not helpful. Can you live out the image of God by studying that? No, you cannot.

Therefore, I believe the Bible is written for people. Mysteries belong to God, but the straightforward and simple things belong to us humans. Many theologians do not read the Bible in a way that leads to practical application. They do not act on the Word of God after reading it. What happens as a result? They study this and that, researching a whole bunch of things. What can their little brains figure out? A fundamental aspect of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine is to act on the Word of God after reading it. After you act on it, you will know: "Wow, God's Word is so good!" If you do not act on God's Word, what do you do after reading it?

So, I believe the Book of Ephesians in the Bible systematically discusses how people should live out the image of God. That is the key! Do not read it in a way that makes it seem like it is about what God is going to do. It is not about reading what God is going to do. It is about God telling us what we should do.

How should people live out the image of God? By believing in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul was qualified to write this because he lived out the Word of God to the fullest extent. I ask you, in this world, who can live out God's Word as concretely as the Apostle Paul? Very few.

Let me first tell you that this "hat" of mine is important. Ephesians systematically discusses how people should live out the image of God. The first point is: act on the Word of God after reading it. The second point: the Apostle Paul was qualified to write this.

I ask you, who in this world has solved the problem of poverty? Who has solved the problem of disease? Who has solved the problem of being oppressed? The problems that the Apostle Paul solved are beyond our imagination. He was so powerful that his handkerchiefs, when touched by some people, healed them. That is how powerful he was.

Not only was the Apostle Paul so powerful, but when did you ever see him in poverty? He was never poor. Furthermore, I tell you, he was smart, capable, good at making money, and healthy. You rarely see the Apostle Paul with this or that illness. He systematically discussed how to live out the image of God. He was qualified to discuss it because he lived out the image of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, in the Apostle Paul's letters, he said: "Imitate me, as I imitate Jesus Christ." Do you all understand? You should imitate me and live out the image of God. So, the Apostle Paul was very powerful. He systematically discussed how to live out the image of God.

Ephesians Chapter 1 Theme: You Must Truly Know Jesus Christ Who Is Above All

We rarely ponder how transcendent the Lord Jesus we believe in is. He is above all because God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. I cannot go through Ephesians Chapter 1 again. You can go back and listen to it slowly.

Now, I will tell you again, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. Can there be blessings outside of Jesus Christ? No, there are no spiritual blessings. These spiritual blessings are very important, including receiving the adoption as sons. You become children of the living God, and your lineage is powerful. No one can outdo Jesus Christ in lineage, and no one can outdo those who imitate Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we must not underestimate our status. It is not because you have gained status that you become arrogant. It is because you have gained this status that you know what kind of grace you have received. So, we must know that in Jesus Christ there is no cancer, in Jesus Christ there is no disease, in Jesus Christ everything is good, there is no lack, and we lack no good thing. Therefore, He is above all. After being above all, God wants to arrange for all things to be united in Jesus Christ. How to unite them? It is very simple: build the church, for the church is the body of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians Chapter 2 Theme: We Are Being Built Together as a Temple for the Lord

Being built together as a temple for the Lord is the church. The faith in Jesus Christ is to be united in Jesus Christ and then built together as a temple for the Lord. This elevates our perspective from individual cultivation to building the church.

Building the church is very interesting. Why? Because it involves a group of people together. A group of carnal people cannot build a church. When a group of carnal people are together, they will inevitably create serious conflicts. For example, mothers and daughters are particularly prone to arguing. When two women are together, there are many issues. There are 90-year-old mothers who have opinions about their 60-year-old daughters, and 60-year-old mothers who have opinions about their 30-year-old daughters. There are many sisters among us, and you definitely know what I am talking about. "Oh, why did she say that? Why did she say that?" They are all trivial matters.

Why is it that even mothers and daughters are like this when they are together? I ask you, how evil is the flesh? The flesh is a very evil thing, let alone other people. So, if mothers and daughters are like this, what will happen if we build a church with two unrelated people together? Two unrelated people. For example, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. After a mother and daughter argue, a few hours later, the daughter says: "Mom, what are we doing tonight?" The mother says: "Let's go eat." All is well. But for a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who are not so closely related, it is a big deal.

In the church, everyone is relatively unrelated. Actually, I have to tell everyone that if I were to pick faults, I would not be able to live. If I were to pick, there would be many things to pick on, and that would be troublesome. I would not be able to live. Therefore, those who build the church must have a broad mind. By building the church, you immediately gain a Mingding, and those trivial matters, what you said, what I said, what you said again, what I said again, all those petty things are thrown out. Why? This is called Mingding.

Therefore, the Apostle Paul will not be like you. Because the Apostle Paul lives out the image of God, giving himself away. Actually, I have to tell everyone that I really have a little bit of qualification to encourage you to imitate me. Anyway, I think you should not blame me for saying this. Because I imitate Jesus and imitate Paul. This is very important! Why? Because the reason is very simple. If people do not build the church and just do their own thing, what can they accomplish? They cannot accomplish anything.

So, when you see people building the church, the flesh is fully manifested when mothers and daughters are together. Although it gets better after a while, it is still carnal. Building the church is not like a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It is everyone, unrelated, building the body of Jesus Christ together, being built together as a temple for the Lord. At the same time, you deal with my flesh, and I deal with your flesh.

So, everyone, grasp this main point. I cannot take you through it again and again. You can go back and read it again carefully. See if that is the case. Chapter 2 is about being built together as a temple for the Lord, and then becoming the body of Jesus Christ. So, building the church is a fierce dealing with the flesh. Why? Because a carnal person is always uncomfortable for no reason.

One day, I saw a mother crying, with tears and snot. I said: "What's wrong?" "Oh, my son said this to me, said that to me." They are all trivial matters, caring about their own face, about not being respected. What do you need that for? All those carnal things, deal with them all. So, in the church, when you see a problem, good, it should be a problem. Let all the carnal bad habits of people be fully manifested.

Ephesians Chapter 3 Theme: Fellow Heirs, Members Together of One Body, and Sharers Together in the Promise

I must tell everyone that it is difficult to live without God's covenant and God's promise. If we are fellow heirs with Abraham, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise, fellow heirs with Jesus Christ, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise, then we become the temple of the Lord. If you have a promise, have God's covenant, and are so united with Jesus Christ, you inherit the promise. So, everyone must know how precious the promise is. Do not lose the promise, or it will be fatal.

Let me tell everyone again. People should live happily. But can you be happy if you have no money? I ask you, can you be happy if you are penniless? If you are full of diseases, hurting here and there, can you be happy? Does anyone here have a body full of diseases, hurting and screaming, and still be happy? No. They all look miserable and are very tired.

But if I have God's promise, we lack no good thing. If we lack anything, it is sickness. How good is that! God's promises, no matter how many, are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. How good is that!

Where did this promise begin? It began with Abraham. So, one part of our church's vision and mission is to imitate the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham opened up a way to obtain God's promise. God said, "I will give you this and that." Did he deserve it? No. He believed in God, and God promised him. So, the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a very important thing.

If we walk the path of Abraham, we are fellow heirs, one body, and jointly receive the promise. We were not originally Jews, Hebrews, or Israelites, but through faith in Jesus Christ and emulating them, we obtain the promise of Abraham. Once we obtain this promise, it is extraordinary. "Those who curse you will be cursed." Who would dare to curse you? "Those who bless you will be blessed." You become powerful, a treasure of blessings, precious indeed. Thus, we receive all kinds of spiritual blessings in the heavens. How wonderful!

Let us briefly summarise so that everyone can connect the dots. We know Jesus Christ, who transcends all things. We are built together into a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit. We are united with Jesus Christ. We inherit the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, becoming fellow heirs, one body, and jointly receiving the promise. And then what?

## Ephesians Chapter 4 Theme: Building up the Body of Christ, Equipping the Saints, Each Fulfilling Their Function, Living Out God's Image

I deeply appreciate that in the church, we must equip the saints. Building up the body of Christ is the church. You must do something in the church, each fulfilling their function. By fulfilling your function, you live out God's image. If you are to shepherd, shepherd well; if you are to serve, serve well. You are passing on the blessing. Do you think it is a sacrifice? No. By passing it on, you live out God's image. God continually gives. You must have a role in the church.

Many brothers and sisters often tell me, "Teacher, I learned many skills for my job in the church." It is good to learn in the church. You were not a manager or supervisor before; you were a small soldier. But in the church, as you develop, the knowledge of shepherding you learn is actually management knowledge. Later, you are promoted to manager. "Ah, it turns out what you said was so good." Of course, some are deceived.

Someone said, "Teacher, he speaks so well." I asked, "And then?" He said, "I paid sixty thousand." He speaks so well, just like you. I didn't ask you for sixty thousand; it's free to listen to me. This puzzled me a bit, but not anymore. Why? Because he can sell memberships and make money. If he doesn't sell them, he's a fool. You have to deceive someone into buying a membership for sixty thousand.

I ask you, are there such people? How many? Only if you are willing to do that. Others with a bit of sense wouldn't do that. Moreover, if you deceive three or five people, each paying sixty thousand, won't they come looking for you? How will you live? It's troubling.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must be clear: improve yourselves in the church, fulfill your functions well, and live out God's image. Does the church require sacrifice? I ask you to sacrifice, but not money. When did I ask you to sacrifice money and buy a membership? Never. So, brothers and sisters, don't be foolish anymore. Problems that can be solved with money are not problems. But you must live out God's image, fulfill your functions, train yourselves, and improve yourselves.

## Ephesians Chapter 5 Theme: Imitate God, Live Out God's Image

Imitating God includes making the most of time. Imitating God means taking God's image as our standard. Some say, "That standard is too high." Yes, the Bible says to imitate God. Everyone must know this.

Many Christians are good at talking nonsense, saying, "I have believed in the Lord, I am saved by grace, and I can go to heaven when I die." But looking at their foolish faces, can they be saved? I don't see any imitation of God in them. I don't see God's likeness in them. So, I often go to various places and talk about living out God's image while alive.

But many Christians say, "Hey, how many Jesuses are there? Just one. I am not Jesus, what am I imitating? Forget it." I say, it's not just forgetting it, you're just being lazy. Still imitating God? So, imitating God is our duty today.

We do what Jesus did. Imitating God is the teaching of the Bible, not something I added. Don't believe in a Jesus Christ who only allows you to go to heaven when you die. Believing in Jesus Christ means receiving all kinds of spiritual blessings in the heavens while alive, receiving the spiritual authority given to us by Jesus Christ to trample on the devil and enemies. How powerful!

Can everyone grasp this theme? Even now, when you meet Christians, do they have the logic of imitating God in their minds? No. What are they doing? I am very surprised. They know nothing, don't read the Bible. When they read, they say, "Teacher, I get sleepy, I feel uncomfortable." Then they are foolish. Where is God's image in that? I am particularly moved.

I don't like talking about heaven and hell. I like talking about living out God's image while alive. The difference is huge. A pastor standing on the platform said, "Nine hundred ninety-nine out of a thousand people go to hell, one goes to heaven." Really? If I asked him, "Have you been there?" "No." "Then how do you know?" "I don't know." Isn't that nonsense? You are very capable of talking nonsense.

If people ask me, "What should you say?" I would say it plainly: "Those who are like God while alive go to God; those who are like the devil while alive go to the devil." If you are like God while alive, you will definitely return to God. If you are like the devil while alive, where do you think you will go? You imitate whom, you go to whom. Isn't that straightforward? You look like the messengers of death. They are here to arrest me! The Lord Jesus said we don't have messengers of death here. Birds of a feather flock together, right? The devil sees, "Oh, he looks like me." He stays there for a few days and then gets sick. He invites the devil over for no reason. How can he live out God's image? His mind is full of worldly logic, full of fleshly things.

Brothers and sisters, we must know that imitating God comes from Ephesians. Someone said, "Teacher, people of the same family enter the same door." You see, they even know about having a marital resemblance. So, I say Ephesians systematically discusses how people can live out God's glorious image. It's that simple: imitate God.

## Ephesians Chapter 6 Theme: Put on the Full Armour of God, Be a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ

To be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, you must have equipment. Let's talk about the equipment of Jesus Christ: gird your waist with truth. Do you have truth in your mind? Put on the helmet of salvation. Do you really know what salvation is? You say, "Salvation is simple, it's going to heaven when you die." Is that the helmet of salvation? I think it looks like a straw hat of salvation. What can it block? Nothing.

Thank God! We must put in some effort. Gird your waist with the belt of truth, put on the shoes of the gospel of peace. The gospel we preach is the gospel of peace. We continually know God in the belt of truth. Wearing the helmet of salvation is truly a helmet because we want to live out God's image. That is called salvation. We preach the gospel of peace, and then what? Put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect your chest.

Have you noticed that it doesn't protect the back? The good soldiers of Jesus Christ face the enemy, not turn their backs to the enemy. If they turn their backs, the arrows will hit them, and their backs will look like hedgehogs.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must not be lazy anymore. Use the time we have to do serious things, to explore the truth of God, to imitate Jesus Christ. Not to scroll on our phones, not to read novels, not to play games. What can those things produce? Does it fill your mind like tofu?

I hope everyone has the opportunity to ponder Ephesians, from the first chapter to the last, including this summary. Although I may not have explained it clearly, the full armour in the sixth chapter is difficult to explain. Take the sword of the Spirit, pray at all times. What are we asking for? The kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Brothers and sisters, start readjusting yourselves, desiring to live out God's image. Don't tell me it's impossible. What can you live out? A form that is neither human nor demonic. How can you fix that? So, many churches don't teach people to live out God's image. Don't blame me for saying this, but it is indeed the case. What are they teaching people? I am very moved.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, readjust, understand our knowledge of God, understand God's plan. If you only focus on your daily necessities, where will you find the time to put on armour? If you don't get shot by the devil's arrows and become a hedgehog, right? We Northeasterners call it a hedgehog. If a person looks like a hedgehog, how can he be well? It's either this disease or that disease. And if he is gluttonous and lazy, where is God's image?

We must readjust and understand the Bible. Ten years ago, I led everyone to study Ephesians. This time, I feel I understand it much better. That we are built together to become a temple in which God dwells, fellow heirs, one body, jointly receiving the promise, building up the body of Jesus Christ, which is the church, and becoming a blessing to all nations and peoples on earth. That is truly good! Thank the Lord, may God enable us all to live out God's image. Amen!

May God bless everyone!

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