Podcast Summary: Cornerstone Chapel – "The Answer to Identity Confusion"

Date: October 5, 2025
Host: Cornerstone Chapel
Passage: Ephesians 1:1-14

Episode Overview

In this episode, the speaker launches a new verse-by-verse study through the book of Ephesians, focusing on the topic of identity—specifically, how the Apostle Paul addresses the confusion of identity in the city of Ephesus and how these truths apply to our context today. The central thesis: In a chaotic, over-sexualized, and spiritually confused culture, Christians must understand, embrace, and live out their true identity in Christ.

Historical & Cultural Context of Ephesus

[00:00-10:55]

• Paul's Writing Context:

  • Paul wrote Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome (c. AD 60-62) to Christians in Ephesus, a church he had founded about five years earlier, as described in Acts 19 & 20.
  • Paul spent three years in Ephesus—longer than in any other city—due to the deeply entrenched spiritual confusion and opposition there.

• City of Ephesus:

  • Major port city along the Aegean Sea (modern-day Turkey), population ~250,000.
  • Cultural and religious center for the worship of Artemis (Diana), a principal deity whose influence permeated every aspect of society.

• Christian Symbolism:

  • Early Christians in Ephesus used the Greek word "ichthys" (fish) as a symbol and acronym for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior" (Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter) to identify fellow believers and avoid persecution.

"The discovery of this stone [with the ichthys symbol] indicates a very strong Christian presence in Ephesus, first century. And that is all due to what God did through the Apostle Paul."
— Host, [00:06:20]

The Cult of Artemis: Identity and Cultural Confusion

[10:55-27:30]

• Traditional & Ephesian Artemis:

  • In Greek mythology: Artemis (Diana to the Romans), goddess of the hunt, moon, and animals.
  • In Ephesus: She became the "great mother," central to a fertility cult, far removed from her original Greek persona.
  • Artifacts and statues show Artemis adorned with multiple breasts—a symbol of fertility.

• Historical Roots of Identity Confusion:

  • Draws a line from the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (worship involved men exchanging genders and self-castration), through Cybele in Greek times, to Artemis/Diana in Roman Ephesus.
  • Priests, known as "Galli," would castrate themselves and live/transact as women in service to this cult.

"In the worship of Ishtar, she would, quote, 'change men into women.' She was worshiped by a group of Sumerian priests who would castrate themselves and then they would adorn themselves in women's attire...and they would become effeminate in worshiping Ishtar."
— Host, [00:16:40]

• Societal Impact:
  • The Artemis cult influenced all aspects of Ephesian civic and social identity.
  • Over-sexualized rituals and sexual/gender confusion at the core of society—parallels drawn to contemporary issues of identity and sexuality.

"Friends, listen, things have not changed. It's just a different name now...We're living in the same confused culture...full of chaos and over-sexualized culture where people are confused about their own identity."
— Host, [00:22:00]

Riot and Revival: Paul Enters Ephesus

[27:30-40:55]

• Acts 19 Recap:
  • Paul’s preaching led to economic and civic turmoil. Silversmiths, whose livelihood depended on idol-making, incited a riot, filling the 25,000-seat theater with mobs shouting “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” ([Acts 19:28, 00:33:00])
  • Paul sees both riot and revival—some reject the gospel violently, others embrace it and transform the city with the good news.

"When you bring Jesus into a community like that, you're going to have one of two things. You're going to have either riot or revival. And Paul got both. And we're seeing both in our own day too."
— Host, [00:29:40]

"And most of them did not know why they had come together. Doesn't that sound like Congress? Yeah, get it together."
— Host (humorous aside), [00:35:20]

The Relevance for Today

[40:55-43:30]

• Timelessness of Spiritual Realities:
  • The same spiritual struggles with identity, confusion, and cultural pressures exist today as in the first century.
  • Underlying demonic influences and the ever-present Holy Spirit both vie for influence in society.

"This is not just an ancient story. This is so relevant for us today. We live in a time that is not too unlike Ephesus. The names have been changed, but the same spirit is here."
— Host, [00:41:20]

• Call to Believers:
  • Christians must know their identity in Christ—to stand with confidence and be effective witnesses to a confused and hurting world.

Key Points: Our Identity in Christ (Ephesians 1:3–14)

[43:30-59:40]

After expositing the background and the spiritual battle raging in Ephesus, the speaker underscores the Apostle Paul’s message: Know who you are in Christ so you can stand against (and reach) a confused culture.

The Seven Marks of Identity

"He says to all of us who are believers: you are chosen, you are loved and you are predestined, you are adopted, you are forgiven, you are saved, and you are sealed."
— Host, [00:44:00]

1. Chosen

• “Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” (v.4)
• God is the initiator; we are responders.
• “God stooped down and revealed Himself to us that we might respond to His love.”
• Quote:
  "It's a good thing God chose me before I was born, because he surely wouldn't have afterward." — Charles Spurgeon, quoted at [00:47:00]

2. Loved

• “...in love.” (v.4)
• God’s love is everlasting and foundational to our identity.
• Reference: Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 3:1, Ephesians 3:17-19.

3. Predestined

• “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself…” (v.5)
• God’s foreknowledge and sovereignty operate harmoniously with human free will.
• Quote:
  "Are we predestined? Well, the answer is yes. The word is used right here... The main point behind the word predestined is the idea that God has a plan for your life and that he saw you and knew you before time."
  — Host, [00:49:00]

4. Adopted

• We are not all "children of God" by default—we are adopted into his family through faith in Christ.
• With adoption come privileges and a new family identity (Galatians 4:4-5).

5. Forgiven

• “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (v.7)
• Forgiveness is available to those who confess and acknowledge their sinful condition (1 John 1:8-9).

6. Saved

• “the gospel of your salvation…” (v.13)
• Central Christian truth: We need rescue from our lostness, and Jesus alone saves (Luke 19:10).

7. Sealed with the Holy Spirit

• “You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” (v.13-14)
• The image is of a seal on cargo: God’s Holy Spirit marks us as His possession, guaranteeing our future.

"I've put my insignia on you. I have given you of my Holy Spirit to mark you and identify you as belonging unto me."
— Host, [00:58:40]

Conclusion & Application

[59:40–End]

• Know Your Identity:
  • Christians must be rooted in these biblical truths—not just as doctrine, but as lived reality.

"Know your identity, Church, know your identity. And then for the glory of God, when we know who we are in Christ, we can go out into this world that needs Christ and be his ambassadors. Get ready. There will be both revival and riot. But to his praise, he will use us for his glory to advance the good news of Jesus Christ."
— Host, [00:59:55]

• Mission:
  • Just as Paul served God faithfully in a hostile culture, so modern believers are called to impact the world—expecting both resistance and spiritual renewal.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "There is nothing new under the sun. It's just a different name now. We're living in the same confused culture." [00:22:00]
• "When you bring Jesus into a community like that, you're going to have either riot or revival. And Paul got both. And we're seeing both in our own day too." [00:29:40]
• "God does not violate the free will that he has given us, but he knows in advance those who will choose him and those who will reject him." [00:50:00]
• "The world might try to redefine us, but we know who we are, Lord." [01:01:20]

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00-10:55 | Introduction and Historical Background of Ephesus | | 10:55-27:30 | The Cult of Artemis: Ancient Identity Confusion | | 27:30-40:55 | Acts 19: Riot and Revival in Ephesus | | 40:55-43:30 | Modern Parallels and Relevance | | 43:30-59:40 | Seven Marks of Identity in Christ (Eph. 1:3–14) | | 59:40-End | Application, Prayer, and Call to Mission |

Final Thought

In a world of identity confusion and cultural chaos—mirroring ancient Ephesus—believers must be anchored in their God-given identity: chosen, loved, predestined, adopted, forgiven, saved, and sealed. This is both their confidence and their calling as lights for Christ in a confused age.