Ephesians 1:1-14

Just as Jordan said, this passage is loaded with great truths! There is so much to be mentioned and yet there is so much that we are missing. So I might as well begin with verse 1.

Paul recognizes multiple times in this section who plays the role of initiator. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God." Not by Paul's own will, because we remember what Paul did before the Lord captured his heart. He persecuted the church violently. If it was not for the encounter on the road to Damascus, the remaining leaders of the early church would have likely been destroyed, leaving the church to likely wither away. But the will of the Lord is unavoidable. So Paul, who thought he was doing right by persecuting the church, was on his way to destruction. Proverbs 14:12 must have been so real to him. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." We see God's unparalleled love in arresting hearts for his service and glory. One notices why Paul proclaims "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." The next few verses give a more reason as to why Paul proclaims such blessings. "Even as he chose us in him from the foundation of the world, (Why did he choose us? The answer follows) that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." I very much desire to continue, but must stop here to look and see what can be gleaned from these verses before moving on.

What amazing love the Father has for us! One cannot read the book of Ephesians without being thoroughly convinced of the Father's love toward wretched sinners, because it is so clearly evident (throughout all Scripture, but particularly) throughout Ephesians.

"Holy and blameless before him." Another passage that references being holy and blameless is Colossians 1:21-22 (And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him). I am also reminded of Leviticus 19:2 (You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy). 1 Peter 1:15-16 references this passage from Leviticus (But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy"). As far as blamelessness goes, I am reminded of Job 1:8 (And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"). These two qualities seem to be quite important to God.

Now I can am compelled to press onward in today's text. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, (how is this done?) according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished (great word; definition to come) upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to the his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and on earth." Frankly, after reading this, there isn't much else that one can do but to worship in amazement. The word lavish, when used as a verb, means the following: to expend or give in great amounts or without limit: to lavish gifts on a person.

"Sealed with the Promised Holy Spirit." Believers, when they have "heard the word of truth, the gospel of [their] salvation, and believed in him, [are] sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until [they] acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." What an amazing promise for God's chosen ones! We have the Holy Spirit, who is our proof that we have an inheritance. The note on the word "guarantee" by R.C. Sproul in my reformation study Bible says the following: "The Spirit is not only a fulfillment of God's promise to indwell His people, but also is a guarantee that He will bring them to their final inheritance. As a down payment or first installment on their full redemption, the Spirit is a foretaste of the glory of the age to come (Romans 8:18-23)." Romans 8:18-23 say the following: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

Clearly there is much contained in these fourteen verses. The big question that I'm asking myself is this: Do I practically recognize that I had nothing to do with my being saved? The second question would be the following: Do I practically recognize that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of my inheritance? Why or why not? And if not, how can I change my thinking appropriately?

I hope and pray that this encourages you, and I am very much looking forward to how God will reveal Himself through the rest of our study.