Thrust Statement: Salvation elicits praise from the saved.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3

            Even though this message about spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14) is one continuous sentence^[1], nevertheless, the following comments will be developed by analyzing this unit under several headings in order to help one mold his or her understanding of the greatness of God’s salvation made available to everyone in and through Jesus Christ. As one seeks to unroll the Book of Ephesians, one quickly observes that all spiritual blessings have been won for the children of wrath, or sons of disobedience, on the Cross. These spiritual blessings are available only for those who respond to “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (1:13). The Book of Ephesians unfolds God’s plan of salvation that was hidden from eternity past. In other words, even before the creation of the universe, God had already decreed a means of rescue, but this “mystery” was not known in its fullness until Christ came, not even the angels understood (1 Peter 1:10-12).

Mystery of His Will (1:9)

In this section (1:3-14), one reads of election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness of sins, wisdom, understanding, unity in a broken world, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit. One should shout for joy as he or she reflects upon the blessings that are listed in this short Epistle. The ones listed by Paul should encourage one to praise God for such marvelous blessings. Basically, all of these ideas come under one umbrella—“mystery of His will.” This pericope (unite or section—1:3-14) of Scripture represents the Gospel of God in a nutshell, so to speak. In the remainder of this book, Paul seeks to unravel in detail what he set forth in an epitomized form in one sentence concerning the essence of the Good News of God. Paul expresses himself this way: “Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ^3 that is, the mystery (musthvrion musthvrion, “secret”) made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly” (3:2-3).^[2]  The following charts illustrate how Paul seeks to unfold the “the mystery of his will” (1:9):

CHART ONE
Ephesians 1:13	Ephesians 1: 18
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.	I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

 

CHART TWO
Ephesians 3:2	Ephesians 3:4
Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you,	In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ

 

CHART THREE
Ephesians 3:8	Ephesians 3:9
Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.	And to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

            The “mystery of his will” in 1:9 is equivalent to the “word of truth” in 1:13a. The “word of truth” is synonymous with the “gospel of your salvation in 1:13b. The “gospel of your salvation” equals the “riches of his glorious inheritance” in 1:18. The “riches of his glorious inheritance” is identical with the “administration of God’s grace” in 3:2. The “administration of God’s grace” is indistinguishable from the “mystery of Christ” in 3:4. Again, the “mystery of Christ” is the same as the “administration of this mystery” in 3:9. Paul varied his expressions concerning this “mystery” in order to assist individuals in grasping this “mystery of his will.”  Just a casual glance of this paragraph reveals that numerous synonyms were employed in order to capture more fully the words of Paul—for example, observe the following synonymous expressions that add weight, or clarity, to my analysis of Paul’s employment of the term mystery: equivalent, synonymous, equals, identical, indistinguishable, and same. 

Explosion of Worship (1:13-14)

As one reads 1:3-14, one observes an outburst of adoration. This whole paragraph is frequently referred to as a eulogy. In fact, Paul begins this section with the English word blessed. This English translation blessed comes from the Greek word eujloghtov" (euloghtos, “worthy of praise”) and is only employed of God in the New Testament. ^[3]Paul, as he reflects upon God’s spiritual blessings in Christ can only eulogize God for His blessings: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).^[4]

            There appears, according to John R. W. Stott and Charles Hodge, to be a reference to the Trinity in this verse. The Holy Spirit is derived from the word spiritual. The origin of every spiritual blessing is from God the Father, the sphere of every spiritual blessing is in the Son, and the nature of every “spiritual blessing” is the Holy Spirit—a phrase that may mean, “the sphere of the blessings which are related to the Spirit.”^[5]  Having said this, one cannot be too dogmatic in this interpretation that relates the blessings to the Holy Spirit. It may simply mean that the blessings are spiritual in nature, not carnal. Charles Hodge (1797-1878) writes in defense of the Holy Spirit interpretation. Hodge, American Presbyterian theologian, commented this way concerning the meaning of this phrase as having reference to the Holy Spirit: “These blessings are spiritual not merely because they pertain to the soul, but because derived from the Holy Spirit, whose presence and influence are the great blessing purchased by Christ.”^[6] 

Spiritual Versus Carnal Blessings (1:3)

One cannot disagree that spiritual gifts are from the Holy Spirit. Yet, in light of the context, it does not appear that the adjective “spiritual” (pneumatikh'/ pneumatikh refers to the Holy Spirit. It seems that Paul is simply saying that these blessings are spiritual in nature, not carnal in nature. The context must decide the nature and content of

these blessings. These blessings are enumerated in Paul’s eulogy (praise) of astonishment—electing, redeeming, and sealing. One reads of the Father’s electing before the creation of the world (1:4-6), the Son’s redemption through His blood (1:7-12), and the Holy Spirit’s sealing as a guarantee of one’s inheritance (1:13-14). Even if 1:3 does not refer to the Holy Spirit, one still finds ample evidence concerning the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the salvation of every individual. For example, Paul writes about the activities of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit in redemption. The following charts should also cause praise to the love of all:

CHART FOUR
Ephesians 2:18	Ephesians 3:14-17
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.	For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.

 

CHART FIVE
Ephesians 4:4-6	Ephesians 5:18-20
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;  5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.	And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

God the Father gives every spiritual blessing “in” and “through” Jesus Christ. God the Father lavishes His bounties upon all who put their trust in His Son Jesus. Jesus is the means of receiving and enjoying these spiritual blessings. Paul’s explanation of election, redemption, and sealing breaks forth in praise (e[paino" epainos) at the end of each section:

To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (1:6).

In order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (1:12).

Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory (1:14).

            However one interprets verse 3—with or without a consciousness of the trinity—one is still conscious that the Trinity works together in the salvation of the “sons of disobedience” [uiJoi'" th'" ajpeiqeiva" Juiois ths apeiqeias] (2:2), or the “children of wrath by nature” (tevkna fuvsei ojrgh'" tekna fusei orghs). God’s initiative jumps out as one peruses this one continuous sentence in the Greek text (1:3-14). For example, in verse 3, he says, “Who has blessed us.”  Again, in verse 4, Paul writes, “He chose us in Him. Once more, in verse 6, he pens, “He has freely given us.” Yet again, Paul just cannot stop praising God as the source of salvation: “He lavished on us” (verse 8). This word lavished paints a mental picture of God’s richness in blessing humanity in and through His Son Jesus. Another time, he writes, “He made known to us the mystery of His will” (verse 9). Paul employs several verbs in this section in order to describe God’s activity in salvation.

In Christ (1:3)

Not only does one witness the source of salvation, but also one is immediately conscious of the sphere of this salvation—“in Christ.” One cannot read verses 3-14 without a consciousness of Christ’s role in one’s redemption. The blessings from God are bestowed upon those who are “in Christ.” The name of Jesus and His title appear frequently in this Greek sentence (1:3-14). The phrase “in Christ” (ejn Cristw'/ en Cristw) occurs four times (1:3, 9, 12, 13). Paul also utilizes the phrase “in Him” or “in whom” (ejn aujtw'/ en autw or ejn w|/ en Jw) to inform his readers as to the place of all spiritual blessings. The NIV translates both Greek phrases as “in Him”) four times (1:4, 7, 11, 13). “Through Jesus Christ” (diav Ijhsou' Cristou' dia Ihsou Cristou) appears only once in this sentence. Just a casual reading of this Greek sentence reveals that Jesus is the sphere in which salvation occurs.  For a more detailed study of these phrases, see Chapter One (Two Spheres: Human and Divine).

Election in Christ (1:3)

In verses 4-14, Paul’s language overflows with spiritual blessings that God has extended to everyone who hears the Gospel and believes (1:13). First, Paul writes: “According as he hath chosen us (ejxelevxato hJma'" exelexato Jamas) in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (1:4). God choose us “in him” before the creation of the world. God is the One who determined how He could save us. This redeeming work would be accomplished through Christ. This election is from eternity. It is God’s unmerited favor. According to Paul, Christ is the eternal foundation of this election—“in Christ.” If one wishes to become a part of the elect of God, one must exercise his or her faith in Christ after hearing the Word of truth, that is to say, God’s Way of salvation by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ (1:13; 2:8). Yes, God has made election and adoption possible through belief in His Son. Paul expresses election this way:

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  ¹⁴  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory (1:13-14, KJV).

            The election centers on Christ. If one wishes to become a part of the elect of God, one must accept Christ. As stated above, it is “in Christ,” that is to say,  “in Him” that one becomes a part of God’s elect. God has blessed us in time and chose us in eternity past “in Christ.”  Again, Paul expresses how the first Jewish converts became a part of God’s elect: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  ¹²  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (1:11-12). Also, the Gentiles, too, became a part of God’s elect “after” they believed the Gospel of salvation (1:13-14). Election results in holiness (1:4). One must ever be mindful that the Christian life is lived in God’s sight, in God’s presence, and is open to His scrutiny. Are you concerned for godliness? Are you growing in purity? Listen to the words of Paul once more as he explains the implications of God’s election: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (1:4).

Adoption in Christ (1:5)

            The second spiritual blessing that Paul praises God for is adoption (1:5). In this verse, Paul also speaks of predestination. Listen to Paul as he breaks forth in high spirits about adoption:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  ⁶  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (1:5-6).

 The distinguishing blessings of the New Covenant are spiritual, not carnal. In the scheme of redemption, God has chosen to accomplish His objectives through a new community (2:11-22; see also Matthew 16:18). It is in this new community (church) that God brings about His purpose of redemption. When one is “in Christ,” one becomes a part of the New Community with its New Covenant. Again, Paul drives home this point in Chapter Three: “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ephesians 3:11-12, KJV). Whenever one speaks of election or adoption, one speaks of God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s will whereby He has made us accepted in Jesus. God’s election and adoption should lead to righteous behavior toward God and toward humanity. The purpose of election is for adoption into Christ, the family of God.

Have you experienced the “spirit of adoption”? Do you sense that God is your Father? Do you address God as your Father? Do you pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9)? God’s predestination and election and adoption lay the foundation for adoring gratitude for all His spiritual blessings made available in and through Christ. His election and adoption and pardon demands ethical behavior on the part of every believer. Holiness is the end for which God’s elect are chosen and delivered. God’s choice of a new community is only in Christ. A consciousness of God’s election leads one from antinomianism (lawlessness) to righteousness. All men and women have sinned, but God, in His infinite mercy, devised a way to redeem humanity—faith in and through Jesus.

Predestination in Christ (1:5)

It is through Jesus that God has conferred His mercies upon sinful humanity. No one can be chosen to eternal life outside of Jesus. The election and adoption have reference to Him. God has predestined His people to maturity. God has not predestined certain people to go to Hell and others to go to Heaven. Predestination is reserved, not for the lost, for those who are in God’s family. If you wish to become a part of the predestined, you have to become a part of Christ’s body. As one reflects upon adoption, one is confronted with something that staggers the imagination. Christians praise God because of His desire to bring individuals into a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus by adoption.

The words adopted as sons are from the Greek word uiJoqesiva Juioqesia, which term was used in the Greco-Roman World to refer to those who were not sons by birth. Paul utilizes this word in order to describe the new relationship believers have with God. Paul describes God’s choice of election and predestination as the means of bringing individuals into His family and creating intimate fellowship with them. Since God adopts those who put their trust in Jesus, He makes them children and heirs. Even though this relationship has not yet reached its fullness (see Romans 8:23), God has given His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the future inheritance.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ^14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).

            As stated above, the sons of disobedience and children of wrath (2:2-3) are able to know God and have a relationship with Him through the agency of Jesus Christ (diav Ijhsou' Cristou' dia Ihsou Cristou). Paul states this truth to the churches in the province of Galatia: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Once more, in this same epistle, Paul calls attention to sonship: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ^5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (4:4-5). As a child of God, are you taking advantage of spiritual blessings in Christ? Have you ever stopped to think of what you have in Christ? One can hardly wonder about what he or she has in Christ without reflecting upon gifts that stagger the imagination.

Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, writes: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). In other words, Jesus became wisdom to us from God. How? God made Him to be our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. God’s wisdom devised a means whereby He could adopt children of wrath as His children. Do we praise God for making Jesus “our righteousness, holiness and redemption”? Has this consciousness of God’s grace made a difference in our response to God’s mercy and kindness? Are we willing to take action in a positive way to God’s spiritual blessings made available in Christ Jesus?

I wish to share two narratives to illustrate two responses to an inheritance (financial fortunes)—one negative and the other positive. In your reading these stories, I am wondering how you will reply to God’s spiritual blessings? In your reading these two moving stories by Vernon McGee (1904-1988), I encourage you to apply the positive, not the negative, to your spiritual walk with God. McGhee tells two stories that are true in order to illustrate how some do not react properly to God’s spiritual blessings in Christ. He writes:

When I was in Chicago many years ago, I picked up the evening paper during the week and read a little article and clipped it out. It was way down at the bottom of the front page and wasn’t apt to be noticed. It read “The flophouses and saloons of Chicago’s Skid Row were searched today for one Stanley William McKenna Walker, 50, an Oxford graduate and heir to half of an $8,000,000 English estate. The missing persons detail hoped that somewhere among the down-and-outers who line the curbs and sleep off wine binges in the cheap hotels they would find Walker, son of a wealthy British shipbuilder.” I thought how tragic it was. Imagine being an heir to half of $8,000,000 and being a wino who’s sleeping in two-bit hotels. I felt like sitting down and weeping for that poor fellow. Then I began thinking of the children of God today who are living in cheap hotels, living off the little “wine” of this world. I don’t mean that literally, but that they engage in cheap entertainment down here. They are wealthy beyond the dreams of Croesus and are blessed with all spiritual blessings, but they live like paupers down here. There are a lot of folk in our churches who live like that today, and it’s tragic. I was telling this story when I was a pastor in Los Angeles, and a lady who was visiting from Chicago came up afterward and asked, “Dr. McGee, do you know the end of that story?” I said, “No, I never heard.” She said, “Well, they found him.” “Oh,” I replied, “that was wonderful.” “No,” she said, “they found him dead in a doorway on a cold night later on that fall.” How tragic to die like that man died. Many Christians live and die like that, and yet they are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.^[7]

The second narrative by McGhee tells the story of another man who inherited a fortune, but his reaction was totally different from the son of a British shipbuilder. He says,

The second true story happened out West here, years ago. An heir to a British nobleman was living in poverty and barely eking out an existence. After the nobleman died, they began to look for his heir and when they found him, they told him about his inheritance. A great deal of publicity was made of it. Do you know what that fellow did? He immediately went down to the clothing store and ordered their best suit and then bought a first class ticket to return to England in style. Do you know why? He believed the inheritance was his, and he acted upon it. My friend, you can go either route. You can travel your Christian life in first class or in steerage. You can go second, third, or fourth class, and there are a lot of Christians doing that today. God wants you to know that you’ve been blessed with all spiritual blessings. He hasn’t promised us physical blessings, but He has promised spiritual ones, and these are in the heavenlies in Christ. My friend, you’re not going to have any spiritual blessing in this life that doesn’t come to you through Jesus Christ. That’s just how important He is. He not only has saved us, but He is also the One who blesses us. How we need to lay hold of Him today and to start living as a child of God should live!^[8]

CONCLUSION

As stated earlier, there are no spiritual blessings outside of Christ. Are you like the first heir or the second heir? In McGhee’s stories, how have you responded to God’s grace?  Have you responded in a positive way to the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (1:3)? Are you aware that He chose men and women to be holy and blameless in Christ (1:4)? Are you cognizant that He predestined all who hear and believe in His Son to sonship (1:5)? Are you conscious that He made every believer acceptable in the One He loved (1:6)? Are you sensitive to the truth that “in Christ” “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins”? As you contemplate the spiritual blessings listed by Paul in 1:3-14, do you cry out: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (1:3)?