The apostle Paul spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 19; 20:17-38), and as a result of his ministry a church was established in that city. Ten years later, from his prison cell in Rome, Paul wrote this Epistle and sent it by Tychicus to the Christians there. Ephesians is a thrilling book because it tells us how we (or anyone) can become a Christian and how God wants us to live the Christian life. Chapters l – 3 tell us of our Wealth in Christ; and chapters 4 – 6 tell us of our Walk in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3: “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”
This is the great truth of Election. How wonderful that God should select us to be His very own! Notice when He chose us and why He chose us (John 15:16 and l Peter 1:15-16). What a marvel of sovereign grace this is! Our salvation was certainly no after-thought in the mind of God; the whole plan was conceived in eternity past. Believer, do you ever wonder whether after all you will be saved? Read and rest upon v. 4, cast away your doubts forever (John 6: 37-39).
This word “predestine” means “to mark out beforehand”. In eternity God not only chose us but He planned what He would do with us. Election looks backward and tells us we were chosen (v. 4); predestination looks forward and tells us why we were chosen (v. 5). God’s purpose in choosing us is that we should be brought into His family and given the full status and privileges of sonship. Think of it – we who were lost and enemies have been chosen to be sons, members of the Royal Family of Heaven! (1 John 3:1-3; compare Romans 8: l8, l9 and 23).
This means that whereas God could never accept us in our sinful, unregenerate condition, yet once we trust Christ as our Savior He does accept us in Him (compare Isaiah 64:6 with Ephesians l:6). This should banish all my doubts. If I look at my sinful self I doubt at once, but if I fix my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews l2:2), in whom I am accepted, my doubts vanish, because God has accepted the perfect life and the finished work of His Son, and it is in Him that I find my acceptance.
To redeem is to buy back, to release by ransom (1 Peter 1:18-19). We were “sold as a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14), and we have been “bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6: 20); and not only this, we have been forgiven (Isaiah 44: 22-23; Psalm l03:12 and Luke 7:47). God has not only made us His own, but He has made us fit to live with Him forever. How has He done this? – “by His blood”; that is, by the sacrifice and atoning work of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 20:28 and compare 2 Corinthians 5:2l with Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18; 2:24 and Revelation 1:5-6).
This word “mystery” refers to truth which was once undisclosed but which God has now revealed. The particular “disclosure” referred to in v. 10 is that everything is moving towards the glorious consummation of all things, when Philippians 2:10-11 will be a reality. Where has God made known unto us the mystery of His will (v. 9)? In His Word, which is “the word of the prophets made more certain” (2 Peter 1:19). There we have God’s glorious plan for the future, until time is no more and the saved are with Him everlastingly.
In Christ we have everything we need for time and for eternity (v. 11; 1 Peter 1:4 and compare Romans 8:17 and 32; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; 2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 5:10). Inheritance speaks of riches, wealth, possessions – and how rich we are in Him! V. 14 tells us that we already have the guarantee of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit within us is the pledge that one day we shall enter into all that which already belongs to us in Christ (Ephesians 4:30 and compare John 14:16-17).
This divine sealing denotes ownership and security; we belong to Him and we shall always belong to Him! – we have been sealed “unto the journey’s end” (Ephesians 4:30).
These spiritual blessings belong to every Christian. They are only ours if we are “in Christ” (v. 3); if, having heard the gospel (v. 13), we have believed (v. 13).
