CHRISTIAN'S PRIVILEGE PT 1

EPHESIANS 1:1-10

Privilege – according to Oxford is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular group. Dictionary.com also says a right, immunity or benefit granted by a particular person or restricted group beyond the advantage of most.

All of Paul’s other letters or Epistles are written to early churches to correct wrong behavior, wrong theology and wrong beliefs.

Ephesians is the only not written for that purpose. Unity and Imitation are the key themes of Ephesians.

Some overarching questions for us this morning – do you see yourself as privileged by being a Christian? Do you have unity with Christ and His Bride and is your identity in Christ?

Let us Pray!

The Christian’s Privilege

Ephesians 1:1–10

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons 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. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to 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 things on earth.

I. THE SALUTATION—vv. 1–2

1. Person—v. 1. Paul the Apostle. Not Bishop or Pope.

Paul refers to himself as an apostle but the believers as saints –

Apostle – Greek apostolos - for “one sent with orders” – divine commission –

According to Joseph Exell – Paul believed that Divine Will is the origin of all our righteousness and blessedness. Our spirituality and spiritual activities reach their fullest potential and intensity when we are so filled God’s Glory and His Divine Righteousness, Divine Love, and Divine Power.

We see this in verse 1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

To all the saints who are in Ephesus – hagios (hag-ee-os) Greek word – believers – sacred, morally blameless, consecrated and set apart – nothing about what they have done or achieved but set apart by God – consecrated by God called to live a holy life

Unified in Christ

Faithful in Christ Jesus – their faith is not just in Him – their life, their being, their identity is in Christ Jesus

2. Peace—v. 2. Paul wishes God’s peace upon the people.

Grace – which produces joy and thankfulness

And

Peace – harmony, accord, spiritual tranquility – fearing nothing from God and content with whatever is not

Like our bodies needing food and water to survive – our soul needs God’s constant grace and peace – you cannot have peace without Grace

II. THE SPIRITUALITY—vv. 3–10

1. Spiritual—v. 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,

God has blessed us with spiritual blessings. Count your blessings—not troubles.

Noticed Paul starts with Blessed be God – God is blessed by our worship, by our praise, by our obedience and Paul uses the same word to say Blessed be God … who has blessed us – it is the exact same Greek word Paul uses eulogetos

With every spiritual blessing indicates a continuous flow of blessings – but not in an area we can see –

Paul says in the heavenly places – where our soul will go to rest – will eventually experience some of these blessings –

while some of these unseen blessings can bless our soul right now –

2. Sacred—v. 4. Chosen to be holy, without blame.

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Doctrine of election – He chose us before the foundation of the world – just as Israel was chosen so we have been chosen

John 15:16 – Jesus said - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Romans 8:29 – For those whom He predestined He also called, and those He calls, He also justified and those whom He justified he also glorified.

2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 1 Peter all include this concept of election, chosen by God Himself

Nowhere in Scripture does the solution to the paradox of free will and predestination is solved nor does it absolve us of our sin – but throughout Scripture He chose us, called us by name before the foundation of the world.

He chose us to be Holy and to be Blameless – Adam and Eve messed that up

That should still be our goal – we should strive for Holiness and to be Blameless

Blameless comes from the Greek word amomos – without blemish or spot, faultless

One of the spiritual blessings is that the blood of Christ washes the blemishes and spots away

3. Salvation—vv. 5–6. It is God’s desire that all men be saved. Saved through His Son.

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons 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.

According to the purpose of His Will –

Adoption – yhiothesia (wee oth ee see ah) combinations of the word yhios – offspring of men and tithemi meaning to put or in place of – to put in place of a son – so adoption gives us the picture of being placed in the first born son’s place in the family – full rights and privileges

Responsibilities of being adopted as well.

4. Son—

vv. 7–10 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to 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 things on earth.

(a) Redemption—v. 7 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Our redemption comes not just from His blood but by us living through and in Him

Israel was a redeemed people

Abraham Isaac and Jacob lived in the land promised to them – during famine they moved to Egypt invited by Joseph and grew to a numerous people then enslaved

They were redeemed out of slavery – saved by the blood of the lamb as the angel of death passed over their households

Now Jesus – the perfect lamb shed His blood to wash our sins away

Enslaved by their sin in Babylon and finally Rome when Jesus comes

The forgiveness of our sins is by His grace – not that we could boast or accomplish on our own

Sin – bondage

Forgiveness – freedom

Forgiveness is more than pardon – pardon is not used in the NT – forgiveness is complete freedom because it takes away the memory of the sin as well – His blood cleanses us as the pure driven snow – separates us as far as the east is from the west – the page listing our sins is a blank page when God forgives

(b) Riches—v. 8 – which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

His grace which he lavished upon us – lavished comes from the Greek word perisseuo – to exceed a measure, above and beyond a certain measure

According to His riches not His pity

His wisdom and understanding are gifts in and of themselves

(c) Reunited—vv. 9–10 – making known to us the mystery of his will, according to 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 things on earth.

Those who are adopted and redeemed He shares His will, His purpose

The Gospel is the mystery of God’s will

John 3:17-20 – For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

All things will unite – all things will be presented as a whole in Him

Here we restoration, unity and Christ’s headship of everything

Restore all of creation, making it complete (unity) to the headship of Christ

As we close let us think about these –

What is your identity in?

How do you fill the title of saint?

How do you see grace and peace codependent on each other?

How satisfied are you with just spiritual blessings from the Father?

How does God choosing you change or impact your relationship to Him?

Why is unity so important to God?

How can you have unity in the body?