Ephesians 1

There are three central themes in the letter to the Ephesians:

(1) Paul wanted to communicate that through Jesus Christ, God has reconciled all creation to himself.

(2) Christ has united people from all nations to himself and to one another in his church; We are all equals and through Christ, we are all children of God

(3) Through God’s Grace, Christ died so that we can be forgiven of our sins.

Chapter 1: Spiritual Blessings in Christ

In chapter 1, Paul lays a strong foundation for the spiritual themes that this whole letter is about. One of the primary themes is that we are all equal in Christ Jesus!

Paul discusses several biblical foundations in this first chapter: a believer's identity is in Christ, ……..the concept of predestination and adoption……..Paul explains the importance of redemption and forgiveness through Christ's sacrifice, ……... .and the role of the Holy Spirit in sealing our salvation.

This chapter talks about prior mysteries of God and that we are foreordained of God.

Vss. 3-6: Praise for God's Blessings : All of the blessings mentioned in this passage are for those "in Christ." It's in our relationship with Christ that we experience the fullness of these blessings. a. As we all should, Paul begins with praise….. b. Our spiritual blessings are from God…..not because of us or our actions…………. (we can’t earn our blessings) c. All our spiritual blessings are by Christ, through Christ, from Christ and in Christ………….Aside from Christ, we have no spirituality!!! Other than falsehood

2. Vss. 4-6: Chosen in Christ E. We were fore-ordained to be adopted children of God through Christ Jesus……………..

……….we are each chosen to participate in His Holy Plans. a. Paul discusses the concept of God choosing believers before the foundation of the world………………We were chosen before the foundation…to be Holy and sin free before him……….Only through Christ…………..

b. This choosing is based not on any merit of our own but on God's sovereign will and love………………………..

c. Being chosen is a sign of God's grace……..He chose the sinful and fallen……………

d. His desire for an intimate relationship with us……..

3. Vss. 4-6 Predestined for Adoption

Predestination here is linked only through Christ’s role as the Son of God……Because of The Cross, we are predestined to be adopted into God's family as His children. Our adoption is rooted in Christ's relationship with the Father.

a.Paul explains that God predestined believers to be adopted as His children through Jesus Christ.

B. This adoption is an act of God's Holy will and we now have a new identity as heirs and co-heirs with Christ!!!!!

4. Vss. 7-1o: Redemption and Forgiveness

Redemption and forgiveness are the behind Christ's work on the cross. His sacrifice redeems us from being a slave to sin and offers us forgiveness. Only through forgiveness of sin can we have a relationship with a Holy God.

In verses 7-10, Paul focuses on 3 things; Redemption through The Blood of Jesus, Grace, and a mystery of God.

Paul focuses on redemption through the blood of Christ, Emphasizing that through His sacrifice, we are forgiven and set free from sin's bondage.

It’s only through God’s Grace that we ever received forgiveness………God has given you Grace through Jesus Christ……………If God was not full of Grace, He would never have sent Jesus Christ to die on a tree.

This redemptive plan of God to unite all things in heaven and on earth under Christ's headship is a mystery that had not been previously revealed……..

5. Vss. 11-14: Sealed with the Holy Spirit & The Gospel of Your Salvation!

God does all things according to His will not yours or mine…………..(Jesse Duplantis false report)

It is foreordained for ALL to live eternally, 2 Peter 3:9 explains that it is not God’s desire that any should perish but that all should come to repentance…..God did not create any to specifically be lost, He just knew ahead of time!

Paul teaches in verse 13 that when we hear the Good News, that Christ died to save sinners; we are cleansed and forgiven because of The Grace of God…………….this is The Gospel of YOUR Salvation………it is for each…………It is a personal Gospel, for each and every person on Earth……………….what a world this would be if each person would hear and receive The Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!

Paul teaches that the recipe of SALVATION is easy…(Listened, Believed, Sealed)....... when we hear and receive the Good News, The Word of The Truth …..when we truly confess Christ and BELIEVE in our hearts……..we are saved by Christ…………then we are sealed………………..

The sealing of The Holy Spirit is a sign that Christ owns the Believers…………..The Holy Spirit in our Lives is a DEPOSIT on The Blessings of things to come…….(ETERNAL LIFE).... The Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is a result of Christ's victory over death, hell, and the grave.

This seal is visible to all agents of satan that we are children of The Most-High God and announces, “HANDS OFF!!!!”..............................

a. Paul explains that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit after believing in Christ.

There are only 2 seals that you can bear…………… 1 is of God and the other is of satan.

The First reference of being sealed is in the Book of Ezekiel 9:4,....... “ And Jehovah said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.”................

In Ephesians 1:13, Paul suggests that When you accept Jesus The Christ as your eternal Savior and at the moment of TRUE CONVERSION,( not a time when you mumble a few words), but when you truly believed upon Jesus for the remission of Sins. YOU ARE SEALED OF GOD AND NO SPAWN OF HELL CAN BREAK THAT SEAL…………….

THE BOOK OF REVELATION TEACHES THAT NO ONE IN HEAVEN OR ON EARTH CAN BREAK THE SEALS OF GOD, SAVE CHRIST ALONE!!!! HE WILL NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BREAK THE SEAL OF THOSE THAT FAITHFULLY SERVE AND BELIEVE upon HIM!!!!

God reveals through Paul that you are Sealed with The Holy Spirit……….. Just as in Ezekiel, when you are sealed and marked by The Holy Spirit, you will escape destruction!

6. Vss. 15-23: God's Inheritance and Glory

Paul prays for the Ephesians' spiritual eyes to be opened and for them to understand the hope of their calling and the glorious inheritance they have in Christ Jesus.

Paul prays that God grant each Believer insight as to their specific calling and understanding of the fullness and richness that is in Christ Jesus!

The focus on the rest is on Christ's exalted position. Jesus The Christ is highest of all authority in heaven and the Earth.

He is far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

THe strength of God’s might is displayed in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ………... .Christ is the head of the Church, and believers are part of His body.