Ephesians 1:1-14

Verses 1-2

As is typical in one of Paul’s letters, he begins with a greeting.

He states who he is:

…an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will

Paul’s identity is not in anything but who He is in Christ. He then points out whom He is writing:

To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus

Paul states the identity of the Ephesians as well: saints in Christ. Then finally, Paul gives his greetings in the form of a prayer:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is praying God’s grace and peace onto them as a form of saying “Hello.”

Verses 3-6

Paul, then, begins with some doctrine heavy praise of God. He blesses, or praises, God because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.

The two spiritual blessings that he is referring to are in these next few verses:

He chose us in Christ before the foundations to be holy

Not only did God know us before we were conceived, but He chose us before the foundations of the world. This means that before God created anything, He knew us and chose us. This is a great blessing to be known by God before He even created the world we would live in.

God did not choose us, though, to just claim His name and act however we want. Rather, God called us to be something that this world severely lacks and does not understand: holy and blameless. Our world does not care about these things, but God chose us to be holy and blameless. God chose us for righteousness.

He predestined us to be adopted as sons

This can also say that God determined beforehand that He would adopt us as sons. Once again, before He formed the world, God knew He would bring us into His family.

Note that it says “sons” and not “sons and daughters.” This is intentional. Sons would receive the inheritance of the father and so we, as Christians, will also receive the inheritance of Eternal life.

Why did God do this? Paul answers that too:

…according to the good pleasure of HIs will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He lavished on us in the Beloved One.

God chose and predestined us out of His sheer desire and to His own praise. See, it is God’s great desire to choose us to be righteous in Him. It is God’s great desire and His pleasure to choose us and destined us to be like Him.

In doing this, He also brings Himself praise and glory. For any man, this is egotistical and maniacal, but for God this is fitting and proper. He is actually worthy of our praise and in Him being glorified, we are most satisfied. So it is good for this to happen.

Not only is Paul stating this out of praise to God, but also to show the Ephesian believers the blessings they have in Christ. He is simultaneously praising God, teaching, and encouraging.

Verse 7-14

Verse 7 begins a three-fold “in Him” section. Paul is going to expound further on the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ. First he says this:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.

The first spiritual blessings that we have in Christ is redemption from our sin — forgiveness for our trespasses. This is the greatest spiritual blessing of all! Salvation! Once again, Paul gives us the why:

…according to the riches of His grace that He richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Jesus did this because He is ABUNDANT in His grace for His people and so He pours it out on us, not foolishly, but with wisdom.

Paul continues emphasizing Christ in verses 9-10 by speaking of the fulfillment of all things in Christ.

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9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

This is a great blessing in of itself — Christ made known to us the mystery of His will, the Gospel. He let us, sinners saved by grace, know about the Gospel by which He is reconciling all things. The timing of this was perfect, and the outcome is everything being brought together in Christ.

The second spiritual blessing we have in Christ is an inheritance.

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11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

Our inheritance is Christ and Christ forevermore in eternity. Our inheritance is reigning with Christ in a New Heaven and a New Earth.

This is according to His plan in which He works out all things for His glory! We even, as saints, may glorify Christ in His perfect plan.

The third spiritual blessing we have in Christ is the Holy Spirit.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.

This is a great blessing as well. Because of Christ and His finished work on the cross, we are able to have God’s Spirit dwell within us. Paul tells us that it is upon our salvation that we receive the Holy Spirit. It is only those who know Christ who have His Spirit.

He then finishes this section by informing us more on the Holy Spirit:

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14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit is the “down payment” in that it seals the truth of our salvation. Similar to a down payment on a house securing the buyer the home, the Holy Spirit secures us in Christ. This, then, points to something greater coming, just as a down payment on a house points to the future full ownership of the home, the Holy Spirit points to a future full envelopment in Christ in glory.