Understanding God’s Spiritual Blessings

Ephesians 1:4-14

BACKDROP-

Paul wrote Ephesians (sometime between 60 and 63 AD) while he was imprisoned in Rome—thus making Ephesians part of what is known as the “prison epistles,” those letters Paul wrote to churches and believers while awaiting his releasee and/or death

Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus came some time later after his visit (Acts 19), where he and other disciples came up against false teaching, idolatry, and the perverseness of Ephesus—thus his letter was a letter of encouragement and a letter of reminder, among other things

Ephesians is one part doctrine and another part practical (this is faith and this is how faith is lived out)

Paul wrote to the Ephesian church for two specific reasons

To proclaim the great purpose of God—that of the redemption of man, the salvation of man, through HIs only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who through the local church carries on His purpose (Eph 2:24)

To encourage believers (the church body) to walk in unity and oneness (Eph 4:1-4; 32)

Paul wrote to a body of believers, as mentioned before:

Living in a wicked and perverse culture (goddess statue of Diana, one of the Seven Wonders of the World)

The phrase “in Christ”—

Denotes the intimate and vital union a believer has with Jesus Christ, through faith; in other words it is one’s spiritual union with Christ

A believer who is “in Christ,” is hidden in Christ, their being is “in Christ,” their lives are seen as “in Christ”

Colossians 3:3–4 “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Paul’s use of “in Christ”—being “in Christ” was paramount to Paul, b/c it represents both a person’s position in Christ and progression in Christ (salvation & sanctification)

In all of his letters, Paul uses the phrase in Christ 130 times

In Ephesians alone, Paul refers to being in Christ some 27 times, 14 of those times are found in the first chapter

“In Christ” carries with it tremendous truths and realities; that

We were given grace before the world was even created

2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

We were chosen by God, before creation

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

We are loved by God, with an inseparable love of God

Romans 8:31–35 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Romans 8:36–39 “As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We are redeemed and forgiven of all our sins—past, present, and future

Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

We are justified before God and the righteousness of God, through Christ, has been imputed (given) to us

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We become new creations and children of God

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

What spiritual blessings mean—these blessings are truths about God’s amazing love, grace, and mercy towards those who by faith, entrust their lives to His Son

Spiritual blessings are divinely given blessings—meaning they are God owned and only He can bestow them

Spiritual blessings do not pass away as earthly blessings

Earthly blessings pass away and have no eternal value/weight

Spiritual blessings are from the throne of God, who is in Heaven—they carry eternal value/weight

Spiritual blessings are not just reserved for the believers’ future, but are given for the present as well

Who spiritual blessings are promised for and what they should cause:

Who are they reserved for—those who are born again (John 3)

An act of God and God alone, which produces a

Dynamic transformation

What do (ought) spiritual blessing cause

Praise and worship of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3)

God has caused believers to prosper—to have inner joy & happiness (not as the world defines happiness, but as God defines it). God has bestowed upon us (His children) blessings—divine benefits which should illicit our our praise and worship of Him

“Blessed” as used here in verse 3, is a word exclusively reserved for God and God alone b/c of Who He is and all He has done (is/will do).

Influence of life: The more we understand those spiritual

The more we understand the spiritual blessings God bestows upon believers (recorded in verses 4-14), the more we will grow in the knowledge and understanding of God’s grace—and the grace of God—this “Charis,” should influence our lives to the point, that how we live our lives is a reflection of God’s grace.