Ephesians 1:11-14

Strengthening My Foundation (Lesson 3)

Spiritual Blessings Recap:

Chosen

Adopted

Redeemed

Forgiven

Grace

Mystery of his will

Before we dive in:

#1 Spiritual blinders - (Look at the condition of our world).

Exodus 6:7 ESV

I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

E

Exodus 19:5 ESV

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Revelation 21:3 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation

Strengthening My Foundation: This is God’s ultimate plan for our life.

Ephesians 1:11 ESV

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Ephesians 1:11–12 ESV

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

In him (In Christ)

(We) Paul is going to deal with two different groups of people.

Gentiles believers and Jewish believers

Remember Paul was a Jew but he believed his ministry was to be sent to the gentiles.

Romans 15:14–16 ESV

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Romans

Gentiles believers and Jewish believers

First to Jewish believers

We

“So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

Acts chapter 2 - Day of pentecost was to the Jews first.

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

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

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

“In Him”

“You” he’s talking to gentile believers.

“When you heard the work of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in him.”

The work of truth is the gospel of your salvation. - Death / Burial / Resurrection

Belief is your #1 foundation

Strengthening My Foundation: I am His inheritance and His Possession

“ In Him” both Jews and Gentiles (11) “have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”

(14)

Paul uses two greek expressions

Inheritance: the greek word for inheritance means to give or receive an inheritance. With an old testament background in mind: “in whom also we were made a heritage.”

in whom also we were made a heritage

Possession (14): With an old testament perspective in mind. His possession.

The Message of Ephesians a. God’s People Are God’s Possession

God’s people are God’s ‘saints’ (verse 1), God’s heritage (verse 12), God’s possession (verse 14).

Strengthening My Foundation: Its all about God

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:14 ESV

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

God’s people are God’s ‘saints’ (verse 1), God’s heritage (verse 12), God’s possession (verse 14).

How did we become God’s people or possession?

The Message of Ephesians b. God’s People Depend on God’s Will

How did we become God’s people or possession? There can be no doubt about Paul’s reply. It was by the will of God. He destined us to be his sons according to the purpose of his will (verse 5); he has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose (verse 9); and we have become God’s heritage according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will (verses 11–12).

It was by the will of God.

He destined us to be his sons according to the purpose of his will (verse 5);

he has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose (verse 9);

and we have become God’s heritage according to the counsel of his will (verses 11–12).

Thats why it was God’s will and he gives the ability to believe in Him.

The Message of Ephesians b. God’s People Depend on God’s Will

And the assurance that God is thus active in the lives of his people is given through the Holy Spirit, who in verses 13 and 14 is given three designations—a ‘promise’, a ‘seal’ and a ‘guarantee’. First he is (literally) ‘the Spirit of the promise’ because God promised through the Old Testament prophets and through Jesus to send him (which he did on the Day of Pentecost) and God promises to give him today to everyone who repents and believes (which he does).

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is not only God’s ‘promise’, but also God’s ‘seal’. A seal is a mark of ownership and of authenticity. Cattle, and even slaves, were branded with a seal by their masters, in order to indicate to whom they belonged. But such seals were external, while God’s is in the heart. He puts his Spirit within his people in order to mark them as his own.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is God’s ‘guarantee’ or pledge, by which he undertakes to bring his people safely to their final inheritance. ‘Guarantee’ here is arrabōn, originally a Hebrew word which seems to have come into Greek usage through Phoenician traders. It is used in modern Greek for an engagement ring. But in ancient commercial transactions it signified a ‘first instalment, deposit, down payment, pledge, that pays a part of the purchase price in advance, and so secures a legal claim to the article in question, or makes a contract valid’ (AG). In this case the guarantee is not something separate from what it guarantees, but actually the first portion of it. An engagement ring promises marriage but is not itself a part of the marriage. A deposit on a house or in a hire-purchase agreement, however, is more than a guarantee of payment; it is itself the first instalment of the purchase price. So it is with the Holy Spirit. In giving him to us, God is not just promising us our final inheritance but actually giving us a foretaste of it, which, however, ‘is only a small fraction of the future endowment’.

And the assurance that God is thus active in the lives of his people is given through the Holy Spirit. who in verses 13 and 14 is given as a ‘promise’, a ‘seal’ and a ‘guarantee’.

First he is (literally) ‘the Spirit of the promise’ because God promised through the Old Testament prophets and through Jesus to send him (which he did on the Day of Pentecost) and God promises to give him today to everyone who repents and believes (which he does).

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is not only God’s ‘promise’, but also God’s ‘seal’. A seal is a mark of ownership and of authenticity. Cattle, and even slaves, were branded with a seal by their masters, in order to indicate to whom they belonged. But such seals were external, while God’s is in the heart. He puts his Spirit within his people in order to mark them as his own.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is God’s ‘seal’. A seal is a mark of ownership. Cattle, and even slaves, were branded with a seal by their masters, in order to indicate to whom they belonged. But such seals were external, while God’s is in the heart. He puts his Spirit within his people in order to mark them as his own.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is God’s ‘guarantee’ or pledge, by which he undertakes to bring his people safely to their final inheritance. ‘Guarantee’ here is arrabōn, originally a Hebrew word which seems to have come into Greek usage through Phoenician traders. It is used in modern Greek for an engagement ring. But in ancient commercial transactions it signified a ‘first instalment, deposit, down payment, pledge, that pays a part of the purchase price in advance, and so secures a legal claim to the article in question, or makes a contract valid’ (AG). In this case the guarantee is not something separate from what it guarantees, but actually the first portion of it. An engagement ring promises marriage but is not itself a part of the marriage. A deposit on a house or in a hire-purchase agreement, however, is more than a guarantee of payment; it is itself the first instalment of the purchase price. So it is with the Holy Spirit. In giving him to us, God is not just promising us our final inheritance but actually giving us a foretaste of it, which, however, ‘is only a small fraction of the future endowment’.

The Holy Spirit is God’s ‘guarantee’ or pledge, by which he undertakes to bring his people safely to their final inheritance. A deposit on a house or in a hire-purchase agreement, however, is more than a guarantee of payment; it is itself the first installment of the purchase price. So it is with the Holy Spirit.

In giving him to us, God is not just promising us our final inheritance but actually giving us a foretaste of it, which, however, ‘is only a small fraction of the future endowment.