Chapter 2.1

Ephesians 1:4‑14  •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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DIVINE COUNSELS IN A PAST ETERNITY—OUR CHOICE, SONSHIP AND ACCEPTANCE IN CHRIST
Imagine man blessing God! Paul does, in verse 3, but at once turns to our God and Father as the source of our blessings. Yes, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ." This verse begins our spiritual blessings in a heavenly setting, and the means of sharing them. As already stated these blessings are individual. They range from verses 3-14 where they terminate, only to flow into an Apostolic prayer that we may understand them. We are about to consider seven of the Christian's blessings as given to us in Eph. 1.
The first three blessings. The source blessings which flow from the counsels of God We call the first three blessings "source blessings" because they flow from God's thoughts toward us the thoughts of God in the counsels of a past eternity. We get the principle in Jer. 29:1111For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11) "for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." This explains why each specific blessing can be traced to an appropriate part of the composite title "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" in verse 3. To illustrate the first blessing is that THE GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ chose us in verse 4 to be holy etc., for holiness is an attribute of God; the second blessing is that THE FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ predestinated us to sonship in verse 5 (sonship expresses relationship in affection the Father and His adopted sons); the third blessing is that it is OUR LORD JESUS Christ the beloved One of verse 6 in whom we have been taken into favor by our God and Father. We will now examine these blessings in detail.
 
The Seven Blessings of the Individual Christian
 
The three source blessings
 
those which flow
 
from the thoughts of God toward us
 
 
 
“according as He has chosen us in Him before the world's foundation that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love" 1:4
 
“having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself" 1:5
 
“to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He has taken us into favor in the Beloved" 1:6
 
 
 
Four announcements that we are to rule the universe with Christ enjoying a complete salvation of both body and soul
 
 
 
“For the administration of the fullness of times to head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth in Him" 1:10
 
“In whom we have also obtained an inheritance" 1:11
 
“In whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise" 1:14
 
“Who is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of His glory" 1:14
 
The first of all our spiritual blessings is that God chose us in Christ in a past eternity before even the world was founded. Therefore we are not of the world, just as the Lord taught John 17:1414I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:14) but a heavenly people who are to pass through the world unspotted James 1:2727Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27). We are a race of heavenly men because our origin was heavenly so too is our destiny. Now mark why God chose us. He was sufficient to Himself except for one thing an object for His affections. This is because His nature is love and love must have an object must have company. But because His nature is also light those who are in His presence must be holy (this speaks of character) "and without blame" (conduct) and 'in love" (His nature). The question of our sins is ignored here because we are viewed as "in Christ." It is implied that we will have Christ's nature, otherwise how could we be in fact the way God sees us holy, without blame, and "in love." We are in Christ, we possess His nature and we will enjoy God eternally as He will enjoy us.
The second blessing is sonship "the adoption of sons*1 by Jesus Christ to Himself." This applies to both Jew and Gentile. The Greeks, who represent the Gentiles in Scripture language, used the same word 'Abba' for father as the Hebrews. Hence Paul tells us that we have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry 'Abba Father' see Rom. 8:1515For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15). However in this past eternity there was neither Jew nor Gentile since the Adam race had not been created or the world founded on which they should appear. God had other sons then the angels and they shouted with joy when the world was founded Job 38:4-74Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4‑7). But the holy angels are never mentioned directly in Ephesians, and our sonship is different from theirs for it is "by Jesus Christ" whose Name speaks of the salvation we needed, whereas they never sinned. They are sons only by right of creation, as men are generally Luke 3:3838Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. (Luke 3:38). Basically the angels are servants.
The third blessing is that we are accepted in the Beloved One our Lord Jesus Christ. In a past distant eternal age the Son was ever accepted by the Father He was the Son of the Father's love. Then when He became Man a new motive arose for the Father's love "therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again" John 10:1717Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:17). Our acceptance with the Father rests with our identification with His work laying down His life on the cross. That is why the Apostle says "for we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ" 2 Cor. 2:1515For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: (2 Corinthians 2:15). Truly a cloudless favor rests upon us now and forevermore. God has put us in a position of grace and favor to which we should respond by praising Him. "The praise of the glory of His grace" here refers to the grace of God in choosing us and making us His sons. It is an expression of relationship. We didn't merit it—it was pure grace hence praise is called for. Later on we will meet the expression "to the praise of His glory" v.12, 14. This is related to the future the coming glory when we have our inheritance as the expression we have been considering is related to the past. Between the past and the future Christ came in, the Man in whom God found all His glory "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
By the preaching of the gospel God has caused to be saved in time those on whom He has set His love in a past eternity "who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages of time" 2 Tim. 1:99Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9). Here the wisdom of God shines out: Because we were sinners and needed salvation, humility of spirit should characterize believers. On the other hand because God has called us with a holy calling we should be conscious of the dignity of our position as sons before the Father. Thus does God establish a beautiful balance which excludes pride or self glory.