Promises for Eternity
In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.
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 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.
– Eph 1:3-14
Not for the first time, I was struck by this passage as I read it the other morning. It’s like a smushed-down version of the essence of the Gospel – Paul’s packed all the vital bits in. Lookit – as Christians:
- v3 Our blessings come exclusively through Christ;
- v3 We have been given every blessing in Heaven;
- v4 We were chosen to be in Christ;
- v4 We were chosen before the world was created;
- v4 In Christ we are made so utterly clean that we can be in the presence of the Infinitely Righteous God;
- v4 … So utterly clean that we can stand before Him and be holy;
- v5 We were not originally part of God’s family, so we needed to be adopted;
- v5 Our adoption was a gift given in love;
- v5 (again) Our adoption was decided upon before creation;
- v5 Our adoption was carried out through the actions and intent of Jesus Christ;
- v5 Our adoption was decided by God alone – neither we nor any other creature had any say in it;
- v6 Our adoption is such an extraordinary and staggering gift that it displays His grace and therefore redounds to His praise alone;
- v7 (again) We are brought into His family through [and only through] His sacrifice of His Beloved Son;
- v7 (again) We are redeemed through His Son’s blood;
- v7 (again) We are forgiven every trespass (sin, uncleanness, act of rebellion, unrighteousness) despite our accuser (Zech 3:1-5);
- v7 We are given this redemption according to the riches of His Grace – which (Grace) is infinite, hence our redemption is so complete that we are completely redeemed;
- v8 We have received not ‘just enough’ to get us into heaven, but rather His grace has been lavished or poured over us – “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.” (Luke 6:38 ESV) – not just an abundance, but a superabundance;
- v8 We have been given this for reasons (determined by God’s omniscient wisdom and insight) that we cannot of our own intelligence comprehend (it’s a mystery);
- v9 We have been told about that part of His mysterious will which pertains to Christ (Gen 18:17-19);
- v9 We have been told about that part of His mysterious will which Christ set forth (displayed or explained);
- v10 We have been told that this plan will come to fruition in the fullness of time, and in fact this plan defines ‘fullness’ – which we can safely take to mean both ‘best’ and ‘widest’;
- v10 We have been told that it is His divine intent to unite all things, both in Heaven and on Earth, in Him;
- v11 We have inherited all this as adopted children of God;
- v11 (again) Our adoption and inheritance were decided upon previously;
- v11 (again) Our adoption and inheritance were decided upon solely by God;
- v11 God has a specific purpose in mind for us;
- v11 We must see that the decider of our inheritance (and no one else) works or drives all things;
- v11 Neither we not any other creature had any say in it – the plan runs according to His counsel and His will;
- v12 Paul and the other earliest believers existed to develop the next part of the plan – which brought about the praise of God’s glory by those who followed;
- v13 the Ephesians (through to us today) are fulfilling the next part of the plan by hearing the truth of the Gospel and believing – and thus being sealed (stamped, confirmed);
- v13 The presence of the Holy Spirit is our proof (the seal as with sealing wax), and
- v13 The presence of the Holy Spirit is our security (seal as on a door so no one opens it before its time) of the promise of eternal adoption and inheritance;
- v14 God Himself (in the person of the Holy Spirit) holds, protects and guarantees our inheritance (1 Pet 1:3-5 (esp v5)) – [nothing and no one gets past God!];
- v14 We will in due time possess our inheritance, and
- v14 We can be glad that all this, as in v6, will bring praise to His glory.
Now that’s worth meditating on for a week or two!
Mike Killiany (Mike Roots)
fred
Frank Ramsey
Wow, thanks so much for unpacking the treasure chest of those verses so well, and holding each jewel up to the light, to better appreciate all the heavenly sparkles!
(OK to copy your words about the Word into MS Word so I can meditate further offline?)
Of course! Have at it.
Merci beaucoup!