If we received a letter from someone in prison, we might expect to read complaints about the harsh treatment they are experiencing or to read words of anger and bitterness. But in his inspired letter to the Ephesians the apostle Paul, after greeting those to whom he is writing, bursts forth in praise to God! In chapter 1, verse 3 he writes: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;”
From this we learn that no matter what our physical circumstances may be, if we are in Christ, we are very blessed. It is true that God often blesses his people with material or physical blessings. But material blessings can be destroyed or taken away. Of far more importance are spiritual blessings. As the apostle Peter wrote we are receiving “…an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you…” (1 Peter 1:4-5 NIV)
But while Peter looks forward in time to the heaven which is the place where God dwells and where there is no evil, Paul is talking about more than this. He uses the plural “heavenly places.” No evil can touch the place where God dwells. But there are other spiritual realms where the battle for men’s souls is being fought. Though chapter 1, verse 20 states that God is present in the heavenly places, according to chapter 6, verse 12 spiritual forces of evil are also there. But those who follow Christ are blessed in spite of the war being waged against them.
What are the blessings that the followers of Christ enjoy? In verses 4 through 6 Paul writes: “…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved, in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…”
The first blessing Paul mentions which the followers of Christ enjoy is that God has chosen us in Christ before the creation of the world. This is a great comfort. Many people spend their lives in doubt wondering whether God will accept them. They think that if they can only do enough good deeds, perhaps they can earn the privilege of coming into God’s presence. But the follower of Christ does not need to worry like this. In 1 Peter, chapter 1, verse 20, the apostle Peter wrote that our redeemer, that is Christ, has been chosen from before the creation of the world. Just as the redeemer has been chosen, so too, God has already accepted those who follow Christ even before the world was created.
But chosen for what? Paul says that the follower of Christ is chosen to be holy and without blemish. These qualities are not a condition for being chosen but the result of being chosen. They are not something we generate by our own efforts but come from being in Christ. This agrees with what scripture says elsewhere. For example Hebrews chapter 13, verse 12 says, “Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.” (NIV) What it is impossible for us to do on our own God, through Christ has done for us. Paul will return to this theme in chapter 2 of this letter.
Also notice that there is a close relationship between holiness, blamelessness and love. This is appropriate because it was God’s love for us which prompted him to make it possible for us to be holy and blameless. This in turn should cause us to love as well. Scripture says: “ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:10-11 NIV)
The next blessing that Paul mentions is that God predestined the followers of Christ to be adopted as his sons. This adoption is “according to the good pleasure of his desire.” God does not adopt the followers of Christ out of some sort of obligation but because he desires to. This also demonstrates that God does not merely want us as his servants, but wishes to have a family relationship with us. In his letter to the followers of Christ at Rome, Paul explained it this way, “For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;” (Romans 8:15-16 NIV) But notice that it is through Jesus Christ that God adopts us as sons. Unless we put our faith in Christ, God will never grant us the privilege of being in his family.
We have already seen how God has chosen the followers of Christ before the creation of the world, and here we see that God has predestined Christ’s followers to be adopted. This requires some explanation. Many people have the concept that God has already determined the course of everyone’s life. Every action is already “written.” But this is not what Paul is saying. In another place Paul explains that it is on the basis of God’s foreknowledge of the choices everyone will freely make that he has predestined whether they are chosen and adopted as sons. He writes, “For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29) Yes, the destiny of each one of us has already been determined, but it is determined on the basis of what we choose. Have you chosen to obey Christ?
Paul goes on to say that God has adopted the followers of Christ so that his glorious grace might be praised. Praise is one of the natural results of being adopted. Being adopted into God’s family is called “grace” because it is not deserved. When a follower of Christ realizes the great privilege God has given him he cannot help but praise. Paul means more than this, however. Praise is not to be merely an action performed, but part of the very character of a follower of Christ. This is especially appropriate because God has given his grace freely. Is your life a praise to God?
Paul writes that this grace was freely given “in the Beloved.” This is a reference to Christ. God loves Christ so much, that if we belong to Him God will accept us as well. The question is whether we belong to Christ.