Ephesians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. There are so many treasures there; so many promises and reassurances for all believers. Let's take a look at just a few of my favorites.
Remember that Paul wrote this book to the faithful Christian believers in Ephesus, those who had already believed the gospel message and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Paul points out that our loving Heavenly Father has blessed us in the heavenly realms with all the spiritual blessings possible. These blessings are in Christ; that means we must be in Him and abide in Him to receive these blessings. We cannot expect to live in an un-Christ-like manner and still receive the blessings.
These blessings have already been given, they are not for some future time. We exist in a time frame; God does not. When He says something is done, it is a "fait accompli"; it is done, even though we may not see it right now. When God speaks a word, that word is already true, whether we see it or not, or for that matter, whether we BELIEVE it or not!
Paul also points out that God chose us, before the world was ever created, to be His adopted sons and daughters, and to be holy and blameless in His sight, through Jesus Christ. It should be understood that God did not choose us because we were somehow holy and blameless, but rather that because He chose us, we were made holy and blameless, through Jesus Christ. Holiness is the result of, not the basis for, God's choice. The Bible tells us that we are in fact the righteousness of God, in Christ Jesus. (II Cor. 5:21)
In addition, Paul assures believers that they are marked with a seal, the Holy Spirit having been given as a deposit, a guarantee of our inheritance and our redemption. A deposit is a small payment now, ensuring a larger one later. There is a world of difference between simply a hundred dollars, and a one hundred dollar deposit. And our redemption is also guaranteed. To redeem something is to buy it back, or trade it in for something better, and of greater value. We were redeemed by Christ Jesus, and were changed for something far far better than we were before He redeemed us! Hallelujah!!!
Why did God do all of these things? Why did He choose unworthy, sinful people, and redeem them by the blood of His own Son? Verse 14 tells us: to the praise of His own glory. He redeemed us that He may be glorified! God is love, and He is full of grace and mercy toward us, who were created in His own image, for His own glory.
The apostle prayed for God to give these believers a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, for two reasons: that they may know Him better, and that they might realize three things: the glorious hope to which He had called them, the riches of His glorious inheritance, and the incomparably great power for those who believe, the power of His own strength.
Let me ask you: do you fully realize these three tremendous promises? Do you understand that when we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we first receive a wonderful, glorious HOPE, for both this life and eternal life. We are not like those of the world, who are without hope.
We have that hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and it enters into the inner sanctuary behind the veil, where Jesus himself went on our behalf. (Heb 6:19,20)
In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began. (Titus 1:2)
To them God has chosen to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)
Do you understand that riches of His inheritance? He promised us eternal life in glory, as joint heirs with Jesus Christ! I don't know about you, but that just blows me away! To think that God has chosen to allow me to share in the riches of His glory, right alongside my Lord Jesus, is almost more than my finite little mind can comprehend. How truly awesome is His great love for us!
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Rom. 8:17)
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:29)
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)
And last, but certainly not least, do you fully understand the POWER of God that is available to all believers? The Bible tells us, in Ephesians 1, verses 19-23, that the power God makes available to us is like the mighty power God used to raise Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in heaven, raising Him above all: every ruler, every power, every authority on earth, not only now but in the age to come. God placed all things under Christ's feet, appointing Him to be head of everything and everyone, giving Him all dominion on earth and in heaven. And that same power is available to us!
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Rom. 1:16)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (II Tim. 1:7)
The Bible says that we believers, who are the church, are the body of Christ, and all things are under His feet. Do you understand that means that all things are also under OUR feet? Every power of this world, including the devil himself, is under our feet! (Be sure you didn't miss the previous Bible Study, Keep The Devil In His Place)
We do not have to live as powerless victims or helpless slaves--- We have the POWER of GOD! That's worth shouting about! Hallelujah!!! The Bible tells us quite plainly, in 1 John 4:4: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
What a tremendous difference it would make in our own lives and the lives of those around us if we would only learn to walk in His power, rather than foolishly trying to stumble along under our own!
