Rachel Workman: 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God,[c] for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. We need to remember this.
12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own[d] by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. And he alone is worthy of our praise. And yet it's so neglected.
Having heard the Word, the Ephesians believed, and it is this faith that brought salvation (Eph. 2:8–9). This pattern follows what Paul wrote in Romans10:13–15, so read that passage carefully. It is God’s plan for evangelism. When the Ephesians believed, they were “sealed with the Spirit.” “After that ye believed” should read “when ye believed.” You receive the Spirit immediately on trusting Christ. This is not an experience subsequent to conversion. (Read Acts 10:34–48.) What is the significance of this sealing of the Holy Spirit? For one thing, it speaks of a finished transaction. Even today, when important legal documents are processed, they are stamped with the official seal to signify the completion of the transaction. This sealing also implies ownership: God has put his seal on us because 587.
He has purchased us to be His own (1 Cor. 6:19–20). It also means security and protection. The Roman seal on the tomb of Jesus carried this meaning (Matt. 27:62–66). So, the believer belongs to God, and is safe and protected because he is a part of a finished transaction. According to John 14:16–17, the Holy Spirit abides with the believer forever. It is possible for us to grieve the Spirit and thereby lose the blessings of His ministry (Eph. 4:30). But He doesn’t leave us.
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John Burnett: 1 Paul, an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful[a] in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ. This letter is addressed to born again believers in Ephesus but the
promises and blessings can be applied to believers today as well.
Spiritual
Blessings in Christ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in
him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
blameless before him. Verse 4 tells us that those who are saved where chosen before
this world was created. God chose us, we do not choose Him.
According to this verse, someone who made a decision for Christ, to accept
Christ, or asked Jesus into their heart is making the choice. It is only
when those who were chosen, are regenerated, born again and given a new heart,
can they choose. This is a radical transformation where you hate your sin
like Christ hates your sin.
In love 5 he predestined us[b] for adoption to himself as
sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to
the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the
Beloved. 7 In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which
he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making
known[c] to us the mystery of his
will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as
a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things
in heaven and things on earth. 11 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, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in
Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 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, 14 who
is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we
acquire possession of it,[e] to the praise of his
glory. What an
awesome promise! We are adopted Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father and
thus co-heirs with Christ and in Him we obtain an inheritance. In Christ,
those who have been born again, receive His mercy so that our sins are
forgiven, but we are also lavished in the riches of His grace. He doesn’t
give us what we so rightly deserve and then He gives us what we don’t deserve.
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Tomorrow’s reading for Ephesians
1:15-18
15 Ever since I first heard of your
strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,[e]
16 I have not
stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom[f]
and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts
will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has
given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious
inheritance.[g]
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