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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will. Ephesians 1:3–5 (English Standard Version)
The story has been told of a woman who went down in history as “America’s
Greatest Miser,” yet when she died in 1916, she left an estate valued at over $100 million. She ate cold oatmeal because she thought it cost too much to heat it. Her son needed to have a leg amputation, but because she waited too long trying to find a free clinic, his case became incurable. She was wealthy, yet she chose to live like a pauper. She brought on a fatal attack of apoplexy, also known as a stroke, while arguing about the value of drinking skimmed milk. She exemplifies certain born-again Christians today. We have limitless spiritual wealth available, but too many of us live as paupers. Paul wrote the epistle to the Ephesians because of Christians who were spiritually living like paupers.
Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed Be The God and Father Of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word blessed comes from the same Greek word as eulogy. It means to praise or commend. The Greek scholar W. E. Vine says that “blessed” or “praised” is applied only to God. To bless or praise Him is a supreme responsibility of all His people. Paul emphasizes that all God’s blessings are good things that are ours “in Christ.” The phrase “in Christ” is a fundamental message in the book of Ephesians. The Interpreter’s Bible says “in Christ” is associated with the initiation, the working out in history, and the final consummation of God’s great design in creation, and with every spiritual experience of the Christian believers. On the Godward side, it expresses the sphere in which God makes His purpose known and His will effective; on the manward side, it brings out the thought of the mystical unity between Christ and the whole body of the Christian believers, which he fills with His presence and power. We are in Christ, sharing his glorious life, deriving from him all the elements of our spiritual blessing.
Ephesians 1:3 also says who has blessed us in Christ in the heavenly places. J. Paul Getty, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, had a fortune estimated at $1.3 billion. Yet all this wealth is but “pennies” when compared with the spiritual wealth we have in Christ.
In Ephesians, Paul explains to us what these riches are and how we may draw on them for effective Christian living. God has already blessed His born-again believers. Paul says in Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. God weaves everything together for good for his children, but what does good mean? Romans 8:29 says For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. The good refers to conformity to Christ, a closer fellowship with God. He has always been doing good for His people, from before creation, through their conversion, and on to the day of Christ’s return.
W. E. Vine says the word “foreknew,” in Romans 8:29, refers to “the foreknowledge of God.” He is Omniscient, an all-knowing God.
In Colossians 2:10, Paul says And you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. “You have been filled in him” is a remarkable statement. Paul affirms that believers share in Christ’s power and authority over every rule and authority by virtue of their union with him.
James 1:17 says Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. John MacArthur says, “Every good (and) perfect gift is from above.” There are two different Greek words for “gift.” They emphasize the perfection and inclusiveness of God’s graciousness. The first one implies the act of giving, and the second indicates the object given. Everything related to divine giving is adequate, complete, and beneficial. The Father of lights is an ancient Jewish expression for God as the creator, with lights referring to the sun, moon, and stars.
2 Peter 1:3 says His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. Christ’s power is the source of the born-again believer’s sufficiency and perseverance. The genuine Christian can be assured that he is eternally secure in his salvation and will persevere and grow because he has received everything necessary to sustain eternal life through God’s power.
James 1:5 says If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, meaning condemnation, and it will be given him. This verse refers to born-again believers who lack wisdom in handling trials. He does not want anyone to hesitate to come to Him. God is unchanging in his character and therefore in his giving of good.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:20 that God the Father worked in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. God’s super-abundant blessings belong only to believers who are His children, by faith in Christ, so that what He has is theirs -including his righteousness, resources, privilege, position, and power.
The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:16–17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, the right or inherit, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Proof of a born-again believer’s ultimate glory is that he suffers. To suffer could be ridicule, mockery, and even physical persecution.
A friend asked a millionaire, “What is the happiest time you can ever remember in your life? The millionaire replied, “A period of three weeks when I lay in the hospital ill of typhoid fever.” His friend was astonished when the millionaire added, “Many people in that hospital were ill.” It was crowded, and there was a shortage of nurses. The millionaire said we patients were a demanding and grumbling lot. There was one nurse on our floor who, overworked and tired, took our complaints with a smile, serving us as if we were royalty. She never entered my room without bringing peace and love with her. It was like being in heaven.
God chose to give us those things that only He can provide. Certain things are beyond our ability to obtain, to acquire, find, or receive. Something valuable, most often it is wisdom, spiritual blessings, or God’s favor, which comes through faith and obedience. While it can sometimes refer to material possessions, the Bible consistently emphasizes spiritual growth as more significant and lasting than material wealth.
Ephesians 1:4 says He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
The doctrine of the election is emphasized throughout Scripture. C. Douglas Young says, “There is no obligation upon God to bring into his presence any of those who are in sin or rebellion against him, and thus uninterested in any (kind of) relationship with Him. In his grace, however, through election, he sees that there are people or a multitude of people who will come to him.
The doctrine of election or predestination does not mean God has chosen certain individuals to be a part of His family and others not. John 6:44 says, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. God’s Holy Spirit is the One who convicts us of sin. When we ask God to forgive us of sin and put our trust and confidence in Him, He promises that He will raise us up on the last day.
John 3:16 verifies that God so loved the world, which means you and me, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes, who trusts and has confidence in him, should not perish (spiritually) but have eternal life. God’s election, also called predestination, does not operate apart from our responsibility to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
In John 15:16, Jesus said, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. The fruit refers to the Holy Spirit’s invisible power in those who are brought into living union with Christ. The character of the fruit is evidence of the character of the power producing it.
Galatians 4:4–5 says But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem, to set free, those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons. William
Barclay once said, “It would not be so wonderful that a man should choose God; the wonder is that God should choose man.”
Ephesians 1:4 also says that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
The lives of born-again Christians are centered in heaven. In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul states in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Colossians 3:1–3 says If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Evangelist D. L. Moody used to warn about people who were so “heavenly minded that they were no earthly good,” but that is not what Paul was describing. “The heavenlies,” the literal translation, describes the place where Jesus Christ is right now.
Ephesians 1:5 says In love, He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ. The ESV tells us that “election and predestination” in this context refer to God’s decision to save someone. All born-again believers are sons, in the sense of being heirs, who will inherit blessings from their father in heaven.
Ephesians 1:5 also says According to the purpose of His will.
Proverbs 4:7 says, The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Proverbs 8:17 says I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. The words imply striving toward a spiritual goal. Amen for spiritual maturity, righteousness, or a deeper relationship with God.
In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul says in Titus 2:14, Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Paul anchors his call for godliness in the fact that one purpose of Jesus’ death was to make
His people holy, to forsake godliness is to despise the sacrifice of Christ. “Redemption” means “ransoming someone from slavery.”
Forgiveness of our trespasses explains the nature of redemption: freed from slavery to sin and guilt. This was made possible by Christ’s blood, which refers to his death as an atoning sacrifice.
Warren W. Wiersbe tells us that “the spiritual is far more important than the material. Not knowing and depending on the Holy Spirit’s provision is to live a life of spiritual poverty. Our Heavenly Father has given us everything we need to have a successful, satisfying Christian life. The born-again believer, no matter where he may be on this earth, is seated in the heavenlies with Jesus Christ, and this is the basis of his life and power. The heavenlies refer to the realm of God’s complete, heavenly domain, from which all His blessings come.
Conclusion
Are you a spiritual pauper or are you spiritually rich? Have you invited Jesus’
Holy Spirit into your life? Do you know if His Spirit is at work within you? The person who is not aware that Jesus’ Holy Spirit is alive in them is a spiritual pauper.
Do you wonder why I refer to Christians as born-again believers? Some people say they are Christians, but the reality is that it is only an acknowledgment that Jesus exists. To be a true Christian, you must confess your sins to Jesus, invite His Holy Spirit to come into your life, and live for Him. You must be born again from above!
CHRISTIAN LIVING IS A DAILY PERSONAL LIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR!
Contributor By C. Paul Wooderson (Disciples for Christ International Ministry)
