We share our opinions and insights at SBC Voices, but we believe that the Voice that matters most is the one that comes from God’s Word. We present these daily expositional devotions, beginning with a tour of Ephesians called, “Walk Worthy,” in hopes of encouraging our readers to remember to Voice above every voice.
Passage:
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. ~ Ephesians 1:3-6 (CSB)
Expositional Devotion:
Blessed is one of those church words that we actually hear a lot in our culture. Often if an athlete or actor wins a big game or an award, they will talk about how blessed they feel. When writing this, a quick hashtag search for #blessed on Twitter showed 210 tweets in the last hour. And let’s not forget that you sometimes hear the phrase “Why, bless your heart” from ladies with a southern charm (though the phrase isn’t always used in a positive way).
The word “blessed” basically means to find oneself in a happy position, and we like finding ourselves in happy states. Yet, as Paul launches into the opening of his letter, he focuses far, far away from being blessed in a cultural sense. He assures us that God is providing for our happiness, but where does happiness come from? In Christ—a phrase used in some form multiple times in 1:3-14. And what does happiness in Christ lead to? The praise of his glorious grace—also a repeated phrase. The greatest happiness we can have is found through Jesus and leads us to abundant praise. God wants us to be happy!
God’s provision for our happiness in Christ is not a stingy thing, either. For God has graciously “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” I love the song Come Thou Fount, in fact, it is my favorite hymn to sing, but really the imagery of a spring or fountain of blessing inherent in the title falls short of what Paul is communicating. This is an ocean of blessing, of which we cannot find the shore and cannot plumb the depths.
Paul could have written endlessly on the topic, but instead decided to focus on just a few of the countless ways that God blesses us. The first two, found in verses 4 and 5, unfortunately sometimes get robbed of their beauty in the midst of theological debate. Paul does not shy away from the ideas of election and predestination here, but he also doesn’t focus on them in the way we often do.
We like to argue the means of these. Paul doesn’t address means whatsoever in his words. His intent is not to prooftext a particular soteriology. No, in these beautiful words, Paul speaks to the outcome of being chosen and predestined.
If we come to faith in Jesus, then we are not the same people we were beforehand. In chapter 2, Paul describes our deadness in sin and our enmity with God. That is what defined us before we came to know and follow Jesus. But now, in Christ, we are different. We were dirty, filthy rebels; we are now chosen in love to be holy and blameless. We were enemies of God on the side of darkness; we are now adopted children, destined to forever be a part of God’s family.
This is where Paul wishes us to dwell—our new position and new destiny.
There are days I have, and I’m sure you do too, where I don’t feel very holy or blameless. There are days where sin gets the best of me and I feel like I’m still walking on the side of the enemy or at best I’m a disappointing son. Yet, God says something different to me and to you. In Christ, we have new identities. In Christ, regardless of how we feel at the moment, we have been declared holy and blameless and the day is coming where we will be fully holy and blameless. In Christ, we are God’s sons and daughters and when we stand before him, we won’t be met with a disappointed gaze but the words, “Well done.”
What a way to start a section about our happiness in Christ! What a reminder of what God has done for us, for which he deserves all the credit and praise! What a reason to lift our heads and smile—because of Jesus we are the children of God and he will usher us into his presence holy and blameless.
Eph. 1 is a great chapter!
Dr. Herschel Hobbs taught that the Greek word “predestinated” means “to horizon beforehand” or “set a boundary.” He taught that in eternity God “set a boundary” by drawing a circle about those who are to be saved. To say it another way, before God created the universe and man – God drew a circle, or built a fence (set a boundary) saying that all who are within this fence shall be saved.
What is that fence, Hobbs asks?
The fence is Jesus Christ. God elected that all who are “in Christ” shall be saved. In verses 3-13 of Ephesians chapter one – “in Christ” or its equivalent is used ten times.
So if you are “in Christ” you are saved. If you are not “in Christ” you are not saved.
So how do you become “in Christ”?
Eph. 1: 13 & 14: 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 of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Blessings!
No argument Ron, but why did you believe?
Many hear the Word of Truth and do not believe.
Blessings to you brother, as well.
The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. As the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin, as the preacher preached the Word of God, I believed the Gospel and was saved at the age of 23. That is why I believed Jesus that day.
Your why is because you were convicted of sin?
Mike … jumping ahead … I claim no credit or merit in God’s gracious and glorious salvation in my life. God is so good!
Ron,
I have never met a believer who even desired credit and instead they all, like you, wish to give God all the glory and honor.
But I understand why you thought i was going there.And in the past, I might have been going there. Certainly others go there as well. So you thinking I was going there is understandable. No one who is saved and thus born again and filled with the Spirit wants any glory for their salvation. And I think you are saved and that you are born again, and that you are filled with the Spirit.
And your why is that youwere convicted of sin and…
And… because many people are convicted of sin and never get saved, even though they hear the Gospel.
Because we dont come to God just because we are convicted of sin. We dont embrace Him and repent of our old life because we know we have done wrong.
In all of the religions of the world, including the unorganized ones, people know they have not lived right but they hope that their good or their obedience or their following of ritual[s] will be enough to sway God’s opinion.
But before you made that choice to embrace Jesus as Lord and repent you had to know that Jesus was the crucified and risen Lord and that God loved you and sent Jesus to die for your sins.
The two questions are [1] why did you embrace Jesus as Lord? The answer to that leads to te second question: [2] How did you know Jesus was the crucified risen Lord and that God loved you and sent His Son to die for your sins.
Somebody told you, and even more than that. But not just any somebody. That wouldn’t do. You cant from the heart embrace Jesus because just anybody told you. Your faith then would be in that person’s word. Rather we are told that God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Blessings brother.