Ephesians 1
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul begins this letter with the awesome statement; "by the will of God." What security shown here within himself reflected to us, his intimate relationship with Jesus. He knows he has not been created by, nor commissioned by, none other then God Himself! Then he follows this glorious self examination with the statement; "faithful in Christ Jesus." Men such as Paul, look and long for others, who know that they are called; "by the will of "God, and are faithful to the call."
Heavenly places is where your blessings are found. It is where you now have access to the spiritual weaponry that destroys the strongholds of principalities and demonic powers. Oh how they now fear you! You once were barred from this place, but through the veil of Christ's flesh you are now to boldly enter in the Father's glorious presence. You have come home as "sons of God," now to delight in Him who has adopted us back to Himself, through His precious Son, now our Savior and Lord!
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
It is with this word predestined we enter into a room of confusion in our minds. Let us remain steady here. Precept upon precept, line upon line. No speculations. The previous verse we already learned; "before the foundation of the world." The answer is clear to the reader; adoption through salvation in Christ has come to the whole world. God can now say o all who have an ear to hear, "come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden with sins." The "Call to Adoption is predestined," not your response. God awaits to see, will you choose Him, as He has chosen you.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
In Him! Hallelujah, not in yourself, not in good works. In Him, and Him alone is there redemption for you and me. You are forgiven! You may say; but you don't know me, the things that I have done, and still do. "You are measuring yourself according to man's measurement." God's measurement knows no such limits, this we must not fail to embrace in the statement; "according to the riches of His grace." "My grace is sufficient for you, even in your weaknesses, is my power made perfect."(2 Cor 12:9). This great truth, full of wisdom and prudence, is the mystery of His will made know to you, and me. Hallelujah!
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
In Him! Dispensation; the method God uses to carry out His purpose! His purpose therefore is that the message of the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus, is to be to all people on the earth, even unto the heaven. All is complete. It is finished, you are set free!
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
In Him! You and I receive an inheritance of abounding grace. Predestined unto us from the foundation of the world! He had you on His mind, and launch the greatest rescue mission the earth has ever known. Here,once again is how God measure His purpose; "according to the counsel of His will."
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
The reason? In order to live a life to the praise of His glory. Simply put, we can not keep this gospel love story to ourselves. Other prisoners need to be set free!
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
In Him! You trusted! How? When you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation preached through the spirit of wisdom and revelation. You, believed the darkest hour of your life, and were set free when you accept, "the word of truth." Grace then is beyond human understanding, you were sealed, by the Holy Spirit of promise! All of heaven, and earth have been served notice. "You and I are His forever!"
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Guarantee! What a word! In life we always welcome something that is sure to be given to us, the examples are endless. Here the the eternal purpose of the, "the riches of His grace." Once again we glimpse into how God measures His purpose in you, "until the redemption of the purchased possession." No room for the praise of men, nor angels, but all of creation and its creatures, bow before Him, and bow to the praise of His glory. You and I free, to walk a life as son of God commissioned to set captives free from the powers of hell, and the deceptive bondage of sin.
"ADOPTED"
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul begins this letter with the awesome statement; "by the will of God." What security shown here within himself reflected to us, his intimate relationship with Jesus. He knows he has not been created by, nor commissioned by, none other then God Himself! Then he follows this glorious self examination with the statement; "faithful in Christ Jesus." Men such as Paul, look and long for others, who know that they are called; "by the will of "God, and are faithful to the call."
Redemption in Christ
3 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,Heavenly places is where your blessings are found. It is where you now have access to the spiritual weaponry that destroys the strongholds of principalities and demonic powers. Oh how they now fear you! You once were barred from this place, but through the veil of Christ's flesh you are now to boldly enter in the Father's glorious presence. You have come home as "sons of God," now to delight in Him who has adopted us back to Himself, through His precious Son, now our Savior and Lord!
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Here we discover when the Father, Son and Holy Spirit purposed to purchase us back through adoption. "Before the foundation of the world!" Here we learn for how long we been loved, you and I were always were known by our Creator God, in His bosom did he call us to Himself. This fruit of the spirit of wisdom, and revelation,is fully grasped by a life lived as holy and without blame before Him in love.
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
It is with this word predestined we enter into a room of confusion in our minds. Let us remain steady here. Precept upon precept, line upon line. No speculations. The previous verse we already learned; "before the foundation of the world." The answer is clear to the reader; adoption through salvation in Christ has come to the whole world. God can now say o all who have an ear to hear, "come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden with sins." The "Call to Adoption is predestined," not your response. God awaits to see, will you choose Him, as He has chosen you.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
In Him! Hallelujah, not in yourself, not in good works. In Him, and Him alone is there redemption for you and me. You are forgiven! You may say; but you don't know me, the things that I have done, and still do. "You are measuring yourself according to man's measurement." God's measurement knows no such limits, this we must not fail to embrace in the statement; "according to the riches of His grace." "My grace is sufficient for you, even in your weaknesses, is my power made perfect."(2 Cor 12:9). This great truth, full of wisdom and prudence, is the mystery of His will made know to you, and me. Hallelujah!
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
In Him! Dispensation; the method God uses to carry out His purpose! His purpose therefore is that the message of the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus, is to be to all people on the earth, even unto the heaven. All is complete. It is finished, you are set free!
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
In Him! You and I receive an inheritance of abounding grace. Predestined unto us from the foundation of the world! He had you on His mind, and launch the greatest rescue mission the earth has ever known. Here,once again is how God measure His purpose; "according to the counsel of His will."
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
The reason? In order to live a life to the praise of His glory. Simply put, we can not keep this gospel love story to ourselves. Other prisoners need to be set free!
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
In Him! You trusted! How? When you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation preached through the spirit of wisdom and revelation. You, believed the darkest hour of your life, and were set free when you accept, "the word of truth." Grace then is beyond human understanding, you were sealed, by the Holy Spirit of promise! All of heaven, and earth have been served notice. "You and I are His forever!"
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Guarantee! What a word! In life we always welcome something that is sure to be given to us, the examples are endless. Here the the eternal purpose of the, "the riches of His grace." Once again we glimpse into how God measures His purpose in you, "until the redemption of the purchased possession." No room for the praise of men, nor angels, but all of creation and its creatures, bow before Him, and bow to the praise of His glory. You and I free, to walk a life as son of God commissioned to set captives free from the powers of hell, and the deceptive bondage of sin.
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