Ephesians 1:3–14
By Rev. Harry Cox

Quick Glance: For Your Heart Today

From the heavenly realms to our everyday lives, Paul reminds us that believers in Christ have already been richly blessed. Chosen before the foundation of the world, adopted into God’s family, redeemed through Jesus’ blood, and sealed with the Holy Spirit—we are God’s treasured possession. These spiritual blessings are not future promises but present realities grounded in Christ and empowered by the Spirit.

3 Takeaways from Pastor Harry's Message

• You are chosen in Christ. Before the foundation of the world, God selected you—not because of your merit, but because of His love and purpose.
• You are adopted into God's family. Your identity as God’s son or daughter is rooted in Christ’s work and God’s delight.
• You are sealed by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is your assurance and guarantee—God’s mark that you belong to Him now and forever.

If You Only Have a Moment

Take a breath and receive this truth today:
Inhale: “You chose me before the world began…”
Exhale: “…And sealed me with Your Spirit

Full Manuscript. Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

The word of God in this book of Ephesians continues to speak the gospel message to the church today. Ephesians was not written to deal with false teachings within a specific congregation. Rather, the Ephesians letter is a masterful summary of points of broad application, lacking specific details for a specific church. This letter has a broad, universal appeal that encourages Christians in a variety of settings.  The Book of Ephesians is God’s word for us right now.

The letter to Ephesians has two distinct, but related, halves – Chapters 1-3 and Chapters 4-6. Chapters 1-3  have universal theological or doctrinal content, after Paul’s typical personal greeting (the sender, the receiver, and a greeting) in Ephesians 1:1-2, starting with Ephesians 1:3.  The content starting with Ephesians 1:3 celebrates the spiritual blessing of God’s accomplishments for eternal purposes in Christ. In other words, it is the eternal plan of God with its goal of summing up all things in Christ.

On the other hand, Chapters 4-6  through Ephesians 6:20, at almost the end of the book, are characterized by the admonition to general ethical application. How do we live this out? How do we apply it? How do we live into the spiritual blessings in Christ? The content of the ethical instructions in Chapters 4-6 is based on the foundation of living into the spiritual blessings of being reconciled in Christ and made part of God’s new humanity. Maintaining the unity of the church is a key theme. Individuals and the corporate Church body are on the road to maturity through diverse ministries that God has poured out on the chosen people with the presence of Christ and the guidance from the Holy Spirit within. Chapters 4-6 exhort us to live not by a list of rules or by an easy list of what to do and what not to do. Instead, on the basis of our spiritual union with Christ, the Holy Spirit, and our relationship with God, we are exhorted to change our inner being and character, as God transforms us in a radical way.

For example, in Ephesians 4:1-16, we’re told to maintain the unity of the Church with love and peace in Christ by walking worthy of your calling. That is a key spiritual blessing. These verses keep building on each other, setting the stage for the rest of the letter through Ephesians -6:20. Progress towards unity is achieved because there is one God that is the father of all in Christ.

In his second missionary journey, Paul was 3 years in Ephesus from c. AD 54-56. Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia. Its strategic location in modern-day Turkey made it a multicultural city bustling with activity and influence on other nations of the Roman Empire throughout the known world. God used the inhabitants' (mostly non-Jewish Greeks) spiritual fervor and strategic location to make the church a center for evangelism and mission activity in the surrounding region and other nations in the Roman Empire known world (See Acts 19:18-20). Sometimes we see the Bay Area as the modern-day Ephesus. What are the similarities between Ephesus during Paul’s time to the Bay Area and Silicon Valley related to opportunities for evangelism and mission ministries for our church today? What is said in Silicon Valley is often disseminated around the world. Like Ephesus, this is a strategic location. What goes on in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley can be quickly disseminated around the world.  

Years later, Paul wrote from a Roman prison.  The magnificent spiritual blessing of Paul preaching the Word of God in his ministry to the Gentiles, while  with a Roman soldier to guard him, is set forth in Acts 28:26: “Therefore, I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen.” Even though Paul was in prison, what was going on in Ephesus spread to the nations. Paul acted on the tremendous opportunity for evangelism and mission by the message sent to Ephesus. Due to the strategic location of the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, we have similar opportunities in evangelism and mission ministries of our church.

Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

3 Praise (other translations such as the ESV have blessed) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

There are three instances in this verse of the use of the word blessed. The Greek readers at that time did not always have the word in their language. A writer would take one Greek word that the audience was familiar with and combine it with another word they were familiar with. Then the writer would create a new word that the audience could understand because it was a combination of two words they were familiar with. That is the case here for the blessed.

The Greek word translated first as praise then blessed in verse 3 each has a base meaning of “to speak well of.” The word is a compound of the base words (1) well or good and (2) something said. The letters of the Greek word spell eulogy. That is where we get our word for eulogy, derived from this Greek word created by the NT writers.  

The Greek format of praise or the first blessed is a different grammatical ending meaning uniquely worthy of blessing; in the NT, this is only used in reference to God.  Gratitude and thanksgiving well up as Paul recalls God’s magnificent salvation plan in Christ. For what God has done for us, our response should be to praise and worship God. Praise and worship are the only reasonable things to do in response to the spiritual blessings we receive from God. When we deal with people in our ministry who attack us, one of the best reactions includes praising and worshipping God. The instruction here is always to praise God, not just when things are going well, but because of who God is and how God blesses us every day with spiritual blessings in Christ.

The second Greek word for blessed means to endow a person with the ability to succeed. Greek grammar indicates a past action that has already occurred. This applies to all of us without exception. We all have the opportunity to succeed. 

The third Greek word for blessed means actual good, speaking about something. The Greek word “eulogeo” is the source for our English word of eulogy – such as to speak well of someone at their funeral or other acknowledgment of them. This is actually saying something good about others. 

The distinctive Christian features are in the phrase “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There was idolatry in worshiping false gods. One of the 7 Wonders of the World in Ephesus at the time of Paul was the Temple of Artemis, a temple set up to worship false gods in idolatry.  For Gentile Christians who had believed in many other gods, this was great news that believers have gained access to the Father, whom they enjoy with freedom and confidence.
 
Everything  that Christians have received through God’s saving act in Christ is comprehensively summarized in the term “every spiritual blessing.” The adjective spiritual means pertaining to the activities of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word translated spiritual does not occur in the OT or the Gospels; it is a word used after the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The spiritual human walks in the Holy Spirit, not the flesh, that are contrary to each other. The spiritual character of the soul is normal for believers, but all believers do not attain this spiritual character, nor when it is attained is it always maintained. It is a daily issue to follow the spirit of God within you instead of following the flesh. They are opposed to each other.  The spiritual state is reached by diligence in the Word of God and prayer; it is maintained by obedience and willingness to be humble in self-judgment.    

“In the heavenly realms” pertains to Paul’s declaration regarding the end times as already assured with glimpses of the Kingdom of God, that is here now, but not yet fully realized. These gracious gifts from God are not simply future benefits but are our present reality since they have already been won for us by God’s saving action in Christ. The recipients are, by metaphor, deemed in the heavenly realm because they are in Christ who is located in heaven at God’s right hand far above all rule and authority (Ephesians 6:12).

Being in Christ (or in Him, referring to Christ) is mentioned repeatedly 11 times and is the key to the spiritual blessings for the remainder of our verses through Ephesians 1:14. These spiritual blessings relate to the past, the present, and the future. So the spiritual blessings are active for us today.

Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

Another spiritual blessing in Christ is God choosing us to be selected before the foundation of the world. God has so richly blessed us because God has chosen us in Christ.   For this spiritual blessing, Paul reaches back before creation, before time begins, into eternity. Israel’s election was due solely to God’s gracious decision; it had nothing to do with Israel’s choice or righteous behavior. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, 14:2). It is because the Lord loved Israel and kept the oath sworn to Abraham, blessing the nations through Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3).  In Ephesians, the church is selected as we believers who now belong to the people of God and praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was God’s intention to create a people conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. These spiritual blessings come to believers personally and individually (without denying the corporate element of the church).

Predestination is the spiritual blessing of a relationship with God the Father through Christ, God’s Son. Since all things were created in Christ, it is an objective fact that in Christ, God selected us. The spiritual blessing of being selected is always only in Christ.

The selection by God took place before time and eternity, with our expression of gratitude for God’s amazing grace. God’s choice was due to God’s own decision and love, not dependent on temporary circumstances or human merit. God blesses Christians with the assurance that God’s purposes for them are of the highest good. The appropriate response from those chosen in Christ from all eternity is to praise God who so richly blessed us.

There is a concern for holiness and blamelessness now for us.  Holiness is progressive in the lives of believers on earth. Even now, they should live according to the blessing of divine intention.

Ephesians 1:5
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Since God chose people in Christ before the foundation of the world, God predestined them for adoption into God’s family as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. In Greek-Roman law that refers to adoption as sons those who were not sons by birth, a spiritual blessing to a position of privilege. Adoption as sons was one of the blessings for Israel. Now this privilege and spiritual blessing belong to all Christians. It is only through God’s Son that believers can be adopted as sons and daughters as a spiritual blessing in God’s family.

The spiritual blessing of adoption as children is “in accordance with his pleasure and will. Pleasure means that God takes delight in God’s plans. Will means God’s active resolve for God’s intended purpose.

Ephesians 1:6
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

God’s choice of humans to be sons and daughters is for the praise of glorious grace. In the Beloved Jesus Christ, God has poured out all grace on us. Beloved Jesus Christ emphasizes that all of God’s blessings come to us in Christ, and Christ is the supreme object of the Father’s Love.

Ephesians 1:7-8

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

Having blessed God for God’s election and adoption of men and women in Christ, Paul praises for our redemption and forgiveness of our trespasses in the Beloved through his sacrificial death on the cross. In Ephesians 1:7, the redemption we have in the Beloved Christ has been procured through Jesus’ blood. Christ’s violent death on the cross as a sacrifice is how our deliverance has been won. It was obtained at a very great cost.

The redemption is equated with the forgiveness of sins, for it is a rescue from God’s just judgment on our trespasses. The decisive rescue from divine judgment on our trespasses is in keeping with the “riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.”

God’s lavish grace has bestowed on us all the necessary wisdom and insight by which we should live wisely for the exhortation to live wisely in the latter portions of Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:9

9 He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,

God’s saving purposes planned from eternity had as their final goal the uniting of all things in heaven and earth in Christ. Making known a mystery in Paul’s refers to the disclosure of a previously hidden secret related to ancient pagan cults, philosophy, and secular usage. Recently, biblical scholarship has focused on the OT and Judaism for understanding the use by Paul and other NT writers of mystery language. In biblical writings about the last days, the mystery language about events at the end of history, including the book of Revelation, often includes OT references to Daniel and other OT passages to understand.  The end times biblical references fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus Christ is the usage in Ephesians 1:9, and then in subsequent chapters of Ephesians. The ultimate goal of the all-inclusive purpose of God is the uniting of all things in Christ in both heaven and earth. In the ultimate goal of unity, there is another application of the mystery as Gentiles, as well as Jews, are incorporated into the Body of Christ and participate in salvation in unity as one. The word in the Greek language translated unity is a word that means “one’ derived from the word for the number one. Earth, Wind & Fire, in their gospel message song, Fantasy, declares that we love together as one. Paul’s concern is that the people of God show unity in practical ways. He urges them to be kind, compassionate to one another, with the motivation of God’s love in Christ and following the example of Christ in His earthly ministry.

God’s carefully designed strategy to make known the mystery has always had its focus on Christ.

10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Previously, Israel was regarded as the Lord’s inheritance and portion. Christians, including Gentiles, have also been chosen before the foundation of the world. The members of the church enter into the Lord’s inheritance and spiritual blessing. The Jews were predestined before the world started. The first were the Jews who recognized Christ as savior before the conversion of the Gentiles; the Lord made Israel.

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
Gentile Christians are the “you also” In Christ. The Gentile Christians were sealed with the same Holy Spirit spiritual blessing that had been promised to Israel. By giving Gentile believers the Holy Spirit, God seals them as God’s own. God will protect them through the trials and testing of this life until God takes final possession of them on the day of redemption.  

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit by whom the Gentiles were sealed when they believed the gospel is called “the deposit guaranteeing their inheritance. This word is used for a down payment or pledge..  It was first offered to the people of Israel. However, Israel did not do a good job of accepting it. Some did. After offered to Israel, it became available to Gentile believers after Pentecost.

The language of Israel as the lord’s treasured possession now applied to Gentile believers is great news of spiritual blessing for Gentiles. Gentile Christians fully share present blessings and future hope with Jewish believers.
Three Practical Steps to Apply this message:

• ` As you review your daily life with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, which spiritual blessings did you receive?
• -Remember, as a Christian believer, that you were chosen by God before the foundation of the world and created in the image of God. Does remembering help you to realize that you are God’s treasured possession?
• -How do you respond as God exhorts you to live into your spiritual blessings in Christ?