Ephesians 1:3-12

There is a repeated phrase in Eph. 1:3-14: “to the praise of His glory” (v6,12,14).  It is the conclusion of the three sections concerning the spiritual blessings with which God has blessed us.  In vs3-6 we have seen that God the Father, in eternity past, chose us to be holy and blameless and predestined us to be adopted as sons.  All this is to the praise of the glory of His grace.  

          In vs7-12 we see our spiritual blessings that revolve around the work of Christ in history.  Again, these are blessings given to us by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (v3) but they are blessings that are linked to the work and person of Christ.  Both of these blessings are said to be in Him.

·        We have the blessing of redemption (v7-8).  God chose us to be holy and blameless, but the entrance of sin into the world meant that God would have to make a provision to counter sin’s devastating effect.  Thus He sent His only Son, the Lamb of God, to bear our sins in His body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24).  This payment by His blood results in forgiveness for those God has chosen.  Thus sin and death cannot frustrate God’s plan for us.

·        We have the blessing of an inheritance (v11).  Paul links this inheritance to what was predestined back in v5.  We are God’s sons by adoption; thus we have the inheritance that any child with a loving Father should have.  (An alternate translation of this passage refers to believers as God’s inheritance.  The NKJV however seems to go well with the sonship idea.)

          The passage in-between these 2 blessings (vs9-10) is important for what is at stake in this letter to the Ephesians.  Paul says that God has made known to him the mystery of His will and he speaks of it briefly in v10.  

·        God’s will is that all things in heaven and earth will come to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  This is a promise given often in the Old Testament (e.g. Psa. 2:7-9; 110:1-7).  It is confirmed in the New (e.g. 1 Cor. 15:20-28; Heb. 2:5-9).  The promise is fulfilled in the fullness of times, referring to the time of Christ’s return.

·        The mystery of God’s will is the way in which God’s will is coming to fruition.  God’s dealings with men had been through Israel in the Old Testament.  God is now pouring out His blessing on the Church which consists of believing Jews and Gentiles.  

          It is this bringing together of all believers into one Body of Christ that is the concern of this letter.  Thus Paul introduces the thought here, having spoken of our redemption and forgiveness in Christ.  This blessing is for those who first trusted in Christ (v12, the Jews) as well as for those who also trusted later (v13, the Gentiles).  In other words, it is for all believers!

          All this is again to the praise of His glory (v12).  Praise God today that He chose us to be holy and blameless, knowing that the accomplishment of His plan would necessitate the death of His Son, that there might be redemption, the forgiveness of sins.