Blessings in Christ

Blessings in Christ: The Book of Ephesians starts out listing all the blessings Christians have been given in Christ to the glory of God the Father. Learn about them here!

3 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,

Blessed be the God After greeting the Ephesians and the Faithful in Christ Jesus, Paul opens his letter with a long blessing of God, which is really one long sentence. In our translation, verse numbers and punctuation has been added, and it may help in our English understanding, but it may make the interpretation more difficult. We know that this is a blessing of God even though in verses 3-14 there are listed many blessings given to Christians by God. The opening phrase “Blessed be the God” ευλογητος ο θεος (yoo-lah-gey-tahs hah theh-ahs) is one that the Jews used in their prayers throughout the day. ευλογητος is translated blessed, and it is a word or phrase used only for God, and never for man. Later in the verse, a similar word is used to describe blessings given by God εὐ¦λο¦γί¦ᾳ (yoo-lah-gee-ah) that we are blessed εὐ¦λο¦γή¦σας (yoo-lah-gey-sahs) by Christ with. These are different forms of the same word, but ευλογητος (yoo-lah-gey-tahs) is never used for man, only in this formula giving honor and glory to God. Paul was very careful because of his fear of God to address Him with this honor and respect. This is a fact that the English translation in spelling Blessed and blessed the same way. I think the same thing happens many times with the generic interpretation of the word love. God is transcendent and holy, that means he is utterly separated from man in our natural state. In our desire to make God our buddy, we sometimes lose our awe and reverence of Him. Paul did not do this in his writing, and, in making this observation, I wish to encourage a more reverent view of God as well. As we review all of these spiritual blessings God has poured out on us in these verses, I believe it will require a response of ‘Blessed be the God!’

Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ: In observing the text, do not miss the subtlety of the language. Literally interpreted from Greek, the first phrase is Εὐ¦λο¦γη¦τὸς ὁ θε¦ὸς καὶ πα¦τὴρ τοῦ κυ¦ρί¦ου ἡ¦μῶν Ἰ¦η¦σοῦ Χρι¦στοῦ, (yoo-lah-gey-tahs hah theh-ahs kahy pah-teyr too koo-ree-oo hey-mohn ee-ey-soo kree-stoo) which is literally interpreted “Blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase ‘blessed the God’ is a title of exclusivity. There is no other God, there is no other Lord Jesus Christ, their relationship within the trinity is exclusive and unique, and it is Him (He- The God and Father through His Son and in His Son who has blessed (εὐ¦λο¦γή¦σας (yoo-lah-gey-sahs) us in Christ (us- that is those who are saints and are faithful - those who are in Christ) with every spiritual blessing (εὐ¦λο¦γί¦ᾳ (yoo-lah-gee-ah) in the heavenly places. In other words, it is because of the saving work of Christ that we can and do receive all the spiritual (πνευ¦μα¦τι¦κῇ pnyoo-mah-tee-key) blessings. These spiritual blessings that we receive in Christ are conveyed through the Holy Spirit, and are not only ours in the present, but because we have been sealed with the pledge of the Holy Spirit, we are promised that when we are in glory these gifts we have now and those we will receive in glory are imperishable because they are based in Christ and promised through the seal of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are not based in righteous things that we have done, but because of the work of Jesus Christ in our lives.

In verse 4 the list of spiritual blessings that God has given us in Christ Jesus begins. The first blessing is that God chose us (those who are in Christ) in Christ Jesus that we (those who are in Christ) should be holy and blameless before him. Allow me to make a few observations. First, and I think very importantly, God chose us in Christ. This happened before one planet was set in motion, before God created the heavens and the earth. God the Father has the role of leading and directing among the persons of the trinity, and though Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal in deity and in their attributes, it is God who initiated the plan of salvation to save people from sin. Second, since God initiated the plan, and chose those who would be saved we who are in Christ can take no credit whatsoever for our salvation. God had it planned all along and has chosen us in Christ. Third, he chose us with the goal of being holy ἁ¦γί¦ους hah-gee-oos) and blameless (ἀ¦μώ¦μους ah-moh-moos) through Him. When we are chosen, it is not an option, it is the very purpose of our election in Him to be holy, that is morally pure-and blameless meaning without blemish or fault. Practically, being blameless means that we are free from the guilt of our former sins and trespasses in which we once walked. We were chosen by God to experience positional holiness and blamelessness. In other words, while we will never be holy as God is holy while we walk on this earth, however, He treats those who are in Christ as though we are, because it is the only way we can approach God. When we are born again, we are justified, that is freed from the penalty of sin. As we grow in Christ, we are being sanctified, set apart to Him. As we submit to the Holy Spirit, we become more and more free from the power of sin. When we are glorified, we will be holy and blameless like Jesus. We have the promise and the seal of the Holy Spirit that this will be the case. We will be completely and utterly free from the penalty, power, and finally the very presence of sin.

In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

The second spiritual blessing is that God has predestined us to adoption as sons. Predestined (προ¦ο¦ρί¦σας prah-ah-ree-sahs )simply means to decree or ordain beforehand. When humans adopt a child, they can bestow many things on them, not the least of which is love. Human parents give a name, inheritance, and any resources they choose. What a human cannot give a child that they adopt is their own distinct characteristics. They cannot choose say their nose, their temperament, or even their eventual profession; though they may have some influence it is limited. However, God has predestined us to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will- this will that cannot be contained or constrained by anyone or anything. When God adopts, he adopts us as we are: sinful and unfit to bear His name. But His ultimate goal (as above) is that we would be holy and blameless. As adopted sons, God makes us in the image of his divine Son, Jesus Christ. We are called, elected, and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ!

Romans 8:14-17, 29 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

We are given His very nature, made new creatures in Christ Jesus. When God predestines us, it is to this ultimate purpose that we would have the very nature of Christ, and that we would be even called his brothers. We do not earn this, or get this because we are somehow special, or even because we deserve it, but because it is God’s plan by His love and grace, according to His will.

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

The third blessing that is discussed in this passage is His glorious grace. The opening phrase, “to the praise of His glorious grace” is repeated in verses 12 and 14, and it reveals the reason that God gives us all of these blessings that are wrapped up in salvation. He saves us not for our benefit, but for His glory. The undeserved blessings that we receive bring God great glory and praise. Grace is unmerited favor, which means we get something that we do not deserve. Up to this point, the blessings have included God’s electing (choosing) us, predestination, adoption as sons. These are all benefits of his grace towards us. We are given these blessings despite who we are, not because of who we are. That is God’s grace, that we can be accepted by God through the substitutionary atonement paid by Christ on the cross and completed in His resurrection and ascension. He provides imputed righteousness, which is something that is given to us, not something that is earned and maintained by us. He has blessed us with all these gifts in Christ Jesus, named in this verse ‘the Beloved’ (ἠ¦γα¦πη¦μέ¦νῳ, ey-gah-pey-meh-noh (Matthew 3:17, Colossians 1:13). The word or name for Christ Beloved is translated from a similar word for God’s love - agape. This means that Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father, and the Father the giving of a decided preference to Jesus Christ above all his other brethren. The word beloved frequently implies regard and satisfaction, and certainly God was well pleased with his Son. Indeed, Jesus’ death that purchased our salvation was the ultimate act of agape, how appropriate that He would be called the Beloved! Because of Jesus’ ultimate act of agape, we are accepted by God and are now part of the beloved of God.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

In him, (the Beloved Jesus Christ), we (those who have placed their trust in Christ) have the next spiritual blessings- redemption and forgiveness. Redemption is the price that was required to buy a slave out of slavery. People who are not in Christ are enslaved to sin and death, as we who are in Christ were. The redemption price that is required by God is death, for that is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ paid that redemption price on our behalf when he died on the cross. In this sense, salvation is being set free from enslavement. The best Old Testament example was God keeping his promise to his chosen people who were enslaved in Egypt. He set them free through his powerful hand and many supernatural miracles, not the least of which was the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of those pursuing the Israelites. This is a great picture of God’s role and our role in salvation. Moses and Aaron were the human leaders of this Exodus, but without God’s powerful hand they could have not effected this redemption of the slaves. God paid the full redemption price for them. The nature of this redemption is complete forgiveness of our trespasses. This was purchased by Christ’s blood, making payment for the guilt of sin. Do not miss this important point from the book of Ephesians: God forgives the sins of his children, the saints, the faithful, those who have been redeemed. So many times I hear people say that God forgives, that all they must do is ask for forgiveness. This is true if you are a child of God. In fact, God has completely removed the very guilt of your sin past, present, and future. Christ’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf has removed all the stain and guilt of our sins so that we can walk in the freedom which he has purchased for us. We are no longer slaves to sin and death, we are saints and have life now and into the future.

This is good news that brings me great joy; the knowledge and experience of the blessings that those of us who are in Christ enjoy as a product of Christ’s substitutionary atonement. To review, we have been chosen-even before the foundation of the world, God chose you to be in Christ.predestined-God decreed or ordained beforehand that you would be his son or daughteradopted as sons and daughters-He adopted you, and is making you into the very image of His Son Jesus Christ!grace-He has completely given you all of these blessings not based on who you are, but based upon who He is. redemption- He has purchased you through His shed blood on the cross.forgiveness- your sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west, and the guilt of your sins, so God sees you as holy and blameless.

These are the blessings of salvation that we see thus far in this passage, and we are not even halfway through our study of this long prayer of praise to God. Take the time right now and through your day to day life to say ‘Blessed be the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for all the spiritual blessings in Christ’ Our words cannot adequately express our gratitude, to be sure, however, it is a good thing to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs praising God for His grace which He has lavished on us.
Blessings in Christ Part 2
Blessings in Christ Part 3