Bible Study: Ephesians 1

by | Posted February 23rd at 7:01am

The letter to the church at Ephesus was authored by the apostle Paul. This study looks at the first chapter of this letter.

As Christians, our greatest blessings are more deeply appreciated when we comprehend that our Father – the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified (Eph1:14) in blessing his children. Most fathers find great joy when their children are around them, united in kindred spirit. I recall taking my four children to a restaurant when they were young during a holiday trip. The restauranteur said to me with great admiration as he sat us around a unique table, “You have a glorious family.” In a way, I understand the Father’s joy as being glorified when his children come to him. As a father looking at my beautiful children, I was glorified in my family via the Spirit of God and the light surrounding us.

Moreover, we are to reciprocally bless, meaning praise the Father for his blessings: “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” and “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Eph 1:3-4 ESV)

Notably, the Father has blessed us “in Christ,” which denotes a necessary vital union with Jesus Christ. The following explanation that the apostle Paul gives emphasizes this vital union that “in Christ” means:

Key points are revealed here:

We were predestined as chosen by the Father in Christ – “in him”
We were chosen long before the world was created – “before the foundation of the world”
Our predestined selection was a sovereign act of love for us with a view that we are his children adopted out of the world’s masses – “in love” by “his will”
Our enablement to rejoin the Father’s family was achieved “through Jesus Christ,” whose act brought legal restitution to the Father when his ransom-death paid for our sin on the cross.
We are viewed as “holy and blameless” in Christ, firstly as we are covered by his redemptive act of atonement on the cross referred to as legally justified (cf. Romans ch. 3, 5) – holiness can only be our ongoing aim – and will always be “not yet fully obtained” as we approach purity via his indwelling Spirit.

Our blessing came to us through Jesus Christ’s redemptive act of dying for our sins on the cross of Calvary as the entrance method God chose to bring us back home. He has blessed us “in Christ,” also noted as “through Jesus” – reiterated for impact as “in the Beloved” and “in him” – “…he has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Eph 1:5-6 ESV).

The blessings we derive are primarily spiritual and cover the broad scope of life now and into eternity, things that only followers of Jesus can understand and appreciate by faith. Paul notes that the Father has blessed his chosen, preordained children who come to him via Jesus by faith with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1: 3, 7). As children, we are restored, and restitution is made to the Father – thus, by grace, we are saved.

We know these are spiritual blessings because, as the Father’s children, we acknowledge that he gives us insight into the gospel of grace in the Word of God to the degree that “he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will.” Moreover, we, the believers, the church, are universally united via the Spirit of Christ “according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:9-10).

Again, I want to draw attention to the “the Father of glory” (Eph1:17) who is at work to “give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:17-19)

Why would the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be so concerned that you have wisdom, a revelation of his knowledge, by having our hearts enlightened? It is so that you, the reader, can know “the hope to which he has called you” and that you understand all of God’s efforts via his Word set forth by reading, pastoral ministry, preaching and prayer to him, available as God the Father’s own possession.

King David, a man of great power and wealth and victory over his enemies, could say prayerfully with praise to the Father: “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139: 13-14 NASV)

Have you ever thought about being a child of God? Let’s go one step further. Have you ever considered that though you come to your father as the one who created you and gave your life? Through Jesus Christ by faith, this life is renewed and restored to unify you and your Father. You are not your own possession! The Father is taking back his rightful fatherly role over you as his child in redeeming you from the corruption of this world (which continually disregards his Creatorship/Fatherhood). The New American Standard Bible puts it this way:

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13, 14)

Takeaway of Chapter 1: You were elected — predestined to be reunited with the Father by faith in his son Jesus Christ. The gospel is a message of truth, bringing you salvation from eternal judgment. By connecting with Christ to God’s family, the Father is taking you back as he created and now His redeemed possession. This offers you unlimited spiritual blessings now and in eternity as you follow Jesus Christ. The Father “gave him as head over all things to the church” (Eph 1: 22), and Jesus continues to lead and guide his faithful followers, showered with eternal blessed insight.

Article posted by Glen R. Jackman, founder of GraceProclaimed.org

Glen has optimized his eldership role to teach the full scope of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ without boundaries.
You can read his testimony.