Ephesians 1:1-6

1: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 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,
4: just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5: He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6: to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

*** 

Paul wrote the epistle to the Ephesians somewhere between 61-63 AD while in prison in Rome. He knew the Ephesians quite well, having spent three years with them at one point (Acts 19:10, 20:31). He opened by blessing the faithful with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He blessed God who has blessed us—all His children—with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. As His children, all of heaven’s blessings are ours in Christ.

These blessings are ours just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Whom has the Father chosen to give these blessings to? He has chosen those whom He foreknew (Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 1:1-2) which of course is everyone. Whom has God not known about? Has anyone ever been born into this world without His knowledge? No. How does He choose these ones to bless? He has chosen everyone, yet the blessings come to those who choose to respond to His call through the gospel message by faith (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Whoever believes is “chosen” (John 3:16, Romans 10:13). The call goes out to all—yet only those who respond will receive this blessing available to everyone.

Paul continued, saying that God the Father has lovingly predestined us to become His adopted children through Jesus Christ. What is His plan? What has He predestined us for? “The kind intention of His will and “the praise of the glory of His grace.” We read in Romans that we’re predestined to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29). We’re chosen to inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9). We’re chosen for salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14), for good works (Ephesians 2:10). God’s plan for us is to be like Jesus—sons and daughters in Him who do His work in the earth and inherit the heavenly blessings.

This grace has been freely given to us in Christ, the Beloved. As Paul told the Romans, the ones who are predestined are also called, justified, and glorified (Romans 8:29-30) and all things will work together for good to these ones (Romans 8:28). He has a plan for everyone (Psalm 139:16). It is a good plan. Of course, that’s not to say everything will always be easy, but all things will work towards molding us into His image in the way He has designed for us to be.


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