Ephesians 1:3-14
"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace..."
(EPHESIANS 1:4-6)
Seeing ourselves as adopted children in Christ reminds us that if we are children, "then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17). "Inheritance" isn't really an idea many of us grow up with. You may think it's something reserved for the very wealthy. In the Bible, the idea of inheritance had everything to do with who a person's father was (Russell Moore, "Adopted for Life," 2009). The father's livelihood guaranteed survival through the generations. It was security for a person.
And for us, it's a picture of the inheritance that the Father gives to His children, even to us as adopted children. When God created man, this entire world was meant to be our inheritance, but sin destroyed that model, leaving us all orphans. It's as if we no longer are entitled to anything. Yet through God's matchless grace in sending His Son, we have everything! "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things" (Romans 8:32)?
INSIGHT
WE OUGHT TO SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ENTITLED TO.
YET THROUGH GOD'S GRACE WE HAVE EVERYTHING...
WE HAVE JESUS!
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Ezekiel 33-34
Psalm 147
1 Timothy 3-4
Ephesians 1:3-14
Common English Bible (CEB)
The believers’ blessings
3 Bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing that comes from heaven. 4 God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world. 5 God destined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love. This was according to his goodwill and plan 6 and to honor his glorious grace that he has given to us freely through the Son whom he loves. 7 We have been ransomed through his Son’s blood, and we have forgiveness for our failures based on his overflowing grace, 8 which he poured over us with wisdom and understanding. 9 God revealed his hidden design[a] to us, which is according to his goodwill and the plan that he intended to accomplish through his Son. 10 This is what God planned for the climax of all times:[b] to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth. 11 We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design. 12 We are called to be an honor to God’s glory because we were the first to hope in Christ. 13 You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 1:9 Or mystery
b. Ephesians 1:10 Or the fullness of times
STRING CHRISTMAS [PART 2]
with Gerard Le Feuvre
Gerard Le Feuvre is a world-class cellist and a Christian. He leads a chamber orchestra of Christian musicians who encourage others to glorify Christ through music and fun.
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