Elected, Redeemed and Sealed Truth, Judgment and Eternity Ephesians 1:3-14

Introduction In this passage of Scripture we see the mystery of God revealed in all its fullness. Elected by the Father (1:3-6) Redeemed by the Son (1:7-10) Sealed by the Spirit (1:11-14) Today we will go through these passages and discover what Paul calls the mystery of the Gospel. (Ephesians 3:1-6)

Blessed in the Heavenlies Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Paul is praising the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the rest of this section is Paul’s reason for giving Him such praise. Ultimately Paul is praising Him for our election, our redemption and this promise being sealed with the Holy Spirit. These spiritual blessings, apart from spiritual gifts that we receive on this earth, I believe is the spiritual gift of eternal life in Heaven.

Elected by the Father Ephesians 1:4-6 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Paul emphasizes here that God chose us for salvation and that it depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it but because God is gracious and freely gives salvation. (NLT LAB) We receive salvation because we were created in the beginning to receive it, in that God chose us, we did not choose Him, it was His will. We were adopted, and this means we are just as legitimate a son as true Israel and as Christ Himself.

Redeemed by the Son Ephesians 1:7-8 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. The death of Jesus points to two wonderful truths – redemption and forgiveness. (NLT LAB) Through His death, Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin. (NLT LAB) Forgiveness was granted in OT times on the shedding of animal blood, now we are forgiven on the basis of the shedding of Jesus’ blood. (NLT LAB) This redemption and forgiveness is grace to us, unmerited favour, which we don’t deserve, but we receive freely as a gift purchased and paid for by Christ our God.

Mystery of His Will Ephesians 1:8b-10 With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. The mystery of the will of God is simply this, that all things in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, would be brought under one Head: Jesus Christ our Lord. God prophesied this when He said in Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is the mystery that was kept hidden for ages past and has now been revealed in Jesus Christ.

Chosen in Christ Ephesians 1:11-12 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Here Paul tells us that in Christ, we were chosen. He tells us that this salvation was predestined to us by the plan and purposes of God for His creation. Everything in this life no matter how chaotic and devoid of sense, reason or rhyme, will work itself into conformity with His will. Paul then discusses that those first to believe, ie the Jews, would be for the praise of His glory, and certainly we can say that the early Christians set the blueprint for the Church and have been esteemed by every generation of Christians throughout history.

Sealed by the Spirit Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Paul now includes us, who were to believe the gospel of our salvation. Upon believing we were marked in Christ with a seal, the Holy Spirit. Now we know we have the Holy Spirit because the Bible tells us that we cannot say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit now testifies to us that we have an inheritance in Christ, and by the fact that He is in us, we are guaranteed of this same inheritance, when all those who are redeemed in Christ enter into Him. You and I are Jesus’ promised possession, created in advance and chosen by the Father before time began.