Ephesians 1:3
Blessings be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

The Blessings (to God, from the Believer)
"BLESSING is a primary biblical emphasis, as reflected in the 516 uses of this and related words. In the New Testament, the word "bless" often means "blessed, fortunate, or happy." The special characteristic of New Testament uses of "bless" and related words is close relationship to the religious joy people experience from being certain of salvation and thus of membership in the kingdom of God." (Blessing; condensed from the Holman Bible Dictionary, Used by Permission)

Paul states that blessings are due to the Father as a result of His work in Christ Jesus on our behalf. This is no small matter. The Father is ultimately responsible for every good gift that has been given to us through His son. We should be continually praising the Father, not only for the whole of creation, but for that special work that has been done on our behalf through the Son.

The God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Here, the Holy Spirit (through Paul) makes a clear statement that the God of Israel is the God and Father of Jesus Christ. How important it is that the Ephesians, and we, understand that Jesus Christ does not represent any other god than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and thus the God of all Israel.

Paul inserts this phrase into this verse to make sure that they, and we, understand that the blessings which flow from us to "The One, The I am, Elohim," the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who Has Blessed Us
The plural pronoun "us" written to the many to be read by the individual remembering that it was written to the group, of which I am a member. Dr. Douglas B. MacCorkle states that part of the blessing that god gives to man is through the Holy Spirit's gifts. He says,

"The emphasis appears to be on gifting the church and not on the individuals gifted ... these grace gifts are two fold: (1) Gifted men as gifts to the church, and (2) Gifts to men with which to properly function in their posts within the corporate structure." (MacCorkle, Douglas B., God's Special Secret, 1993, MBM Books, Cocoa Beach, FL., p. 156-160)

He goes on to indicate that these gifts that are a blessing to the church both lay the foundation of the church and the building up of the superstructure, in order that the Body of Christ might grow up in service, grow up in stature, and grow up in spirituality.

The Spiritual Blessings
Paul wrote the following important words to the young pastor Timothy:

"For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but Godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)

He was not, of course, demeaning the training of the body. He was instead extending the meaning of the previous verse and putting the emphasis on Spiritual discipline rather than on physical. The benefits of physical training help us to become physically strong, help fight off disease, and hopefully give us a better chance at long life. The benefits of Spiritual training are permanent, extensive, and bring Godliness to us.

But this verse is not about Spiritual blessings that are the result of disciplining ourselves either Spiritually or physically. It talks about Spiritual blessings that are given to us, free of charge, as a result of our being in Christ.

These blessings are superior in every way to any other kind of blessing. They are eternal in nature. They not only include the Future, but the present and past as well. The blessings in Christ Jesus go to the very depth and fiber of our being for all time and eternity. They are God decreed. You will not feel them or experience them, you will not be able to modify them by your good or bad behavior, you will not be able to change their effects upon your destination through human merit of any kind (or lack of merit), and they come about only through the loving will of God the Father because of His love for you, in Christ. Every one of these spiritual blessings is Centered in Jesus Christ. These blessings make you complete, in Christ.

"and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;" (Colossians 2:10)

The Blessings (from God, to the Believer)
We have been blessed with "every spiritual blessing." That would be quite a list of things. We are not lacking in any one spiritual blessing.

Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, former president of Dallas Theological Seminary, compiled a list of thirty-three blessings that are unique to our position In Christ.

One of the very special items of praise to the Father should concern the fact that, if you are now or ever will be a believer in Christ Jesus, you have been chosen by Him (the Father). Chosen in a very special way that is not fully revealed to us. It is however revealed that the believer has been chosen before the foundations of the world to be a very special part of His kingdom and plan.

Another special item of praise would be that the Father has predestined you as well. Over the years there has been a tremendous amount of "flap" over this doctrine. We will pursue deeper meaning in the study of the next verse, but for now be content with knowing that God the Father has predestined you to a very special position in His kingdom, that of being conformed to the image of His son Jesus.

Redemption, forgiveness, knowledge of His will, your inheritance In Christ, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit upon your life are also great spiritual blessings that you should be praising Him for everyday.

Why are these items of blessing referenced here, and expanded in the following verses? Paul evidently was deeply concerned that this new body of believers at Ephesus should keep their confidence about their calling of God. Nothing fights off doubt and depression in the face of challenges than a dose of the truth concerning God's great love for us. The early church was not without the danger of being led astray, or being lulled into apostasy. Paul's ministry was to the young Gentile churches. He writes to encourage and strengthen them to keep them from discouragement and weakness, especially in matters of doctrine. We are no different than the Ephesians in this respect. We need the assurances and reassurances of the Word of God to keep our spiritual lives in working order. Thus, Paul's words to the Ephesians become very important words to us.

We should not be confused about our blessings. Dr. John DeBrine says, "Spiritual happiness is not dependent upon circumstance." (Dr. John DeBrine, The Songtime Radio Ministry, Boston, MA) How very true that is. Our spiritual happiness is dependent upon what Christ has done for us at the cross. It is dependent upon the efficiency of that work. That means that since Jesus Christ is God then what He has accomplished for us is all that needs to be done. It is efficient. If all that needs to be done has been done, then why should I loose confidence or loose my spiritual well being. When I worry or become depressed then I should consider the words of Paul:

Romans 8:38
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angles nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 4:21
"and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform."

Romans 8:26-32.
(26) And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words; (27) and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; (30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (31) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

The Heavenly Places
There are two specific areas involved in understanding God's Kingdom(s).

First is the Kingdom of God. This kingdom grouping would include all who are willingly subject to God, in Heaven or on Earth.

Second is the Kingdom of Heaven. This kingdom grouping would include the empires that God may have ordained on earth at any particular time. The Kingdom of Heaven can again be broken into three groupings.

1.  There was the Theocratic Kingdom. That was the time when earthly rule was exercised by divinely appointed leaders, judges, and patriarchs.

2.  There is the predicted Kingdom of Israel on the Earth. That kingdom is predicted in the Old Testament, announced by John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the Apostles. That kingdom was rejected by the leaders and elders of Israel (Matthew 16:21; 27:22-25) and was put on hold being replaced for a time with The Mystery of the Church.

3.  The final realization of this Kingdom, when Christ will sit on the king's throne and rule, will not happen until the millennium. So in this verse we would be missing the point of the text if we tried to see these blessings as having taken place in one of these kingdoms. Instead these blessings take place in the Heavenly (places).

Heaven can also be broken down into three revealed heavens. The first and second heaven are not spoken of in the Scriptures, but the third is and thus makes place for the first and second.

1.  It is thought that the First Heaven must be a reference to those places in the atmosphere of Earth. There are references in the Scriptures of the "fouls of heaven (Hosea 2:18)" and the "clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13)."

2.  The Second Heaven is thought to be the stellar heavens, the abode of the planets and the stars (Genesis 1:14-18).

3.  The Third Heaven then is the abode of God. One purpose of the Church Age (the Mystery) is to populate the third heaven with individuals who choose to love God with their own will, through the Grace that is bestowed through belief in Jesus Christ.

Our text "the Heavenly" does not refer to the first, second, or third heaven physically, but instead, reflects the communion of the God head (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) that exists in the third heaven, and refers to the association of believers and Jesus Christ. It exists anywhere there is communion between believers and Christ. We could not really refer to it as a place, but as a sphere of relationship. It extends from the third Heaven to the spirit of the believers. Being "Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," becomes a definition of a very special communion that does not exist in any other relationship. These blessings take place as part of a dynamic fellowship between the believer and Jesus Christ. That communion brings with it these very special eternal blessings. This relationship is often spoken of as "The rich association of God, His institutions, and His people." There in the Heavenly Places we find "the Kingdom of God," where all are willing subjects of the Eternal God.

Ephesians 1:4
"(For) Just as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him (in love)."

I have added the word "for" here, in order to help demonstrate that the following two topics are the reasons that we should "Bless God." God has done two marvelous works here. The first: "The Choosing work of God," and the second: "The Predestining work of God."

In Love He choose us
There are many areas of scripture that require faith rather than human knowledge and logic. The relationship of the believer to God is a mystical relationship. It can be only partly understood with the finite mind. There is, of course, much real demonstrable knowledge concerning the believers relationship with God, but there is also much that cannot be demonstrated like a science experiment. Our current secular philosophers would have us believe that if we can't demonstrate a truth scientifically then it can't be valid or true. The problem with that mentality is that even in the scientific world there is much that cannot be verified as scientific fact and must also be assumed by faith. Don't ever let the world lead you to the conclusion that scientifically verifiable truth is the only truth. Science points to only one way of verification, and then only to those areas which lend themselves to the scientific method. All cultures, all people, even scientists, take most of the knowable world, let alone all phenomena in the universe, by faith. The pressure they bear on the believer is only placed upon one area, that of faith in God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. Don't be afraid to turn the tables on them and show them their faith in science.

The area of faith to be explored in the next few verses relates to how God has selected believers. There has been much to do about this area. Here are three quick categories:

1.  There are those who would have God play no part in belief ("I am the author of my salvation").

2.  There are those who would have both man and God involved with belief ("We are the authors of my salvation").

3.  Those who would have God alone as the definer of the one who believes ("He alone is the author and finisher of my salvation, and my faith").

I fall into the category three.

The Father chose the Son (1 Peter 2:4-9), and therefore in choosing Him He chose us. Since God has chosen Christ Jesus as the method of my salvation, I must trust entirely on His efficient death and resurrection. By efficient I mean that everything that had to be accomplished, in order to bring about my salvation, was accomplished through Christ Jesus and His work at the Cross. His death was either efficient or not efficient. If His death is not efficient in God's eyes, then my hope upon Him is in vain, and I have no hope of salvation, either through Him or through my own efforts, or some combination. If His death is efficient in God's eyes, then there is absolutely nothing I can ever add to make myself worthy of His salvation. I am either entirely in Him, or there is no point of a savior, or salvation whatsoever.

When, In What Manner, and Why were we chosen?
A quick look at verse four, five, and six (1:4-6) will reveal that there are three areas of God's choosing. Looking closely you will see that choosing is unconditional, and is a doctrine that concerns persons and destiny, not the actions of those persons.

1.  When: Verse four (1:4) states that God chose those who believe before the foundation of the world, in and through Christ. Looking ahead to His completed and efficient work.

2.  In what manner: Again, verse four (1:4) states that God chose those who believe through the work of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's son. In Romans 8:30 the Word states that not only were we chosen but also called, predestined, justified, and glorified through His completed and efficient work.

3.  Why we were chosen: Verse six (1:6) states that we were chosen, by God the Father, in order to be the Praise of His Glory. In Romans 8:29 the Word states that we are to be "conformed to the image of His Son," because of His completed and efficient work.

Ephesians 3:11 states that because of all this,
"...In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."
Just as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world He did indeed chose us. The Word of God says so. His choosing of us is based upon His love for us. He chose us from eternity past because He loves us. Not because of what we have done for Him, not because of what we are doing for Him, and not for what we might do for Him in the future, but because He loves us. He has chosen for His own reasons, in His own time, totally apart from any value we might ever present to His kingdom. John 6:44 says (Jesus speaking), "No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him."

While it may appear to some that a loving God would not choose some and not all. But that is the way the Bible reveals God's plan. It is not a matter of human fairness or consideration. The scriptures reveal that God has chosen, for His reasons, through His decrees, to choose some and not all. He calls and chooses according to His kind intentions.

When I was just a teenager, my very dearest and closest friend was tragically killed in an automobile accident. At the funeral his father hugged me and with great love in his heart and said, "you are now my son, because you loved him so." That's just the way God the Father sees each one who freely and willfully chooses to love His son who died, that we would become His "sons and daughters.

Trust in the God of the Bible, a loving God who always does right for He can operate in no other way. Yield your feelings and ideas and grasp tightly upon His revealed word. Say with Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Job 13:15)."

This matter of choosing is very special in nature. It is in Him, the beloved, Jesus Christ, that I am chosen (1 Peter 2:9). I can be found nowhere else but in Him, for God looks nowhere else for His beloved children. The unbeliever, those outside of Christ, can not be found for choosing for God looks nowhere else than in Christ. For a further study on being "In Christ," please refer back to our study on Ephesians 1:1-2 under the heading of "The Saints in Ephesus." You also might want to study John chapter 17, "The real Lord's Prayer." Jesus prays to His heavenly Father about those who belong to Him. It's a wonderful study into the mind of Christ and His relationship to His chosen children.

That we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.
This is the manner in which we were chosen, that we might be proclaimed holy and blameless, fit to live forever with Him. We certainly are not holy and blameless in our daily lives. If we think we are, then we make God a liar (1 John 1:8). It is only the efficient work of Christ that allows God the Father to proclaim us holy and blameless. We can then not only live in the heavenly realms with God but approach Him directly without fear of being undone. For when He looks upon us He sees only His Son, Jesus Christ. This verse is not saying that we must become holy and blameless, it is saying that we have become holy and blameless, in God's sight, if we are in Christ Jesus. It does not teach sinless perfection either. This verse is indicating the basis upon which God can have a loving relationship with his creation. We are discussing the work of His son, and His relationship with us on the eternal plane, not our responsibilities before Him. That will come later in our studies.

In Love
These two words occur in an ambiguous way. The original Greek text has few marks of punctuation. This is one of those places where these two words could come at the end of one thought, or at the beginning of the next. It could be read, "...blameless before Him in love." It could also be read, "...blameless before Him. In love He predestined...." Either way it does not detract from the meaning of either sentence. We should be aware already that one major emphasis of the past few verses is love. God the Father's love for us through Christ Jesus, God the son. So whether we are "chosen in love," or "in love predestined..." makes little difference. I prefer the latter, but for no particular reason.

(1:5)
(Just as He chose us...) "In Love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will."

In love He predestined us
As we have stated earlier, Faith is a key element to understanding the Scriptures and having a relationship with God. Predestination is one of those areas that divides Christians. There is no reason for division. Even where there is disagreement upon the exact meaning of predestination there is no reason for disunity in Christ. I would like to list the following verses that mention predestination and the object of each verse. The word occurs only four times in the Bible. It is a compound word consisting of the Greek words "pro," meaning before, and "horizo," meaning to determine, ordain, declare, or limit in time. The combination of the two words gives the meaning, to: predetermine, to preordain, to pre-declare, or to pre-limit. The study of Systematic Theology would tell us that these actions took place in the Decrees of God, and they took place before the foundation of the world as testified to in Ephesians 1:4.

Romans 8:29
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren; (8:30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

Ephesians 1:5
"He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, (1:6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."

Ephesians 1:11
"Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (1:12) to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory."

In Romans 8:29, those whom He foreknew were predestined to be conformed to the image of His son. In Romans 8:30, is a list of other things that happened to those who were predestined. In Ephesians 1:5, believers are predestined to adoption. In Ephesians 1:11, believers were predestined by the kind intention of His will.

Therefore, only two of the verses really define predestination, the first verse in each pair of two. Romans 8:29 and Ephesians 1:11. Believers will end up conforming to the image of Jesus Christ, and believers will be fully adopted as adult sons, through Jesus Christ, to God the Father. These are great and wonderful promises. I hope that these two verses help you with your understanding of Predestination. If you've ever wrestled with God's purposes and will for your life in the future, if you've ever felt that you didn't want to be a puppet, even for God, then this understanding of God's intentions through predestination should help you. Sit back and enjoy the ride as God conforms you to the image of His son, and Adopts you into His holy family forever.

C. S. Lewis writes of the Garden of Eden story as it might be experienced on another world, the planet of Perelandra. In that world there is a woman (their Eve), who is engaged in conversation by a possessed man (their Satan). In their conversations the Perelandrian lady realizes God's calling and predestination this way:

"Oh, how well I see it. We cannot walk out of Maleldil's (Christ's) will; but He has given us a way to walk out of our will."

He predestined us to adoption as sons
Adoption must be seen in terms of how it would be understood at the time Paul was writing. Adoption in our age may not be just what the text is all about. "The spiritual use of the word adoption signifies the placing of a newborn child into the position of privilege and responsibility attached to an adult son.

The Greek word used here for "son" is a word that denotes an adult son, not a mere child. The adoption, as an adult son, of a newborn child, moves that child's rights to the place of full maturity. All at once the individual is placed into the privilege, independence, and liberty of a full grown man. Whether you be man or woman, child or adult, your spiritual adoption places you at the top of the heap with every benefit that would have been typical of a full grown, responsible, adult son in that culture and time. Therefore, adoption into God's family entitles you to all that maturity in Christ has to offer.

Through Jesus Christ
God chose Jesus Christ as the instrument of my salvation. This adoption, therefore, only becomes effective when applied to the individual who has placed their faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ. The only adoption God has offered to sponsor is the one whereby the efficient work of His Son has been applied. Only through Jesus Christ is the adoption recognized and applied by God the Father. All this is done through Jesus Christ. This is His work, this is part of what He accomplishes in you when you give yourself to Him.

Acts 4:12 (NASB)
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

To Himself
Both the Jew and the Gentile become "Children of God" based upon the Grace and Mercy of God alone.

The apostle Paul only uses the term "adoption," when writing to Gentiles. In Romans Chapter nine (Romans 9:4-5) Paul states that the Israelites are those to whom others are adopted, or grafted into. However, as seen in Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 31:9; and Hosea 11;1, Israel, though called the son of Jehovah, is a son only by virtue of decree or sovereign placing and not by virtue of natural or spiritual ties to their relation to Jehovah as a child.

But, we are not just adopted into a family, this verse states that we are adopted, through the work of God's Son, Jesus Christ, into a family relationship with Almighty God. He adopted us to Himself. What a wonderful statement of the love of God toward us, who while we were yet sinners, He loved us in such a way to make it possible to belong directly to Him through the
finished work of His Son.

Romans 5:6-8 (NASB)
"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

According to the kind intention of His will God presents Himself as a moral and benevolent being. His choice of us and His adoption of us is based entirely upon the fact of His love for us. His intentions are kind. He is by self-definition habitually kind, considerate, and helpful. There may be some times that we do not think that what is happening to us or to others falls into this category, but He has revealed that His intentions are kind. Therefore the outworking of His will is kind as well. When we see tragedy and heartbreak, let us not forget that God is kind. The outcome of His will can be of no other character. We need to trust Him even in the deepest times of difficulty and distress, for He is kind.

Within these words is the contrast of God's kind will and the will of man. Man's will is finite, self-centered, and short sighted. The eternal plan of salvation is not the plan that man would have chosen. It is too long term, too selfless, and man plays none of the important parts. These very words could become the self test of God's will for our lives. Is what I want to do timeless, selfless, and is God the benefactor, or is it for right now, self-centered, and for my glory? Use this test the next time you have a decision to make. Seek God's will and not your own, and do it for His sake.

(1:6)
"to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved."

To the praise of the glory of His grace
So far, He blessed us, He chose us, and He predestined us, to the praise of the glory of His grace. We should bring praise for His grace, and only His grace. Our blessing, our choosing, and our predestination is all accomplished on the basis of His grace and His grace alone. We play no active part in any of this. There is nothing we have done, nothing we are doing, and nothing we can do to merit what Jesus has done for us and what God has done because of Him. Who are we to think that God values our puny little human attempts to please Him. No, it is only the finished work of Christ that pleases Him, and it is to His glory that we are found in Christ at all. It was God who chose that belief would be through faith, it was God who chose redemption as the method of salvation, and it was God who chose the Saints to be the recipients of His grace. Any goodness found in the vain attempts of man to please God come as the direct result of God's wonderful grace ("... in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls...." Romans 9:11b).

His grace which he freely bestowed on us
God's precious grace is given with no recognition of human guilt, no recognition of human obligation, no recognition of human merit. The Grace of God is a sovereign act of God alone. It is based purely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ, and it is brought forth by God's Holy Spirit. Grace is never withheld because of demerit. Grace incurs no debt, and is the result of no
debt. It is God's gift, given freely.

Ephesians 2:4-9
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (2:5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (2:6) and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, (2:7) in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (2:8) For by grace you have been saved, through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (2:9) not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

In the Beloved.
The Beloved, of course, is The Lord Jesus Christ. He is the beloved of God. We saw in verse five (1:5) that the work of Jesus Christ was accomplished "according to the kind intention" of God's will. This kindness is summed up in this statement, "in the Beloved."

"For God loved the world, in such a manner, that He gave His only begotten, unique, one of kind, Beloved Son, that whoever believes in Him should not ever perish, but live eternally" (John 3:16, translation mine).

This is how the salvation of man is accomplished, by simple faith in The Beloved of God, Jesus Christ. When that believing faith is exercised, God places you "In the Beloved," through the work of "The Beloved."

"The material cause both of eternal election, and of the love which is now revealed, is Christ, the Beloved. This name is given, to remind us that by Him the love of God is communicated to us. Thus He is the well-beloved, in order that we may be reconciled by Him. The highest and last end is immediately added, the glorious praise of such abundant grace." (John Calvin, The Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians, Eerdmans, 1948, p. 201)