1:3a Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Blessed-eulogetos– to speak well of. Paul exhorts us to bless God, who has blessed us.
God has blessed us by what He has done. We bless him with our words of praise.
There is another word for “blessed”- makarios– happy, prosperous, spiritually prosperous-
Example- Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Not the word used here.
1:3b who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
who has blessed us- The Christian has present riches. Vast resources in a heavenly bank.
Blessed- eulogeo- same root. When God speaks well of us, it includes His actions.
The same word is used when Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes, and multiplied them.
spiritual blessing- What blessings belong to the Christian? What has God blessed us with?
V. 4- We are chosen to be holy and blameless before Him. (A work that God does in us)
V. 5- We are predestined & adopted, which is according to the pleasure of His good will
V. 6- He has made us accepted in Christ.
V. 7- Redemption and forgiveness
V. 11- We have an inheritance
Vs. 13, 14- Salvation, and the sealing (guarantee) by the Holy Spirit. The internal witness.
Heavenly places- places is not in the original. Added by the translators for clarity.
We are not yet actually in heaven; the origin of our blessings is from God in the heavenlies.
in Christ- a repeated theme. Speaks of our union and identity with Him.
In Him, and by our union with Him, is how we are able to receive these blessings.
Apart from Him, we could not have these blessings, but would deserve judgment. Eph. 2:1-4
1:4a just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…
just as – according as, just as, even as, in proportion as, in the degree that, since, seeing that.
These spiritual gifts are in accordance with His choosing of us, & what His intentions for us.
Example- In accordance with what he was chosen for, Joe Smith will make $8 million per year as the new quarterback, will have a signing bonus, & performance bonuses, & a ten-year contract.
just as He chose us- He chose us for Himself. Not an afterthought by God, but planned.
Election is something for the Christian to rejoice in. God purposely chose you.
When defining the word Choose, don’t assume that if someone isn’t chosen they are rejected.
Christians are commanded to “go, and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
1 John 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
The chosen are called to go to those who have not yet entered into a relationship with Christ.
The chosen are sent to the “unchosen”, so that they may respond to the call.
The Bible teaches two truths:
1. Man’s free will-John 3:16-19
2. God’s sovereign election- He purposed our salvation from eternity past.
in Him before the foundation of the world, before Genesis 1:1
1:4b that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
that we should be- not an exhortation to be, but a statement of God’s intentions
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…
Holy- separated. Set apart from the world, and set apart for God.
Blameless, without blame-As children grow, they resemble their parents in many ways.
Election has a moral goal. To make us more like Christ. Election enables us to be holy.
1:5a (in love,) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself… having predestined us- proorizo- to set the boundary or horizon. God’s plan to make us His.
to adoption as sons- we were placed in the position of God’s children.
We receive all the benefits of having God as our Father. See Romans 8:15, 16; Galatians 4:6
1:5b according to the good pleasure of His will,
To try to base our election upon our works, merit, etc., is unscriptural and futile.
The cause of God’s choosing us is not found in us. The will of God is the determining factor.
Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…
good pleasure- that which brings God satisfaction by expressing His true nature.
God’s determination to save us, and to make us holy, delights Him.
It pleases God to bless us with every spiritual blessing, to adopt us, & to make us his children.
1:6a to the praise of the glory of His grace- Notice the threefold use of the phrase.
1:6 speaks of the glory of the work of the Father; 1:12 the work of the Son; 1:14 of the Spirit.
the glory of His grace- God’s favor given to sinful man, who deserves only His wrath.
God’s unmerited favor towards us is how it came to be.
We are blessed with spiritual blessings, chosen, adopted, forgiven, cleansed, justified.
All because of unmerited favor. Not only God gets glory, but His grace gets glory.
As we realize these truths, it should bring forth praise from our hearts.
1:6b by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
He has made us accepted- Jesus is the One who made a way for us to be cleansed.
The object, the Person, the place where that grace is shown, and passed on to us, is in the Person of the Son, Jesus Christ.
Accepted because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
God hasn’t overlooked our sin. Christ paid for it. He paid for it to make us adoptable.
The cross not only removed our sin & made us adoptable, but it also brought us spiritual blessings.
We are in his family, clothed with royal garments, seated at the table, His sons & daughters.
Our life with God should be one of response to what He has accomplished for us.
As we realize what He has done for us, it leaves no room for boasting, but only praise.