Sunday: Chosen and Accepted in Christ
A thank you note usually includes a description of the gift or gifts received. Paul includes a long gift list in Ephesians 1:3-14 as he thanks God for the blessings of the gospel.
Paul praises God for the fact that He has “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3, ESV). That the blessings are spiritual (Greek, pneumatikos) suggests that they come through the Spirit (pneuma), pointing to the closing of Paul’s blessing, which celebrates the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Ephesians 1:3-6 contains inspiring language about how God views us in Christ. Before the creation of the world, God chose us in Christ and determined that we should stand “holy and blameless” in His presence (Ephesians 1:4, ESV; compare Ephesians 5:27) as treasured sons and daughters by virtue of both Creation and Redemption in Christ (Ephesians 1:5). Since before the sun began to shine, it has been His strategy that we would be “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6, NKJV). In short, it’s God’s intention for us to be saved. We lose salvation only by our own sinful choices.
What does the phrase “in the heavenly places” mean in Ephesians (the only place it is used in the New Testament)? Study the uses of the phrase. (See Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12; compare the use of “in the heavens,” Ephesians 3:15, Ephesians 4:10, Ephesians 6:9.)
In Ephesians the phrases “in the heavenly places” and “in the heavens” or “in heaven” point to heaven as the dwelling place of God (Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 6:9), to the location of spiritual powers (Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:20-21; Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 3:15; Ephesians 6:12), and to the location of Christ’s exaltation at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20). Believers have access to these “heavenly places” in the present as the sphere where spiritual blessings are offered through Christ (Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 2:6). Though “the heavenly places” have become a place of blessing for believers, they are still the location of conflict from evil powers that contest the lordship of Christ (Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 6:12).
| Dwell on Ephesians 1:4, which says that we have been chosen in Him, Christ, “before the foundation of the world.” What does that mean? How does it reveal to us God’s love for us and His desire for us to be saved? |
(23)
In my early days of teaching I used to teach Bible classes. Can you an imagine that? A science/maths teacher having to teach Bible classes? I was totally new to teaching and did not have a clue how to teach Bible. We had a Bible textbook but it was about a century old and written in holy tones that made it sound as though it had to be read in church.
To spice things up a bit I asked my students to translate (We were using the King James Version) the passages we were studying into understandable school-student Australian language. Some of the students took to this idea like a duck takes to water and produced some stunning "translations".
Today, I am going to try and respond to my yesterday's challenge and do an Aussie translation of the first few verses of Ephesians (This is a bit of off-the-cuff writing. It might be a bit different if I churn on it for a while):
==========
G'day. It's Paul the preacher here, writing to God's mob in Ephesus but also to anyone who wants to follow Jesus.
Christian greetings to you from both the Father and Jesus. Your connection with God brings both him and you a lot of spiritual happiness and joy.
God has always intended right from the very beginning that the best possible outcome would be when we work together in him. He wants us to be "adopted" by Jesus to be his family. And by so doing show the strength of that bond between us.
Those of you with a Jewish background will understand that this bonding is through the sacrificial blood of Jesus and this includes being forgiven for our stupidity and mistakes of the past. That is how loving God is towards us.
Not only that, but he provides us with living skills, understanding, and an appreciation of what he really wants us to do.
==========
I've always found it helpful to rewrite passages in my own words, ever since one of my Sunday school teachers had us do it in class. (I grew up Baptist and became Adventist in my mid 20s, that's a whole other story.) Nowadays I use the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries in my Bible to help me in rewording passages. It really can open up my eyes to new insights, especially when I can find cultural background information as well. I love using my Bible study journal for this, so I can look back occasionally and sometimes even gain new insights from reviewing my older musings.
That's a great way to really make the Bible our own .. to ponder and absorb. Thank you for reminding us, Karen!
That's a really great way to really make the Bible our own .. to ponder and absorb. Thank you fir reminding us, Karen!
Those who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world are the ones to whom this epistle is being addressed to-who are the saints who accepted God’s call(Ephesians 1:1). Some will say all humanity was chosen before the foundation of the world, meaning everyone will be saved. That is not true, only the faithful will be saved.
Before the foundation of the world
It means there was no need for us to be involved. It only needed God alone to elect us before the creation of human beings. This happened before time and creation. This was not based on human merits as humans were not there when this choice was made.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 6:37 “ALL that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: IF ANY man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.”
“The Father sets His love upon His elect people who live in the midst of men. These are the people whom Christ has redeemed by the price of His own blood; and because they respond to the drawing of Christ, through the sovereign mercy of God, they are elected to be saved as His obedient children. Upon them is manifested the free grace of God, the love wherewith He hath loved them. Everyone who will humble himself as a little child, who will receive and obey the Word of God with a child's simplicity, will be among the elect of God….”EGW SDA Bible Commentary Vol 6 p 1114.3
When you hear Christ knock, let him in.
Chosen and accepted in Christ….. having a question on the end part of today’s lesson:
Though “the heavenly places” have become a place of blessing for believers, they are still the location of conflict from evil powers that contest the lordship of Christ
Question: How heaven is still location of conflict from evil powers that contest the lordship of Christ???
I kept asking myself
.
"Evil in the heavenly places" emphasizes a battle beyond this world. This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning “the sphere of spiritual activities.”
This is not talking about God's home, heaven. It's a spiritual dimension where both loyal and fallen angels operate, as opposed to the physical dimension that we occupy.
What does the phrase “in the heavenly places” mean in Ephesians?
Choosing the correct preposition matters so much here. "In" ....not "with"...."in Christ"....
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2:6
The disciples James and John at one time wanted to sit with Christ in heaven. They thought about it a lot and then they asked for it. In Mark 10:37 they say, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” And they weren't the only ones who had this wish. The other disciples did too. "When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John" (Mark 10:41). They ALL wanted to sit very close to Jesus.
But here's the thing, when we want to be very close to Jesus, we're still lifting ourselves up. Pride is still ruling our hearts. We're still longing for recognition from others. This isn't about literal "sitting", this is about ruling. James and John wanted positions of honor in Jesus' government. They felt they deserved cabinet positions, appointments to positions of great authority and prestige. They felt special because they were so close to Jesus and His truths.
Jesus gently says, "No. No. You don't understand. 'You don’t know what you are asking....Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?'(Mark 10:38).” The way to heavenly places and being with Jesus on His throne is dying Jesus' death and being raised a new creature, entirely in Him. Jesus is always the only pure and spotless One on the throne. If we are there, we are there in Him.
We know that when Jesus said to the man who had thieved, dying next to Him on the cross, "I tell you today, you will be with Me in Paradise". And we are careful to place the comma to support the truth of a rest at death. But perhaps the other way is also true in this respect. The moment we choose to die to self, we are immediately hidden in Christ, so spiritually we are immediately with Him by being in Him in Paradise. Heaven is the headquarters of God's government and a future earth made new for us, and heaven is also a mindset and "heartset" right now, a current dwelling place, for the born again. We are always looking at Jesus by faith. He covers us, surrounds us, takes us over. He is ruling in us.
Am I still relying on any perfections I think I have within myself? Am I trying to fill roles of responsibility NEXT to Jesus, rather than constantly praying that I will stay in a bowed position within His kingdom so that it is HE HIMSELF acting through me?
Is the Church still relying on itself, exalting its history and mission and privileged position of hearing truth from Jesus, over exalting Jesus Himself? When we meet together on Sabbath and at Campmeetings, in our private conversations, are we hidden in Jesus, is He increasing and we decreasing? Does the following message in Col. 1:21-22 still bring repentance to our hearts and tears to our eyes?
I keep thinking about Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit and the desires of the flesh. When we are following Christ, the Spirit of God (in the heavenly places) works with us so we acquire Christs examplenary character in earth. The battle is between the heavenly places of light and the darkness of Satan and the World. The question is then, what principalities and powers do we choose for our life. I choose to receive the gifts of the Spirit of God. I want to live in a world that shows true love, peace, joy, gentleness, patience. God is so good and I thank Him that the spiritual blessings he offers me are true. Amen
Eph.3:9 - ”And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things BY Jesus Christ.”
This is the first time I see and understand the creation of all things being explained in this way. If taken literally, there is absolutely no other way to be part of the ‘fellowship of the mystery’ outside of being in Christ, because He is the one who ‘created all things’ for the Father, and in Whom all things exist - Eph.3:9; 1Cor.8:6; Col.1:16; Heb.2:10.
Our spiritual blessings in heavenly places find expressions in many ways through heavenly authorities, as we have access to the Father as the believer is found in His Son Jesus Christ, so demonstrating/proving to the heavenly powers that God’s manifold Wisdom regarding mankind has been good and just after all, as can be seen and demonstrated by the Ekklesia which glorifies and honors the Father’s Will and Way in Christ Jesus.
Eph.1:4 points out that the Father chose to create the worlds and all life in them through His Son who then came to redeem us as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How could the Father possibly reject anyone who has gained life again through being found in His Son? The Father does not reject the redeemed, living soul; after all, it is His Son's original design made after their Image. He accepts us again when He finds us covered by the redeeming love and righteousness as His Son's re-creation of man. Phil.3:7-9.
The term "in the heavenly places" in Ephesians refers to the spiritual realm or reality that exists in parallel and interacts with our physical world. It is the realm where spiritual blessings come from, where Christ's authority is fully manifested, where believers share in Christ's authority, where spiritual beings exist, and where the spiritual battle occurs. This concept reminds believers of the spiritual dimension of our existence and the reality of our relationship with Christ.
The statement in Ephesians 1:4 that we were chosen "in Him, Christ before the foundation of the world" communicates a profound truth about God's sovereign love and His eternal plan for humanity.
In saying that we were chosen "before the foundation of the world," Paul is indicating that God's decision to call, redeem, and adopt believers was not an afterthought or a reactive measure. It was part of His purpose and intention from before creation itself. This choice is not based on anything we have done or will do, but purely on God's grace and love.
This choice was made "in Him, Christ," meaning it was made with Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, in view. This reflects the Trinitarian nature of our salvation – planned by the Father, accomplished through the Son, and applied by the Spirit. The fact that God's plan centers on Jesus emphasizes that it is only through Christ that we can be saved and become God's children.
The knowledge that God chose us before the foundation of the world reveals His great love for us in several ways:
1. Eternal Love: God loved us before we existed before the world itself existed. This reveals a love that is not reactive or conditional, but proactive and eternal.
2. Sovereign Love: God's love for us is not based on our worthiness or merit but on His sovereign choice. This underscores the depth of His love, that He would choose us despite our sinfulness and unworthiness.
3. Sacrificial Love: God's plan involved sending His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. This willingness to sacrifice for our salvation demonstrates the profound extent of His love.
4. Pursuing Love: God's choosing of us shows His initiative in pursuing a relationship with us. He doesn't wait for us to turn to Him but has already reached out to us, showing His desire for us to be saved.
Ephesians 1:4 highlights God's preeminent love, His gracious initiative, and His eternal plan for our salvation, all of which should lead us to respond in wonder, gratitude, and faithful living.
In reading chapter 1, both last week and in this week's lesson, it hit me that the Father is key to our salvation. He is the one choosing us, blessing us. Yes, it comes through Jesus, but the Father takes initiative. This is important, because I think it's easy to think that Jesus is nice and the Father needs to be appeased. Ephesians shows us otherwise. And the Spirit is heavily involved too - all three members of the Godhead are working together for our good.