The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Because of His Good Pleasure
Ephesians 1:3-23 explains Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as payment for our sins in terms of a financial transaction. If you wonder sometimes what to praise God for in your private worship time with Him, try reading this back to Him in your prayers.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. He predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace in which He has made us accepted in the beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. He made known unto us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will that we should be to the praise of His glory… In Him you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In Him also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, and that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
[I pray that you may know] what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and when He set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And He has put all things under His feet, and given Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.”
To summarize, we are precious to God and therefore chosen, covered with the righteousness of Jesus, and adopted, all because of His grace. He saved us by His blood, the price for purchasing us back from slavery to sin because of “the riches of His grace” and according to His “good pleasure”. We have an inheritance, part of which is to give Him glory. In fact, our sincere and heartfelt response to these blessings from God should be our unceasing “praise of his glory”. In addition, we have the proof of our relationship in Christ, the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. Paul, the author of Ephesians, prays for fuller understanding for Christians of all that is included in this transaction – including the spirit of wisdom and revelation, knowledge of him, the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of His power on our behalf. Finally, God has placed Jesus Christ at the head of His church, all those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, with the power and preeminence due Him.
How can we not shout “Hallelujah!” in light of this passage?
Update/Prayer Request: While other issues seem to be under control, Dan continues to be very tired because of insomnia. Please pray that he will be able to sleep through each night.
