August 19 2025

Tuesday August 19

Blessings From God the Father

Ephesians 1:3-6

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

Remember the book of Ephesians is divided into two sections. Chapters 1-3 reveal our position in Christ. Chapters 4-6 teach us how to practically live out what we have as our riches in Jesus Christ. In chapter one, we're talking about knowing Christ. In chapter two, we're talking about loving Christ. And then in chapter three, we're talking about living Christ. These all take place from our position in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-6 is one long sentence. Today we are looking at the blessings that we have from God the Father. “Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us…” (v.3). Verses 3-6 are speaking of our blessings that we have from God the Father. When Jesus Christ wrote His last will and testament for His church, He made it possible for us to share in His spiritual riches. Instead of spending it all for Him, (as some do when they receive an inheritance), Jesus Christ paid for it all. His death on the cross and His resurrection made it possible for our salvation.

My friend, Jesus wrote us into His will and then He died so that the will would be enforced. That's what the book of Hebrews is about. Then He rose again that He might become the heavenly advocate, our lawyer, to make sure that the terms of the will were correctly followed.

In this long sentence Paul begins to name just a few of the blessings that we have that make up our spiritual wealth. First, we find in verse four here that God has “chosen us in Him”. This is the speaking of the marvelous doctrine of election, a doctrine that has confused some and confounded others. A seminary professor once remarked, "You try to explain election and you'll lose your mind. But try to explain it away and you may lose your soul."

The Scriptures teach that salvation begins with God and not with man. All Christians must agree upon this. "You have not chosen me," Jesus said, "but I have chosen you." (John 15:16). The lost sinner left to his own ways does not seek God. He hides from God. Remember Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3:8). God in His love seeks the sinner (Luke 19:10).

Note that God chose us even before He created the universe, so that our salvation is wholly of His grace and not on the basis of anything we ourselves have done. He chose us in Christ, not in ourselves. And He chose us for a purpose: “to be holy and without blame”. In the Bible, election is always unto something. It is a privilege that carries a great responsibility. We are not elected into the family of God, we are born into the family of God (John 3:1-7). We are elected to a position of sanctification and service as we participate in the body life in the family of God!

Does the sinner respond to God's grace against his own will? No, he responds because God's grace makes him willing to respond (Ephesians 2:8-9). God only gives us this grace when we humble ourselves under the condemnation of the Law and we acknowledge and confess that we can only be saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:10-13)! At the same time there is the mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility will never be solved in this life. Both are taught in the Bible (John 6:37). Both are true, and both are essential. Spurgeon said they are friends, and they walk hand in hand. I personally believe strongly in both!

I love how someone shared how that all three Persons in the Godhead are involved in our salvation (see also 1 Peter 1:3-5). As far as God the Father is concerned, you were saved when He chose you in Christ in eternity past. But that alone did not save you. As far as God the Son is concerned, you were saved when He died for you on the cross. As far as God the Spirit is concerned, you were saved when you yielded to His conviction and received Christ as your Savior. What began in eternity past was fulfilled in time present, and will continue for all eternity!

Oh, my friend, how wonderful it is to know that we have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, not to be saved, but “to be holy and without blame before Him in love”.  We are a special people. We have a great blessing. We are “chosen in Him”. 

God bless!