Eph 1:3–14 — Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ, Part 2

Verse 3 speaks of our rich spiritual blessings in Christ. These blessings …

1. Have their eternal origin in the Father’s electing love (vv. 4-6)
2. Have been purchased in history by Christ’s blood (vv. 7-8)
3. Are now applied to believers by the Spirit’s work (vv. 9-14)

Last week we looked at (1) - the Father’s electing love Review what we learned Election is unconditional that is, it isn’t based on anything that sets us apart from the non-elect. It is an utterly free act of God’s grace - vv. 5b-6 Election is purposeful that is, God didn’t just select certain people and leave others as a merely arbitrary display of despotic power but he chose us in order to predestine us for a great goal, namely, to be his adopted sons and daughters Verse 5 - adoption is a legal act whereby someone who is not a natural son is made the heir of the estate. This morning we will look at the second point:

(2) These spiritual blessings in Christ have been purchased in history by Christ’s blood (vv. 7-8)

Having blessed God for his sovereign election and predestination of sinners unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, Paul now praises God for accomplishing the redemption of the elect in time by means of Christ’s work of atonement resulting in the forgiveness of all our trespasses.

“In him we have redemption through his blood”

Redemption is a rich theological concept in Scripture. It originates in the OT, particularly in the exodus, or the Red Sea crossing When God brought Israel out of Egypt by his mighty hand he redeemed Israel from her bondage to Pharaoh Literally redemption in the ancient Hebrew context refers to a financial transaction in which someone pays the price necessary to buy back a person that had lost his or her freedom through debt slavery or to buy back a piece of land that had to be sold because of financial distress. The children of Abraham were God’s covenant people but they had lost their freedom and become enslaved to Pharaoh. Therefore, God bought them back - he redeemed them 1 Chron. 17:21 “And what nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for himself?”

What was the redemption price?

The Passover Lamb had to be slaughtered and its blood sprinkled upon the people Paul is clearly alluding to the exodus in our text, for he states that “we have redemption through his blood” But redemption isn’t the only theological term in our text having an OT background Blessing - v. 1 Holy & blameless - v. 4 Sonship - v. 5. These terms seem so ordinary to us - they are typical of the Pauline vocabulary.

Familiarity can be a hindrance to understanding. We easily pass over the rich covenantal and redemptive historical significance of these terms if we reduce them to theological jargon. The first term that stands as a banner at the beginning of this song of praise: every Spiritual blessing. This is the language of God’s promise to Abraham: “Surely blessing I will bless you.”

He chose them to be his holy and blameless people.

Holiness and blamelessness are cultic terms.

Both are used frequently in Leviticus to refer to the sacrifices, as well as the people of God themselves, who were to be offered as a holy oblation pleasing to God.

Blameless in particular has a sacrificial meaning.

The sacrificial animals must be without defect.

No lame or disfigured or sick animals may be offered to God.

Only that which is morally perfect in his sight.

These terms focus on Israel’s separation from the nations - her unique identity as God’s people, redeemed from among the unholy nations of the earth to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

God predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself.

Although Paul is clearly alluding to the Roman legal practice of adoption, we cannot ignore an even earlier reference - Israel was also God’s firstborn son.

“When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my Son” (Hosea 11:1). What made all this possible was the redemption of Israel, when God purchased his people to be his own possession, by means of the sprinkled blood of the Passover Lamb.

Now it is instructive to ask, Why does Paul define the gospel in terms of OT theology? To show that the church is the new Israel a theme that he will flesh out in greater depth in ch. 2 God’s purposes for Israel were so great and Israel’s failure to live up to those purposes so deep that ultimately God’s purposes could only be fulfilled in Christ himself, and by his body the church in union with Christ Use of OT vocabulary to define the salvation accomplished by Christ shows that Paul thinks redemptive historically.

He sees patterns in redemptive history. The new work of God in these last days in the person of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit is not totally new, but an eschatological fulfillment of God’s prior working in the creation of his Old Covenant people Israel. And all of this is in keeping with Paul’s stated concern in this epistle to demonstrate that the mystery has been revealed in Christ. Thus, OT language (blessing, holy, blameless, sonship, redemption) shows that God’s eternal purpose which was revealed in type and shadow in the OT is now revealed in finality and fullness in the gospel of Christ’s death/resurrection and formation of his trans-national body, the Spirit-filled church of those who believe in Jesus. Notice that this language is taken from the exodus redemption event the central event defining Israel’s identity as God’s chosen people, redeemed by his grace, and given the inheritance in the land. This is solid evidence that according to Paul the death and resurrection of Christ constitute the new exodus which established the new people of God.

“The forgiveness of our trespasses”

The whole gospel can be summed up in this one sentence. We have the forgiveness of sins!

It is not - “our sins can be forgiven on a case-by-case basis” But forgiveness as a permanent possession, a gift to be enjoyed at all times God does not hold our sins against us, but releases us and tells us that we are free from guilt. But this forgiveness isn’t merely a negative cancellation of the debt a mere wiping the slate clean as if we now had to come up with a positive righteousness on our own Forgiveness includes the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. Although this is not explicitly stated in this passage, it is implied by the fact that the phrase “the forgiveness of sins” is a further expansion on the previous phrase “in him we have redemption” The concept of redemption then is the broader category forgiveness of sins is subsumed under it but forgiveness by no means exhausts the concept of redemption Redemption brings to mind the idea of payment. A redemption price must be paid in order to reclaim that which has been lost. The redemption price stated in the text is the blood of Christ. This word “blood” carries with it the entire obedience of Christ Since Christ’s obedience began with his incarnation and reached its climactic fulfillment in his death Phil. 2:5-11. The point I am trying to make here is simply this:

Redemption includes the active and the passive obedience of Christ God redeemed us from sin, guilt, and Satan’s grip not merely by the passive obedience but by the whole unitary obedience of Christ including his incarnation and concluding with his cross. Therefore, we have forgiveness of our trespasses as well as the imputation of righteousness. This can be seen by noting v. 11 “In him we have obtained an inheritance” The blessings have been purchased for us, merited for us by Christ’s perfect obedience.

“According to the riches of his grace which he lavished on us”

The word “lavished” is literally “caused to be abundant”

Rom. 5:15-16, 20

There are no limits to God’s grace “which he lavished on us” God’s grace is an unrestricted lavishing of divine riches upon unworthy sinners Our sins cannot outweigh God’s grace. We cannot sin too much as God gave us only so many chances to repent and seek forgiveness Let us not restrict the grace of God by adding extra-biblical conditions.

“In all wisdom and prudence”

We are afraid that the grace of God will be turned into a license to sin, but do we think we are wiser than God?

God abundantly lavished this grace on us “in all wisdom and prudence” The KJV and the NIV are more accurate here as opposed to the NASB First, is this God’s wisdom and prudence or is it a further benefit that we have in Christ?

Eph. 3:10 supports the former. Second, does this prepositional phrase go with the next verse (see NASB) or does it continue the thought of vv. 7-8?

I believe the second option is best. The second word is translated “insight” in the NAS but that is not quite accurate. It means “prudence, thoughtfulness, or understanding” Sometimes it can even suggest a hint of “shrewdness” It implies that a high degree of thought and planning went into it. This is made particularly clear by the text’s emphasis on the sovereign will/counsel/good pleasure of God:

The good pleasure of his will - v. 5. The mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ - v. 9. He predestined us according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will - v. 11. Why has God so freely lavished us with grace and forgiveness in Christ?

What is his wise and thoughtful plan?

First of all, God desires to glorify his grace eternally and cosmically Verse 6 - “to the praise of the glory of his grace” (repeated in vv. 12, 14) Eph. 2:4-7 (esp. verse 7). The emphasis of this text is not so much, “Wow, look at all these great blessings we have in Christ” It is true, Paul’s enthusiasm clearly comes through He is like a child in a candy store In spite of this excitement for the blessings we have in Christ, the God-centered, doxological note is dominant Paul’s awe at the glory of the grace of God overpowers his joy which turns into marvel and praise for God’s sovereign grace and love. But even the glory of God does not do justice to the question, “Why has God so freely lavished his grace upon us?”

“He predestined us to adoption as sons through Christ to himself” This is a divine plan, conceived in eternity and implemented in time, in which God is achieving something much greater than our own salvation as wonderful as that is for us God is achieving something FOR HIMSELF He is securing a people to be His own possession Just as Israel was God’s inheritance, so the elect in their final state of holiness and glory before him will be God’s inheritance Verse 18 - “the riches of HIS inheritance in the saints”