Spiritual Blessings Eph 1:3-14

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1 Spiritual Blessings Eph 1:3-14 Mark Foreman NC3 v PRAISE FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST (3) Ø Praise to God is the goal (1:3, 6, 12, 14). The chorus of this section Not for God s ego, but because it is truth---god is the ultimate good, beauty, & love. The right response to anything good, especially the ultimate good. Praise & love are the proofs that you have come to know God. Praise comes from the discovery of God s nature and deeds. Ø The heavenlies--- the realm of these Blessings "heavenlies": the unseen realm of spiritual reality Context: Ø Barakakah/eulogetos: Blessed be has blessed us every spiritual blessing. Three different aspects of blessing: Praise given (verb) gifts. Amount of Spiritual Blessings---"Every" (see 1 Cor 2:9). Paul was someone who understood there was a lot more than we realized. Ø These great blessings are found in Christ v THE 1st SPIRITUAL BLESSING ELECTION (4, 11) Ø Being chosen is staggering if we are honest about our nature. (Psa 139). Ø The timing is equally astounding. God has (foreknown) foreloved us (Rom 8:29). Ø Our limited sense of fairness, must not be thought to be better than God s love, goodness, & wisdom. Ø There is a trangle of influence on our lives: God, ourselves and the world. Triangle of God s Will, My Will, and Cause and effect of the world. All three are held in balance and are a part of our worldview. When only God s will, we can behave irresponsibly and blame God or be God s victim. When only

2 the world s events we are paranoid. When only our will we a neurotic. All three exist. An overemphasis on God leads to blaming, passivity and magical thinking. An overemphasis on ourselves leads to narcissism or neurosis. An overemphasis on world events leads to paranoia or fear. v THE 2nd SPIRITUAL BLESSING LOVING HOLINESS Ø Holy love for Him and others is the goal of His intelligent design. Ø Holiness is being devoted to the nature and will of God---true love. Ø God s design is for us to enjoy his nature and to be like Him. Ø Holiness is the image of God. v THE 3rd SPIRITUAL BLESSING PREDESTINATION (GOD S PLAN FOR YOU) Ø Predestination means to decide beforehand or to establish a pre-destiny. Ø We were not arbitrarily chosen, but chosen with adoption in mind. Ø Some balk at predestination because it seems to cut against the grain of free choice, but it does not. Our free choice and God's choice both stand as truths. No one is coerced or restricted. But neither does our will control God. We re not concerned with God s freedom, only ours. Both are true. Ø This doctrine must be held in balance with the others truths of Scripture. We are free to choose but so is God. Other truths, which balance this truth, are love, compassion, goodness, patience, justice, individual choice & responsibility, & judgment. Predestination is not fatalism. We are urged to make plans. But we should be disturbed by the prideful independence this doctrine tends to stir up in our haughty hearts.

3 His decision is before my existence so it s not based on my action. Predestination is based on foreknowledge. Not simply factual foreknowledge but relational foreknowledge. Not preknowledge of my goodness, but pre-knowledge in the sense of affection (fore-loved). Ø His will--- God s desire behind his design God has a pleasure (delight) and a will (desire). God s intelligent design (Election & predestination) is based on His delight and desire. Salvation is letting go of my petty, independent, false sense of deity (my wants & ways) and embracing His design for my life. v THE 4th SPIRITUAL BLESSING Adoption: the secret of inclusion in Christ revealed to us! (9-10) Ø He made known... the mystery (9). A mystery in the NT is a divine secret, which was once hidden but is now revealed. Mystery: used 6x in Eph. 1:9; 3:3, 4, 6, 9; 5:2; 6:19. Something once hidden, but now revealed. Best defined here & 3:6: This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel Notice his will (plan, pleasure) is good. God is good to the core. At this point all Paul states is that it is in Christ. Ø The mystery is that all things (inclusion the Gentiles [3:6]) are to come together under Christ (10). This is the big picture. Fulfillment All things One head Even Christ! Col. 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. History is marching toward one end. Ø What is remarkable is that we participate in the secret in advance! God s plan is to bring everything, including me, under Christ!

4 Friends know secrets, sometimes confessions, sometimes dreams & plans. Jan & I knew our engagement 6 mo. s before announced. We ve seen t. blueprint What if could see how an athlete is going to perform? An investment? An employee? Ø Inclusion---not a right but a remarkable reality We also were included! Just think, included by God to His party! The moment when inclusion was confirmed was the moment we heard... the gospel... having believed. Faith in God s faithfulness in Christ is the perfect ticket for inclusion, because to doubt, or not trust is to remain distant from God. v The 5th SPIRITUAL BLESSING THE PROOF OF OUR INCLUSION---THE SPIRIT S SEAL (13b-14) Ø The promised Holy Spirit (Num 11:29; Isa 44:3; Eze 36:27; Joel 2:28-29). Ø Marked with a seal a deposit guaranteeing (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; 1 Jn 4:11-13). The presence of the Holy Spirit guiding us with and into Christ s nature is the hors d'oeuvre of what s to come. Circumcision. Ø God s possession to the praise of his glory. Proof of inclusion. Tagged by God. Branded is too passive of an image. The conversation with & fruit of Spirit is the mark. Mat 22 v PRAISE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF HIS INDESCRIBABLE LOVE Ø We come full circle, returning to praise; it is inevitable. Ø God is love. He chose us in love. He created out of love. He redeemed us in love. Now we praise Him for His glorious love.

5 Ø Praise is the only right response to the discovery of anything wonderful. * Daniel & Kayla v THINKING IT THROUGH Ø Read the verses aloud. What does Paul begin and end with? Ø Using your definitions, rewrite verses 3-14, paraphrasing this passage in your own words. Paraphrasing makes a passage your own. Now meditate on your paraphrase; let the words change your life. Ø The ability of human to choose may be a residue of being made in the image of God. Describe how this ability is mutant among humans. Ø Why does God s election bother us sometimes while our free choice doesn t? Ø What other truths in Scripture balance the concept of predestination? Why must these truths be held in tension? Ø What is the goal of election and predestination? Thank God for choosing you. Ø Praise God for these Spiritual Blessings!