Ephesians 1

Sunday, 3 July 2016

…which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, Ephesians 1:8

This verse is a transition between the thought of the preceding verse which noted “the riches of His grace,” and that which will explain those riches in the following verses. At this point, Paul is stating that God has “made to abound” these riches (which are to be explained) toward us.

The Greek word translated as “made to abound” is one which indicates abundance or surplus. It means “to go beyond measure” and thus it gives the idea of overflowing. The riches of God toward us because of the Person and work of Christ simply overflow. And this superabundance which comes to us is “in all wisdom and prudence.”

Wisdom is the excellent use of knowledge. One can be extremely smart and lack any wisdom. For example, a person may have the knowledge of how to make money, but he may not have wisdom in the use of his money. In lacking wisdom, his intelligence is wasted and he remains penniless at the end of the month. Another person may not have great knowledge, but he may be quite wise. He may make very little, but at the end of the month he has money in the bank because he was wise enough to save along the way.

Prudence is noted by HELPS Word Studies as “that brand of visceral opinion which pleases the Lord because [prudence is] shaped by God’s inworkings of faith (‘divine persuasion,’… i.e. Christ-enlightened perspective which has the insight to make intelligent (shrewd) life-applications in the will of God).”

Together, the wisdom and prudence which are indicated here reflect the wise plan which was laid out concerning man’s redemption (wisdom), and the execution of that plan by God in the stream of human history (prudence). As noted, this “wisdom and prudence” will be explained in the coming verses. They are the riches of God’s grace which have been bestowed upon us.

Life application: When we are stuck in a rut, whether mental or spiritual, all we need to do is to get into the Bible and read about what God has done for us in the stream of time. The plan was there from the beginning and was methodically being worked out for eons. At the coming of Christ, the realization of what He had been doing came about. It all centered on Christ. Now, we are the recipients of that marvelous plan. If we are stuck, pondering what Christ did for us should unstick us. Turn your thoughts to the cross and all that it signifies. How can we be anything but grateful when we consider the cross of Christ!

Lord God, sometimes we get stuck in a rut. It may be a mental rut, a spiritual rut, or some other type of rut. But if we just take the time to consider what You have done for us in the giving of Your Son, how can we stay stuck? Everything in history centers on His life and work. And that life and work was given for our sakes! Your love is seen in the objects of Your affection… the people of the world who have called on Jesus. Unstuck! The cross sets us free. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday, 2 July 2016

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace… Ephesians 1:7

“In Him” means Christ who is “the Beloved” of the previous verse. It is through God’s Beloved Son that “we have redemption through His blood.” In the Greek, there is an article before “redemption.” It states “the redemption” and thus it sets the thought apart as the great act of redemption to which any other act (such as the redemption of Israel from Egypt) was only a type and shadow.

In other words, the promised Redeemer of Genesis 3:15 is realized in Christ. From that proclamation, every idea of redemption which is found in Scripture pointed to what Christ would do for us. This true redemption was realized “through His blood.” We now stand justified and free from sin’s penalty through the redemption that came by His work, and which culminated in the shedding of His blood (meaning His death) on the cross.

The term “redemption” comes from a root word which indicates the price paid to redeem a person, such as a prisoner of war. It signifies liberty from captivity, bondage, or imprisonment. We are born into sin and we are prisoners of sin, held in bondage by its power and are kept by the master of sin, the devil. This is confirmed by the devil’s words to Jesus in Luke 4 where he stated that “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” Sin is a firm bond and the devil is a cruel taskmaster. However, Jesus’ mission was to destroy this power. John notes this as the principle reason for His coming –

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

Jesus prevailed where Adam failed. What the devil gained through Adam’s disobedience, Jesus regained through His obedience. What God asks is that we simply believe this message, receive His gift, and place our trust in what Jesus has done for us. This is the “redemption through His blood.” This is the marvel of what God has done for us. In Him there is absolute victory and complete reconciliation with God the Father.

As a means of highlighting this thought, Paul next says that in Him we also have “forgiveness of sins.” This is a complementary thought to the previous clause. The word for “forgiveness” signifies the complete release of someone from an obligation or debt. Sin’s penalty is ended through the work of Christ for all who believe.

Charles Ellicott notes that the first clause, “redemption through His blood,” looks at the work of atonement from God’s perspective, while “the forgiveness of sins” looks at it from our side. In this he says they are “both being wrought by Him who is Son of God and Son of Man at once. Together they represent the whole truth.” Joseph Benson adds to the thought by saying, “By price and by power, are bought and delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin, the tyranny of Satan, and the final displeasure and wrath of God.”

Paul notes that all of this was, “according to the riches of His grace.” This is understood to mean the riches of the grace of God the Father. As noted in Ephesians 1:6, grace is an attribute of God and is a part of His divine nature. Therefore, the giving of Christ for our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins is an expression of who God truly is. We can see the infinite grace of God when we look to the cross of Christ.

Finally, this is another marvelous verse which points to the ending of the law for all who are in Christ Jesus. Logically, if we have redemption through Christ’s blood (meaning His atoning death), and this is complementary in thought to “the forgiveness of sins,” and as sin comes about through law, then the obvious deduction for us is that we are dead to the law; its power no longer has mastery over us. Paul explains this exactingly elsewhere in his writings.

Life application: As you go about your day, remind yourself of what you have received from God in the giving of His Son. Truly ponder this marvelous deed and think on what it signifies for you. There is an eternity of fellowship with God that lies ahead of us because of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, we can see that the cross of Christ is the true redemption of which all others were only types and shadows. When the Passover lamb of Egypt was sacrificed, it only pointed to the true Passover Lamb who would come and die for us. When You brought Israel out from Egypt and through the Red Sea, it was a mere picture of what You would do for us. You redeemed us from the world of sin. Each thing of the past only looked forward to the great and true redemption wrought by Christ the Lord. How marvelous is the cross of Jesus Christ! Amen!

Friday, 1 July 2016

…to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

This verse is again a continuation of the same thought. It is a comment on the predestination and election which was referred to in the preceding words. Taken together, they read –

“…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 made us accepted in the Beloved.”

The words “to the praise of the glory of His grace” are a Hebraism. They bear the same meaning as, “to His glorious grace.” And so Paul is indicating that praises are due because of the process of predestination and election which have been laid out in the stream of time, and in which those who participate should be forever grateful. Such praises are made because of His glorious grace. His grace, revealed in this redemptive process, is the very basis of our gratitude towards God.

To see this further revealed, we can note that first in Ephesians 1:7 “the riches of His grace” is mentioned. Afterward, in Ephesians 1:17 & 18 the focus is on the “glory.” First it mentions that He is “the Father of glory,” and then it speaks of “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

This connection between God’s glory and His grace is seen in a marvelous way in Exodus 33 when Moses spoke to the Lord –

“And he said, ‘Please, show me Your glory.’
¹⁹ Then He said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’” Exodus 33:18, 19

In this, we find that the grace of God isn’t just a favor granted by Him. Rather it is one of His very attributes and a part of His divine nature. He is gracious just as He is love. Vincent’s Word Studies rightly states that, “In praising God for what He does, we learn to praise Him for what He is.” We praise God because of His grace bestowed upon us, and in this we understand that we praise Him because He is gracious in His very being.

And Paul goes further yet. He says that it is this grace, “by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” It is through Christ that the tie is made. God demonstrates His grace towards us, this very aspect of His nature, through the giving of Christ. Christ is the means of bestowing His unmerited favor upon the people of the world.

Calling Christ “the Beloved” shows the inseparable connection between the two. The love found in this Father/Son relationship is infinite. Therefore, in our uniting with Christ, the love relationship between God and us places us in that same infinite love. Christ becomes our Redeemer, our Savior, and our Mediator to God the Father.

As He gave up His Son for our salvation, not sparing Him, then how great a love God must have for us, the objects of His affection! This is the true demonstration of the glory of His grace. It is the reason why our praises are directed towards Him. We have been made acceptable in the Beloved, and thus our praise of what the Beloved has done for us are praises for what the Father has done in Him for us. The two are inseparably connected, and thus the praises are also inseparably connected. This is revealed in the words of John –

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:1-5

This also explains why Jesus made this claim – “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:23). There can be no honor of the Father if the Son is not honored. The grace of God, shown in the Beloved, means that the praise of God either honors both or it honors neither.

Life application: Take time today to sing to the praise of God’s glorious grace. This song from Michael W. Smith, based on this verse, will help you along the way – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idbh7w1A3VY

Heavenly Father, You word shows that being gracious reflects Your very nature. As You are love, You are also gracious. And Your grace has been revealed in the Beloved, Your Son Jesus. Because of this, we cannot honor You without honoring Your Son. What He did reflects Your very nature. And so help us to cling to the cross of Christ; Your grace put on full display for the world to receive or reject. Help us to be wise enough to receive Him, and thus receive You. Amen.

Thursday, 30 June 2016

…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, Ephesians 1:5

As this is one long continued thought, let us review the last verse together with this one –

“…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…”

Paul said that God “chose us” in the previous verse, and now he notes that this choice includes “having predestined us to adoption as sons.” The question is, “What exactly does the ‘predestination’ mean; when did it occur and by what means?”

There are several possibilities, three of which should be considered. Before doing so, it needs to be understood that God does not think either syllogistically (meaning He does not make deductions based on facts), nor does He think discursively (meaning going from thought to thought in a random manner as we often do). God knows everything immediately and intuitively. As He is outside of time, then there can be no time associated with the mind of God. Those (and other such) types of thinking imply the passage of time.

As God doesn’t think things through in a pattern, our possibilities are only a reference for us to consider. They do not reflect the actual way that God predestined us, but they are laid out in sequence because everything that pertains to our predestination has occurred in time; in the process of redemptive history. Understanding this, the options we will look at are:

• God “predestined” those for salvation from a point in time even before the fall of man. God, in essence, said, “I will choose these people and none other.” There is no act of the will on the part of the elect, but God willed them for salvation or condemnation from even before the fall. If this is so, then it means that God actually created all the others for destruction as a part of His active plan. In this view, He is saying, “I have created some to go to hell.” This crazy, unbiblical view is termed “hyper-Calvinism.”

• God “predestined” those for salvation from a point after the fall of man, but before the point in time when He determined to correct the fall of man by sending Jesus. There is no act of the will on the part of the elect, but God willed each for salvation or condemnation from after the fall. He then decided to send Jesus to redeem those He chose. If this is so, then God selected those He chose for salvation and simply left all the others out of His plan. He ignored their fallen state and said, “They can go to hell. They are not a part of my redemptive plan.” This unscriptural view falls under the general teachings of modern Calvinism.

• God “predestined” those for salvation after both the fall and the plan to fix the fall. This would mean that He says, “I knew that this would happen and I am going to fix this problem by sending Jesus. Anyone who calls on Him will be saved. My plan of redemption is one of ‘choosing’ those who are willing to believe, by faith, that I am a rewarder of those who diligently seek Me.” In this is seen the truth of John 3:16 – “…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” He saw there was a problem; resolved to fix the problem; and sent Jesus on His mission to fix the problem.

The contents of Scripture clearly lay out that God allows man free-will. As this is so, the predestination of man falls into the third category. God “predestined us to adoption as sons” through a plan which reveals His love for His creatures, and yet an allowance for those creatures to willingly accept or reject Him is granted. And this is done “by Jesus Christ” and “to Himself.”

It is through the work of Jesus Christ that God has accomplished His work of predestination. It is the means by which man can and must be saved. As this is so, then it can be the only means by which this may come about; God has no other plan because God is God. Thus, the entire plan is “according to the good pleasure of His will.” This term doesn’t indicate merely a sense of a friendly feeling, but rather that it is what is pleasing to Him.

As has already been noted above from Hebrews 11:6, but which will be cited in its entirety, it is “faith” which is pleasing to God. The entire body of Scripture points to this –

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

What kind of nutty thinking would state that this faith is not of free-will? Why would it please God to make a being that was forced to believe that He existed in order to be saved? That is as nutty as a tennis puck. Rather, God instilled in man free-will. He also set the parameters by which that free-will would be pleasing to Him. When the free-will is in accord with those parameters, God is pleased with that.

This is the proper understanding of what God has done within the stream of time in which we exist. Again, as noted above though, God doesn’t actually think in the way that is presented; but His thoughts are revealed to us in one of those ways as the stream of time, which He created, unfolds.

Life application: Where is God glorified in creating automatons that simply do what He wills? Other than reveling in something that He didn’t even need to create in order to get exactly the same effect as if He did, He is not so glorified in any way. Rather, in creating free-willed sentient beings who willingly accept His offer of Jesus Christ, He is truly glorified. From that acceptance, He can then fellowship with those beings, redeemed by the blood of His Son, for all eternity.

Lord God, You are fully complete in Your own Being and You didn’t need to create a thing in order to be satisfied with who You are. And yet, because of Your love for the creatures You could create, You did create. And now we are given the choice to accept that, or reject it. Your word tells us that those who are pleasing to You are those who diligently seek after You and have faith in You and in what You have done. Help us to demonstrate faith in the work of Jesus, calling on Him and being saved unto eternal life. And then Lord, help us to pursue Christ all our days. With this, surely You will be pleased. Amen.

Wednesday, 29 June 2016

…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, Ephesians 1:4

Note: This commentary is rather long, but the wording is important and precision of thought and word is needed.

The words here can be viewed in several ways. One view negates the thought of free-will in man, as if God has made a decision to choose specific individuals regardless of whether they do anything or not.

This is a monergistic view which basically looks at all things as directed by God to an ultimate end in such a way that there is no need to “receive” Jesus; there is no need to evangelize others; there is no need to anticipate that the things we do will affect our eternal destiny in any way. It is basically God’s plan being executed by automatons.

The other view is a synergistic view which says that the free-will of man is included in God’s purposes of election; that man is accountable for the actions and decisions he makes; and that receiving Christ is an active part of the redemptive process. The words of Charles Ellicott help define which view is correct (underlining added) –

“The eternal election of God is inseparably connected with the blessing of the Spirit. This passage stands alone in St. Paul’s Epistles in its use of this word ‘chosen’ in connection with God’s eternal purpose, ‘before the foundation of the world’—a phrase only applied elsewhere to the eternal communion of the Son with the Father (John 17:24), and to the foreordaining of His sacrifice in the divine counsels (1 Peter 1:20). The word “chosen” itself is used by our Lord of His choice of the Apostles (John 6:70; John 13:18; John 15:16-19); but in one case with the significant addition, ‘one of you is a devil,’ showing that the election was not final. It is similarly used in the Acts (Acts 1:2; Acts 1:24; Acts 6:5; Acts 15:7; Acts 15:22; Acts 15:25) of His choice or the choice of the Apostles; and once (Acts 13:7) of the national election of Israel. In 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 (the only other place where it is used by St. Paul), and in James 2:5 it refers to choice of men by God’s calling in this world. Clearly in all these cases it is applied to the election of men to privilege by an act of God’s mercy here. In this passage, on the contrary, the whole reference is to the election “in Christ,” by the foreknowledge of God, of those who should hereafter be made His members. From this examination of Scriptural usage it is clear that the visible election to privilege is constantly and invariably urged upon men; the election in God’s eternal counsels only dwelt upon in passages which (like this or Romans 9, 11) have to ascend in thought to the fountain-head of all being in God’s mysterious will. It will be observed that even here it clearly refers to all members of the Church, without distinction.”

From this study, we see that the meaning of God’s predestination, or choosing us, “in Him before the foundation of the world” speaks of an overall plan for the redemption of man, not the individual details of the plan. In other words, God would do something in the realm of space, time, and matter which He created, and which would bring about the redemption of the creatures He knew would fall from His favor. The plan was laid out and ordained before the creation of anything that existed, and that plan includes God’s petitioning of men to turn back to Him voluntarily; the overall plan includes human free-will. This doesn’t mean He doesn’t know what choices we will make, but it allows for free-will from a human perspective.

In this we see that the details of that overall plan would come by the individual actions of man within the larger concept of “choosing” the elect. In the plan are set parameters which included “that we should be holy and without blame before Him.” These words show us the object of the overall plan of divine election. They imply a synergistic cooperation between the Redeemer and the redeemed. Because of the fall, man is inherently unholy and unrighteous. However, in coming to Christ, man is justified before God. From that point we are to strive toward holiness so that we may be presented to God in holiness (see Romans 12:1).

Albert Barnes provides the following concerning the responsibilities of the elect –

“The tendency among people has always been to abuse the doctrine of predestination and election; to lead people to say that if all things are fixed there is no need of effort; that if God has an eternal plan, no matter how people live, they will be saved if he has elected them, and that at all events they cannot change that plan, and they may as well enjoy life by indulgence in sin. The apostle Paul held no such view of the doctrine of predestination. In his apprehension it is a doctrine suited to excite the gratitude of Christians, and the whole tendency and design of the doctrine, according to him, is to make people holy, and without blame before God in love.”

God’s plan neither directs nor chooses individual salvation apart from the giving of Christ (which in reality is what a monergistic view of salvation implies), nor does it direct individual holiness apart from the process of sanctification, of which the individual clearly participates. If God chose the elect even prior to the fall, then Christ’s work loses its significance. Such ideas conflict with the entire tenor of Scripture and are based on a faulty view of the overall plan. God’s plan does not negate free-will. Instead God’s plan relies on free-will; it anticipates it; it expects it.

And all of this from God is “in love.” The final two words of the verse show us the nature of God’s heart toward the objects of the plan. God would create in love. God knew that man would turn away from Him, but in love He devised His plan even before that occurred; even as He determined to create. Man did fall, and in love God continued with the plan of redemption for man; He chose to send Jesus. There is no other plan because the plan is based on the eternal counsel of God even before creation. Therefore, the use of the words “chose us” indicates all those who would be receptive to the plan, executed in love, which was devised in love by God who is love.

Life application: You may choose to accept this analysis of the doctrine of election or you may reject it. That is your choice. The important point is that as long as you choose to receive Jesus Christ, you will be saved. If you don’t you will not be saved. Choose wisely.

Lord God, it is beyond comprehension that You would step out of Your eternal realm, unite with Your creation, and work within that creation to correct what we have so horribly fouled up. And then, You grant us the choice to believe or reject that what You did is sufficient to reconcile us to You. In the great plan, which You devised before the very foundation of the world, You have left the final decision up to us as to whether we will accept it or not. How wise You are in Your ways. Thank You for granting us this opportunity to participate in Your love through the work of Christ! Amen.