Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having 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, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Previously we talked about the choice that was made. Then we asked ourselves two questions about that choice: Who was chosen and when. Today I want to talk about the blessing that is bestowed, I want to present two questions about the blessing: Where and Why?
Where?
Where is this blessing found? To answer this all we have to do is read the verses above:"...Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Then again: " According as he hath chosen us in him...." Then twice in verse 6: "Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." All the blessings that are being bestowed are found in Christ. All the fullness of God is in Him and outside of Him there is nothing. The only place to find these spiritual blessings in heavenly places is in Christ.We are the object of Gods blessing ,this is true, but Christ is the source. He is the fountain from which these blessings flow. In Him is life and light and everything man lacks. We don't stand holy and without blame before him(God) in love, Jesus does, and the only way we can stand holy and without blame before him(God) in Love is to be in Christ. We don't have spiritual blessings in Heavenly places, Christ does, and the only way we have those blessings is to be in Christ. We aren't accepted or beloved, Christ is, and Wherein, that is in Christ, is where we can find acceptance and be beloved. This is what Paul said about what dwells in us: Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
Now read what Paul says about what dwells in Christ: Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. :10 And ye are complete in him...
These blessings that the verses are talking about are not found in God's choice of some men, these blessings are found in Christ and all that come unto him shall in any wise be cast out. These blessings are in Christ and not in God's foreknowledge. Is it true that God has the ability to foreknow, of course, but the blessing isn't found in foreknowledge, it is found in Christ. Our spiritual blessings in heavenly places are in Christ.
Why?
When we understand where these blessing are found the question becomes why not? Did Jesus ever give him reason to turn him away? Did Jesus ever sin? Did Jesus ever do anything to displease his Father? No, not one thing! He was perfect! Spotless! Pure! Holy! Pilate admitted he could find no fault in Him. He was reviled and reviled not. He was spit on and beaten and never opened his mouth against the ones who mistreated him. He fulfilled the law to the jot and tittle. When we realize these blessing aren't found in the choice that was made but in who was chosen then the question of why, immediately goes away. When I realize I wasn't the choice but Christ was, then I have no reason to wonder why? He is all together lovely and the choice of God.
Then in verse 5 he tells us it is according to the good pleasure of his will that he predestinated us(believers) to the adoption of childrenby Jesus Christ unto himself. What is the means and source of this adoption or how is it possible? By Jesus Christ to himself(God The Father). Our blessings, our blamelessness, our holiness, our adoption and acceptance is all in Christ. It is God's will that it should be so. According to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein, that is in Christ, he(God) hath made us accepted in the beloved(Christ). Why we have the blessing isn't the question to ask because they're not our blessings, they're Christ's and are only available to those who are in him.
According to the Riches of His Grace!!
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