Ephesians 1

How often we read Ephesians through our own eyes! We read the beauty of Chapter 1, and say, “Look what we have!” Even the subtitles in some versions read “Spiritual Blessings in Christ.” We are now effectively the focus; essentially we are looking at the gifts instead of the Giver.

Who is the active actor in the passage?

The Father blesses.

The Father chooses, predestines, lavishes grace.

The Son redeems with his blood.

The Holy Spirit seals us.

What is the purpose?

So that we would be holy and blameless and be adopted—yet these glorious purposes fall under a greater purpose. The over-arching eternal purpose is for the praise of his glorious grace, the praise of his glory, so that all things will be brought under Christ.

It is because of the exaltation and lordship of Christ that Paul gives praise for the Ephesians faith. Not because of their faith. It is because their faith plays part in an eternal story and adds to the praise of Jesus Christ and shows him as Lord on this earth. He prays that we may have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we can know the hope, riches, and power he gives us. Yet, why do we need to know these? Why do we need these?

So often, in my conversations, the topic stops at the exclamation of “Look what we have—hope, riches, power!” We forget what the purpose of these are—they are so that we can act as the church, the people of God on this earth because “God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (Eph. 1:22-23). The hope, riches, and power are so that we can be a new people on this earth, live as children of light as Paul goes on to say so that Christ is exalted and his power is made manifest.

It is true that we need to know what we have—but we need to remember Who is the Giver and Who it is all for. It is all to the praise of his glory, for he is the one who is over all and who fills everything in every way.