Ephesians 1

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God's will, to the saints who are [at Ephesus], believers in Christ Jesus.

The words “at Ephesus” are not in all copies. Most Bible experts say that this letter was to be read to several different churches.

2. Grace and peace be yours, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I cannot do anything to save myself, but by His grace God has done everything for me through Christ.

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Here is a key to the Scriptures: look up every verse you can find about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord will explain to you the many ways that Jesus was showing us how people live in heaven.

Now here is Paul saying that we live as if we are there now. How can this be? We can follow the Word about these things carefully and we will see how to walk this way.

For example, someone offends us and we choose to give them a soft answer, or to bless them in some way. Since there is no selfishness in heaven then when we walk this way - we are walking in heavenly places.

4. He chose us in Him before the world's foundation so that we should be holy, set-apart, and blameless before Him in love.

He was looking for us, we were not looking for Him (Romans 3:11). The word “foundation” here has the idea of building a new idea from the ground up -like planting a seed.

Some people use the idea of being chosen as a way of pushing their teaching that we are robots who were created to be Christians by no choice of our own. When the Bible speaks of being chosen it is showing us that even though all men are called to come to God (2 Peter 3:9 ), He planned that those who respond to His call would be saved.

The idea that certain ones are chosen through no will of their own does not fit with Jesus coming to die for us of His own free will. Those who say we have no free will would have to say that Jesus (the Servant in Isaiah) was chosen without any action of His will.

Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My *elect* One in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:1

5. He planned for us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.

When children are adopted, they receive the name of their new family. They also have a share in the property of their new father. If they did not get these things, there would be no reason for them to be adopted.

6. For the glorious praise of His grace , which He has freely given to us in the Beloved One.

Paul also writes “praise of His grace” in verses 12 and 14. Paul wants the reader to stop and think about what God's grace has done in our lives. We see some whose lives were destroyed but now are rebuilt and we cannot help but praise Him for how full of glory His work in us has been!

7. Through Him, at the cost of His own blood, we are completely forgiven of our sins according to the overflow of His grace.

The words here carry the idea of the payment of ransom. We were held in slavery to sin but we were paid for and bought back. If the old slave-master (the devil) were to demand that we return to slavery because we have rebelled against God in our past, we can show that we are covered by the blood of Christ and God does not see our sin.

In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14

8. Which He has multiplied toward us with all wisdom and understanding.

It would be very hard for us to live every day if we were saved from hell but had no understanding or wisdom to know what to do on this earth.

If we feel that we do not know what to do, we can go to His Word. Every answer to every situation that we face is there.

9 – 10

He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which he planned in Christ . He planned, through all human history, that everything that exists in heaven or earth should be complete in Christ.

The Jews thought that the Messiah would come to conquer their enemies and rule as King. God kept His plan secret and nobody ever thought that the Messiah would come to die for them.

The wisdom which none of the rulers of this world understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:8

11. It was also in Christ that we were claimed by God as His possession, which was planned according to His purpose as He works all things according to the counsel of His will.

God's will is carefully thought out and He doesn't have to ask counsel or advice of anybody. It is a privilege to ask God's permission to enter into His thoughts to know the counsel of His will. This is the secret place of the Most High.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will remain in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 7:6

12. So that we, who first put our hope in Christ, should be for His glorious praise .

See verse 6.

13. In Christ you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise when you heard the message of truth, the Gospel which you believed and which saves you.

There are many different types of teaching about being sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible always explains itself. The seal of the Holy Spirit is the witness we have in our own spirit, that we belong to Him. When the angels see the seal of the Holy Spirit in the book of Revelation they know which ones belong to God.

Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads. Revelation 7:3

14. The Holy Spirit is the down-payment of our inheritance for those who are redeemed and belong to God for His glorious praise .

When we confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we immediately received a witness in our spirit that we belong to Him. This witness is a down-payment of the glory which is to come.

Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down-payment.
(2 Corinthians 1:22) See also Exodus 19:5.

15. For this reason since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love to all the set-apart ones ...

Paul spent close to three years in Ephesus, why would he say I heard about your faith? It seems more likely that this letter was intended to be read by several churches.

16. I never stop giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers!

Have you ever just stopped and thanked the Lord for the beautiful Christians that He has put into your life?

17. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father who is all-glorious give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him.

If you want to understand the deep things of God, He will show you His power to change people no matter how much destruction has been in their lives. This is the glory of His power that we sometimes forget.

But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

When unbelievers are asked to show us some people whose lives they have changed from destruction by using their wisdom, they can give us no answer.

There is no revelation or wisdom without the power of the Holy Spirit. John 16:13

18. May your spiritual eyes be opened so that you may know what is the confidence of your calling, and what is the glorious wealth of His inheritance to those who are set apart.

Our hearts have eyes. It is a good idea to pray that that people will have spiritual eyesight. Also, we can pray that they will see how God sees them as His treasure.

The LORD your God is among you, a victorious warrior. He will speak over you with joy, He will be speechless in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:1

19. And what is the s trong power and strength which is in those of us who trust in Him.

God help us to completely understand the resources we have anytime we need them if we will just call upon You!

20. He raised Him from the dead and made Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly places .

Sitting is a place of resting. In our world, sitting in a chair means that you are trusting the chair to hold you up.

It is interesting to think of how Adam was created on the sixth day and so Adam began his life on the seventh, sabbath day. God is showing us that our spiritual life begins with resting in Him. This rest means to stop your own working, get out of the way, and allow God to work.

In the story of the wedding invitation, Jesus shows us that the Christian life begins by accepting God's invitation and discovering what He has already provided. Luke 14:17

When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3

21. Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come.

There are levels of heavenly places and Jesus is raised far above all these.

22. He put all things under His feet and gave Him as the complete Head over all those who are called-out.

This should be a warning to leaders in the church. Jesus is the head of the church. No man should take more authority on himself than that which he has been given by the church.

You make Him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet. Psalm 8:6

23. Who are His body and in that body is the fullness of Him who fills everything.

Paul later turns this into a prayer in Eph. 3:19. See also 1 Corinthians 12:12.