"To the Praise of the Glory of His Grace, Part Two"
Ephesians 1:1-6
February 17, 2008
by C.W. Powell
Ephesians 1:1-6-
“1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the founda-tion of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predesti-nated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Eph 1:1-6 av)
I. What are the purposes for these gifts?
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A. These gifts are for the praise of the glory of His grace. God would magnify his mercy and kindness to us.
B. These gifts are so that we would be holy and without blame before him in love.
1. These gifts are for the purpose of making us a certain kind of people. We are to be holy and without blame before him in love. “in love” might be connected to verse 5, but the meaning would be substantially the same.
2. This pattern is from eternity. The design is from eternity. This has been said so often in Scirpture that a person must harden his heart and stiffen his neck to miss it: Note the following: I will omit reference to the book of Ephesians, for we will deal with these ideas in due time.
a) “29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Ro 8:29-30 av)
b) “18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1Pe 1:18-23 av)
c) “6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1Co 2:6-10 av)
3. This pattern is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and you and I are called to be like Him. We are to put off the old and put on the new, and we can do this because our Lord Jesus was given to us from eternity.
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A. “election from the very beginning;
B. sonship by adoption;
C. redemption, which is forgiveness;
D. insight into God’s all-embracing purpose;
E. the privilege for both Jews and Gentiles to be His people;
F. the sealing of the Spirit, which is the earnest of the final inheritance.”
III. I have already spoken of the election from the beginning; now I will speak of sonship by adoption; and the other four things in the weeks to come.
A. Adoption is one of the great gifts of God. Because of God’s appointment, we have been counted the sons of God and all the good things that come to us because we belong to the family of God. To do this, we will look at three Scriptures:
B. Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
1. This adoption is according to His will, not according to our will or our works.
2. We have been predestined according to the good pleasure of his will. “good pleasure” means that He has good will toward us. He is kindly disposed toward us. He likes us. He loves us. He wants to do us good. It is not something we earn or deserve, but is simply because He wants to. This is one of the great mysteries of the universe.
C. “3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Ga 4:3-7 av)
1. Once we were in bondage under the law. These Galatians were Gentiles. Paul recognizes that being in bondage under the law is being under the delusion that your good works, whatever they are, can bring you the approval of God. But only Christ could redeem us from the bondage of the law and freely adopt us into His family. Not because we are like Him, but because He wants to make us like Him.
2. If you are in bondage to the law, you cannot be a child of God. You are made free from the law in order to be adopted as children of God. How plain can it be?
3. The elect are called children, because they are kept, just like the Jews, until the gospel comes and they receive the adoption of sons.
4. If sons, we are heirs of God through Christ.
D. “15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Ro 8:15-23 av)
1. The Spirit which is given to the Sons of God is not the spirit of fear, but adoption. Spirit of sonship belongs to us, and there is an inward cry from the soul to our Father in Heaven.
2. If children, then we are heirs.
3. Until the time appointed for our glorification, God has appointed sufferings and hard times for us. These tribulations and trials are for the purpose of conforming us to Christ.
4. “2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Ro 5:2-5 av)
5. “2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (Jas 1:2-4 av)
6. Yes, tribulations and trials are essential for the children of God: Hebrews puts it without any ambiguity:- “1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Heb 12:1-14 av)
2. Let us assent unto the promises of God and put off the old and put on the new. This is His promise and our responsibility. I will conclude by reading a passage that you know very well, but one which we must repeat again and again. It is from Colossians 3:1-17.
“1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col 3:1-17 av)
May God bless you.
Amen and Amen.