The first chapter of Ephesians is perhaps one of the most thrilling chapters in all of Paul’s epistles. Paul details our spiritual blessings in Christ. He reveals the source of all of those blessings when he reveals the nature of God as the “Father of glory” (Ephesians 1:17). All that we have in Jesus Christ is a result of God’s marvelous gift of salvation. That salvation is a result of the Father’s plan, the Son’s payment, and the Spirit’s perseverance. Every aspect of our salvation brings glory to the God who gives it.
The Father’s Plan
Paul opens this chapter by revealing the Father’s plan for our salvation.
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. Ephesians 1:3-6
Before God began His work of creation, he had a plan about what to do with the inhabitants of the universe that He was about to bring into existence. Before the world began, He promised to make eternal life available to its inhabitants.
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Titus 1:1,2
Here we see a glimpse into the mind of God as He determined the course of our salvation. God made a promise; a promise to Himself. In eternity past the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, met in an eternal life conference. In that conference they agreed to and promised each other to fulfill the Father’s plan. This was a plan to provide eternal life to beings that did not yet exist, in a universe that had not yet been created. They also agreed that the plan and the eternal life that it promised would be vested in a person, the person of Jesus Christ.
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, II Timothy 1:8,9
God’s purpose to give us eternal life was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. In Christ, we are chosen by God before the foundation of the world as part of His purpose. Notice in the passage from Ephesians quoted above that God blesses us with all spiritual blessings “in Christ.” God has chosen us “in him.” God accepts us “in the beloved.” God’s elective purpose is centered in a single person, Jesus Christ. When we by faith are placed into Christ we become part of God’s elect. Our position in Christ makes us elect.
Those that are God’s elect have a guaranteed destiny. We are predestined to the “adoption of children.” This phrase and concept is defined for us by comparing the Ephesians’ passage with a similar passage in the book of Romans.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 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. 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. Romans 8:28-30
Paul tells us that God predestinated us “to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Adoption is more that just being made a part of God’s family. It involves being created in the image of Jesus Christ, who in turn perfectly manifests the image of the Father. (Colossians 2:9) The guaranteed destiny of God’s elect is to be seated as a Son of God, a joint heir with Christ, conformed to His glorious image.
The plan of God the Father is to provide eternal life to all that are in Christ and to conform them to His glorious image for all eternity. When considering this marvelous plan of redemption Paul had no other response than to acknowledge that it is, “to the praise of the glory of his [God the Father’s] grace.”
The Son’s Payment
A key element of the Father’s plan of salvation was the payment needed to bring it to pass. This is Paul’s subject as he continues in the first chapter of Ephesians.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Ephesians 1:7-12
The most difficult part of the Father’s plan was the desire to give eternal life to beings that He would create. Scripture reveals that eternal life can only be given to those that are perfectly righteous.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: Romans 2:6,7
Scripture then goes on to reveal that in God’s sight there are none that are righteous.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12
This fact posed a problem to the Father’s plan and necessitated that the plan include a way for these unrighteous sinners to be made righteous.
This problem is compounded by the fact that God is a God “that will by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 34:7. God’s character and nature would not allow Him to simply overlook the sin. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and those wages had to be paid by someone. That someone was Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ made the payment as His role in our salvation.
On the cross God took all the sins of humanity and placed them on Christ. Our sins were charged to His account.
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. . . . For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. II Corinthians 5:19,21
This passage reveals the awesome truth of what was happening behind the scenes at Calvary. Even though the sins of the world were not imputed to (charged to the account of) man, they were imputed to someone. “He” (God the Father) made “him” (Jesus Christ) “to be sin for us.” The Father remained true to his character and nature. He did not clear the guilty. He transferred the guilt, our guilt, to another, Jesus Christ. When Christ became the guilty party, He had to pay the penalty of that guilt. That penalty was death. The 22nd Psalm gives a unique insight into the death that Christ died on the cross.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Psalms 22:1-6
There are two amazing facts in this passage. First, on the cross God the Father forsook His Son. Second, the reason for that abandonment was that on the cross Christ became a “worm, and no man.” When Christ was made to be sin the Father did what His character and nature demanded. He turned His back on the sin and poured out His wrath. The term “worm” is often used in scripture to describe a person that is experiencing the judgment of God for sin.
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:43-48
On the cross, Christ suffered not only physical death, but also spiritual death referred to in Revelation 21:8 as the “second death.” This is a death that involves separation from God and the torment of His judgment.
The payment of God the Son was necessary for the Father to carry out His plan to give eternal life without impugning His character and nature by clearing the guilty. When considering the enormity of the payment made to fulfill the Father’s plan to provide us with salvation, Paul had no other response than it is “to the praise of his [God the Son’s] glory.”
The Spirit’s Perseverance
The work of the Spirit in our salvation guarantees that the plan of the Father is carried out. This is the next topic that Paul deals with in Ephesians 1.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13,14
As we have seen, the plan of the Father is to give eternal life and conform those that have that eternal life to His glorious image. We have also seen that eternal life is vested in a person, Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of the Father. The Holy Spirit makes us a partaker of that life and image by placing us into Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. . . . Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. I Corinthians 12:13,27
We are blessed, chosen, and accepted in Christ. The Spirit places us into that position of blessing, choosing, and acceptance by placing us into Christ. This unity with Christ is essential to the Father’s plan. There is no eternal life outside of the person of Jesus Christ.
The Spirit also seals us from ever being taken out of Christ. Our unity with Christ is secure for all eternity because the Spirit seals us into that position in Christ.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
The Holy Spirit is the earnest (down payment) until the redemption of the purchased possession. The Holy Spirit seals us until the day of redemption. What is this redemption that Paul speaks of? Doesn’t Ephesians 1:7 say that we already have redemption through Christ’s blood?
We already have spiritual redemption in Christ but Paul is speaking of the redemption of our bodies. The Spirit guarantees that the Father’s plan of conforming us to His own image will be carried out at the day of redemption.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 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. Romans 8:22,23
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:20,21
At the day of redemption our bodies are fashioned in the image of Christ’s glorious body and we will perfectly manifest the image of the Father. The Spirit guarantees all that have trusted Christ as Saviour in this Age of Grace will be present to experience the redemption of our bodies.
The persevering work of the Spirit ensures that the Father’s plan of conforming us to His own glorious image is carried out at the day of redemption. Considering the absolute guarantee of the persevering work of the Spirit, Paul had no other response than to acknowledge it is “unto the praise of his [God the Holy Spirit’s] glory.”
Our Faith
God the Father conceived a plan to provide us with salvation. A key element was God the Son providing the payment necessary to carry out the plan. God the Holy Spirit guarantees that the people purchased with the payment remain secure until the Father redeems His purchase. Why did Paul give this detail to describe our salvation? Why did he take the time to explain in detail the plan, payment, and perseverance of our salvation?
The answer to this question is revealed in his prayer for the saints at Ephesus.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Ephesians 1:17-19
Paul’s heartfelt desire was that believers may have “wisdom” and “knowledge,” that they may be “enlightened” and that they may “know.” Paul does not want our faith to be a superstitious faith based on subjective feelings and emotions. Paul wants our faith to be solid and secure, a faith that is based upon the objective standard of God’s Word. It is a faith that is based upon the facts that God revealed about the marvelous gift of salvation.
Our faith is secure, based not on what we have done, but on what God has done. Our faith is made secure by the Father’s plan, the Son’s payment, and the Holy Spirit’s perseverance. If you trust the work that God has done, your faith and your salvation is as sure and secure as the Word of God.