Ephesians: A Study of Faith and PracticeSample

Have you ever written something and, upon re-reading it, realized, Wow, that was a really long and complex sentence? Or perhaps you’ve experienced sending a “quick” voice messaging a friend, and suddenly you’re at the ten-minute mark? I know I’m guilty of both!

The passage we’re studying today and tomorrow has a similar feel to it. Paul began his letter to the Ephesians with the longest sentence in any of his epistles. In our English translations, verses 3-14 are broken up into multiple sentences. But in the original Greek, this entire passage is one long sentence. As commentator John Stott notes, “His speech pours out of his mouth in a continuous cascade. He neither pauses for breath, nor punctuates his words with full stops.”

Today we’ll spend some time observing what’s in the text, and then tomorrow we’ll consider how to interpret what it means and apply it to our lives. We’ll follow this same pattern (observe one day, then interpret and apply the next) throughout our study of the first two chapters of Ephesians.

Look up the following words in a standard English dictionary: Predestined (v.5); Redemption (v.7); Sealed (v.13).

Paul is clear from the beginning of his letter that God is at work in our lives and in the world. These three terms point to God’s past, present, and future work. Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan for redemption. He was thinking about you and me long before we were even born. If that’s difficult for you to wrap your mind around, it is for me too! And it’s a good reminder that God’s ways are beyond our comprehension. While we may not always understand the ways God is at work, we can rest assured that He has a plan. He is active in our lives now and forever.

It’s clear as we read this Ephesians passage that Paul is overwhelmed by the glorious good news of the gospel. From before the foundation of the world, God our heavenly Father chose us to be holy and blameless in love before Him. He redeemed us through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, and He seals us forever through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s words in this passage may leave you with some questions, but what’s clear is that our adoption into God’s family is according to His good pleasure, not according to our being good enough.

Adoption in the Roman Empire came with full privileges of name, estate, and inheritance. And according to Jewish law, the firstborn son in Israel received a double inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). So, when Paul writes that we’re “adopted as sons,” he’s in no way excluding adopted daughters. It means that both men and women receive the firstborn son privileges of name (saint), estate (in Christ), and inheritance (eternal life with Christ).

Sin is serious. When the first humans sinned, their actions broke the perfect relationship they had with God and with each other (Genesis 3). Because God is gracious and desires a relationship with His children, He created a way for their relationship with Him to be restored. However, this restoration came with a cost. God’s goodness and justice prevent Him from ignoring sin, so He made a way for forgiveness that maintained His justice and righteousness. Leviticus 17:11 tells us, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.” The author of Hebrews helps us see how the Old Testament animal sacrifices pointed forward to the ultimate and necessary (Hebrews 10:4) sacrifice for sin—the death of Jesus, the very Son of God.

In one sentence, Paul has given us a full overview of the lavish riches that are ours in Christ. We’ll dig deeper into the implications for our lives tomorrow, but for today, take a few minutes to write out your own benediction of praise to God.

Thank Him for the way He has saved you and how He continually works in your life today. Spend time throughout the day savoring these truths and reminding yourself:

I am a saint. I am adopted, redeemed, and forgiven. I have an inheritance coming.