1. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
2. We are holy and without blame before Him in love.
3. He predestined us to be adopted as sons by Jesus Christ.
4. We are now accepted in the Beloved.
Here is the next blessing Paul lists in Ephesians 1:7
It's called "redemption" And, we have this redemption through His blood.
What does it mean? The word is also translated "deliverance" and it means, releasing effected by payment of ransom. Or to be liberated by payment of a ransom.
Peter speaks of it this way. in 1st Peter 1:18 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,"
Thus, as we consider this blessing, we understand it to mean, that God has liberated us from what we were once held in. Paul will explain this a little more in the 2nd Chapter of Ephesians. But, overall, redemption means, that we were born in sin, in death, and in darkness, held there under the power of the devil, who is the god of this world.
Christ is the payment that has freed us from this terrible position we were once in. We are now in God's kingdom of life and light. We have been redeemed. God payed the price for our freedom, by having Christ die for our sin, paying the full price for our sins. We are now no longer guilty, and no longer facing eternal judgment and punishment for our sins.
Paul also says very clearly, that "we have redemption through His blood". In other words, we currently have this liberation through the blood of Christ. It's not something that is coming, but, rather it has come to us, we have it at this moment. We have been liberated.
The next blessing is also listed in Ephesians 1:7 and, it's called forgiveness of sins.
Forgiveness, means, remission, liberty, and release from bondage. It means pardon of sins. Letting them go as if they had never been committed. Our sins have been dismissed. They have been sent away, and are now gone.
In summary then, we have been liberated from what we were once held in. And, we have had our sins, forgiven. They are gone from us. We are free and no longer guilty. This is the position we have with God, before God, because of God, and from God. God has done all of these things for us through Christ.
Thoughts for reflection, explanation and application.
1. These blessings are who we are in Christ.
2. These blessings are how to understand our lives.
3. These blessings are for every christian.
4. These blessings indeed bless our souls, our minds, our hearts.
5. These blessings are worth thinking deeply about, and enjoying them.
May God continue to bless you, encourage you, give you strength, power, grace, peace, mercy and love.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
