“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:7,8).
“In [Christ] . . . ” Paul uses that phrase (or some form of it) 10 times in 12 verses. Every spiritual blessing that God has given is “in Christ”. They are not in whatever we believe God to be. They’re not dropped from heaven by angels. They don’t come through our sincerity or religious practices. They are in Christ.
“In him we have redemption through his blood . . . ” In the movies, a man “redeems” himself by righting a past wrong. Real redemption, though, runs deeper. The Greek word Paul uses is apolutrosin–“release from slavery by a ransom payment”.
Harmonizing with redemption is “the forgiveness of sins”. Whoa! Sin is an archaic non-issue, right? We admit to “not being perfect”. But we’re certainly not slaves to sin—slavery from which we need a Savior to ransom us! Forgiveness, like redemption, is God’s work, for we all have sinned against him—and couldn’t stop if we tried. We need Christ to release us from sin’s slavery by paying the ransom for us ”through his blood”. Even God couldn’t just pronounce us forgiven. Justice demanded a ransom be paid. We have that “through [Christ’s] blood.”
This, Paul explains, is in accordance with “the riches of [God’s] grace [unmerited favor] that he made abound (Greek, perisseuo—“gave excessively, bestowed in extravagant quantities”) toward us.”
Lois loves to give Christmas gifts, especially to our grandchildren. So when the family gathers to celebrate, she has presents piled under the tree and, not all fitting there, stacked around the room. That’s how God is with his grace in Christ—lavish.
And, writes Paul to the church, God made his grace abound to us “in all wisdom and prudence”. This is the manner God gave us his grace—wisely and prudently.
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment– to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Ephesians 1:9,10).
“[M]ystery (Greek, mustayrion)” refers to something long hidden, but finally God-revealed. This mystery of God’s will is God’s purpose or plan “in Christ”. And, writes Paul, God was delighted to make this mystery of his will known.
What is this “mystery of his will”? It is “ . . . to bring all things together under one head, even Christ”. “ . . . bring” translates the Greek anakephalieo-o. It means “to gather everything together under the control of one person, unify, make into one”. Thus the NLT says, “At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth”.
But revelation of God’s will isn’t execution of God’s will. Only “when the times will have reached their fulfillment” will God put this mystery into effect. F.F. Bruce comments: “ . . . when the time is ripe for ‘the consummation of his purpose’, in his providential overruling of the course of the world, that consummation will be realized.”
Paul is telling the church that God is in charge of human history. He’s orchestrating and administering events and direction to fulfill his purpose. And his purpose is to unite all things under the control of Christ.
Herman Bavinck (19th century Dutch Reformed theologian) wrote . . .
“’Round about us we observe so many facts which seem to be unreasonable, so much undeserved suffering [such as child abuse], so many unaccountable calamities, such an uneven and inexplicable distribution of destiny, and such an enormous contrast between the extremes of joy and sorrow, that anyone reflecting on these things is forced to choose between viewing this universe as if it were governed by the blind will of an unbenign deity, as is done by pessimism, or, upon the basis of Scripture and by faith, to rest in the absolute and sovereign, yet however incomprehensible wise and holy will of him who will one day cause the full light of heaven to dawn upon these mysteries of life.”
“In him we were also chosen, {Or were made heirs} having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11,12).
We have been chosen in Christ. We have been made heirs of an eternal inheritance in Christ. Though both are true, the Greek in this sentence is unclear. Whichever Paul meant we were “predestined” for it.
And this predestination is “according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will”. This is a breathtaking clause. God has a plan (Greek prothesis—purpose, design). According to that plan, God works out all things “in conformity”(Greek, Boulay—counsel, resolve) with his will/purpose. It’s an echo of Romans 8:28,29 . . .
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
God is sovereignty. And his sovereign purpose is clear: “in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” By “we, who were the first to hope in Christ” Paul means Jews who believe in Messiah Jesus.
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession– to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13,14).
Consequently, “you also were included in Christ” refers to Gentiles who “heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation”. Gentiles “believed [and] were marked in [Christ] with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit . . . ” The “seal” is the “Holy Spirit” who identifies believers as belonging to Christ. Furthermore, the Spirit “is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession . . . ”
As a “deposit”, the Holy Spirit, who lives in believers, is a portion of the total purchase price paid in advance, a promise that the full payment will come in due time. When Lois and I bought our house, we deposited 20% of the total price—the balance (plus interest) was to be fully paid in 30 years (we did it!).
John Eadie, 19th century Scottish theologian comments . . .
“The earnest (deposit) , though it differ in degree, is the same in kind with the prospective inheritance. The earnest is not withdrawn, nor a totally new circle of possessions substituted. Heaven is but an addition to present enjoyments. Knowledge in heaven is but a development of what is enjoyed on earth; its holiness is but the purity of time elevated and perfected; and its happiness is no new fountain opened in the sanctified bosom, but only the expansion and refinement of those susceptibilities which were first awakened on earth by confidence in the Divine redeemer. The earnest, in short, is the ‘inheritance’ in miniature, and it is also a pledge that the inheritance shall be ultimately and fully enjoyed.”
Paul here writes of “redemption” as our future experience, as he does in Roman 8:23 . . .
“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
The fullness of the inheritance will certainly bring great joy to us. But God’s ultimate purpose is “the praise of his glory”.
* * *
The heavenlies hold blessings belonging to God the Holy Spirit. They’ve come to us in Messiah Jesus. How foolish that sounds to unbelieving ears! How narrow! God’s blessings fall from heaven like snowflakes on everyone who needs them! No, they’ve “fallen” in Christ.
We, who believe, who know these blessings have come in Christ, don’t appreciate the feast we have. That’s why we have to prayerfully, thoughtfully read this gospel again and again. It’s like studying how the feast was prepared–so that, when we sit down to “eat”, we don’t presume it’s cheap fast food.
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