Ephesians 1:1-14, August 04, 2019
(Please note that due to technical difficulties, the first couple of minutes of the podcast were not captured)
John 3:14-18 and Predestination
Ephesians General Comments
Where/When: Like Philemon and Colossians, Ephesians was written while Paul was in jail in Rome.
To Whom: Addressed to church of Ephesus or all churches?
Introduction to Ephesians…..
Video – first 2:39 discusses verses 3-14 of Ephesians 1
1:1-2 The Introduction.
Grace and Peace … receiving God’s grace comes before a walk in peace with Him.
1:3-14 A Poem. A few writers state that these verses are actually one long sentence. Others say the verses are a poem. So, let’s read them as a poem and most have a title such as Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For He chose us in Him [Christ] before the creation of the world
to be holy and blameless in His sight in love.
5 He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with His pleasure and will—
6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us
in the One He loves.
7 In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that He lavished on us.
With all wisdom and understanding,
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will
according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—
to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth
under Christ.
11 In Him [Christ] we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of Him who works out everything
in conformity with the purpose of His will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ,
might be for the praise of His glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ
when you heard the message of truth,
the gospel of your salvation.
When you believed, you were marked in Him [Christ]
with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—
to the praise of His glory.
Predestination defined and herein compared to John 3:14-18