The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 Eph 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” Remember, vs. 3-14 are one sentence, and it all starts in v. 3 as/at the peak! Blessed (eulogatos) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Identical phrase in 1 Peter 1:3, and this relationship further substantiated in II Cor 11:31:1 Thess 1:3, 3:11,13; Gal 1:4; 2 Peter 1:1; Eph 1:17. The verb form here is used exclusively in the NT of God the Father and God the Son (8 times), never of man - McCalley. What then do you make of John 20:17? Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” Is not then God our Father too? Yes, but we are not the Godhead. 1 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 1

The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” To be called blessed (eulogeo) is the same root but a different word and reflects the recipient. Do you think this in anyway diminishes our relationship? Notice in what we are blessed - every spiritual blessing (eulogia) in the heavenly places in Christ,” How many? every or all, and that implies everything the Holy Spirit has to bestow. And where is this? Eph 2:6 - and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, And what does this entail? This is a statement of who we are positionally, our union and new identity. And it’s in Christ (234 NT vs.) Phil 3:20 - For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Col 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 2 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 2

The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 McCalley also outlines what he calls ‘placing us in the forefront of 5 spheres’: Blessing (1:3) Power (1:20) Eternal (2:6,7) God’s display of wisdom (3:10) Lines of spiritual battle (6:12) Contrast these types of blessings to us vs. Israel. Eph 1:4 – “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” just as He chose (aorist indictive) us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world Just as - an exemplification of the preceding. So we were chosen in Christ, and when and why? 3 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 3

The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 Interesting, foundation literally is the noun of having been thrown down. And this all relates to Christ! Christ is the author of all things. John 1:3 - All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. Christ’s suffering is dated. Heb 9:26 - He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The eternal promise of the identification life. John 17:24 - “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. The eternal promise to those who turn to the beast during the tribulation. Rev 13:8 - All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. But then, who are those who are not chosen; is this predestination? Let’s first look at the chosen. 4 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 4

The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 John 3:17 - “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 2 Tim 1:9 - who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, And now those not chosen. God’s will. 1 Tim 2:4 - who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. So who then are not chosen? Eph 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Those without faith! that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love should be – present infinitive best translated as to exist or live. Therefore, we are holy, without blame before Him in love – sanctified, positional truth! 5 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 5

The Epistle to the Ephesians Praise to the Father for Our Position in Christ Part 1 Are you working on this? Forget it, we already are! Col 1:21,22 - And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight. God is not dealing with the uncertainty about how we sere chosen but the purpose. And in love is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:16 - And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 6 Jan 14, 2018 Bob Eckel 6