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6.3.06
Ephesians 1:1-10
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 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. 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 fulfilment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. [NIV]
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3 comments:
These opening verses of Ephesians are amazing. We could spend all month just on this passage and still not plumb the depths.
* We are blessed with every blessing!
* We are chosen!
* We are adopted sons of God himself!
* We are redeemed and forgiven!
* We are lavished with the riches of God's abundant grace
But for me, what stands out in this passage is not so much what we get, amazing though that is, but that the entire eternal purpose of God revolves around Jesus. It's not all about me and what I get. But it's all about him and what he gets - everything! It's all for him and his glory. All things find their rightful place under the feet of Christ. Ps 110:1
Chris, quoting from my study Bible commentary, 'Paul heaps praise upon praise, one thought leading to another, which then reminded him of another. This is a form of blessing known in the Hebrew as a 'berakah', one frequently used in Jewish liturgy.'
Its one we could do well to copy... heaping praise upon praise to God for all the blessings He gives us, His people. PRAISE GOD!
what struck me was the beginning. Paul knows who he is and who has appointed him. And he addresses the Ephesians accordingly as 'saints'.
and boy! the tenth verse! everything is not going to come under a doctrine, theology or philosophy, nor is everything going to mingle into nothingness, everything is going to come under one Head, Christ. This very proclamation echoes its undisputed authority.
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