Ephesians 1 - How Can You Be Sure of Your Salvation?
Introduction to the Book of Ephesians- Chuck Swindoll
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians begins with Paul's standard greeting. Ephesians was a major hub of 1st century Christianity. Paul spent two years there. He wrote this letter from prison. Most of Paul's letters were written with a specific purpose for the church he was writing to, but in this letter Paul addresses more universal themes of doctrine, the church, and application for our Christian life. Chapters 1 - 3 focus on the theology of the church, and chapters 4-6 focus on application for daily living.
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 before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] 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 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.
Paul starts with the fact that God has chosen and adopted us before the creation of the world. It is pretty amazing to think about this. As God was creating the world we see around us, he was thinking of you. it was his "pleasure and will" to lavish His grace on you through Jesus Christ. The focus in these first verses is giving praise to God for his plan of salvation, which was effected through Jesus' death on the cross, which delivered us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Finally, while this purpose for us in Christ began at the beginning when God created the world, it will reach its fulfillment when Jesus comes back to bring unity in heaven and on the earth. Given the disunity we see in the world around us, I can't wait for this to happen.
"We dare not diminish what Paul writes here. Believers are chosen by God, and they are chosen before they have done anything or have been anything for God. The great light of this truth casts some shadows; namely, in trying to reconcile human responsibility with divine sovereignty. Yet the purpose of light is not to cast shadows but to guide our steps. The light of God’s selection gives us assurance to the permanence of His plan and His love towards us." - Guzik
11 In him 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 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.
Paul is writing to the mainly Gentiles who were predestined by God to come to Him through Christ. Paul includes himself, as he sees no distinction between Jew or Gentile. Note their salvation came from hearing the message of truth, the gospel of their salvation.
Truth has become a relative to who is defining it in our world. Our culture's worldview is subjective relativism. My truth is my truth, and your truth is your truth. No one is right or wrong.
The bible is our truth source as Christians. This truth is fulfilled through Jesus who fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah. Jesus says that he is the way, the truth, and the life. He tells his disciples if they continue in Him as the truth, "The truth will set them free." John 8:32
The gospel truth is that Jesus, who was sinless, died for our sins so we might be saved. Jesus isn't just one of the prophets, or a good moral teacher. Jesus claimed to be the truth, so either he is or isn't. He hasn't left that up for us debate.
Do you believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? Have you put your faith in Jesus so you might be saved from sin and obtain eternal life?
Finally, Paul makes a very important statement about how we can be sure that we are saved. Many people doubt if they are saved. I will often hear, "I hope I have done enough things to make the curve and make it into heaven."
But if we could make the curve, then Jesus would not have had to die on the cross. We would all be evaluated by the number of bad things we have done versus the number of good things we have done. Paul says Romans 3:10 in response to this kind of logic, "There is no one righteous, no not even one."
So can you have assurance of your salvation?
Paul says our assurance comes from the Holy Spirit, who is a "deposit and a guarantee of our future inheritance."
People give a down payment on their mortgages to guarantee the bank they will make future payments and eventually pay the loan off. Banks charge an interest rate to get a return on their investment and also to have a cushion if someone doesn't fulfill their promise to pay it off. But the guarantee that God has given us is the Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee of our future inheritance. God has given us a piece of himself so that we may KNOW that we have eternal life. When we don't we are saved, the Holy Spirit silently but firmly reminds us that we are saved not by works but by Jesus' completed work on the cross.
“The seal is therefore the Holy Spirit Himself, and His presence in the believer denotes ownership and security. The sealing with the Spirit is not an emotional feeling or some mysterious inward experience.” (Gaebelein)
The word guarantee (“down payment”) is used only in the New Testament of the Holy Spirit. He is our only down payment of coming glory; nothing else is provided – or needed. - Guzik
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
These last verses of chapter are very poetic. There are some long run on sentences, but they flow together beautifully. Paul wants them to be enlightened and to know more of God, as they open their minds to the wonder of His grace. Paul also wants them to realize how much power they have been given. It is the same power God used when he raised Jesus from the dead.
Have you ever thought about much power you have been given as a follower of Christ?
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. I think one of the evil one's strategies is to keep us ignorant of the power we have been in Christ through the Holy Spirit.
This power we have been given will not only be available in this life but also in the life to come when Jesus will return. When Jesus returns all power will be given to him, as he will be the head of the church for all of eternity. While the church sometimes is stuck in mediocrity in our time, one day the Church will be renewed. There will be one Church, no more denominations. We are the body of Christ.
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