Lesson 2 – Ephesians Chapter 1:11-17
In the first ten verses we learned:
• Paul was God’s chosen instrument to bring us the good news.
• All spiritual blessings are given to us from God.
• We were chosen by God from eternity past.
• We are God’s adopted children.
• We are saved by God’s own blood.
• God gave us wisdom and understanding, which led to salvation. Remember, it pleases God that you chose to receive His free gift of salvation.
• The fullness of time is coming, everything will happen just as God planned.
Let’s continue by checking out our divine inheritance which is guaranteed by God.
Eph. 1:11
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,”
Inheritance… it’s a word we’re all familiar with. When you hear it, your ears kind of perk-up, especially if it’s in a context related to you.
When an inheritance is set up, something is usually given to a person in the future, except in the case of the “prodigal son,” who wanted his inheritance before his father died.
In the context of our verse, inheritance is translated as a phrase and not as a single word, it says, we have obtained an inheritance… which means to be passed on to another as a possession.
In today’s world, an inheritance primarily comes from our parents, but it also can come from others in our family such as an aunt or uncle. It can even come from a non-relation as well. Other words come into play in regards to an inheritance, such as legacy, endowment, estate, or birthright.
I like the word birthright. As one who has given their life to Christ, we are born-again. Being born-again, means we are adopted into God’s family… being a family member of the most Holy One. It is our spiritual birthright to receive an inheritance in Christ.
We have obtained an inheritance not from Christ, but in Him.
As believers, we have to get our eyes off the material side of an inheritance, and on to the spiritual side. Yes, there are many wonderful things to come, like the place Jesus has been preparing for us for two thousand years.
I Cor. 2:9
“But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
In our “end times” study, we talked about the “marriage of the Lamb,” this is coming for all believers in Christ. We are going to have a relationship with God that is beyond our earthly comprehension. When you think about it, this is the greatest inheritance anyone could ever receive.
I Peter 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
When we are finally married to the Lamb of God, we will at last experience what it really means to be absolutely, incredibly, wonderfully fulfilled, because Jesus is our inheritance. Everything else is secondary compared to that.
I Cor. 6:17
“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
We will enjoy a oneness never experienced before!
Back to our verse…
Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will…
Let’s be clear, as Christians, we are what we are because of what God chose to make us before anyone was created. This goes back to verse 4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”
William Hendriksen (18 November 1900 – 12 January 1982) who was a New Testament scholar and writer of Bible commentaries says, “Neither fate nor human merit determines our destiny. The benevolent purpose… that we should be holy and faultless (vs 4), sons of God (vs 5), destined to glorify Him forever (vs 6, 12, 14) is fixed, being part of a larger, universe-embracing plan. Not only did God make this plan that includes absolutely all things that ever take place in heaven, on earth, and in hell; past, present, and even the future, pertaining to both believers and unbelievers, to angels and devils, to physical as well as spiritual energies and units of existence both large and small; He also wholly carries it out. His providence in time is as comprehensive as is His decree from eternity.”
Some people have a problem with predestination, and some even have a strong hostility against it. Somehow, they just want to question what God does, and then they try to fully comprehend all of God’s actions. You can’t have it both ways. Some people like to question God, personally I shy away from doing that.
Isa. 40:13-14
“Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding?”
God owes us nothing, yet He chooses to extend to us His utmost patience, kindness, and compassion.
Isa. 45:9
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” (NLT)
We are predestined according to His purpose and His will. From eternity past God chose you, He predestined you unto His salvation. When God did that, do you think God wanted to see how you were going to turn out first, before He decided to choose you?
God knows us before we were even a figment of our parent’s imaginations, God knows our beginning and end and everything in between, even before creation.
Rom. 8:29-30
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
The most common objection to the doctrine of predestination is that it is unfair. When in reality, no one deserves anything from God; therefore, no one can object if he does not receive anything from God. A simple illustration would be; a man randomly handing out money to five people in a crowd of twenty. Would the fifteen people who didn’t receive any money be upset? Probably so. Do they have a right to be upset? No, they do not. Why? Because the man did not owe anyone money. He simply decided to be gracious to some and not to the others.
Another argument is that God predestines people to go to hell, and that just isn’t true.
II Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
“A man can’t be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam.” (C.S. Lewis)
Christian philosopher Dallas Williard wrote that, “hell isn’t an ‘oops’ or a slip. One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by a constant effort to avoid and escape God.”
For the unbeliever who is curious about predestination and is wondering if God has chosen them, I say, “taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:8)
For the believer, understanding that God actually chose you can be exhilarating to say the least. Knowing that the God of this universe singled you out personally to make you His own should humble you greatly.
Rom. 8:31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Amazing!
Eph. 1:12
“That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”
Salvation’s goal is the same as creation’s goal…
Gen. 1:26
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Being created in God’s image means that we share in some of His attributes; things like love, grace, mercy, goodness, truthfulness, having wisdom, and being faithful. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, sin entered man-kind, causing the great separation that could only be undone by God’s gift of salvation.
An unredeemed soul may share in some of God’s attributes, but it is all meaningless until that person is born-again. Salvation, a saved soul, this brings the praise of God’s glory. Simply put, when you are saved by God’s grace, your “divine image” is thus restored, this brings glory to God.
Eph. 1:13
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,”
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation…
The big question for a person is, how do I trust God?
Rom. 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
We can say that trust and faith are intertwined, both are the instruments God uses to save someone, and both are a gift from God.
After you heard the word of truth…
II Tim. 3:16
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”
John 8:32
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
The word of truth can come to you by someone speaking it to you, and you can also read the word of truth. But, no matter how the truth gets to you, it is the work of the Holy Spirit who brings it to you.
Having believed…
John MacArthur, “Faith is man’s response to God’s elective purpose. God’s choice of men is election; men’s choice of God is faith. In election God gives His promises, and by faith men receive them.”
Having believed… this is a person’s choice of God, it’s the action they take. To make it “real,” this choice needs to come from your heart.
Rom. 10:10
“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Having believed… you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise…
The moment a person believes, the Holy Spirit is given to them as a “first installment,” we could say. This is to assure us that our full inheritance as children of God will one day be delivered, it’s God’s promise to us… it’s His guarantee to us.
II Cor. 1:20-22
“For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
You’ve heard of having fire insurance, well, the sealing of the Holy Spirit is our insurance, a down payment to us, safeguarding our heavenly future. Jesus secured all this for us at the cross. Rest assured, no one can break the seal of God.
John 10:28
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
With the sealing of the Holy Spirit, God renews and sanctifies us. He produces in our hearts those feelings, hopes, and desires, which is the evidence that we are accepted by God, and that we are deemed as His adopted children.
Further evidence that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit is godly characteristics will become a reality in the believer’s life…
Gal. 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Now if none of these are evident in the believer’s life, it’s time to do a spiritual inventory of one’s self.
Eph. 1:14
“Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
It is through the Holy Spirit with His teachings and guiding power, that we are sealed and confirmed until the day of glory, when we will be complete and free from the corruption of sin and the grave. Because we have the seal of the Spirit in our hearts, we can live joyfully, being confident of our future, which holds inconceivable glories.
The Holy Spirit is the guarantee…
If we look up the definition of guarantee it says: a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled, especially that a product will be repaired or replaced if not of a specified quality and durability. We have a guarantee from God that we will receive from Him an eternal life with Him, and will receive “sin free” glorified bodies. Talk about quality and durability.
The NIV uses the phrase, “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” The deposit here is more than just a pledge to us, it is a down payment with a guarantee of more to come.
Rom. 8:23
“And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.”
There are some days we go through that are just harder than other days, and when we get to the end of it, we just want to groan. When that happens to you, keep the faith, the Lord has you in His hands!
I Peter 1:4-5
“And we have a priceless inheritance – an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.” (NLT)
The “deposit” of the Holy Spirit is a little bit of heaven in the believer’s life, as a guarantee of so much more yet to come.
Here’s another fun fact… we are God’s purchased possession. God has done this for His sake, even more than for our own sakes. This is because we no longer belong to ourselves, but we belong to Him! God has rescued us, and now we belong to Him as we saw in John 10:28. These magnificent truths, promises, and guarantees bring glory to God, to the praise of His glory.
Eph. 1:15a
Therefore…
I love when Paul uses this word, because it means we have to take into account everything he’s said up to this point. If we make a habit of doing this on our own, it will cause us to keep the Scriptures in context.
Okay, pop quiz – what has Paul been teaching us up to this point? … just kidding, no pop quiz, I wouldn’t do that to you.
Looking back, we see that God has chosen, adopted, accepted, blessed, and forgiven us. He has revealed His will, given us an inheritance, and He has sealed us with His Spirit… all to the glory of God.
Eph. 1:15-16
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.”
Paul has brought forth important life comforting doctrines to the Ephesians and to us. I say comforting doctrines because these are the truths of Scripture, the promises of God. Remember, Jesus said His truth will set you free, and it does. When you know and understand God’s doctrines, it should bring to you a sense of peace, comfort, and security. You know where you’re going, and who you belong to.
Paul has been talking to the Ephesians about God, and now he’s talking to God about the Ephesians, Paul is praying.
And like verses 3-14 were one sentence, verses 15-23 are one sentence, but we’ll take a little bit at a time. Paul’s hope and prayer is that we know God personally and intimately.
Paul heard of their faith, he said the same thing in Col 1:4 “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;”
There is a commonality seen in these new churches, and that is love.
II Thess. 1:3
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,”
It’s no surprise that “love” is in the picture. Jesus talked about love and how important it is. Love is mentioned in the Bible 361 times, depending on the translation.
John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
In the book of first John, John talks about love 24 times.
I John 3:18
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
John MacArthur, “Christian love is indiscriminate; it does not pick and choose which believers it will love. Christ loves all believers, and they are precious to Him. By definition, therefore, Christian love extends to all Christians. To the extent that it does not, it is less than Christian.”
Phil. 2:1
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
The love of God never changes, but man’s love can change. Forty years after Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians, Jesus said this against them…
Rev. 2:4
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
What changed in the church at Ephesus? When Jesus said this, most of the Ephesian Christians were now second-generation believers. Even though they remained faithful to the doctrines, and were still involved in serving, they found themselves lacking when it came to being fully devoted to Christ. The writer of Hebrews gives us a warning…
Heb. 2:1
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
Remember, satan prowls around all the time, seeking who he can lead astray, who he can deceive… that never changes in our world. Perhaps the Ephesians slowly drifted away from having an on-going vibrant relationship with God. It can happen to anyone. How do we defend against this? Read your Bible and pray every day.
Loving others is no small task. There are some saints out there who make loving them a real challenge. What can believers do to battle this, what is the key?
John 15:4-5
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
God doesn’t save us and then cut us loose. Remember, we’ve been sealed with the Holy Spirit… we’re not alone. And here, Jesus is teaching us to seek out that intimate relationship with Him, He says to “abide in Him”… that’s being very close to Him. By keeping Christ at the center of your life, you’ll find that you do have the capacity to love others, especially when you pray about it.
Making mention of you in my prayers… Paul is praying! It kind of goes without saying that we need to pray, but we can always use fresh reminders.
We see this at the end of Ephesians.
Eph. 6:18
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
We’ll readdress prayer when we get to chapter 6.
Eph. 1:17
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,”
Here we have Paul’s prayer request, that God would give them spiritual wisdom and insight for their continued growth. That they might know God deeper and closer.
Philosophy says to us, “Know thy self,” whereas Christianity teaches, “Know God through Jesus Christ.”
Mac Davis wrote a song years ago: “It’s hard to be humble”
Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
‘Cause I get better lookin’ each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Mac definitely has a problem!
But if we know God more and more (And we will never know Him completely), and love Him more and more, this will give us a greater capacity to love others… as we have been talking about tonight.
Matt. 22:37
“Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
Let’s do that! Just don’t say it, do it! And as we do that, everything else will fall into place.
We’ll close with this…
We are predestined by God, we’ve obtained an inheritance, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit, He is the guarantee of our inheritance, we need to have love for all the saints, pray, pray for others and pray for wisdom.
God wants you to want Him… He tells us to abide in Him.