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God's Eternal Purpose In Christ

so that at the present through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. (Ephesians 3:10-12)

In context, Paul speaks about the dispensation or administration or arranged plan of the grace of God given to him, that through revelation from God the mystery was made known and he is writing so that we might have insight into the mystery of Christ. God had a plan, it was a mystery (something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain) which was not made know before in the old ages, but now revealed, that the Gentiles are joint heirs and united in the same body and sharers together of the promises of Christ through the gospel. Paul became a servant, according to the gift of grace and exercise of God's power, to preach the infinitely searchable riches of Christ... (Ephesians 3:1-9) God had a plan, one that would have a ripple effect throughout eternity. What was the plan? Let's see if we can look into the mystery and see God's eternal purpose in Christ.

and to bring to light what is the arranged plan of the mystery kept hidden for ages in God the one creating all, so that at present through the church the manifold (various, multiform, infinite) wisdom of God should be made known to the leaders and authorities in the heavenly realm, according to the eternal purpose. (Ephesians 3:9-11)

The word purpose πρόθεσις (prothesis) setting forth: plan, purpose, will; (a.) consecrated (bread). We see the purpose was to make known God's plan to all in the heavenly realm, through the church. On a side note, the word purpose is related to the consecrated bread placed in the temple, called the Bread of Presence. (Leviticus 24:5-9, Exodus 39:36) There was also a drink offering placed by the bread on the table in the temple and the table was called the table of presence. (Numbers 4:7, Numbers 4:7) Since the old was a shadow of the reality to come there seems to be a connection to communion, (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, Mark 14:22-24) Jesus said "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" and "whoever eats my flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life." (John 6:51-53) We can say according to God's eternal purpose, the word became flesh and blood to give us eternal life, but why would he create man in his image? just to give us eternal life? There has to be more? His flesh and the blood was given on behalf of the world for life so that we could be in His eternal presence. The flesh and the blood were the means to accomplish the purpose.

even as he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy, blameless in his presence, in love. (Ephesians 1:3-4)

The mystery was kept hidden for ages in God. (Ephesians 3:9) Before he created the world God had a purpose, he wanted a people of his own. Since God is holy and loves righteousness, to be in the presence and loved by Him, these people would need to be holy and righteous, like him. Of course, the issue of sin existed before Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and since God had a plan in Christ before he created the world, including before he created Adam, God foreknew Adam would eat from the tree. It was the serpent, the devil, that deceived Eve, and Adam just passively went along with it. Sin was conceived in the heart of Lucifer. (Ezekiel 28:12-15) Jesus said, the devil, "he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) Sin crouched at the door of Cain, seeking to master him, the devil deceived him to murder Abel. Today he blinds the eyes of unbelievers to the light of the gospel and energizes the sons of disobedience. God's plan deals with the issue of sin, but God could have just destroyed the devil, why create man for this purpose? There has to be more. The end purpose was to have a people of his own, like him in righteousness, who willingly want to be in his presence in love. These eat from the tree of life and drink from the water of life in his eternal presence.

He made known to us the mystery of his will according to His good pleasure which he purposed in Christ as a plan of the fullness of time to bring together all in heaven and that to the extent of the earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10) 

The purpose is a plan of fullness, to bring together in heaven and on earth everything in Christ. "At the present through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ." (Ephesians 3:10-12) Elsewhere we read of this fullness and filling in Christ. God gives from the riches of his glory, power through his Spirit, Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, rooted and grounded in love so that we have the strength to grasp and to know the infinite love of Christ so to be filled to the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3: 16-21)

also ascended far above all the heavens so he might fill all. (Ephesians 4:10)

So that he fills all, Paul writes, then he goes on to say how, through the church, he brings everything together into this fullness, filling all in all. Christ gives gifts according to the measure of his grace, "to equip the saints for the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ until all attain unto the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12-14) 

What God purposed in Christ was a way for man to be like Him, to be holy, blameless in His presence, in love. So we are being brought into the fullness of God, in Christ. His manifold wisdom is being made known through the church, as he is accomplishing this plan, through the church, so that we become like Christ in fullness, "to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." We see elsewhere God is working in us according to this purpose, to accomplish this plan.

Now, knowing that all work together for good, the ones loved of God, the ones existing called according to His purpose, because those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed of the image of His Son, that he might be the first-fruit among many brethren. (Romans 8:28-29)

God wanted a people of his own, Jesus the Son of Man was the first-fruit. Jesus, the word of God, came to his own, the Jew of the flesh, but his own people did not receive him, but to those who did he gives the right to become children of God. (John 1:11-12) This is how God accomplished having a people of His own and how he fulfills his righteous requirements, through new birth of the Spirit. Let's go back to Ephesians to grasp this. He predestined us for adoption as His own in Christ and he sealed us with the Holy Spirit as a pledge until he takes possession of His own. (Ephesians 1:5, 13-14) 

Now, it is not saying a people He owns like slaves nor even a people like as servants but a people of his own, like as sons, children, the household of God. We are God's special people, a new creation in Christ, chosen to be like Him, "a chosen offspring, a royal priesthood, a holy people, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9) We are under grace and will reign under grace in God's power but shall we sin so that grace abounds? No, we are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. To be a people of his own, holy, "just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) We are a special people and special people to God have a pure heart.

In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11)

The mystery of his will he has made known that which he purposed in Christ, as a plan for fullness in Christ, a plan manifested through his church, also obtaining an inheritance according to this purpose. In Christ, he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight, according to his good pleasure, to the praise of His glory, according to the rich benefits of his grace, he blessed us with adoption, favored us in the beloved, bought redemption, the forgiveness of trespasses. (Ephesians 1:5-14) According to God's purpose, so that he has a people of His own He sent his Son, to give his flesh and blood so those believing in him could be in God's presence. According to God's purpose, he died on a cross and was raised again making available the same power to us, and sits at the right hand of God where he has authority over all things, head of the Church which is his body, the fullness of the one filling all in all. (Ephesians 1:18-23)

Now, whom He predestined, these also called, and whom he called these also justified and whom He justified these also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

If you have been chosen, predestined for adoption, then you are called, justified, and being glorified which is being conformed to the image of Christ. God had a plan in Christ that through him all the blessings and promises of God are yes and amen. (2 Corinthians 1:20 ) Christ is the descendant, that which the promise of God was given to Abraham, in whom all peoples and nations would be blessed, and why the gospel was preached beforehand, and the promise was given before circumcision and the Law (Galatians 3:8, Galatians 3:16, Romans 4:11-25) For this is what the promise said, Sarah will bear a son not only that but Rebecca having twins of Isaac, "even before they were born or had done anything either good or bad so that God’s purpose according to election might stand," (Romans 9:9-11) When God promised Abraham since there was no greater one to promise by, God promised according to his word. (Hebrews 6:13) God doesn't change according to His purpose, "so when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath." (Hebrews 6:17)

according to the eternal purpose that accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have the boldness of speech and confident access through faith in him. (Ephesians 3:11-12)

What was purposed in Christ was so we have boldness and confidence to approach God and be in His presence, in love. Christ was born, became like his brethren, and because of this by grace through redemption we are justified before God and through His blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sin, which we receive by faith. In Christ we have a new covenant of his blood. We have peace before God and stand in grace which we have access to by faith. (Romans 5:1-2) We receive abundant grace and the gift of righteousness thus will reign in life through Christ. (Romans 5:17) We have a great high priest who sympathizes with our weakness as he was tempted as we but without sin, 

"therefore approach with confidence the throne of grace so that receiving mercy and finding grace in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16) 

Because of what Jesus has done and because we believe, having testimony of Spirit and blood we have the confidence to approach him and be in His presence. And Jesus lives to intercede for us, so if we do sin, we confess our sin and he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:1) He has brought redemption, the forgiveness of sin. And we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, marked, sealed, born into the kingdom of God, a Spirit of adoption that cries out Abba Father and testifies we are his children. And according to that God purposed in Christ, we are being conformed to the image of His Son. The purification of the body from sin. Do you see how we have the confidence to approach God? And how we can be holy, blameless in his presence in love so that He has a people of his own, that he purposed in Christ before he created the world? 

so that the Father of glory gives you wisdom and revelation in knowing him, that the eyes of your heart are enlightened... (Ephesians 1:17)

It's amazing, it's a mystery, it's not easy to understand, but eternally grateful we are to be a part of His plan, called to run the race set before us. It is to His glory. God is the Father of glory who grants us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing him, that through Christ, we are the praise of his glory and when there is full redemption of his own, it will be to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:12, 14, 17, Ephesians 3:13, 16) God's eternal purpose is in Christ, "the one saving us and calling us to a holy calling, not because of our works rather according to his own purpose and grace, that given to us in Christ Jesus before time eternal." (2 Timothy 1:8-9) 


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