just as He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love ((Ephesians 1:1-13)
Blessed be the God, who has blessed us to be among the elect. The elect are chosen by God (Mark 13:20). There are three amazing parts to this verse; that he chose us, that he did so before he created the world, and he did so to have a people of his own, who can come before him holy, blameless and loved. Those he elected he chose, predestined, called, justified, and are glorified (Romans 8:30). "And we know that all things work together for good to those loved of God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:28-29). To be loved by God we must be holy, blameless in his presence, thus we are blessed in Christ because through him there is a way to the Father.
Having predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:5).
We have the boldness to approach God because of the blessings we have received in Christ. We are blessed that we are adopted as children. "The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God. And we really are his children" (1 John 3:1). We are children because of the blessing that came through Christ. "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:11-12). Predestined for adoption speaks of new birth, existing a new creation, and having the testimony of the Spirit. "You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," (Romans 8:15-16).
In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight (Ephesians 1:7-8).
God lavished these blessings on us in all wisdom and insight. "God chose what the world considers insignificant and contemptible, that existing nothing so that rendering useless that existing" (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). He rendered useless the wisdom and prudence of this world and blessed us in Christ, in all riches from His grace lavishing on us blessings, all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, and he did it in all wisdom and rightness of mind.
According to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glory, the grace which he highly favored us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:5-6).
Grace is a glorious thing, as it is according to his will and to the praise of his glory to bless us in Christ, thus these blessings are from the riches of his grace. Paul goes on to write, "but God rich in mercy through his great love which he loved us and we being dead of trespasses, made us alive together of Christ, grace existing saved, and raised us and seated us in the heavenlies in Christ to demonstrate in the ages, that to come upon, the incomparable riches of his grace in kindness to the extent of us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-9). The blessings we received, is to the extent of us in Christ. God has blessed us to demonstrate the incomparable riches of his grace. What God has done is to bless us by demonstrating to us His kindness and the riches of His grace to us, in Christ.
so that their hearts be encouraged, that knitted together in love, and to the extent, all the riches of full assurance, of understanding, to the extent of the knowledge of God’s mystery, that Christ, (Colossians 2:2)
We see in these blessings a testimony of Spirit and blood. There is also a testimony of water. We continue to receive from Christ as our great High Priest and advocate from the Father. Also, the Spirit guides us into the truth and intercedes for us when we know not what to pray for. We have boldness to approach God in Christ, and as we grow in Christ, we come to fullness in him. "Draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with water" (Hebrews 10:22). That God predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son, fulfills that we were chosen to "be holy and without blame before Him in love."
We put emphasis on, in Christ, we are blessed. We have a firm foundation, rooted and founded in faith and love, so to come to fullness in Christ. In Christ, God is demonstrating his blessings toward us. In Christ, he has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. He adopted us as his own children sealing us with the Spirit. He favored us in the Beloved. In Christ, we have received redemption, the forgiveness of sin. We have obtained the riches of an inheritance among the saints, we are called into a living hope, and we have the greatness of his power available to us, all which God accomplished in Christ. Bless be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing him. Standing on the Blessings of God in Christ.
