Ephesians 1 is one of the most theologically rich passages in the New Testament. The language used to explain how blessed the Church is probably gets overshadowed by the Christ-centered message Paul uses. It is in fact necessary to capture both the role of Christ and the magnitude of the Church in this passage. Among the concepts mentioned are the idea that we who are in Christ have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. There is a sense in which this has a present manifestation, but it also is yet to be fully realized. We have every spiritual blessing in part now, but in the end we will have every spiritual blessing fully.
Paul also talks about how God predestined us to be adopted as sons through Christ. many twist this scripture to mean that I was predestined to be adopted as a son. There is not a singular pronoun for the audience in the entirety of chapter 1. Many times he says we and us, and sometimes he says you all. The Church is the object that was predestined to be adopted as sons through Christ. So guess what, those of us in Christ, the entire Church, have been adopted as sons, as God determined before the foundation of the world. We now belong when once we did not. But another term is mentioned to describe our spiritual blessings in Christ.
Paul says we have redemption through his (Christ's) blood. It is as if we were indebted to God, and we did not have the right currency to pay him back. God had the right currency (Jesus' blood), and He paid for our debt with His own currency. I know that it is an analogy, and it breaks down the more you think of it, but I wonder how closely related the idea of adoption and redemption are.
If you consider the fact that Krissy and I are going to adopt a child, it seems that we are being like our Father, who adopted us as sons through Christ. But at the same time we are physically redeeming the child, as the cost is very high, and the child could not pay for their integration into a family. Spiritually, we have redemption through his blood, which is the forgiveness of sins. Physically, the child God has for us has redemption through the money that will pay for the adoption process. Again, the analogy breaks down, but the similarity is good enough to make a point. Though we are physically adopting and redeeming a child, nothing would be better than the spiritual blessings God has for them in Christ Jesus of adoption and redemption. So we pray now and continually for the child God has for us, just as Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers in chapter 1. We pray that we will train this child up in the way they should go, that when they are old they will not depart from that way. May our physical blessings become a window to the spiritual blessings awaiting them in Christ. More importantly, we pray that there will be a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, that they may have the eyes of their hearts enlightened to know more fully the hope to which they are called, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the greatness of his power toward us who believe. To God be the glory! He will be all in all! Amen!
