Ephesians 1:7-14
MARVELOUS MYSTERY—CHRIST IN YOU! (Glorious Hope)
Ephesians 1:7 (BSB) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace . . .
Laced throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is the concept of the “riches” of Christ.
The Bible Code: Finding Jesus in Every Book in the Bible by O.S. Hawkins
SUSIE: We will highlight the word “riches” as above in gold. Notice that what we have in Christ is “according to the riches of His grace.” God’s grace is limitless, and He is not just giving us a small slice of grace but gives lavishly according to His riches.
SUSAN: Redemption is the act of paying the ransom to buy someone out of slavery, in this case the price paid to “redeem” us from slavery to sin.
SUSIE: The price paid was Jesus’ life-blood as He was dying on the cross, spilled out as He served as our substitute, condemned to the death we deserved even though He Himself was completely without sin.
SUSAN: Our freedom was made possible by the extravagant gift of the grace of God. Mercy is withholding the punishment deserved. Grace is more than that. God, out of His love for us, is giving us something we could never deserve or earn.
SUSIE: God could not violate His holy nature by forgiving sin unless atonement was made. The only acceptable payment for our sin was the death of the sinless God-Man, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.
SUSAN: He is our Lord and Savior, High Priest and King, the One who offered the final sacrifice, Himself on the cross.
He has no day by day necessity, as [do each of these other] high priests, to offer sacrifice first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements] once for all when He brought Himself [as a sacrifice] which He offered up.
Hebrews 7:27 (AMPC)
Ephesians 1:8 . . . that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding;
SUSIE: The word translated “abounded” in the King James Version is often translated “lavished” as here in the Berean Study Bible. It means God has given us a superabundance of grace, more than enough. His grace toward believers is unlimited, ongoing, and perpetual. He has not been stingy in blessing those who are adopted into His forever family.
SUSAN: Through the instruction of His Holy Spirit in us, God gives us wisdom and understanding of His word. Prudence (used in the King James Version) means “intellectual or moral insight” and is translated here as “understanding.”
SUSIE: God places the insight of how to live rightly with Him and our fellow human beings within us through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instruction found in His word.
Ephesians 1:9 And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
SUSIE: What exactly is the “mystery of his will”? Paul explains this a bit more in his letter to the Colossians:
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27 (KJV)
1:27 Gentiles…Christ in you. The OT predicted the coming of the Messiah and that the Gentiles would partake of salvation (cf. Is. 42:6; 45:21, 22; 49:6; 52:10; 60:1–3; Pss. 22:27; 65:5; 98:2, 3), but it did not reveal that the Messiah would actually live in each member of His redeemed church, made up mostly of Gentiles. That believers, both Jew and Gentile, now possess the surpassing riches of the indwelling Christ is the glorious revealed mystery (John 14:23; Rom. 8:9, 10; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:7, 17, 18; 3:8–10, 16–19). the hope of glory. The indwelling Spirit of Christ is the guarantee to each believer of future glory (Rom. 8:11; Eph. 1:13, 14; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4).”
MacArthur Study Bible
SUSIE: The Jews were expecting a Messiah but had no understanding that through the Holy Spirit, He would actually indwell believers and be with them at all times. Another part of the mystery was that the Gentiles would be partakers of this salvation gift as well. Even though the promise was that through Abraham ALL nations would be blessed, many Jews neglected that point.
SUSAN: Ultimately, the Messiah was promised to the Jews first, but we as Gentiles are grafted into the family when we receive Jesus, and we receive the same nourishment through the Holy Spirit.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
Romans 11:17-18 (NASB)
SUSIE: Both Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus receive the gift of the Holy Spirit living in them, illuminating the scripture for them, and empowering them to do all God has called them to do.
SUSAN: God’s “mysteries” are secrets revealed in part with the full wonder of them to be known in the future. We have a limited understanding of Christ in us through the working of the Holy Spirit, but we constantly grow in our understanding and awe of that concept.
SUSIE: Our understanding of God’s mysteries will not be complete until we are absent from our limited bodies and with Him for eternity.
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (BSB)
Ephesians 1:10 . . . as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
SUSIE: Jewish and Gentile Christians are to be unified. At the end of time, God will gather us all together as one family. In Christ, we have the ability to move toward true unity.
SUSAN: There will be no cliques in Heaven, no prejudice, no alienation of person due to race, creed, gender, or socio-economic level. There will be no generation gap. True unity in Christ will finally be completely achieved. What a glorious day that will be!
Ephesians 1:11-12 In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
SUSIE: Paul speaks of our inheritance through Christ, our being made to be like Him to live with Him forever as if it has already happened, because in God’s eyes it is a “done deal.”
SUSAN: God fashions everything to the design of His will. The word “works” comes from the word to energize. God energizes, invigorates, revitalizes each believer to complete his or her purpose according to His will and for His glory.
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.
Philippians 1:6 (AMPC)
Ephesians 1:13-14 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
SUSAN: Once we have trusted in Jesus for our salvation, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God’s promise—His guarantee—that we have received His gift of salvation and He has received our heart in trust.
SUSIE: The Holy Spirit is like a certification seal in indelible ink, marking us as God’s possession.
SUSAN: The royal seal of the Father is stamped into our hearts by the Holy Spirt because we are in Christ Jesus, the Son. We can never be snatched away from God’s grip.
My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.
John 10:27-30 (VOICE)
SUSIE: His presence in our lives is like earnest money put down on a contract, the guarantee that He will fulfill His promise to receive us unto Himself that we may dwell with Him forever.
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 14:1-3 (ESV)
PONDER THIS: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a crucial ingredient of our salvation. It is the Spirit who illuminates the Scripture that we may understand it. It is the Spirit who enables us to obey God’s will. It is the Spirit who serves as our guarantee that our redemption will be completely manifest when the Lord returns, and we dwell with Him for eternity. “Holy Spirit, you are welcome in this place” we sing sometimes on Sunday mornings. Is He welcome in your life? If you have surrendered your life to Jesus, He is there, living in you. Each day begin by being aware of His presence and welcoming Him to direct your steps.
ASSIGNMENT: For the next few days, meditate on the presence of the Holy Spirit within you. Pray out loud inviting Him to have His way in your life, to direct your steps, and to hold you back from any wrong path you may be tempted to explore. If you keep a spiritual journal or prayer journal, note any changes in your daily walk with Jesus that you feel are a result of daily surrendering to the Spirit’s control.