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Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

December 15, 2024

Book: Ephesians

Apostle Paul begins his words from verse 3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Similar verse was also written by Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Both discussed about praise and exalted God because of His creation and because of who will He be.

God’s first creation, according to Paul, is the doctrine of election as referenced from verse 4 and 5, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” The first thing that Paul discussed about is the doctrine of election or doctrine of predestination was one of the important characteristics of the reformed evangelical church, which crucially prioritising and teaching us God’s sovereignty in our salvation because God has chosen us before the creation of the world. God has predestined us to be His children through Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of election which has often been a problem for many people, was a beautiful and majestic doctrine. Paul praised and exalted God because firstly talking about doctrine of election because in Christ, He has chosen us before the creation of the world. A teaching can be understood correctly as accordance to the teaching of the Bible, will bring praises to God, great joy for God’s people. When contrasted with the logics of the sinners, this doctrine of election will discuss about predestination, God chose us not because God is not fair.

There have been objections about the doctrine of election, for example, why do people have to preach the gospel that should has chosen people before the creation of the world, that people can certainly be saved no matter what. These objections were rooted from the human logic that were not rooted and leaned to the words of God that has been revealed to us.

Today I will talk about on how God chooses us. God choose us in Christ (as referenced on verse 3) before the creation of the world. This is very important when talking about “in Christ” because all of spiritual blessings in heaven given to us in Christ. When simplified in Psalm 16, before God there is abundant of joy and enjoyment forever, this is a spiritual blessing in heaven given to us in Christ. We received blessings from God not because of our greatness, but this is simply because of God’s grace given to us in Christ through His son Jesus Christ.

The next question is how we are existed in Christ? There are three instances that can be discussed. In reference with Ephesians 1 verse 13, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” So therefore, firstly we are existed in Christ because the Holy Spirit works through the gospel we hear and we later believed that the Holy Spirit unites us in Christ.

Secondly, we are existed in Christ through faith, once again referenced from Ephesians 1 verse 13. Faith is not only bringing us to believe in Christ, but we must trust in Christ. This is our response when we listen to the gospel, the Holy Spirit works to convince us to believe that Christ was right, God was full of love, God is also fair who punishes sin. Faith is a tool from our side, our response through the works of the Holy Spirit that we can receive spiritual blessings in heaven. Importantly, when faith talks about our unity with Christ, talking about we are being united with the death of the Christ so therefore we’re also being united with the resurrection of the Christ.

Third and lastly, when talking about faith in Christ, especially that faith was based from the works of Christ’s salvation. Because He has suffered and died replacing us, therefore our unity with the Christ can take place. There are some people who objected the death of the Christ and said how the Christ has died can replace us the sinful people. They are the ones who have not sinned have become sinned because of us, so therefore we, whom existed in Christ, can be corrected by God. The death of the Christ is all people believed in Christ have also died together with the Christ.

May we realise that we are God’s people who have died in our sins and we are God’s people who lived in Christ and for Christ to glorify Him. May we can be reminded once again to root in God’s word and in what God has worked upon us in Christ who has died for us. He who has not known sins, have sinned because of us, so that we, who existed in Christ, can be corrected by God.