Eph 1:13-23

Eph 1:13-23

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him that is Christ

Trusted- The gentiles also trusted

after you hear The gospel

having believed It is not enough to hear and understand

were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise A free gift, given at salvation, that works in us, this is what was promised in the OT Isa 32:15

guarantee of our inheritance The HS is a glimpse of what is to come, and shows us that there is more to come! 

 Until We are not there yet, our inheritance is a future blessing

redemption of the purchased possession 2 stages, death and the end of the world

praise of His glory. The sealing is bringing Glory to God

In the blessing we had no part

In the redemption we had no part

In the sealing we had no part

        It was all God to Bring him Glory! 

                How crazy is it that I bring him Glory

                        How

                                I willing follow him

                                        I willingly share his love

 Gods blessings based on his choosing us 3-6 (our blessings based)

The work of Jesus 7-12 (our position)

And the Holy Spirits sealing 13-14 (our Proof)

—-in the Greek verses 3-14 is one sentence as is 15-23—-

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 

Therefore- (always ask, what is the therefore therefore)  because of everything Paul talked about in 3-14

Heard– their reputation was known to many people

16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Give Thanks for you– He praised God for them, there were a great example and witness

Making mention- Paul does not only give thanks but prays for them, the following is what he is praying for

 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 

The Father of Glory- God, to whom all the glory belongs, ie The great and glorious God!

Spirit of wisdom and revelation– The prayer request that Paul has for them Prov 1:7 this is seeing what the matter really is not the surface only/ revelation is dealing with understanding God. 

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened– in Greek this is still one sentence and is just a reiteration of vs 17

Know-factual knowledge, Paul gives 3 items that he wants them to know. 

Hope of his calling – 1) the believers present position.  What is our hope

What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints- 2) The believers future, this is done on when we die, and this happens at the end of the world

What is the exceeding greatness of his power towards – 3)The believers present situation- a spiritual and living power. 

According to the working of his mighty power– This is to say his great energy that overcomes any obstical

 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead – This is the first of three aspects of Gods Power,

Seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places And he put all things under his feet 2nd

Him to be head over all things to the church 3rd this power 1-3 is all now available to believers!  

the fullness of Him who fills all in all.-  He fills the church with his blessings.  We need to understand this as saying the church is his body and he is filling it will all spiritual blessings. 

What Paul wants the believers to understand is that God choose us, to bless us and that we have a special place in the world because we are his and he is ours. 

We are not just winging it, we have the power of the almighty God with us, we are his and he is ours. 

This is the starting point to understand the rest of the book of Ephesians.