Ephesians 5:15-20: Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to focus again on the last verse in this passage, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here again is my list of 25 Biblical truths for which we can thank God. This week I want to make brief comments about eight of these great spiritual blessings. Then, I will cover the remaining truths over the next two weeks.
1. He chose us. For he chose us in him before the creastion of the world. (Ephesians 1:4 NIV)
- He chose us.
- He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
- He predestined us to be adopted as sons.
- He redeemed us through his blood.
- He forgave our sins.
- He lavishes the riches of his grace on us.
- He marked us with the seal of the Holy Spirit.
- He seated us with Christ in heavenly places.
- He is preparing a place for our eternal future.
- He made us his workmanship to do good works.
- He is our peace.
- He is our righteousness.
- He is our provider.
- He is our shepherd.
- He is the author and finisher of our faith.
- He placed us in a great body of believers in which he dwells.
- He shares with us the treasures of his wisdom and knowledge.
- He gave ministry gifts to perfect us in him.
- He provided total victory.
- He provided our healing.
- He freed us from condemnation.
- He gives us all things.
- He never leaves us or forsakes us.
- He is our perpetual hope.
- He chose to live in us.
Sometimes a group of kids will play a pickup game of baseball or softball, or some other sport. They select two captains, who then take turns choosing members of the group to be on their teams. No one wants to be the last one picked. You want to be chosen early in the process.
God chose you before the foundation of the world. Early in the process, he decided that you are precious in his sight. Forever, I thank God that he chose me.
2. He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. When someone asks me how I am doing, often I respond with the words: "I am blessed!" It doesn't matter how I feel or what problems I may be facing. I say I am blessed because the Word in Ephesians 1:3 says, that God has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Note the word "every." God withholds no good thing from his children. I thank God because I am blessed.
3. He predestined us to be adopted as sons. Not only did God choose you before the foundation of the world, he also chose to adopt you into his family as a son. (Ephesians 1:5) We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17) Jesus is the first born of many brothers. (Romans 8:29) God did not choose you to be a lowly minion in an obscure corner of heaven. God blessed you with the full rights and privileges of a son. Like the Pharisees to whom Jesus spoke in John 8, our spiritual father was Satan, but now the Almighty God is our father through adoption. He declares, "You are my child." I thank God that he adopted me into his eternal family.
4. He redeemed us through his blood. Redemption implies that a price was paid. Legally, we belonged to Satan because of our sin. We were slaves to him. The justice of God demanded the payment of the full price to set us free from the bondage of sin. Jesus shed his blood to redeem us. (Ephesians 1:7) Only the blood of Jesus carried enough worth to redeem us.
Now, when Satan roars, saying, "You are mine." We can roar back, "No, the debt was paid in full at Calvary for my redemption." I thank God that I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
5. He forgave our sins. (Ephesians 1:7) Most believers give mental assent to the truth that our sins are forgiven. Yet, Christians often have difficulty accepting the reality of forgiveness. The adversary tells you that your sin is too great to be forgiven, but the glorious truth is, YOU ARE FORGIVEN!
Recently, I heard a story about an older Christian man telling one of his pastors, that he realized that God had really forgiven him for his past sins. That is huge. Some believers never fully accept that truth.
I remember talking with an older Christian man, who was still struggling with the guilt of sins committed as a teenager. These things ought not to be. I thank God that I am forgiven of every sin.
6. He lavishes the riches of his grace on us. God is the most extravagant person alive. He desires to bless us far beyond anything we could even ask or think. He is not poor, or stingy. He wants to lavish the fullness of his blessing on you. (Ephesians 1:7-8) I thank God for his extreme generosity to me.
7. He marked us with the seal of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 1:14 Paul says, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession.
When I signed the contract for the reception hall for my daughter's wedding in November, the manager required a deposit. The deposit in effect says, I will honor the contract. If I don't, then I lose the money I placed on deposit.
God says, "I have given you an eternal inheritance. I will give you myself as the deposit on that inheritance. If I don't honor my Word, then you still keep me." His Word is steadfast and true. I thank God for his inheritance, and for the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of that inheritance.
8. He seated us with Christ in heavenly places. We don't live in heaven yet, however, from a position of spiritual authority, we are seated with Jesus in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6)
Paul explains in Ephesians 1:21-23 that every rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, is under the feet of Jesus, and that the church is the body of Christ. From a place a legal authority, everything is under the feet of the church. We should rule and reign in this life.
In Romans 5:17 Paul declared, How much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righeousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. I thank God that I rule and reign in this life through Jesus Christ.
Give thanks to God for each of these precious Biblical truths. More next week...
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org
Wisdom From the Word
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