One of the mysteries of salvation is the story of adoption into the family of God as explained in the Pauline writings. According to the Jewish culture, an adopted child has the same rights and benefits as a biological child. Paul explained that we have become members of God’s family through adoption by His choice. Therefore, as heirs of Christ, we share in the spiritual blessings that He has prepared for us even before the foundation of the world. The focus of today’s lesson is that we can claim these blessings if we believe the Good News that brought Salvation.
It is evidently clear that salvation and adoption are sorely the works of God and not the handiwork of any person. Similarly, Paul emphasized that since we are sons already adopted into the family of God, we then have access to “all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places” (v.3). As believers, we have been chosen in advance into the family of God by His gracious will not by our own doing (……not of works, lest any man should boast Ephesians 2:8-9). As a loving father would lavish precious gifts on his delightful sons or daughters, so also Christ has loved and blessed us with manifold spiritual blessings and grace of the Holy Spirit.
• Why did Jesus Christ choose us in advance? Is it the same as partiality?
Paul underscores the importance of predestination according to the plan of God who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. God has chosen us to be His own people in union with Christ. By this we are marked with a seal (a claim of ownership), the promised Holy Spirit. He further explained that the Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised His people. It is obvious that there is an inheritance, along with other blessings, in store for the adopted and redeemed. Believers possess these inheritance and spiritual blessings by faith and trust in Christ. In conclusion, believers who receive redemption, forgiveness and, ultimately, adoption, are blessed in numerous ways.
• Apart from the spiritual blessings of holiness, adoption, redemption and gift of the Holy Ghost, what are other inheritances, which belong to the heirs in Christ?
• Believers are joint heir with Christ Jesus
• Believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.
• We are members of God’s family
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”
Ephesians 1:4.
