Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Eph 1:3)Really remarkable. "Has blessed us." Not "will bless us." He already has. And "every spiritual blessing." Not holding back. He lists some of those spiritual blessings in the following verses (Eph 1:4-14). But there's an interesting repetition.
Paul says He has blessed us "in Christ." That is, the blessings we have are found in Christ. Only those in Christ receive those blessings. But Paul hits this theme hard. In the examples that follow, Paul says "in Him" or "in Christ" or "in the Beloved" seven times. That's real repetition. Why? Because our blessings which we already have are a product of our standing in Christ. The fundamental message of the book seems to be our standing in Christ. That is, Christ is definitely the focus, and our position in Him is essential.
This becomes really important in the "application" portion of the letter. He spends the first three chapters telling us our position in Christ. Then he says, "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (Eph 4:1). He calls for a lot in this walk, but it only becomes possible if we begin "in Christ." It only makes sense if we are positionally and permanently in Him. And we are. So, for instance, we can "stand firm against the schemes of the devil" (Eph 6:11) because we are "in Him." It's the only place we can stand. It's important, then, that we remind ourselves that it's not us. It's not our strength. But ... in Christ, we can stand in our struggle against the dark forces (Eph 6:12).
3 comments:
Sometimes I wonder about how my life would be if I hadn't become a Christian, and I can with certainty say, I definitely can not understand how people do it. In Christ is the only place I can see that provides stability, comfort, peace, and strength in this tumultuous world.
David, I concur with your sentiments! Many years ago, when I was a young believer and a Christian girlfriend was a new mom, she astutely remarked, “I would not want to raise a child without God’s help.” Many years later, I too had come to hold that very same thought, and these days I say every day, “I would not want to live without God’s help.” Truly, how do people do it?
Today’s post highlights what I deem the most important factor in life--one’s standing in Christ. I have learned that my entire spiritual status and eternal destiny are based on my fellowship with Christ--i.e. my being joined with Jesus through faith in His person and His salvific work on my behalf. That union is the grounds for my acceptance and adoption by God into His family. It brought me the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and salvation. Through my standing in Christ, I walk in newness of life, confidently approach the throne of grace, and can stand firm against the devil’s influence and power. As you say, my position in Christ is essential--so much so that I strive to allow my understanding of that foundational reality to shape my entire belief system and inform my attitudes and actions. Truly, that status means everything to me, for I know that if I am not standing in Christ, I am a pitiable sinner, still lost in my sins.
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