- Joe Steenholdt
Ephesians 1:3-14 - A Done Deal
There are immense benefits to simply believing the good news of Jesus Christ.
Read / Listen
Read Ephesians 1:3-14
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. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
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, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 59
Q. What good does it do you, however,
to believe all this?
A. In Christ I am right with God
and heir to life everlasting.
Summary
For about a quarter of this year, we have considered what a Christian believes as summarized by the Apostles’ Creed. The question and answer about true faith (Q&A 21) prompted the series of questions and answers about what each statement means. These questions are all contained in the “salvation” section of the Heidelberg Catechism, and we have learned how our Triune God has delivered His people from the judgment and misery of sin.
Today we get to the “so what?” question: “What good does it do you, however, to believe all this?” What difference does it make to believe these tenets of the Christian faith? And the Heidelberg’s answer delivers good news of eternal significance, “In Christ I am right with God and heir to life everlasting.”
Paul provides his own response and summary of God’s work of redemption in Ephesians 1:3–14. This whole passage is dripping with praise for how our Triune God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing of salvation. The Father planned it, the Son accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit guaranteed it. God has completed all of redemption from beginning to end. Salvation signed, sealed, and delivered. The only action attributed to the recipients of this amazing grace is hearing and believing it (1:13).
Dig Deeper
Reading through Paul’s letters in the New Testament, you might notice that one of his favorite phrases is “in Christ.” Ephesians is no different; he uses a variation of it almost forty times! It’s because the only key to salvation is in Christ. As a Christian, you are inseparably linked to Christ so that when God looks at you, He sees His perfect Son. In Christ, you are united to His obedience, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension to glory. In Christ, you have all you need for salvation from beginning to completion.
If you have doubts, look at the language used for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given as a guarantee of your eternal inheritance to come. Like the earthly inheritances we know of, this one is not based on merit either. But to further prove God’s truth of salvation in Christ, He has given His Spirit as a down payment.
When buying a house, it is typical that the seller will accept an initial offer from a buyer. Yet it is only when the buyer signs the final paperwork and deposits the down payment that the deal is finalized. When you believe the gospel, you receive the Holy Spirit as a seal; the inheritance of eternal life is promised, and God will see it through.
So the next time you recite the Apostles’ Creed or hear the gospel of your salvation, remember that by believing it, you are in good standing before God and a rightful heir of his eternal inheritance because your life is hidden in Christ.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The One who has ordained, planned, accomplished, and promised salvation;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will respond to the gospel like Paul in Ephesians 1: full of praise that salvation is complete in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Romans 15
