Ephesians chapter one is a great chapter to explore the blessings that God gives to His people. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). After this verse, Paul begins to enumerate the many blessings that are in Christ. Christians are:
- Chosen by God (Ephesians 1:4).
- Holy and Without Blemish (Ephesians 1:4).
- Before Him in Love (Ephesians 1:4).
- Adopted as Children (Ephesians 1:5).
- Freely Given Grace (Ephesians 1:6).
- Redeemed through His blood (Ephesians 1:7).
- Forgiven of Trespasses (Ephesians 1:7).
- Abundant with Grace with wisdom and prudence (Ephesians 1:8).
- Knowledgeable of the mystery of His will (Ephesians 1:9).
- A Heritage (Ephesians 1:1).
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
Perhaps you can study Ephesians 1:3-14 and find more blessings than the ones I found. What I want to emphasize about these blessings, however, is that they are only for faithful Christians! As you study through these verses, consider how many times Paul talks about being “in Christ.” Here are the verses: 3 (in Christ), 4 (in Him), 6 (in the Beloved), 7 (in Whom), 9 (in Him), 10 (in Christ, in Him), 11 (in Whom), 12 (in Christ), 13 (in Whom, in Whom). We should not lose sight of the significance of these expressions! If one is not a faithful Christian, he or she does not have these blessings. It is only for those who are faithful children of God. Ultimately, these are the only blessings that will matter. Are you blessed in Christ?