The Believer's Riches in Christ 

Studies in Ephesians

EPHESIANS 1
Saints Alive!

(Eph. 1:1-3)
How Rich You Are! (Eph. 1:4-14)

Blessings from the Father

Elect

Adopted

Predestined

Blessings from the Son

Accepted

Redeemed

Forgiven

Wisdom

Understanding

Read the Bankbook

(Eph. 1:15-23)

EPHESIANS 2
Get Out of the Graveyard

(Eph. 2:1-10)
The Great Peace Mission

(Eph. 2:11-22)

EPHESIANS 3
I Know a Secret 

(Eph. 3:1-13)
Get Your Hands on Your Wealth 

(Eph. 3:14-21)

EPHESIANS 4
Let’s Walk Together 

(Eph. 4:1-16)
Take Off the Grave Clothes! 

(Eph. 4:17-32)

EPHESIANS 5

Imitating Our Father 

(Eph. 5:1-17)
Heaven in Your Home 

(Eph. 5:18-33)

EPHESIANS 6
Living the Lordship of Christ

(Eph. 6:1-9)
You’re in the Army Now!

From the Son—1:7-12

(Ephesians 1:7 NIV) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace (Ephesians 1:8 NIV) that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

And as conveyed in effectual calling: this is applied to the believing Jews, and to the believing Gentiles

(Ephesians 1:9 NIV) And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, Ephesians 1:9: Verses 9-13.

We should not think that each Person of the Godhead works independently, because they all worked together to make possible our salvation. But each Person has a special ministry to perform, a special "spiritual deposit" to make in our lives.

Accepted us V 6

Redeemed us V 7a

To redeem means "to purchase and set free by paying a price." There were 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, and often they were bought and sold like pieces of furniture. But a man could purchase a slave and set him free, and this is what Jesus did for us. The price was His own blood (1 Peter 1:18ff). This means that we are free from the Law (Galatians 5:1), free from slavery to sin (Romans 6), as well as free from the power of Satan and the world (Galatians 1:4; Col. 1:13-14). If we were slaves, we would be poor, but because we are sons, we are rich!

Forgiven us V 7b

The word forgives means "to carry away." This reminds us of the ritual on the Jewish Day of Atonement when the high priest sent the scapegoat into the wilderness (Leviticus 16). First the priest killed one of the two goats and sprinkled its blood before God on the mercy seat. Then he confessed Israel’s sins over the live goat, and had the goat taken into the wilderness to be lost. Christ died to carry away our sins so they might never again be seen (Psalm 103:12; John 1:29). No written accusation stands against us because our sins have been taken away! Sin made us poor, but grace makes us rich.

Lavished on us wisdom and understanding V 8 This letter has much to say about God’s plan for His people, a plan that was not fully understood even in Paul’s day. The word mystery has nothing to do with things eerie. It means a "sacred secret, once hidden but now revealed to God’s people." We believers are a part of God’s "inner circle." We are able to share in the secret that God will one day unite everything in Christ. Ever since sin came into the world, things have been falling apart. First, man was separated from God (Genesis 3). Then man was separated from man, as Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4). People tried to maintain a kind of unity by building the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), but God judged them and scattered them across the world. God called Abraham and put a difference between the Jew and the Gentile, a difference that was maintained until Christ’s death on the cross. Sin is tearing everything apart, but in Christ, God will gather everything together in the culmination of the ages. We are a part of this great eternal program.

He has made us an inheritance (vv. 11-12).

The King James Version reads, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance," but "in whom also we were made an inheritance" is also a possible translation. Both are true and the one includes the other. In Christ we have a wonderful inheritance (1 Peter 1:1-4), and in Christ we are an inheritance. We are valuable to Him. Think of the price God paid to purchase us and make us part of His inheritance! God the Son is the Father’s love gift to us; and we are the Father’s love gift to His Son. Read John 17 and note how many times Christ calls us "those whom Thou hast given me." The church is Christ’s body (Ephesians 1:22-23), building (Ephesians 2:19-22), and bride (Ephesians 5:22-23); Christ’s future inheritance is wrapped up in His church. We are "joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17), which means that He cannot claim His inheritance apart from us!

From the Spirit—1:13-14

We move now from eternity past (Ephesians 1:4-6), and history past (Ephesians 1:7-12), to the immediate experience of the Ephesians Christians. The Holy Spirit had worked in their lives, and they knew it.

Sealed He has us (v. 13).

The entire process of salvation is given in this verse, so we had better examine it carefully. It tells how the sinner becomes a saint. First, he hears the Gospel of salvation. This is the good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1ff). The Ephesians were Gentiles, and the Gospel came "to the Jew first" (Romans 1:16). But Paul, a Jew, brought the Gospel to the Gentiles as he shared the Word of God with them.

The Ephesians "heard the Gospel" and discovered it was for them—"your salvation" (Ephesians 1:13). Even though the Bible teaches election, it also announces, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). A soul-winner does not discuss election with unsaved people, because it is a family secret that belongs to the saints. He simply announces the truth of the Gospel and invites men to trust Christ, and the Holy Spirit does the rest. D.L. Moody used to pray, "Lord, save the elect—and then elect some more!" The same God who ordains the end, the salvation of souls, also ordains the means to the end, the preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Spirit.

Having heard the Word, the Ephesians believed; and it is this faith that brought salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). This pattern follows what Paul writes in Romans 10:13-15, so read that passage carefully. It is God’s plan for evangelism. When the Ephesians believed, they were "sealed with the Spirit."

After that ye believed" should read "when ye believed." You receive the Spirit immediately on trusting Christ.

What is the significance of this sealing of the Holy Spirit? For one thing, it speaks of a finished transaction. Even today, when important legal documents are processed, they are stamped with the official seal to signify the completion of the transaction. This sealing also implies ownership: God has put his seal on us because He has purchased us to be His own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). It also means security and protection. The Roman seal on the tomb of Jesus carried this meaning (Matthew 27:62-66). So, the believer belongs to God, and is safe and protected because he is a part of a finished transaction. According to John 14:16-17, the Holy Spirit abides with the believer forever. It is possible for us to grieve the Spirit and thereby lose the blessings of His ministry (Ephesians 4:30). But He doesn’t leave us.

Another use for the seal is as a mark of authenticity. Just as a signature on a letter attests to the genuineness of the document, so the presence of the Spirit proves the believer is genuine. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9). It is not simply our lip profession, our religious activity, or our good works, but the witness of the Spirit that makes our profession authentic.

(Ephesians 1:13 NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:14 NIV) who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

He has given us an earnest (v. 14).

Earnest is a fascinating word! In Paul’s day, it meant "the down payment to guarantee the final purchase of some commodity or piece of property." Even today you will hear a real estate agent talk about earnest money. The Holy Spirit is God’s first installment to guarantee to His children that He will finish His work and eventually bring them to glory. The "redemption of the purchased possession" refers to the redemption of the body at the return of Christ (Romans 8:18-23; 1 John 3:1-3). "Redemption" is experienced in three stages:

· We have been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7).

· We are being redeemed as the Spirit works in our lives to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:1-4).

· We shall be redeemed when Christ returns and we become like Him.

But the word-translated earnest also means "engagement ring." In Greece today you would find this word being used that way. But, after all, isn’t an engagement ring an assurance—a guarantee—that the promises made will be kept? Our relationship to God through Christ is not simply a commercial one, but also a personal experience of love. He is the Bridegroom and His church is the bride. We know that He will come and claim His bride because He has given us His promise and His Spirit as the "engagement ring." What greater assurance could we want?

We have examined a number of basic Bible doctrines in this chapter, all on the theme of our riches in Christ. It would be profitable for us to review what these verses teach us.

1. True riches come from God. It is a source of great encouragement to know that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is all working on my behalf to make me rich. God not only gives us "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17), but He gives us eternal riches without which all other wealth is valueless.

A distraught wife sought out a Christian marriage counselor and told her sad story of a marriage about to dissolve. "But we have so much!" she kept saying. "Look at this diamond ring on my finger. Why, it’s worth thousands! We have an expensive mansion in an exclusive area. We have three cars, and even a cabin in the mountains. Why, we have everything money can buy!"

The counselor replied: "It’s good to have the things money can buy provided you don’t lose the things money can’t buy. What good is an expensive house if there’s no home? Or an expensive ring if there’s no love?"

In Christ, you and I have "what money can’t buy," and these spiritual riches open up to us all the wealth of God’s vast creation. We enjoy the gifts because we know and love the Giver.

2. All of these riches come by God’s grace and for God’s glory. Did you notice that after each of the main sections in Ephesians 1:4-14, Paul has added the purpose behind these gifts? Why has God the Father chosen us, adopted us, and accepted us? "To the praise of the glory of His grace" (Ephesians 1:6). Why has the Son redeemed us, forgiven us, revealed God’s will to us, and made us part of God’s inheritance? "That we should be to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12). Why has God the Spirit sealed us and become the guarantee of our future blessing? "Unto the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:14).

We often have the idea that God saves sinners mainly because He pities them, or wants to rescue them from eternal judgment, but God’s main purpose is that He might be glorified. His creation reveals His wisdom and power, but His church reveals His love and grace. You cannot deserve or earn these spiritual riches; you can only receive them by grace, through faith.

3. These riches are only the beginning! There is always more spiritual wealth to claim from the Lord as we walk with Him. The Bible is our guidebook; the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. As we search the Word of God, we discover more and more of the riches we have in Christ. These riches were planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and presented by the Spirit. There is really no need for us to live in poverty when all of God’s wealth is at our disposal!

My friend was discussing money matters with his wife and neither of them realized that their little son was listening. Finally the boy broke in with the suggestion, "Why don’t you just write one of those pieces of paper?" Junior did not understand that it was necessary to have money in the bank to back up "those pieces of paper." But we never face that problem when it comes to our spiritual wealth.