3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-14 KJV)
Thomas Haweis
Verses 3-14: Deeply impressed with a sense of the inestimable blessings of which in Christ Jesus they had been made partakers, the grateful apostle breaks forth in praises and thanksgivings to the God of all grace.
1. In general. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the adored Redeemer, in whom he is now become our reconciled and covenant God, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things or places in Christ, blessings descending from above, and leading up our souls to high and heavenly things, till we reach the mansions of eternal blessedness. And for all these rich gifts which we now enjoy, and all the greater glory, which we hope for, be everlasting praise, honour, and thanksgiving ascribed to the ever blessed fountain of mercies. Note, (1.) We cannot bless God as he blesseth us; his blessings are real gifts conferred; ours are only the grateful acknowledgments we owe for them. (2.) In Christ Jesus all spiritual blessings are freely given to us; and though we are not in possession of them all, our title to them is sure.
2. In particular,
(1.) He praises God for the spiritual blessing of election. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, in his own eternal mind having sovereignly fixed upon us as the objects of his love, not for any thing foreseen in us, but as regarded in Christ, our covenant-head and representative, who is most eminently his elect, and in and with whom he hath predestinated us to life and salvation; and, as the way thereto, hath ordained, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love, sanctified by his Spirit, in sincerity and truth enabled to approve ourselves before him, as acting under the influence of that divine principle of love which he hath shed abroad in our heart; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself; from everlasting, in his eternal purpose, singling us out from the rest of mankind, and, through union with his own Son, admitting us to the high dignity of children, bestowing on us the Spirit of adoption, and designing us for the eternal inheritance, that we might be thus a people for his praise; according to the good pleasure of his will, not for any worthiness foreseen in us, or any previous obligation lying upon him so to do, but merely out of his own divine sovereignty, thus magnified in the highest, and all the glory of a complete and finished salvation, from the beginning to the end, to be ascribed to him alone by every redeemed soul.
(2.) He blesses God for the reconciliation and acceptance obtained through Christ Jesus. Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in his boundless grace he hath taken us for his own, and regarding us as we stand united with his dear Son, embraces us with the arms of his everlasting love, accepting both our person and services for his sake, in whom being found, we are esteemed complete and perfect, lacking nothing.
(3.) He praises God for the great and inestimable blessings of redemption and remission of sins through the adored Saviour. In whom we have redemption, and entire deliverance from all evil, and a restoration to all blessedness, in virtue of the inestimable price which he hath paid, through his most precious blood, shed on purpose to satisfy divine justice, and obtain our deliverance from the curse of a broken law, in virtue whereof we have the forgiveness of sins, and are saved from all their deadly consequences in time and eternity, according to the riches of his grace; though it was due to our Substitute, the pardon is absolutely free to us; and that such a Redeemer should be ever provided was itself a matter of the most transcendent grace and favour; wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, manifesting the most astonishing depths of wisdom in the contrivance, and prudence in the execution of this wondrous scheme of salvation.
(4.) He blesses God for the knowledge he had communicated to them of his will. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, which was hid from former ages, or but darkly made known, but now is revealed to us, both by an external revelation of it clearly in his word, and by the internal illumination of his Spirit, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, flowing from his own sovereign determination, without the least inducement whatever thereunto moving him in those who are the objects of his choice; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times under the gospel, the last dispensation of grace which will be granted to the sinful sons of men, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, reducing things again to order from the confusion which sin had introduced, recovering his elect, whether Jews or Gentiles, from the miseries of their fallen state, and under Christ as their living head, uniting them in one body; both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, angels as well as saints being formed into one glorious company; even in him, who is their centre of union, whom they acknowledge as their common Lord, and alike owe to him their stability and eternal blessedness.
(5.) He blesses God for the glorious inheritance obtained for them in Christ. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, holding a title to eternal life on his complete obedience to death, and virtually possessed of it through him who, as our forerunner, is for us entered into heaven itself; being predestinated to this glorious portion, according to the purpose of him who worketh all things with irresistible efficacy after the counsel of his own will, that we, to whom the word was first preached, should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, and embraced his gospel. In whom ye Gentiles also trusted, and obtained a like inheritance with us, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and became thereby obedient to the faith, and partakers in common of all our blessings.
(6.) He blessed God for the seal and assurance which they had received of their interest in the everlasting promises. In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed up with that Holy Spirit of promise, which, shining on his own work, conveyed the fullest evidence to your consciences of your particular interest in the salvation of the gospel, which is the earnest of our inheritance, a pledge and foretaste of the glory which shall be revealed, until the redemption of the purchased possession, when we, whom he purchased with his own blood, shall be brought to the perfection of holiness and happiness above, and the work be completed in the resurrection of a glorified body at the last day, unto the praise of his glory, when to eternity his great name shall be exalted by all the redeemed that shall surround his throne with never-ending praises.