Eph 1:3-14 3 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, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Let me start with a parable: There was once a boy who was cruelly hypnotised so that he forgot everything about his parents; he could not even see or hear them. He lived in the house with them, and they cared for him–cooking his meals, washing his clothes, and loving him constantly–but he simply looked through them. To him, Mom and Dad were invisible, and he never spoke to them nor heard them speak. That was the realm in which he lived… Then one day the hypnotic spell was broken, this blind spot ended, and he could see and hear his parents. He realized all the blessings he enjoyed from birth, day by day, were given by his parents. All the good gifts he received had come to him from them, and now he could see and understand. That is what happens to us in salvation. We are hypnotized by the god of this world, the devil, so much that though God is the source of all our blessings, we live as though being born blind to Him. But when God saves us, we come out of that spell. He opens our eyes and blesses us with the realization that He is the source of all our blessings, which makes our hearts overflow with gratitude and praise. In salvation we enter the real heavenly realm and start seeing how much God has blessed us.
The passage we read is one of the longest, most gigantic sentences. One author says it is the most monstrous sentence conglomeration that he’s ever encountered in the Greek language. It is like an avalanche; starting at the snowy mountain top with “Blessed be..” it rolls down like a big snowball tumbling down, picking up volumes as it descends; sweeping, stirring, and gathering the whole mountain snow, pouring forth with impetuous speed. We stand stunned by the sight. This is the effect of these fourteen verses.
You know, this is not Paul’s style. Most of the times, his doxology comes in the end; like in Romans, after eleven chapters of deep theological discourse of God’s salvation, Paul bursts forth, saying, ”Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom 11:33) continuing, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:36).
That’s Paul’s common pattern: theology and then doxology. But here, from the very beginning, we witness Paul’s doxology. High tone – this is Handel’s ‘Messiah’ crescendo at the beginning! In light of what he is about to say, he can’t restrain himself from praising right from the beginning; he soars in praise, and in entrance gate, he comes welcomes us with praise. This is a proper test of all theological study. True theology should lead to doxology. If we have learned theology properly, it should lead to praise and worship. The reverse is true too; it is theology that makes us render God-centered worship. Worship is nothing but the response to the truth. Without theology, it will all be cursed, man-centered worship that ruins the soul, as we will see this evening.
We looked at the first phrase of verse 3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” If you think I was slow, let me tell you I preached only half the sermon last week. I can continue to preach the same phrase today again. Fear not, I will not do it. Let me give you a hint of how much more depth this phrase has. You trace the word for “blessed be God” in all of the Bible–Hebrew word ‘Baruk.’ Whenever God performed a great deliverance, people blessed God; Genesis 14, Melchizedek, king of Salem visits Abraham after his victory and says, “Blessed be God Most High,” “bāraḵ ‘ēl ʿelyôn.” We see Moses, David, Solomon, all Old Testament people blessing God. All the saints saw that the purpose of God blessing us is not that we just enjoy, but that we also acknowledge inherent goodness in God’s character and respond by blessing Him. We saw we don’t add anything to God, but it is a declarative praise. We acknowledge, praise, and celebrate God’s attributes.
Paul is going to show how much this God blesses us. If God has truly blessed us so much like this, then the greatest sin you and I commit in life is not to bless this God because of our self-obsession. Romans 1: 28 shows the chief sin of mankind: Even though they knew God, they did not thank or glorify Him. Because of this God’s wrath was revealed on them now – How? He gives them up to a depraved mind; their hearts are darkened; they are filled with all kinds of selfish lusts; they fall in all kinds of self-obsessed misery.
We also saw all our happiness and joy is not in ourselves; focussing on us; praising us; but in Him. We will never know the fullness of blessing, all the joy, all the satisfaction, the wholeness that we are made for, until we learn to reorient our focus on Him and His glory.
What kind of God do we bless? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” First, “God of Jesus Christ” not only talks about Jesus’ humanity, but it is the very language of a covenant. This is an enormously important truth. Whenever God makes a covenant, He says, “I will be their God.” God became the God of Jesus Christ through an eternal covenant of redemption–a covenant between the Father and the Son to save His elect. Jesus Christ entered into the human race in covenant with God. In that covenant, God is the God of Lord Jesus Christ. Then, “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” talks about Christ’s Godhead and His eternal relationship as the second person of the Trinity. So, the word “God” talks about the humanity of Lord Jesus Christ through the eternal covenant, then the word “Father” talks about His deity.
We have to bless that God; Paul is teaching that our Christian worship should be God focussed because the Father is the source of every blessing in our life. Every blessing that you’ve received comes openly, lavishly, freely, graciously from His hand. Even the redemption blessing–the work of our Lord Jesus Christ–is not the work of trying to get the Father to love you. Contrarily, the work of our Lord Jesus Christ is the expression of the Father who already loves you! Christ went to that cross not to get the Father to love you, but because the Father loves you. Until you realize that, you cannot reorient yourself to bless God.
This passage teaches us the great doctrine of the Trinity and each of their work in redemption. If the first phrase talks about the Father and the Son in the redemptive covenant–the Father plans, becomes God to, and upholds the Son in all redemption work, and the Son accomplishes that redemption by coming to earth, living, suffering, dying, rising, ascending, and sitting in session–the next phrase shows us the work of the Holy Spirit: Eph 1:3.b, “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
Let us understand its meaning in three headings:
- The blessed God who blesses us
- The nature of these blessings
- How to experience these blessings
Blessed God who blesses us
Verse 3 says God has blessed us. When we bless God, we bring to Him no substance. We acknowledge, praise, and celebrate His attributes (declarative glory), but there’s nothing we can bring to Him that He needs. But when God blesses us, the case is just the opposite. He doesn’t come with empty hands to just say something about us, but comes with hands full with great gifts to confer upon us. The word ‘blessings’ could rightly be rendered as ‘benefits.’ He has blessed us with much needed, and greatest, beneficial blessings.
Why does He bless us? Because we are so lovable, beautiful, good, and deserving? As sinners, we deserve to be eternally cursed by this God. God blessing us is rooted again in His character. He is a blessed God. Why? Because He loves to bless. When the whole of mankind should be cursed–we don’t deserve any blessing from Him–He made a covenant to graciously bless us through His Son in eternity. That covenant was revealed in steps – first to Adam’s seed and then specifically to Abraham, Genesis 12:2,3, “I will bless you,” “in you shall all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” It is God’s design and purpose to bless His creatures. In the Old Testament, though there was some spirituality, most of their promised blessings related to this world. Deuteronomy 28 talks about blessed in the city, field, fruit of thy body, thy cattle. Blessed when you come in and go out. That’s the old covenant with Israel. They had land, nation, and the blessing was mostly temporal, worldly, physical blessings–abundant harvests, large flocks, physical health, and victory over enemies. The focus was mostly the earthly realm which was actually a shadow of the coming great blessings. But in the New Testament, God goes beyond these worldly blessings and blesses with special, rich, boundless blessings.
So God is a God who blesses. When we recognize the sinfulness of this world, who on this earth is not blessed by God in some way? Every side on this earth is an expression of God’s blessing. Even unbelievers are blessed by nature: rain, sun, fruits, food, good health, good family, children, job, wealth – so many blessings. Every smile, every joy, every meal, every breath, every good thing you have experienced comes from the hand of this God. We have to bless Him for all that by itself.
But now Paul goes beyond those and talks about very special blessings. Not everyone gets these rare blessings. As soon as you hear of ‘blessing,’ if all you can think of is a bigger house, big car, bigger this and more of that, and you think that will make you happy, you are not only immature, but in a blind and very pitiable state. May God open your eyes to see He has so much more greater blessings than these things.
Martin Luther once told a story of a lion who invited all the beasts of the jungle to a wonderful meal – mountains of tender fruits, nuts, peas; slices of the most savoury meat, jugs of hot gravy, honey; delicious trifles; varieties and sweet desserts, meringues – a grand feast. But the swine who came around turned their snouts up: “That is all? What is all this? Where is the barley seed, insects, and grubs?”
To a vulture he gave a sandwich with ten layers of fresh meat that smelled wonderful. The vulture asked, “Don’t you have any rotting carcass that I can tear and eat?” That is how people behave with God.
When God talks about big, higher blessings, our tastes are low. So let us throw aside all those low thoughts, come out of the dark, self-obsessed realm, narrow, worldly-mindedness, and open our minds and understand what these glorious blessings of the blessed God are. The Holy Spirit talks about higher blessings – not the ones that temporarily make you happy and then leave you empty, but things that can keep you always rejoicing, peaceful, and gentle. Regarding worldly needs, our blessed God says, ‘Don’t worry about that. I will take care of all your needs in this world; but your deepest need is higher; look above.’
The nature of these blessings
What makes Paul burst into this exuberant praise? What blessings, even though he is in a jail, not knowing if he may live till even the next hour, makes him rise like an archangel and bless God? What are those blessings? He says, “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
The verse itself is a blessing verse. We bless God, for He blesses us (how?) with every spiritual blessing. There’s a play on words. It’s absolutely marvelous in the Greek text. There’s a sound to it that’s supposed to catch your attention. Blessed us with every spiritual blessing. The blessings we’re talking about are not just blessings–the average temporary, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, stomach-filling, roof-over-your-head, few-days-exciting–kind of blessing. We’re talking about special, special, rare spiritual blessings. We’re talking about blessings that are of a different category than the mere physical blessings that we’re thankful to God for every day. Paul is going to list those glorious blessings in the coming verses for three chapters, but here he gives us a summary of the nature of these blessings. We will see four traits of these blessings.
I was watching a video of a man filled with some spirit screaming, “Raba shema [some gibberish.]” He prays for blessings like “All debt should be paid, all should be blessed with prosperity, those who do not have a child should get twins, those who are single married…” So “filled with the Holy Spirit,” see the blessings he can think of. We will talk about special secret blessings only God’s children know the value of. Let us remember the traits with the acronym HUSH! Holy Spirit, Unchangeable, Sufficient, Heart satisfying.
HUSH:
- Holy Spirit – These blessings are given to us through the Holy Spirit.
Most Greek scholars and commentators tells us when Paul says, “spiritual blessings,” it’s not necessarily in contrast to material blessing, but it is blessing coming to us through the Holy Spirit. Spiritual, “pneumatikos,” refers to that which is communicated or imparted by the Holy Spirit of God. When Paul says they are spiritual blessings, we are to think of blessings given to us by the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. ‘Spiritual’ points to the medium by which they are conferred, which shows the wonderful excellence of these blessings, since they are beyond any other blessings God gives. Scripture shows the great goal of all that God has done in the work of redemption–electing us in eternity, sending His Son, Him living, suffering, dying, rising, ascending, and His session–all that for what? That He may bring upon believers the blessings of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Gal 3 says this and points out that this is beyond all the blessings of the Old Testament. Acts 2:33 states, ”Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” So when it talks about ‘spiritual’ first, it is not contrasting with ‘physical,’ but that the blessings are given through the Holy Spirit.
Meaning the highest, most excellent, greatest, precious blessings of the Triune God is communicated to men through the Holy Spirit. In the great work of redemption, it is the Father who is the Giver, the Son who is the Reservoir, and the Spirit who is the Communicator of these spiritual gifts. All that Father planned, all Christ purchased for us, is brought into experiential reality in our lives by the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul will teach us not to grieve Him (Eph 4:30). It is the Divine Spirit who communicates to men all the most precious things of the Triune God. Charles Hodge says these blessings are spiritual because they are derived from the Holy Spirit, whose presence and influence are the great blessings purchased by Christ.
Though he is going to list them in the verses, generally, when we reflect, what do we realize the Spirit has done for us? When we were dead in sin, He gave us rebirth. What a blessing it is that He used the power which raised Christ from the dead and spiritually resurrected us, opened our minds, changed our hearts, and renewed our wills? He convicted us of sin, illuminated our minds to see the glory of Jesus Christ, united us to Him, transferred our sin to Him, imputed His righteousness to us, justified us and made us adopted children of God in family of the Triune God, becoming heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We are joined to Jesus Christ–the crown of all spiritual blessings. He broke the dominion of sin over our lives. He even now supplies us the grace of perseverance. He sanctifies and illuminates us to see the glory of our inheritance. These are some of the Holy Ghost’s blessings. So first, Spiritual blessings are enjoyed through the work of the Holy Spirit. - They are unchangeable blessings. Any physical blessings change; fade; because your needs change. Every worldly blessing changes: your riches, family, health, house, job, your marriage (oh that is always changing). Today we may be famous, have a big name and market; Our family and society may value us today; but that will change. We always live in fear of this change. Oh how the soul is yearning to set itself on something that never changes!
In contrast to all of this, these [spiritual] blessings never change. They’re not subject to time, situation, or place. Nothing in this world can touch these blessings. Nor does our need for them change.
Have you noticed it is given in the past tense? Blessed with every spiritual blessing? What about blessings we will receive in the future – resurrection, full redemption of body and soul, and eternal heaven? Paul, seeing the panoramic view of the whole scope of salvation from eternity to eternity, stands back, viewing the whole thing. To convey certainty of all blessings–their unchangeableness–he uses the past tense. These are absolutely certain and unchangeable blessings to us in the purpose of God, given to us by the immutable God who never lies. So Paul can mention it as though it’s already fully accomplished. If we are chosen and saved, then it is 100% certain that we will go to heaven and enjoy all these blessings; just as he used the past tense. Romans 8:30, For whom He foreknew, called, and justified. And then he puts in the past tense, as though it’s already done, Whom He justified, He glorified, even though we’re not yet glorified.
Because the blessed God who gives these blessings never changes. He is the immutable God; Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” COF His gifts and callings never change. Though many storms and floods arise and beat against believers, many temptations of Satan may come and fall on us, though unbelief may plague us and cause the sensible sight of the light and love of God to be clouded and obscured from us for a time, yet He never changes. This God’s covenant never changes. His promise never changes. His love towards us, grace towards us, never changes according to the situation. His relationship with us never changes. No matter what we are, no matter how wrong we go, how far we go, He never changes in love. Our atonement, our justification, our adoption, and even our glorification doesn’t change. These are unchangeable blessings.
If you’re discouraged–maybe you’ve failed, or fallen–if you are a true believer, your blessings are still in Christ Jesus. These are ours no matter what else is going on in our life. No matter what our situation is, no matter what our present condition is, in the midst of this life and all its trials and its disappointments there are spiritual blessings which are ours to have and to enjoy which no man can take away from us, which are ours by the grant from the hand of the heavenly Father, and they are ours through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. This is a life-altering reality. - These are sufficient blessings for all this life’s situations, and eternity
How much of these special blessings has He given to us? Has He forgotten to give anything? Or has He said, “I will give you 50% now; if you show yourself good and walk properly, then I will give you a little more, and a little more”? No. “Blessed be God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
The word “every” removes every limit; unlimited blessings; all the highest blessings the infinite God can bless us with; all – nothing left; everything included in the package. That is to say, there is no gap or lack in our blessings. It is whole; rounded, complete and perfect. Whatever your needs may require, whatever your hopes can dream, whatever wishes you can stretch out towards, it is all here, compacted and complete. The spiritual gifts are encyclopediacal and all-sufficient, They are not segments, but completed circles. When God gives He gives amply.
2 Pet 1:3, “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,” Everything you need, everything you need for life and godliness has been provided for you by your Father through the Holy Spirit. You lack nothing. Everything you need in this life for sanctification, godly life, salvation; every spiritual blessing, every benefit, every provision is given through the Spirit. You talk about blessings that will have radical implications on how you live your life going forward with joy and blessings; they are these.
God has already given them to you. They belong to you. Wife, you’ve got a grouchy husband, and you find him exceptionally difficult to live with. Or husband, you have a wife who makes your life difficult; and it’s a hard life day after day, after day. God in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, has given you every spiritual blessing that you need to endure and handle it. You have wayward kids who test your patience? God has given you every spiritual blessing you need to endure and handle them. You have difficulties, you have financial difficulties, difficulties at work, huge decisions that need to be made, you feel like your life is crumbling all around you? Remember, God has given you everything that you need for life and godliness. You’re battling temptation, you have a certain thorn in the flesh or a certain trial, you have something that just seems to have the upper hand on you all the time, and you act like you’re defeated and you act like you’re never going to change; not going to be blessed. That’s a lie from the devil. God has given you every spiritual blessing that you need to overcome. In terms of the things of the Spirit, we are wealthy beyond measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
Amazing: All blessings are given; we don’t need anything more. We possess them all today. They’re all available and accessible. All has been given, but the great question is how much has been taken; how much do we experience them? We are truly like that Aram Bikarai who lived a beggarly life while there was hidden treasure below his feet. There is boundless wealth belonging to us by right, and by the Father’s gift. Yet, here are we, many of us, living like beggars; with all that wealth, paupers still.
You already have everything, not so much in realization, but you have it in the Lord Jesus Christ. That one word, “every,” signifies blessings in the widest sense. Only eternity will be an adequate commentary on this text, and only the redeemed in heaven who see the eternal unfolding of the gifts of grace will be the best commentators of the word “every.” - Heart satisfying blessings
They affect not only your outward man; but your whole being, whole man. They are heart, conscience, and mind satisfying blessings.
There are blessings that put us in a good house, good car, good dress, but your heart still may not be affected; it may be sad, tense, and guilty. Most earthly blessings remain without us, and they pass outside of us. If that is the only thing you have to praise God for, you sometimes have to outwardly thank God with some regrets and not with a full heart. You cannot rise to this level of blessing God. The blessings of the world always leave us empty; they cannot fully satisfy our hearts. “Material possessions and worldly success can’t touch the deepest parts of our hearts, but the joy from the Holy Spirit overflows within us.” These spiritual blessings from the Holy Spirit affect your deepest heart – your inward man, your soul – and fills you with the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, hope, strength, guidance – and transforms your whole character, emotions, thoughts, and words. What worldly blessings can do that? Let’s face it: Earthly life is, by its very definition, mundane life. It is a visible, tangible life. Yes, we may thank God for our house, car, job, and family, but after some time they become mundane. In contrast, there is nothing mundane about these spiritual blessings. They are glorious, fresh, and affect your deepest heart. They are something that is otherworldly, something wonderfully futuristic. “Earthly pleasures may touch the surface, but the Holy Spirit’s blessings immerse our hearts in an ocean of joy.” “God used the world’s gifts as shadows in the Old Testament for the Holy Spirit’s blessings, which is the substance of true joy.” So, HUSH.
Thirdly, how do we experience these blessings? Climb and Sit.
First: Climb – Notice the Place or Realm of these blessings
Where are these blessings? “…blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
Grammatically Paul has made a fatal error. He uses an adjective that doesn’t have a noun. He says, “in the heavenly.” Heavenly what? So you’ll notice in your Bibles you have “places” in italics. It is added to give clarity. There’s no noun there. It’s a unique phrase. Grammarly may point this out as an error, but this is divine grammar. Paul is not just talking about heaven, but a heavenly, divine realm. Firstly, this realm is where my spiritual blessings started, when God elected and foreordained me. There was no physical world at that time. “Heavenly” is the place of origin of all these blessings. Secondly, Paul probably also has in mind the idea that is God’s storehouse of blessings, completely prepared and guarded. All these blessings are stored in the heavenly realm. Not only the origin and storehouse, but beyond all that–more importantly–in order for us to experience these blessings, we must rise in our soul and go up there.
All the commands in the scripture to set your heart on above; seek the things above – Why? Because all these spiritual blessings come into experiential reality in our lives when we seek it from there. We must, through prayer and meditation, rise up to experience these blessings. We don’t receive this if our eyes are always looking down on earth, on the things below. If we are living in the low levels, we will not experience these blessings. Yes, this is the reason that even though we are blessed with all such blessings, with such a large provision made for all possible necessities and longings of all sorts, we are so weak, feeble, poor, and with little enjoyment of any of these blessings.
Olden days’ church worship would begin, “up with your hearts!” Why? The blessings are in the heavenly, and if we want them, we must go where they are. It is not enough to drink little drops flowing through the rock cracks; you have to climb up, up, and up, through meditation and prayer. Climb up to the headwaters, where the great, pure fountain gushes out abundantly and inexhaustibly. The blessings are heavenly, and there they abide, and there we must mount if we want to experience them.
Secondly, Sit: These blessings are enjoyed in union with Christ.
This is Paul’s favorite song, “in Christ,” like biggest string on his guitar! Every spiritual blessing that has been given to us by the Father could only be enjoyed in union with Christ. How can we enjoy these blessings? Not only by climbing. Paul, talking about our position, will say in chapter 2, verse 6, “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Again the same ‘heavenly places’ phrase. That is the true identity of the believer – in union with Christ. Even while we pilgrims are here, temporarily moving among illusions and changing scenes, in the depth of our true being and identity we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places.
We have to climb through prayer and meditation to this place not to immediately jump down afterwards, but to learn to sit at rest with Christ to experience the fullness of these blessings. This is not just theoretical truth, but, as A.W. Pink puts it, an “experiential union.” This points out that we have to live in experiential union with Christ to inherit our blessings. That is what Paul will teach us: To learn to have our lives ‘hid with Christ in God,’ and sit together with Him in the heavenly places.
So how do we experience it? It’s in union, it’s in trusting, it’s in faith in Jesus Christ that we find the sphere, the arena, of these spiritual blessings. That union is the very life of this epistle to the Ephesians. I showed how repeatedly “in Christ” appears. This is that glorious union by which it is possible for poor, empty, sinful creatures like us to be filled with His fullness, animated with His life, strengthened with His power, and to experience all these blessings.
So the only way to experience all these spiritual blessings is in union with, and abiding in, Christ. Didn’t He Himself clearly teach this? “I am the Vine, ye are the branches,” “Abide in Me,” “Without Me ye can do nothing,” and get nothing, and are nothing.
Mcclaren says if we abide in Him by faith, by meditation, by love, by practical obedience, and the great effort of our lives is to keep close to Him, we experience the power of these blessings in our lives. If we disconnect from Him by wandering away in thought and desire, by allowing sin, earthly lusts to surge in and break the connection, we will be helpless without any power like switching off the electricity! “Abide in Me and I in you:” There is nothing else that will make us blessed, nothing else that will meet all the circumference of our necessities, nothing else that will quieten our hearts and sanctify our understanding.
So we see God who blesses us; HUSH–4 traits of these wonderful blessings; and how to experience these blessings.
Application – 2
Unbelievers: Some people get angry because I say “unbelievers.” What I feel is He specifically talks to me, exposes my state, and makes me feel uncomfortable here. There is a day coming when many, innumerably so, will stand before Christ and say “Lord, Lord, did we not go to church, think ourselves believers, and do miracles?” Christ will say, “I never knew you; depart into hell.” You should really be happy because I can call some of you unbelievers. Our country is filled with churches where even though you are an unbeliever, they are all doing everything to make you think you are a believer. What a sad end is waiting for all of them! How foolish to go to such places, and live in deception. Such places will harden us more against the gospel, never allowing us to be truly saved.
I know the tricks to make you feel good; if used, maybe we would have 100s in our church. But we want to be true to your soul. Like Paul’s disciples, we don’t want your blood on our heads. The only way to be saved is to be in a place where they tell you the truth about your soul. Every time the Word is preached, it will show whether we are saved or not, and it will create the Holy Spirit’s pressure to come to Christ. That will never happen in false churches. They will only harden us so as to never be saved.
Can I tell a good test to show whether you are saved or not by this verse? How excited were you when I explained spiritual blessings? Did your heart fill with praise? Or suppose I tell you God has promised blessings; make you believe that He is going to remove all debts from today; He is going to bless you with prosperity; your account balance will cross a minimum of 10 lakhs; you will get an SMS saying, “10 lakhs credited,” before you leave this church: oh what excitement!
Contrasting that, what if I tell you God has graced you with the most wonderful blessing in your life by divine warrant? That from this moment on, you’ll never struggle again with your besetting sins? Upon divine warrant, I have a promise that from this time on, you’ll never know what it is to feel jealousy, covetousness, anger, short temper, lust to other people; that you will experience the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience? If I tell you you’ll never have a day without experiencing close communion with Jesus Christ, behold his unclouded face… What would your reaction be if I promised such spiritual blessings to you today upon divine warrant?
Now, if I sat both before you and said, you can either have this or that, but you can’t have both, would you debate for a moment which one you’d take? Would there even be a moment’s hesitation? Would there? That shows your spiritual condition. No question, God’s children are like the Apostle Paul: I count all things material as loss; even my life as dear to myself. One thing I count dear. That I may know Him. Experience conscious fellowship with my God and with His Son.
See, Paul, though he spoke about these blessings, he tells the object of these blessings. He doesn’t say these are for everyone. Notice the little word “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us.” The “us” of verse 3 are people described in verses 1 and 2: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus and saints at Ephesus and believers in Christ Jesus.
Though I call you unbelievers, I have good news for you. You heard about all these blessings; I know for some of you it must be dead boring: “What blessings? No money, no gold, no house…” It is because all you can see is only this. There are blessings beyond that. You can see them all only when you believe and are united to Christ. And the only way to get any of those blessings is to be in Him. In Him you have all these blessings; Out of Him, you have none of them. You may have temporal blessings. He sends His rain upon the just and the unjust. But you don’t have one distinct spiritual blessing unless you’re in Him. For God has constituted the Lord Jesus the exclusive yet infinite reservoir of all spiritual blessings. Jesus Christ is the great fountainhead of all blessings. He is life. Severed from Him, we live in a living death. He is wisdom. Severed from Him, we stumble in our ignorance. He is light. Severed from Him, we grope in darkness. Believe in Him and turn from your sins, so God can open your eyes to see there is life beyond eating, drinking, working, and having a family.
For believers: I think the main application again is praise: “Blessed be God.”
Paul’s desire is that this adoration might overflow to his readers, so that they will be stimulated to respond as he does and give glory to God for all of His gracious blessings to them: with an outburst of praise. This has to become contagious; to add coal or other solid fuel to stoke our praise and our adoration for God. Not only should it make us bless God, but also re-orient our life to God.
We will continue to read the list of blessings; but every time we read them, it should bring us back to this top mount of blessing God. I pray it has that effect upon us that we shall bless Him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s almost as if Paul the announcer says, “Let the praise begin.” And he means it to be contagious. Is the blessing of God in your heart and lips this morning? Could you say it with Paul after hearing, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”? Could you say, “Yes Paul, blessed be God, blessed be God, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”? He’s worthy of praise. If the Pentecostals, with silly superficial Old Testament blessings of worldly healing which most times are false, are so excited, how much more should we be excited with true blessings!
Paul is calling us to praise God. C.S. Lewis says,
All enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise. Also, the world rings with praise. Lovers praising their lovers, readers their favorite writers/poet, tourists praising scenic places; travel experts; players praising their favorite game, fans praising their celebrities; citizens; politicians; praise of the weather; food; dishes; vehicles; historical persons; children; flowers; mountains. As men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it. Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think it was magnificent? Very nice food right!?
So Paul, in telling everyone to praise God, is simply doing what all men do when they speak about something they care about.
We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is its appointed consummation. Do you enjoy the true and living God? Because if you do, you will praise Him. If you are not a worshiper of God, you are not a Christian. Jesus tells us in John 4, the Father is seeking such worshipers.
We need to learn this Trinitarian praise: As Paul thought of all the blessings in Christ, he said, “Blessed be the God and Father,” including the Holy Spirit in “spiritual blessing.” True praise should be suffused with Trinitarian concepts. Today it is all shattered; one group there is nebulous and unclear in their talk about God; God Jehovah without Jesus Christ. Another side is all “Jesus, Jesus;” No “blessed be the God [of Jesus Christ]” Another group is full of superficial emotions–all “Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,” without God or Jesus Christ. True biblical worship will bring all three persons in their worship.
How this one verse shatters false religions: Pentecostals: If every spiritual blessing has already been given to us by God, then why seek a second blessing?! Why are you torturing yourself with 21 days fasting, waiting, still seeking a second blessing? The second, third, 1000th blessing is already blessed. Roman Catholics, CSI, and other works-based religions: If God blesses us with all these blessings based on Christ, why are you running on works to gain favour of God? “If I’m not good enough. I should do more works and God will bless me.” No He blesses you only through Jesus Christ. All blessings come only by Him. For believers, God has already given it to you. Our problem is one of ignorance. Our problem is weak faith; little faith. We have to climb in faith and sit with Christ, and abide in Him to experience these blessings.
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 