EP 193: Already Blessed: Our Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Inside: In Christ, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:3–14 reminds us of all that is already ours in Him.

I’ve been camping in the book of Ephesians lately. Reading it repeatedly, slowly working through it, and taking time to ponder the rich truths packed into this short letter.

As I’ve spent time in the opening verses of Ephesians, I’ve been reminded of all that is already ours when we belong to Christ. Paul begins by pointing us to the spiritual blessings we have in Christ—blessings that are ours not because of anything we have done, but because of God’s grace toward us.

Before we go any further, let’s read Ephesians 1:3–14 together. It’s a longer passage, but it’s worth reading slowly—maybe even more than once—because there is so much here to take in.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known  to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹ In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Paul opens this passage with praise to God and then reminds believers of all the spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ.

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Listen to the Podcast (13 minutes) or read the post below (8 minutes):

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Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ

As we move through these verses, notice the beautiful work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and adopted us into His family according to the purpose of His will. In Christ, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of His grace. And when we heard the gospel and believed, we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.

These blessings are not something we earn by working harder or living a better Christian life. They are ours because we belong to Christ. They all come to us by God’s grace and through the finished work of Jesus on our behalf.

I love that Paul begins this letter by reminding us of what God has already done.

Before he gets to the practical instructions later in Ephesians—before he tells us how we are to walk, how we are to love one another, how we are to live in our homes, or how we are to stand firm—he first reminds us of who we are in Christ and what God has done for us.

That’s important for us to remember. The Christian life doesn’t begin with us trying harder to make ourselves acceptable to God. It begins with God’s grace toward us in Christ.

Look at the language Paul uses here. We have been chosen in Christ. We have been adopted into God’s family. We have redemption through Christ’s blood. We have forgiveness of our sins. We have an inheritance. And we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.

These aren’t things we’re waiting to earn someday when we finally become better Christians. If you are in Christ, these are present realities. They are already yours because of Him.

What Does It Mean to Be Blessed in Christ?

I think this is where we need to be careful with that word blessed.

We hear it used in so many ways today. We might say we’re blessed when our circumstances are comfortable, when our family is doing well, when the bills are paid, or when something we’ve prayed for turns out the way we hoped.

And certainly, every good gift we receive is from the Lord, and we should give thanks for His kindness to us. But when Paul tells us here that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, he is pointing us to something far deeper than favorable circumstances.

Our greatest blessings are found in Christ.

Circumstances can change. Health can change. Finances can change. Relationships can be difficult. Our plans don’t always unfold the way we hoped they would.

But none of those things can undo what God has accomplished for us in Christ.

I think that’s why Paul can begin with praise. He isn’t looking first at his circumstances. He’s looking at God and remembering what God has done.

Yet how easily I forget that.

Remembering What Is Already Ours in Christ

This is where this passage meets us in our ordinary days.

I can look at my circumstances, all the responsibilities still waiting for me, or the things I wish were different and begin to focus on what I think I’m lacking.

We can get so caught up in what is happening around us—or what isn’t going the way we hoped—that we lose sight of what God says is already true of us. Paul brings us back to Christ.

Whatever this particular day holds, if we belong to Him, God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Notice how often Paul uses the phrases “in Christ,” “in Him,” and “in the Beloved.” Every blessing named in this passage comes to us because we are united to Christ.

And if you’re reading today and you don’t know Christ, I want you to know that these blessings are found in Him alone. We have no goodness of our own to depend on. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sins. Turn from your sin and trust in Him and in His finished work on your behalf. He is a gracious and sufficient Savior.

And for those of us who do belong to Christ, how we need to keep reminding ourselves of these truths. We can know them and still so easily forget them in the middle of our everyday lives.

This is such a needed reminder for me because I can so easily put my focus on how well—or not so well—I’m managing my day.

But my standing before the Lord doesn’t change with the condition of my home, how much I accomplished that day, or how well I think I’m holding everything together.

My confidence is in Christ and His finished work.

To the Praise of His Glory

Paul also keeps bringing us back to the purpose of these blessings: “to the praise of his glory.”

When we remember what God has done for us, our hearts should be moved to worship. He has lavished His grace upon us, forgiven our sins, brought us into His family, and given us a sure hope and inheritance in Christ.

Our spiritual blessings aren’t ultimately meant to turn our attention inward. They should turn our eyes toward the One who has so graciously given them to us.

We remember what God has done, and we praise Him for who He is.

Carrying the Truth of Ephesians 1 Into Our Everyday Lives

So what might it look like for us to carry these truths into today?

Maybe it means that when I wake up already feeling behind, I remind myself that my standing before God isn’t determined by how productive I am today. I am accepted in the Beloved.

Maybe when I’m weighed down by the guilt of a past sin, I remember that in Christ I have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of my trespasses.

Maybe when the future feels uncertain, I remember that I have an inheritance that is secure and that God has given me His Spirit as a guarantee.

And maybe when I’m tempted to look around at what someone else has and wish my circumstances were different, I come back to this opening verse: God has blessed me in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

I do get it—that doesn’t mean every hard thing suddenly feels easy. But it does help us see our circumstances in light of what is eternally true.

So before we spend too much time rehearsing everything that didn’t go as planned, or feels uncertain or difficult today, let’s take a moment to remember what is already ours because we belong to Jesus.

We have so much to give thanks for.

Whatever this day holds, may we remember that we have been chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. These truths don’t change with our circumstances, our emotions, or the kind of day we’re having.

Which Spiritual Blessing Do You Need to Remember Today?

Here’s a question I’d love for us to ponder:

Which truth from Ephesians 1:3–14 does your heart most need to remember today?

Maybe it’s the reminder that you were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. Maybe your heart needs to rest in the truth that you have been adopted into God’s family. Perhaps you need to remember that in Christ you have redemption and the complete forgiveness of your sins. Or maybe today you need the assurance that you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and that your inheritance in Christ is secure.

Take some time to read through this passage again today. You may even want to write down each blessing Paul names and spend a few moments thanking the Lord for what He has graciously given you in Christ.

Whatever today holds, my friend, if you belong to Christ, you are richly blessed in Him. May that truth lead our hearts to worship—and may it make us thankful women today.

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