[Note: This is Part 2 of a 10-part series on Ephesians: Living Out Our Identity in Christ.]

Have you ever received an inheritance? Maybe a family heirloom, a piece of property, or a financial gift from a loved one who passed away? There’s something profound about receiving something you didn’t earn—something given freely because of relationship, not merit.

In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul unveils the spiritual inheritance that belongs to everyone who is in Christ. This is not a future promise dangling just out of reach. This is past tense–already accomplished. The blessings Paul describes have already been given. The question is not whether we can receive them, but whether we truly grasp what we already have.

Before we dive into this magnificent passage, let’s look briefly at Paul’s greeting.

Paul’s Greeting (1:1-2)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph. 1:1-2)

Paul identifies himself simply as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” Unlike some of his other letters where he immediately asserts his apostolic authority (see Galatians 1:1), here Paul’s tone is warm and relational. He didn’t become an apostle through human appointment or personal ambition—it was God’s will. Everything Paul is and does flows from divine calling.

He addresses his readers as “the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” Notice the double identification: they are saints (holy ones, set apart for God), and they are faithful in Christ Jesus. Their identity is not based on moral perfection but on their position in Christ. This is the theme that will dominate the entire letter.

Paul extends his standard greeting: “Grace to you and peace.” Grace—God’s unmerited favor—is the foundation of everything. Peace—wholeness, reconciliation, rest—is the fruit. Together, they come “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Both Father and Son are the source of every blessing.

Now Paul launches into one of the most stunning descriptions of our spiritual blessings found anywhere in Scripture.

Every Spiritual Blessing (1:3-6)

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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:3-6)

This opening doxology bursts with joy and wonder. Paul begins not with what we should do, but with what God has done. Notice the structure: God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Not some blessings. Not partial blessings. Every spiritual blessing. And where are these blessings? “In the heavenly places.” This phrase appears five times in Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12), always pointing to the spiritual realm where Christ reigns and where we, in Him, are seated.

What are these blessings? Paul unpacks them one by one.

Chosen Before the Foundation of the World

“He chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” Stop and consider the timeline. Before God created the mountains, before He spoke the stars into existence, before the first human breath—He chose you. This wasn’t an afterthought. It wasn’t Plan B after humanity fell. God’s election of His people precedes creation itself.

Why did He choose us? “That we should be holy and blameless before him.” God’s purpose in election is our transformation. He didn’t choose us because we were holy and blameless. He chose us so that we would become holy and blameless. This is the goal of salvation: to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).

Predestined for Adoption

“In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ.” The word “predestined” can trouble some people, but notice what we’re predestined for: adoption. God determined beforehand that all who are in Christ would be brought into His family as sons and daughters.

Adoption in the Roman world was a powerful legal act. An adopted son received all the rights and privileges of a natural-born son, including full inheritance rights. Often, wealthy Romans would adopt an heir specifically to carry on the family name and receive the estate. When God adopts us, He’s not taking in spiritual orphans out of pity. He’s bringing us into His family with full legal standing as heirs.

And notice the motive: “in love.” God didn’t adopt us out of obligation or necessity. He did it out of love. He wanted us. He chose to make us His own.

To the Praise of His Glorious Grace

Why did God do all this? “According to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace.” God’s ultimate purpose in election, predestination, and adoption is the display of His glory. But not just any aspect of His glory—specifically His glorious grace. God saves us by grace so that throughout eternity, all creation will marvel at His amazing, undeserved, lavish grace.

We were chosen, predestined, and adopted not primarily for our benefit (though we certainly benefit!), but for God’s glory. And here’s the stunning truth: God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. His glory and our joy are not competing interests. They’re the same thing.

Redemption and Forgiveness (1:7-10)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Eph. 1:7-10)

Paul now moves from what happened before creation to what happened in history: redemption through Christ’s blood. “Redemption” is a marketplace term. It means to buy back, to purchase freedom for a slave. We were slaves to sin, held captive by our rebellion against God. But Christ paid the ransom price—His own blood—to set us free.

This redemption includes “the forgiveness of our trespasses.” Forgiveness is not God overlooking sin or pretending it didn’t happen. Forgiveness means the debt has been paid in full. Our sins—all of them, past, present, and future—have been dealt with completely through Christ’s sacrifice.

And how much grace was used in this transaction? God “lavished” His grace upon us. The word suggests abundance, overflow, more than enough. God didn’t give us the bare minimum grace needed to squeak into heaven. He poured out His grace in extravagant measure.

Paul goes even further: God made known to us “the mystery of his will.” A mystery in biblical terms is not something unknowable, but something previously hidden that has now been revealed. What was hidden? God’s eternal plan “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Creation is fractured because of sin. Heaven and earth are separated. Humanity is divided. But God’s plan is cosmic reconciliation—to bring all things together under Christ’s headship. This is where history is heading: Christ will be acknowledged as Lord over all creation.

Sealed with the Holy Spirit (1:11-14)

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, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:11-14)

Paul now addresses two groups: Jewish believers (“we who were the first to hope in Christ”) and Gentile believers (“you also”). Both groups share the same blessings, the same inheritance, the same Spirit.

Notice the progression in verse 13: heard—believed—sealed. The gospel came to them as “the word of truth.” They heard it, believed it, and were immediately “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This sealing is not something that happens at a later stage of sanctification. It happens at conversion. The Holy Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on His people.

Paul calls the Spirit “the guarantee of our inheritance.” The Greek word translated “guarantee” (arrabon) was used in business transactions to refer to a down payment or first installment that guaranteed the full payment would follow. The Holy Spirit dwelling in us now is the first taste, the preview, the down payment of the glory that awaits us. Everything we experience of God now—His presence, His comfort, His power, His love—is just a foretaste of what’s coming.

And the purpose? Once again: “to the praise of his glory.” Everything comes back to God’s glory. Our salvation, from election to glorification, is designed to display the magnificence of God’s character.

Application Points

1) Understand what you already have. You don’t need to beg God for blessings He’s already given you. In Christ, you already have every spiritual blessing. You are already chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed. Stop living as if you’re still trying to earn what has already been freely given. Your task is not to obtain these blessings but to walk in the reality of them.

2. Let grace, not guilt, motivate you. When you truly grasp that God chose you before the foundation of the world, predestined you for adoption, and lavished His grace upon you—not because of anything you did, but simply because He loved you—it changes everything. You’re not serving God to earn His favor. You already have it. You’re not trying to make Him love you. He already does. Let the lavish grace of God fuel your obedience, not the fear of judgment.

3. Live for God’s glory, not your own. Paul repeats three times that all these blessings are given “to the praise of his glory” (vv. 6, 12, 14). Your life is not ultimately about your happiness, your success, or your comfort. It’s about displaying God’s glorious grace. When you live in light of this truth, even suffering and hardship become opportunities to showcase God’s sufficiency. Ask yourself: Is my life pointing people to God’s glory or to my own achievements?

4. Trust the guarantee. The Holy Spirit living in you is God’s promise that He will complete what He started. When you doubt your salvation, when you feel distant from God, when you wonder if you’ll make it to the end—remember the seal. The Spirit is God’s guarantee. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion (Phil. 1:6). The same God who chose you before the foundation of the world will not abandon you now.

5. Marvel at the mystery. God has revealed His plan to you. You’re not in the dark about where history is heading or what your place in it is. All things will be united under Christ. You are part of that grand cosmic plan. Let that truth give you perspective when circumstances feel chaotic or meaningless. Your life is not random. You’re caught up in God’s eternal purpose.

Reflection

Before you move on to the next thing, stop and consider: Do you truly believe that God has blessed you “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”? What would change in your daily life if you really grasped the magnitude of what you already have in Christ? How does knowing you were chosen before the foundation of the world affect how you see yourself today?

In the next post, we’ll see how Paul prays that believers would come to fully understand these spiritual realities. Knowledge of these truths is not enough—we need spiritual wisdom and revelation to comprehend the hope, the inheritance, and the power that belong to us in Christ.