Ephesians, Day 2
Our Position in Christ, Part 1 | Ephesians 1:3 – 23
Knowing where you stand with a person is so reassuring. When I think about some of the encouraging relationships throughout my life, I see a pattern of affirmation, brutal honesty at moments, a listening ear, grace in tough situations, and mutual love and respect. In our life together, I also see the prevalence of God’s hand that guides us to a deeper understanding of Who He is, and who we are in Him. Relationships with these characteristics are priceless! In Ephesians 1:2, Paul embarks on a description of our “priceless” relationship with God and where we stand with Him as believers in Jesus.
Following the greeting in the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul immediately transitions to an overview of the blessings found in our relationship with Jesus. These blessings are used by Paul to define our position in Christ.
Our position in Christ is our legal standing with God: Are we guilty or not guilty? Debtors or free? His enemies or His friends? Understanding these things makes a difference in how we live day in and day out. (Iain Gordon, How to Know Your Position in Christ 1).
Paul gives three reasons in this passage defining why we can live with confidence as sons and daughters of the king. We are: 1) chosen and predestined according to the purpose of His will (1:4 – 6, 11 – 12); 2) redeemed, forgiven, and informed of the mystery of His will (7 – 10); and 3) sealed with the promised Holy Spirit according to His will.
Paul finishes out the chapter with a prayer focused on thanksgiving and intercession, being moved by their faith as a church and their love for the people of God — the saints (1:15 – 23). Paul prays for the Spirit of wisdom to reveal the will of God, giving them supernatural discernment and knowledge, hope, and blessing, beyond anything they could imagine.
In Verse 7, Paul writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood.” This language for the first-century reader would likely bring their thoughts to the slave auction in the city square that was a consistent reality for the people of Ephesus. They would see redemption occur in a slave’s life when a ransom was paid as a price for their freedom. “The term used here relates to paying the required ransom to God for the release of a person from bondage. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid that price for every elect person enslaved by sin, buying them out of the slave market of iniquity.”2
Recognizing our position in Christ enables us to walk with confidence in our relationship with God as His children. Make time to meditate today on Paul’s declaration of our position in Christ in Romans 8, as sons and daughters of God:
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, . . . ” (Romans 8:14 – 16).
What a great truth to think about as we start the week together!
Pastor Chuck
1. Iain Gordon, How to Know Your Position in Christ found at https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/core-christian-beliefs/the-believers-position-in-christ.html (accessed January 10, 2020).
2. The Macarthur Study Bible, Ephesians 1:7 note, (found at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A7&version=ESV (accessed January 10, 2020).