TUESDAY-THURSDAY BIBLE STUDIES
EPHESIANS: a mosaic of majesty
by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson
v-. 7./'-f;V:.'S777.7 Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, W est Covina, California .- ■ - ^ ■ ' 7
and the blessed are those, and those only, who have received His Son as “our Lord Jesus Christ.” The “us” here are the “saints”, and as God’s set-apart ones we are eligible for the blessings. Jennings states, “The nature of the blessings is said to be “spiritual”. There is possibly more than one explanation of this. First, Paul might have intended to distinguish the blessings from those mercies of God that are material, physi cal, and temporal, that are intended particularly for the body. Second, Paul possibly meant by “spiritual blessings” those blessings pertaining to the Holy Spirit and intended to minister to the human spirit. The saint’s citizenship is in heaven, hence he no longer sets his affection on things on the earth. More over, his principal needs are spiritual so that he must be “strengthened with might by His (God’s) Spirit in the in ner man” (3:16). Too many of us place the emphasis upon those things that are temporal and transient while we neglect the values that are spiritual and eternal. The Father designed every spiritual blessing for the Church. They are ours (continued on next page) 33
Things Received with Praise — Verse 3 is the key verse in the first half of the epistle, since it introduces us to the source of our wealth in Christ. It is definitely a word of praise: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (1:3). Ironside declares, “The adjective translated ‘blessed’ means to celebrate with praises. At the very outset Paul magnifies the grace of God toward the Ephesians so that they, too, might be filled to overflowing with praise. God is said to bless us when He bestows upon us every provision for our spirit ual peace and prosperity. We are said to bless God when we offer praise and thanksgiving for His provision.” More than twenty-five years had passed since Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ near Damascus. Still he was counting his blessings and praising God for them. Paul is not praising God be cause God desires to bless him, nor be cause God has determined to bless him at some future time, but because God “hath” blessed him. Yes, and He has blessed “us,” too. God is the Blesser,
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