The Father chooses in eternity past. Salvation of sinners is a result of Gods being God. What Does Blessing Mean? Bible Definition and References He goes on: For those whom He foreknewthat is not that He looked ahead and saw what was going to happen, but predetermined to have an intimate relationship. While family, home, health, and job can indeed be blessings, Paul is interested here in something even greater. I have followed Jesus for many years. That sums up the great truth of election and predestination. When we put on Christ, the Father sees His loveliness when He looks at us. Feeding the 4,000 and feeding the 5,000same or different? Every spiritual blessing refers to all the conceivable gifts of redemption that Christians receive by being united with Jesus Christ. What is the power of a spoken blessing? - Institute in Basic Life There are some who would say, Well no, God doesnt choose because He doesnt know the future. hemade known to us the mysteryof his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposedin Christ. And what is the goal? I have been following the Lord for over 50 years now. GDPR is the new European privacy regulation, which will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. What is the difference between hell, hades, Gehenna, lake of fire, Abraham Bosom? So breathless is he that he barely takes a breath from verse 3 to verse 14. He gains them at a bound, or rather, he dwells there always. A more intimate walk than I could explain. As a Youth, I am also growing and learning how to live this Christ-life we've all been called to live. encouragement Theyre like two tracks, two parallel tracks that dont come together until heaven. Isnt that good news!. If you love the blog and all the content we create, please support by "BUYING ME COFFEE". And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. Paul's letter to the Ephesian church details how being embraced by the love of Christ truly changes everything. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Verse 15, And if anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Even final destiny is tied to whether your name was written in Gods book before the foundation of the world. This means that if you were being given spiritual blessings, if youre being given a spiritual blessing then things will never be the same. Isnt this kind of a doctrine that should be held until somebody gets to a certain level of maturity and can grasp this? No, this is where all gospel preaching starts. So the denial of sovereign election turns these passages into chaos. Over the next 11 verses, Paul identifies at least some of these spiritual blessings. Because he wanted to. Spiritual Blessings. This brought about separation and man lost his place (inheritance) in God. And maybe I should also learn to praise God for them. This meant the ordinary man/woman couldnt access God directly. A beautiful way to begin any new year is with a doxology - an expression of praise to God. In the light of Ephesians, as children of God we need to be found standing in the evil day. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. That promise here was granted before time began, in Christ Jesus. This is our hope and calling in Christ. This is a guarantee and it practically means the house is yours and no one can take it from you unless otherwise, you decide not to purchase the house again. And Im going to do my very best to open this doctrine to you as fully as I can in the next three hours. He is referring to something that God had planned all along but had not yet revealed to us. Redemption and forgiveness are two more spiritual blessings (v7). When Man left Eden he lost direct access and needed a mediator. Gods greatest blessing always rests in God himself. Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 3 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. The third spiritual blessing is in verse 6, where we are made "accepted in the beloved." The word is related to grace and gives the idea of making us graceful or favorable through Christ, the beloved of God. "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed are those who mourn. In a priesthood session of general conference, he told the story of the Old Testament prophet Daniel, who was taken captive into Babylon and was expected to eat the king's meat and drink the king's wine: "Daniel was a prophet of God, and he was a prophet because he kept the commandments of God. Verse Concepts. 20 Benedictions Examples You Can Use to Bless Your Church - ChurchLeaders According to the Key-Word Study Bible, The Greek word translated blessed in these passages is makarioi which means to be fully satisfied. You see the word "predestined" again in verse 11. John 6:37, All that the Father gives Me will come to Me. Whoa. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. This is a letter written to Gentiles, Gentile believers who had no history in the Old Testament. (See Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2.). We now have direct access to God. They make us rest in God alone. It is hard for me to know for sure just where to divide these verses up into specific blessings, and you may list them a bit differently, but I see at least the following: For he chose usin him before the creation of the worldto be holy and blamelessin his sight. Earthly blessings are temporary; they can all be taken away. You see the word "chose" in verse 4; you see the word "predestined" in verse 5. The biblical story doesn't end with us as spirits floating on clouds, but as embodied individuals exercising dominion in God's new heavens and earth. Richard T. Ritenbaugh. This revolutionary idea of blessing is also firmly established in Scripture. Isaiah 49 Share In Western culture, the colloquial use of the word bless "I feel blessed," "God bless you," "What a blessing!"often morphs a sacred concept into a platitude. Man lost his place in Gods family but the sacrifice of Christ on the cross restored man back to his rightful place. Ephesians 1:3 - "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.". Unexpected raise? This thought so thrilled Paul that it filled him with praise for Gods grace that he has freely given us in Christ. (Ephesians 1:314). The higher you climb on this ladder the more you will be a beautiful person. When people are in a proper relationship with their Creator, they can look forward to a joyful year. Ephesians 1:3-14 is a doxology - a response of praise to God for the many spiritual blessings He has given us. They were realities to him that were attached to real benefits when he lived in and through them. Maybe we would assume the call to worship would come at the end, in response to all of that. Along that line, listen to the words of Peter in 1 Peter, as the chapter begins: To those whofrom Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christto those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosenagain, this is not something you hold till the end, this is something thats at the very beginningwho are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Fatherforeknowledge means a predetermination to knowby the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. Why has the Spirit sanctified you? A challenging journey. Because you were chosen by God the Father. It's far more than just "spiritual blessings," narrowly defined. Spiritual Warfare: Understanding the Battle - Bible Study Tools obstacles to spiritual growth Gifts of the Spirit are given to bless and benefit those who love the Lord and seek to keep His commandments. Ephesians 1:3 NIV. Pink symbolizes love and kindness, and will invite these energies into your home. . We are nothing. But on the other hand, no one is "rubber-stamped" for hell. Whether we realized it or not,this was actually true! They may make us delight, not in God, but in his gifts. One of the things I find interesting about Pauls list of blessings is that it bears so little resemblance to what most of us would likely come up with: sunshine, good health, recovery from sickness, great spouse, good job,pleasantexperience, and most anything else that one finds to be positive. What if trials of this life the rain, the storms, the hardest nights are your mercies in disguise?. If we are in Christ, then God has saved us from our sins in the past, and he will save us from his wrath in the future. 5 ways Christian youths can avoid spiritual compromise The immutable, sovereign, loving, faithful, gracious, omnipotent Lord of heaven, whose word cannot return void, always achieves His purposes. For example, saying that God chose only those whom He foresaw would choose Him infringes on the sovereignty of God! Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ad3278dc5b6796bbd4e563108537f16c" );document.getElementById("c6cee4fd1d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. In Isaiah 44, He says, Theres no God like Me, declaring things that are coming, events that are going to take place, Isaiah 44. They are as real as any physical reality, but we can only enter into their existence and effect by faith. The chosen are predetermined to receive eternal glory. And in doing that, they brought praise to God. In the old testament (I will insert the scriptures below), God referred to the Israelites as His inheritance i.e His own. Just turn to Titus quickly, Titus chapter 1. Paul never heard this song, but he takes its message to heart at the beginning of Ephesians by offering a note of praise to God for his blessings and then shares some of them with us. How can God choose to set His love on those who have done absolutely nothing to deserve it? He wills it; therefore it is righteous. A second spiritual blessing is mentioned in verse 5. Theyre not the material blessings of a good job or a healthy body. When our Lord comes back to claim this world for His own, we will be with Him, and we will be part of His visible and eternal kingdom. Spiritual Blessings Growing Christians Ministries What Does Spiritual Blessing Mean? Bible Definition and References The fact that were going to share in God's glorious program for the future is another spiritual blessing (vs11-12). MIND #Blessed: What Is a Blessing in Scripture, Actually? This is my power, I am blessing you and Ill bless you again and again and again. a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness. So God promised before time began to redeem sinners. James put it this way in James 1:18: In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth. In the exercise of His will. Thats why Paul can say, 2 Corinthians 2:14, We always triumph in Christ, right? While they sometimes unravel us, they can also push us to a deeper life with God than we ever thought possible. to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. This has to be the most amazing thing to me as Im now in my senior years. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.. God is our strong tower. (James 1:12), Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Bible Verses about Blessings - Blessed Scripture Quotes. what is spiritual growth They wouldnt need God to fill them; they would already be satisfied. All the above-mentioned blessings are exclusively for those who are in Christ but its also available for you if only you would let Jesus into your heart. In Your Sons name. One day He will receive us and we will dwell with Him forever. Psalm 135:6, Whatever the Lord pleases, He does. Daniel 4:35, All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but God does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can stay His hand or say to Him, What have You done? That understanding leads to Revelation 19:6, Hallelujah! Its absolutely absurd to say God doesnt know whats going to happen. Ultimately we live in and through them as we live in Christ, but it's helpful to breakdown what that actually means. Without doubt, this is the most foundational doctrine in all the doctrines of salvation. And it is throughout the Bible that God foretells the Egyptians voluntary oppression of Israel. You say, How do those go together? They go side by side. Go down to verse 11: Having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. Everything that happens is in the frame of His will. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! I love how Shante Grossett of Her Style Of Tea explained it in her Ephesians study book: I am going to try to explain this with an analogy. 0 responses the invoking of God's favor upon a person: The son was denied his father's blessing. However, because of our place in Christ, we have peace of mind. Verse Concepts. Spiritual blessings are very different from physical blessings. Greetings I am Jesus I want you all to know this: Anything you wish for is absolutely, completely attainable. Hearing the gospel is an essential step before belief is possible (Rom. You werent chosen just for justification or salvation in a simple sense, you were chosen for justification, sanctification, and glorification. It is more than a fire insurance policy or a ticket to the good life. Light a pink candle. To realise that he loves me unconditionally and only ever wants the best for me, that he protects me and leads me in the way I should go even though I dont always follow his prompting, even after 20 years Im still a work in progress. And these blessings are in the 'heavenly realm' rather than in the physical world we see around us. Perhaps a bit smug and self-righteous. Blessing Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com May it never be! They were chosen before the foundation of the world, their names were written in the Book of Life, and they are secured to the glory for which they are chosen. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord. christian living Paul's praise to God is for spiritual blessings rather than the physical things we generally identify as blessings. What are spiritual blessings? God has blessed us with spiritual blessings as to their nature, rather than temporal ones; with heavenly blessings as to their sphere, rather than earthly blessings; in Christ as to their agency, rather than through any other created medium. Paul is describing how we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. Often, when we hear of these blessings, we just smile and nod and utter a polite Thanks, as though someone has just blessed a sneezing fit. WHAT DOES IT TRULY MEAN TO BE LOVED BY GOD? We also were included in Christ when we heard the gospel message. Not grudgingly doled out to me, but lavished upon me. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Contact Us (Mailing Address for Donations). This lengthy sentence at first seems like a flourish of random ideas, but Paul is actually quite intentional. Report Christian youth In Pauls second letter to the Thessalonians, listen to chapter 2, verse 13: We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. I am always interested in your feedback. In Revelation 13:8 we read, And all who dwell on the earth will worship Antichrist, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Those that are chosen and predestined have their names written in the eternal Book of Life. And we are not just a stick floating downstream; were sons of God headed for glory, because that was determined in eternity past. As long as You have been God, You have loved us because it was that love that caused You to choose. When we put our hands to the plow of our Christian lives, we cannot leave prayer behind. What an inheritance! NIV. Isnt that kind of an offensive doctrine, especially if youre pleading with a sinner to come to salvation? What we mean when we talk about spiritual blessings is a gift. After all, their hard work would be yielding good fruit. Why are so many Christians content to let God be Creator, benefactor, consummator of creation, creator of a new heaven and a new earth, but resent Him when He takes His throne with regard to salvation? In Christ Jesus, we who were once strangers are now full legal citizens and we have a share in the inheritance of the saints. My friend from Kenya ( a bi-vocational pastor) and I co-ordinated a Facebook study group on this magnificent letter. What a wonderful spiritual blessing! And now this eternal purpose of God has been made known. The end of verse 11, predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. Thats what it means to be God. The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is a Thanksgiving icon that symbolizes the abundance of material blessings that we have received. Gods plan was not fully revealed to Old Testament believers, and thats why its called the "mystery of His will." For You make him most blessed forever; Gloria Furman (MACE, Dallas Theological Seminary) lives in the Middle East where her husband, Dave, serves as the pastor of Redeemer Church of Dubai. Gloria Furman explores the main themes in the book of Ephesians, showing us how the blessings we have received in Christ empower us to walk in a new way rooted in God's love for us in Jesus. God says in Isaiah 43:21, "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise." Finally! How often are you guilty of limiting the thought of blessings to just physical ones? Ok, I want you to hear me talk to you about spiritual blessings. To understand the battle of spiritual warfare, we need to begin with acknowledging that we are in a war. Turn to John chapter 6. faith bible verses 7 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS YOU DIDNT KNOW YOU HAD IN CHRIST. Bible Verses about Blessings - Bible Study Tools 1:9, Eph. All that the Father gives Him. 2 Timothy 1:9, God saved us, called us with a holy callingagain, whenever you see call in the epistles, its always an effectual call, an actual call to salvation, not just a broad evangelistic call. Some day well have new bodies that will be immune to suffering and sickness and sin - forever! Sin brought separation between man and God. Vote Up And the Bible teaches that God has given every person enough data in order to make that choice. Hello and welcome to my blog! All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake . how not to compare yourself with others But Gods blessings are utterly real. We have been "born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4). Excellent exegesis of Ephesians chapters 1-3. Gods righteousness imputed to us (Romans 3:22), justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24), our iniquities are forgiven and covered by the blood of Christ (Romans 4:7), peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1), access by faith into this grace wherein we stand (Romans 5:2), justified by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9), saved from wrath through Christ (Romans 5:9), reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Romans 5:10), we have received the atonement (Romans 5:11), baptized into Jesus Christ and into His death (Romans 6:3), planted together in the likeness of Jesus Christs death (Romans 6:5), planted together in the likeness of Jesus Christs resurrection (Romans 6:5), alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:11), free from sin and its dominion (Romans 6:18), eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23), dead to the law, performance-based acceptance systems (Romans 7:4), received the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15), heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), called according to Gods purpose (Romans 8:28), foreknown and predestinated to be conformed to the image of God the Son (Romans 8:29), conquerors through Christ that loved us (Romans 8:37), sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:2), blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8), temple of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), heirs of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9), washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:11), baptized into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), members in particular of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57), comfort in tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:4), delivered from death (2 Corinthians 1:10), stablished (stabilized, fixed), anointed, and sealed (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), triumphant in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14), light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), given the earnest / down-payment of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:5), new identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), Christian ambassadorship (2 Corinthians 5:20), the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), became the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16), grace to endure suffering (2 Corinthians 12:9), delivered from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4), redeemed from the curse of the Law of Moses (Galatians 3:13), a son and heir of God through Christ (Galatians 4:7), accepted in the beloved, Gods Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6), redeemed through Christs blood (Ephesians 1:7), forgiven through Christs blood (Ephesians 1:7), sealed with that holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13), raised up together with Christ (Ephesians 2:6), made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6), access by one Spirit unto the Father (Ephesians 2:18), fellow-heirs and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6), sealed by the holy Spirit unto the day of the redemption (Ephesians 4:30), holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27), filled with the fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11), fellowship of the Spirit (Philippians 2:1), the righteousness of God (Philippians 3:9), our names are recorded in the book of life (Philippians 4:3), our spiritual need of salvation met (Philippians 4:19), a hope laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5), partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12), delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13), translated into the kingdom of Gods dear Son (Colossians 1:13), destined to be placed in reconciled heavenly places for Gods glory (Colossians 1:20), holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in Gods sight (Colossians 1:22), circumcised with the circumcision made without hands (Colossians 2:11), buried with Christ in baptism, NOT water (Colossians 2:12), risen with Christ through the faith of the operation of God (Colossians 2:12), quickened / made alive with Christ (Colossians 2:13), forgiven of all trespasses (Colossians 2:13), our resurrection lives are hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), deliverance from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10), called unto Gods kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12), our hearts are unblameable in holiness before God (1 Thessalonians 3:13), given Gods holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8), obtained salvation from Gods wrath by our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9), everlasting consolation through grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16), good hope through grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16), given the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7), called with an holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9), indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:14), delivered from every evil work (2 Timothy 4:18), preserved unto the Lords heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18). And I am God. The personal seal on a 1st century document, letter or container indicated ownership and security. spiritual blessings In the end, when God gives them the complete package of spiritual blessings, the Israelites will glorify God as He intended from the beginning, fulfilling their ultimate purpose. If you are still struggling to know who you are in Christ I recommend you to read the book of Ephesians. This is a huge blessing! In spite of this, and in contrast to this, this doctrine is the most hated doctrine by people who dont understand it. Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV - Praise for Spiritual Blessings in - Bible Gateway It is to put all things (people, places, powers, planets, politicians, etc) under the visible authority of Christ at His coming. 2023 Grace to You. 2:6). If you are meditating in order to become better than other people you are completely missing the point, the point of all spiritual, powerful work is to let go of your selfishness. For this we worship You, thank You, and praise You. No matter what the world does to us, we always triumph in Christ. If the Bible said that God both chose and did not choose, or that man is both responsible and not responsible - that would be a contradiction in logic. Unmet desires keep me on my knees. He chose to adopt them, to forgive them, to bring them through redemption to a full heavenly inheritanceall of His doing. One translation of the New Testament (ESV) has 112 references with the words bless, blessing, or blessed, none of which connects blessing to material prosperity. Was He talking with someone else? Therefore, its of paramount importance we know and walk in our identities in Christ. What was His motive? But now he has. Know means like in the Old Testament, Cain knew his wife, and she bore a son. Its intimate knowledge. fear Questions about Ephesians | GotQuestions.org If its you that chose your salvation, then how does that end human boasting? How amazing is that! I am so filled with joy knowing this fact! This article on spiritual blessings was channelled from Jesus. 12 MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS SONGS OF ALL TIME! What does destroyer mean in the Bible in Exodus chapter 12:23? noun the act or words of a person who blesses. We are predestined to sonship in the family of God. The Lord Jesus is the Lord of love. Each of them is a gift from the Father to the Son, a gift of divine love. Thats the first and greatest blessing because it encompasses all the rest. He chose me to become holy and blameless before Him forever. 6:19, Col. 1:26, 27, Col. 2:2, Col. 4:3, 1 Tim. 0 responses This is not only our first blessing, but its that which is most preeminently true about God. This, despite this particular letter being written from a Roman prison cell, and the author martyred for his faith. Well thats the essence of grace. My family fell apart. This is a mind-blowing concept, but dont attempt to water it down. . God's promise to Abraham again serves as a foundation for blessings. He chose you for glory. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions,prayer request or you just want to say Hi, This blog has a youtube channel with fun, educating and interactive videos. Verse 30 sums it up, By His doing youre in Christ Jesus. Youre in Christ Jesus because you were chosen, you were chosen. Apart from my inclusion in Christ, there is no forgiveness. After clicking 'Register', you will receive an email with a link to verify your account and to complete your registration. First Corinthians chapter 1, verse 26, Consider your calling, brethrenthe divine calling that called you to salvationnot many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. Here we find that not only does God call to salvation certain people, but He doesnt call the people that you might think He would callthe highbrow and the noble, as it says in James.