Ephesians 1 – 3
Verse 1:11 shows us there is a plan:
In Him 11 we stand to inherit even more. As His heirs, we are predestined to play a key role in His unfolding purpose that is energizing everything to conform to His will.
The idea we are in the grand plan of things to come is amazing. When you think about this, it’s exciting and scary at the same time since he does not really say what the plan is and the only examples we have are him and the other disciples who were jailed, beaten and killed. Today one could not “sell” Christianity if it included a public flogging or some jail time. We have repackaged it to a cleaner more sanitary version. But then again we live in a place and time where being a Christian only draws ridicule in some arenas, granted many countries still execute Christians, for the most part we are safe. Ironically today with any ridicule we tend to draw back into our shells.
Verses 2:8 & 9 we see what the salvation of Jesus is in a nutshell:
8-9 For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing.
This is pointed first to the Jews but today to the people who think works gets you salvation. The beauty of this verse is it shows nothing can be done on our part other than believing in Jesus. All the work was done on the cross. It doesn’t matter what you do, it’s all been done.
Now this verse can make believers lazy, since all the work is done. Salvation does not mean we do nothing, it just means what we do will not gain us anything. The difference is the heart, we are doing works to show the love of God, not to gain the love of God. It’s that simple, nothing you do will save you, but what you do may affect the salvation of others.
Verse 3:6 talks about a mystery:
Specifically, the mystery is this: by trusting in the good news, the Gentile outsiders are becoming fully enfranchised members of the same body, heirs alongside Israel, and beneficiaries of the promise that has been fulfilled through Jesus the Anointed.
But the salvation of all through Jesus is no mystery to any person other than some the Jews. Since the beginning of time they were the chosen ones then suddenly they must share their God with everyone. If you follow the OT you will see God bless nations that follow him and are not Jewish. So God’s love of the world is nothing new. Paul’s message was to show the Jesus came for all, not just the Jews. How cool is that?