Spiritual Blessing In Christ

Life In Christ Bible Study
Topic: Spiritual Blessings in Christ
Presented by Michael Webb
Scripture References: Ephesians 1:1-14
July 25, 2020

Words to Understand:

  1. Salvation – deliverance from the power of sin; The salvation that comes through Christ may be described in three tenses: past, present, and future. When people believe in Christ, they are saved (Acts 16:31). But we are also in the process of being saved from the power of sin (Rom. 8:13; Phil. 2:12). Finally, we shall be saved from the very presence of sin (Rom. 13:11; Titus 2:12–13) Salvation is a free gift from God. It is by grace alone man is saved. Man can do nothing whatsoever to save himself.  Man cannot earn, win, or merit salvation. All man can do is accept the fact that God says He will save him; Every aspect of Salvation is born out of the purpose and the will and the plan of God that when it is accomplished it may be solely and only to the praise and the glory of God. God has saved us in order that He might be glorified; therefore, all our salvation belongs to His credit.
    Salvation is received by faith.  Faith comes through your belief in Jesus Christ.
    Read:( Ro 3:27, 4:2, 5: 1 Cor 1:31) Free offer of Salvation (Ro 11:6)
  2. Grace — Undeserved favor, unearned blessing, unmerited goodness and kindness. grace is giving us something we don’t deserve or could not obtain for ourselves.  Means all the favors and gifts of God, all good and perfect gifts.
    Read: Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:6-7 
  3. Holy – means to be set apart and consecrated to God. Same word used for Saints.
    Read: 1 Peter 1:15-16, 2 Cor 7:1, Eph 4:24 
  4. Blameless — means to be free from sin, dirt, and filth; means to be without blemish; to be without fault and defilement.
    Read: Ph 2:15, Col 1:21-22
  5. Foreordained –  To know beforehand. It does not mean that God chooses some persons for salvation and everyone else for eternal punishment.  Scripture teaches the exact opposite.
    Read: Jn 3:16, Ro 10:13, 1 Tim 2:3-4 
  6. Predestination — means to destine or appoint before, to foreordain, to predetermine, to mark off or to set off.  Read: Jn 6:37, Jn 6:39 
  7. Adoption – To place as a son. Adoption is by Jesus Christ.  God accepts us because we believe and trust His Son. Gods purpose of adoption is that we might live forever
    Read: Ro 8:28
  8. Glory – beauty, power, or honor; a quality of God’s character that emphasizes His greatness and authority. God’s moral beauty and perfection of character. This divine quality is beyond human understanding (Ps. 113:4). All people “fall short” of it (Rom. 3:23) Magnificence of God, Light of Gods Character
  9. Redemption — To buy back.  Deliverance or setting a man free by paying ransom. God redeems man because of the riches of His grace.  He loves man with an unbelievable love – a love that spurs Him to save man no matter what. God redeems man once and for all, purchases and removes him from further sale.  Redeemed eternally
    Read: Gal 3:13, 4:5, Col 4:5
    Redeemed through the Blood of Jesus Christ; Mt 20;28, Ro 3:24;7:23: Heb 9:15 
  10. Forgiveness — means to send off, to send away, to release, to let go.
     
  11.  Sin — means transgression, trespass, a falling by the way, deviating form the way.
    Read: Acts 13:38, Acts 26:18 
  12. Wisdom — means seeing and knowing the truth. It is seeing and knowing what to do. Wisdom is found in Jesus Christ and promised to those who search after Him.
    Read: 1 Cor 1:30, 2:10-16, Eph 1:8, James 1:5 
  13. Prudence – good judgment, and common sense. Means seeing how to use and do the truth. It is seeing the direction to take. Understanding, insight.
    Read: Eph 1:17-18, Col 1:9, 2 Tim 2:7, 1 John 5:20
  14. Inheritance – means heritage.  God takes the believer and makes him is own heritage and possession.  The believer is made the inheritance of God. The believer receives his inheritance by hearing the word of God and believing and trusting in Jesus Christ.
    Read: Dt. 9:29, Dt 32:9, Is 43:1, Mal 3:17, 1 Peter 2:9 
  15. Sealed: You are sealed with the Holy Spirit for a lifetime once you become a true believer. 
  16. Earnest means pledge, guarantee, a down payment. The Holy Spirit is given to the believer to give the believer perfect assurance of his salvation.

 

Open It

  1. How often do you compliment others?
  2. How do you usually respond when someone compliments you?
  3. *What blessings have you received recently?

Explore It

  1. How was Paul made an apostle? (1:1)
  2. To whom was the letter addressed? (1:1)
  3. What greetings did Paul extend to the believers at Ephesus? (1:2)
  4. *How has God blessed believers? (1:3)
  5. When did God’s work of election take place? (1:4)
  6. What is the purpose of God’s election? (1:4)
  7. What did God determine beforehand for those who believe in Christ? (1:5)
  8. What is the goal of God’s election? (1:6)
  9. What is redemption? (1:7)
  10. *What does the work of Christ do for the believer? (1:7)
  11. What has God given the believer? (1:8-10)
  12. When will everything be brought together? (1:10)
  13. How did God’s plan include people of different cultures? (1:11-12)
  14. *What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those called to receive spiritual blessings in Christ? (1:13-14)

Get It

  1. What are spiritual blessings?
  2. *In everyday language, how would you describe the spiritual blessings given to you?
  3. How do you picture the persons of the Trinity at work in your life?
  4. How should knowing that you were chosen to be in the family of God affect your involvement in evangelism?
  5. What has Christ done on our behalf?
  6. How have you benefited from the grace of God?
  7. *For what work of God on your behalf are you most thankful? Why?
  8. Why did God do this amazing work for us?

Apply It

  1. *How can you say thank you to God this week for what He has done for you?
  2. What do you need to do differently to live for the praise of God’s glory this week?

 

Ephesians 1:1-14 (NKJV)
1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
2  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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,
4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6  to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
7  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8  which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9  having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10  that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him.
11  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12  that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13  In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.