In going through Ephesians 1, I am continually amazed at what we have received.
I think most of us, as American Christians, live without really thinking about what we have received from God. It is hard to keep in the front of your mind that you are redeemed, forgiven, and the recipient of an inheritance. It is hard to remember, in the midst of all the daily activities of our life, how little our current life matters in the long view of God.
Churches and ministries have, to a large extent, joined in this sense that today is more important than eternity. We push "felt needs" and preach on "practical matters" like how to handle our finances or how to get along as a family. We are told not to be "too heavenly minded" or we will be "no earthly good," as if being "earthly good" was the main goal.
Paul makes clear that God's purpose is to make us to be holy and blameless before Him. He chose us for this purpose. In accordance with this plan, He predestined us to be adopted as sons. He granted us redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance that cannot be defiled and cannot decay.
Yet, we want classes on how to balance our checkbooks. We do not want to learn about God and our eternal life so much as we want to know how to invest our money. We want practical things (meaning things here) rather than eternal things. We do not want to "set our minds on things above" but on things on the earth, contrary to God's clear teaching in Colossians 3. We do not want to "be like Christ" but to be like people who have nicer cars and better homes.
Our prayers are about how to get well when we are sick or about how to get more money or about our children being safe when they are on school trips. We do not pray that God's will be done, or that His kingdom come, much less that His name be hallowed.
Ephesians 1 is a strong reminder that God's plan is not about what happens here, but that what happens here is just a result of His real plan. It is not His goal that we be happy, but that we be holy and blameless before Him.
For years, I have not taught through Ephesians, mainly because of the great challenge of the opening chapter. Not because it is hard to teach, but because it is hard to hear. It is hard for people to be told that God has a bigger plan than their checkbook and their calendar. He has a plan for eternity.
I think most of us, as American Christians, live without really thinking about what we have received from God. It is hard to keep in the front of your mind that you are redeemed, forgiven, and the recipient of an inheritance. It is hard to remember, in the midst of all the daily activities of our life, how little our current life matters in the long view of God.
Churches and ministries have, to a large extent, joined in this sense that today is more important than eternity. We push "felt needs" and preach on "practical matters" like how to handle our finances or how to get along as a family. We are told not to be "too heavenly minded" or we will be "no earthly good," as if being "earthly good" was the main goal.
Paul makes clear that God's purpose is to make us to be holy and blameless before Him. He chose us for this purpose. In accordance with this plan, He predestined us to be adopted as sons. He granted us redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance that cannot be defiled and cannot decay.
Yet, we want classes on how to balance our checkbooks. We do not want to learn about God and our eternal life so much as we want to know how to invest our money. We want practical things (meaning things here) rather than eternal things. We do not want to "set our minds on things above" but on things on the earth, contrary to God's clear teaching in Colossians 3. We do not want to "be like Christ" but to be like people who have nicer cars and better homes.
Our prayers are about how to get well when we are sick or about how to get more money or about our children being safe when they are on school trips. We do not pray that God's will be done, or that His kingdom come, much less that His name be hallowed.
Ephesians 1 is a strong reminder that God's plan is not about what happens here, but that what happens here is just a result of His real plan. It is not His goal that we be happy, but that we be holy and blameless before Him.
For years, I have not taught through Ephesians, mainly because of the great challenge of the opening chapter. Not because it is hard to teach, but because it is hard to hear. It is hard for people to be told that God has a bigger plan than their checkbook and their calendar. He has a plan for eternity.