The Road To Redemption Series

Ephesians 1:6b-10 [6] (to the praise of his glorious grace, with which) he has blessed us in the Beloved [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, , [8]which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight [9]making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. [10]as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (ESV)

For many people, that the state has declared as “non-essential”, they have a lot of extra time on their hands. Deprived of all the usual activities and associations, the common suggestion is to take the time for a period of self-improvement. Consequently, there is a plethora of books, articles, and schemes that attempt to fulfill that longing. In spite of many variations and sometimes complex formulas, the end result is to tell people they are really all right after all and that what identity, worth, and meaning they find in life they must find in and for themselves. But every human effort at self–improvement or self–satisfaction—no matter what its religious covering may be—is subject to the law of diminishing returns. Genuine and lasting satisfaction is never achieved, and increased achievement only brings increased desire. More importantly, the guilt and fear that cause the dissatisfaction are suppressed but not alleviated. The longer such superficial games are played, the deeper become the depression, anxiety, and feelings of guilt. Because God and His Word are not considered in most such attempts, the only true source for finding ultimate truth is eliminated, and people inevitably are led back to themselves for the answers.

The only way a person can achieve a true sense of self–worth, meaning, and significance is to have a right relationship to ones Creator. A person without Christ has no standing before God, no ultimate purpose or meaning in the world. A Christian, however, is a child of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. If one has no comprehension of those blessings he or she needs to understand the position they already have in their Savior. To give such Christians the right understanding of their position and possessions is the foundational thrust of Paul’s Ephesian letter. It starts with a comprehension of the wonderful work of Redemption by God on behalf of those who He draws unto Himself.

Redemption is one of the central themes of Scripture and of the book of Ephesians, but it carries much more than the idea simply of exchanging one thing for another of equal value. In Ephesians 1:6b-10, the Apostle Paul shows the Road to Redemption by showing five elements of the redemption God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. In this we see: 1) The Redeemer (Ephesians 1:6b), 2) The Redeemed (Ephesians 1:7a) , 3) The Redemption Price (Ephesians 1:7b), 4) The Results (Ephesians 1:7c-9a), and 5) The Reason (Ephesians 1:9b-10).

The Road to Redemption that God offers through His Son, involves:

1) The Redeemer (Ephesians 1:6b)

Ephesians 1:6b [6] (to the praise of his glorious grace, with which) he has blessed us in the Beloved. (ESV)

From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry the Father declared Him to be “My beloved Son” (Matt. 3:17). When we believe in Him, “He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). Because we are now, as Paul continues in the second half of verse 6 “in the Beloved”, we, too, are “beloved of God” (Rom. 1:7). To be Beloved represents one who is in the state of being loved by God. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer from sin, who Himself paid the price for our release from sin and death. Because we now belong to Christ, by faith made one with Him and placed in His Body, we are now acceptable to God. The perfect participle reaches into the past and extends into the present and the future. Christ is “the One Beloved” because of his mediatorial obedience to God (Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (p. 363). Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern.).

Please turn to John 14

Only Jesus Christ has the inherent right to all the goodness of God. But because we are identified with Him by faith, that goodness is now also our goodness. Because our Savior and Lord is the Beloved of the Father and possesses all the goodness of the Father, we are also the beloved of the Father and possess all His goodness. The expression ‘in the Beloved’ continues the notion that all of God’s blessings come to us ‘in Christ’ (vv. 3, 4; cf. 5). ‘Beloved’ marks out Christ as the supreme object of the Father’s love (O’Brien, P. T. (1999). The letter to the Ephesians (p. 104). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)