In Christ
A. PAUL TELLS WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN FOR US IN CHRIST.
1. We emphasize what God has done.
2. And that he has done all through Christ.
B. THE SUBJECT OF THIS PARAGRAPH IS FOUND IN verses 9-10.
1. God purposed the mystery of his will in Christ (Eph. 3:11).
2. All things are summed up in him.
3. There are six things that God has done that are listed here.
4. These things are specific elements in the eternal purpose of God.
C. WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR US IN CHRIST?
A. ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS ARE OUR
THROUGH A KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS (2 Pet. 1:3)
B. ACCESS TO THE FATHER (John 14:6).
C. SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE (Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11).
A. CHOSE, elektos, “picked out.”
1. Emphasis on what God does IN CHRIST.
2. Our election has its ground IN CHRIST, in the sense that apart from Christ,
there is no election.
B. WHO IS CHOSEN? “US!”
1. Specific individuals?
2. Believers in general? (Rev. 22:17; 2 Tim. 2:3-4)
C. GOD PURPOSED TO BLESS IN CHRIST BEFORE CREATION
(1 Pet. 1:18-20; Acts 2:22-23).
D. WHAT DID GOD DETERMINE BEFOREHAND ABOUT HIS CHOSEN?
1. Holy, hagios, different, set apart (2 Cor. 6:14, 17-18; Rom. 12:2)
2. Without blemish
a. Forgiven, therefore without sin (Eph. 5:25-27).
b. Pure in our behavior (Phil. 2:14-15).
A. FOREORDAINED, prooridzo, “denotes to bind, set a boundary.”
1. English word – “horizon.”
2. Once again, who is foreordained? Specific individuals? NO! But the kind of
person who is within the set boundary God has set forth. A peculiar kind of
person (Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9-10)
B. KEEP IN MIND THAT PAUL’S OBJECT IS TO TELL US WHAT GOD HAS
DONE IN CHRIST.
C. WHAT WAS FOREORDAINED? THAT THOSE ELECTED WOULD BE
ADOPTED CHILDREN (Gal. 3:26-27; 4:4-7).
A. GRACE, charis, “Favor which is undeserved.” (Rom. 6:23) THE RICHES OF HIS
GRACE IMPLIES LOVE AS A MOTIVE (John 3:16).
B. GRACE INCLUDES:
1. Redemption in the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:22, 11-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
2. The forgiveness of our trespasses – no more remembrance (Heb. 8:12).
C. GRACE MADE TO ABOUND IN ALL PRUDENCE & WISDOM (Titus 2:11-12).
D. WHEN HE MADE KNOW TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL (Eph. 3:5).
A. HERITAGE, kleros, “a heritage, a private possession … the heritage of God.”
(1 Pet. 2:9).
1. Having been foreordained. See above.
2. That we should be unto the praise of his glory (Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10).
B. WHO IS THE HERITAGE OF GOD?
1. We who before hoped in Christ – The Jews (vs. 12)
2. Ye also who trusted in Christ after they heard (vs. 13)
3. All that believe (Rom. 1:16).
A. SEALED, sphraqizo, “to mark (with a seal) as a means of identification.” (Rom. 8:16).
B. EARNEST, arrobon, “deposit, earnest money, down payment.”
C. THE SEAL OF THE SPIRIT IS GOD’S FULL GUARENTEE THAT HIS PURPOSE
WILL BE CONSUMMATED IN OUR INHERITANCE (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
A. WHEN? IN THE FULNESS OF TIME.
B. WHAT? TO SUM UP ALL THINGS IN CHRIST – ALL THE THINGS THAT
GOD PLANNED FOR US IN CHRIST.
C. BUT HOW DOES ONE GET INTO CHRIST? THIS PASSAGE TELLS OF GOD’S
PART, WHAT IS MAN’S? (Gal. 3:26-27).
