Ephesians

As a Christians it is a faithful saying that we truly have been blessed beyond measure. Unfortunately, we can get caught up measuring this "blessedness" by THINGS: material possessions, physical wellness, and good fortune; yet, this is not what I mean, nor what our apostle Paul is talking about when he speaks of the "riches of God's grace". These blessings are completely spiritual in nature and therefore cannot be measured by the physical eye or your bank account, but can by the "eyes of our understanding". One of the numerous blessings we have blessed with is spoken of in Ephesians. Ephesians, as it concerns our edification builds upon the foundation of what Romans-Galatians sets forth; therefore, advanced education and edification is taking place. The blessings spoken of in Ephesians are
"heavenly" in nature. Notice, Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in HEAVENLY places in Christ:" Many blessings in Christ have been taught to us before this point in our edification, but a declaration that we have been blessed with "all spiritual blessings" is an issue that ought to thrill our hearts and become the object of our minds as the details of these "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" haven't been spoken of in great detail until now. This issue was briefly mentioned and taught in a specific manner in specific "words" to form a general "understanding" in Romans 8, but not in such intricate, subtil detail as this. Detail which now is the subject matter to fill in gaps and wholes in our minds and provide for a deep affection for these blessings. Just what is the totality of these "spiritual blessings" and why are they "in heavenly places"? What Paul goes on to describe (when truly understood and not dumbed-down and spoken of as a passage to simply extol His worthiness to be praised and deserving of glory, which anyone can simply do with any passage of the Bible) takes those "eyes of understanding" and utilizes them to truly have some intelligence in connection with what is being said which, in turn, produces the extolling of God, BECAUSE of one's understanding of the doctrine set forth in Ephesians 1:3-14. One of these magnificent and grand "blessings" is described in detail verses 8-10, "wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:" Now, much goes into understanding a passage like this, such as Satan's plan of evil to be like the most High and be possessor of heaven and earth which he has done, as well as, God's foretold plan to reconcile the earth and the unforetold plan to reconcile the heaven. He will reconcile the earth through the nation of Israel or believing Israel in the "time to come" and He will reconcile the heavenly places with the body of Christ which you and I are a part of. If you don't understand this basic information then the advanced truths set forth in Ephesians won't effectually work to the measure they are designed; nevertheless, it was always known through "prophecy" that God would reconcile the earth back from Satan's usurpation; however, the mechanical means of reconciling the heavenly places was the not subject matter of "prophecy" this subject was a issue God kept a mystery. In "ages past" it was a mystery, yet He has revealed it to the apostle Paul, now "the mystery of Christ" is not so much what this "spiritual blessing" is describing, but rather what "the mystery of Christ" has ultimately provided, which is the "mystery of His will". Simply, if insight and perception into the privy, eternal counsel of God our Father or the thought of such a thing doesn't excite you, your affection has been misplaced, because this is one of the very things He has blessed us with. Notice, in the riches of His grace, He has "abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence". An opportunity, privilege, and blessing that no one before Paul ever had. The issue of "the mystery of His will" is connected to His "good pleasure" and it should please us as well: to say the least. Again, "the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself" isn't solely in regards to "the mystery of Christ", the revelation that describes the reconciliation of the heavenly places through the instrumentality of the body of Christ, but takes into account a "dispensation". This "dispensation" is called "the fulness of times", describing God will have had fulfilled what He wanted to in the "times" wherein He will implement this "program" or "dispensation". It is in this dispensation, which has never been spoken of until here in Ephesians, where He will put what He will have done in heaven and earth under the imperial headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is awe-some in and of itself, yet the design of informing you of such a dispensation is to provoke one to understand how the heaven and the earth will operate together in a capacity never before seen. God's creation has never experienced the heaven and the earth functioning to its full capacity, especially as it has been under "the bondage of corruption" most of its' existence. Yet, God's good pleasure it having these two realms operate in marvelous capacities, which we are to intelligently not only ponder, but realize and understand. It should be noted that there is a large aspect to all this that we will not understand and God will only provide in "the ages to come", yet the basic and fundamental realities of this dispensation He has abounded toward us in and therefore are to be pondered, contemplated, and understood by us. What honor and privilege to have the mind of our Father in Christ regarding His business for the "times" and "ages" after. May we take heed to the exhortation in Colossians 3:2, "set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth". In doing so we can fulfill aspects of Ephesians 5:15-16, "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." May we not let "the course of the world" and "this present evil world" consume our minds and affections and waste our time, when we can use it to the honor and glory of God's good pleasure. Look Up, Pastor Josh M. Strelecki