Articles
All Spiritual Blessings
The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, emp LS). What are the "spiritual blessings" that we can have "in Christ"?
1. Redemption. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). The word "redemption" means, "to rescue; to loosen from; to free; a releasing effected by payment of ransom." What have those "in Christ" been freed or rescued from? Paul gives us the answer, "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18). Those "in Christ" have been redeemed, that is, "made free from sin".
2. Sanctification. "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" (I Corinthians 1:2). The term "sanctified" means, "to set apart holy". Notice that Paul called the church at Corinth "saints". What is a "saint"? A "saint" is literally a "holy one" that has been "sanctified in Christ Jesus". That means that one outside of Christ is unholy.
3. Reconciliation. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (II Corinthians 5:19). The word "reconciled" means, "to change from enemy to friend". Who are the enemies of God? James says, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). John says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (I John 2:15-17). One that is "in Christ" has stopped loving the world and "doeth the will of God" and therefore is a friend of God.
