Do you remember that hurtful name those kids called you in middle school? Maybe you had a friend, family member, or loved one call you something hateful? No matter where you heard it or how long ago, those painful labels certainly ran through your mind as you read those last couple sentences. While those memories threaten to dig up all manner of sorrow, the good news is that someone much more important has countless better names He’s called you. If you are a follower of Jesus, God says some truly beautiful things about you. Take a few minutes with us to explore a few tidbits of treasure found in Ephesians chapter 1.
GOD SAYS YOU ARE BLESSED
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” -Ephesians 1:3
We see that word “blessed” thrown around all over the place, don’t we? It fills our household décor and appears in seemingly every clump of bragging hashtags on social media. But what exactly does it mean?
Blessed means “to speak well of.” And we know that when God speaks, it isn’t just lip service. His words come with power to impact our lives. In this case, He has blessed us with “every spiritual blessing in Christ.” The first, most important blessing is salvation through faith in Jesus. As if that wasn’t enough, He continues to bless us even more. Much of the rest of Ephesians 1 reveals several more blessings, like…
GOD SAYS YOU ARE BLAMELESS
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” -Ephesians 1:4
None of us are perfect. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Therefore, we are to blame for all our disobedience against Him. Our sin is our fault. Even the incredible, faithful prophet Isaiah was overcome with guilt over his sin when He came into the presence of God. “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips!” (Isaiah 6:5). Yet, God says we are blameless in His sight.
That doesn’t mean that we won’t have sin in our future that we’ll need to repent of as we become more like the image of Christ. But it means that our sin is covered. The blame and responsibility for our sin was poured into Christ and nailed to the cross. We bear it no more. Unlike when Isaiah was filled with remorse over his sin in God’s presence, those who belong to Jesus will one day be presented as “blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” (Jude 24)
GOD SAYS YOU ARE REDEEMED
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” – Ephesians 1:7
Several years back, the band Big Daddy Weave released a song entitled “Redeemed.” It topped Christian music charts for weeks with a message that resonated with countless fans. The idea of freedom from our past and sins is something Life 90.5 listeners still request to hear on occasion. But what does this “redemption” mean? It means “ransom in full.”
Before we become followers of Jesus, we are slaves to our sin, headed toward a devastating eternity we moreover deserve. We are powerless to change our outcome as any attempts at good works render as filthy rags against His holiness (Isaiah 46:6). However, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Laying down his own perfect life, He paid the debt of our sin, freeing us from its power and giving us the ability to live a life that honors our gracious heavenly Father.
We are no longer slaves. Not to our sin, not to our past, not to whatever labels have been placed upon us. We are redeemed. Bought with a price so high it’s mind-boggling that God would pay it for you and me. But He did. Because He loves us.
“For God so loved the world [that means you!] that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
ARE YOU ONE OF GOD’S CHILDREN?
Ephesians 1 is filled with even more incredible things that God says about his children. However, it’s important to note that these amazing labels don’t apply to those who aren’t His. The book of Ephesians is written specifically to believers. And it’s only to believers that He has given the right to become children of God.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” -John 1:12
Do you want to be blessed, blameless and redeemed, too? Learn more here about how to become a child of God yourself.
Which of these labels God says means the most to you today? Tell us in the comments!
