Ephesians 1 presents God’s counsels in regard to Christ and the church. We are carried back before the foundation of the world to trace the source of all our blessings in God’s eternal purpose; we are transported to the fullness of times, there to see the inheritance of glory when all God’s counsels will be fulfilled. In Ephesians 2:1-101And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1‑10) we have God’s work in us, in view of His counsels for us, whereby He quickens dead souls, raises them up together with Christ, and seats them in Christ in the heavenlies.
In Ephesians 2:11-2211Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11‑22) we have God’s ways with us in time to bring about His counsels for us in eternity. There is what God has purposed for us, what God works in us, and what God does with us. He works in us that we might be quickened together with Christ; He works with us that we might be brought together in one body, fitly framed together into a holy temple in the Lord, and built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
We can readily understand that the epistle must of necessity commence with unfolding the purposes of God, for unless we know His purposes for eternity, we shall not understand His ways in time. Confining then our thoughts to the early part of the epistle (Eph. 2:1-101And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1‑10)), we see the church presented in connection with the counsels and work of God. Man’s work and man’s responsibilities have no place in this passage. All is counseled by God, and all is carried out by God, and, being of God, all is perfect.
Verses 3-7 unfold the counsels of God for His saints individually — those who compose the church. In this great passage we see the character of our blessings, the source of our blessings, the end God has in view, and the means by which that end is reached.
The Character of Our Blessings
As to the character of our blessings, it is important to remember that they are spiritual and heavenly and in Christ. The realization of the true character of our blessings would have an immense effect upon our testimony, for God forms our testimony by instructing us in the true character of our blessings and leading us into the enjoyment of them.
As to the source of all our blessings we read, “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ... hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.” All our blessings have their source in the counsels of the Father’s heart. We discover that His heart was set upon us before the foundation of the world. He set His love upon us in view of our eternal blessing when the world shall be no more. How this steadies the soul in its journey through the world, for nothing that takes place in the ways of God in time can touch the counsels of love that were settled in a past eternity.
We are also carried on in spirit to view the end of all God’s counsels in glory. Thus we learn that God had purposed to have the saints before Him in a condition that is suited to Him — “holy and without blame before Him in love”: holy in character, without blame in conduct, and in love as to nature. Nothing less would suit the heart of God, and what will be accomplished in its fullness then is wrought in our souls by the Spirit now, if, in the power of the Spirit, we seek to answer down here to what we shall be in perfection up there.
Suited to God
Furthermore, not only are we chosen to be in a condition suited to God, but we are predestined to enjoy the relationship of sons before the Father. Angels, doubtless, will be before God in a condition suited to God, but they are there in the position of servants. We are predestined according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
Moreover, in view of the accomplishment of God’s purpose, we must be redeemed and have the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of His grace. The Apostle has connected predestination with “the glory of His grace”; now he connects redemption with “the riches of His grace.” Our great need is met by the riches of His grace, but the glory of His grace does more; it takes us into favor and gives us the place of sons. In Ephesians the Apostle passes beyond our responsibilities to unfold our privileges; hence we have not only the riches of His grace, but the glory of His grace.
The Mystery of His Will
Having, then, in the first seven verses, unfolded the counsels of the Father’s heart concerning His people, the Apostle passes on to fresh wonders. God would have us to know the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself for the administration of the fullness of times. In Scripture a mystery is a secret that cannot possibly be known until revealed by God, and when revealed it can only be known by the initiated. Here the mystery has reference to the “fullness of times” when God will have everything administered according to His mind — when everything that God has instituted at other times and which has so utterly failed in the hands of men will be administered in all its fullness under Christ. Government and priesthood and royalty were instituted by God in other days, only to break down because committed to man’s responsibility. But the time is coming when they will all be seen in perfection and fullness. This will be brought about by heading up all things in Christ, both the things which are in heaven and which are on earth. At present Christ is hidden, but when He sets up His throne — when He reigns — all will be administered to the good pleasure of God.
The Old Testament abundantly foretells “the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow,” which glories, though they reach to the utmost bounds of earth, are still earthly and not heavenly. This is no secret or mystery; on the contrary, the prophets are full of glowing descriptions of the earthly kingdom. When, however, we come to the New Testament, God unfolds to us the great secret that Christ’s dominion will stretch immeasurably beyond the limits of earth; that as a Man, Christ will have dominion not only “from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth,” but over the whole vast universe of God to the utmost bounds of creation; that He should be set far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And there is more: that all things in heaven and earth will be united under Christ as Head. God has abounded to us in all wisdom and intelligence in thus making known to us not only His purpose for His people, but the secrets of His heart for Christ; not only His purpose for earth, but His secrets concerning the whole universe.
This is the mystery of His will, but even so it is not the whole mystery, for the mystery concerns “Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:3232This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32)). This leads us on to the most amazing part of the mystery — that in the day of His universal dominion, Christ will have a vast company of people, made like Himself as the result of His own work, united to Him by the Holy Spirit, to share with Him in all the glory of His universal sway, as His body and His bride.
Head Over All Things
to the Church
The remaining portion of this chapter brings before us this further truth. The Apostle continues: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance.” Christ will reign over Israel, over the Gentiles, over the whole universe, but never is it said that He will reign over the church. Christ, indeed, will ever be supreme, but to the praise of His glory the church will reign with Him.
This is made more abundantly plain by the Apostle’s prayer which closes the chapter. Having unfolded the hope of the calling in verses 3-7 and the inheritance in verses 8-14, the Apostle now prays that we may know these things and, moreover, that we may know the greatness of the power to us that will bring these glorious truths to fruition. This power has been set forth in raising Christ from the dead and setting Him “above all” and putting “all things under His feet.” But while it is given to Christ as Man to be Head over all things, He is Head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all things.
So the church, by association with Christ, will share in His universal dominion over all creation. And just as Eve was said to be a helpmeet for Adam, so the church is said to be the fullness of Him that fills all in all. Apart from the church, Christ would lack His fullness. As one has said, “As Son of God, He, of course, requires nothing to complete His glory, but as Man He does. He would no more be complete in His resurrection glory without the church than Adam would have been without Eve.”
H. Smith, adapted