Sharper Iron — One Lord, One, Faith, One Baptism – Ephesians 1:1-14: Blessed Be God

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St. Paul spent a long time in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. Even while he was later imprisoned, he wrote to them to instruct them in the Christian faith and life. The letter opens with praise and blessing to the Triune God. The Father has blessed us and chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. In the beloved Son of God, we are beloved as well. In Christ Jesus, the inheritance of all God’s riches belong to us, because we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the resurrection from the dead.

Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ephesians 1:1-14.

“One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul highlights the salvation that God has given to His whole Church by His grace through faith. Because God has given His people this new life in Holy Baptism, we live in thanksgiving to Him as members of one body.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

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Ephesians 1:1-14

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful^[a] in Christ Jesus:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us^[b] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

¹¹ In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee^[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,^[e] to the praise of his glory.

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Footnotes

1. Ephesians 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)
2. Ephesians 1:5 Or before him in love, ⁵having predestined us
3. Ephesians 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known…
4. Ephesians 1:14 Or down payment
5. Ephesians 1:14 Or until God redeems his possession

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org