Who Are You? A study from Ephesians 1 & 2

Introduction

Who are you? Take a moment to think about it, write your answer down.

Often when we are asked this question our answer comes from what we do. I might answer “I’m Nathan”, I may, as I have on the ‘Meet Nathan Page’ talk about my passion for scripture. I’m much more likely to list my job or my hobbies though. There’s nothing wrong with that, and they make up part of my life, my personality, and they are a good way to get to know me more. However, they are not who I am.

In this study we are going to look at Ephesians 1 & 2 to answer the question “who am I?”.

According to Tom Wright, in his introduction to Ephesians in The Bible For Everyone (2018), Ephesians is a circular that will have gone round many local churches to bless and encourage these new communities of believers. It has been a blessing and an encouragement ever since.

Before we dive into our study take time to read Ephesians 1 & 2 and highlight all the things it says about you, then write that list.

Personal Question

• Which of the many statements spoke most to you today?

• Thank Jesus for that truth.

The Words

In reading these two chapters I saw the following words:

• Blessed 1:3

• Chosen 1:4, 1:11

• Holy and blameless 1:4

• Predestined 1:5, 1:11

• Loved 1:5, 2:4

• Adopted 1:5

• Redeemed 1:7, 1:14

• Forgiven 1:7

• Included 1:13

• Marked in Him 1:13

• God’s possession 1:14

• Alive 2:5

• Saved 2:5, 2:8

• Raised up 2:6

• Brought Near 2:13

• Reconciled 2:16

• Citizens 2:19

• Members of God’s household 2:19

In these first two chapters there are at least 23 statements of identity and truth about who we are in Jesus, plus others about our identity as a united church e.g. 2:22. In these opening chapters of Ephesians Paul is giving us a shout of praise that leads into intercession - praying that the church would find its foundation in Jesus and His love. (Tom Wright, Bible For Everyone 2018, p 1165). As we review this list of statements we are reading what Paul was declaring, praying for, and longing to see in the local church.

We are going to look at these together, and I encourage you to keep coming back to these truths, not just as we study them but throughout your life. As we study, allow time for the truth to really sink in and speak to you of who God says you are.

Personal Question

• Read over the list of words again, allow each truth to slowly sink in.

• Declare these statements of identity over yourself today.

• Thank Jesus for these truths and ask that He would make them real to you.

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

In this verse we can pull out the words praise, blessed, and blessing. These all share the same root, “eulog”. In many translations the word we see here as “Praise” (eulogētos) is written as “Blessed be”, it conveys a sense of being worthy, and being commended. When someone is commended they are spoken of to others. As we praise God we are speaking of Him, commending Him to others, this is what it means to praise.

We are praising here, Paul tells us, in response to the blessing (eulogeō) we have received. This blessing has the sense of gifts given, of God bestowing blessings upon us, of good things causing us to prosper. It is important at this point to look at the third blessing. We are caused to prosper ‘in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing’. It is key to grasp this bigger picture. There is nothing wrong with earthly prosperity, but we are praising God for the ultimate, eternal blessing of prosperity in the spiritual realm, blessings that are primarily spiritual in nature (Gordon Fee, God’s Empowering Presence 1995, p666). This will outlast anything in the here and now. To put it another way:

“Note, Spiritual blessings are the best blessings with which God blesses us, and for which we are to bless him”

(Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Cor-Philm p297)

The bigger contextual picture of this letter is that this relationship of blessing/praising the God who has already blessed us is now available to all. We can all enter this relationship with Him; this is the greatest blessing of all, one which leads us to praise Him.

As we consider the other words on our list we are really coming to understand these spiritual blessings that have been bestowed upon us.

Personal Question

• Spend time recounting the blessings God has lavished upon you.

• Turn your list to praise, praising God and commending Him.

• Ask who you can commend God to today.

Chosen, Predestined, Holy & Blameless

In the NIV we see this word, chosen, on two occasions in chapter 1. First in verse 4, then in verse 11. Interestingly these are different words in Greek conveying different meanings. Let’s take them in turn.

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”

Ephesians 1:4

The word “chose” (èxeléato) here is very straightforward in meaning. It simply means selected, picked out, choosing with intent towards kindness and love. Paul is telling us we are selected, picked out by God from the beginning to receive His kindness and love.

It is important to note when we were chosen. God chose each of us before He formed the world. Picking us happened before creation, God has always had a plan for each of us. A plan that involves His kindness, favour, and love.

Often when I hear “chosen” I think of school PE or games lessons. The teacher picks the opposing captains and then they pick teams. The trouble with this image is that there were always some picked by default because everyone has to be picked. The longer you are waiting to be picked, the worse it feels.

When God is selecting us it is not like that. The word used here conveys no sense of things not selected, or people picked because they were left standing there. God actively, keenly, enthusiastically chose you. It was a proactive selection. This simple sentence here in Ephesians 1 shows how much God wants you and wants me.

This is a truth that shapes our lives. Think back to the games lessons. The kids picked first were often those that were known to be good, or were friends with the chosen captain. Well, in God we were all picked as high value, all chosen as an equal part of the plan. None of us possess any talent or merit to warrant God choosing us, yet He has chosen us. Let’s be those motivated by that selection to give our all in following Him.

Looking at the second instance, in verse 11, things are not quite as straightforward.

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will”

Ephesians 1: 11

The NIV uses the word “chosen” in verse 11, but it is perhaps not the best option. In Greek we have eklērōthēmn which can be translated as “made an inheritance”. We are treasured and valued as His inheritance. A point which we can see in Deuteronomy:

“For the Lord’s portion is his people,

Jacob his allotted inheritance”

Deuteronomy 32: 9

This, we see from Ephesians 1:11, has always been God’s plan. We are chosen, valued, selected, shown favour, and loved because we are predestined according to God’s plan.

The distilled truth of these verses is that God has a plan for each of us, a plan to show favour, love, and kindness, a plan that has been in place since before creation, this plan is part of what being predestined means. In this plan God ordained for us to be holy and blameless. Not because we were, but because he would make us that way. This is not an external state for others to see as they judge or criticise us. It is an internal truth made real by God, in His wisdom before the creation of the world.

Personal Question

• Where do you need the love of God today, to know that you are chosen?

• Ask God about His plan for you.

• Do you need to commit to giving your all again?

Loved and Adopted

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”

Ephesians 1: 4-5

We have already looked, briefly, at the idea of being predestined. Here we see the motivation and the purpose; love and adoption.

The word for love here is agapē, this is used throughout the New Testament to describe God’s love for His children. It is the word we see in Matthew 3:17 at Jesus’ baptism. This love is active and involved, it is key to understand that “it is not drawn out by any excellency in its objects” (W.E. Vine, Vines’ Expository Dictionary, 1996, p693). God has decided to love us, decided to be involved, and in His love has adopted us as His children.

Paul uses the word “sonship”, and adoption as sons is key. It is an inclusive term, spoken into a context where sonship meant so much more than perhaps it does today. It does not exclude daughters, rather it confers a status upon the one adopted. This would have been understood differently in the Roman world.

In Roman culture when a child was born the parents could, for whatever reason, disown them. There would come a point where the parents, particularly the father, would declare “this is my son, he is chosen and adopted”. From that point the child could not be disowned, from that point on inheritance was active. (https://aleteia.org/2017/09/12/how-the-roman-practice-of-adoption-sheds-light-on-what-st-paul-was-talking-about/)

While we may have some understanding of the love and life giving power of adoption in our context, here we see it was so much more. The declaration of sonship meant more and conferred so much more. This is why Paul writes “adopted as his sons”. Just as God the Father declared sonship on Jesus in Matthew 3:17, so He declares sonship on each of us.

We have been brought into the family, and have been declared forever part of the family. Why? Because of God’s love for us, not because of us, because of Him. The result is a new identity, the old is gone, with all its debt wiped away.

It is important to understand that as Paul writes about sonship it is to convey the ideas of inheritance and status in God’s family, it is also important to grasp our role as a result.

As the adopted sons we represent the family, especially the Father, in all we say or do. The son would be seen as the father in all dealings. In Roman culture, after the point of adoption, to deal with the son was to deal with the father. This means that as we go about our daily lives, as adopted sons of God, we are representing the father, presenting Him to the world around us. How people see us and think of us is, in some way, how they see and think of God.

This concept of adoption and sonship is foundational, all the other declarations of identity have their basis in it.

Personal Question

• Do I need to hear the truth of my adoption again?

• Thank God for His love and for your adoption

• Ask God to help you today to represent Him to those around you.

Redeemed and Forgiven

In verses 7 & 8 we see clearly two aspects of God working together; His wisdom and His generosity. It is with “wisdom and understanding” that God lavishes His grace upon us. Here in these 2 verses we see that our redemption and our forgiveness come from God. Not only that, they come at great cost which God, in full knowledge of who we are, pays in full.

You see His grace is poured out, His forgiveness and redemption are given while we are not good enough, in order that we may be united with Jesus.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

Ephesians 1: 7-10

What does it mean to be redeemed, to be forgiven? The definition of redeemed is two fold. There is the more religious meaning of being saved from sin, and there is the more general meaning, the action of regaining a possession in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.

I think that this second definition is more helpful and paints a fuller picture of God’s redemption. He has acted, in Jesus, to regain His possession. We have had our debt paid by Jesus so that we can be reunited with God. A great cost was paid, and the redemptive work is complete.

Part of this cost was the forgiveness of sins. Sin, in simple terms, is putting anyone or anything in the place of God in my life. It is very easy to do, but it is very dangerous as only God should be number one. This sin is forgiven. This means God sees it, acknowledges it, and in His wisdom and with full understanding lavishes us with His grace so that we are once more forgiven.

I find I need to keep checking what occupies the top spot in my life. Some seemingly good things can creep their way up. For example it may be my career, my role in church, my marriage, my family, or any number of good things. You see all of these are good, it is right to put energy into all of them, but none of them are God.

We see this issue described in Jeremiah:

“My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me,

the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Jeremiah 2: 13

This imagery shows the two things God’s people have done wrong: they have ignored God, and they have put their trust in something else, something broken. We see the danger, in this imagery, of putting things above God. It is to reject the living water that God offers, and to trust instead in broken cisterns. In these terms we can clearly see that this exchange makes no sense.

You see none of the other good things in life have lavished me with forgiveness, or paid the price of my redemption, none of them are worthy of my praise. God has redeemed me, God has forgiven me, and God alone is worthy of my praise.

Personal Question

• Thank God for His grace and for your redemption.

• Consider what may have taken the top spot in your life and ask God for His forgiveness.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep God number one.

Included in Christ, Marked in Him, God’s Possession

At first glance the three statements in Ephesians 1: 13-14 appear a little complex, or less straightforward than the other words we’ve looked at so far. However, if we take them together, and consider them in light of the history of Israel we shall see their clear meaning, and understand the powerful truth they offer.

God, from the very beginning, has wanted a people for Himself. This was true at creation, Genesis 1:26-29, man is made and given his role; look after creation and make more people.

When man gets it wrong God, in His grace, choses Israel and we can trace the story through the Old Testament. We can see how God guides, protects, leads, and restores His people, often despite their best efforts to the contrary. In this story Israel is promised an inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey. God marks His people as His own via circumcision. In this they are marked as God’s inheritance.

For Paul, here in Ephesians and his other letters, the comparison is clear. God’s people are being led, not out of Egypt, but out of sin and towards the promised inheritance of a renewed creation. They (we) are now marked out not by circumcision, but by the Holy Spirit as belonging to God. The big alteration here is who is included. It is no longer just the people of Israel. Now, verse 13 tells us, it includes all who believe the word of truth, the gospel of salvation.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1: 13 - 14

This statement of inclusion is a ‘now’ statement; inclusion is immediate when you believe. Receiving the Holy Spirit, verse 14, is a ‘now and future’ statement. Right now, those who believe are marked as God’s possession by the Holy Spirit. This means we are God’s people, and we will receive our inheritance as part of the family. This life changing inheritance is the future part of this statement. When Jesus returns, when God brings all things together in heaven and on earth under Jesus (Ephesians 1: 10) we will receive our full inheritance. Remember that under the practice of Roman adoption, as we saw earlier, that inheritance is active now. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence with us in the here and now, and it is a guarantee of the future inheritance. As Paul says later in Ephesians we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to go on being filled. (Ephesians 5: 18). In other words this active inheritance is inexhaustible and we are to continually draw upon it.

So while these 3 statements may seem a bit strange at first reading we can see how powerful they are. God’s plan, from the beginning, was to have a people for Himself. That people includes all who believe in Jesus.

Personal Question

• Ask God for more of His presence, for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit

• Spend time reflecting on your inclusion and praise God for it.

Alive, Saved, Raised up, Seated with Him

In a somewhat typical style we have another dense passage from Paul, a passage packed with truth.

Ephesian 2: 1-10 covers who we were before we accepted God’s love (2: 1-3) and who we are now, because of God’s love and mercy. It is important to see in verse 4 that God’s love and mercy is the turning point for all our lives.

When we consider these words or phrases spoken over us it is helpful to contrast them with their counterparts. In this way we can truly appreciate the rescue that God has performed in His love.

2:1 - “dead in your transgressions and sins”2:5 - “alive in Christ”2:3 - “objects of wrath”2: 5, 8 - “saved”2: 2 - “[following] the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air”2:6 - “raised up and seated us with him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”

It is worth looking a little more closely at these truths. Paul makes it clear that they are declared because of God’s love, grace, and mercy. In verses 8-9 we see that our faith is also a gift from God. The abundance of God is at work for our salvation. So what does it mean for us to be alive, to be saved, to be raised up and to be seated with Him?

These phrases, in the context of Ephesians 2: 1-10 are the essence of the gospel. We see here why we need Christ, and the effect of receiving Christ. We are, Paul tells us in verse 5, “made alive”. There is a sense here of being united in Christ; a sense that rings true throughout this passage. We are made alive in Him, raised up with Him, and seated with Him. Our salvation, Paul is telling us, is bound up with Christ and made available to us because of God’s great love for us. Jesus is victorious, He is seated in victory after defeating sin and death once and for all. Paul is telling us that we too, in Christ, are victorious. We are no longer bound by sin and death, but we are raised up in victory and seated with Christ. In practical, day to day terms we are no longer enslaved by sin, no longer powerless against temptation. When temptation comes we can know victory, we can stand strong because in Jesus we are already victorious. We can call on God every day as we are seated with Christ, and our future is secure in God.

“in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2: 7

Paul is telling us that right now we are saved and that this great rescue has an impact now and in the age to come.

All of this is because of God’s kindness and love. In verses 4-7 we see Paul stress this again:

• v4 great love for us

• v4 rich in mercy

• v5 by grace

• v7 incomparable riches and kindness

“The main thing Paul wants to stress about all of this is the sheer, almost unbelievable, magnificent kindness of God”

(Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone the prison letter, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, 2002, p20)

This set - saved, raised up, and seated - speaks of completion and permanence. These are all past tense, actions God has completed in us. They speak of being selected and wanted; of being given a home.

Personal Question

• Give thanks to God for the richness of His salvation

• Consider any areas of your life where sin has crept in and give these to God, to experience again the completeness of His victory.

Brought near, Reconciled

Paul once again contrasts the present truth with the past position. We were far away and have now been brought near. There was a barrier between us and God, and now it has been removed.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”

Ephesians 2: 13-16

When we look at these words more closely we see there is more to them than we might first understand.

The word Paul uses for “near” in verse 13 is “engus” meaning near to God, as being in covenant with Him (StepBible, click the word to see the details). This is not about physical proximity, it is about covenant relationship. In Jesus, Paul is saying, we have been brought into a covenant relationship with God. It is important to see here that God has brought us near. We don’t need to figure out how to get near, we are brought near, it is God’s action that does it.

We who were far away, who were not part of the chosen people of God, heirs of His promises, are now part of the family and heirs of the promises God has made. This is the point Paul has been making one way or another throughout the first two chapters of Ephesians.

Reconciliation, in verse 14-16, is an accompanying and complimentary idea. In the Greek we have “apokatallasō”:

“To transfer from a certain state to another which is quite different; hence to reconcile, restore favour”

(StepBible, click the word to see the details)

This word is only used three times in the Bible, here in Ephesians 2:16 then in Colossians 1:20 and 1:22. In all three places Paul is talking about the work God has completed though his son Jesus on the cross.

Here in Ephesians Paul is speaking about the division between Jews and Gentiles. A division that Jesus has removed, creating one new People of God that are restored to favour in God, who are transferred from disunity to unity, from being far away to being near.

We can know God, not in a distant, conceptual way, but in a real, loving, deep relational way. That is what Paul is saying here. You don’t need special access, or a particular heritage. You simply need to believe in Jesus and you can enter the family of God. Brought into covenant relationship, transferred to a place of unity with God. In Jesus the work of restoring and renewing creation, bringing mankind back into a right relationship with God, has begun.

Personal Question

• Do you feel far away from God? If so, ask Him to draw you near again.

• Thank God for his reconciliation

Citizens and Members of God’s Household

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”

Ephesians 2: 19-20

As we saw previously we are reconciled and brought near; as a result, or as a consequence of that, we are now part of God’s chosen people. Because of Jesus we are brought into His family, alongside other followers of Jesus. As these verses show, Jesus is the cornerstone as God builds us together into His new temple, His dwelling place.

The question for us today is what does it mean to be citizens and members?

It is important to ask such questions as it is in the answers that our theology gets practical.

Paul has already started to address this question by contrasting our new status with the old. We are now longer foreigners and aliens, no longer strangers and outsiders looking in. We have to apply some context to this idea. Remember that Ephesians was likely sent to many new churches, also Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles. This letter would have been read to those without a Jewish heritage who had been drawn to Israel's God through Jesus. It would have been read to those who had been outside of God’s chosen people. Those who had maybe wanted to join the family but couldn’t. Those looking for a home but not finding one. To those people Paul is saying “you are a fellow citizen, you are a member of the household”. This has particular power coming from Paul who was a devout Jew whom Jesus had captivated and changed. (See the study ‘from Saul to Paul’)

To be fellow citizens is to have all the same rights and freedoms. It is why people today seek citizenship in countries they move to. Becoming a citizen gives you better access to resources, the ability to vote and to seek justice. It is a big step, a sign that you belong. Paul is saying “welcome, you belong”. This is a truth we all need to hear from God every day. As believers in Jesus God says to us “welcome, you belong”.

We belong as members of God’s household. The household metaphor, while not the most commonly used in scripture, is still helpful and powerful. It speaks to us of acceptance, love, and freedom. Jesus has brought both Jew and Gentile together, uniting them in Himself as members of this one household. As members there is equality; neither group has more or less than the other. This unity, this bringing together, is what Paul really wants us to see. In Jesus we are brought near and accepted, we are given a new status as citizens and members of God’s household.

This means that today, no matter what we face, no matter how others see us, we can boldly come to the Father for we are members of His household.

Personal Question

• Reflect on your citizenship, and thank Jesus for it.

• Consider where you need to receive this truth afresh and ask Jesus to speak His life there.

• Re-read the list of identity words from the start and declare them over yourself today. Maybe write them out and put them up by your mirror.