It is good to receive blessings in this life, but spiritual blessings are infinitely greater because they belong to eternity. Scripture teaches that believers have received a chosen inheritance in Christ, a treasure that neither time, suffering, nor death can take away.
We should thank God for every provision He gives us. Health, family, food, work, shelter, and opportunities are gifts of His kindness, and none of them should be taken for granted. Yet the Christian must learn to look beyond what can be seen and touched. Material blessings are temporary, while the blessings God gives us in Christ reach far beyond the limits of this present life. Forgiveness, adoption, redemption, reconciliation, holiness, and eternal life are treasures that cannot be measured with money.
This is why the opening words of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians are so important. Paul does not begin by speaking primarily about earthly prosperity or human accomplishments. Instead, his heart overflows with praise because of what God has done for His people in Christ. Before describing Christian duties, relationships, spiritual warfare, or life in the church, Paul first reminds believers of the extraordinary grace they have already received from God.
God Has Blessed Us With Every Spiritual Blessing
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 1:3-5
Paul begins with worship: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The apostle is overwhelmed by the greatness of salvation. He understands that everything believers possess spiritually comes from God. Salvation was not created by human wisdom, obtained through human strength, or purchased by good works. God is the author of this wonderful plan, and therefore all glory belongs to Him.
Notice also that Paul says God “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” The expression is enormous in its meaning. The Christian does not merely possess a small portion of God’s spiritual favor. In Christ, God has provided everything necessary for our salvation and spiritual life. We have forgiveness for our sins, peace with God, access to the Father, the presence of the Holy Spirit, adoption into God’s family, promises that cannot fail, and the hope of eternal glory.
Many times people measure God’s goodness only by what happens in their immediate circumstances. If money increases, they say they are blessed. If a difficult situation disappears, they say God has been good. Those things can certainly be expressions of His providence, but God’s greatest blessings cannot be measured by our bank account or by the absence of problems. A Christian may pass through suffering and still possess riches that this world could never provide.
Chosen in Christ Before the Foundation of the World
Paul then takes us beyond our present experience and points us toward eternity: God “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” This statement should produce humility, gratitude, and worship. God’s saving purpose did not begin when we first heard the gospel. It did not begin when we first prayed, attended church, or understood Scripture. Paul points to a divine purpose that existed before the foundation of the world.
This truth removes every reason for spiritual pride. We cannot say that God chose us because we were wiser, stronger, morally superior, or more deserving than others. The gospel leaves no room for boasting. We were sinners in need of mercy, and salvation came to us through the grace of God. This is why Christians can confidently declare that salvation comes from the Lord. From beginning to end, salvation displays His goodness and His glory.
Being chosen by God, however, should never lead to carelessness or pride. Paul immediately explains the purpose: “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” God’s grace does not simply rescue us from judgment while leaving us unchanged. The same grace that saves also transforms. God calls His people away from sin and toward a life that reflects His holiness.
Holiness does not mean that Christians become perfect in this life. We continue to struggle against sin, face temptation, and recognize our weaknesses. Nevertheless, the direction of the believer’s life changes. A person who has encountered the grace of God begins to desire what pleases God. There is repentance where there was once indifference, obedience where there was rebellion, and a growing desire to become more like Christ.
We are not made God’s people because we first became holy; rather, God saves His people and then works holiness within them. Good works are not the price we pay for salvation. They are the fruit produced by God’s saving grace. This distinction protects us both from pride and from spiritual laziness.
Predestined for Adoption Through Jesus Christ
Ephesians 1:5 adds another wonderful truth: believers have been predestined “unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.” Salvation is more than escaping punishment. God does not merely declare the sinner forgiven and then leave him standing at a distance. Through Christ, He brings redeemed sinners into His own household and gives them the privilege of being called His children.
Adoption is one of the most comforting truths in Scripture. The believer can approach God not merely as Creator and Judge, although He certainly is both, but also as Father. We belong to Him. We are received into His family through Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God therefore rests not on changing emotions but on the finished work of Christ.
This is why understanding how we become children of God directs our attention to Jesus rather than to ourselves. Christ accomplished what we could never accomplish. He lived in perfect obedience, gave Himself for sinners on the cross, bore the judgment of sin, and rose victorious. Our acceptance before God rests upon Him.
When we understand adoption, prayer also takes on deeper meaning. We are not approaching a distant deity who reluctantly listens to us. In Christ, believers approach their heavenly Father. We can bring our fears, needs, weaknesses, gratitude, and petitions before Him, knowing that He cares for His children according to His perfect wisdom.
There will be moments when circumstances make us feel forgotten. There may be seasons of sickness, financial difficulty, grief, disappointment, or uncertainty. But circumstances do not cancel adoption. If we are in Christ, our identity as children of God is anchored in His grace rather than in the changing conditions of life. What God has established in Christ is stronger than the emotions produced by a difficult day.
According to the Good Pleasure of His Will
Paul says that this adoption takes place “according to the good pleasure of his will.” These words again place the emphasis upon God. His saving work flows from His gracious purpose. The Christian therefore looks back upon salvation and says, “God has been merciful to me.” There is no room to stand before God as though we had earned a place in His family.
Grace changes the way we think about ourselves and about others. If everything we have spiritually has been received from God, then pride becomes unreasonable. We cannot look down upon another person as though we created our own salvation. Instead, the believer should be characterized by gratitude, humility, patience, and compassion.
This also gives security to the Christian heart. If salvation ultimately depended upon our ability to maintain ourselves before God, we would have little reason for peace. We know how weak and inconsistent we can be. But Scripture continually directs our confidence away from ourselves and toward God. Our hope rests in His mercy, His promises, and the work accomplished by Jesus Christ.
The Cross Reveals the Greatness of These Blessings
We cannot speak about spiritual blessings without speaking about the cross. Every blessing described by Paul comes to us “in Christ.” Christianity is not simply a collection of moral principles or inspirational ideas. At the center of the Christian faith stands Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.
Sin separated humanity from God. Our problem was deeper than a lack of motivation or religious education. We needed reconciliation. We needed forgiveness. We needed righteousness that we did not possess. Christ came to accomplish the salvation that sinners could never accomplish for themselves.
At the cross we see both the seriousness of sin and the greatness of divine grace. Sin is so serious that reconciliation required the sacrificial death of Christ, yet God’s mercy is so great that He provided the Savior sinners desperately needed. This is why salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ must remain at the center of Christian faith and worship.
When believers remember the cross, thanksgiving becomes more than a religious custom. We understand that Christ gave Himself for us when we could not rescue ourselves. The Christian therefore has reason to praise God even when earthly circumstances are difficult. We may lose possessions and still have Christ. We may experience rejection and still be accepted by God. Our bodies may weaken, but the promise of resurrection remains. Earthly circumstances change, but the gospel remains our unshakable foundation.
Spiritual Blessings Are Greater Than Material Blessings
There is nothing wrong with thanking God for material provision. Scripture repeatedly presents food, shelter, family, work, and daily provision as gifts from His hand. The danger begins when our hearts become so attached to temporary gifts that we forget the Giver. We should enjoy God’s provision with gratitude while remembering that nothing in this world can satisfy the deepest need of the soul.
Money can purchase a comfortable bed, but it cannot give peace with God. Wealth can provide excellent medical care, but it cannot conquer death. Success may bring admiration from others, but it cannot erase sin. Human achievements may place our name before thousands of people, but they cannot give us acceptance before the holy God.
In Christ, however, we possess blessings whose value cannot be calculated. We have been reconciled to God, forgiven, adopted, and given an eternal hope. These realities should reshape our priorities. Instead of spending our entire lives pursuing what will eventually disappear, we should seek the things that have eternal value.
This perspective also protects us during seasons when we have less than we desire. A person may not possess great wealth and yet be extraordinarily rich before God. The world tends to evaluate people according to possessions, influence, appearance, or accomplishments. The gospel points us toward a completely different treasure: Christ Himself and everything God has freely given us in Him.
Grace Should Lead Us to Worship and Obedience
Paul’s response to these truths is praise. He does not discuss election, adoption, and spiritual blessings as cold theological ideas. His words are filled with worship. The more clearly he sees the work of God, the more reason he finds to bless the name of the Lord.
Our response should be the same. Theology should lead us to worship. When we understand that God chose, redeemed, forgave, adopted, and preserved His people according to His grace, our hearts should respond with gratitude. Biblical truth is not given merely to fill our minds with information; it should shape the way we pray, worship, live, forgive, serve, and endure suffering.
Grace should also produce obedience. If God has called us to be holy and without blame before Him, then we should examine our lives seriously. We should turn away from practices that dishonor God and seek to obey His Word. We should forgive others because we have received forgiveness. We should demonstrate mercy because God has shown mercy to us. We should love because we have first been loved.
None of this earns salvation. Rather, obedience becomes the grateful response of a heart that has received salvation. The Christian does not obey in order to convince God to love him; he obeys because God’s grace has already transformed his relationship with Him through Christ.
Give Thanks for the Eternal Blessings of God
Let us therefore learn to count our blessings according to Scripture. Yes, thank God for the food on your table, the strength to work, the people you love, and every provision you receive. But go deeper. Thank Him for the gospel. Thank Him for Christ. Thank Him for forgiveness. Thank Him for adoption. Thank Him for the Holy Spirit. Thank Him for His Word. Thank Him for the hope of resurrection and eternal life.
When we begin to recognize these spiritual riches, our prayers change. Instead of approaching God only with a list of earthly needs, we begin to praise Him for what He has already accomplished. We recognize that even if we do not receive everything we desire in this world, we have already received treasures in Christ that this world could never give us.
Ephesians 1:3-5 invites us to lift our eyes above temporary circumstances and contemplate the eternal purpose of God. Before the foundation of the world, God had a gracious purpose for His people. Through Jesus Christ He brings them into His family, calls them to holiness, and blesses them with spiritual blessings that will never disappear.
Therefore, let our hearts be filled with praise rather than pride, confidence rather than despair, and gratitude rather than constant dissatisfaction. Our greatest treasure is not found in what we possess on earth but in what God has given us in Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the blessings You have given us through Your Son. Thank You for Your mercy, for choosing a people for Yourself, for adopting believers into Your family, and for giving us an eternal inheritance in Christ. Help us to value spiritual treasures more than temporary possessions and to walk in holiness, humility, gratitude, and love. May our lives continually praise the glory of Your grace, and may Jesus Christ remain the center of our hope, our joy, and our worship. Amen.