In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesians 1:7-10
The blessings Paul speaks about elicit praise not only upon The Father, the Master Planner, who orchestrates all things, but also upon Christ, His precious Son, who came and died in our place, taking upon Himself the punishment for our sins, and thus securing our redemption at the incalculable cost of His own life and blood. This thrusting forth of Christ as a focal point of our praise is in turn another part of God’s masterful plan, for God in His wisdom and infinite insight, has revealed to us the end result of His plan for this world, the ultimate reason for which He has done so much for us. It is to unite all things things in heaven and things on earth, in Christ and under Christ.
This unity is not yet realized. There is much division. The earth is divided against Christ, the majority of it’s inhabitants staunchly rejecting Him and His rule. We are also divided against each other, fighting, hating, even killing one another. We are divided against the spiritual realm, with many even questioning the existence of anything beyond the natural world. Yet God’s plan is that Christ will be the unifying factor of all things. One day all the world will recognize Christ, and Christ will bring total unification among all the inhabitants of the earth. There will be no more hatred, no more racism, no more misogyny, all will recognize one another as children of God, and thus as brothers and sisters, members of the family of God.
Part 3 in a series on Ephesians chapter 1. New posts on Mondays and Wednesdays.View Series