Resolutions and the Work of God – Part 2

Rather than think about the things YOU need to do, I wanted to point your attention to a few incredible things that God has done for you in Christ. I mentioned the first three accomplishments in the last post. Below are three more.

God Revealed to Us in Christ – Ephesians 1:9-10 says “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him ¹⁰ for the administration  of the days of fulfillment —to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth  in Him.” God revealed to us in Christ. Paul says that in Christ we have had mysteries revealed to us. God is letting us in on the secret of all secrets. This is a secret that changes everything. Just as the relevant nations and organizations made adjustments to their practices in light of the information leaked by Edward Snowden, Christians should adjust all of their lives so that it is aligned with God’s purposes in Christ.

God Gave an Inheritance to Us in Christ – Ephesians 1:11 says “We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will.” He gave an inheritance to us in Christ. Outside of Christ, we get no inheritance; we get wrath. In Christ, Paul is telling us that we receive an inheritance. Like the homeless man, Max Melitzer, who discovered at age 60 of an inheritance that was his, Christians discover in Christ that they have received an eternal inheritance. We are co-heirs with Jesus.

God Sealed Us in Christ – Ephesians 1:13 says “When you heard the message of truth,  the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” God sealed us with the Holy Spirit in Christ. Paul is letting us know that the Holy Spirit is not given to us like it was given to Saul in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, Saul loses the Holy Spirit. But as followers of Christ, when we give our lives to Christ, we are sealed, once for all by the Holy Spirit. Like a cattle brand, God’s Spirit is God’s method of settling once for all that we are his.

So we’ve been chosen, adopted, redeemed, revealed to, given an inheritance, and sealed in Christ. What does he want us to do? Enjoy his work in Christ. Praise him for this. In fact, in Ephesians 1:3, 1:6, 1:12, and 1:14 he calls us to praise God for his glorious grace. Let’s be a people of praise in 2014.