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Spiritual Blessings in Christ as Described by Paul in the Book of Ephesians

As we know, Paul was not an apostle of Jesus while Jesus was on earth. In fact, he was anything but that. He actively and aggressively persecuted those that were Jesus’ followers and sought their imprisonment and even death — till he was literally stopped in his tracks and turned around by Jesus himself. But later, he became a powerful instrument used in preaching Jesus’ gospel of God’s Love and grace. This is expressed eloquently in his letter to the Christians in Ephesus and elsewhere.

In Ephesians chapter 1:3–10, the New International Version adds the subheading: “Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ.” Let’s see what these spiritual blessings are for those who are “in Christ” or, in other words, who have the Divine Love transforming their souls.

Before we delve into the epistle itself, let’s detour to later in Paul’s life, where he is on his way to Jerusalem and farewelling the Ephesian elders, knowing that he will never see them again — Acts 20:24–27.

Ac 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

Ac 20:25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.

Ac 20:26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

Ac 20:27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

In this farewell address, Paul refers to the gospel he received from Jesus as the “gospel of God’s grace” and “preaching the kingdom”. He also equates these with “the whole will of God”. The same themes are also found in the letter to the Ephesian Christians and constitute those spiritual blessings. We’ll look at Chapter 1, verses 3–10.

3 “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.” The heavenly realms would refer to the Celestial Kingdom of God — the destiny of those whose souls become transformed by the Divine Love and who will have experienced the new birth. The kingdom will indeed be a place “of every spiritual blessing” — including incredible joy, happiness, beauty, growth and opportunities. Helen Padgett and others told James more than once that humans don’t have the language to express or conception of what glory awaits us in the Celestial Kingdom.

“In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Through the new birth, or birth from above, our status changes from children of God by creation with our souls just in the image of God to true, redeemed children of God whose souls consist of God’s substance and possess divine nature.

“6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” The theme of grace appears over and over again. Grace is something given to us that we haven’t worked for or even necessarily deserved. It is an unconditional gift.

“7 In him we have redemption …, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.” The lavish grace includes redemption and forgiveness — not through Jesus’ blood and death, but through God’s Love given to us freely for the asking.

“With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” We are privileged to know the true gospel of God’s Love that Jesus’ brought and that when accepted and lived by will bring us into unity with Jesus and God the Father, and as a result with each other.

This was the prayer Jesus prayed on the last night he was with his disciples, recorded in John 17:20–23: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Just a few verses further, and again in Chapter 3, Paul pens two beautiful prayers for Divine Love — which each also list the spiritual blessings we have in Christ.

Ephesians 1:16–19:

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened [prayer for increased soul perceptions] in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance [Celestial Kingdom] in the saints, 19 and **his incomparably great power **[Divine Love that transforms our souls from divine image to divine substance and mortal to immortal] for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, …

*Ephesians 3:16–21

• 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [soul growth and soul perceptions through Divine Love] 17 so that Christ [Divine Love] may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. [all Divine Love here] 20 Now to him **who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us **[this is awesome!], 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.