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Articles
To the Praise of His Glory
TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY
The opening section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is a grand eulogy, or word of praise, about God. “Blessed be God,” the apostle begins, for his abundant spiritual blessings bestowed in Christ. The entire section (Eph. 1:3–14) extols such blessings in terms of an eternal purpose, the plan of the ages.
The eternal plan summarized in these few verses is the subject of Ephesians as well as the gospel message contained in the New Testament. It represents what was in the mind of the Creator from eternity, and it is comprehensive in scope. It was conceived and executed by the holy trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each of whom is included in Paul’s praise. The all-inclusive nature of the divine plan involves all time—past, present, and future. Its reach includes “things in heaven and things on earth.” Its blessings include all people, both Jews and Gentiles. Its consummation looks forward to “the fullness of time.”
The passage is especially rich in what it says about God himself, and why he should be praised. Consider some of his divine attributes.
God’s sovereignty. Paul’s understanding of God as expressed here is that he is the eternal, sovereign God. It speaks of his sovereign power that existed even before the foundation of the world. He “chose” and he “predestined.” He had a purpose in such forethought, a purpose manifest in his choosing the sort of folks for redemption who would submit to him and his plan by faith.
God’s wisdom. “In all wisdom and insight” God revealed his plan. The fact that Paul refers to his plan as the “mystery of his will” indicates that it was based on a wisdom far above and beyond any human wisdom. This divine wisdom was revealed progressively through the ages, but it remained a mystery until it was fully made known in Christ.
God’s righteousness and justice. Paul makes clear that the divine purpose in the plan was neither arbitrary nor capricious. His election of those who would be his people was accompanied by the expectation that they would strive to be holy and blameless before him. The redemption of his people was made possible by atonement. That is, only by the blood of Christ, the death of his only begotten Son, could anyone stand justified before a holy God. God’s redemption of his own is conditional, promised to those who respond to the gospel message by faith. God, in turn, is a God whose own faithfulness is demonstrated by his fulfilling what he promised. To that end, he has given the Holy Spirit to believers as a guarantee of their promised inheritance.
God’s grace. Above all, the apostle praises God for his abundant grace. He speaks of God’s glorious grace, the riches of his grace, the grace which he has freely lavished upon us. He speaks of the divine love behind a plan that would make us his adopted children. Our redemption, our forgiveness, and our promised inheritance are completely undeserved blessings, yet they are ours by the grace of God.
Of such a God who has bestowed such spiritual blessings, the apostle declares repeatedly that he did so “to the praise of his glory.” Blessed be God.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 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.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:3–14 ESV).
Dan Petty
