In Eph. 1:3-14 there are three sections: verses Eph. 1:3-6, the Father’s selection and predestination, speaking forth God’s eternal purpose; verses Eph. 1:7-12, the Son’s redemption, speaking forth the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose; and verses Eph. 1:13-14, the Spirit’s sealing and pledging, speaking forth the application of God’s accomplished purpose. First we have the Father’s eternal purpose, then the Son’s accomplishment of the Father’s purpose, and finally the Spirit’s application of what the Son has accomplished according to the Father’s purpose. By this we see that the Triune God is expressed in His blessings. Through the Father’s purpose, the Son’s accomplishment, and the Spirit’s application we become the church. In the previous messages we have covered the Father’s selection and predestination. In this message we shall consider the Son’s redemption, that is, redemption in the Son (1:7).
We have seen that the book of Ephesians does not speak from our condition, from the earth, or from time, but speaks from God’s eternal purpose, from the heavenlies, and from eternity. Since this is the case, you may wonder why redemption is mentioned here. It is because we, God’s chosen ones, became fallen. According to God’s eternal purpose, we were chosen, but after creation we became fallen. Hence, there is the need of redemption. By redeeming us, the Son accomplished the Father’s purpose.
Although chapter one speaks of redemption, it does not record our pitiful situation. This is fully unveiled in chapter two. When we come to that chapter, we shall see how pitiful our situation was and how much we were in need of God’s mercy. Although chapter one is altogether glorious, it nevertheless refers to our need for redemption due to the fall.
Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace.” Verse 7 is the continuation of verse 6. As we saw in the last message, verse 6 reveals that we have become the object of God’s favor, for we have been graced in the Beloved. The phrase “in Whom” in verse 7 refers to “the Beloved” in verse 6. This means that we have been redeemed in the Beloved, in the One in whom God delights. Thus, in the eyes of God, redemption is not a pitiful matter; it is a thing to be delighted in. Although it is accurate to say that we are redeemed in Christ, it is not as delightful as saying that we are redeemed in the Beloved. The words “in the Beloved” mean in God’s delight. In God’s delight, the Beloved, we have redemption. This is a further indication that in chapter one there is no thought of our pitiful condition; rather, this chapter is filled with delight. We have been redeemed through the blood of God’s Beloved shed on the cross for us.
According to verse 7, this redemption is the forgiveness of offenses, not the forgiveness of sins. There is a difference between offenses and sins. Because the record of chapter one is so sweet, it does not speak of sins, but of offenses. In the eyes of the Father, His chosen ones have committed some offenses which need to be forgiven. Chapter two, on the contrary, speaks of wrath and sins. In chapter one God the Father takes care of our offenses. However, even these offenses made redemption necessary, and the blood of the beloved Son of God was shed on the cross for our forgiveness. Apart from the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22). Hence, there was the need of the blood. This forgiveness was according to the riches of God’s grace, which He caused to abound to us in all wisdom and prudence (v. 8).
Verses 4 and 5 reveal that we were chosen and predestinated. But after creation we became fallen. Hence, we need redemption, which God has accomplished for us in Christ through His blood. This is another item of God’s blessing bestowed upon us. The first blessing is selection to be holy, the second is predestination unto sonship, and the third is redemption in the Son.
Although God delights in us and has made us the objects of His grace, we still need redemption because He is the righteous God. Our Father who delights in us is righteous and cannot tolerate unrighteousness, wrongdoings, or offenses. Such things insult His righteousness. Therefore, His righteousness makes the accomplishment of redemption necessary. Redemption fulfills God’s righteous requirements and pleases God. God is not only a God of love; He is also righteous, and anything unrighteous displeases Him. Everything related to Him must satisfy the requirements of His righteousness. This is the reason that, in order to please God, the beloved Son had to go to the cross to accomplish full redemption for God’s chosen ones.
The Son’s redemption is through His blood shed on the cross for our sins (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Because the Son’s death in the flesh on the cross has fulfilled God’s righteous requirement, His blood becomes the very instrument for our redemption.
The Son’s redemption through His blood is the forgiveness of our offenses (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:22). Redemption is what Christ has accomplished for our offenses; forgiveness is what Christ accomplished applied to our offenses. Redemption was accomplished on the cross, whereas forgiveness is applied the moment we believe in Christ. Redemption and forgiveness are actually two ends of one thing. We have seen that the forgiveness of offenses is the redemption accomplished through the blood of Christ. However, two terms are used because this one thing has two ends: the end of the accomplishment on the cross and the end of the application to us at the time we believed. Although redemption was accomplished on the cross when Christ shed His blood, it was not applied to us at that time. The application did not take place until we believed in Christ and made confession to the righteous God. At that very moment, the Spirit of God applied to us the redemption Christ had accomplished on the cross. Hence, redemption is the accomplishment, and forgiveness is the application.
Verse 7 says that redemption is according to the riches of God’s grace. According to our concept, it would be easy for God to forgive us because He is sovereign and almighty. However, it was not that easy. The accomplishment of redemption was a very weighty and serious matter. Because of its seriousness, it required the riches of God’s grace.
Now we need to consider why redemption required the riches of God’s grace. The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Therefore, in order for us to be forgiven, blood had to be shed. But in this matter the blood of animals could not avail (Heb. 10:4). The blood of the animal sacrifices was simply a shadow. For the actual accomplishment of redemption, there had to be the blood of a higher life, a blood altogether sinless. Where could God find this kind of blood among the human race? It was impossible because all men are sinful. Among the fallen human race there is no sinless blood. Moreover, God’s chosen ones number in the millions. If a sin offering were to be offered for each one, millions of sin offerings would be required. Therefore, in addition to a perfect, sinless blood, there was the need of a sin offering that could include millions. This indicates that the blood through which redemption was to be accomplished had to be not only sinless, but also all-inclusive, able to redeem the millions of God’s chosen ones. Only Jesus Christ could be the sin offering with a sinless blood shed for these millions of chosen ones. By the shedding of His blood once upon the cross, the eternal redemption of God’s chosen ones was accomplished once for all (Heb. 9:28; 10:10, 12).
Now we need to see how it was possible for God to obtain such a sinless and all-inclusive blood. Obtaining such a blood was vastly more difficult than creating the universe. In order to create the universe, God simply had to speak. For example, He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Gen. 1:3). But redemption could not take place in this way. God could not simply say, “Let redemption be accomplished.” In order for God to create the universe there was no need of grace. But for Him to accomplish redemption, there was the need of the riches of His grace.
Consider how the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus, was conceived. In order for the Lord Jesus to be conceived, there was the need for the Holy Spirit to contact the virgin Mary. We cannot say how the Holy Spirit conceived the Redeemer within the womb of the virgin. For this, the riches of God’s grace were required. According to Luke 1:35, the child conceived in Mary of the Holy Spirit was called the “holy thing.” This indicates that the conception of the Lord Jesus was absolutely a holy matter. (Holiness refers to something conceived of the Holy Spirit.) For nine months this “holy thing” remained in Mary’s womb. Who can tell how much grace this called for? What grace was needed for Jesus, Jehovah the Savior, to remain there in the womb for nine months!
Until the age of thirty, the Lord Jesus worked as a carpenter. Great grace was required for the One called Emmanuel, God with us, to work as a carpenter for so many years. Eventually, He came forth to begin His ministry, which lasted three and a half years. Although He was concerned for sinners, they opposed Him, persecuted Him, and plotted to kill Him. Betrayed by one of His Apostles, He was arrested. Actually, He was not arrested, but handed Himself over to those who came for Him. He could have asked the Father to send twelve legions of angels to rescue Him, but He refrained from doing so (Matt. 26:53). After He was arrested, He was tried before the high priest, before Pilate, and before Herod. Then He was nailed to the cross and hung there for six hours, from nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon. What great grace was needed for all this! On the cross the Lord Jesus died for our sins. Then He was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven to receive repentance and forgiveness (Acts 5:31). Because of the riches of God’s grace, we are able to repent and receive forgiveness of sins. Do not think that your repentance originated with you. No, God the Father gave repentance to the Son, the Redeemer, and He gave it to you through the Spirit. Along with repentance, we have received forgiveness. All this is according to the riches of His grace. How limitless and immeasurable is God’s grace!
God’s abundant grace has accomplished redemption for us and has applied forgiveness to us. Through the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, redemption has been accomplished. After ascending into the heavens and receiving repentance and forgiveness, He now applies forgiveness to us. This is according to the riches of God’s grace.
Both redemption and forgiveness are according to God’s righteousness, but they are accomplished and applied by God’s rich grace. This means that both God’s righteousness, which is God’s way of doing things, and grace, which is God Himself dispensed into His chosen people, have been exercised to the uttermost.
Ephesians 1:8 says that God’s grace has been “caused to abound to us.” God’s grace is not only rich, but also abounding. Many Christians know about “amazing grace,” but not about abounding grace. It takes revelation to know God’s abounding grace. His abounding grace has made us an inheritance to God (v. 11) and has qualified us to inherit all that God is (v. 14). In other words, this abounding grace makes us God’s inheritance on the one hand and makes God our inheritance on the other hand. This is something far greater than sinners merely being saved and going to heaven. This concept, the concept of being saved for heaven, is rather natural. We need to see the abounding grace that makes us an inheritance to God and qualifies us to inherit all that God is.
Verse 8 says that the riches of God’s grace have been caused to abound to us in all wisdom and prudence. Wisdom is what is within God to plan and purpose a will concerning us; prudence is the application of God’s wisdom. God firstly planned and purposed in His wisdom, and then He applied what He had planned and purposed for us with prudence. Wisdom was mainly related to God’s plan in eternity, and prudence is mainly related to God’s execution of His plan in time. What God planned in eternity in His wisdom, He is now executing in time in His prudence. In God’s prudence He has brought us to Himself and into His recovery. Now, through the exercise of His prudence, He is applying to us all that He planned in eternity regarding us.
