Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
God has freely made known the once-hidden mystery of his will according to his own good pleasure which he purposed in himself, with abundant wisdom and grace. That mystery is his plan in the fullness of time to gather together and sum up all things in heaven and on earth in Christ, giving an inheritance to those who trust in him to the praise of his glory. It blesses believers with every spiritual blessing in Christ, choosing them to be holy, foreordaining them to adoption as children, making them accepted, redeeming them through his blood with forgiveness of sins, and sealing them with the Holy Spirit as the earnest of their inheritance. Hidden in earlier ages and now revealed by the Spirit, it brings Gentiles in through the gospel as fellow heirs with Jewish believers, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ. It sets before believers their privilege in the unsearchable riches of Christ, the high standard of Christian excellence, and full assurance to be grasped and claimed in faith for the eternal kingdom.
The Mystery God Revealed
God has freely made known what was before hidden, the mystery of his own will, according to his own good pleasure which he purposed in himself, with abundant wisdom and prudence and understanding and according to the riches of his grace. This revealing was an act of his wisdom and goodness toward believers, and it belongs to the unsearchable riches of Christ freely offered to fallen men. The mystery so revealed is his plan, in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to gather together in one and sum up all things in heaven and on earth in Christ. That gathering includes giving an inheritance by predestination according to the counsel of his will, so that those who first trusted in Christ should live to the praise of his glory.
The revealed will belongs to blessing believers with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. It means choosing them in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before him in love, foreordaining them unto adoption as children through Jesus Christ, making them accepted in the Beloved, giving redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins, making them a heritage, sealing them with the Holy Spirit of promise as the earnest of inheritance, and enlightening them to know the hope of his calling and the exceeding greatness of his power shown in raising Christ far above all rule and authority. The mystery had been hidden in earlier ages and is now revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and prophets, namely that the Gentiles share with Jewish believers as fellow heirs and members of the same body and partakers of God's promise in Christ through the gospel. Making it known among the Gentiles was entrusted to Paul as part of God's eternal purpose in Christ.
The purpose is fulfilled through Christ's sacrifice and gift as Advocate and Redeemer, which exposes sin and Satan's deceptions, vindicates God's justice and mercy before the universe, uplifts Christ, and draws both humanity and heavenly beings to him. It is part of Paul's message as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. His judgment is reliable because formed under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and his knowledge is pure, elevating, and ennobling, and its teaching is precious instruction for every soul.
Privilege and Call to Believe
Ephesians 1:9 sets forth one of the privileges of the Christian, belonging to the unsearchable riches of Christ. It holds out the treasure of grace freely offered to fallen men through the plan of redemption laid by sacrifice and gift. It sets before believers the privileges and opportunities and hope and confidence given by and through Jesus Christ the righteous as Advocate. It uplifts Christ and calls all to behold the world's Redeemer.
The verse is part of the high standard of Christian excellence that God sets before His church. That standard can be reached as His people pray for righteousness and grow in Christ. In His wisdom and goodness God has made known to believers the mystery of His will which He had purposed in Himself, and this revelation belongs to the spiritual blessings in Christ and comes with wisdom and understanding. These words reveal the deep knowledge gained through vital connection with God, which broadens the understanding of those who hear and obey the Word and gives lasting benefit.
The verse gives assurance for acceptance, for God has made known the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself. It stands with the assurances given again and again in Ephesians 1, which are to be studied and grasped, and its divine promise is to be claimed in all its depth and fullness by the truly converted in faith in the power of God rather than leaning on the arm of the law and trusting in worldly powers. This truth comes amid the wisdom and understanding He has abundantly given and concerns His plan to gather all things together in Christ at the appointed fullness of time, as assurance offered to those striving for the eternal kingdom.
This revealed will and blessed condition should be the condition of those connected with His work and churches and institutions who seek Him with the whole heart. To such He will be a present help in every time of need. The verse shows that every human being matters to God. The chapter containing the verse shows the Lord's order for carrying on His work. That order requires full zeal, fervor, and energy in saving souls ready to perish, yet not consuming all time and means in one line of work while the vineyard as a whole is neglected, and working contrary to that order brings in disproportion and sways the work into wrong lines.
God has freely made known the once-hidden mystery of his will according to his own good pleasure which he purposed in himself, with abundant wisdom and grace. That mystery is his plan in the fullness of time to gather together and sum up all things in heaven and on earth in Christ, giving an inheritance to those who trust in him to the praise of his glory. It blesses believers with every spiritual blessing in Christ, choosing them to be holy, foreordaining them to adoption as children, making them accepted, redeeming them through his blood with forgiveness of sins, and sealing them with the Holy Spirit as the earnest of their inheritance. Hidden in earlier ages and now revealed by the Spirit, it brings Gentiles in through the gospel as fellow heirs with Jewish believers, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ. It sets before believers their privilege in the unsearchable riches of Christ, the high standard of Christian excellence, and full assurance to be grasped and claimed in faith for the eternal kingdom.
The Mystery God Revealed
God has freely made known what was before hidden, the mystery of his own will, according to his own good pleasure which he purposed in himself, with abundant wisdom and prudence and understanding and according to the riches of his grace. This revealing was an act of his wisdom and goodness toward believers, and it belongs to the unsearchable riches of Christ freely offered to fallen men. The mystery so revealed is his plan, in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to gather together in one and sum up all things in heaven and on earth in Christ. That gathering includes giving an inheritance by predestination according to the counsel of his will, so that those who first trusted in Christ should live to the praise of his glory.
The revealed will belongs to blessing believers with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. It means choosing them in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before him in love, foreordaining them unto adoption as children through Jesus Christ, making them accepted in the Beloved, giving redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins, making them a heritage, sealing them with the Holy Spirit of promise as the earnest of inheritance, and enlightening them to know the hope of his calling and the exceeding greatness of his power shown in raising Christ far above all rule and authority. The mystery had been hidden in earlier ages and is now revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and prophets, namely that the Gentiles share with Jewish believers as fellow heirs and members of the same body and partakers of God's promise in Christ through the gospel. Making it known among the Gentiles was entrusted to Paul as part of God's eternal purpose in Christ.
The purpose is fulfilled through Christ's sacrifice and gift as Advocate and Redeemer, which exposes sin and Satan's deceptions, vindicates God's justice and mercy before the universe, uplifts Christ, and draws both humanity and heavenly beings to him. It is part of Paul's message as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. His judgment is reliable because formed under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and his knowledge is pure, elevating, and ennobling, and its teaching is precious instruction for every soul.
Privilege and Call to Believe
Ephesians 1:9 sets forth one of the privileges of the Christian, belonging to the unsearchable riches of Christ. It holds out the treasure of grace freely offered to fallen men through the plan of redemption laid by sacrifice and gift. It sets before believers the privileges and opportunities and hope and confidence given by and through Jesus Christ the righteous as Advocate. It uplifts Christ and calls all to behold the world's Redeemer.
The verse is part of the high standard of Christian excellence that God sets before His church. That standard can be reached as His people pray for righteousness and grow in Christ. In His wisdom and goodness God has made known to believers the mystery of His will which He had purposed in Himself, and this revelation belongs to the spiritual blessings in Christ and comes with wisdom and understanding. These words reveal the deep knowledge gained through vital connection with God, which broadens the understanding of those who hear and obey the Word and gives lasting benefit.
The verse gives assurance for acceptance, for God has made known the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself. It stands with the assurances given again and again in Ephesians 1, which are to be studied and grasped, and its divine promise is to be claimed in all its depth and fullness by the truly converted in faith in the power of God rather than leaning on the arm of the law and trusting in worldly powers. This truth comes amid the wisdom and understanding He has abundantly given and concerns His plan to gather all things together in Christ at the appointed fullness of time, as assurance offered to those striving for the eternal kingdom.
This revealed will and blessed condition should be the condition of those connected with His work and churches and institutions who seek Him with the whole heart. To such He will be a present help in every time of need. The verse shows that every human being matters to God. The chapter containing the verse shows the Lord's order for carrying on His work. That order requires full zeal, fervor, and energy in saving souls ready to perish, yet not consuming all time and means in one line of work while the vineyard as a whole is neglected, and working contrary to that order brings in disproportion and sways the work into wrong lines.