Redemption and Inheritance – Ephesians 1:7-12

A colleague was telling me how one day when she was having a bad time of things she snapped at her 9 year old daughter and later had to come back to her and tell her she was sorry, that she was having a bad day. Her daughter replied, “That’s okay, mommy, at least you’re still saved.” No matter how bad our day gets, nothing overturns the most glorious fact of all, that I am saved. And no matter how bad my day is that makes the day good.

Paul is in the middle of a trinitarian praise of God’s blessings, and salvation describes the blessing that comes to us through the Son.

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. (Ephesians 1:7-12, ESV)

The blessings with which the Triune God has blessed us focus on two from the Son, Jesus Christ:

1) He has redeemed us by his blood. His blood sacrifice on the cross has atoned for our sins making it possible for God to lavish upon us His love in the form of forgiveness and to make this fact known to us in wisdom, so that Christ becomes the one who unites all things in himself. God has been reconciled to his children through Jesus’ atoning act of grace.

2) Jesus has granted us an inheritance of life even as we were predestined to receive it. This has resulted in our being given this hope to the very credit and praise of God’s glory.

So the Father has determined, in fact pre-determined (predestined) that we should become His children, and Jesus has made the plan come to fulfillment by giving himself as a sacrifice in our place. The Father planned the rescue; the Son effected the rescue. Even before mankind fell into sin God had planned for it and determined a way to get us back, even though we didn’t deserve it. This is His grace and glory. How could we not but respond in praise and gratitude?

Discussion Questions

What have you pre-determined, as much as lies with you, in your life? This is a way of saying, what are your life priorities.
What does it say to you that God pre-determined or predestined that we obtain an inheritance in Christ?
What inheritance do you wish to give to those who follow you?
Does it make sense to you that God’s abundant grace means sending Jesus to die in order to pay our redemption price?
For whom would you sacrifice your blood?
Jesus’ goal was to unite all things in himself, things in heaven and earth. How do you need to cooperate with uniting of all things?

About the Author Randall Johnson

A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.

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