“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:1
One of the spiritual lessons I learned as a young man was that I am “in Christ”. This revolutionized my thinking about God more than I probably realized at the time. This fact of the identity of the believer means we are found in him and have all our hope in him. We are secure because of this position as we submit to his will.
There is no better place to study this important biblical truth of being “in Christ”, “in Christ Jesus”, “in him” or “in the One” than in Ephesians chapter one.
Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey, was the most important city of Asia Minor near the shore of the Aegean Sea. Paul lived there approximately three years during his second missionary journey. Ephesians is one of the letters the Apostle Paul wrote from a jail in Rome to his followers after he left them to continue on his missionary journey.
Be encouraged and inspired in your own walk with Jesus Christ as you read the truths of who you are “in Christ” all from Ephesians 1:
verse one: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.”
verse three: “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.”
verse four: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world, in accordance with his pleasure and will…”
verse six: “…to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
verse seven: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…”
verse nine: “…he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ…”
verse eleven: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…”
verse twelve: “…in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”
verse thirteen: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation…”
If you have come into a relationship with Jesus Christ through trusting in his death and resurrection, then you are “in Christ Jesus” whether you feel it or not. The more we meditate on these truths, the more we become who he wants us to be.
Why not take the next several days and spend some time in Ephesians one discovering who you are “in Christ”?
