The Unscrambling of Ephesians 1

Have you ever noticed how the words "He" and "His" are said over 20 times in Ephesians 1...and that, unless you study deeper, you can't really tell the difference between the times when "He" and "His" refer to God and when they refer to Jesus? Well, I had actually never noticed. I guess I always just skimmed over that chapter and never tried to fully understand it. But once you find out which "He"s are talking about God and which are talking about Jesus, it really makes quite a difference in the level of your comprehension.

During family devotions one night, Dad had us go through those verses in Ephesians 1 and figure out which named belonged to every "He" and "His." It was challenging at times, but it was fun...not to mention the fact that we all came away having a better understanding of that first chapter in Paul's letter to Ephesus.

Take a look at verses 7 through 9. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him." Not all of those "Him"s are meaning "God." At least two are talking about Jesus.

If you want to read Ephesians 1, the way it is written in the Bible (NASB), click here.

And below is Ephesians 1 with the names God and Jesus instead of He and His. Maybe this will help it make sense, or at least stick in your head a little better. *smile*

(If you see God or Jesus not highlighted, it's because the name was already there and was not in the "He" or "His" form. And as you can see, God is highlighted in green, Jesus in orange, and the Holy Spirit in purple, so that they really stand out to you.)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as God chose us in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before God. In love God predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself [God], according to the kind intention of God's will, to the praise of the glory of God's grace, which God freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [Jesus Christ]. In God we have redemption through Jesus' blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of God's grace which God lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight God made known to us the mystery of God's will, according to God's kind intention which God purposed in Jesus Christ with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Jesus Christ also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God's purpose who works all things after the counsel of God's will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of God's glory. In Jesus Christ, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of God's glory. For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of God's calling, what are the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of God's power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of God's might which God brought about in Christ, when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Jesus Christ at God's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And God put all things in subjection under Jesus Christ's feet, and gave Jesus Christ as head over all things to the church, which is Jesus Christ's body, the fullness of God who fills all in all.

Does that make better sense? I know it completely changed the way I read Ephesians!

An Illustration of Salvation

So. Who knows anything about little one-year-old boys?

I do.

At least, I know a little...since I have a little one-year-old brother. Anyways, for those of you who don't know Henry, he's cute, fuzzy (at least his hair is), smart, and can be stubborn at times. Not to mention naughty. But I won't mention it.

Anyways. I was playing a game with him several weeks ago. I was in Mom's room with the light turned off, and he kept shutting the door and "locking" me in. He doesn't know how to open the door himself (and I am certainly not going to teach him how!), so I guess he was rather "locked out" himself. After he pulled the door all the way shut, I would wait for a few seconds, then twist the doorknob so that he could push the door back open again. I would run and hide, and he'd crawl into the room (he can't walk yet) looking for me. As soon as he saw me (or as soon as I jumped out of my hiding place and scared him), he would crawl as fast as he could to the door and shut me in the room again.

Well, eventually he decided to shut us both in Mom's room...and of course he couldn't get out, so I was laughing at him while he pushed and pulled at the door, trying to figure out how on earth to get back to the other side.

As I said before, it was dark in that room, and the only light we could see was coming in from underneath the door...from the hallway.

Just for fun, I decided to tell Henry that if he clapped, the door would magically open. Guess what he did? Or rather, guess what he didn't do? Well, he didn't clap, and that's all there is to it. I kept saying, "Henry, clap and the door will be opened!" But instead, he would crawl away from me and try to open the door himself.

Well, Henry's not the only one around here who can be a bit stubborn. I decided not to let him out of the room until he clapped for me. Don't ask my why I decided this...it's just me, I guess. Anyways, I kept explaining to him how he could open the door, if he would just obey me and clap. I even clapped myself and opened the door to show him how it worked.

He eventually tired of my game, so he crawled off into the dark to play. I laid there for a while, pretending to be dead (this part has nothing to do with the illustration), but Henry didn't seem to be scared. He just laughed at me and pulled my hair. 

Finally he made his way back over to the door and pulled at it again, his Uh-oh's getting shriller. He banged on the floor, knocked on the door, and called for help, but still the door didn't open. [Of course.] Then I came up behind him and said, "Henry, clap!" He did. And I opened the door.

I'm sure the light looked great to him, after having been cooped up in the dark room.

Now, the whole time I was playing this "game" I was thinking about how similar it is with people and God.

We are trapped in sin -- the dark room -- with no way out...that is, no way out on our own. But then God come to us and says, "Believe...simply believe, and I will open the door to eternal life." But we laugh. No, we think. That's too easy. It's just not possible. Things aren't done that way. 'Believe.' Nah! 

And all the while, as we crawl around in the darkness of our sin, as we stumble and fall, as we remained frightened by the shadows in life, God is there, always with us, patiently saying over and over again... "Believe! Simply believe!"

Our stubbornness keep us from obeying. But then, when we are at our wit's end...when we have no where else to turn to...when we finally realize that -- no! -- we can't do it on our own...then we stretch out our hand and say, "I believe! I confess, I was wrong, but now I believe!"

And God opens the door to light.