“To the saints who are in Ephesus, and 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 in Christ with every spiritual blessing.., even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless… In love he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace… 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…
“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… might be to the praise of his glory. In him you, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance.” Ephesians 1:1-14
As Paul thought about the Ephesian church, he identified them simply and significantly: saints in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. He then goes on to describe what is theirs in Christ by God’s gracious eternal choosing, further adorning their succinct identity. With such indelible blessings as God’s chosen saints, they could then choose how to live out the bounty bestowed. With the ordained purpose to be holy and blameless to the praise of God’s glory, they were planted in Ephesus and marked as those adopted, redeemed, forgiven, sealed, lavished with wisdom and insight to understand His will and the power of their everlasting inheritance.
In cultures where self-determining, preferring, and publicizing identities is the rage, God calls Christians to accept and live out our God-given identity in His appointed place. In His exquisite creative plan, God made man as the capstone of creation for relationship with Him: WE ARE IMAGE-BEARERS. While we were rebel sinners He set His love on us: WE ARE LOVED. He gave His life in agonizing death so we could live: WE ARE SAVED. He makes all things new to fulfill His plan: WE ARE REDEEMED FOR SPECIFIC WORKS. Do these not affirm and confirm our complete identity? (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:26; Ephesians 2:1-13,19-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Establishing ourselves in these treasured truths gives firm footing and focus for how then to live. Ignorance of God’s design and incredible love sets the human heart adrift to find identity elsewhere, farther and farther from its intended-from-eternity moorings. How do we choose to live? Whose name will we intentionally bear, reflecting whose glory?
Where specifically has the Lord planted us as saints to be faithful in Christ? In what ways at work and home are we exercising that faithfulness? How are wisdom and hope playing out in what we say and the ways we go about relationships, caring, industry, and service? How specifically can those around us identify us as Christ’s?
Lord, keep me established in who I am and faithful to glorify You in name and character.
As the rain and snow 