Shabbat Shalom everyone. Let's open our Bibles today to the Book of Ephesians. We are studying in the Brit HaChadasha, in the New Covenant. And we began already, if you remember, we dealt with the introduction to this amazing epistle, amazing letter that Shaul Paul wrote to early believers. A letter to the Ephesians, El HaEfseim. I want to read today from verse 3, all the way to verse 14, and please follow me as we are reading this portion.

And so we read, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He has abounded towards us in all

wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He has purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of time, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in Him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worked all things after the counsel of His own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after

that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory.

I stop here in verse 14 in the reading of this first chapter, because there is a nice break here in the context of that first chapter. It's very encouraging to see as we read these verses 3 to 14, that in this first chapter of this epistle, the Apostle Paul, of whom we already gave the introduction in a previous meeting together, the Apostle Paul now, write to the believers at Ephesus, and show them the riches that they have, and you and I as well, because of the finished work of Yeshua the Messiah. And I mentioned in the introduction, that many times you and I who are believers in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, do not enjoy and not even realizing the spiritual wealth that we possess in the Mashiach, in Christ.

And oftentimes we live our lives as believers in a sense as poor believers, because we don't appreciate sufficiently what Yeshua the Messiah has done for us. And so brothers and sisters in this first chapter, the Apostle Paul introduced before us all the three persons of the Godhead, showing to us their involvement in this great work of salvation. Not only God the Father, not only God the Son, and not only God the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh. Abba Ben Ruach. All the triune persons of the Godhead were involved in this great salvation that God provided for this world. And so he's writing now, after the introduction in verses 1 and 2, where he wished the grace, the chen, and the peace, the shalom, that will be upon those believers at Ephesus.

Then you notice that in verses 3 to 14, he presents before them the triune God and what God has done for the believers in Yeshua the Messiah. First of all, he presents God the Father in verses 3 to 6. Then he presents God the Son in verses 7 to 12. And finally in this context, he presents God the Holy Spirit in verses 13 and 14. And I would like us to kind of follow please with me verse by verse as we continue in the study of Ephesians. Now you notice first of all in verse 3, he's writing to the brothers and sisters at Ephesus and he said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, in Mashiach, in Messiah." Now notice he's saying three things here immediately in verse 3.

The first thing he does, he shows us who is the one that is the source of all the blessings that believers possess. That word for blessing, really it's the praising. It's not the same word in the Greek that we have in Matthew chapter 5. "Blessed are the meek, blessed are the peacemakers." It's a bit different word. There it's something else, it has to do with the word happy, but here it has to do with the word praise. He is scribing praise to God the Father. And he's saying, "Look, praise be unto God the Father," this is the Abba, "of our Lord Jesus the Messiah." Remember, how many times Yeshua, when he was on earth, spoke about the Father?

You know, to our Jewish people, when the Messiah spoke about the Father, immediately it was very difficult for our people to accept him. God? Jesus has a Father? And God is his own Father? In other words, does God have a Son? Well, you remember in John 10, Yeshua says, "I and my Father are one." In other words, God the Son, the Messiah, has a Father, and here we find out that the source of the blessing that we received as believers is really God the Father. And God the Father, in verse 3, he had blessed us, and notice he's the source of all the blessings that we have today in our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

Notice that he's telling us a few things here in this verse. He says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah," and notice that, "who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Now, I'll pause here for a moment. The word for all should be really changed to every. Not only a lump sum, but every detail, every spiritual blessing that you and I have today, the source of all these blessings is none else but God the Father. And you notice, he says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who had blessed us with every." Now, notice that he said, "spiritual blessings." He doesn't talk here about material blessings, though we have to admit the Lord had blessed us immensely with physical and material blessings here in this world.

But the blessings that God the Father had provided for us are spiritual blessings. Now, of course, if a person is not a believer, he or she do not have anything to do with those spiritual blessings. It's only for believers that Pastor Paul writing to the local assembly at Ephesus, understanding that they are believers. They have already accepted Yeshua the Messiah. But a spiritual blessing. And you know, sometimes we wonder, "What is the meaning of the spiritual blessing that the Lord had provided for his own people?" These blessings are benefits that we have that connected with our salvation as we live our lives together in relationship with God.

In other words, in order for us to enjoy a relationship with the living God, the creator, the creator, the sustainer, the upholder of all things, for us those spiritual blessings enable us to live our life with all the benefits that are connected with our relationship with the living God. Do you know, only a believer can speak to a living God as his Father, and have those benefits and joys in our hearts, that we can speak to a living God and we can share with him the burdens on our hearts, and we can hear his word and live with him and for him here in this world.

And so, he's saying to them that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessings. Now, to Israel, our people, in addition to many spiritual blessings that Israel have received, if you remember in Deuteronomy chapter 28, God said to Israel, our people, how he is going to bless the people of Israel if they will obey him. But there, it's not so much emphasizing the spiritual blessing, but the material blessing in the land of Israel. You remember what he said in Deuteronomy chapter 28, "It shall come to pass if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God, and to observe all the commandments which I commanded thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth.

And these are all the blessings shall come upon thee and overtake thee. Blessed shall thou be in the city, and blessed shall be in the field, and blessed you shall have the fruit of your body," and so on. It is Deuteronomy chapter 28, verse 5, "Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed thou shall be when you come in, and blessed thou shall be when you goeth out." In other words, God is saying to Israel, "You will have physical, literal blessings in the land if you will obey my voice." But to the believers in the church age, our blessings are not physical necessarily, but spiritual blessings.

And notice it says at the end of verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing." But where are those blessings? It says in heavenly places. This expression in heavenly places should be really said in the heavenlies. It is a realm whereby we can live and enjoy a relationship with a living God while we are still here upon the face of this earth. You know, someone said that every one of us who is a believer, we live in two spheres. We live in the human sphere. We are here on earth. But we also live in the divine sphere.

We can relate to a living God. Then we also read that every believer live in invisible and indivisible. Divisible is what we see today with our eyes. But we also live in the realm of the invisible, meaning that we know things because God's word teaches us that others do not comprehend and understand the invisible realm. Another point here in connection with the two spheres, that we also live in the sphere of the physical here and now, but also in the realm and the sphere of the spiritual. In other words, you remember what we read in 1 Corinthians 2, the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God because there are foolishness unto him.

But the spiritual man, the believer, he can understand them and appreciate them. And it is amazing what a privilege we have. It is God, the Father who is the source, and he had blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. But notice, he doesn't stop here. He added the end of this verse, in Christ, in Mashiach, in Messiah, in Christos. What does that mean? That everything that we have, we received it because of the person of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. It's not on our own. We didn't gain it on our own. We didn't earn it on our own. But it's all linked with Yeshua, the Messiah Jesus.

You know, in Adam, all died. In Messiah, all were made alive. In Adam, we inherited a sin nature. In the Messiah, we have inherited a new nature, a divine nature. A nature we are now born from above. Children of this Father from heaven. And you remember John once said, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." And then he says, "But as many as received him, to them he gave the authority to be called the children of God, even to them that believed on his name." John 1 verse 12. "Which were born, not of the will of man, not of the will of the flesh, but they were born of God." "Born from above." It's amazing, because really we are passing through here in this world.

And all the trials that we experience here in this world are really temporarily because we are heading to the Father's house, where we are going to be spending eternity with our blessed Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah. So everything we possess, brothers and sisters, in our spiritual relationship with God, it is because of the person of our Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So precious for us to realize this in this verse 3 that we have before us. So, I want just to emphasize this expression in the heavenlies. You notice that a few times the book of Ephesians point to this expression in the heavenly, the word heavenly places, it should really be in the heavenlies.

Not in heaven yet, but in the heavenly realm. Notice, for example, if you turn in chapter 1, look at verse 20 for a moment. It says, "Which he wrote in the Messiah when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right head in the heavenly places." Or in the heavenlies. Notice chapter 2 and verse 6. And this is amazing. It says, "He has raised us now together and he made us to sit together in heavenly places in the Messiah, Yeshua." Now, how is it possible that you and I positionally are seated in the heavenly places or in the heavenlies, but practically we are here now in this world, in this earth.

Now, it is only possible because we have to understand the distinction between the positional truth and the practical truth. Positionally, when the Lord looks at you and I, he sees you and I as we are already seated next to Yeshua the Messiah in the heavenlies, in heaven. But practically, we are here now as we are here today at the meeting, sharing the word of God, singing to him, praising him while we are here upon the face of this earth. You notice again and again, he uses the word "the heavenlies" in this chapter. In chapter 3 and verse 10, the apostle points again when he says here, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and power in heavenly places might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." We are going to get to these verses later on, but I just wanted you to see that many times using the word "the heavenlies" in this book of Ephesians.

Chapter 6 and verse 12, he also says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." This is the same expression, in a heavenly realm, in heavenly places. So he began by introducing to us the Father. He is the source of the blessing that you and I have. He blessed us not with material blessing necessarily, though he have, but it is with spiritual blessing. It is in the heavenly realm and it is linked with the person of our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. Wonderful truth to understand. If you are a believer today, and we can be assured that we have received these blessings from the Lord in heavenly places and it is because of what Yeshua the Messiah have done for us.

Now he is moving on, and in verse 4, 5 and 6, he is adding some of the things that we have received from God the Father, Ha'aba. Notice, he says here in verse 4, that the Father has chosen us. Now you know how often times we think that we have chosen God. Now we have to quickly realize, if we know our hearts well, we will know very well that men by nature love darkness rather than light. We have this actually in John chapter 3 and verse 19. Men by nature, we don't love God by nature. Had we loved God, we would have come to him long time ago. And even when we have already come to him, we would have lived a life that will be suitable for the presence of the Lord at all time.

But we know very well that all nature does not really want the will of God. And we are struggling with it all the time. And that's why we find out that God in his wisdom have chosen us. Now this is where a lot of people having a problem with the truth of election is oftentimes troubling a lot of people. And I can understand that because in the body of Messiah today we have those two groups. Those who believe in what you call Calvinistic teaching. And those who believe in the Armenians teaching. The Calvinistic teaching believe that there is total inability of men to come to God.

Man is depraved by nature. And those who believe in what you call Armenianism. They believe that there is a free will. And there is a human ability to come to God on his own. And that's where we have these two views today. And we are struggling with it to find a good balance. Because the Bible does teach us whosoever will. But the Bible clearly teaches us that we have been elected and chosen by God. And look at this verse 4. According. As he has chosen us. And notice that brothers and sisters. He chosen us in him. In the Messiah. But he chosen us before the foundation of the world.

Now where were you before the foundation of the world? Some of us are 70, 80, 90? Where were you before 90 years ago? And since creation. We know it's at least around nearly around 6,000 years since creation of Adam and the creation. Where was Adam before the foundation of the world? Now, if the Bible says before the foundation of the world. Don't you think that we should simply accept what the Bible says? Why do we have to be complicating everything? And this is our own problem. In theology, often times, we just don't accept what the Bible says. And so it says here. He has, listen to them. According. As he has chosen us in the Messiah.

Before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. And so what God did. In his wisdom. And you know, you and I were not there to give him counsel. We didn't tell him whom to choose and whom not to choose. And who we do not know at all. We are simply one of those people that have been privileged to open our hearts. And to accept Yeshua the Messiah. But to realize that God have elected the believer. Already before the foundation of the world. And you ask me, Brother Gideon, explain this to me. I can't. I can only tell you what I'm reading.

And you have to read it for yourself. You can maybe try to explain it otherwise. But let me just give you an illustration that I thought it was very helpful. Sometimes when we hear the message of the gospel. And we see an unbeliever convicted. They realize that they are sinners. That they are not right with God. And they need to settle matters with God before it is too late. Because if they will not settle matters with God. They will have to be judged at the great white throne judgment. So they are so convicted that they accept the message of the gospel. And they say, God, I have accepted what you offered to me, Yeshua the Messiah.

And I am embracing him as my Lord and my Savior. And they become believers. And they become part of a local assembly. A local church. Local fellowship. And they begin to grow. And as they grow. They realize, you know what? It is really God who searched for me. Who have elected me in eternity past. And in time he sent the Spirit of God through a messenger. To present to me the message of the gospel. And he quickened me. He walked in my heart. And he softened my heart. And I have embraced the Messiah. He convicted me. And he drew me unto himself. And then we come to the Lord.

And so while we look at this door and we see it. Whosoever will, let him come. And we came in. We became believers. But when we come in. We look at the same door. And at the top of it it says another sign. Chosen from before the foundation of the world. And we realize that in the eternal plan of God. He have elected whom he have elected. Nobody gave him counsel. We were not there to tell him what to do. Neither can we tell him what to do today. That's the way the scripture presented. And so what we find out. That he have chosen us in the Messiah.

Before the foundation of the world. Beloved brothers and sisters. There was no creation here on earth. There was nothing in existence. When God the Father. And you might say the whole triune God. Have selected whom he knew. That they will want to be part of this great redeemed company. Now you might say in somebody who is here. Maybe he's not a believer. Well if God haven't chosen me. I will not come to know the Lord. First of all you don't even know. Whether you have been chosen or not. Secondly. You and I cannot say. Well I'm going to go and preach the gospel. Only to those people.

Whom I know that God have chosen. You and I do not know whom God have chosen. Therefore we will preach the message of the gospel to every creature. And let God do his work through the spirit of God. In the lives of individuals. Let me develop this a little bit. Turn with me to John chapter 15. And verse 16. Yeshua in the upper room. Speaking to his disciples. And he said to them very clearly. You have not chosen me. But I have chosen you. And the disciples might say. Well Lord I've chosen you. I know. I've been the one who have chosen you. The Lord said to them right to their faces.

You have not chosen me. But I am the one that have chosen you. And I have ordained you. That you should go and bring forth fruit. And that your fruit should remain. That's the first verse that I want you to see. Turn with me also to Colossians chapter 3. We read in verse 12. Put on therefore as the elect of God. Here's that word that I was looking. The word chosen is not here. But the word elect is here. Holy and beloved bowels of mercy and kindness. Humbleness of mind. Meekness and long suffering. Notice he's telling them as elect of God. The responsibility that these elect believers have.

That they ought to put on. To live out this kind of godly character. Kindness. Humbleness. Humbleness. Meekness. Long suffering. Which ought to characterize every person who have been elected by God. To be part of the family of God. One more verse I'm going to read. Turn with me to first Peter chapter 1. He's writing to early Jewish believers. And he said to them. In verses 1 and 2. Peter and apostle of Yeshua the Messiah. To the strangers. That are scattered. Throughout Pontius. Galatia. Cappadocia. Asia. And Bithynia. And he said. Elect or chosen. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Through the sanctification of the Spirit. And to obedience.

And the sprinkling of the blood. Of Yeshua the Messiah. Notice. All the three persons of the Godhead. Were involved in the election. Of those early Jewish believers. That were scattered. Throughout all those areas. Such as Pontius. Galatia. And Cappadocia. So. This is something that you'll have to consider. And I know. That believers are not always agreeable. With this. But. I find these. Truths of election. Immensely. Affecting. The fact that. Because I know. I'm speaking for my own self. That had God not chosen me. And work in my life. In my heart. I would. Not. Come. To him. At all. That's what I feel for myself.

And I trust that the Lord will give you the. Wisdom. To make a decision. Concerning this. Now. One more verse. In connection with this. Look what Jesus the Messiah had said. In. John chapter 6. And verse. 37. And that's why. Some believe. That both. Election. And men's. Responsibility. Are important. To emphasize. In the teaching. The two aspects. You might say. John 6. 37. All that the father. Have given to me. Shall come. Unto me. That's the first part of the verse. Election. The father gave. In verse 37. But then. Notice. The human responsibility. We might say. The free will. In verse 37. Be. Him. That come. To me. I will. In no wise.

Cast out. You notice. The other side of it. So. All that the father. Gave. To me. Will. Come. To me. That election. And him. That come. To me. I will. In no wise. Cast out. The teaching. That we are speaking about. Today. So. What we really have here. That the father. Gave. Us. To the son. And we. In due time. Came. And everyone. That the father. Gave. To the son. Will surely. Come. To Yeshua. The Messiah. And the one. That come. Then the Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. Will never. Cast. Him. Or her. Come together. I want to mention. Years ago. I asked a brother. Well.

How do we handle. This. Because the Bible. Say many times. Whosoever will. Let him come. Come unto me. All ye that labor. And are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. Many verses. In the Bible. Invite. People. To come. So. I asked him. Well. Brother. How do we. Explain it. Ephesians. Tells us. We are chosen. Colossians. Tells us. We are elect. Elected. According to. The foreknowledge. of God. But then. Other passages. Says. You got to come. So how does it meet. And he said to me. You know. Sometime. We can't understand. Various doctrine. In the Bible. But a good way. To understand. Such verses.

As this. Is. Take for example. You have a train. Track. One train. Riding on two tracks. And when you are. Kneel. On top of these. Train tracks. And you're standing there. You see two tracks. Perhaps. We can say. One track. Represent. The election. The other one. Represent. Free will. But he says. As you look. Far away. As those tracks. Goes on. Somehow. You no longer. See. Two tracks. But you see them. Blend together. And so. What he's really saying. Yes. May not quite. Understand. This election. Versus. Free will. But one thing. We have to realize. Both of them. Are taught. In the word of God.

And at some point. They are meeting. Together. God's sovereign choice. Man. Human responsibility. Meeting. At some point. In the life. Of every individual. Now. The reason. That I lean. So much more. To the election. To the truth. Of Calvinism. You might say. Because the Bible. Shows us. So many times. The total. Depravity. Of men. Men. By nature. Do. Not. Want. God. We are dead. In trespasses. And sins. By nature. How can you. Raise up. A dead. Person. A dead person. Need to be. Quicken. By. God. And only. God. By the Holy Spirit. Of God. Can quicken. A person. Otherwise. He or she. Will remain. Dead.

Away. From God. Therefore. Personally. I'm speaking. For myself. I understand. From scripture. That it is. The election. The truth. Of God. Choosing us. In eternity. Past. And he. Have brought us. To himself. At a certain point. Of time. In. Our. Life. That does not. Give an excuse. To the unbeliever. To say. I haven't been chosen. And therefore. I will not come. Well. The unbeliever. Will have to stand. Before the very same God. And God. Will show him. Very much. That you have had. The opportunity. To confess. The Messiah. And you have heard. The message. Again. And you refuse. To accept me. God knows. The heart.

Of every man. And God. Will expose. The heart of man. In due time. When man. Will have to stand. Before him. So. Verse three. The spiritual blessing. That we have been blessed. In the Messiah. Verse four. We have been chosen. By the father. Already. In eternity. Past. Before. Creation. Blessed be the God. And father of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. Who have chosen us. In him. Before the foundation. Of the world. That we should be holy. And without blame. Before him. In love. Now. Why does God. Choose someone. For himself. That this person. Will be set apart. For him. Holy. Without blame. Before him. In love.

In love. In other words. When God. Have elected. His own. He made them. Suitable. For his presence. Without any blame. Anymore. Because positionally. All the blame. That we ought to receive. Have been passed. To the person. Of the son. Who died. For us. On the tree. On the cross. And paid. For the penalty. Of our sins. Now notice. Brothers and sisters. As we move on. God the father. Not only. Had blessed us. And have elected us. But also. He have adopted us. He have. Predestined us. To be. Adopted. Children. Look at this. Verse. Five. Now. It says. Having. Predestinated. Us. Unto. The adoption. Of children.

By Yeshua. The Messiah. To himself. According. To the good pleasure. Of his will. Now. This is also. A very important. Verse. To understand. Because. Let's say. You have a family. And you adopt. Someone. From outside. And you brought him. Into the family. And now. Instead of having. Only three children. Of your own. You have an additional. Fourth child. Who have been adopted. And while. It is very similar. To this. But here. Thought. Is far. Beyond it. The reason. Is simply. This. Adoption. Doesn't. Save us. Adoption. Doesn't. Forgive us. In other words. We did not. Become. Children. Of God. On the basis. Of. Adoption. But what.

Happened. In order. To become. Children. Of God. It was. Totally. And entirely. On the basis. Of. Redemption. The finished work. Of the Messiah. New birth. New baby. Have accepted. The Messiah. Become. Born again. Now. He's being. Placed. In the presence. Of God. As a mature. Child. That is ready. Now. To receive. The blessing. That the Lord. Have intended. For them. So he had. Predestined. Us. And to. Adaption. He placed. As. Adult. Children. Already. Ready. To receive. From him. The many. Mercies. And blessings. That he. Intent. For his own. People. So. We're not. Saved. By. Adoption. We are saved. Because of. A new. Birth. We are born.

From above. We receive. New life. Adopted. As a mature. Son. And daughter. Ready. To receive. The benefits. That God. Has. For. Us. And he noticed. That it says. That he. Predestinated. Us. That means. That. Beforehand. He had. The destiny. For those. Who became. The children. Of God. That means. Before time. In his. Plan. In his. Wisdom. He pre. He. Destined. The believer. Unto. Becoming. A mature. Child. That is ready. To receive. The benefits. That God. Would give him. In the Lord. Jesus. The Messiah. And notice. It says here. In verse 5. According. To the good pleasure. Of his will. It's not your will. It's not my will.

It's according to the. Pleasure. Of God's will. It is his will. That you and I. Will become. Born. From above. And we also. Become. Adapted. Sons. And daughters. And ready. To receive. The blessings. That he has. Intended. For his own. People. To connect. With this. Some verses. Paul. Also. Speaks. About it. When he. Wrote. Believers. Paul. Said. Romans 8. I'll read. Verse 14. For as many. As are led. By the spirit. Of God. They are. The sons. Of God. Verse 15. For ye have. Not received. The spirit. Of bondage. Again. To fear. But ye. Have received. The spirit. Of adoption. Whereby. We cry. Abba. Father. You see. The believer.

Had received. The Holy Spirit. Of God. That have. Adapted us. Not only gave us. New life. A new birth. But placed us. Positionally. As a mature. Adult. Son. And daughter. Ready to receive. The blessings. From. The Lord. Look at. Romans 8. 29. And 30. It says. For whom he did. For new. He also. Predestinate. To be. To be. Conformed. To the image. Of his son. That he. Might be. The firstborn. Among many. Brethren. Moreover. Whom he did. Predestinated. Them. He also. Called. And whom. He called. Them. He also. Justified. And whom. He justified. Them. He also. Glorified. Notice the words here. Predestined. God. He foreknew. Us. He predestined.

Us. To become. Like. His son. And that his son. Will be. The firstborn. Among. Many. Brethren. So he. Have. One. Son. Namely. Yeshua. The Messiah. But we. Have become. Many. Sons. In such a. Favored. Place. And favored. Position. And now. Notice. In verse 6. We have been. Accepted. In the beloved. Look at that. God. Have. Accepted. Us. In verse 6. He says. To the praise. Of the glory. Of his grace. Wherein. He made. Us. Accepted. In the beloved. You know. God. The father. Have. Accepted. Us. Imagine. He have. Accepted. You and I. Sinners. By nature. He have. Accepted. He says. Listen. I can. Accept. You. On the ground.

Of the. Finish work. Of my son. I now. Bringing. You. Into my own. Home. And you. Going. To be. Part of this. Family. Yeshua. The Messiah. Have done. You know. What. A wonderful. Thing. To be. Accepted. You know. A lot. Of people. Today. They are. In many. Homes. In many. Places. They never. Feel. Accepted. They are. Not. Good. Enough. I try. To do. This. And I try. To please. Him. And I try. To please. Her. And it's. Not acceptable. I worked. On a job. You might say. It was not accepted. It was not sufficient. But you see. God does not say. To you and I.

You better work. Your way. So I will accept you. Earn your way. Work hard. Be good. And better. And superior. And try your best. You see. Otherwise. I will not accept you. You know. God say. I know. You are. A sinner. But I accept you. Because you have. Been brought. Into a relationship. With my son. And you notice. He called him. It says here. In verse six. That we have been. Made. Accepted. In their beloved. One. The heavens open. If you remember. In Matthew three. In Matthew 17. And he said. This is my beloved son. I love my son. And if he. Had finished the work.

For you. Now you can be accepted. And brothers and sisters. Never for a moment. Think. That you need to. Improve yourself. In order to be accepted. In the presence of God. He have already accepted you. If you belong to Yeshua. And if you confess your sins. And you honestly have invited him. Into your heart. You have been. Not only elected. And chosen. And been adopted. In eternity past. But in time. You have been accepted. It doesn't matter. How you look. It doesn't matter. What background. You came from. Nothing matter. What matter. Is that. You have been accepted. By God. On the basis. Of his beloved son.

When you. Have invited Yeshua. Into your heart. God. The father. Can say. You accepted. In. The beloved son. You remember. In the book of Philemon. There was a man. By the name of Philemon. That had a servant. By the name of Onesimus. Onesimus. Fled. From the home. Of his master. Philemon. He ran all the way. To Rome. And in Rome. The apostle Paul. The apostle Paul. Shaul. And he was gloriously. Saved. The Lord. Yud Shaul. To bring him. To the knowledge. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. And Paul. Led him. To come. To acknowledge. Yeshua. The Messiah. And now. The apostle Paul. Was sending. Onesimus. To his master.

And notice. What he said. To Philemon. In Philemon. Verses 17. 18. And 19. He said to him. Philemon. If you count me. Therefore. A partner. Receive. Him. As myself. If he has wronged thee. And he owe you. Anything. Ought. Put it on my account. I Paul. Have written it. With mine own hand. I will repay it. Albeit. I do not say. To thee. How thou art. Unto me. You owe us. Unto me. Even thine own self. Beside. Philemon. You owe me. So much. And I want you. To accept. Onesimus. As you accept. Me. You know. What Yeshua said. To the father. Father. I've died. For them. Accept them.

On my behalf. As if. You are. Accepted. Me. And you know. The father say. As we read here. You are. Accepted. In the beloved. None of us. Should feel. For a moment. Unaccepted. In the presence. Of the Lord. We might not. Accept each other. Because we fail. Each other. Many times. But God. Look at the believer. And he said. I accept you. Because. Of what. My son. Their beloved. One. Have done. So we have here. In verse three. Four. Five. And six. The father. Planned. This. Beautiful. Salvation. He is the one. That he. Chosen us. In the Messiah. Before the foundation. Of the world. He adapted us.

To become. Sons and daughters. Of the father. And he have. Accepted. Us. We have been. Accepted. In the. Beloved. This is. Doctrinal. Truth. You might not. Feel all the time. Accepted. But. Positionally. Every believer. In Yeshua. The Messiah. Is accepted. In the presence. Of God. Not only. For time. But also. For eternity. Now. That we finish. To talk about. God. The father. And the one. Who planned. This great. Redemption. Work. Now. We're talking. About. God. The son. In order. For us. To. Be able. To be. In such. A favored. Place. In order. That he. Might. Provide. Such. A great. Redemption. Notice. That. In verse. Seven.

To twelve. What God. The son. What Yeshua. The Messiah. Have done. First of all. In verse. Seven. A. It says. That he. Had redeemed. Us. In whom. This is. In the Messiah. In Christ. In Yeshua. In the beloved. We have redemption. Through his blood. Resemption. In. In Hebrew. To buy. Back. You see. We were. Once. Belonging. To God. Anyway. By creation. God. Created. Humanity. And. Men. Belong. To God. By. Creation. But. We left. The Lord. Sin. Put. A distance. Between. Us. In God. And. What happened. In order for. God. To bring. Us. To himself. He had. To buy. Us. Again. Because. Of creation. We fell.

Through sin. He had. To buy. Us. Back. That's where. We get. The word. Goel. The redeemer. Will come. Out of. Zion. And. Our Lord. Jesus. In whom. As we read here. In verse 7a. In whom. We have. Notice. He doesn't say. We might have. One day. We. May be. Going to have. Redeemed. We might lose. This redemption. In whom. We already have. Redemption. But. How did he. Redeem us. It was. Through his blood. The price. That Yeshua paid. Is. His life. The life. Of the flesh. Is in the blood. And. God said. I gave. You. That. To make. An atonement. For the soul. The blood.

Had to be. Drained. And shed. The blood. Of the Messiah. And think about it. Every time. When you think about. Your great place. And my great place. In the presence. Of God. Realize this. Again. And again. The blood. The blood. Of the Messiah. Had to be shed. He had to die. On a cross. Peter said. That in first. Peter 1. 18 and 19. For you were not. Redeemed. With corruptible things. Of silver and gold. From your vein. Conversation. Received. From your fathers. But you were. Redeemed. With the precious. Precious. Blood. Of the Messiah. As of a lamb. Without blemish. Without spot. Yeshua. Had to pay. For that. He had to pay.

This great. Price. When he shed. His. Precious. Blood. As we have here. The son. The Messiah. The Lord Jesus. Yeshua. Redeemed us. But it cost him. A great. Price. He had to shed. His blood. When he was. Raised. There. Upon the cross. We just. Came. From. Golgatha. Some of us. Were just there. We just. Came. From the garden. Of Gethsemane. Gatshmanim. And we were reading. The text. From the bible. When Yeshua said. Father. If it is. Possible. Take this. Cup. Away. From me. You think. It was. Possible. He says. Nevertheless. Not my will. But. Thine. Be done. It was not. Possible. That the cup. Of God.

Righteous. Indignation. Against sin. Will pass away. He. Must. Drink. This. Cup. Of God's. Righteous. Judgment. Against sin. When he. Was placed. On the tree. And on the tree. Remember. What he said. My God. My God. My God. Why did you. Forsake me. And God. Forsook him. As a judge. He laid. Upon him. The iniquity. Of us all. That's why. Paul. Emphasizes. Here. So strongly. He says. We have redemption. Yes. We have been bought again. But it cost. The blood. Of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. The Messiah. That's why. We can never. Take this lightly. Because something. That can. Be saved. Without. The blood. Of the Messiah.

Why. Do you. Tell me. Every time. That you must. Be born again. On the basis. Of the. Death. Of the Messiah. Why. We say it. Because. There is no. Other way. Except. The blood. Of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. Nine. They. The trust. In their wealth. And boast. Themselves. In the multitude. Of their riches. None. Of them. Can. By any. Mean. Redeem. His brother. You cannot. Buy. A person. Salvation. And redemption. With all. The money. And all. The wealth. That you have. In this world. That's why. He says. None. To God. A ransom. For him. Psalm. 49. Verses. 6. And 7. You cannot. Pay. For salvation. With any.

Merit. Or. Any wealth. In this world. Because. It says. In verse 8. For the redemption. Of their soul. Is costly. And it. Ceases. Forever. You cannot. Give. To God. Anything. In order. To redeem. A soul. You can. Never. Do so. By any. Price. Because. The redemption. Of their soul. Is very. Expensive. And the only. Way. To redeem. A soul. Is on a basis. Of the blood. Of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. That's why. He says. And here. Is what. The son. Have done. He paid. For. The price. Of redemption. Every one. Of us. Brothers. And sisters. Today. When you. Really. Sit. Before the Lord. And realize.

Your redemption. Your salvation. Again. And again. We ought. To go. Back. To the basic. It is. The precious. Precious. Blood. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. That was paid. In order. To redeem. Me. For my. Sin. And my. Sins. The blood. Had to be shed. Without. The shedding. Of blood. There is no. Forgiveness. Of sins. Hebrews 9. 22. There is no. Other way. So. We have. Redemption. But the price. Was the blood. Of the Messiah. Secondly. In verse 7. He adding. Up. Another one. What the son. Have done. He have. Forgave. Our sins. Notice that. Verse 7b. After he said. In whom. We have. Redemption. Through his blood. And he adds.

Here. The forgiveness. Of sins. According. To the riches. Of his grace. You know. Every sin. That we have committed. Have been forgiven. To us. Jesus. And it was. According. To the riches. Of his grace. He forgave us. As far. As the east. Is from the west. So far. He removed. All our. Transgressions. From. Before him. All our sins. So great. So many. Were forgiven. Were forgiven. To us. Because of. What Yeshua. The Messiah. Have done. For us. So. He redeemed us. Verse 7a. He forgave us. Verse 7b. And then. Verses 8. 9. And 10. The Messiah. Made. Known. To us. The will. Of. God. It is Yeshua. That made known.

To us. The will of God. Let me read you. Those verses. Ephesians 1. And verse 8. It says. That he gave us. An exceeding. Amount. Of wisdom. And prudence. Wherein. He. This is. God. Through the son. Has abounded. Towards. Us. In all wisdom. And prudence. The word. For prudence. Can be. Intelligence. The word. For wisdom. Chochma. He. Give us. Exceeding. Amount. Of. Information. To. Be. Wise. And. Intelligent. In the things. Of God. You know. Why is it. That the believer. Knows. About. The plan. And the program. Of God. You have. You have. You have. No idea. About. The future. And the things. That God. Has in mind.

For mankind. Well. Because. We have. All wisdom. All wisdom. And also. Prudence. So intelligence. He given us. So much. Wisdom. And intelligence. Often time. When you read. In the Bible. About. Believers. In the history. Of the church. As well as. The history. Of our people. Israel. You notice. How much. Wisdom. Have done. For them. Verse 9. He continue. He made known. Unto us. The mystery. Of God's will. I'm reading. Verse 9. Having made known. Unto us. The mystery. Of his will. According to. His good pleasure. Which he had. Purposed. In himself. Now that word. For mystery. Is not. Something. That is hidden. From the believer. It's not hidden.

In other words. God. Through the Messiah. Made known. Unto us. The mystery. Of his will. We have. The knowledge. According to. The word of God. Not with some sort of. Speculation. On the basis. Of the word of God. We have. The knowledge. Of the mystery. Of the plan. The purposes. And the will. Of God. He showed this. To the believers. To the believers. We know. That the church. Will end. In a certain. Period of time. Of the church. History. That the believers. Will be taken. Out of here. We know. That there is. A tribulation time. That is going to come. In the future day. That God.

In his will. And purpose. And wisdom. Going to have. A seven year. Tribulation. Where there will be. A time. Of Jacob's trouble. Jacob's trouble. We know. That the Messiah. Is going to come again. And that he is going. To establish. The messianic kingdom. In the coming day. We know that. How do we know it? Well. He revealed. To us. The mystery. Of his will. And it is. According. To his own. Purpose. Which he purposed. In. Himself. And now. Verse 10. As well. Let me read that. Notice what is. The will of God. That is beautiful. God's will. Is to. Gather. Together. In one. All things. In Christ.

In Mashiach. You know. What God wants. He wants. That everything. In eternity. Future. And. Coming soon. Will be. Gathered. Together. Under. His own. Son. The Messiah. Himself. Look at. Verse 10. That in. The dispensation. Of the fullness. Of time. He might. Gather. Together. In one. All. Things. In. Mashiach. In Messiah. Both. Which are. In heaven. And. Which are. On earth. Even. In. Him. You know. There are. A group. Of. Professing. Christian. Or.

don't believe that Jesus is the son of God they don't believe in his divine nature and while the father say listen this is my beloved son hear him they bring him down God elevates him and so we find out in verse 10 that God is saying that in the dispensation of the fullness of time in other here he takes us all the way to the end of the ages and he says look what I want to happen in the coming days that I'm going to gather together in one all things in my son in the messiah everything that we have link us with the person of Jesus Yeshua the messiah notice the word dispensation the

word here for dispensation is really the Greek word oikonomia which simply mean economy or economy of God or an ordered age and so what God is saying that in the ordered age that God planned he intended that all things might be linked with the messiah and that everything going to be under his authority and his supremacy when every knee will bow where every tongue will confess that he is Lord this is amazing can you imagine the very one that died on the cross and was rejected is the very one that is going to rule and reign in the coming days the one that people today use his name as a curse word as a swear

word this is the one that is the one that is the one that is the one that is going to be placed in a full authority over this universe in the dispensation in the ordered age of the fullness of time God will give him this wonderful place of being over all things and everything will be subjected unto him beautiful to see that and so verses 7 he redeemed us verse 7b he forgave us verse 8 to 10 he made known unto us the will of God and now quickly verse 11 and 12 he made us God's inheritance you know when our parents pass us away whatever they leave for us become our own inheritance but

do you know brothers and sisters that not only that we are going to receive inheritance in the future day but we become his inheritance in other words you and I though we don't necessarily think it's so but you and I every believer today every believer in Yeshua the Messiah become his own inheritance we become a treasure to the person of the Messiah we became a gift of the father to the son it says in verse 11 that the believers became God's inheritance listen to that in whom again the word in Messiah in whom also we have obtained now the word obtained should be said we have been made not obtained but been made an inheritance

and inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who work all things after the counsel of his own will now you notice that brothers and sisters that the believers become an inheritance that the father would give to the son it's like you and I like trophies you remember John chapter 17 Yeshua said father I will the day which thou had given me will be with me every believer is a gift of the father to the son God the father gave the believers to become a gift for his own son and we become an inheritance of the son that's why the bible tells us in the book of corinthians where we read knowing not that

you are not your own and you were bought with a price now we sometimes don't realize that but we are really not belong to ourselves we have been bought with a price and we belong to Yeshua know you not Paul said to the corinthians that you are not your own anymore you have been bought with a price as the father gave the gift to the son don't you know that he said we are a gift from the father to the son important to understand it beloved brothers and sisters and even Paul when he was on the way to Damascus and he was persecuting the believers Yeshua said to him Shaul Shaul why do you persecute

me when he was persecuting the believers he was persecuting those that are the heritage of the son the head is in heaven the body is on earth and we belong to Yeshua the Messiah we became an inheritance that the father gave to his son and in verse 12 in connection with the sons the believers are for the praise of God's glory it says here that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in the Messiah we should be to the praise of his glory every time a person become a child of God it is a praises to God it is for his own glory not for our glory but for his

own glory that we should be not only do to praise God and to glorify him but we become to the praise of the glory of God because we have been elected and chosen but also we ultimately who trusted in Yeshua the Messiah now if you will bear with me I want to conclude with verses 13 and 14 so we'll have the whole triune Godhead before us here in these verses now that we talked about the father verses 3 to 6 who is the one that have planted this from eternity past this great salvation we talked about the son verses 7 to 12 who paid the price for this great salvation now in verses 13 and

14 we have God the Holy Spirit who sealed us every one of us who became believers in Yeshua the Messiah and marked us and said you belong to me notice I'm reading those two verses look what the spirit of God did it says in verse 13 in whom in Yeshua in Messiah ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth of the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise let me just make a remark or two about this verse notice the order there are three things that he says that he says here in verse 13 he's speaking about them they

heard the message of the gospel then they believed the message of the gospel and finally they were sealed by the Holy Spirit of God notice the order they first heard the message that were preached then in response to the message they believed it and thirdly they were sealed after that ye heard first of all the gospel must have been preached faith cometh by hearing Romans 10 hearing by the word of God then when they heard this it says the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and then it says in whom also then after you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise now what is the sealing does you know when

you write a letter to somebody and you address it to a certain person you lick the envelope and you seal that letter that this letter will be opened only by the person whose name is on that envelope what we really find out brothers and sisters that God has marked us he has sealed us he put a stamp of sealing and he said this person belonged to me the Spirit of God came and indwelt in the believer once we have accepted Yeshua we have now become believers and we are sealed by the Spirit of God you cannot be unsealed for a moment you cannot be unsealed a letter you might be able to unseal a stamp

you might be able to erase but you can never unseal a person that was sealed by the Holy Spirit of God and so he is saying to them after you heard the message you believe the message you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise as it is mentioned also in chapter 4 of this book in verse 30 he said there whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption so you and I are sealed people no one can take us away from Yeshua the Holy Spirit of God came and indwelt in every one of us who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah and finally in verse 14 what the Spirit of God sealing does

he become an earnest down payment verse 14 which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory the Holy Spirit of God is a pledge God gave us a pledge and he says listen you have accepted me you belong to my son Yeshua I'm giving you a pledge a promise take that pledge meaning the Holy Spirit of God and this pledge is only a temporary assurance that there is a full redemption yet ahead when the body of ours after we'll be receiving a new body a glorified body and all this human being spirit soul and body are going to be presented before God for time

and for eternity so the Holy Spirit of God is an earnest it's eravon in Greek it's called araban or arabon in Hebrew is eravon it's a pledge that the full promise of salvation will surely come to pass in the life of each and everyone that have accepted Yeshua the Messiah so brothers and sisters to conclude here with our chapter for today the father is the originator he is the one who planned the son he is the one who paid the price the spirit he is the one who sealed us and made us a sure individual who belong to the father for time and for eternity that's the rich blessings that we possess because of what

God had planned for us in eternity past well may the Lord just bless what had been said by the grace of God for his word