In Ephesians 1:3-14, there is a clear message that it is God who saves as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit carry out their roles in accomplishing our salvation. In today’s message, Drew Zeiler leads us to take a closer look from verses 7-10 at the role Christ plays in achieving our redemption, offering the forgiveness of our sins, and ultimately uniting all things to God in heaven and earth.

Drew’s Main Points

• In Christ, we have redemption through His blood.
• In Christ, we have forgiveness by grace.
• In Christ, we have the promise of future unity with God and others.

Key Takeaways

• The phrase “in Christ” is a major theme of Paul’s theology. The union of the redeemed with their Redeemer holds the essence of the entire Christian life.
  
  
• Our union with Christ encapsulates all the blessings we receive in Christ and through Christ. “In Christ” means the blessings of His identity, His righteousness, and His inheritance are now granted to the believer.
  
  
• Through Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross, we have been delivered from the penalty and power of sin as well as transferred from the ownership of the evil one to the sonship of God.
  
  
• Forgiveness releases us from the debt our sins incurred. Our enormous amount of spiritual debt has been paid by the enormous amount of Christ’s spiritual wealth.
  
  
• Forgiveness is 100% by grace through faith in Christ, not through any we’ve done or deserve.
   
• If you didn’t do anything to earn God’s love, you can’t do anything to lose God’s love.
  
  
• We must rest in Christ’s finished work on the cross, rather than turning to our own works to secure or sustain our salvation.
  
  
• When it comes to our redemption, we live in “the already, but not yet.” We have been already redeemed through Christ, but complete redemption through Christ is still to come.
  
  
• In the future and for eternity, Jesus will unite the redeemed to Himself, will unite the Christian living and the Christian dead, and unite Jew and Gentile– all under His perfect reign and authority.
  
  

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal reading & reflection:

• Reread Ephesians 1:3-14. What blessings have you received through your union with Christ?

Personal reflection:

• Is there anyone you are currently withholding forgiveness? Reflect on and revel in the forgiveness you’ve freely received through Christ and reciprocate this forgiveness to those who have sinned against you.
  
  

Discuss with your community group:

• Who/what are you prone to trust in as your “functional savior” rather than Jesus Christ?

• What hope does our complete redemption through Christ in the future offer? How should this certain, final, and forever hope impact your attitudes and actions in this life?

Passages Referenced for Further Study

Ephesians 1:7-10, 1:3; Galatians 2:20; Romans 3:23; John 8:34-36; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19; John 10:18; Romans 8:11; Psalm 130:3-4; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 John 3:2; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14; Philippians 4:13.