Ephesians 1:7To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace." -------------------- "in whom" : "whom" is a relative pronoun referring to Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed, not because of who and what we are, but because it has been provided through Christ. Topic: Union With Christ -------------------- "we have" : present active indicative of (exo) : "we have and keep on having" -------------------- "redemption" : (apolutrosis) : a ransom paid to purchase a slave or set someone free. Topic: Redemption COMMENT * God pays the ransom for a slave and frees him absolutely. * A longtime slave will think like a slave. A freed slave needs to stop thinking like a slave and develop a free man's mental attitude. The Emancipation Proclamation made citizens of slaves. However, for many of the newly freed people, it was a long time before they began to think and act like free citizens. * A slave cannot free a slave. False cults and religion try to do this. All they do is try to make the slave feel happy inside, to think he's not a slave. Religious legalism is Satan's effort to delude slaves into thinking they are really free. -------------------- "through His blood" : the payment made at the Cross. Topic: Blood of Christ COMMENT * Sometimes, both in the N. T. and O. T., there is no accompanying reference to the price paid for redemption, and the word simply has the primary sense of release. Luke 21:28; Rom. 8:23; Heb. 9:15 * Paul's mind often dwelt on the thought of the costliness of redemption. 1 Cor. 6:20 * Redemption includes freedom during our lifetime. The believer has the freedom to represent Christ as an ambassador, the freedom to be in full-time Christian service, the freedom to be a priest, the freedom to be indwelt and filled by the Holy Spirit, the freedom to be indwelt by the Person of Jesus Christ, the freedom to be in union with Christ and to be His representative. -------------------- "the forgiveness of sins" : (afesis) : "the loosing of a person from that which binds him" cf. Rev. 20:12-15 -------------------- "according to the riches" : speaks of the inexhaustibility of divine capital; the wealth of God's grace, mercy and glory. Eph. 1:8; 2:4,7; 3:8,16; Rom. 2:4; 9:23; 11:33; 2 Cor. 8:9; Col. 1:27; 2:2; Phil. 4:9 -------------------- "of His grace" : Topic: GRACE -------------------- Summarizing the passage: Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we continue to have redemption through His blood, the cancellation of sins according to the wealth of His grace." End of Ephesians Lesson 3 Warren Doud [ Grace Notes] 1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757 Phone: 512-458-8923 E-Mail: wdoud@bga.com |
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