What does “every spiritual blessing” mean in Ephesians 1:3?

Response

In Ephesians 1:3–14, the apostle Paul initiates his letter with an extensive benediction. The entire twelve-verse passage forms a single continuous sentence in the original Greek language. Paul expresses God’s blessings without pause. He commences, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (verse 3).

Every spiritual blessing encompasses all the possible gifts of redemption that Christians receive through their union with Jesus Christ. Paul deliberately mentions the Trinity in Ephesians 1:3–14 and again in verse 17. God the Father is the source of every spiritual blessing. These gifts are found “in Christ.” It is only through our connection and unity with God’s Son that we qualify to receive His countless blessings. These gifts are spiritual in nature. The Holy Spirit is the one who applies Christ’s work to our hearts and lives.

Paul proceeds to detail “every spiritual blessing.” Firstly, we are recipients of God’s choice and predestination “for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5). Just as Yahweh selected Israel to be His special possession, He chooses believers to have the esteemed privilege of becoming His beloved spiritual children through Jesus Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Our heavenly Father loves us so deeply that “he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” «Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. », (1 John 3:1, NLT).

Next, Paul highlights the gift of God’s “glory.”

God has given us His “glorious grace” abundantly, which He has “poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is abundantly kind and gracious, having bought our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgiven our sins. He has lavished His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:6-8;NLT). Our heavenly Father is abundant in grace, kindness, forgiveness, freedom, wisdom, and understanding, and He enriches us with the same, through Jesus Christ, His Son. This is why Paul could declare, “And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” «But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. », (Philippians 4:19).

One of the many blessings we receive in Christ is “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” «In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; », (Ephesians 1:7). The Greek term for “redemption” used here signifies making a full payment to liberate a slave. When we have faith in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, our sins are pardoned, paid for by His sacrifice on the cross (Matthew 26:27-28;Colossians 1:14). Christ’s sacrifice fulfills God’s requirements, freeing us from sin and its consequent death penalty (Romans 8:1-2) and making us “holy and blameless in His sight” (verse 4).

Another spiritual benefit in Christ is that God reveals “the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be fulfilled when the times reach their completion&mdasH; to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:9-10). Paul is speaking here about the divine mystery of the New Testament church, which was formerly kept a secret but is now revealed in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:26-27). God’s plan is for both Jews and Gentiles to share equally in the gospel of salvation and form one new people united in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:12-13;3:3,5-6, 9).

Every spiritual blessing also includes the truth that we have obtained a heavenly inheritance (Ephesians 1:11-14). For now, we are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (verses 13–14). We are marked with God’s seal—the Holy Spirit—who provides us with spiritual security and proof of ownership. In eternity, we will take full possession of that inheritance.

Every spiritual blessing encompasses all the gifts of the Holy Spirit given by God the Father to those who have experienced His salvation in Jesus Christ. Peter affirms that God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” «according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: », (2 Peter 1:3). Believers in Jesus have no shortage of reasons to praise God for abundantly blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.