Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 1
Blessings are the good things that God gives to people. However, often people only desire the good things that belong to this present world. They want health and wealth, happiness and pleasure. People who have such things should be especially grateful to God for his kindness to them - however, often, they are not grateful to him. Perhaps they care only for the things of this world, and not for God, who has been so kind to them.
Christians need to have a different attitude. They are grateful to God for all his kindness to them; so, they use the good things that he gives to them for his purposes (see Ephesians 4:28). However, they realise that nothing in this world will last. So, the blessings of heaven and of the future age matter much more to them than anything in this present world (Matthew 6:33).
It is because of Christ, and his death for them, that Christians have all these blessings. These blessings come from God in heaven, and Christians will only know them fully in heaven. However, it is wrong to imagine that Christians can only enjoy these blessings in the future. They already know that God has forgiven them their sins (wrong and evil deeds). He has done this because of Christ’s death (Romans 5:8-9). God has given them a right relationship with himself, as friends of God (Romans 5:1). He has given them his Holy Spirit to guide and to direct their lives (Romans 8:9-11). God works powerfully in their lives. These are wonderful blessings.
So, Christians are eager to praise God. He does so many good things for them, and they, in return, declare his goodness. With grateful hearts, they give him honour for all the good things that he has done.
Next part: The people whom God chose (Ephesians 1:4)
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© 2019, Keith Simons.