You Are Blessed, Chosen, and Loved (Ephesians 1:3-23)
Have you ever felt forgotten, unwanted, or unsure about your purpose? If so, Ephesians 1:3–23 has a powerful message for you. In this part of the Bible, the Apostle Paul reminds believers who they really are in Christ—and it’s incredibly good news.
Let’s take a closer look.
You Are Blessed
Paul starts by saying that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing through Jesus. That means if you’re a believer, you already have all you need in your relationship with God—love, hope, purpose, forgiveness, peace, and more. These blessings aren’t things we earn—they’re gifts God gives us because of Jesus.
You Are Chosen and Adopted
Paul says something amazing: God chose us before the world was made. He wanted us to belong to Him. Through Jesus, we’ve been adopted into God’s family. That means we’re not outsiders or strangers—we’re sons and daughters of the King.
And why did God do this? Simply because He loves us and it brought Him joy to bring us close to Him.
You Are Forgiven and Free
Paul reminds us that through Jesus’ blood, we are forgiven. All the wrong things we’ve done—our sins, our mistakes—have been completely covered by Jesus’ sacrifice. We’re no longer stuck or guilty. We’ve been set free to live a new life.
You Have Purpose
God didn’t just save us and leave us to figure things out on our own. He has a plan—a big, beautiful plan to bring everything together under Christ. And He’s included us in that plan. We’re not random or meaningless—we’re part of something eternal.
Paul says that those who believe in Jesus are given the Holy Spirit as a promise that everything God has said will come true. The Spirit lives in us to guide, comfort, and strengthen us.
You Are Not Alone
In the last part of the chapter, Paul shares a powerful prayer for the believers. He prays that we would:
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Know God better
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Understand the hope we’ve been called to
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Realize the amazing inheritance we have as God’s children
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Experience the incredible power of God working in us
This same power is what raised Jesus from the dead and placed Him above all things. That power is at work in you if you belong to Christ.
Final Thoughts
Ephesians 1 is full of rich truth, but here’s the main takeaway:
You are blessed, chosen, loved, forgiven, and empowered by God.
You don’t have to earn God’s approval. You already have it in Christ. Your life has meaning and purpose because you belong to Him. And no matter what you’re facing, you’re not alone—God’s Spirit is with you every step of the way.
So today, hold your head high. You are a child of God, and that changes everything.
Ephesians 1:3-23 (WEB)
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, 5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved. 7 In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him. 11 We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will, 12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13 In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20 which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.