Verse 3 of Ephesians 1 begins with the word “Blessed”; this Greek word means “adorable”. The Apostle here exalts in God, and shows us that He is to be worshipped, praised, adored, and revered for giving the Lord Jesus Christ through whose blood we have been redeemed, (verse 7). Then he says that God has blessed us using a different Greek word that is translated “blessed”, a word that means “to speak well of” or, it is to invoke a benediction of divine blessing upon us. While God does bless us with natural blessings, the blessings he is speaking of here are primarily spiritual blessings. Through Christ, God has bestowed all spiritual blessings that are suited to prepare us for heaven, blessings such as pardon for sin, adoption into His family, the illumination of the Spirit to teach, lead and guide us, etc.” He says these blessings are “in the heavenly places in Christ”, the word places not being in the original is supplied by the translators, the phrase probably meaning in things pertaining to heaven.. The word “blessings” in verse 3 is a Greek word which covers a wide range of meaning including fine speaking and commendation. Can’t you see Jesus here speaking favorably to the Father on our behalf as the “one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5. Because we have believed in and received Him as our Savior He pleads our cause presenting His blood on our behalf before the Father who has “made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:5-6. So What am I in Christ? I am blessed!
Blessings of grace
By Rose Hill
God’s blessings on us may be by far,
More than we even understand they are.
They are blessings in the heavenly places,
As God bestows on us many graces.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.