Page 34 - Ephesians

Eliphaz missed the boat in many ways, but got it right here.
Ephesians teaches us how to place our gold in the dust.
Ephesians teaches us that the Almighty is gold, and choice
silver to us. Ephesians teaches us how to delight in the Almighty.

Don’t get the idea that Jesus did something to make an unloving
God love you. That isn’t the point. God didn’t love you, because
Jesus died. Jesus died, because God loved you. That’s not the
same thing. That’s a different direction. This passage is so rich, it
seems impossible to take in. We are afraid to approach these
high and holy thoughts:

“Predestination”, “adoption”, “redemption”, “chosen before
the foundations of the earth”, “election”, “the mystery of His
will”, “the fulfillment of the dispensation of the times”,
“sealing by the Holy Spirit”, “the earnest of our inheritance”.

When you see such things you are tempted to throw your hands
up and say, “Alright, let’s go to chapter two, and let’s leave
chapter one to the theologians. I want the simple things.” Well, let
me tell you, Ephesians chapter 1:1-14, is full of simple things.

Don’t get snowed by words that complicate things. I’m not saying
there’s no mystery in this. Of course, there’s mystery in it. You’re
dealing with God. He’s infinite. “His footprints are in the
water”. We’ll get just a taste. You can only begin to pursue the
infinite. You can’t overtake it. I tell you, a kindergarten child could
understand the truth that ties this passage together.
I told you that chapter 1, is the first summary of our wealth, and
chapter 2, is the second. The difference between chapter 1 and 2
is this. Chapter one reveals our riches through the eyes of God,
and chapter 2, through the eyes of man. I believe you can use
the words in verse 6, as the key to understanding the whole
passage,

“Freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved”.