Ephesians 1:3,4

Spiritual Blessings Are In Christ

We owe God thanksgiving and praise because of all the spiritual blessings we have in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The expression "in the heavenly places" occurs four other times in this epistle (Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12). Here, it is qualified by the words "in Christ" which suggest to us "the church, which is His body" (Ephesians 1:22-23). Thus, we believe to be in the church is to be in Christ's body and to be in Christ is to be in heavenly places. The church is the home of the saved on earth and its Lord is in heaven, so we are in heavenly places in two senses (Ephesians 1:3; Acts 2:47; Acts 2:32-36).

If I want to be one of God's chosen ones, I must be in Christ. God chose only those who would meet his requirements for being "in him." Before God laid down the foundation of the world, he planned a means of saving man if he should sin. As Hendren notes, buying band-aids and keeping them in the cabinet does not make one's child receive a scrape or cut but it does prepare us for any eventuality. God's plan provided a means of those in Christ being set apart for his service without any lack. The love here mentioned could either be God's love in choosing a means of our being holy in Christ (John 3:16), or the love that motivates us to obedience so we might be made holy by the Father (Ephesians 1:4; John 14:15; 1 John 5:3).