Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ephesians 1:3-4

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love:" — Ephesians 1:3-4 (ASV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.

One of the first doctrines of our holy faith is that of the union of all believing souls with Christ. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Apart from Christ we are nothing; in Christ we have all spiritual blessings. We are rich as Christ is rich, when we are united to him by the living bond of faith.

Another great doctrine of Holy Scripture is that of election. We are blessed in Christ according as the Father has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Why did God choose any to eternal life? Was it because of any holiness in them then existing, or foreseen to exist? No, by no means; for we read that: According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The apostle begins by laying down the great doctrine of predestinating love. There is little gospel preached where election is denied. We marvel that some of us are regarded as in error because we preach the doctrine of God's divine sovereignty in giving grace to men, whereas, in former times, the opponents of that glorious system would have been considered the heretics.

Turn to all the great creeds that are preserved, and you will find that truth mentioned.

Above all, we can scarcely conceive that any person who is a member or a minister of the Established Church, and finds election in his own Church's articles, can, in the least degree, deny it. It is the glory of that Church that it has a Calvinistic creed, and in this respect, it is in harmony with the Scriptures.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,

The high mystery of election is taught in the Word of God, but some are afraid to speak of it. Not so our Apostle. He brings it out very clearly and distinctly, and so should we, only taking care to keep it in the proportion of other doctrines.