Everything We Need

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Continuing to look at Col. 3:1-4, consider this with me. Our power and fulfillment is in Christ and knowing what we have been graced thru union with Christ thru faith. In Christ we have everything we need. Gaze upon Christ. Look at Ephesians 1:3. It says that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. If Christ is yours believer, you have fullness in Christ. Drink from no other cistern than Christ. He is the fullness and life as a believer. He is the source of every spiritual blessing.

What are these spiritual blessings, and what do they do for us? What do we experience partially today that we will experience fully later? Contrary to some beliefs, they are not some mysterious power or cosmic connection reserved for a select few. They are the key benefits of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. These truths must permeate our lives.

Specific Spiritual Blessings we have as believers from being in Christ:

A. The ELECTION as saints. Ephesians 1:4 says that He has “chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” God has chosen to make us holy and blameless, and all because of His love, His good pleasure, and His grace (verses 5–6). What a blessing, that “even when we were dead in sins” (Ephesians 2:5), God chose to extend His grace to us and offer us salvation. This is even more amazing when we realize that He made that decision before sin even entered into the world.

B. The ADOPTION as His children. Not only has God chosen us to be made holy, but He grants us full status as His children, with all the benefits thereof. John 1:12says, “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” When we believe the gospel, we receive full access to the Father, able to call out to Him as His children.

C. We are FULLY accepted by grace.The third spiritual blessing is in Eph. 1:6, where we are made “accepted in the beloved.” The word is related to grace and gives the idea of making us graceful or favorable through Christ, the beloved of God. When we put on Christ, the Father sees His loveliness when He looks at us. The blood of Christ has taken away the guilt of our sins, and we stand before the Father as perfectly accepted.

D. We receive REDEMPTION through His blood. Redemption speaks of buying one's freedom, paying a ransom. The price for our sins, the payment to buy us out of eternal condemnation, was fully paid by the blood of Christ. In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, but we become slaves to God. Since we are bought and paid for by His blood, we have an obligation to glorify God in our body and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:20).

E. We receive the FORGIVENESS of our sins. Eph. 1:7 also describes the fifth blessing. It is closely related to redemption, but looks at the other side of the coin. In paying the ransom for our sins, the debt of sin was canceled, and we were forgiven. We no longer have the burden of guilt for violating God's holy laws.

F. We can KNOW the will of God. The sixth spiritual blessing listed is knowing the mystery of His will (Ephesians 1:8–10). God has given us wisdom and insight through His Word and has shown us His desire to bring all things together to glorify Christ. Since all of creation was made by Him and is for His good pleasure (Revelation 4:11), the consummation of His plan is when everything and everyone is brought in line to glorify Him. By aligning ourselves with Him by faith, we become part of His perfect plan and purpose.

G. We receive an INHERITANCE. Eph. 1:11 says that another blessing is the inheritance that is given to us through Christ. What is included in that inheritance? “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The riches of glory, the presence of God, the eternal home – these don't even scratch the surface of all the blessings that belong to our inheritance.

H. We are SEALED through the Holy Spirit. Another blessing is found in Ephesians 1:13, which is the sealing of the Holy Spirit. When we become God's children, He places His mark of ownership on us, guaranteeing our eternal security. This is spoken of as the down-payment of our full redemption, to hold us until the day Christ brings us to Him.

How do we access all of these blessings? They are readily accessible to everyone who is in Christ Jesus. The way to be in Christ is to repent, or turn away from our sins (Acts 17:30), confessing to God that we are sinners (Romans 10:9). When we believe that Christ died to take our punishment and now lives to give us new life (1 Corinthians 15:3–4), He grants us forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that accompany that salvation. But their fullness is future. It is not of this world.

Phil. 3:20 – “our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for it” it says. We wait for the fullness of the blessings. They are ours, but not fully here in this world. We have a hope, future, welfare – all are in Christ. And they fully await us. God’s character allows and fuels our faithfulness while we wait. Romans 8:18 says that it will all be worth it when we are glorified.

While we wait, what fuels us? Look at Titus 2:11-14. God’s grace is the focus. The gospel. It teaches us to deny the world.

Do we still struggle with sin and its effects? Of course. The reign of sin is broken, but its presence is still there. But consider yourself, see yourself and your new identity of being in Christ lead to a new mentality that says you are dead to sin and alive to Christ. Let that birth a new mentality in us. And allow us to wait faithfully and patiently. 2 Cor. 5:18 – do not look to what is seen but to what is unseen.

Nothing compares to what God has given us in His Son. Find your identity in Him alone. Turn your eyes to Jesus alone. Christ is enough. Supreme. Unrivaled. Pre-eminent in everything.