Be Holy in Love
“1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”
The book of Ephesians deeply explores the theological meaning of the gospel and demonstrates how it should be lived out in personal life, within the church, in families and communities, and in the world. Before the foundation of the world, God loved us and, through Christ, adopted us as His children. It is out of His great love that He has called us, with the purpose of making us holy and blameless before Him.
Being holy and blameless is not merely about being free from sin; it means living in right relationship with God, reflecting His image. This is the essence of Christlikeness. Wherever we are and whatever we do, we must remember that God rules over us with His love.
God does not place heavy burdens on us; rather, He is the one who saves us and sanctifies us in His love. The purpose of our faith and the mission of the church is to live in relationship with God, becoming more like Jesus. May the Lord continue to lead us today with His abundant grace and wisdom. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)