Ephesians (W1D5) All for His Glory
Week1. Friday: All for His Glory
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word
READ: Ephesians 1:13-14
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.
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Gospel (Greek: euaggelion): the good news of salvation (Romans 1:16)
Salvation (Greek: sōtēria): deliverance from sin and the penalty (Romans 10:10)
Believed (Greek: pisteuō): to entrust and commit (Mark 1:15)
Marked/Sealed (Greek: sphragizō): sealed, confirmed beyond doubt (2 Cor. 1:21-22)
Deposit (Greek: arrabōn): in this context, the Holy Spirit is God’s down payment
Inheritance (Greek: klēronomia): eternal rewards (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Redemption (Greek: apolytrōsis): to be bought back at a price (1 Corinthians 1:30)
And once again, God does all of this for “the praise of his glory.”
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Hearing and believing. When the New Testament speaks of “hearing” the Gospel it is not just merely hearing with your ears. Anyone can hear the Gospel in that sense. But only those who truly believe have really heard the Gospel. True hearing leads to belief which results in salvation.
What is believing? Are you truly believing?
Faith is not just believing a set of facts about Christ. Faith in Christ is putting all your hope and life in Him. Faith cannot be casual. There is no such thing as a casual Christian. True faith leads to action (James 1:22-27). Jesus said that our faith is proven by our actions (Matthew 7:15-23). The writers of the New Testament often wrote that we should examine ourselves to be sure of our salvation.
Look at Galatians 5:22-26
Which list describes you (v. 19-21) or (v. 22-26)?
Are you sure of your salvation? Why or why not?
PRAY: Thank God for guaranteeing your salvation and helping you live for His glory.
