Spiritual fans

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. Ephesians 1:3

Which fans cheer the loudest: football, basketball, soccer? I think the answer is … show choir!

Have you ever been to a show choir competition? The fans cheer like crazy for every team, but especially their own. When the awards are given for best band, best choreography, and best vocals, you might want to cover your ears.

Of course this column is not about show choir, but it is about cheering for every spiritual blessing from our triune God: Father, Son, and Spirit.

Christians have been given 'every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3), and our response is to erupt in cheers of praise to God, kind of like when your choir wins grand champion.

First, God the Father has chosen us, before time even began, to be on his team. This is not fatalism, but it is compatible with human exercise of faith in Christ that we might live holy lives and be counted as blameless in God's sight (Ephesians 1:4, 13).

In love, God intentionally adopted us as his children, so we cheerfully praise the Father for his glorious, freely given, grace (Ephesians 1:4-6).

Second, God the Son, Jesus Christ, has paid the price of redemption. He has died in our place to pay the price of our sins so that believers can be forgiven (Ephesians 1:7).

This wonderful forgiveness could not be experienced without God freely giving his grace and true spiritual insight. For those cheering on this team, they resound with praise that Christ is over all heavenly and earthly authorities (Ephesians 1:8-12).

Finally, God the Spirit is praised as the mark, or seal, of those who are 'in Christ,” namely those who have heard and believed the word of truth, the gospel of salvation (Ephesians 1:13).

The indwelling Holy Spirit is God's deposit, guaranteeing the believer's inheritance. God's promise, his pledge, is sure, a certain hope that believers rejoice in to God's glory (Ephesians 1:14).

Ephesus was a huge metropolis, a thriving port city on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Beyond the temptation to materialism, Ephesus was full of false gods that false teachers espoused, such as the imperial worship of Caesar, the fertility cult of Artemis or Diana, and the idols of sorcery.

Today's fake gods are the same: government, power, sensuality, the occult and so on.

The Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians, and us, that the only true God was, and is, the triune God: Father, Son, and Spirit. That God has given believers in Christ every spiritual blessing, and that is something worth cheering about.