Ephesians Study: Sons & Daughters

[Ephesians 1:1-14]

• 4-5 – Predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
  • He knew before the foundation that we would be separated. (1 Peter 4:20)
  • He predestined us for adoption.
  • Everyone who believes through faith is a child of God. (Galatians 3:26, John 1:12)
• 11 – Obtained an inheritance
  • This inheritance is ALREADY ours through Jesus Christ.
• 13 – Sealed with promise of inheritance
  • The Holy Spirit is our guarantee

Adopted Children of God:

• Receive New Rights (Galatians 4:4-7)
  • Identical legal rights as blood child
  • All riches in Christ & citizenship in heaven
• God will care for us
  • Adopted parent is granted full rights & responsibility of natural father
  • Complete authority over child
  • Legal role as caregiver
• Relationships will change
  • Our relationship with God changes
    • God the Father – not only judge, Loving Father
    • God the Son – not only Lord, Savior and Brother
    • God the Holy Spirit – not only calls & sanctifies but Spirit of adoption within us
  • Our relationship with others changes

1 John 3:1-2 – “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” [NIV]

Romans 8:14 – “All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.” [HCSB]

Bible Study Questions:

• Verses 4-5 speak of predestination. The Bible says that before the foundation of the world, God knew that we would need Jesus Christ. What does this term predestination mean?

• Ephesians 1:10 says, “As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” What is this fullness of time? What does this mean?

• In verse 11, the passage says we “obtained and inheritance.” How is this different from an inheritance we may receive from our earthly family?

• God has sealed us with a promise it says (v. 13). The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of an inheritance. But this guarantee is not like a normal promissory note that you hold until the time of the collection. What benefits to we have the Holy Spirit?

This is one part of a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on Ephesians. The 12 weeks include:

1- Sons and Daughters

2- Immeasurable Greatness

3- God’s Workmanship

4- Our Cornerstone

5- Least of the Saints

6- Love of Christ

7- Abundantly More

8- Unity of the Body

9- Anger Management

10- Exposed by the Light

11- Submission

12- Prepared for Battle