Our Redemption “in Christ” Detailed to the Ephesians Volume 4

Paul Explains More of God the Father’s Purpose for giving us Christ

Ephesians 1:9-12 Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. KJV

Paul now moves on to explore more of the eternal blessings these Ephesians and us today have received because of the results we discussed in the last study that have flown to us by virtue of Ephesians 1:7. Paul declares that Christ has revealed to His redeemed sons and daughters the mystery or hidden purposes of God the Father to reconcile or bring into accord with Himself all things in His Universes. Adam’s original sin in the Garden of Eden not only caused him separation from God, but it also through everything on the earth out of order as Paul declared when he wrote these words to the Roman believers, “For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly {and} longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship]. For the creation (nature) was subjected to frailty (to futility, condemned to frustration), not because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him Who so subjected it--[yet] with the hope that nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay {and} corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children. We know that the whole creation [of irrational creatures] has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now.” (Romans 8:19-22).

These truths were never made known to God’s people the children of Israel, but it has now been made known to all who are “in Christ” (Matthew 13:11) that being Jew or Gentile. Also God’s ancient people Israel never knew that God had a purposeful plan that would be revealed in the Messiah to not only save those (Jews), but also to save, sanctify, and set free Gentiles by the Messiah (Jesus Christ). This mystery is still hidden today to all who are still lost or dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) because it is only known by having Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith as Paul declared it with these words to the Colossian believers, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27). In other words, it is no mystery or hidden secret the delicious taste and filling satisfaction of a chocolate cake for all who have eaten one, but to the person who has never done so, the reality of its tastiness and filling satisfaction is a mystery to them as the Psalmist writes with these words, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalms 34:8).

All of this was done in accordance with God the Father’s “good pleasure” as we defined in the study “Volume 2” to be translated by the Greek word eudokia which means for His (God the Father’s) satisfaction and eternal delight. Paul declares that these mysteries of God were not only for His “good pleasure” or eudokia, but that “He hath purposed in Himself” (Ephesians 1:9) to do them. The English phrase “He hath purposed” is translated by the Greek word protithemai which means to place before for one’s self or to determine or purpose for one’s self. In other words, God the Father had in His Heart and Mind before there was ever anything anywhere at any time created by Him these Ephesian believers and every true believer (born again or born from above) of every generation (including His son Clifford D. Tate, Sr.) already saved, sanctified, and set free “in Christ” and He already sees us Glorified in His Presence (Romans 8:30). There was never anything outside of Himself that influenced His determination to save every Jew and Gentile by the only way being “in Christ” as our Lord Jesus declared of Himself being the One and only access to the One True God with these words, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.’” (John 14:6). As we read these words from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:6 it gives us a clear view or picture of the final eternal purpose of God the Father in sending His Son Jesus Christ and that was and is that “He might gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). The English phrase “He might gather together in one” is translated from the Greek word anakephalaiomai which means to sum up or to bring back to its original intended condition.

In other words, when Christ lived a sinless life, died on the Cross, and rose from death, God the Father’s wrath against rebellious man’s sin was satisfied. The creations corruption (due to Adam’s sin) will be reversed when Christ comes for His true sons and daughters and all of the faithful angels in Heaven are already worshipping Him as Paul wrote in this manner to the Colossians, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:16-20). Paul declares that God the Father through gathering all things “in Christ” has “by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood” (1 Peter 1:2), has given us an inheritance which is that we have been eternally united with God the Father through Christ Blood and the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is our great inheritance, but the icing on the top of this eternal spiritual cake is what our Lord Jesus Christ said with these words, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3).

My own Personal Note: God’s Word became flesh to live among us. Christ knew the temptations we would suffer through, and He experienced earthly life with us in order that He might restore us. Why do we need restoration? Because Adam’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden destroyed our ability to live the “higher” life in direct fellowship with a holy God. Thus, Christ has come to restore to us a purity that we can only receive through Him. It is through Christ that we become a “new creation.” Through Christ’s salvation He accomplishes the renovation of man and his restoration from a state of sin. This new creation is a restored state as it was with the “first creation.” The Greek word Logos, identified as the Word of God, was the source of life during the first creation in the beginning. In a similar but higher sense, Christ is the source of “life” to the soul dead in trespasses and sins. Excerpt from my book entitled “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”

“God’s purpose is to sum up the whole creation in Christ, the Head of angels, with whom He is linked by His invisible nature, and of men with whom He is linked by His humanity; of Jews and Gentiles; of the living and the dead (Ephesians 3:15); of animate and inanimate creation. Sin has disarranged the creature’s relation of subordination to God. God means to gather up all together in Christ; or as Colossians 1:20 says, ‘By Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, whether things in earth or things in heaven.’” JFB Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…