Lesson 1: In Christ—More Than a Phrase | Bible Studies

Lesson 1: In Christ—More Than a Phrase.

Ephesians 1:3–14.

Welcome to our In Christ Bible Study series. Throughout these lessons, we'll explore what Scripture teaches about our relationship with Jesus Christ and what it means to live in Him.

As we study God's Word, pay particular attention to small but important words such as in, with, through, and by. They help us understand what God has done for us through Christ and how those truths apply to our daily lives.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for bringing us together. As we open Your Word, help us understand what You have done for us through Jesus. We have heard some of these Scriptures many times, but we still have things to learn. Help us be honest with You and willing to grow. Let what we learn make a difference in how we live this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Over these next twelve weeks, we are going to study what it means to be In Christ.

I want to begin with a question. If someone who had never attended church asked us, “What does ‘in Christ’ mean?” how would we explain it?

That is worth thinking about, isn’t it? We use expressions in church that are familiar to us, but explaining them makes us stop and consider what we mean.

To be in Christ means we are united to Jesus through faith. We belong to Him, and our relationship with God comes In, with, through, by Him. We share in the life He gives.

That reaches into every part of our lives. It affects how we approach God, how we respond when we fail, how we treat people, and what we depend on when life gets difficult.

Most of us have been walking with the Lord for some time. We know that Jesus died for our sins. We know salvation is by grace. But we can know those things and still struggle to live with confidence in what He has done.

We may have a good week and feel comfortable coming to God. Then we have a difficult week, say something we regret, and feel as though we need to keep our distance.

So we are going to take time with this. Today, I want us to begin with what God has done for us in Christ. That will give us a foundation for everything else we discuss.

Let’s turn to Ephesians 1:3–14.

As we read, listen for the expressions “in Christ” and “in Him.” Notice what Paul says God has done and what we have received through Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NKJV)3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory

Look back through the passages. What stood out to you?

What did you hear that God has given us or done for us?

There is a lot here. Paul speaks about spiritual blessings, adoption, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, an inheritance, and the Holy Spirit.

Before we look at those individually, notice how he begins. He praises God.

This passage is full of reasons to thank the Lord. As we study it, I want us to keep that in mind. We are learning about something God has done for people like us. This is personal.

Let’s walk through it together.

In Christ, We Have Been Brought Into God's Family

Let’s look again at verses 3–6.

In verse 3, Paul praises God for every spiritual blessing we have in Christ.

When we talk about being blessed, our minds often go to things we can see. We are thankful when the bills are paid, our health is good, and our family is doing well. We should thank God for His provision.

But Paul is naming blessings we can depend on even when life is difficult. Forgiveness still matters when we are sick. Being a child of God still matters when we are grieving. We need these truths especially when circumstances give us very little encouragement.

In verse 4, Paul says God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, with the purpose that we would be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Think about how far back Paul takes us. Before we were born, before we had done anything to deserve His attention, God’s purpose in Christ was already there.

Christians have discussed the details of election and predestination for centuries. We are not going to settle every question this morning. But we can see what these verses plainly put before us: God took the initiative, His purpose centers on Christ, and He intends for His people to be holy.

Being in Christ affects how we live. God is working in us, teaching us to turn from sin and become more like Jesus.

Then verse 5 brings us to adoption.

God brings us into His family through Jesus Christ. We can approach Him as our Father.

Some of us find that easier to understand than others. Our experiences with our earthly fathers have not all been the same. But as we come to know God through His Word, we learn what kind of Father He is.

We do not have to wonder whether we are bothering Him every time we pray. We can bring Him our needs, admit our failures, and ask for His help.

In verse 6, Paul speaks about our acceptance in the Beloved. The Beloved is Jesus. We are accepted because of Him.

Let me ask us something.

What would be your response to this. What difference does it make if I serve God because I know I belong to Him, instead of serving because I am trying to earn His acceptance?

Outwardly, I might be doing exactly the same work. I might be teaching, cleaning the church, helping someone, or leading worship. But inwardly, something is different.

If I am trying to earn my place, I will keep wondering whether I have done enough. I may compare myself with someone else or become discouraged when nobody notices.

Knowing I belong to the Father gives me a different reason to serve. I can thank Him for His grace and offer Him what I have.

That does not make obedience unimportant. It helps me understand where obedience begins.

Being part of the family.

Think about the difference between being a guest in someone’s home and being one of their children.

As a guest, we may stand at the door until someone invites us in. We are careful about where we sit. If we need a glass of water, we ask. Even when people are welcoming, we know it is somebody else’s home.

A child who is loved and secure in that family comes home differently. They come through the door knowing they belong. When something is troubling them, they can go to their parents.

That helps me understand what Paul is saying about adoption in verse 5. God has brought us into His family through Jesus. We can come to Him as our Father.

Now, children still need correction. Belonging to the family does not mean everything they do is right. But a loving father corrects his child as someone he loves, not as a stranger he wants to get rid of.

Sometimes we approach God as though we are visitors hoping He will let us stay. These verses remind us that, through Christ, He has brought us into His family.

Think about this. When we pray, do we come as children who know they are loved, or do we feel we have to talk God into receiving us?

In Christ, We Have Redemption and Forgiveness

Now let’s move to verses 7–10.

Verse 7 tells us that our redemption comes through the blood of Jesus and that our sins are forgiven according to the riches of God’s grace.

Redemption carries the idea of release secured through a price. Here, Paul tells us what that cost was. Jesus gave His life for us.

We cannot explain our relationship with God without coming back to the cross.

Years of church attendance could never pay for our sins. Neither could our good intentions or the good things we have done. Our forgiveness comes through Jesus.

I want us to notice that Paul describes redemption and forgiveness as something we have in Christ. He is telling believers what Christ has secured for them.

Can anybody respond to this? Why, do we sometimes find it so difficult to come to God after we have failed?

Sometimes we are ashamed. Sometimes we are disappointed in ourselves. We may think, “I knew better. After all this time, why did I do that again?”

We should take sin seriously. If I have hurt someone, I need to acknowledge it. If I have been dishonest, I need to tell the truth. If I have allowed resentment to grow, I need to deal with it.

But keeping away from God will not help me do those things.

Because of Jesus, I can come honestly before Him, confess my sin, and ask Him to help me change. He has made us Family in Christ after all.

Suppose I speak harshly to someone at home. Later, I feel convicted about it. I need to bring that before God, and I need to go to the person I hurt and apologize without making excuses.

Remembering God’s grace helps me do that. I do not have to protect my pride by pretending I was right.

As we continue into verses 8–10, Paul widens our view. God has made known His purpose to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

There is more happening here than the improvement of my own circumstances. God’s purpose centers on His Son. Our salvation brings us into that purpose.

That helps us keep our lives in perspective. We can get so caught up in what is happening today, that we forget there is a larger future ahead of us.

We do not see everything put right yet. We see suffering, conflict, and the damage sin has done. But this passage points us toward God’s purpose in Christ, and that gives us hope beyond what we can see this morning.

Here’s another example. A debt we could never pay.

Imagine we owe a debt so large that we could never pay it off. We could give everything we have and still barely touch the balance.

Then someone who loves us pays the whole amount at their own expense.

That debt did not disappear because it was unimportant. It was paid, and someone else bore the cost.

That gives us a small picture of redemption. Our sin was something we could not make right through our own effort. Jesus gave His life for us. When Paul speaks about forgiveness in verse 7, he connects it directly to the blood of Christ.

Now imagine that, after the debt has been paid, we keep showing up with a few dollars, hoping that eventually we will have given enough to be released.

We may do something like that spiritually. We think, “If I work harder at church, if I pray longer, if I can have a good enough week, perhaps then I can come to God.”

Prayer, obedience, and service matter. But they cannot pay for our sins. Jesus has done what we could never do for ourselves.

And His forgiveness does not mean I ignore the damage I have caused. If I have wronged someone, I still need to make things right where I can. I do that because I have received grace, not because I can purchase it.

Think about this. Have we ever tried to make up for a failur by doing more for God, instead of first coming honestly to Him?

In Christ, We Belong to God and Have a Future With Him

Let’s finish this part by looking at verses 11–14.

Paul speaks about an inheritance in Christ. Our relationship with God includes a future we have not yet fully experienced.

In verse 12, he connects that hope with the praise of God’s glory. We have seen that emphasis throughout the passage. As we understand what God has done, we have reason to praise Him.

Now we come to verse 13. Paul reminds these believers that they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, and believed.

That matters. Being raised in a Christian home or knowing how to behave in church does not take the place of personally trusting Jesus Christ.

Those things can help us hear the gospel. We can be deeply thankful for the people who taught us. But our faith must be in Christ Himself.

Paul then says these believers were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

A seal could mark ownership and authenticity. Here, the Holy Spirit assures us that we belong to God.

And verse 14 describes Him as the guarantee of our inheritance. God has given His Spirit as the pledge of what is still to come.

We still have days when we feel weak. We still face temptation. We still have questions we cannot answer. None of that means God has forgotten His people.

Our hope rests on His faithfulness.

I want to be careful here. We are not saying that belonging to Christ means we will always feel confident or that suffering will disappear. Paul’s words give us something to hold on to when our feelings are unsettled and life is painful.

We can return to what God has said.

Which truth we have read this morning would help you most during a difficult week? What makes that one important to you?

It may be knowing that we can approach God as our Father. It may be remembering His forgiveness. It may be the assurance that our future is in His hands.

These truths are meant, to be alive in our lives. We can bring them into our prayers and remember them when we are making decisions.

 Learning to trust what holds us.

Picture a child learning to float. Their father is in the water beside them, supporting their back.

At first, the child stiffens up and grabs for him. He says, “I have you.” They relax for a moment, then become frightened again.

Their feelings keep changing, even while his hands remain in place.

That is a limited picture, but it helps us recognize something about ourselves. We can trust the Lord one moment and feel afraid the next. A difficult phone call or an unexpected problem can unsettle us quickly.

In verses 13–14, Paul points us to what God has given: the Holy Spirit, who marks us as belonging to Him and is the guarantee of our inheritance.

Our assurance has a firmer foundation than how confident we feel today. God has given His Spirit as His pledge of what is still to come.

We are not pretending the water is shallow or that nothing frightening ever happens. We are learning to trust the One who has made these promises.

When our feelings become unsettled, which promise in this passage can we return to?

Working this out in everyday life. 

Let’s put this into a situation we might recognize.

Someone has served the Lord faithfully for years. During the past week, they lost their temper at home. They have spent very little time in the Word. At church, someone else received recognition, and they found themselves feeling resentful.

Now it is Sunday morning, and they are thinking, “I should be further along than this. I do not feel like I can come close to God today.”

We may understand that feeling, ourselves.

If we were sitting beside that person, what could we share from Ephesians 1? Let’s try to connect our answers to something we have read.

Now let’s consider another part of it.

What does this person need to take responsibility for?

They need to be honest about their temper and resentment. They may need to apologize to someone. They need to return their attention to the Lord.

Remembering our position in Christ does not excuse our behavior. It helps us deal with it honestly.

How would knowing they are accepted and forgiven in Christ help them take those steps?

They can come to God instead of avoiding Him. They can admit that they were wrong without trying to explain everything away.

That is important for all of us. We can become so concerned with appearing mature that we find it difficult to admit where we still need to grow.

I want this class to be a place where we can examine Scripture honestly. We do not need to share private details, but we do need to let the Word speak to us.

Here is one more question to think about.

When we consider our relationship with God, what tends to carry the most weight: what He has said, how we feel, or how well we think we have performed?

Feelings are real, and our choices matter. But we need to understand both in the light of God’s Word. If I begin with how I feel, I can reach a different conclusion every day. This passage gives me a firm place to begin.

Our response this week.

Before we close, let’s look back over what we have read.

In Christ, God has brought us into His family. We have redemption and forgiveness through Jesus. We have received the Holy Spirit, and we have an inheritance ahead of us.

I want us to take a quiet moment with this question:

Think about this, which truth from this passage do I need to carry into this coming week?

Maybe I need to stop keeping my distance from God and speak honestly with Him.

Maybe there is someone I need to apologize to.

Maybe I have been serving faithfully but have become anxious about whether I am doing enough to be accepted.

Or maybe I am facing something difficult, and I need to remember that God has given me a future beyond what I am going through.

This week, let’s read Ephesians 1:3–14 on three different days. Each time, choose one blessing Paul names,), really think and speak it out thoroughly meditating on what the Holy Spirit is telling you and thank God for it.

Then consider how it applies to something you are facing.

We might pray, “Father, thank You for bringing me into Your family. I have been carrying this concern without talking to You about it. I am bringing it to You now.”

Or, “Thank You for forgiving me through Jesus. Help me be honest about what I said and go make it right.”

It does not need to be complicated. We are learning to let what God has said shape how we respond.

As we continue this study, we will talk about old habits, our thinking, our relationships, and the pressures we face. We will keep returning to this foundation: we belong to Jesus, and our life with God, comes through Him.

Let’s pray.

Father, thank You for receiving us through Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your forgiveness and for bringing us into Your family. Help us recognize where we have been trying to earn what You have given by grace. Give us the humility to confess our sins and make things right with others. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit and for the inheritance You have promised. As we go through this week, bring Your Word back to our minds and help us live in a way that honors You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Next week Lesson 2: A New Creation with Old Habits