Understanding God’s Eternal Plan

(Eph. 1:1-14)

Despite some appearances to the contrary, God IS in control, and will accomplish His
plan.

God’s plan is to redeem, perfect and be reconciled with His holy people (Eph. 2:10; Rom.
8:28-29; 1 Ti. 1:9)

Jesus Christ is the instrument of our redemption and reconciliation (John 14:6)

When we accept the free gift of salvation through Christ, the person of God’s
Holy Spirit begins to dwell within us (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Rom. 8:9-11; James 4:5)

God is at work in all believers right now, transforming them, from the inside out,
by the power of His Holy Spirit. (Can you tell that this is true? Can others tell that
this is true about you? How? Fruits?)

He shall continue in this work until Jesus returns (Phil. 1:6)

The Greek word translated “saints”, hagios, means “holy ones”.

John the Baptist was described by this same word in Mark 6:20

We were chosen to be holy and blameless in God’s sight (Eph. 1:4)

Does this mean that the Ephesian believers were free from sin?

If not, in what sense were they “holy”?

We He has called He has also justified (Rom. 8:30)

God, without any merit of mine, (Titus 3:5) of mere grace, (Rom.
3:24; Eph. 2:8) grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, (1
John 2:2) righteousness and holiness of Christ, (1 John 2:1; Rom.
4:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:19) as if I had never committed nor had any sins,
and had myself accomplished all the obedience which Christ has
fulfilled for me;(2 Cor. 5:21) if only I accept such benefit with a
believing heart.(John 3:18; Rom. 3:28; 10:10)

As believers we have been sealed (sphragizo, Gk.) with the Holy

Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22; 2 Ti. 2:19)

Sphragizo, Gk. = sealed, marked, authenticated, locked

away in a secret place like a precious jewel. (Ps. 49:8)
 Doctrine of election and final perservance (Rom 8:33-39)

Our perseverance is not depended on our works but

on God’s grace (Ps. 94:14; John 10:28)

The believer, like a man on shipboard, may fall

again and again on the deck, but he will never fall
overboard."' -C. H. Spurgeon

In a sense we are God’s “crown jewels”. As we “shine”

before men, we bring glory to God.

A gem in the rough is not all that attractive or valuable.

But once cut (circumcised) and polished it becomes

both.

So what does it mean to “grieve” (Eph. 4:30) or “quench” (1 Thess. 5:19) the Holy
Spirit?

If the Holy Spirit can grieve, then the Holy Spirit must be a “person”, capable of
feelings.

To understand what grieves the Holy Spirit, you have to understand the Holy
Spirit’s work. The Holy Spirit takes people who are dead in their sins, people who
are blind to the grace of God, and people who are born enemies of God and turns
them into the children of God. He does this by bring them to believe that God’s
Son, Jesus, gave himself to God as a sweet offering and sacrifice which was
completely acceptable to God. His death on the cross covered and paid for every
sin. That does not complete his work, though. Once converted, there’s a lot of
house cleaning that needs to be done. Attitudes have to change. Sinful habits need
to be broken. Smiles have to be painted on people’s faces. Desires that are sinful
need to hit the trash bin and desires that are godly need to be brought in.

When we mess up the place again, God’s Spirit grieves.

He only grieves, because He cares for us.

Although all believers possess the Holy Spirit, who lives in them, not all believers
allow the indwelling Spirit to affect their lives.

From Ephesians, we can ‘grieve' the Spirit by living like the pagans (4:17-19), by
yielding to our sin nature (2:22-24), by lying (4:25), by anger (4:26-27), by
stealing (4:28), by cursing (4:29), by bitterness (4:31), by being unforgiving
(4:32), by sexual immorality (5:3-5). To ‘grieve' the Spirit is to act out in a sinful
manner.
What is the consequence? It hinders our fellowship with God. any Christian living
in sin of any kind will not experience the joy of the Holy Spirit (Ps. 51:10-11)

If we “grieve” the Spirit by what we do, we “quench” the Spirit by what we fail to
do. You may notice, in 1 Thess. 5:19 & 20, right after St. Paul says, "Do not
quench the Holy Spirit", he says "Despise not prophesyings". By despising them
you are rejecting what God has to say to you, do for you, and do for others
through you. If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and have the power of
God in your life, you must be open to whatever God wants to give and teach you.