Blessings: What are now ours in Christ?
All too often people only think of the material temporal things when they think of God’s blessings. But the spiritual blessings we gain the moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation are by far the ones most important. One good reason for this is that none of these blessings can ever be taken away from us. Material things can be here today and gone tomorrow. But the spiritual blessings are ours now and forever by grace through faith in Christ alone. But we are told that we’re to be giving thanks to God for ALL our blessing both spiritual and material. We are told that we should be giving thanks to God ongoing about a lot of things.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. [Emphasis added]
But if you don’t know the blessings you’ve been given in salvation, it puts serious limitations on one’s fulfillment of this. For instance, salvation was given to us of God by grace through faith alone. What so many people don’t seem to realize is that because we didn’t DO anything to gain this blessing, we can’t DO anything to lose it. This is a permanent blessing all believers will get to enjoy forever. God’s gift of salvation is everlasting.
1 Timothy1:16
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. [Emphasis added]
Such a simple but wonderful truth! But I assure you that most churchgoers and people who think of themselves as Christians don’t understand and believe this. I’ve heard enough of them talk, so I know what so many believe and don’t believe. But one’s salvation was a gift that will never be taken away. It truly is everlasting! That is one of many blessings we can count as ours. This is so important I’ve even written a book about it. You’ll find it listed on my website.
22 Key Promises You Can Count On
Over the years I’ve seen numerous lists of the blessings we gain when we’re first saved. Often there’s some overlap in the ones stated. What I’m going to provide for you here is my own list, but I don’t doubt there will be some I’ll overlook. But even if you have only these, you’re in great shape. They are all blessings we should give thanks for just as we see the apostle Paul doing.
Ephesians 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [Emphasis added]
Those words blessed be are just one word in the Greek text—EULOGEO = to speak well of. This is where we get the word eulogy. And why is a eulogy given, for instance, at a funeral? It is a time for people to express their praise for the life of the one who is then deceased. That is exactly the meaning of the word used here in Paul’s writing to the Ephesians. There are many things we can give thanks for that God has given us freely when we were saved. The list I will give is not exhaustive. But again, how can one give thanks for things unknown. That’s one of many reasons why it is important for us to fulfill the command that’s been given for us to be diligent students of the Bible.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
What a blessing it is just to know what is meant by rightly dividing the word of truth! If you still don’t know what that means or you’re not confident about what you know about it, please look through my article about it on this website. Here’s how it is titled—
None of these wonderful blessings we’ve been given are seen or felt. Of course, once you know them, you will probably feel certain positive emotions about them. That’s normal! But these are all objective truths we should know, appreciate, and give thanks for. What a difference such can make in the degree of our love for God and all that He’s provided for every believer graciously! This somewhat long list you’re about to read serves to describe the blessings all believers now have. The first five of these were even provided through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection before we were saved to make a way for our salvation. Let’s look at them.
Loved of God
[Romans 5:8; Ephesians 5:2]
Identified with Christ when He died for our sins
[Romans 6:6]
Made blameless of sins by Christ’s death for us
[1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:13]
Given knowledge of the forgiveness Christ provided for us by His death
[Romans 4:7; Ephesians 1:7; 4:32; Colossians 2:13]
Did a work of reconciliation to bring about our FULL reconciliation
[2 Corinthians 5:19]
Having received the atonement, God’s reconciliatory work through Christ
[Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18]
God’s righteousness credited to us
[Romans 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9]
Justification by faith alone
[Romans 3:24; 5:1, 9; 8:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 2:17]
Made a citizen of Heaven
[Philippians 3:21]
Given peace with God by complete reconciliation
[Romans 5:1, 10; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Philippians 4:7]
Redeemed from the curse of the Law
[2 Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:1a; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7]
Given deliverance from condemnation and wrath
[Romans 5:9; 8:1a; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:19]
Sealed unto the day of ultimate redemption
[2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30]
Indwelt permanently by the Holy Spirit
[1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; 2 Timothy 1:14]
Stabilized in our salvation
[2 Corinthians 1:21]
Given newness of life
[Romans 6:4; 7:6]
Regenerated to become one of God’s children
[Romans 8:13-14, 16; Galatians 3:26; Titus 3:5]
Made a son of God and joint heir with Christ
[Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7]
Made complete, having in Christ all we’ll ever need
[Colossians 2:10]
Adopted into the family of God with the promise of an inheritance
[Romans 8:15-16; Ephesians 1:5, 11; Colossians 1:12]
Made heirs of the coming kingdom of God
[1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Timothy 4:18]
Raised and positionally placed with Christ in Heaven
[Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-3]
Given everlasting life
[Romans 5:10; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; Titus 1:2]
Promised everlasting life in Heaven
[Colossians 1:5, 20; Titus 1:2]
Made God’s special set-apart people with a new identity called saints
[Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9]
Baptized by the Holy Spirit to become a member of Christ’s body
[1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:15, 12:13, 27; Romans 4:5; 6:3; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 2:11-12]
Immediate and direct access to God
[Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18]
All our needs for our service to God are being met
[Philippians 4:19]
Comforted through His Word in times of suffering
[2 Corinthians 1:4-6; 7:6; 12:9; Philippians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17]
A stable mental attitude
[2 Timothy 1:7]
Deliverance from the dominion of sin
[Romans 6:18]
Deliverance from this present world and Satan’s kingdom
[Galatians 1:4, 13; 2 Timothy 4:18]
Made a triumphant conqueror through Christ who loves us
[Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14]
Made a part of God’s purpose for us
[Romans 8:28]
Predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ
[Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5; 5:26-27]
Our name recorded in the Book of Life
[Philippians 4:3]
Made a candidate to qualify for special rewards for faithfulness
[2 Corinthians 5:10]
Given the hope of Christ’s coming for us
[2 Thessalonians 2:16; Titus 2:13]
Made personal ambassadors of Christ while we remain on Earth
[2 Corinthians 5:20]
What do you know about each of these things? I hope that eventually you’ll find detailed information about all of them on our website. Knowledge of them has been provided through the special revelation God gave the apostle Paul. I’ve not listed them here in any particular order. It is also not a complete list. Are you familiar with these I’ve listed and what they mean for you as a believer? The more one studies the Scriptures, the more one will understand and appreciate them. Unfortunately, most professed believers know very little about them. Therefore, such a list doesn’t mean much to them at all. These are just words on a page. But these are all permanent blessings of God every believer now has. They are truly our greatest possessions. Some are overlapping and stated with different terms. They all serve to emphasize our privileged status as believers. Among other things this means there’s never an excuse for low self-esteem in any believer. All too often a person builds their self-esteem, how they feel about themselves, on things that are temporal—things and circumstances. God warns us about this in the Scriptures.
Colossians 3:2
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [Emphasis added]
Other verses of Scripture provide similar warnings. What we’re to love most is our Lord and the many blessings He has provided for each of us.
1 John 2:16-17
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. [Emphasis added]
Remember, too, the warning our Lord gave regarding a certain rich man who, unknown to him, was about to die.
Luke 12:20-21
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. [Emphasis added]
Are you rich in the things I’ve listed? You are if your faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for your salvation.
Have you ever visited an antique store? There you’ll find all the things the kids and the grandkids didn’t want. Things that may have once meant a lot to people mean nothing to them now.
We all need to live our lives always considering who we are in Christ. It is always our everlasting spiritual status as ones who’ve been saved that needs to be kept in mind in all circumstances. That can create sustained joy in your heart. It can also give you a sense of stability and confidence about your life now and in the future like nothing else. If you’ve not taken all this seriously in the past, don’t you think it is time for you to begin that now?
