The Longest (and maybe the best!) Sentence in the Bible

by Jun 12, 2014

Ephesians 1:3-14 is probably the longest sentence in the Bible. In our translations, it is broken down into a few sentences and paragraphs so that we can track with Paul, but sometimes it helpful just to let it wash over you in a one breath:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him; in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved; in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth; in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory; in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The bottom line is that those who are trusting Christ are united to Christ. And because they are united to Christ, they have every spiritual blessing, they are holy, they are adopted, redeemed, and forgiven, they have an inheritance, they are predestined, and sealed with the Spirit. All to God’s glory.

So let’s be quick to remember that we are united with Christ. This is the foundation of every blessing we experience and the fuel for our mission together as a church.