Memory Verse:

Well spoken of is the God even Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One eulogizing us in all spiritual eulogy in the heavens in Christ, just as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love, having marked off our bounds unto [the] placement of sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His desirous will unto the praise of a proper opinion of His grace, which He graced us in the beloved —Ephesians 1:3-6

Understanding the meaning of words is crucial for proper interpretation. While this may seem self-evident, it is often overlooked when studying Scripture due to a preference for particular translations. For instance, we do not “bless” God in the same way He blesses us; rather, He is to be spoken well of. Likewise, God’s blessings are not primarily financial or physical but pertain to spiritual matters, as He speaks well of us in the heavens concerning spiritual things.

Before the foundation of the world, God chose to place those who would be in Christ as sons—mature individuals who are no longer under the law—so that they would be holy and blameless before Him in love. Those who believe that Christ died for our sins and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures are washed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, who then places them into the body of Christ. As a result, we are well spoken of by God, for He has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness in Christ. Consequently, we are enabled to live righteously, properly discerning right from wrong as sons, even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.