Ephesians 1:3 KJV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
I was intrigued this morning by the term "spiritual blessings." Gills notes says that the Jews distinguished between spiritual blessings and temporal blessings and says that the spiritual blessings, "... are solid, substantial, and lasting blessings; and which concern the good of the soul or spirit of man; and are agreeable to, and desired by a spiritual man; and are applied by the Holy Spirit of God..."[1]
They are solid, substantial and lasting
Unlike the temporal things that the worldings might consider blessings, those things God has for us will last for eternity.
They concern the good of the soul and spirit of man
Not only of the one who gets these blessings but of those he influences in life. When God does me good, it is almost always so I might do good for others.
They are agreeable to and desired by a spiritual manAnd this may be one of the best ways to define a spiritual man. He will desire spiritual blessings over temporal worldly ones. He will see more value in the things of God that in the things of earth. He will recognize that knowing Christ intimately, for instance, is more valuable than being healthy and pain free. He will see more value in suffering in this life if that suffering draws him closer to the Lord.
They are applied by the Holy SpiritAnd so the man who receives them will be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit of God.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
I was intrigued this morning by the term "spiritual blessings." Gills notes says that the Jews distinguished between spiritual blessings and temporal blessings and says that the spiritual blessings, "... are solid, substantial, and lasting blessings; and which concern the good of the soul or spirit of man; and are agreeable to, and desired by a spiritual man; and are applied by the Holy Spirit of God..."[1]
They are solid, substantial and lasting
Unlike the temporal things that the worldings might consider blessings, those things God has for us will last for eternity.
They concern the good of the soul and spirit of man
Not only of the one who gets these blessings but of those he influences in life. When God does me good, it is almost always so I might do good for others.
They are agreeable to and desired by a spiritual manAnd this may be one of the best ways to define a spiritual man. He will desire spiritual blessings over temporal worldly ones. He will see more value in the things of God that in the things of earth. He will recognize that knowing Christ intimately, for instance, is more valuable than being healthy and pain free. He will see more value in suffering in this life if that suffering draws him closer to the Lord.
They are applied by the Holy SpiritAnd so the man who receives them will be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit of God.
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