Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has

blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and

blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship 

through Jesus Christ, in accordance

with his pleasure and will—  to the praise of his glorious grace, which he

has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption

 through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches 

of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 

he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure,

which he purposed in Christ,  to be put into effect when the times reach their

fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the

plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose

of his will,  in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ,

might be for the praise of his glory.  And you also were included in Christ 

when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you

believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who

is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who

are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14 New International Version (NIV)