Visual Theology – Ephesians ?

This chart shows the structure. What follows explains each part.

Ephesians 1:3-11
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

God’s Eternal Purpose in Ephesians

Ephesians 1 unveils God’s eternal purpose, revealing what was in the Father’s heart before creation—a purpose centered entirely on Christ and realized through the Church as His Body and fullness.

Paul begins by blessing God, “who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Every blessing is “in Christ.” The Father’s heart is set on Christ, and all He has for us is found in Him.

God’s intention from eternity was to have a people for Himself: “he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5). This choosing and predestination is not merely about individual salvation, but the outworking of God’s pleasure to bring forth sons—those adopted into His life, destined to be conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29). Predestination is God’s authority working all things to bring the sons into their inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:11). God is not reacting to history; He is creating it according to His purpose.

The good pleasure of God’s will is focused on Christ as the heir of all things, and the Church as His fullness. God’s administration is “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10), summing up everything in Him to display the riches of His grace (Ephesians 2:7).

The Church is not an afterthought; she is “the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). She is the vessel through which Christ is expressed and displayed. God’s purpose is to have Christ as the Head and the Church as His fullness, so that through her He may fill all things.

Our destiny is to be holy, accepted sons (Ephesians 1:6), participating in the summing up of all things in Christ. This is a present reality: we are seated with Christ now (Ephesians 2:6), and the Spirit is our guarantee (Ephesians 1:13-14). All things work together for this purpose (Romans 8:28).

To see this is to be delivered from a self-centered view of God’s plan. God’s eternal purpose is Christ and the Church—the Head and the Body, to the praise of His glory for all ages.