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.

The Heavenly Language of Ephesians

Ephesians opens by lifting us from earthly thinking into God’s own perspective. Paul’s blessing—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)—is an invitation to see everything from a new vantage point. This language is fundamentally different from what the natural mind produces.

The Earthly Mindset

The earthly mindset is self-centered, focused on our needs and efforts. Old Testament praise often used physical metaphors like “my rock” or “my fortress,” rooted in the visible and temporal. This is the “vanity of the mind” described in Ephesians 4:17-18: a state of alienation from God’s life, marked by spiritual darkness and a pursuit of blessings apart from Christ.

The Christ-Centered Heavenly Language

In contrast, the heavenly language of Ephesians is Christ-centered. It focuses on God’s eternal purpose, not on what we receive. Paul’s praise centers on what God has accomplished in Christ. Every blessing in Ephesians 1 is “in Christ,” anchoring all spiritual reality. The focus shifts from the temporal to the eternal, from man’s striving to the “good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:5, 9).

This perspective comes not from new vocabulary but from revelation. Paul’s knowledge came “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:12). The Spirit supplies this utterance, teaching “spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). The result is a language filled with the knowledge of God’s heart, blessing Him for His accomplishment in Christ.

Walking in the Heavenly Vision

To walk in this vision is to recognize that everything God has for us is in Christ. We are “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6), chosen in Him before creation (Ephesians 1:4), and predestined according to His will (Ephesians 1:5). Our language transforms as we see ourselves not as the center, but as vessels for Christ’s glory. The renewed mind comprehends “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled… unto all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

The difference is experiential. The earthly mind is alienated, caught in striving. The heavenly vision brings peace and assurance that we are blessed because of Christ’s accomplishment. Our blessing is found in His; our inheritance is secured in His person.

Ultimately, the language of Ephesians is God’s heart-language. It begins by blessing God for His work in Christ and ends with the Church filled with His fullness, expressing His grace. Embracing this perspective lifts us from vanity into God’s eternal purpose—Christ as all, and in all.