To The Praise of His Glory

Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

This passage is filled to over flowing with treasures that God has lavished on us, in Christ.
1. First, we are actually in Christ.
2. We have been giving every Spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places.
3. He Chose us before the foundation of the world.
4. He chose us to be holy and blameless before Him.
5. He predestined us to be His adopted sons, through Jesus Christ.
6. That predestination for adoption was according to the purpose of His will.
7. All of the previous blessings were given so that His glorious grace might be praised.
But wait, there's more.
8. In Christ we have;
A. Redemption through His blood.
B. The Forgiveness of our sins.
9. The forgiveness of our sins was according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us;
A. In all wisdom.
B. In all insight.
10. The wisdom and understanding makes known to us the mystery of His will.
A. His purposes are set forth in Christ and that purpose is to unite all things in Heaven and in earth in Christ.
11. In Christ we have an inheritance, since we have been predestined according to the purpose of Him, Who works all things together to the counsel of His will.
12. So that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be to the praise of His glory.
And if that wasn't enough we also;
13. Have heard the Truth, that is the Gospel of our salvation.
14. Believed in Him.
15. Were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is our personal guarantee.
16. The Holy Spirit is the personal guarantee of our inheritance, until we possess it.

All of this is so "That we should live and behave ourselves in such a way that His rich grace might be magnified, and appear glorious and worthy of highest praise", Matthew Henry.

A side note on this passage; A Personal Guarantee- The Holy Spirit in this case- is something I have to do often for PG. This is when someone comes, "I will make sure that whatever we are agreeing to will happen, even if the first person can't follow through with it". This is a super-sized co-signer basically. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that all of the promises that God has made will happen.
What a Blessed Surety.

"How can I keep from Singing Your praise?" comes to mind right now. Really, after having received all of this, how can we keeping from singing;

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.