God Our Father

Into the Night, NASA, Hubble¹

“He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies” (Psa 18:11).

“Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:2).

Paul introduces each of his epistles by bringing to remembrance God “our Father,” with the singular exception of his final letter. However, in the Ephesian epistle, Paul reveals “our Father” in ways He has never been revealed before:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3).

Our Father “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (cf. Eph 1:4).*

Our Father “predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" (cf. Eph 1:5).*

Our Father “To the praise of the glory of his grace… 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” (cf. Eph 1:6-7).*

Our Father “hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (cf. Eph 1:8).*

Our Father “made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” (cf. Eph 1:9).*

Our Father “in the dispensation of the fulness of times” gathered “together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (cf. Eph 1:10).*

Our Lord Jesus Christ “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of” Our Father “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (cf. Eph 1:11).*  

“We should be to the praise of” Our Father’s “glory, who first trusted in Christ” (cf. Eph 1:12).*

Our Lord Jesus Christ “In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of [our Father’s glory]" (cf. Eph 1:13-14).*

 *Not an exact quote -- cf. (Latin: confer/conferatur, i.e "compare") – please compare with referenced text.



¹ News release ID: STScI-2016-03. Material credited to STScI on this site was created, authored, and/or prepared for NASA under Contract NAS5-26555. Unless otherwise specifically stated, no claim to copyright is being asserted by STScI and it may be freely used as in the public domain in accordance with NASA's contract. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/

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