Names of Jesus: The Beloved
Ephesians 1 is a powerful chapter of scripture that explores some vital themes and lessons for all people, believers and unbelievers, to learn and seek to understand. In this chapter, we learn yet another name of Jesus, and the surrounding passages express the significance of the name of Jesus as the Son of Man. Jesus Christ is the Beloved; He is the Beloved Son of God, and He is also the Beloved Saviour of all mankind.
What are spiritual blessings?
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.
- Spiritual – G4152 – pneumatikos
- Belonging to the Divine Spirit; emanating from the Divine Spirit; exhibiting its effects and so its character
- Blessings – G2129 – eulogia
- A concrete blessing or benefit’ of the blessings of Christianity
Spiritual Blessings are concrete benefits and blessings of Christianity that come from the Holy Spirit and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, which are the divine characteristics of God’s Spirit. These benefits correlate with God’s character for the benefit of Christians.
- Heavenly places – G2032 – epouranios
- Heaven itself, the abode of God and angels
Our Spiritual blessings are reserved for us in Heaven but in this earthly life those who believe in the Son of Man get to see and experience glimpses of the full blessings to come while we actively wait in hope, in confident expectation, for the fulfillment of the promise. By God’s grace, our souls are accepted through faith in the Beloved, and these blessings come through the power of God’s Holy Spirit to those whose souls have been accepted by God. We get a glimpse of these spiritual blessings in this life, but believers get to experience the perfect and full blessings when we get to Heaven to spend eternity with the Lord.
Fruit of the Spirit
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV
14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Holy Spirit gives believers a glimpse of the spiritual blessings in store for those who endure to the end of the race in faith and perseverance. As believers grow in faith and dependence on God and persevere in faith through trials and sufferings, the characteristics of the Holy Spirit begin to shine through us. His Spirit is teaching and refining us to live Holy lives, set apart for Him. We are sanctified until the very end of our race when Christ perfects us as the Author and Perfector of our faith, and we get to reside with Him.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Galatians 5:22-23 CSB
23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.[a]
The fruit of the Spirit are traits that believers should be exhibiting and growing in. All spiritual blessings will line up with these fruits. If spiritual blessings do not line up with the fruits of the Spirit, they are not from the Spirit, not Spiritual Blessings. As believers, we must diligently filter all things through the Word of God, and seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit.
- Read More: What are Spiritual Gifts?
- Read More: Women of the Word: Godly Woman
- Read More: How to worship in Spirit and Truth
- Read More: Fearless & Faithful: Disciplined Fruit
Peace
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2-3 NKJV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
- Peace – G1515 – eirēnē –
- exemption from the rage and havoc of war
- Harmony, concord, peace between individuals
- peace with the author of peace
As believers, we have peace with God through our faith in Jesus. We are reconciled to God and granted His divine peace for our very souls. Peace with God provides peace for our souls, even when life is in chaos. To have the spiritual blessing of peace is to be at peace with the author of peace, and we must rest in faithful obedience to His divine will and instruction.
This peace and rest for our soul in this life is a glimpse of the perfect peace we will have in Heaven where there is no sin, evil, or unholiness of any kind. To receive the spiritual blessing of peace we have to turn away from evil and earnestly desire the peace of God. We must desire to be at peace with God by living obediently to His Word and growing in obedience to His Spirit who has sealed us for the day of promise.
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.
John 14:27 CSB
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13 ESV
- Read More: Names of Jesus: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace
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6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6 ESV
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:11 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:1 ESV
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 ESV
Check out other names of Jesus as the Son of Man:
- Names of Jesus as the Son of God
- Names of Jesus: Son of Man
- Names of Jesus: Messiah
- Names of Jesus: Emmanuel
- Names of Jesus: The Beloved
- Names of Jesus: Chief Cornerstone
- Names of Jesus: Good Shepherd
- Names of Jesus: Great High Priest
- Names of Jesus: Advocate
- Names of Jesus: Bridegroom
- Names of Jesus: Head of the Church
- Names of Jesus: The Rock
- Names of Jesus: Root of David, Bright Morning Star
Accepted and Adopted
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Ephesians 1:4-6 NKJV
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, [a]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 1:10-12 NKJV
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
As believers who have trusted the Beloved as our Savior and placed Him as Lord over our lives, we become coheirs with Him. We are adopted as sons and daughters of God through our faith in the Beloved. Being coheirs, we share in the heavenly inheritance and all things work together for the good of those who are in God’s family through their trust in the Beloved, for the glory of God
12 giving thanks[a] to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Colossians 1:12-14 ESV
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1 ESV
- Read More: Names of Jesus: Beloved Son of God
- Read More: Relationship Status: My Dad, God
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
John 1:12 ESV
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Galatians 3:26 ESV
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[a] of God.
Romans 8:14 ESV
Forgiveness and Healing
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 1:7 NKJV
When we become children of God through faith in the Beloved, we also receive forgiveness of our sins. God’s Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and leads us to repentance. Through true repentance, we admit our sin and agree with God about it, and He forgives us if we have truly turned away. This repentance washes us clean by the blood of Jesus and makes it possible to be in the presence of God.
Once we have been forgiven, the Holy Spirit begins the sanctifying works in us. Every time we repent of our sins He continues to forgive and sanctify us and heals us as we continue to grow in faith and become more like the Beloved. The Beloved came to call sinners to repentance so that they would experience a glimpse of the Spiritual blessing of forgiveness, but also receive the promise of forgiveness in order to spend eternity in Heaven with Him
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
Acts 3:19 ESV
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 ESV
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 13:3 ESV
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 ESV
- Read More: How to find comfort in 1 Peter 5:6-7 when you feel alone
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8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance
Matthew 3:8 ESV
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Luke 12:32 ESV
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Wisdom and Understanding
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence,
Ephesians 1:8-9 NKJV
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.
When we have faith in the Beloved, we are granted the Holy Spirit who guides us with His wisdom and understanding, revealing what God wants us to know at the right time in the right circumstances and seasons of our lives. We are granted glimpses over time as we grow in faith, apply and obey the knowledge we have learned, continue to seek God’s wisdom, and lean on His understanding.
All of this wisdom and understanding granted in this life is merely a glimpse of what God will reveal to us when we get to Heaven. God’s Spirit helps us to discern the Word of God, and to apply His Word to our lives, and filter all things through His Word and wisdom
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 16:13 ESV
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17 ESV
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7 ESV
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15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV
16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16 ESV
Prayer
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
Ephesians 1:15-16 NKJV
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
Prayer is our direct line of communication with God, because of the relationship we have with Him through our faith in the Beloved. The Holy Spirit teaches us to pray, and intercedes, giving us the words to say. As believers, God promises to hear our prayers when we are living in obedience to Him. His Spirit not only teaches us how to pray, but also teaches us how to live in a manner pleasing to God, and therefore teaches us the right things to desire and ask for in prayer. When we are in Heaven we will be able to talk with God directly and dwell with Him.
3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3 CSB
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 CSB
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[a]
James 5:16 ESV
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41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41 ESV
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Ephesians 6:14-18 ESV
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us[a] with inexpressible groanings.
Romans 8:26-27 CSB
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Hope and Faith
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
Ephesians 1:17-18 NKJV
18 the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
By our faith in Christ, we have hope in the Beloved for the promise of eternity in Heaven with Him. We experience a glimpse of this hope when we trust Him in faith, learn to seek first the Kingdom of God in this life, and focus on living worthy of the calling we have because of our faith in Him. Our hope is in Heaven, and we can be confident in the promise of eternal peace where there will be no sin, and therefore no pain, suffering, sadness, or anything but the goodness of God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17 ESV
Now faith is the reality[a] of what is hoped for, the proof[b] of what is not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 CSB
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV
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8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:8-9 ES
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
Romans 8:24-25 ESV
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12 ESV
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13 ESV
Strength and Power
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
Ephesians 1:19-21 NKJV
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality[g] and [h]power and [i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
God’s power is unfathomable. God grants us His power in order to share His gospel all over the world and resist the power of sin and evil in this world. His power in our lives is meant to be used to advance the Kingdom and to participate in God’s redemption plan by helping to draw others to saving faith in the Beloved so they, too, can share in the inheritance.
In Heaven, the full weight of God’s power and glory will be revealed and we will be able to dwell in safety in His Kingdom. Sin will be completely defeated once and for all by His strength and power, and in this life, we have a glimpse of His power over sin as the Holy Spirit helps us to resist temptation and sin.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 ESV
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17 ESV
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV
- Read More: Fearless & Faithful: In the Face of Lions
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29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV
20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—
Ephesians 3:20-21 CSB
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 ESV
Salvation and Eternity
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
Ephesians 1:22-23 NKJV
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
In this life, we are given the offer of salvation by the grace of God through the blood of the Beloved. By faith, we can accept the free gift of salvation and be sealed by the Holy Spirit, and our names are written in the Book of Life so that when the Day of Salvation arrives, we are judged as spotless because of our faith in the purifying blood of Christ. When that day comes, we will receive the promise of eternity in Heaven with the Lord.
9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
Matthew 6:19-21 ESV
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:27 ESV
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV
- Read More: Names of Jesus: Beloved Son of God
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- Read More: What does it mean to be justified by grace?
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Philippians 3:20-21 ESV
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:46 ESV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1 Peter 1:3-5 CSB
4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[a] by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 ESV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 ESV
Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
- Names of Jesus: Savior
- Don’t Neglect Your Salvation
- Prayer of Salvation
- What is grace and why do we need it?
- What does it mean to be justified by grace?
- Don’t Reject God’s Grace
- Don’t Reject Christ
- Godly Women – what it means to live a godly life
- Redeemed Women – what it means to be redeemed
- What is Biblical Love?
- What are Spiritual Gifts?
- How to live in Spirit and Truth
- How to test what is pleasing to God
- Names of Jesus as the Son of God
- Names of Jesus as the Son of Man
- Names of Jesus as the Truth