Few can read Ephesians “naively,” without already being basically aware of it’s content or that, in general, there is an ongoing future struggle in our lives and/or in human history. But if we try to think of what a naïve listening to the epistle being read might entail, Ephesians 1:14 opens up a whole new world.
From 1:3 on, Paul is blessing God for what he accomplished for us through the enthronement of Christ (presupposing what he later will explicitly mention, his death and resurrection). His enthronement is our enthronement and the Holy Spirit he receive beyond measure is ours too (1:4). He has graced us with his riches (1:7) and glory (1:6). Now is the fullness of time wherein Christ has replaced the expanse (Genesis 1:6-8), uniting the heavens and the earth (1:10).
There are some clauses that could be interpreted as future, but nothing demands it. The overwhelming message is that everything has been accomplished. It is finished.
Then…
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.
Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV
A distinction is opened up between what we have now and what we will have if the future. And Paul spends most of the letter concerned about our path to that future. The next paragraph mentions what they have and Paul’s thanksgiving for it, followed by a much longer list of what he is praying for them to acquire. Though he asserted that God had made “known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ” (1:9), he is praying God will give them “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might…” (1:17b-19).
They have it, or have title to is, but they have to progress in receiving and taking possession of it.
So in 1:3 we have every Spiritual blessing in Christ in the heavens, but in 4:7-12 tells us that we individually get what we need as Christ distributes to the different “joints” in his body (4:16). And the gulf between what we own and what we possess grows quite wide in Paul’s rhetoric.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV
So, in the heavens, Christ is enthroned and we are enthroned in him (1:3; 1:20-22; 2:6-7). The image is utterly triumphant. Christ has conquered and we reign.
Except we have to preserve it!
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV
Apparently, the grace of being enthroned in Christ includes the privilege of being sent out by him to do his will. The great unity of Spirit in peace that Christ accomplished must be preserved. Look at the language of 2:1f-22 and ask yourself if you would have predicted that Paul would exhort you to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
The great victory won by Christ has not yet reached it’s fullness. The Church in the heavens is still an incursion into the world. Satan knows this, which is why he looks for opportunities to subvert it. He can’t do it without our help: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27 ESV).
Thus, while Ephesians begins with us enthroned in the heavens, it concludes with us at war in the heavens:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. 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.
Ephesians 6:11–13 ESV
Christ is in the heavens, but he has united heaven and earth. The “cosmic powers” will try to gain an advantage. We don’t get to relax. We are fighting. We require footgear along with the rest of the battle gear (6:15).
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty strength” (6:10).