The substance of the letter starts at such a lofty height (1:3) that it is difficult to appreciate what it really means. God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." "Every" is certainly an all-encompassing word. One note here is that the action of blessing occurred in the past. It is in the aorist tense which means that the action or event is seen without regard to its duration. Moulton comments: "an event as a single whole, without regarding the time taken in its accomplishment." The action is seen as a completed event. Though it may take place over time, it is already a done deal in the divine mind. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In God's mind, all of this has taken place already.
It is good for us to also see in this passage that these blessings all flow to those "in Christ". This cannot be overstated. Someone may read this passage and tire of the repetition. This cannot be for the seasoned Christian. Every time we read this short phrase, "in Christ" or "in Him", we are settled and strengthened in our walks. Those who are in Christ will be "holy and blameless before Him." They also become adult sons in God's family. They have redemption. They have forgiveness of sins. They know the mystery of His will. They have an inheritance. They were sealed by the Holy Spirit. These are the things that God wanted to give to those who believe. Notice how the choosing and predestining (1:4 and 1:5 and 1:11) are really not focusing on salvation at all. These are statements that focus on the blessings that flow to those "in Christ". Wuest comments: "the emphasis is on the choosing, not on the unchosen, and that the chosen of God were to attain the object stated." These facts are true of the "in-Christ-ians".
One of the beauties of this passage is that the action words here are ALL in the aorist tense. They are all done deals in the divine mind. So, all of these blessings are ours in full, right now. If they are completed actions in His mind, then they should be so in ours. We who are in Christ.
