Our Redemption Is For His Glory

Earlier this week, I began to read Ephesians, as directed by my Bible reading plan from the Reformation Study Bible. Later in the day I decided to do a more in depth study of the first chapter. I came across a pattern in Ephesians 1:3-14, which in the original Greek it is one sentence. Read these verses and see if you see that pattern (I made it obvious):

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.

To the praise of his glorious grace. To the praise of his glory. I love this study note I came across in the ESV Study Bible: God’s ultimate purpose is not redemption as such but the praise of his glorious name through redemption. Redemption is not just about us getting right with God and getting eternal life. Redemption is about giving God glory. Redemption is not about us and how good we can become. Redemption is about God and how good He is.