Ephesians 1:3-10 (English Standard Version)

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

This passage reveals the ultimate purpose of God’s plan: He has made known to us the mystery of His will—something once hidden but now graciously disclosed through Christ.

At its heart, this is about our relationship with Jesus Christ—to unite us with Him and, ultimately, to unite all things in heaven and on earth under His lordship (v. 10).

The Bible exists to reveal this mystery and draw us into that union with Christ. It is not meant to answer every possible question we might have about life, the universe, or theology. If a question remains unanswered in Scripture, we can trust that we don’t need that answer to enjoy and grow in our relationship with Jesus.

Faith is not primarily a philosophical pursuit or an intellectual exercise to resolve every mystery. Instead, it is a gracious invitation to experience this living relationship with Christ—one we are freely allowed to participate in through His redeeming love and grace.

1 Timothy 3:8-13 English Standard Version

Qualifications for Deacons

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Note closely the differences between overseer and deacon.

Is there anything that stands out to you in those differences?

The first thing I noticed was that the overseer should be a man married to only one wife.

The deacon’s wife is measured against a standard where the overseer’s wife and children just need to be submissive to the husband/father.

Some of these things we should consider if we feel God is calling us to serve in any of those leadership roles. Godly wisdom leads to Godly actions.