April 26, 2015

Chosen – For a Purpose

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the

will of God, to the saints who are in

Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace to you and peace from God our

Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.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,

LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

VOLUME I (1-3):OUR RICHES IN CHRIST

• Our spiritual possessions in Christ

• Our spiritual position in Christ

THREE BIBLICAL

PRINCIPLES

• God is sovereign

Our God is in the heavens; 

He does all that He pleases.Psalm 115:3

Our God is in the heavens; 

He does all that He pleases.Psalm 115:3

Has the potter no right over the clay,

to make out of the same lump one

vessel for honourable use and another

for dishonourable use?Romans 9:21

God has the right, the authority, and the power

to govern all that happens and what has, is, or

will happen being in accordance to His divine

will. He has the right to achieve His purposes

and has the power to bring about

circumstances that dictate whatever He wills

to come to pass.   He has complete control of

everything and there is nothing that is done

that is not done by

or allowed through His will.M.J. Erickson

• God is sovereign• God is just and good in all

His ways

For I proclaim the name of the LORD:

Ascribe greatness to our God.4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect;

For all His ways are justice,

A God of truth and without injustice;

Righteous and upright is He.Deuteronomy 32:3-4

“…We fail to give God due honour unless

we recognize a constant tenor of

righteousness in the whole progress of His

operation. Nothing is more difficult

in time of trouble, when God has

apparently forsaken us, or afflicts us

without cause,

than to restrain our corrupt feelings

from breaking out against His judgments.”

John Calvin

• God is sovereign• God is just and good in all

His ways• God’s ways are higher than

our ways

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.Isaiah 55:8-9

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.7 Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the LORD,And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.

8For my thoughts…Isaiah 55:6-7

• God is sovereign• God is just and good in all

His ways• God’s ways are higher than

our ways

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…

eklegomi• to pick out, choose, to pick or

choose out for one's self• choosing one out of many, i.e.

Jesus choosing his disciples• choosing one for an office

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…

6 “…the LORD your God has chosen you

to be a people for Himself, a special

treasure above all the peoples on the

face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set

His love on you nor choose you because

you were more in number than any

other people, for you were the least of

all peoples;

8 but because the Lord loves you,

and because He would keep the oath

which

He swore to your fathers, the LORD

has brought you out with a mighty

hand,

and redeemed you from the house of

bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh

king of Egypt. 9 “Therefore know

that the LORD your God, He is God…Deuteronomy 7:6-9

I'm so glad that God

chose me before the

foundation of the world,

because he never would

have chosen me after

I was born!"

C.H. Spurgeon

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,

proorizo• to predetermine, decide

beforehand• in the NT of God decreeing from

eternity• to foreordain, appoint

beforehand

5 having predestined us to adoption

as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,

according to the good pleasure of His

will…

Huiothesia• adoption, adoption as sons• that relationship which God was pleased

to establish between himself and the

Israelites in preference to all other

nations• the nature and condition of the true

disciples in Christ, who by receiving the

Spirit of God into their souls become

sons of God

5 having predestined us to adoption

as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,

according to the good pleasure of

His will…

Man’s FreewillSituationsForeknowledge

(God’s Will)Predestination

Predestination is a product ofForeknowledge and Freewill

…according to the good pleasure of His

will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His

grace, by which He made us

accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:1-6

Charitoō• to make graceful

charming, lovely, agreeable• to persue with grace, compass

with favour• to honour with blessings

Certainly, among Evangelicals there are various ways of understanding how this

electing purpose of God plays out in human history, and various views…are acceptable

within the parameters of our EFCC Statement of Faith.

While affirming God’s sovereignty, we believe that that sovereignty never minimizes human

responsibility. And while we are morally responsible creatures, making significant

choices to obey, rebel, believe, etc. and are rightly held responsible for our actions, we can never make God absolutely contingent upon

our wills.Gospel Truths pp.45-46

Only as we are “in Christ” are we chosen, called, regenerated,

justified, sanctified, redeemed, assured of the resurrection and given every spiritual blessing.

Gospel Truths p.143

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 made us

accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:1-6

Chosen

Predestined; Adopted

Accepted in the Beloved

• God is sovereign• God is just and good in

all His ways• God’s ways are higher

than our ways