(A look at Ephesians 1:3-6)
The word “predestination” is often avoided in Christian conversations and even from the pulpit. Many think that it should never be talked about or that only people with seminary training should dare to speak of it. However, as we will see today, Paul talks openly about predestination to the entire church at Ephesus, not treating it as a bad word but a wonderful word. In fact, he sees it as a blessing from God of which we should praise Him.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:3)
Comment: Paul opens the letter by immediately giving God glory for every spiritual blessing. As we look at the doctrine of Soli Deo Gloria, notice that Paul does not say thank God for some spiritual blessings but for “every” spiritual blessing. In other words, God deserves the glory for every spiritual blessing, not anyone else. We cannot earn spiritual blessings; instead, we should thank God for them.
4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. (Ephesians 1:4)
Comment: God deserves all of the glory for our salvation. Some people will ascribe glory to God for their salvation, but not all glory to God in their salvation. Many people like to believe that God did a lot, but ultimately, they decided to choose God, which saved them.
Question: Is this what Paul teaches?
Answer: No. The Ephesian believers were the recipients of this spiritual blessing because they had been chosen by God.
Question: When did God choose them for salvation? After they were born, and God observed how holy they were? After they chose Him?
Answer: No. Paul intentionally tells them that they were chosen not only before birth but even before the foundation of the world.
Question: What is this meant to teach the Ephesians?
Answer: They couldn't have contributed anything to their choosing because they did not even exist when God made His decision. They were chosen purely by the grace of God.
Question: What did God choose them for?
Answer: They were chosen "to be holy and blameless before him." In other words, they were chosen ahead of time for the end result of standing before God one day holy and blameless. Our holiness before God depends not on our doing but on what God has done in the past that is connected to the future. Paul is teaching the opposite of anyone who formally or informally believes that they are the ones who must become righteous before God will see them as righteous. Paul says that the end result of us standing before God holy and blameless has a direct link to God's choosing us before the foundation of the world to be so. In other words, our salvation was determined before we were born, as well as our eternal destination, which should lead us to see that God receives all of the glory for the grace He and He alone gives.
Question: Can something come along to disrupt the plan of God in anyone’s salvation?
Answer: No. From eternity to past to eternity future, it has all been planned and purposed by God.
9I am God, and there is none like me, 10declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' Isaiah 46:9-10
Comment: In this verse we see that God can announce what will happen in the future, because He is both omniscient and omnipotent. He declares things to be, and it will certainly happen because there is no power strong enough to impair His plan.
Question: Can anything, or anyone, cause one who has been chosen by God not to be blameless before Him?
Answer: No. What God purposes will come to pass because there is nothing and no one that is powerful enough to thwart His plans.
3Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Psalm 115:3
1Then Job replied to the LORD: 2"I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted." Job 42:1-2
Comment: The complete salvation of all whom He has chosen has been purposed by Him, and nothing can interfere with the plan of God.
In love 5he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:5-6)
Comment: God did not have to save anyone, but out of love, He did, and the choosing to be blameless is here tied to the similar idea of predestination. That word simply means to foredetermine.
Question: What did God predestine (determine beforehand)?
Answer: He predestined those whom He would adopt as His children.
Question: Does God share the glory of predestination with anyone?
Answer: No, because He did it. He purposed it, and it will happen. No one whom He has chosen will not also be adopted, because it is the “purpose of his will.”
Question: Look at verse 6. What does Paul say that the Ephesians’ response to predestination should be?
Answer: They should praise God for His glorious grace.
Comment: Paul would need to quickly ascribe some kind of effort to the people as well before they think that God saved them without any contribution from themselves, but he doesn’t because his whole point is that salvation is all the work of God for His glory, not yours.
Summary: Many professing Christians, especially pastors, are scared of the word predestination. This is really sad; not only is "predestination" a word that God has breathed out in His inspired Word, which has been given to us to teach and equip us with sound doctrine, but as we see in Ephesians, predestination is a spiritual blessing from God in which we are to give Him glory and praise. To view predestination as bad is to do the opposite of praise. And to take credit for one's salvation instead of thanking God for salvation is to rob God of His glory. Predestination is not a bad word. Paul wants the Ephesians to understand that if it were not for predestination, none of them would be saved, which also goes for you. If you have been saved, give the credit where credit is due. Praise God for His glorious grace in predestination and rest in the assurance that you will stand before Him holy and blameless because of it.
Trey Talley
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