Eternal purpose of God: The mystery revealed: Pt. II

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, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on 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 on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

(be sure the hand out of the picture has been handed out by Pradeep to them.

Eternity: All things are summed up in Christ (v.10)

From Eternity:

God Chose (v.4)

For ordained (v.5)

Making known the mystery purposed in Him (v.9)

Then going from the cross “In Christ” on top of it

Are all blessings (v.3)

Adoption (v.5)

Redemption(v.7)

Forgiveness (v.7)

Grace & Peace (v.7)

Heritage (v.11)

Holy Spirit (v.14)

All this was at the fullness of time (v.10) when the Christ came from eternity and took on the form of a bond servant and lived, suffered, died, and rose again so we can be His.

There are some good points that are brought out in the scripture here.

This purpose was according to the good pleasure of His will (v.5)

This purpose is according to the riches of His grace (v.7)

This purpose is according to His good pleasure which He purposed (v.9)

This purpose is according to the purpose of Him that working all things after the counsel of His will (v.11)

God was active before the world was spoken into existence, before the beginning.

All history points to the focal point in time “the fullness of times.” (vv.10-11)

It is at that time the mystery, once hidden, now revealed was made known, in Christ

In Christ are realized all the riches of God’s grace.

(turning back to the picture handout they have now it is time to add more too it)

B. The Church: The Redeemed purposed and promised (turn to and have read Eph3:1-11)

Ephesians 3:1–11 NASB95

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

(time to fill in more on the chart)

From Eternity

God purposed a purpose (1:3-11; 3:1-11_

Promised and prophesied

Gen3:15, 12:1-3; 22:17-18

Also 2Sam7:11-16, Isa2:2-4; Dan2:44

All things made known through the church (3:10-11)

With the foreknowledge of God

With the purposed plan of God In Christ Jesus the presented church

Comes with the Fullness of Christ

Comes alive with Christ

As a reconciled body

As God’s holy Temple

All for God’s glory

As fellow partakes of the promise, according to the eternal purpose of God (vv.10-11)

Notice the five things said, can anyone see this, believe this and think that the Church was/is not a part of God’s eternal plan? The church was/is important to God’s scheme of redemption.

God’s manifold wisdom is made known through the church

The church of Jesus Christ, our Lord, was “according to the eternal purpose of God.” - - - the church is God’s plan!

One more section to cover as we conclude tonight

Conclusion (back to the picture handout again)

A. The relationship of the Redeemed and this Redeemer is further seen in turn to and read Rom8:28-30

Romans 8:28–30 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

This is the “them that are called according to purpose (Rom8:28-30)

Whom He foreknew

Whom He foreordained

to be conformed to the image of His some

Them that love God

Now to the other side of the cross

Them He called

Them He justified

Them He glorified

We need to be careful here, many have taken this out of context. This is written to the church whom He called, foreordained to be conformed to the image of the Son. This has nothing to do with a selective predestination of a few, for the gospel is available to all who call on the name of the Lord (expand)

Those that love God are not the unbelievers but the believers and you can consider (2Tim3:4; Rom1:30)

B. In times eternal God, himself foreknew and foreordained:

The Savior (1Pt1:18-20)

1 Peter 1:18–20 NASB95

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

The salvation message, the gospel (1Cor2:7)

1 Corinthians 2:7 NASB95

7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

And the saved (Rom8:28-30)- - - - we read that one already

C. Christ Jesus is the Redeemer of the world. His church is the redeemed, the saved: Redeemed ones out of the world (consider Act4:12; Eph5:23 and Eph1:22-23)

No other way, no other name (ref: Act4:12)

Jesus is the Savior of the body and the body is the church (ref: Eph5:23)

In whom is head of the church Eph1:22-23

Ephesians 1:22–23 NASB95

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.