Ephesians 1_4-6 Election

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Secular:

  • Here I am… sitting in Church… a place of Worship…
  •  Why am I here?
  •  There are literally thousands in this community that are sleeping in… reading the Sunday Newspaper… going for a hike…
  •  Why am I here…. Why am I interested… Why does it matter… Why am I different?
  •  Am I Better?
  •  Am I Special?
  •  Am I Smarter?
  •  It is when we realize we are no better…
  • No more special…
  • And there are smarter people…
  • This is the perspective that fuels the hymn we sing… the hymn the saints sing…

Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)
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…

Biblical:

Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV)
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 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.

Personal:

  • The Hope given by God by Faith to the Saints called out of the World… who reason to exist is to sing Praise to His Name… is because we have been chosen by God… because of Sovereign election…
  • There are three typical responses to election…
  • One is denial… to deny election at all…
    • Despite the words of scripture we assume that human reason… the way we see things is a more accurate view of the divine-human relationship… so we dismiss it outright even in the face of numerous texts…
  • Another is to believe it is solely based on God’s foreknowledge of our choice…
    • Ephesians 2:1 (ESV) 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
      • What choices do dead men make? How do they see who do not have life?
    • Romans 3:11 (ESV) 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
      • Those that do not understand… those in darkness… how do they choose light?
    • John 6:44 (ESV) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
      • How do those who have not been drawn come?
    • Genesis 6:5 (ESV)
      5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
      • The hearts of humankind is bent… poisoned toward evil…
      • It is only by the enlivening of the Spirit that we can see God…
      • Our response is to choose that which has been made apparent to the elect…
  •  The third choice is to accept the Word at its word…
    • Both what it says of God’s choice of the elect… his children…
    • And what it says of our responsibility to respond to the gospel.
    • There is no tension in God’s mind… and it is in Him we hope.
  • We struggle with the thought that God’s way might be arbitrary…
    • It I am no better, no more special, no smarter… than is it not arbitrary to choose me over someone else…
    • The problem is we again try to determine it from our perspective…
    • V.6 tells us that God has a reason….
      • 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
      • That God chooses whom He chooses for a reason… his glory… and its not our place to question or trust in Him… even in this regard…
      • Remember scripture tells us… His ways are greater than ours… and we can’t expect to fully comprehend… but to we must believe what He has said.
  • Depravity… reminds us that we can not be depended on for our salvation… even to chose God apart from his calling us…
  • Depravity… reminds us that we can not think like God thinks… but that we struggle as tainted but redeemed children…
  • We were sick and he healed… we were dead and he gave us life…
  • And the saints sing…

Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)
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…

Body:

Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV)

He Chose… Before the Foundations of the World

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

  • This is a statement…
  • Not an argument…. (different form)
  •  This is doctrine not philosophy…
    • Not a human construct…
    • A stated fact…
  • 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)
    14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
  •  It all starts with the Father…
    • Not us… and not with the Son…
  • Our system wants to start with us… or with the Son…
  • If it began with us we would fail… oh sons of Adam and daughters of Eve
  •  In our original state… before sin… in close personal communion with God…. We still chose sin…
  •  Given a choice… we are not enamoured with God… we choose us… we choose sin…
  • But we thank God that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him…   2 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)
    13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
  •  Chose us to be saved… through the Spirit
  • As many as God chooses are saved… as many as he chooses believes…
  • Acts 13:48 (ESV)
    48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
  •  But not idle faith…
    • For those who have been called to see the glory of God…
    • Are called to be holy and blameless…
    • Set apart… Holy / separated… Chosen to be made holy
      • Colossians 1:22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach--
    • Chosen to be blameless / righteous… Chosen to be made blameless
      • Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
  • Often our view starts off base off when we look at the Bible as a wish book…
  • When we see the primary character as ourselves…
    • Hey what in here for me… what can I have or do… our claim…
    • The Bible’s primary purpose is t declare God…
  • God’s story…
    • His Glory
    • His Holiness
    • His Plan of Redemption
  • We are NEVER the primary character….
  • We are always seen in relation to God who is the primary character…
    • The prevalence of Evil…
    • Sinners to Saints by Him
    • It is God’s choice 1st!
    • It is Christ work next…
    • It is the Spirit who brings its merits… holiness and blamelessness
    • To the last link… then it is about us… 

He Chose… Before the Foundations of the World

He Chose… Us for Adoption

5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

  • God’s plan is to predestine some to adoption…
  • Adoption…!
  • Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
  • God sent… initiated… our salvation in Christ… our adoption
  • Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
  •  Dad… Abba… Father…
  • Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty…
  •  Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
  • Fellow heirs…
  • Destined to receive all that God can give to us… (can… communicable… eternal… )
  • Joint heirs in Christ…
  • Heirs of our Father!
  • Eternal… sharing in his Glory…
  • Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

II.  He Chose… Us for Adoption

I. He Chose… Before the Foundations of the World

III. He Chose… to bring Glory to His Name

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

  • Arbitrary would be without purpose or justification…
  • But God chooses… elects for a purpose… to the praise of his glorious grace… for his GLORY!
  •  He save those whom he chooses…
    • The least… the unlovable…
    • To demonstrate his glory in compassion and mercy…
    • For none deserve… yet he redeems…
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I. He Chose… Before the Foundations of the World

II.  He Chose… Us for Adoption

III. He Chose… to bring Glory to His Name

Conclusion:

  • He Chose…
    • Before the Foundations of the World
      • No Boasting…
      • Assurance
      • Leads to Holiness…
      • Promotes Evangelism
    • He Chose… Us for Adoption
      •  Father…
      • Heirs…
    • He Chose… US to bring Glory to His Name
      •  There is a purpose!
      • His Glory
      • Glorify Him… and Enjoy Him Forever…
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