who works the purpose and plan. Our Lord predestined us in love to be His sons through Jesus Christ. You see, our destiny is not due to lucky stars, but rather to God’s grace, lavished upon us through the Saviour. Here we have the direct opposite of slav ery. Not only have we been set free, but also we are adopted into the eter nal family. The status of sonship makes redeemed sinners heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Election, predestination, foreordi nation doesn’t show God as an arbi trary tyrant, sitting on a throne with the multitudes of men marching by. He doesn’t pick one for heaven and one for hell. The Bible reminds us that He is not willing that any should perish. A man condemns himself to hell by a willful rejection of Christ. It is important to remember that it is Christ who is elected and predes tined. This means that all who are in Christ are elected and predestined with Him. This is missionary and evangelistic to the core (Rom. 8:29). Yes, we can readily rejoice in what God has given us “in Christ.” C hapter T wo A ll redemption , from start to finish, is grounded in the will of God. Those who have received Christ are called “saints.” This means to be set apart for God. This is both a positional, as well as a progressive, sanctification which we experience. The first is instantan eous, while the other c o n t i n u e s throughout our lives, Eventually, in eternity, sanctification will culminate in glorification so that we will have complete freedom from sin and all its effects. Sainthood, in terms of setting apart specific people who have contributed to the church, is alto gether foreign to Scripture. Yet, in this union with Christ, the believer does not lose his identity. He has a daily struggle between the dying Adamic nature and the spiritual na- 23
of God through value, but the Bible focuses on His benefits (Psa. 103: 1-5). . . The first thing we see emerging is the fact that He has blessed us. This is the first and primary reason to lift our hearts and voices in praise. AU means every single one, without any left out Note how the word every describes the comprehensive ness of the blessing. Spiritual is the character of this blessing. There is no limit to the God-given blessings we enjoy in Christ. That these are on deposit for us in the heavenly places is a phrase found only in Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6: 12). One doesn’t have to ride a rocket into outer space to get into this realm. It simply requires repentance and faith, turning to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. The phrases in Christ, in Him, in whom appear 11 different times in this first section and over 30 times in the book. You see, it is only “in Christ” that man can come to know God in a personal relationship Him self known to man (Gal. 4:9) for in Christ a new beginning is made (II Cor. 5:17). In Christ God reconciled the world to Himself, not counting our trespasses against us. In turn, He has entrusted to us the ministry and message of reconciliation. The purpose of this election is that we might be holy and blameless be fore Him in love. In commenting on these characteristics, we think of Paul’s exhortation to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, ac ceptable to God, which is our spirit ual worship (Rom. 12:1). We are to be without blemish as a sacrificial animal. In our devotion and service, God requires the best, not the sec ond best! Then, not only have we been blessed and chosen, but also we have been predestined. God knew where He was going before He ever started out. This is not an act of blind faith. God is the living God of purpose
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