Talking Points 2-A

Ephesians 1:4-6
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Verse 4 is an embarrassment to many Christians! How can that bunch of oddballs known as Christians be “without blame?”

The fact is that those whom God has chosen to be led by His Holy Spirit are known as saints (Gr. hagiois), because they are pure, holy, and blameless in His sight!

"According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world" is a powerful statement. We have been chosen in Christ not in ourselves.

Choosing us to be saints and to follow Christ Jesus by being led by the Spirit is not based on our will! It is based entirely on God’s predestination! Our choice does not come into the action at all.

Do you understand the complicated simplicity of the doctrine of predestination?

Notice that we have been predestined in accordance with the Father’s will as expressed in Christ Jesus.

Many do not believe in predestination, because it sets us apart from the rest of humanity. The fact is, we have been set apart!

True Christians are the salt of human society. We are the reflected light of Christ Jesus in this age.

Do you comprehend the honor that has been given to us?

At this point, I must add that we have not been chosen, selected, or elected to the exclusion of other people. Most people do not understand predestination.

As firm as I am concerning the fact of predestination, that word is never used when describing the "lost." None is “predestined” to be lost.

God chose us in Christ Jesus before the "foundation" of the world. The Greek text indicates that God chose us before the universe was conceived.

Before God spoke the world into existence He chose us, individually, in Christ, to become the first layer of salvation. God chose us so that "we should be holy and without blame before him in love." He did not choose us because we were already holy and without blame before him.

The Greek word translated "should" is very important here. The Greek word is first person, singular, and indicative. That Greek word is used only when it presents an emphatic. This section should have been translated "shall."

Personal paraphrase--"That we shall (emphatically, with premeditation) be holy and blameless before Him in love."

In choosing us, Jesus keeps us without blame, unblemished, because of His love for us.

Many Christians will tell you that we are just "old sinners." In Christ, the old things have passed away and we are made new. We may be imperfect before the world, but we are blameless, faultless before God.

In Christ Jesus our old self is dead! Many people insist on exhuming the old man and parading him around town.

Paul tells us that God has predestined us to adoption as children through Jesus Christ. That was done according to the good pleasure of the Father's will.

We have been "predestinated" to be Christ's. The Greek text speaks of something that has been predetermined.

Most do not understand the purpose of predestination.

However, to deny the predetermined grace of God is to deny His omnipotence and omniscience. He chose us to become adopted as sons of God. That may sound arrogant, but it is true. That is what the word of God says.

In these short verses (4-6) Paul is telling Christians three things. We have been chosen, predestined, and accepted.

Talking Points 1-A

Ephesians 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians begins by declaring that Paul is "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." It is very important to understand that Paul’s anointing as an Apostle did not come as the result of any human choice, or ego. It was strictly by the will of God as verse 1 tells us. Each of us has a place in the Kingdom of God, the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem and that place or position has been determined by God.

Please notice that this letter is addressed to the “saints” at Ephesus. Some people clamor for great titles. However, within the Church the greatest title is “saint!” Pastors and Deacons in the Church during this age are “hired help’ they are not kings and rulers.

To us the reference by Paul that he is an Apostle would seem strange even unnecessary. The fact that such an obviously called and anointed leader would need to declare that he is an Apostle seems odd.

At the time of the writing of this letter, Paul was not universally accepted. Unfortunately that is still the case in some Churches. The vast majority of Jewish Christians during that period viewed Paul’s message of salvation by grace through faith was subject to suspicion. Even during our day many Church attendees do not understand the simplicity or power of God's grace.

Verse 2 should be changed slightly to give a better understanding. That verse says in the KJV, “Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” That verse should say, “Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is yours.” The grace and peace of the Father and the Son now belong to all who have been elected to follow Christ Jesus.

Our salvation and service are by grace through faith. No works come attached to God’s grace. Christ Jesus has already done all the "work" required for our salvation. But, some still struggle in an effort to self-justify.

Stop struggling and rest in Christ Jesus!