The Elect (Ephesians 1:3-5)

Today's scripture: Ephesians 1:3-5

We have been blessed beyond measure as children of God. No matter what we’ve done, no matter where we’ve been, no matter how poor the choices we’ve made, we can be pure and clean in the eyes of our Father.

Praise our God!

Now we come to a more controversial part of Paul’s letter. God “chose us before the foundation of the world …” and “He predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters]” …

Some argue that this is in direct contrast to the idea of free will—that we choose to follow Christ.

One of my favorite commentaries clears this misconception up for us. Until Paul began preaching to the Gentiles, the Jews:

considered themselves an elect or chosen people, and wished to monopolize the whole of the Divine love and beneficence. The apostle here shows that God had the Gentiles as much in the contemplation of his mercy and goodness as he had the Jews; and the blessings of the Gospel, now so freely dispensed to them, were the proof that God had thus chosen them, and that his end in giving them the Gospel was the same which he had in view by giving the law to the Jews, So when Paul wrote about predestination, he was writing about the Gentles as a people group, and thus used that word to “point out God's fixed purpose or predetermination to bestow on the Gentiles the blessing of the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ” (from The Adam Clarke Commentary).

What this means is that God’s grace and mercy is available to all people. All people. But Jesus is still waiting patiently at the door of countless hearts. We still have to open the door (see Revelation 3:20).

Have you opened the door? Have you invited Jesus to be Lord of your life? Then and only then will you experience the “kind intention of His will.” His loving, gracious, merciful, righteous will.