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.
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.” (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.
