“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4)
God’s plan to work through a “chosen” people preceded the creation of the world! Let that sink in. Before God began the work of creation, His plan for world redemption and His plan for you, were all established in Christ. The concept of “election” or God’s choosing of a people runs throughout the Bible. Israel was chosen, not based on any merit of their own, but they were chosen by God’s grace to fulfill God’s eternal purpose (Deut. 7:6-8). In the New Testament, this principle of election is reiterated but there are no national boundaries.
This doctrine of election should never be the cause of controversy but of wonder. It is not set in opposition to the free will of man, it involves a paradox that the Bible does not attempt to resolve because our finite minds cannot fathom how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man work in harmony. Remember these blessings are “in Christ.” Thus we are immediately led to ask how one may come to reside in Christ. That question is answered in the final part of this lengthy sentence. In short, after listening to the gospel and having believed, you were sealed in Him.
Further, we must not miss that we are “chosen” to be “holy and blameless before Him.” Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, only a perfect animal could be offered to God (Lev. 1:3). Under grace, we can offer Him nothing less than ourselves, fully committed. We are chosen to be “saints” and that we are!
Prayer: Thank you for choosing me for service. I give you myself holy and blameless. Amen.