Ephesians 1:11-14 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
God has chosen us IN CHRIST to be as He is, eternal and righteous. He predestined us through Christ's work on the cross to be forever his children in his house. Paul through his many epistles exposes the believers to God’s wonderful plan of redemption, making believers everlasting and perfect. Jesus, our redeemer, is the much beloved Son of God who has existed forever with the Father. We now through Jesus’ work on the cross can enter into a reality beyond our comprehension. God's mysterious plan hidden from the beginning of time, before anything was created, has been revealed in these last days. Perfection, being as God is, does not come through man’s efforts or desires, but comes through and IN faith in Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for the imperfect, so imperfect that we were dead in sins and transgressions, not alive to the eternal God. But Jesus’ work on the cross gave us a new life, a born again life. His resurrection from the flesh was also our resurrection from the flesh. His death was our death; his resurrection was our resurrection. Jesus said that we must be born again. He achieved for us the born again status through his resurrection. Therefore, all of us who live IN CHRIST AND HIS WORKS by faith are new creatures, never to die anymore. When Jesus addresses the Sadducees' unbelief in the the resurrection, He talks about this mysterious plan of God to make children of his own. Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:34-36, NLT) In Hebrews 10, we see the purpose of Jesus Christ on earth explicitly stated.
“Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he (Jesus Christ) said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will. ”He (God) sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that WILL, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:8-10) The WILL of God was to have children in his likeness in direct and continuous interaction with him through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence in humans. The Spirit of God is given to all who place their trust in Jesus Christ and his works. Eventually, we will have face-to-face interaction with God in the heavenly domain after our physical deaths.
God has predestined us to be as He is through Jesus Christ. Paul tells the Ephesians, God's will is to bring them as Gentiles into perfection through the works of his Son. This is accomplished according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. As Paul states in Romans 8:28, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. His plan before the world was created was to have children in his likeness forever with him. This affinity with God is not by man’s efforts or his will. This relationship with God as his children was won by Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus' sacrifice reveals how much God loves mankind. Because of man’s waywardness from God’s authority and because of his sinfulness, God almost destroyed all humans, wiping them out of existence forever, but He saved a remnant through Noah’s loins. And throughout history, He has always saved a remnant because of his love for humans. God is so holy, righteous, beyond our understanding, that we cannot really understand what sin is in his sight. Christ came in the flesh to salvage man from sin, to make humans right in God’s sight. People were made in God’s image, totally good and totally free. Our freedom to choose betrayed us, for Adam and Eve chose their freedom to be separate from God and his goodness. But God knew all of this: freedom is still an elixir for humans, hard for humans to handle. But God’s plan of redeeming humans has always been in his heart from the beginning. But this revelation of God’s plan is for the mature believer. Paul tells the Corinthians, No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. (1 Corinthians 2:7-8 NLV) He goes on to say that this plan of God is so magnificent that humans cannot even imagine or appreciate what God has in store for them throughout eternity. Paul tells us that after his experience in the third heaven either in body or spirit, he could not come back and talk about it. Probably because he had no words to express what he saw or experienced in heaven. What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:7-9) Our words are based on our reality, on our senses and finiteness. The plan of God is beyond our imagination, too great for us to know or construct. In fact, the word says that we will share in Christ’s glory when we get to heaven. We do not know what it means to share in his glory. Such a concept as sharing in the glory of the lovely Son of God is far, far beyond our ability to conceive.
Paul knows this mysterious plan of God to save humans from their condition of death has come to the Ephesians through his teachings to them. You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. These Gentiles were now being exposed to the Messiah of Israel. Messiah came for the whole world, not just the Jews. Jesus first came to the Jews to validate God’s promise to the Jews that He would send the Messiah to them for their redemption and restoration as a people of God. The Jews were the ultimate remnant; God’s plan to salvage humans from total annihilation. He placed his law and regulation to secure the Seed He planted in them from their father Abraham. Jesus carried the DNA of the Israelites. Abraham’s seed was passed down throughout the ages and came into conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This Seed, Jesus Christ, would fulfill God’s plan of redeeming mankind from sin and death. Christ, who created all things, comes in bodily form. God’s redemption plan was for all people, not just for the Jews. In Jesus’ dealing with a Canaanite woman in the land of Tyre and Sidon, we see God enlarging Christ’s mission on earth. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:22-28) This woman has no status with these Jewish men that she is beseeching to help her. First of all she is a Gentile and secondly she is a woman. The disciples do not want her in their midst. She is in no position for asking anything of Jesus. Jesus treats her very coldly, does not even recognize her plea as being worthy of any response, Jesus did not answer a word. She is persistent in asking for her daughter’s deliverance from a demon. Finally, Jesus cooly addresses her, It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs. But the Canaanite woman says something that comes directly out of God’s plan for all humans, "Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table." She is saying that Jesus’ provisions are so great that there is plenty for everyone, even the dogs. Jesus' provisions are so great, enough for everyone, even for her Gentile daughter. We see her faith is great because she recognizes that Jesus has enough redemptive power to solve the needs of all people. Paul knows the redemptive power of God has come to the Ephesians. He knows God has placed his seal of salvation on these Gentiles: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ provisions are enough for all people. Because of Paul’s teaching, these Ephesians have fallen in love with Jesus and their status with God is assured. They are his children, and he knows they are willing to follow Jesus with their whole heart. No longer is the grave their home, but eternal life is theirs, heaven is their home. Jesus said, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-24) We who are IN CHRIST are like the Ephesians. We are lovers of Jesus. We accept his work of grace and we thank God for his great mercy to us. We receive the plan of God with joy and thanksgiving. We are chosen as God’s possessions to the praise of his glory!
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