Ephesians: The Doctrine of Divine Choice - Are You Offended at God's Choice?

Ephesians 1:1-5 "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: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 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: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."

Ephesians is a letter of blessings, the blessings are for the steadfast and faithful, they are spiritual or heavenly blessings, they are from God the Father through Jesus Christ.  Now we come to the question, why do the blessings come to us?  Why?   V4 tells us why.. this is a study on the first half of V4, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world"   This verse teaches a doctrine that is taught in many other verses of the bible, but this verses teaches a doctrine that many people do not like.  The doctrine of divine choice, or God's choice.  Humans fear those words, they feel uncomfortable and uneasy.. if the subject was the doctrine of human choice, people would be at ease and comfortable, but that God should have a choice, humans don't like that.  It makes us feel uncomfortable, that we are not in control.  There is no other doctrine that is more offensive to human choice than this doctrine that this verse teaches.

We are all born with a nature that automatically believes in free will.. we all automatically believe in human choice.  If we can't decide our choices, than that is not fair.  We are born thinking that we as humans have the right to control our destiny.  Well, no we don't.  God has the right.  He is the creator and we are his creation.  It was God's choice that the sky would look blue, it was God's choice that grass and leaves would look green. He did not ask for our opinion.  Because he made it, he has the choice to decide, not us.  Because he is the Creator, he has divine choice.  Unconditional election, predestination.  God chooses people to be saved according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.

More on the Subject of Election

A few days ago I posted on the subject of election quoting bible verses.  This is a piece I wrote years ago on this subject.

The Word of God teaches us that God is sovereign.  Daniel 4:34-35 teaches us "..I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

Romans 3:23 teaches us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  But John 6:37 teaches us "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out".  The choice of these people, the number of whom is known only to God the Father, is because of His grace, mercy, and love to undeserving sinners, and not because of anything they have done: Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

This does not mean that God is unfair, because of the fact, as previously said, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  All deserve to come under the wrath of God on the day of judgment, but because God is merciful, He has chosen by his grace through faith to save some.

References from the Word of God:

Jonah 2:9 "Salvation is of the Lord"

Psalm 100:3 "Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

Psalm 65:4 "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts..."

Psalm 4:3 "But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself:  the LORD will hear when I call unto him."

Matthew 19:25-26 "...when his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." 

What Does the Bible Say About: Election, the Elect

Having seen many discussions over the years about many topics, this is the first in a series that will not be my opinion, but what God's word says about this particular topic. The bible verses quoted are from the King James. The only other information will be the description of the word from Noah Websters 1828 dictionary which gives the theological meaning of the word.

Websters 1828 dictionary definition:

Elect:   In theology, chosen as the object of mercy; chosen, selected or designated to eternal life; predestinated in the divine counsels

           Chosen or designated by God to salvation; predestinated to glory as the end, and to sanctification as the means; usually with a plural signification, the elect.

Bible Verses

Romans 9:11,16 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

Romans 11:5,7 "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace....What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded."

1 Thessalonians 1:4 "Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost....and ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost."

2 Peter 1:10 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall: (Peter talking to believers)

Matthew 24:24 "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."  (Christ talking to his disciples)

Mark 13:24,26-27 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light...and then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." 

Colossians 3:12 "Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.


 vcg/September 2015