Following Jesus Son of God …

I have just started a series of messages on Ephesians. I admit that I wondered how I was going to navigate the waters of election and predestination in the first chapter.

(Ephesians 1:3–6)

• ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

But as I prayed and studied, this excellent thought came to me, that is, I believe the Spirit of God spoke to me.

Just say what it says …
Don’t try to explain it. God didn’t. He just stated it through the writing of Paul.

Receive it as God intended …
A letter to his “peeps.” God wanted the believers in Jesus Christ to know these things, to be thrilled with what he has done for us and to take great comfort in his thoroughness and care.

These truly are simple, clear statements. God chose us before the foundation of the world and he predestined us to be his sons and daughters. Why say more than God did?

Can I explain that to you? No. And I see absolutely no need to.

Does it make me feel really good that God has done this for me? Oh, yes!

Praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

John Calvin preached through the book of Ephesians in 48 sermons beginning on 1 May 1558. Here is a comment he made concerning election.

• Although we cannot conceive either by argument or reason how God has elected us before the creation of the world, yet we know it by his declaring it to us; and experience itself vouches for it sufficiently, when we are enlightened in the faith.

http://bible.us/59/2SA22.31.ESV This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
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http://bible.us/59/PSA116.1.ESV I love the Lord , because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
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http://bible.us/59/PSA112.1.ESV Praise the Lord ! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
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http://bible.us/59/PSA111.10.ESV The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
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http://bible.us/59/2CO11.13.ESV For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
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http://bible.us/59/PSA102.15.ESV Nations will fear the name of the Lord , and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
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http://bible.us/59/2CO4.1.ESV Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
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http://bible.us/59/PSA95.1.ESV Oh come, let us sing to the Lord ; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord , our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
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