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May 12, 2004
The doctrine of divine election is easily misunderstood, and a superficial understanding is spiritually dangerous. So what did really Paul mean when he wrote that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world? In this message, Sinclair Ferguson clarifies the character and blessings of eternal election, highlighting the importance of our humility and sanctification. Though not the entire Gospel, election remains a gracious decision made by God, in love, which even Jesus declared as truth.
1Paul, aan apostle of Christ Jesus bby the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and care faithful1 in Christ Jesus:
2dGrace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3eBlessed be fthe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing gin the heavenly places, 4heven as he ichose us in him jbefore the foundation of the world, that we should be kholy and blameless before him. In love 5lhe predestined us2 for madoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, naccording to the purpose of his will, 6oto the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in pthe Beloved. 7qIn him we have rredemption sthrough his blood, tthe forgiveness of our trespasses, uaccording to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9vmaking known3 to us the mystery of his will, naccording to his purpose, which he wset forth in Christ 10as a plan for xthe fullness of time, yto unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11In him we have obtained zan inheritance, ahaving been predestined baccording to the purpose of him who works all things according to cthe counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be dto the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you heard ethe word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, fwere sealed with the gpromised Holy Spirit, 14who is hthe guarantee4 of our iinheritance until jwe acquire kpossession of it,5 lto the praise of his glory.
15For this reason, mbecause I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love6 toward all the saints, 16I ndo not cease to give thanks for you, oremembering you in my prayers, 17that pthe God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, qmay give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18rhaving the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is sthe hope to which he has called you, what are tthe riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, uaccording to the working of vhis great might 20that he worked in Christ wwhen he raised him from the dead and xseated him at his right hand yin the heavenly places, 21zfar above aall rule and authority and power and dominion, and above bevery name that is named, not only in cthis age but also in the one to come. 22And dhe put all things under his feet and gave him as ehead over all things to the church, 23fwhich is his body, gthe fullness of him hwho fills iall in all.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
