As Paul the
apostle wrote his introduction to the Ephesian church members, he
told them how God has “chosen” them “in him before
the foundation of the world, that” they “should be holy
and without blame before him in love”. In chapter one and verse
five of his letter, Paul continued the idea of being “elected” by
God as he wrote how they were “predestinated unto the adoption
of children” where we read:
Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
The
verse begins, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to himself,” Paul
began with the phrase, “Having predestinated”
which means “decided beforehand, foreordained, appointed beforehand
and ordain” “us”
which refers to “Paul and the Christians to whom he is writing”
“unto the adoption of children”
which means “the nature and condition of the true disciples
in Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become
sons of God” “by
Jesus” which means “Jehovah
is Salvation” who is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and
God incarnate” “Christ”
or “the anointed One” “to himself”
which refers to “the Messiah and Son of God”. Paul declared the
“predestination”
to be the “adopted”
children of God by way of “Jesus Christ”.
The
verse goes on to say, “according to the good pleasure of his
will,” Paul continued with the word “according” or
“down from, through out, toward and along” “to the good
pleasure” which means “good will, choice, kindly intent and
benevolence” “of his will” which refers to “what one
wishes or has determined to be done, of the purpose of God to bless
mankind through Christ and what God wishes to be done by us”. Paul
wrote that it was “God's” “choice, kindly intent” and “will”
to have believers in Jesus Christ to be “adopted” by God.
When
we meditate upon these words of Paul, we may find it almost
unimaginable that God would desire to adopt us as His children, and
yet, He does. The Lord God Almighty and Creator of the Universe
desires to have a relationship with anyone who will “trust in, rely
upon and cling to” His Son Jesus. He knows who will “believe”
in Jesus and therefore “elects” or “predestinates” those who
choose Him as His “adopted” family. When we realize this is the
“good pleasure of his will” we should rejoice and shout
praises unto Him for allowing us to not only have access to His
family, but actually to belong to it.
Next
time Paul shares how we are “predestined unto the
adoption of children”, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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