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Chosen to Be Holy Children – Ephesians 1:3-6
In a book blurb I recently read: “Progress in genetic and reproductive technology now offers us the possibility of choosing what kinds of children we do and don’t have. Should we welcome this power, or should we fear its implications?” The answer is, “Some of both!” But what I find most amazing is that God did some choosing of what kinds of children He wanted and He chose so many of us that no one would have ever chosen and is making us into something very special.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:1-6, ESV)
The church at Ephesus was in the middle of modern day Turkey. The ruins of the city still stand though the city has been abandoned long ago. In Paul’s day it was a thriving metropolis and his strategy was to plant a church here that would reach to the many surrounding communities like Hieropolis, Laodicea and Colosse, which in fact happened. This letter was likely meant to be circulated among the churches of these cities (see Colossians 4:16). And at issue was the need for unity, especially unity between Jew and Gentile believers, and the true doctrine of the gospel.
Paul begins his letter with this ode to the Trinity and the spiritual blessings the triune God has bestowed upon His people.
First, from the Father, are the blessings of:
1) being chosen by Him before He created the world, choosing us to be “in Christ” and that for the purpose of being holy and blameless. God’s selection of those He rescues always has the end goal of making us like Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).
2) predestining us to adoption into His family, because His great love for us makes Him want to reclaim us as His lost children. Now we have a family relationship that will never be broken.
This blessing speaks to the unity among different people that has been created in Christ. Jew, Gentile, slave, free, black, white, brown, yellow, poor, rich, we are all one in Christ, we who have believed. We share a common election to be in Christ and are adopted into the same family. Why should we fight?
Discussion Questions
- What is the most racially, culturally and socio-economically diverse community you experience?
- Have you ever thought of the Trinity as a diverse community? Do you think that is an accurate way to describe them?
- What does it mean to you that God the Father chose you to be in Christ before the world was ever created?
- What do you make of the fact that He chose you to be holy and blameless?
- What does it mean to you to be adopted as the Father’s child into His family?
- How would you choose to celebrate the diverse family into which God has adopted you?
About the Author Randall Johnson
A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.
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