Ephesians 1 - Predetermined Free Will

God indeed predestined you to salvation in Christ in a way that requires you to freely align yourself with His purposes.

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Ephesians 1 Summary

One of the primary themes of Paul's letters is that Christians are people who are in Christ. This opening chapter of Ephesians helps us really understand what this simple phrase means.

You are:

In Him: you are chosen before the creation of the world (v4)
- In love: you are selected to be God's adopted child (v5)
- In accordance with His will: Because God has willed you to be His, you are secure (v5)
In Him: you have redemption & forgiveness (v7)
In accordance with His riches: you have been given a share in God's riches!
In Him: all things are being worked out to bring you into relationship with God (v11)
In Christ: you have your hope (v12)
In Christ: you've been included by hearing His message of truth (v13)

Dig Deeper

Many people don't like the doctrine of predestination when they first learn about it. It doesn't seem fair that God chooses some for salvation, but leaves others in their sin, and it seems pointless to be going through the motions in a world in which everything has been predetermined.

These are valid concerns, but they do seem to fade away as we unpack what Ephesians 1 teaches us. Rather than portraying people as preprogrammed robots incapable of free will, Paul describes those whom God has chosen as having the eyes of their hearts enlightened, that they may know what is the hope to which he has called them (v18).

In other words, God has removed the blinders that sin put on you so that you can see His grace, hope and the riches of His glorious inheritance and will. With this knowledge you freely make choices to bring your life further into alignment with God's plan & purpose (v9).

AAA Prayer:

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God is your Father, who predestined you for adoption to Himself as a son through Jesus Christ (v5)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will freely make choices that further your alignment with God's purposes which He set forth in Christ (v9).
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: