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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain Ephesians 1:5:
Ephesians 1:3-5
Excerpted from: Free Will or God's Sovereignty?This whole first chapter of Ephesians is filled with confidence and hope, encouraging us with what God has done and is doing. Here, Paul wades into the hotly-contested realm of predestination, mentioning it twice. The Amplified says, “He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children.” For verse 11, the Amplified says, “we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose.”
Now, the timid commentators say this is talking about the saints as a group, or the church in general, meaning that it was predestined only that there would be saints—that there would be a church. That is as far as they will go, and it is a very cautious way of looking at it.
But this view sidesteps what it says in verse 4. It says we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world for the purpose of our becoming holy and without blame. Chosen means picking some and excluding others for this age. The apostle says this choosing took place before the foundation of the world. So, if we are going to be objective in our studies—which we should be—we must find an explanation from Scripture as to why verse 4 does not mean what it certainly appears to be saying.
Ephesians 1:3-12
Excerpted from: Growing Into LibertyEverything does not have to be settled, resolved, done right at this moment. God has a plan that involves thousands of years of time of which we are only little specks compared to what He is doing. Satan makes us believe that the moment is so important. He drives us with this fear that somehow or another we have to be gratified in this concept that becomes fact in our mind so very quickly.
Slavs. Not slaves; Slavs. We need to burn this into our minds that He not only made us, He chose us to fit into the purpose, the mystery of His will. We have obtained an inheritance. It is written in the past tense, because God considers things that He purposes as already done, as though they already exist. We are part of His purpose and He accomplishes everything that He sets out to do.
Who is going to stand before God and prevent Him from saving us? Only you can choose to do that. It depends upon the exercise of our faith, our concept of time. It also depends upon whether or not we are going to operate according to our concept of time and our insecurities.
Ephesians 1:4-5
Excerpted from: The Purpose of the ChurchHe is talking about the church here and he is talking to you and me that this has been planned, it has been God's purpose from the very beginning. That there would be an organization that we now know of as the church. And you think that the vast billions of people that have lived and died from the time of Adam and Eve, and you and I are a part of that group which indeed is an extremely tiny group in terms of all the multiple billions who have ever lived. But God chose it from the very beginning before the foundation of the world and here is the purpose.
The predestination here does not apply to us as individuals. It applies in general to the fact that God planned that there would be a church, that there would be a group that would have characteristics that were similar to His Son.
Ephesians 1:3-5
Excerpted from: The Paradox of Terror and RejoicingIt is important to meditate on these things. When we do, we realize that the love of Christ for His own people began before time, long before the world was created. Christ's love for us did not suddenly come into existence, it was there before the beginning of time. Therefore, we read that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
This is truly astonishing that we were known by Christ before time began, and every one of us who belongs to Him was known to Him. What a dignity it adds to human life and to our existence in this world to know that He has set His heart on us, that His affections rested on us even in eternity!
Ephesians 1:5-9
Excerpted from: The Purpose of the ChurchThe predestination here does not apply to us as individuals. It applies in general to the fact that God planned that there would be a church, that there would be a group that would have characteristics that were similar to His Son.
Ephesians 1:5
Excerpted from: The Awesome Cost of SalvationThis shows that what He is doing had nothing to do with the way we are. It had everything to do with His initiating and choosing us because He wanted us, not because of anything that we have done.
Ephesians 1:3-6
Excerpted from: Be Holy, as I am HolyYou know, from Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, to us today, God was preparing all this before the foundations of the world. He was working. God chose you long before you were even born.
Ephesians 1:3-12
Excerpted from: Jesus in the Feasts (Part Five): TabernaclesThat is what He is working toward, making us all one in Christ and that we could all be glorified in Him, as part of Him.
ArticlesAll in All
Born Again or Begotten? (Part One)
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Two)
Fully Accepting God's Sovereignty (Part One)
God's Sovereignty and the Church's Condition (Part One)
Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen
Prepare to Meet Your God! (Part Six): Complacency and Laodiceanism
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Nine): Conclusion (Part Two)
The Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility: Part Eleven
The Sovereignty of God: Part Seven
The Sovereignty of God: Part Six
The Sovereignty of God: Part Three
Bible StudiesWhat Is Propitiation? (Part One)
BookletsGuard the Truth!
Essays'Before the Foundation of the World' (Part One) (2)
Another Look at the Prosperity Gospel
God Keeps Us
Making the Right Choice
SermonsBefore the World Began
The Faithfulness of God (Part 2)
Blessing Promises: Our Spiritual Inheritance
In Search of a Clear World View (Part One)
The Miracle of God's Calling
The Meaning of "In Christ"
Who Deserves Our Loyalties?
Hands That Shed Innocent Blood
The Harvest is Almost In
Fully Accepting God's Sovereignty (Part 1)
Where Do We Fit?
Finishing Your Gun Lap
Privileges of the Family of God
The Love of Christ
Wilderness Wandering (Part 2)
Wilderness Wandering (Part 1)
Love God, Love Neighbor
Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part 7)
The Faithfulness of God (Part 3)
The Faithfulness of God (Part 3)
All in All (Part 1)
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Part Two)
The Bethel Stone
Hebrews (Part Fourteen): Chapter 2, A Mind Bending Purpose (Part Three)
God's Love and Teachings for His Children
Spiritual Renewal
Wilderness Wanderings (Part Two)
They Know!
God Works in Mysterious Ways (Part Four)
Is America a Christian Nation? (Part Two)
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Part Two)
God's Pattern of the Family
Offerings (Part Seven)
Offerings (Part Six)
Offerings (Part Four)
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Six)
Deuteronomy and History
Deuteronomy and History
His Eye is On the Sparrow (Part One)
Why Is God Doing This, This Way?
Who Are We and Where Do We Fit (Part Two)
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part 1)
God's Workmanship (Part 1)
God's Workmanship (Part 1)
Knowing Christ (Part 2)
The Sovereignty of God (Part 12)
The Sovereignty of God (Part 11)
The Sovereignty of God (Part 6)
The Sovereignty of God (Part 3)
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Five)
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part 15)
Remembering Your Vows
Unity (Part 3): Ephesians 4 (A)
Deuteronomy (Part 2) (1994)
Strategies for Interfacing with Babylon without Becoming Assimilated (Part Five)
A Misunderstood Characteristic of God
Hebrews 2: God is Present
Unleavened Bread and the Holy Spirit (Part Two)
Think on These Things
Two Realities
Essential Characteristics of Our Calling
Our Creator and Savior
Our Awesome Destiny
God Is Still on His Throne
God's Sea of Glass (Part 1)
Moses, Servant of God
Boaz and Pentecost
According to His Pleasure
Glorify You Me
Our Core Business
The Wonderful, Powerful Gift of God's Holy Spirit
Be You Thankful
The Priesthood of God (Part 2)
Why Are We Called To Overcome?
Qualifications of a Godly Judge
Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part 12)
God the Father (Part 2)
Sovereignty and 'Once Saved Always Saved'
Maintaining Good Health (Part 6)
All in All
Two Contrary Visions
Unity (Part 6): Ephesians 4 (C)
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