Ephesians 1:3-6

The Father Selected Us (vs. 4-6)• He chose us before the foundation of the world

• To be holy and blameless

• He predestined us to be his adopted children

The Son Saved Us (vs. 7-12)• Purchased

• Forgiven

The Spirit Sealed Us (vs. 13-14)• Assured the inheritance

The Blessing:3 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,

The Father Selected Us: 4 even as he chose us in him before the

foundation of the world, that we should be

holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he

predestined us for adoption as sons through

Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his

will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with

which he has blessed us in the Beloved

The Son Saved Us:

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

The Spirit Sealed Us:13 In him you also, when you heard the word

of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and

believed in him, were sealed with the

promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee

of our inheritance until we acquire

possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

3 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,

Blessed be to God• By praising Him for

what he has done.

• By showing grace to others

His blessings to us:• When? Aorist tense

“Has blessed us”

• How? “Every Spiritual Blessing”

• Where? “heavenly places”

4 even as he chose us in

him before the

foundation of the world,

that we should be holy

and blameless before

him. In love

The Father Chose us

• When? before the

foundation of the world

• Why? So we may be

holy and blameless

before the Father, in

love

5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved

He predestined (foreordained,

predetermined) us• Why? Motive For us: To be adopted

children

For Him: To the praise of his glorious grace

• How? Through Jesus Christ

• According to the purpose of his will

Acts 4:25–28 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Romans 8:29–30 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

He Foreknew them He Predestined themHe called them He justified them He glorified them.

Acts 13:46–48 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

It is God “who has blessed” (verse 3), chosen (verse 4),“predestined,” “freely bestowed” (verse 5), lavished redemption and forgiveness (verses

7–8), “made known” and “purposed” (verse 9),

given an inheritance, working everything according to His will (verse 11),

sealed (verse 13), and given the Holy Spirit (verse 14). Therefore, it will be His glory that is praised (vv.

6, 12 and 14).

“Only two times in the entire doxology does Paul clearly refer to a necessary human activity. In verse thirteen, he declares the two pre-conditions of the Holy Spirit’s sealing: hearing and believing, both of which are also dependent on divine activity.”

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 2:4–5 4 But God, being rich in mercy,

because of the great love with which he loved

us, 5 even when we were dead in our

trespasses, made us alive together with

Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Ephesians 2:8–9 8 For by grace you have been

saved through faith. And this is not your own

doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of

works, so that no one may boast.

Illustration of a Parade

Illustration of an Ocean Liner (A. W. Tozer)

“An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty. “On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port. “Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history.”

Knowledge Of The Holy, A.W. Tozer

Many people want to know their election before they look to Christ. But they cannot learn it thus; it is only to be discovered by ‘looking unto Jesus.’ Look to Jesus, believe on Him, and you shall make proof of your election directly, for as surely as you believe, you are elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then you are one of God’s chosen ones. Go to Jesus just as you are. Go straight to Christ, hide in His wounds, and you shall know your election.

Christ was at the everlasting council. He can tell you whether you were chosen or not, but you cannot find out in any other way. Go and put your trust in Him. There will be no doubt about His having chosen you, when you have chosen Him. -Charles Spurgeon

John 1:11–13 11 He came to his own, and his

own people did not receive him. 12 But to all

who did receive him, who believed in his

name, he gave the right to become children

of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of

the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but

of God.

Those who are elect do follow Christ:• John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know

them, and they follow Me.”

Those who perish do so because they did

not receive the truth:• II Thessalonians 2:10 “and with all the deception

of wickedness for those who perish, because they

did not receive the love of the truth so as to be

saved.”

God’s choice does not eliminate the need for man’s exercise of faith:• II Thessalonians 2:10 “But we should always give

thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

• I Timothy 6:12: “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

God’s choice does not eliminate man’s need

to teach the truth:• II Timothy 2:24-5 “And the Lord’s bond-servant must

not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach,

patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting

those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant

them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

and they may come to their senses and escape from

the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him

to do his will.”

• Charles Spurgeon

John 3:16–18 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

… That you have been chosen from the foundation of the world?

… That you have been predestined to be a child of God?

Believe that Jesus is the only begotten son of God. Believe that you are a sinner. Believe that he died for your sins. Believe he rose from the dead and sits beside the Father interceding in your behalf.

Receive Him. Believe in Him.