In His Name Devotionals
GOD'S PURPOSE
In His Name Devotionals
GOD'S PURPOSE
“Having been predestined according to (God’s) purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11 NIV)
Paul says that God “chose us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4). In verse 11 he reiterates that marvelous truth by affirming that Christians have been predestined to salvation according to God’s own purpose and will.
While the above Holy Scriptures do state that God chose (“predestined”) Christians, it needs to also be pointed out that the Holy Scriptures also teach that mankind must make a decision between accepting or rejecting Christ. The Word of God teaches that salvation involves an act of man’s will in the following ways: believing in Christ, repenting of or turning from sin, confessing Christ, and being baptized for the remission of sins, thus embracing Christ, i.e., born again, walking in newness of life (Romans 6:1-6). In studying the Holy Scriptures, it is vital to never forget that God never contradicts Himself. Thus, the issue in Ephesians 1:4, 11 must go deeper. It is a question of initiative. Did God choose you on the basis of your faith in Him, or did He, by choosing you, enable you to respond in faith?
Romans 3:11 says that no one seeks for God on his own. Unregenerate people have no capacity to understand spiritual truth; it is all foolishness to them (1 Corinthians 2:14). They are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), blind (2 Corinthians 4:4), and ignorant (Ephesians 4:18).
How can people in that condition initiate faith? They can’t! That’s why Jesus said, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him...All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:44,37). Paul added, “God...has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Timothy 1:8-9).
God took the initiative by allowing His Son to die on the cross. When you accepted His marvelous Word, He chose you and gave you faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rejoice in that truth. Draw strength and assurance from His promise never to let you go. (John 10:27-29) Then live each day as God’s elected one by shunning sin and following after holiness.
