What does it mean to be God's chosen? "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (Eph 1:4-6)." The chosen are believers. What it means for us is God had believers in mind before he created the world. We are not simply an afterthought. We are his chosen people. God often referred to the Old Testament Israelites as his chosen people but in a different capacity. Israel was a chosen race to receive certain blessings not because they were better than the other nations but simply out of the grace of God. In a similar way we are a chosen people, chosen to receive certain blessings not because we are better than anyone else but rather because of God's grace. This blessing is the gift of eternal life.
Through God's work we are made his sons. Through Jesus Christ we are able to carry out God's Mission. Again we see the centrality of God's Mission. God's Mission unifies everything in the universe.
What does it mean to be God's chosen? Being God's chosen reveals to us that God is not merely reacting to his creation but rather had a plan from the beginning. It tells us we are not an afterthought but an important piece in God's Mission. It also tell us of the great love that God has in giving us blessings, not for anything that we have done, but out of his glorious grace.
Interact with Scripture/QuestionsRead Eph 2:1-10. What is the concept talked about in vs. 1-3?
Vs. 4-8?
Vs. 8-9?
Vs. 10?
How does a deeper understanding of God deepen your worship of him?
What are the many things God is teaching about himself in this passage?
Prayer: Thank God for his incredible grace and mercy.
Scripture ReferencesEph 2:[1] As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
[4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
[9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
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