Ephesians 1:4, commentary and pictures

Before the world was made God chose in Christ those who would be his, that they should stand holy and faultless before him in love. This choosing is not shut up to a few, but takes in all who receive Christ by faith and return to full obedience, for election rests on mercy and grace and not on merit, works or feeling, and each person is free to accept or refuse it. From eternity the Father and the Son joined in the plan of rescue, Christ pledging himself to become substitute and surety, to bear the penalty of transgression and give his blood for forgiveness, so that all are bought and none need be lost. The purpose of that choice is a holy life, wrought by sanctification through obedience to the truth, by which desires are brought into conformity to God's will and the soul, body and spirit are cleansed and made complete in Christ. It is given as assurance and hope to the truly converted, that the Lord loves and pities every weakness and will strengthen and bless all who trust him, and they are to claim it by faith and grow in grace unto the life to come.

Choice Before Creation

God chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world, before the world began, that they should be holy and without blame, holy and blameless, before him in love. This choosing is received through Christ's saving work by those who respond to his drawing, humble themselves, and receive and obey God's word, who are counted among his elect and become his obedient children. It belongs to the plan of redemption, bringing through Christ's sacrifice redemption, forgiveness of sins, and acceptance by grace. It is joined to adoption as children through Jesus Christ and to praise for the glory of grace by which they are accepted in Christ. It includes all who accept Christ as personal Saviour and return to loyalty and full obedience to his commandments, for those willing to be saved by Christ are God's elect and the obedient are predestined from the foundation of the world.

Before the earth was founded, before the foundations of the earth were laid, God chose in Christ those who would become holy and blameless before him through the grace provided. That choosing in Christ before the foundation of the world was a covenant made from eternity, afterward given to Abraham hundreds of years, centuries, before Christ came. In that covenant all who are obedient and who through the abundant grace provided become holy in character and without blame before God by appropriating, receiving, that grace shall be, become, children of God, and those who obey and receive that grace are adopted as God's children. Christ in humanity studied the human race with interest and intensity to see if they would avail themselves of the provision offered.

God has blessed believers with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, having chosen them in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before him in love. That teaching came through Paul, whose judgment is reliable because formed under the teaching of the Holy Spirit and whose knowledge is pure, elevating and ennobling, and the whole teaching is precious instruction for every soul. This choosing is joined to predestination to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, to acceptance in the Beloved, to redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace, and to making known the mystery of his will.

The choice is an assurance of acceptance with God repeated again and again through the chapter, and an assurance and personal message to those striving for the eternal kingdom, to be studied and claimed in all its depth and fullness by faith. It is for the truly converted instead of leaning on the arm of the law and trusting in worldly powers. It calls believers to trust God's promises rather than give priority to the enemy's doubts, since they have been bought at infinite cost and have no reason to distrust Christ's assurances.

Every human being is of consequence to God, of consequence with God. This choice of God in Christ before the foundation of the world unto holiness and blamelessness in love is joined to adoption as God's children through Jesus Christ and to the praise of his glorious grace.

Election Includes All Believers

The choosing before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame in love is not restricted to a few but embraces all who accept Christ as personal Saviour and return to loyalty and obedience to God. Those willing to be saved by Christ are God's elect, and it is the obedient who are predestined from the foundation of the world. No wall keeps any living soul from salvation, for predestination includes all who come to God through faith in His Son given to die for them so that they become one with God. God chooses from among men a peculiar people, and their complete rescue displays the praise and glory of His grace, power and wisdom. That return to loyalty means full obedience to all His commandments.

People become God's elect through faith in Christ as substitute and surety, by responding to His drawing, humbling themselves, and receiving and obeying God's word to become His obedient children. This election rests on God's mercy and grace, not on human merit. No human merit, works, or strong feelings admits a soul into God's presence or proves election, for the elect are chosen through Christ. What makes a person acceptable to God is the imparted grace of Christ through faith in His name.

God wills that all should be saved and made ample provision by giving His only-begotten Son to pay man's ransom. He does not force anyone to obey, but each person is free to accept or refuse His offer of mercy. Those who perish do so because pride hinders them from accepting salvation and they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus. The gift of Jesus makes eternal life possible for all on these terms.

No one unprepared for heaven enters heaven, and no one sanctified and fitted for the heavenly kingdom fails of election to that kingdom. Christ the Redeemer, who chose from the foundation of the world, has paid the election price and the redemption price for every human being, so all have been redeemed and no one need be lost. Election is entered in God's appointed way by repentance from sin and intelligent faith in Christ as Redeemer. Those who receive Christ as personal Saviour are given power to become sons and daughters of God and receive entitlement to eternal life, being washed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to partake of the divine nature and escape worldly corruption. God elects those working on the plan of addition.

All blessings come through union with Christ, who chose His people before the foundation of the world. The choice includes all who receive and believe and practice the truth, chosen to be united to Him by adoption as members of the royal family. Because He made atonement for sin, all who by faith receive Him as Saviour become sons of God, made holy and blameless before Him in love.

It is the will of God that believers be so thoroughly identified with His Son that they shall be one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father. Through faith the entire soul, body and spirit may be bound up with Christ in God, wholly one with Christ. By accepting Christ as personal Saviour a person is brought into the same close relation to God and enjoys His special favor as does His own beloved Son, sharing in the very same love wherewith Christ is loved by the Father. Such a one is honored and glorified and intimately associated with God, with life hid with Christ in God. He is made a sharer in Christ's glory, which is the character of Christ.

Redemption Through Christ's Sacrifice

The choosing in Christ before the foundation of the world belongs to the plan of redemption and stands joined to predestination to adoption as children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, to acceptance in the Beloved, to redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of grace, and to making known the mystery of his will. This gracious purpose leads to adoption, acceptance, redemption, and forgiveness, and it is part of the spiritual blessings given in Christ to the praise of glorious grace. The blessing calls for dying to self, living to God, and following in Christ's footsteps, for Christ's mission is to save sinners from their sins. Salvation is offered through Christ not as permission to continue in sin but as rescue from sin that leads to an obedient, holy life. Receiving an increase of grace involves making use of the light already given and continuing to seek, ask, and knock.

The Father and the Son provided salvation in Christ before the world's foundation for the benefit of the whole world. Christ pledged to become humanity's substitute and surety if people were led into sin, giving them a second trial, and even breaking the smallest commandment is disobedience. His divinity bore the transgressor's sins, and his ransom provides peace to those who receive him, so that by receiving Christ through faith people receive spiritual blessings in him. The Father and the Son joined in the plan made before the foundation of the world, and Christ undertook to be humanity's substitute and surety in the ransom of the lost. The gift and sacrifice of the Son reveal the Father's love, while the cross also shows God's justice and the unchanging holiness of his law.

In the councils of heaven before the foundation of the world provision was made for the repenting sinner that Christ would take the penalty of transgression and impute his righteousness. When a sinner comes to Christ conscious of guilt and unworthiness and deserving punishment, yet relying on Christ's mercy and love, he is not turned away but appropriates pardoning love. The greatness of this eternal provision overwhelms with amazement and calls forth joyful gratitude, praise, and songs for infinite compassion and love. God's purposes for humanity were established before the world was created, and though he knew rebellion would occur he did not shape his purposes to force events to happen. His plan for the defection of heavenly beings included an offering prepared to save fallen humanity.

Before creation a plan was devised for saving people which Christ followed not for his own sake only but for human sake, preparing the way by conquering in human behalf and enabling people to conquer in their own behalf by faith in his power. His victory is the guarantee of success in winning souls to him. The covenant made before the world was created appointed Christ's suffering and death as the way to save the world from sin. The Father and the Son determined that Satan would not be left free to exercise cruel power over humanity, and this purpose would lead not to defeat but to glorious, eternal victory, with the gift of Jesus making eternal life possible. Salvation is complete because Christ came as Redeemer and offered himself as the true sacrifice. The animal sacrifices represented him but could not cleanse the conscience, while through Christ's offering believers are sanctified, and because his sacrifice was complete and made once for all, when the types met fulfillment in Christ there could be no second probation for humanity. Christ loves fallen humanity with everlasting love and has chosen his people to be holy and irreprovable in his presence, and the love and choosing are proved by the Son wounded and bruised on Calvary where he purchased the church at infinite cost with his own blood.

Holiness Through Sanctification

Holiness and sanctification are God's purpose and object in all His dealings, for He chose in Christ from eternity that His people should be holy, bringing desires and inclinations into conformity with His will. Christ gave Himself for redemption so that through faith in His power to save from sin His people may be made complete in Him, sanctified through obedience to the truth. That holiness requires personal surrender and a life conformed to God's image and guided by His Spirit rather than empty profession, and it is fulfilled in love and practical godliness.

Sanctification is the progressive work of a lifetime in which human desires and inclinations are brought into conformity to the divine will. That holiness is given in Christ and given through His Word as bread from heaven, to be received by partaking of Christ for eternal life. It means sanctification of soul, body, and spirit, with the conscience purged from dead works to serve the living God. God gave Himself to die to purify His chosen from all iniquity, and He carries on this work of perfection in them as they allow themselves to be controlled and led by Him, for their good and for His own name's glory. This surrounding work clothes them with the atmosphere of heaven and keeps self from being made god.

Christ gave Himself to purify from iniquity, and God carries that work forward as the will is yielded to His control in reliance on faith that works through love. Holiness is not inherited at birth nor given by another person, but is God's gift through Christ. His law tolerates no sin and demands perfect obedience, and His call is to ever-increasing holiness. Believers are to be so identified with Christ that character shows His likeness and the love He expressed, the Father loving them as He loves His Son while they share Christ's peace, joy, and glory, and this Christlikeness is the measure of character and evidence of loyalty to God.

Being chosen is a wonderful possibility and fullness every follower has the privilege of receiving, as large as Christ asking the Father to bestow nothing less than the character He revealed. It means being sanctified and cleansed to be presented glorious without spot or wrinkle, predestined to adoption as children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, made accepted in the Beloved. This calling belongs with God's purpose to adopt through Christ and accept by grace, and its aim is a life and character shaped by true godliness. Knowledge gained through living connection with God forms people fit to be companions of the saints in light and for immortal life.

The calling is lived out through trust in God, daily prayerful study of His Word, and practical godliness, for Christ died to cleanse from iniquity and make a people His own, zealous for good works. God's grace renews in His image, and truth must sanctify the whole being to reflect Christ and to be holy and without blame in the great day of God. God makes a person pure and without fault before Him when the will is yielded to the Lord's will through the help of Jesus. That holiness is seen in clean, pure, sanctified words from the lips, in kindness and tenderness to children at all times, and in a spirit and example as a minister of the gospel that others can follow.

Christ chose a people from the foundation of the world to be peculiarly His own, one with Christ and wedded to Christ, chosen and named for Himself and redeemed from among men to do willingly whatever He tells them. If they continue in devoted service He holds communion with them. They come out from the world and stay separate from worldlings, keeping close beside Christ to do everything to the glory of God. They are made good and refined by the impartation of Christ's grace, living as docile children who hear words of truth and obey them because they are truth, ever learning from Him. God chose His people in Christ from eternity to be obedient, holy, and without blame before Him in love, made possible through His Son's death and grace, calling for continual growth in knowledge and virtue and full conformity to God's will. Human effort can shape outward conduct but cannot cleanse or change the heart; Christ's power alone gives new life, awakens the soul, and draws it to holiness.

Assurance and Daily Living

The verse opens up the unsearchable riches of Christ, the treasure of grace freely offered to fallen humanity through a plan of redemption laid by sacrifice and gift. It sets before believers the privileges and opportunities and the hope and confidence given by and through Jesus Christ the righteous, their Advocate and Redeemer, giving rich encouragement and uplifting Christ.

God has blessed believers with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, and this choosing before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before Him in love stands among those blessings and grace given through Christ. This calling is joined to adoption as children through Jesus Christ and to acceptance in the Beloved to the praise of glorious grace, to reveal His glory through believing children. That holiness and blamelessness in love is to be the actual condition of those connected with His work, the men placed in churches and institutions who seek Him with the whole heart and to whom He will be a present help in need, and it is one of the Christian's privileges.

The verse means the Lord loves and pities every weakness and will certainly strengthen and bless all who trust Him, because it would not satisfy the heart of the infinite God to give to those who love His Son any less blessing than He gives His Son. The choice in Christ also predestines believers to adoption as children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, makes them accepted in the Beloved, and gives redemption through His blood, even forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. This blessing calls for dying to self, living to God, and following in Christ's footsteps.

This choice has purpose for life now: to gain an experience preparing for the life to come, requiring instruction and personal work, where obedience rather than dependence on feelings reveals faith in God's Word. Its purpose is plain that believers seek holiness and improve on received light as they grow in grace, actively seeking God, resisting evil, striving in faith and prayer, and keeping self from supremacy. Standing blameless requires earnest effort, yet redemption is not earned by good works, which are the fruit of faith, and the faith that meets the calling works through love and purifies the soul, with increase of grace coming by using light already given and continuing to seek, ask, and knock.

This truth is meant to enter the soul as a reforming power in both preachers and hearers. The chapter also shows the Lord's order for gospel work, that zeal, fervor, and energy must continue in saving perishing souls, yet all time and means must not be consumed on one line of work or one class that will not honor God and represent the refined, elevated character of truth. Neglecting the vineyard as a whole while concentrating on one part brings disproportion and sways the work into wrong lines. The decree given before the world was made assures Christ that truth empowered by the Holy Spirit will overcome evil and His followers will ultimately share in victory, though their lives may not appear victorious now, their victories will be recognized hereafter.