Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."
Text: Ephesians 1:5
AN APPLICATION OF THE GOOD PLEASURE OF GOD’S WILL
How would God express His goodwill towards man? Paul combined a number of thoughts:-
1. Combination of two important phrases
In order to understand Paul’s thoughts properly, we need to combine two phrases:
“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”
EPHESIANS 1:4“Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ…”
EPHESIANS 1:5
a) “Chosen” (“eklegomai”) and “Predestined” (‘proorizo”)
These are two very closely related concepts. If we appreciate that God has the sovereign right to “choose”, then He certainly also has the same prerogative to “predestine”.
b) “Before the foundation of the world” and “Predestined”
These statements are consistently used. If God did choose and predestine, when did He do it? Paul offers a profound answer- “before the foundation of the word.” Lost in the antiquity of time, God in the good pleasure of His will disclosed His good favor to sinful humanity.
2. “Adoption as sons”
Paul states in precise theological expression, what the Lord Jesus sought to teach Nicodemus in concept (Cf. John 3).
a) One must be “born again”. John 3:3
b) This birth comes from a special act of the Holy Spirit. John 3:5-6
c) This new birth through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12) is technically called “the adoption of sons”.
A FURTHER WORD OF EXPLANATION ON “SONSHIP”
Paul explained the glorious nature of being sons of God in his epistle to the Romans.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God.”
ROMANS 8:14, 16
DEEP GRATITUDE
We must never allow the wonder and the joy of being called “sons of God” fade away and relegated to an undefined and obscure feeling. Let us be challenged to say like Paul, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” as we ponder His goodwill toward us.