Some time ago, I began a study through Ephesians on my day off (Monday) and I put up my notes and commentary on Mondays. But, being my day off, I quickly got tired of typing it out and tossing it on the internet. But I have decided to make those notes available to you again. Here are my notes on Ephesians 1:1-2 and here are my notes on Ephesians 1:3. Without further ado...
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. -- Ephesians 1:4a
even as...
Verse four starts up in the middle of a sentence. Verse three declared that God is to be blessed and that God has blessed us with tons of spiritual blessings. So the even as is connecting us back to that. Even as He has blessed us with tons of spiritual blessings...
He chose us
Isn't it a wonderful feeling when someone chooses you? As kids we long to be chosen by the team captains at recess and we dread being among the last to be chosen cause its more like the captain is getting stuck with us than choosing us. As adults we love it when we are chosen for promotions and leadership at work. In relationships we are excited that someone would choose to spend time with us or choose to marry us and spend their lives with us. Being chosen is a great feeling.
Here we see that God Himself has chosen us. God has intentionally looked through the earth and picked you and I. God didn't get stuck with us. God didn't pass us up for someone better than us. He has purposefully chosen us. What a great feeling! I matter to God!
This may be controversial, but let's ask the question: Who is the "us" in this verse? Who did God choose? Is it everyone? Well, Paul has already made clear who He is writing to. In verse one, he made it clear that he was writing to the saints in Ephesus. We learned earlier that saints is a term that can be applied to all believers in Christ. I believe the "us" in this passage is referring to believers in Christ and not every person ever. God chose us, not everyone. That leaves me speechless that God would choose me.
in Him
In who? I believe the Him here is referring to Christ. Verse three showed us that our spiritual blessings are "in Christ". Likewise, I believe that God has chosen us "in Christ". What's that mean? It goes back to this amazing idea that permeates the New Testament that those who are believers are "in Christ". We stand in Him. We have died to sin in Him. We have risen to new life in Him. We are righteous in Him. We are precious in Him. When God looks at us, He sees Christ because we are in Him. God chose for us to be "in Christ".
before the foundation of the world
When did God choose us? Did He choose me when I put my faith in Christ? Did He choose me when I repented of my sin? Did He choose me when I chose to follow Him? Did He choose me when I got baptized? No. He chose us way before any of that! He chose us before He had even created the world! He chose us before we had done anything to earn His favor. He chose us before we even had a chance to prove our faith or love or goodness. He chose us before it all began.
that
This word is incredibly important here. "That" is going to show us the purpose for which God chose us. Look at these sentences. I go to work, that I might make money. I worked out last night, that I would be fit and healthy. The word "that" in these cases is showing us a cause and effect relationship and revealing the motive behind the action. Going to work is the cause and has the effect of making money. The motive behind my going to work was to make money. In the same way, working out is the cause and has the effect of making me fit and healthy. The motive behind working out is to become healthy and fit.
So the cause in this sentence is God chose us in Him. What effect will that have on us? What was His motive for choosing us? In other words, what did God believe would be the end result of Him choosing us?
we would be holy and blameless
The end result is us being holy and blameless. "Holy" means to be set apart from the rest. The china plates at your house are "holy". They aren't for the regular guests and everyday meals. The fine china is set apart for the holidays because it is special, worth more, and exquisite. In Christ, we are set apart from the rest of the world. We are special and of great worth to God. "Blameless" means to be so righteous and sinless that no one can even accuse you of any sin. In Christ, we are blameless. Our sin has been entirely washed away and no one can hold our past sins against us because the guilt, shame, and blame have been removed!
Now don't miss what this is saying. God doesn't simply desire for us to be holy and blameless. I don't simply desire to make money, I make money by going to work. I don't simply desire to be healthy and fit, I make myself fit and healthy by working out. God doesn't simply desire for us to be holy and blameless, He makes us holy and blameless by choosing us! Before I put my faith in Christ, even before the foundations of the world, God chose me. And why did I become a believer who is now holy and blameless through faith in Jesus? Because God chose me.
before Him
Its one thing to seem holy and blameless to the people in this world. As a pastor, I know a lot of people who treat me like I'm some super holy and perfect person. There are kids at my church who are shocked when I tell them about a time when I lied or stole because they have me on this high pedestal. I try to discourage that as much as I can so they know we all need Jesus, but my point is that its somewhat easy to get some people thinking we are holy and blameless.
But this passage is saying that we would be holy and blameless before God Himself! God, who knows all things and sees all things, who can see right past our lies and into our hearts, and who has heard every thought we ever thought, is our Judge. And before Him, we are holy and blameless! How can this be?
I'm not even holy and blameless before myself! I don't even pass my own moral standards. How could I possibly pass God's? By being in Christ. When God looks at a believer in Christ, He doesn't see our sin and shame. Instead, He sees Jesus' righteousness. He chose us to be in Christ, before we had done anything to deserve it and before the world had even been created, to ensure that we would be holy and blameless before the toughest Judge in all the universe.
Application
How do you view yourself? Do you feel worthless? Do you feel like a loser, an outcast? If you are a believer in Christ, then meditate on this. God has chosen you! Before He created the world, He was thinking about you! He desired to make you special and set apart like fine china! Let that truth sink in and don't buy into the lies that you are worthless!
Are you in Christ? Have you trusted Jesus who lived the sinless life that you have failed to live, died the death to take the wrath and judgment that you deserved, and rose from the dead to give you new life? Do you feel conviction for your sins? Remember, the question isn't whether or not you are holy and blameless before your own eyes or before you peers, but are you holy and blameless before God Himself. Do you feel an urging to get right with God? If you do, I believe that is the Holy Spirit leading you to Christ because God has chosen you. What are you waiting for? Put your faith in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and begin your new life with Him today. Talk to your local pastor or me for help in taking your first steps of faith!
If you are a believer in Christ, then you are holy and blameless. Stop striving to reach that point on your own to please God and rest in the fact that He has made you so through what Christ has done. Give thanks to God for that. And from that point, live out who God has already declared you to be. As a holy and blameless son or daughter of God, what things in your life do you need to change or repent of to live in your God given identity?
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