Predestined Adoption Series

Seven Spiritual Blessings

Part 3

Predestined Adoption

Foundational Text: Eph. 1:3-14

Text: Eph. 1:5-6

Intro: We have been looking for the past couple of weeks at spiritual blessings

- these are blessings that we overlook many times

- that we have a tendency to take for granted

- the reason it is so important for us to recognize and apply these spiritual blessings to our lives is because we are spiritual beings

We make decisions based on our spirit

- if our spirit is week we will make our decisions based on emotion and feelings

- if our spirit is strong we will make decisions based on righteousness and the word of God

- for this very reason Gods greatest blessings for your life are spiritual

Last week we looked at our first spiritual blessing Holy and Blameless

- Jesus made it possible for us to be above reproach

- Without guilt and shame

- This means the devil can no longer approach God and accuse us of our past sins

- We are above reproach

- We are protected

- The only way the devil can lay claim to us again is to tempt us or entice us away from God

- He can not come in and get us he has to draw us out

Read foundational text:

Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Our focus tonight is going to be on Vs 5&6

Let’s look at it again

Ephesians 1:5-6 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

I. Predestinated

I want to look at this word for just a bit

- there is a lot of confusion around this word

- there are even some groups that believe in what they call predestination

- in other words there are only a chosen few who will make heaven and there is nothing you can do ether way to change it

This is not what this scripture is talking about

This is not what this word even means

Adam Clark gives us a good definition of the word

“It is a boundary or a limit”

- a fixed purpose

- A predetermined boundary

- A border

It was originally a term used in geography

In our text this word was used to make the point that God had predetermined or that God had a fixed purpose and that purpose was that the gentiles would be able to receive the same blessing as the Jew

In other words

- You and I as adopted sons and daughters can partake of all the blessings that God has for His people

- This wasn’t something that God thought up at the last minute

- This was something He had predetermined from the beginning of time

- He had a predetermined purpose for you and me

- He never intended to leave us out of His plan

- We were a part of His plan before the foundation of the world

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…