LIVING IN CHRIST – Included In Christ
Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.
INTRODUCTION:
Opening Illustration: Growing up we all wanted to be included. Do you remember what it was like when teams were picked at recess? Where you one of those who everyone wanted to have on your team? Or were you one of the last ones to be picked, or worse did team captains argue trying to give you to the other team?
I. In Christ we are CHOSEN.
Ephesians 1:4 NIV
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
1. How can God be sovereign and man be free to choose at the same time?
a) The doctrine of election has to do with God’s choice. Many understand what Paul says here in verse 4 as well as verse 5 to teach that God has chosen some to salvation and others to damnation. For them you are either chosen as a member of the elect unto eternal salvation or you aren’t and there is nothing you can do about it because God’s rule is absolute. That is because God is sovereign, we are powerless to effect a change in God’s election of the saved and the unsaved.
ILLUSTRATION: It is as though God looked down from heaven and said, “I pick you and you, but not you or you.” In the case of the Ephesians God would have saw these helpless people bowing down before the goddess Diana worshipping her image said to have fallen from heaven and suddenly God’s heart was moved with compassion to send the gospel to their city so they would be saved.
b) God does not choose to include some to the exclusion of others. Instead God chose “before the creation of the world” a people. Whenever Paul deals with election and predestination he does so collectively and not individually—God’s choice is plural and not individual because the emphasis is upon those IN CHRIST.
2. Remember Paul’s emphasis is that believers are IN CHRIST.
a) The verb “chose” is in the middle voice meaning God chose a people “in Himself.” The emphasis of what Paul says in verses 3-14 is being IN CHRIST or in the sphere of Christ. Again in the Greek this is one long run-on sentence of 202 words that we have translated into English using 266 words, 7 sentences and 2 paragraphs. We have taken the whole of Paul’s thought and breaking it into its parts and focused on the pieces instead of the whole.
b) The main idea behind the doctrine of election and predestination is that God took the initiative to provide for salvation in Christ. The emphasis is upon the method of salvation in Christ and not upon the individuals being chosen unto salvation or damnation.
ILLUSTRATION: As Americans we’ll understand this. God gives everyone a car of their very own; we hold the title free and clear. We all receive the same make and model; it’s a car that will never rust and will last a lifetime. God has given us the car “Freedom.” We’ve all have freedom to chose to go wherever we want whenever we want to go.
As we travel down the road of life, we see signs warning us of a bridge out. We have never seen this missing bridge. More than that we have driven over lots of bridges that seem more than capable of taking us where we want to go. Nevertheless the warnings are posted for all to see.
We have noticed that with each warning there is a train station. Many strange people have parked their cars to ride the monorail called “the Way.” Passengers are taken where they want to go, but more impotently those who board “The Way” are given a guarantee that the monorail will take them safely over the cavern where the bridge is out.
Those still driving their car “Freedom” can’t imagine why anyone would want to give up the joys of the open road to be confined to a monorail; it’s so restrictive to have to stay on the “right track.” Why should anyone board a train to take you safely over a cavern with a mysterious missing bridge?
Those on the train know—THE BRIDGE REALLY IS OUT. All those riding in their personal car of “Freedom” ignore the warnings and discover too late that the bridge really is missing. They thought with “Freedom” they could choose to take their own path to heaven. Some may have stopped by an auto parts store to buy a variety of options that claimed to protect their car in the event of a sudden bridge collapse. They think they have found another way to guarantee their safety only to end up in a fiery crash at the bottom of a dark cavern because the bridge was out and only the monorail train called “the Way” can safely get its passengers across the cavern of sin and death into heaven.
c) God made a choice and His election is absolute. Only those onboard the monorail “the Way” will arrive safely in heaven. God determined that only those who are IN CHRIST will be saved and all those who chose to remain outside His provision IN CHRIST will be condemned.
3. God chose a people in Himself or to be in Christ “before the creation of the world,” but individually we are included in Christ by faith.
Ephesians 1:13 NIV
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
a) We find here a powerful combination of T-n-T: Truth-n-Trust. God has taken the initiative. God loved the world so much he gave His one and only Son. Jesus laid down His life on the cross so that through His death we might have life. This is the good news of the gospel that has been preached to us.
b) Through the proclamation of the truth we in turn come to trust God for our salvation. We believe that God will do for us what He said He would do. We are included—chosen to be IN CHRIST, not because of any good works or legalistic righteousness. Instead it is through simple childlike faith in what God has done for us through Christ.
c) IN CHRIST we are chosen, and
II. In Christ we are PREDESTINED.
Ephesians 1:5-6 NIV
4 . . . In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
1. Don’t forget God’s motive.
a) We have been predestined in Christ because of God’s great love for us!
b) God does this because it is His good pleasure and will. God finds no pleasure that anyone should perish.
2 Peter 3:9 NIV
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
c) God does it for His glory and praise.
2. Predestined means to determine ahead of time.
a) We think predestined means destiny—that our end of being in heaven or hell is determined ahead of time. Yet no where does scripture teach that anyone is predestined to a place—to heaven or hell.
b) Let’s get back on our mono-rail train called “the Way.” We are all accustomed to making travel arrangements. We can purchase tickets to go to a certain place. And before we go we can find out about where we are going—we can see pictures of the places that we hope to stand and soon see for ourselves. So as we make our cross-country trip we can talk about the place we hope to be. But talking about our destination—even showing other travelers pictures of the place we are going is not the same as being there. And just being on the train does not guarantee that we will arrive there. Because as we travel we may sit and look out the window, and as the train pulls into the next station to let new passengers get onboard, we may decide to get off the train and enjoy a ride in our car called “Freedom.” With each mile we dive we get further away from our destination and ever closer to the bridge that is out. We have no guarantee that we will make it back onboard the train before it is too late.
b) As Christians we can imagine heaven but that doesn’t guarantee that we will arrive there. We must remain IN CHRIST.
3. Before the creation of the world God chose us IN HIM. Before Adam and Eve took their first breath God predestined in love that those in Christ would be adopted as His children. This leads us to a question:
III. WHY has God in Christ chosen and predestined us? What is God’s purpose?
Ephesians 1:4-5 NIV
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ,
1. Adopted as His children – we should bear a family resemblance.
2. We are to be HOLY AND BLAMLESS.
Romans 8:29-30 NIV
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
a) We are to be like Jesus! Holy and blameless. But there is more:
Ephesians 1:9-10 NIV
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
b) In Christ we are chosen and predestined because God let in on the secret: What is the secret? HIS WILL PURPOSED IN CHRIST—THE SALVATION OF THE LOST.
CONCLUSION:
1)
Application:
1. God made a choice and predestined—determined ahead of time that all those who respond to the gospel of Christ will be saved. Will you respond to the word of truth and receive Christ as your savior today?
2. Maybe you thought all of life just happened by fate, that you had no choice in the matter because it was predestined to happen. God was motivated by love and you have blamed God for the hurt in your life. Will you let God bring healing to your hurt today as you release God from the responsibility of your pain?
3. Are you struggling with a decision in your life wondering what God’s will is? God makes His will known to you—it is not a secret. Ask God to renew your mind, to stop worrying about the future so you can hear His voice direct your steps. Trust God to make His purposes known in your life through His word and by His Spirit.
