Praise to a Sovereign God for Changing Us!

This is like looking at the blueprint.’ Into eternity we go, we find God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, all three mentioned in the first great paean and praise that runs through verse 14, all having their part in the master-planning of the body of Christ. And we have seen at least initially, last time, how we are part of that marvelous body.

Ephesians 1:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:3–6 KJV 1900

3 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.

Ephesians 1:7–14 KJV 1900

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.

An About Face:

Ephesians 1:4 (KJV 1900)

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:

We are holy in practice but declared blameless in position.

In Application: holy

When we are saved, we become “saints”, v. 1.

We become a “holy thing”, set apart for the Master’s use.

Now, we all know that we all fall short in our practice. None of us is as holy as he or she should be. We also know that we are not a wicked as we used to be.

In other words, if you are saved, there has been a change in your life, 2 Cor. 5:17.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV 1900)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

You have been set apart and you have been commanded to live your life under the will of God our Father, 1 Pet. 1:16; 2 Cor. 6:17. He purchased us to Himself when Jesus Christ died for us on the cross,

1 Peter 1:18–19 KJV 1900

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Now, we are His! He owns us in both body and in spirit,

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV 1900

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

If we are saved, we are His and we are not what we used to be! We have been radically and fundamentally changed by the power of His Spirit.

In Arrangement: without blame

blameless = faultless, without blemish, unblameable.

It is the same word that would be used to describe the condition of the perfect animal sacrifice.

Remember, we are not without fault or perfect. However, we have been justified

Romans 5:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

That fancy word “justified” has simply been defined as “just as I have not sinned” because it means “to render or declare you to be just, righteous, as you should be.”

Upon our calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation, God imputes, another word we don’t use much that means to place to ones account, thereby declaring us perfect in Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:20–25 (KJV 1900)

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

When God sees one of His redeemed children, He does not see a sinner fit for Hell, He sees a saint worthy of Heaven! He does not see us as we are; He sees us as He has made us in Jesus.

In Christ, we are complete.

Colossians 2:10 (KJV 1900)

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

In Jesus we are secure and we are headed for glory, not because of what we have done, but all because of the perfect, finished work of Christ on the cross!

An Adoption:

Ephesians 1:5 (KJV 1900)

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

Absolute Decision:

Predestination is not God saying from eternity that this man is going to heaven and this other man is going to hell. No, predestination is what God does for saved people.

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

What that means is this: that I have been chosen by God.

God, before He made this world, determined that He was going to have His Church. And then, because of His choice of me, and I chose Him—because of that—then God says, “That settles it.

That teenage boy, mean as he was, profane, dishonest, disobedient, but he chose me. He repented of his sin.

He chose me.” And God, looking from His abode in eternity, said, “I predestined that young man to be like Jesus.” And friend, that’s where my security is. I am “[predestined] to be conformed to the image of [God’s] Son”

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

And, I want to tell you, what has been predestined in eternity can never be undone in time. I want to tell you that I am as certain for heaven as though I were already there. One day I am going to be like Jesus. I am predestined. It’s settled in the heart and mind of God.

So, what does this absolute decision made before the creation of the world consist of...

We are pre-

Approved Descendants:

Adoption is the divine work wherein God declares regenerated believers to be his beloved sons and daughters and welcomes them into his eternal family.

How do we get into the family of God?

Are we born into the family of God or are we adopted into the family of God?

Be careful how you answer that question, because the answer is yes. Yes, we are born into the family of God, and we are also adopted into the family of God.

The moment we were saved, we were adopted into the family of God. Human adoption is a wonderful thing. When human parents choose a child to adopt, they do so because they have found a child they love and want to be a blessing to.

Adoption has been around for a long time.

When a Roman citizen adopted a child, certain rules applied that brought great benefit to the one being adopted.

The word “adoption” means “to place as a son”.

The picture of adoption is a beautiful picture of what God does for the repentant sinner.

In the ancient world the family was based on a Roman law called “patria potestas”, or “the father’s power”.

The law gave the father absolute authority over his children so long as the father lived. He could work, enslave, sell, and if he wished, he could pronounce the death penalty. Regardless of the child’s adult age, the father held all power over personal and property rights. Therefore, adoption was a serious matter.

Yet, it was a common practice to ensure that a family would not become extinct by having no male children.

When a child was adopted, three legal steps were taken.

1. The adopted son was adopted permanently.

He could not be adopted today and disinherited tomorrow. He became a son of the father—forever. He was eternally secure as a son.

2. The adopted son immediately had all the rights of a legitimate son in the new family.

3. The adopted son completely lost all rights in his old family.

The adopted son was looked upon as a new person, so new that old debts and obligations connected with his former family were cancelled out and abolished as if they never existed.

That is what happened to us when we came to Jesus Christ for salvation. We were instantly adopted into God’s family and became, as the text says, “children”,

Romans 8:15 (KJV 1900)

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

We were removed from our old family, and placed in Jesus.

We were removed from the death and darkness of our past, and reborn into the family and kingdom of God,

Colossians 1:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

So now, in Jesus Christ, we are the sons of God,

1 John 3:2 (KJV 1900)

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Galatians 4:6 (KJV 1900)

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

That will remain our standing throughout eternity!

As adopted, we have been given our position in Christ, we have been given our privileges in Christ, but we have we not fully realize our adoption till the future.

Romans 8:23 (KJV 1900)

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Why would God do this? Paul doesn’t leave us to wonder.

Notice:

An Acknowledgment:

Ephesians 1:5–6 (KJV 1900)

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.

An Acceptance:

Ephesians 1:6 (KJV 1900)

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

Just think about it for a moment: we’re chosen in the past, predestined for the future, and accepted in the present.

Now, what does it mean—“accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)?

Who is the beloved? The beloved is Jesus.

You are accepted because you are in Christ.

Remember, Jesus is called “the beloved Son.” God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son.” To say that you’re “accepted in the beloved” just simply means that you are accepted in Christ. When God sees you, He does not really see you; He sees His Son Jesus, because you are in Christ.

John 17:23 KJV 1900

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Listen, Jesus said in His prayer, that God loves you and me like God loves His Son.

Now, understand that you are not accepted because of you. You are accepted because of Jesus Christ and God’s grace.

Therefore,

You can only be CHANGED by ACCEPTING the GRACE He has decided to GIVEN.

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