Praise God

Gods ChoiceEphesians 1:3-6David Turnerwww.Biblestudies-Online.com1Outline of the Heavenly BlessingsThe Father Selected Us (vs. 4-6)He chose us before the foundation of the worldTo be holy and blamelessHe predestined us to be his adopted childrenThe Son Saved Us (vs. 7-12)Purchased Forgiven The Spirit Sealed Us (vs. 13-14)Assured the inheritance

2Ephesians 1:314 (ESV) The Blessing:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 3The Father Selected Us: 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved

The Son Saved Us:7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. The Spirit Sealed Us:13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

6Bless God for Blessing us3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,Blessed be to GodBy praising Him for what he has done.By showing grace to othersHis blessings to us:When? Aorist tense Has blessed usHow? Every Spiritual BlessingWhere? heavenly places7Praise God because He selected us. 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In loveThe Father Chose us When? before the foundation of the worldWhy? So we may be holy and blameless before the Father, in love8He predestined Us5he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the BelovedHe predestined (foreordained, predetermined) usWhy? MotiveFor us: To be adopted childrenFor Him: To the praise of his glorious graceHow? Through Jesus ChristAccording to the purpose of his will9God predestines what occursActs 4:2528 25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed 27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

10God Predestines who will be RedeemedRomans 8:2930 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. He Foreknew them He Predestined them He called them He justified them He glorified them.

11Its a Devine AppointmentActs 13:4648 46And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

12Salvation is of GodIt is God who has blessed (verse 3), chosen (verse 4),predestined, freely bestowed (verse 5), lavished redemption and forgiveness (verses 78), made known and purposed (verse 9), given an inheritance, working everything according to His will (verse 11), sealed (verse 13), and given the Holy Spirit (verse 14). Therefore, it will be His glory that is praised (vv. 6, 12 and 14).13Yet, we must respondOnly two times in the entire doxology does Paul clearly refer to a necessary human activity. In verse thirteen, he declares the two pre-conditions of the Holy Spirits sealing: hearing and believing, both of which are also dependent on divine activity.13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,14It is Gods GraceEphesians 2:45 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christby grace you have been saved Ephesians 2:89 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

15How does Free Will Fit?Illustration of a Parade

How does Free Will Fit?Illustration of an Ocean Liner (A. W. Tozer)

Sovereignty and free willAn ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty. On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port. Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with mans freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of Gods sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history.Knowledge Of The Holy, A.W. TozerKnow youre elect, Know ChristMany people want to know their election before they look to Christ. But they cannot learn it thus; it is only to be discovered by looking unto Jesus. Look to Jesus, believe on Him, and you shall make proof of your election directly, for as surely as you believe, you are elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then you are one of Gods chosen ones. Go to Jesus just as you are. Go straight to Christ, hide in His wounds, and you shall know your election.Christ was at the everlasting council. He can tell you whether you were chosen or not, but you cannot find out in any other way. Go and put your trust in Him. There will be no doubt about His having chosen you, when you have chosen Him. - Charles SpurgeonWe must believe in His SonJohn 1:1113 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

20Facts about Sovereignty:Those who are elect do follow Christ:John 10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.Those who perish do so because they did not receive the truth:II Thessalonians 2:10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

Facts about Sovereignty:Gods choice does not eliminate the need for mans exercise of faith:II Thessalonians 2:10But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.I Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Facts about Sovereignty:Gods choice does not eliminate mans need to teach the truth:II Timothy 2:24-5And the Lords bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.Charles SpurgeonBelieve in HimJohn 3:1618 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

24How can you know, How can you be assured That you have been chosen from the foundation of the world? That you have been predestined to be a child of God?

Believe that Jesus is the only begotten son of God. Believe that you are a sinner. Believe that he died for your sins. Believe he rose from the dead and sits beside the Father interceding in your behalf.Receive Him. Believe in Him.

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