“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).
Before the creation of time, space, and matter in Genesis 1:1, God freely chose (i.e., He elected) to legally adopt humans into His spiritual family. Men and women, Jews and Gentiles were each going to be given the legal standing of sonship. Each would be a firstborn heir of His inheritance. It was His good pleasure to freely give such to His children.
Because it is only through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice and His victory over sin, death, and Satan that such an audacious offer is possible, each of God’s heirs must be in Christ. It is only in Christ’s spiritual triumph that a child of God can be washed, sanctified, and justified—i.e., holy and blameless before Him.
God preplanned/predestined this stunning and perfect plan, and we would do well to ever remember: He eternally purposed it (Ephesians 3:11) without needing any input, advice, or counsel from a single angel or human.
Our most appropriate response to such incredible lovingkindness and goodness ought to be to follow the plan precisely and bless (i.e., thank) God and praise Him for His glorious grace by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
Oh, the fathomless depth of the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge!
Thank God for His perfect plan.
