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Old 01-03-2009, 08:53 AM
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Diligent Diligent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PB1789 View Post
There are some rich and deep truths found in the first chapter in The Epistle to the Ephesians... Hope everyone will turn over there and read with an open heart and mind. This portion of scripture certainly makes John 17 more understandable. Starting at chapter 1, verse 3 we read on to v.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: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved."
Brother,

Eph 1 is indeed a wonderful passage of Scripture an should comfort the soul of any believer who reads it.

However, when I read it without preconceptions of what predestination is, I got a new meaning. (This happened several years ago for me.)

If you believe Paul's teaching of predestination is about your salvation, then I ask you:
  • Has the dispensation of the fullness of times been fulfilled? (Eph 1:10)
  • Has all been gathered together in Christ? (Eph 1:10)
  • Has your inheritance been redeemed yet? (Eph 1:11 cf Eph 1:14, "until")
  • What do the words "who first trusted Christ" in Eph 1:12, and "afterthat ye heard the gospel... after that ye believed" in Eph 1:13 mean, if regeneration by the Holy Spirit precedes belief?
The point is that Paul is taking about something that God has predestinated. In this chapter, it's all future. If you're saved now (and you are!), then your predestination is not about your belief and your "choice" to receive Christ. Your predestination is, as a believer, to be conformed to the image of the Son (Romans 8:29), to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:14), etc.