Chosen In Him

Chosen In Him

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….

Ephesians 1:4

Every word and work of God is Good. Therefore, to His people these words and works are worthy of our meditation. Such thoughts allow us to come with joy to high and holy doctrines. Our text today speaks plainly of one such doctrine. ‘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.’ The Grand purpose of God was to redeem sinners. To that purpose He made choices. Those choices involved people. Therefore, Paul, as a redeemed soul, writing to other redeemed souls, says, ‘According as he has chosen us in Him (that is, Christ) before the foundation of the world.’  What a blessed comfort! What great encouragement!  How it recalls to mind the old hymn, ‘Chosen not for good in me. Wakened up from wrath to flee.’ What a wonderful place to center our thoughts. The concept that the Eternal God, before He ever brought the world into being by ‘the Word of His Power,’ chose us ‘in Christ,’ is an overwhelmingly blessed thought. This humbles proud self. This elicits from us an abundant devoted gratefulness. This puts down all thoughts of self-righteousness. This cries up the virtue of God and the value of Christ. This brings us, first, to believe, and then to behave, not from servile fear, or will-worship, but from love and gratitude. Let our souls today rest in the Sovereign Election of God and in the Secure Dwelling Place that is Christ, the Rock of our salvation.

Our Great and Sovereign God, we give You praise and glory
for Your choosing of us, in Christ, before the world began.
We claim no righteousness of our own,
and have no merits upon which to stand,
except the merits of Christ our Savior.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning