You want to be among the chosen ones?

Oct 29, 2013

Chosen by God for choosing Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ

3 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, 4 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,5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both[a] which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[b]is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Question:  Who are the ones chosen and predestined by God?  

They are the ones who have chosen Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  This epistle of Ephesians one was addressed to the saints of Ephesus, who are faithful in Christ Jesus.  So Paul is talking to the faithful believers of Ephesus, not to everyone.  

The blood of Jesus was the ransom that purchase our souls back from satan.  His blood is the only divine sacrifice that can redeem us from the bondage of death.  The death penalty was placed upon us because of our sin.  But because Jesus paid the ransom, which is the shedding of His blood, we are forgiven and we are released and set free.  And because we have accepted Jesus Christ, we are obligated to Him.  

Romans 1:5   (NKJV)

5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,

God, the Father has chosen those who chose Jesus Christ.   In other words, if you chose Jesus as Lord and Savior, God will choose you to bless…. with every spiritual blessing from heaven.  And what are some of these blessings?  Redemption from the devil, eternal life, being sealed by the Holy Spirit, wisdom, the entering of His rest, the ability to comprehend the width, depth and height of God’s truth.    

What does it mean to be “sealed by the Holy Spirit?”

To be sealed by the Holy Spirit means that we are connected and cannot be separated from God liken unto an eternal umbilical cord.  

  

The only way that we can be severed from this connection with God is by refusing or rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  

In summary,  John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world and gave His only begotten Son.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

So we know that God loves the world and He desires that all of humanity would love Him back.  But because of sin, we became separated from God and was headed for eternal damnation.  But because of God’s love for us, He sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to paid the ransom to buy us back from the devil.  For those who makes the choice for Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit seals them.  

Why not receive the gift of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ?  

In conclusion, If you choose Jesus, God will chose you for His service and will bless you with eternal life and many more spiritual blessings.  These blessings are only afforded to the faithful in Christ.  Those who are not faithful in Christ or have rejected Jesus will receive eternal damnation.  Therefore, choose Christ Jesus and be blessed.  

Aldwin (Miyagi) Naruse

The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship

Makaha, HI USA