Adam and Eve’s choice to sin separated humanity from the Father’s family because we chose to become children of a different father, the devil (John 8:44). Though we were cast out by His righteous judgment from the Garden of Eden we were not forgotten.

Jesus came into the world to pay the price of adoption for Adam and Eve’s lost sons and daughters. Now through Jesus we can have restored relationship with the Father and share in His privileges and nature.

Ephesians 1:3-14, “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

FOURTEEN THINGS PAUL WAS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR:

  1. Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing, (v. 3).
  2. Chosen to be Holy & Blameless, (v. 4).
  3. Adoption to Sonship, (v. 5).
  4. Glorious Grace, (v. 6).
  5. Redemption & Forgiveness, (v. 7).
  6. Lavished with Wisdom & Understanding, (v. 8).
  7. Knowing God’s Mysterious Will, (v. 9).
  8. Unified with Christ, (v. 10).
  9. God’s Plan, (v. 11).
  10. Made to Praise God’s Glory, (v. 12).
  11. The Gospel, (v. 13a).
  12. Marked & Sealed by the Holy Spirit, (v. 13b).
  13. Guaranteed Inheritance, (v. 14a).
  14. God’s Possession, (v. 14b).

DEFINITIONS

  1. PREDESTINED: To decide beforehand, pre-determine.
  2. ADOPTION: To be brought into a new family.
  3. SONSHIP: To be made in the image of Jesus.

HOW PREDESTINATION  WORKS

(1) HOW, WHEN and WHY GOD CHOOSES US

  1. HOW: God chose us based on our choice to have faith in Him (Matthew 22:1-14).
  2. WHEN: God chose us before we were created because of His foreknowledge (Romans 8:29).
  3. WHY: God chose us to be conformed to Jesus’ image (Romans 8:29).

Romans 8:28-30, “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

(2) UNDERSTANDING PAUL IN ROMANS & EPHESIANS

Ephesians 1:4-13, “4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love. 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”

  1. The Father CALLED the lost unto Jesus (Matthew 22:1-14 & Romans 8:28).
  2. He FOREKNEW who would lovingly chose Jesus and become His CHOSEN ones (Romans 8:29 & Ephesians 1:4).
  3. He PREDESTINED His chosen ones (“the elect”) to be conformed to Jesus (Romans 8:29 & Ephesians 1:5).
  4. The predestined chosen ones are ADOPTED when they receive the calling to believe (Romans 8:30 & Ephesians 1:13).

THE JOY & PRIVILEGE OF ADOPTION

Romans 8:14-17, “14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Ephesians 1:3-6 (The Message), “Long before [the Father] laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”