Election in Christ

Sermon Series: Ephesians  ~  Sermon Title:  “Election in Christ”

Pastor Chris O’Brien

For the next several weeks we will be considering the teaching of Paul in Ephesians, chapter 1, verses 3-14. This is just one long run-on sentence. Moreover it is best described as a hymn of praise. It begins with “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul then describes all these wonderful blessings Christians have through their union with Christ. These blessings began before the world was created in God’s eternal plan. And these blessings continue throughout our lives on earth and will continue in the future as we are in fellowship with the Triune God and His people in glory.

Notice how the theme of praise and worship continues throughout this passage. In verse 6 Paul says “to the praise of His glorious grace,” and again in verse 12 “to the praise of His glory.” And then finally in verse 14, “to the praise of His glory.”

We will come back to this theme of praise and worship in just a bit. But now let’s consider one of the great blessings of being a Christian. God the Father “chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” What we are dealing with here is the precious doctrine of election in Christ. God sovereignly chose to save a people for Himself.

God’s Sovereign Plan Is All-Encompassing

Now it will be helpful for us to understand that God’s sovereign plan is all-encompassing. He has planned all things that have and will take place in His creation. Paul says so explicitly in verse 11: “having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” God decreed, or absolutely determined, all things that would take place in His created universe.

It is important to note how the blessing of election is described by Paul. This is the Reformed doctrine taught in our confessional standards, but more important than that, it is what is plainly taught in God’s Word, the Bible. If you and I are genuine Christians, we recognize it is because God the Father chose to save us. But how could God choose to save sinners like you and me? His choice was “in Him,” or in Christ. In other words, God’s choice of us was done in union with Christ. When God the Father chose to save us from our sins even before we were born, He did so knowing that Jesus would die on the cross to pay for our sins. Moreover, in time we would hear the gospel and the Holy Spirit would enable us to turn from our sins and rest in Christ.

No Place for Pride

Did God’s choice of you and me to be saved have anything to do with us? No, not at all. We cannot be proud we were chosen. It had nothing to do with us, and everything to do with Jesus and His work of salvation. Now there is great mystery here concerning God’s determined will to save some sinners and not others. But ultimately this is not a Bible truth to be debated. Rather, it is one which should lead us to praise and worship the Triune God for saving us from our sins. There is no place for pride in relationship to our salvation.

Ultimately your commitment to Christ, and your following Him, is due to God’s sovereign decree and not anything you could do to merit God’s salvation. Every time you and I think about the fact that we are true followers of Christ, we should rejoice that God the Father set His love upon us in Christ before the world began. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Election in Christ

Fairfield Church, PCA