Chosen by God
“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. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
Ephesians 1:3-6
Everything comes back to the Eternal Plan of God. Our redemption wasn’t a reaction to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Not even close. It was all determined long before mankind ever sinned. In fact, it was determined before the world was ever even created. Before that first day when God said, “Let there be light.” The Plan of Atonement had already been made. All the details had been worked out. This is what is often referred to as the Covenant of Redemption. This isn’t a covenant or a deal between people or even between God and man. No. This is a covenant that God established with Himself before time began. Long ago, in eternity past. In this covenant, the Divine Economy was established. Meaning that each Person within the Triune Godhead had already decided and agreed what role they were to take in this plan of our salvation. The Father ordains, the Son accomplishes, and the Holy Spirit then appropriates the efficacy of the atonement to us. This is why Scripture teaches us that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. Because in the establishment of the Covenant of Redemption, this had already occurred in the heart and mind of God.
All of it comes back to His grace. God’s free gift. After all, that is what grace means. It is a gift. Adoption isn’t something you can earn. It is something bestowed upon you. Offered up freely. You were chosen for it. And no, I am not talking about a calvinistic view of election (a system in which you have no choice or free-will). The plan is what is predetermined and set. You (as in everyone of you) have been predestined to participate in that plan. Yet, you have the ability to refuse to participate. Yes you were chosen. You were invited. But you can ignore the invitation. You can allow sin to harden your heart and drive you far from God. You can choose the darkness over the light. God will not force you to accept the invitation. There is a choice. “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.. (Joshua 24:15)”
It should be comforting that God chose you. He chose you before Adam’s fall at the beginning of time. He chose you before any of your subsequent falls. God still extended the invitation. He did so knowing how awful that you would be. Knowing the mistakes that you’d make, the regrets that you’d have and the missed opportunities. He knew how many times you would ignore His call and how many times that you would dishonor the life He gave. How many times you’d miss the mark and fall short of His glory. Knowing all of this, God still extended the invitation. Your name was included in that conversation in eternity past! You were known and mentioned prior to the world ever being formed. Before God ever said, “Let there be light.”, He had already said, “Let there be salvation.” If that isn’t grace, I don’t know what is.