Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

Ephesians 1:4-5, "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: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

This morning, there are two words that one can say in a Bible discussion that will make someone of another order angry. Those two words are election and predestination. People can smile and grin until those two words come, and then their entire demeanor changes. However, I have never found an Arminian that could give any explanation about these two verses. The best answer ever given by an Arminian to me was, "We know that the Bible teaches that, but they are a mystery to us. They are things that cannot be fully explained."

However, these things are not mysteries to those that the Lord has seen fit to reveal them to. Paul says that the Lord chose us before we ever had an existence. This completely removes man from the active side of the equation. He is completely on the passive side, and is a recipient only. When God chose (elected) us, He did it in His Son. We were not chosen to some chance system of works. We were chosen to a sure system of WORK. That is the work performed by His Son that is sure and steadfast that entereth into that within the veil. (Hebrews 6:19)

So, the Lord chose us in His Son before the world began to be His children. As His children, we are spotless, without blemish, and perfect. This seems alien when we know that we fail every day. However, Christ's righteousness was imputed to us so that we are as innocent as He is. That is how we can be His joint-heirs. After the Lord chose us in His Son, He did not leave anything else to chance either. He predestinated us to live in heaven and immortal glory in the very image of His Son when we are conformed and fashioned like unto Him. While we are not manifestly glorified in our bodies at this moment, the Lord sees us in that finished state through the blood of His Son. He sees that we are perfect, and completely glorified.

Finally, to further show that we had absolutely nothing to do with the election or predestination, Paul concludes the 5^th verse by saying that the Lord does this according to His own good pleasure and will. He does not consort with anyone or anything to determine who is His and who is not. He does this Himself, and man is not in any position to question the authority, power, will, desire, or thoughts of the Lord. None can stay His hand, and therefore, we have nothing to fear because nothing shall separate us from the love of God. That includes our stubborn will.

One final thought, I have heard many times, "The Lord just wants to be your Saviour, and He will if you open your heart to Him." Whether wittingly or unwittingly, they are making our will stronger than His, and that is an impossibility. May we ever cling to these truths from which we find so much comfort.

In Hope,

Bro Philip