Sunday: Blessings in Christ
Read Ephesians 1:3-14. What, according to Paul here, have we been given in Christ?
The followers of Jesus have much to praise God for. In Christ, God has chosen to adopt us as sons and daughters and to represent Him to the world. Paul uses many images to describe our new relationship to God in Christ. Of these images, the image of adoption addresses this lesson’s theme of oneness.
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In Christ, we have been adopted, and we belong to the family of God. This family image is also a reference to God’s covenant with the children of Israel. In the context of Paul’s epistle, Gentiles who accept Jesus as the Messiah are also children of God, heirs of the promises made to Israel (Rom. 8:17, Gal. 4:7). The benefit of this relationship with Christ, to be in Christ, is fundamental to all Christian unity. This passage also tells us that it has been God’s desire all along to reunite all humanity in Christ. And, in God’s family, knowing Jesus does not provide any special status: we are all children of God, equally loved and cherished.
Some get confused when, in this passage, we read about predestination (Eph. 1:5, Eph. 1:11). The promise that God has chosen us to be saved seems to imply also that God has chosen some to be lost. But that’s not the biblical teaching. Rather, God prepared the plan of salvation before the foundation of the world in order that everyone might be saved. “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” (John 3:16, NKJV; see also 1 Tim. 2:6, 2 Pet. 3:9). God knows beforehand who will accept His offer of salvation, but that is not the same as predetermining one’s decision. Salvation is offered to all humanity because of what Christ has done for us. The question is: How do we respond to this offer? God does not use coercion to save anyone.
“In the council of heaven, provision was made that men, though transgressors, should not perish in their disobedience, but, through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety, might become the elect of God, predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only-begotten Son to pay man’s ransom. Those who perish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus.” – Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1114.
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He has predestined us for a particular purpose
We would become sons of god through adoption in Jesus Christ.
Being united with him was not an after thought
He had already made (predestined) the provision in His Son even before our fall.
When I hear the word predestination I use my human intuition to declare some are lost.
But he has predestined all of us to be saved in Jesus Christ.
What perceptions are still dividing us?
The christianity of this days we have classfied ourselves to Culture, race,social class where we see others as not valuable as us.
Many years before Christ was born. In fact before God’s people were taken out of the land which God gave them, because they had forgotten Him and persisted in sin, God predicted there would come a time when He would put Himself in our inward parts and in our hearts, and be our God, and we His people. Jeremiah 31:33. I went back to that text to confirm that I was predestined to be a part of the family of God. And only predestined to the point where I have chosen to ask, allow, and accept Christ into my heart, by faith. When we ask Him into out hearts what else are we doing that is without any work on our parts? Shine out of our heart, shine out of our heart, Lord Jesus, shine out today, shine out all day, shine out of our heart Lord Jesus.
YES! AND:Isa 56:6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—
Isa 56:7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
Isa 56:8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” PTL!
There are some whole churches who believe they are predestined to be saved and there is no choice, how can we be united with them?
Shirley, we were counseled more than a century ago that when we relate to other churches, we should relate to them on the basis of beliefs we have in common. Thus we make friends, and as friends, we can share our understanding of truth.
As William suggested, maybe it's time we gave up the idea of having to agree on every detail before we be unified with others in a spirit of self-renouncing love. I think it's a matter of putting relationships over factual details. It seems to me that that is God's priority. Above all, He wants a relationship with us. The doctrines help further that goal, but if we let them get in the way of demonstrating His loving character, we have our priorities wrong, I think.
Hi Inge,
I agree share with meekness & fear, but it is difficult when our and their fundamental belief of the character of God are different
1Pe 3:15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;
I am reminded of advice given 1914 Manuscript 4 that, "our own souls must be firmly grounded in a knowledge of the truth, if we would win others from error to truth."
I note that the word "soul" is used instead of "mind". Soul is a much broader concept and incorporates the very deepest part of our being. Within this context, "knowledge" would be more than just 'factual' - it would be more in keeping with the biblical meaning behind knowing: to have intimate experience of and with.
Within much of Adventism, 'truth' has typically been too narrowly conceptualised as mental ascent, doctrinal specification, etc. It is much broader and deeper than that.
I am reminded that Christ pointed out, He is truth and truth shall set us free. Yes indeed Christ goes deeper and is broader than doctrinal critera, and deeper than pseudo-assention. Now asking Christ to raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, is a request that is Gods will.
At the same time that I feel happy because of Christ's effort to save everyone, I feel sad because some choose differently! Specially when we have family members doing so, even though they have known the Truth, but perhaps for some reason chose otherwise. God is love and in His infinite love, the love that binds us must prevail! That's my prayer right now!
I accept my condition of totally dependence on Him, but I continue to pray for the things that are too difficult for my own heart to accept! This makes me think that I need to learn to deliver all my expectations in His hands! No matter what my heart and mind fight with! God is one in love. We are one in love. And Christ binds us all!
1.“In the council of heaven, provision was made that men... through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety, might BECOME the elect of God...”
2. “God wills that all men should be saved...” (From the last paragraph of Sunday’s lesson).
Are these statements according to the Word? We are cautioned by God to test every spirit, examine everything, for good reason(1 Jn 4:1; 1 Th 5:20,21). We are concerned about unity, and are agreed on at least one thing, that we must unite on the Truth, the Word of God (Jn 17:17).
Kenny, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2Peter 3:9. The question is not if the lession is Biblical, but will you respond to Gods offer?
The key to unity is death. Death to selfishness. Death to pride. Death to racial prejudice. Until that happens, we will all be striving against each other for attention and dominance.