In (Christ) we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Ephesians 1:11)
Dozens of positions are obtained by an election with people choosing, from leadership of a country to who pitches for a scrub baseball game. Even winning a ‘viewer’s choice’ is an election of sorts, but all of them involve currying some sort of favor with the people who vote — except this one: God took the initiative in salvation by choosing me and granting me saving faith.
This one election was not about picking a favorite based on merit but all about the mystery of God’s grace in determining that I and thousands of others should belong to Him, should be His children and heirs to all He has. This blessing is so great that Paul wrote this tumble of words that barely begin to describe it . . .
. . . He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:4–6)
I rarely put quilts in quilt shows, but a few times have won ‘viewer’s choice’ ribbons. The public did the picking because they liked it and I felt honored. However, in this amazing election by God, He does the picking so He will be honored. I am a mere sinner, fallen short of His glory and without merit. No one gives me a ribbon for this and if they did, it would be lousy theology. God gets the praise, all of it.
There are people who think believers chose God, probably looking at only one aspect of what happens in salvation. The deeper question is: Who initiated the process? Did God choose me on the basis of my faith in Him, or did He, by choosing me, enable me to respond in faith?
I might be among those who insist that I choose to follow Christ except for a few passages of Scripture that describe how impossible this is:
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” (Romans 3:10–11)
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Other passages say that unbelievers are spiritually dead, blind, and ignorant of the life of God. Those in that condition are the people Jesus referred to in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him . . . .”
About fifty years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Jesus is God in human flesh, that I am a sinner who needed forgiveness, and that God is good. Through the years, it became clear that this was His “holy calling, not according to my works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted me in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” (2 Timothy 1:8–9) God took the initiative — I was running the other way, oblivious to His grace.
Now it is clear that even though the choice to obey Him is involved, before He saved me my only choice was my only choice — I would never seek God unless He kept at me to melt my hard heart and bless me with faith.
Sitting here with the sun shining through the window, I still feel the emotion of that day when Jesus opened my mind and heart to the reality of who He is and why He came. A far greater light shone in then, and all because God decided to elect me into His family. It is still a mystery, even though I now realize why I need Him and need to be here. Praise God for His gift of saving faith and His ability to change lives from sinful selfishness to loving Him and desiring holiness.
READ MORE: Ezekiel 36:22–32, Ephesians 2:1, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 4:18, John 15:16,
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