March 27 – LD 13, Day 2: A Gracious Election

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.”

God takes us into the family of God by the wonder of predestination. In love, God chose us to Himself from before we were born. That decision to choose us was based on nothing other than His good pleasure. He did not choose us because we were more in number or more worthy, but He chose us so that we would praise and glorify Him, and so that we would be holy.

In time, Jesus Christ takes us into that family by regeneration. He makes us heirs with Christ of all the blessings of salvation. (I Peter 1:2-5) We who are created from dust, who rebel daily against the will of God, are brought into the family of God and nothing can separate us from that family.

Here the analogy of adoption falls away. Earthly parents can reverse the adoption process when their children show themselves to be rebellious. Earthly parents can’t change the moral makeup of their children. God changes His children and makes us look like Him spiritually so that we resemble our Father. He makes us partakers even of His divine nature! (II Peter 1:4) He pledges His love toward us as a love that is unconditional, not at all dependant on our obedience. (Romans 8:35-39) Rejoice in the wonder of God’s everlasting and unfailing love!