Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Ephesians 1:4
4 According as [kathos] he hath
chosen [eklegomai] us [hemas] in [en] him [autos] before [pro] the foundation
[katabole] of the world, [kosmos] that we [hemas] should be [einai] holy [hagios] and [kai] without blame [amomos]
before [katenopion] him [autos] in [en] love: [agape] KJV-Interlinear
4 just
as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and blameless before Him. In love NASB
‘According as,’ ‘kathos,’
means inasmuch, according to, in conformity with, and is a reference to the blessings
mentioned in the previous verse, all blessings, all inclusive, current and
eternal. There was never a blessing that
was determined in due course. There
never was a blessing that was earned or deserved. There never was a change in
the blessing package.
‘Chosen,’ ‘eklegomai,’
indicates a choice among several objects.
It means to lay out together as in spreading out all objects and then
choosing from among them.
‘Us,’ ‘hemas,’ refers to
individuals, and herein is a reference to all believers in Christ, or the
Savior promised when referring to the ages prior to the Cross. So this is a reference to all believers from
Adam until the last person who will believe in Christ at the end of
history. Human history all inclusive.
And so, blessings were
determined for believers, who, after looking at all of human history simultaneously,
God chose those who believed in Christ.
God did not determine who would believe, but allowed all people to make
their choice and then chose the believers out from among the group. Just as the gospel states, ‘Believe in Christ
and you will be saved. And being saved
you will be among the selected of God.’
Then God looks at history and sees the choices that are made. Those who make the choice for Christ, are
automatically selected by God. Those who
reject that choice, knowingly, are rejected by God. In salvation there are no excuses, for
everyone makes their choice sooner or later in their life, being fully aware of
the repercussions of their choice.
In him, refers to, in
Christ. Only those who believe in Christ are among the chosen. All who do not believe in Christ are not
among the chosen. Anyone who believes in
Christ, is automatically included and will not be excluded. Anyone who believes in Christ and later tries
to disbelieve or undo their belief, cannot do so. One cannot undo a thought that has already
occurred. One cannot undo a birth that
has already occurred. You cannot unborn
yourself. Once born the genetics cannot
be undone, the faith cannot be undone, the family relationship cannot be
undone. Even if you reject the family,
you are still a part of it, regardless of how or what you think.
Everyone has the
opportunity to believe. Some decide to
not believe.
Before the foundation, ‘katabole,’
means before the disposition, conception, design of all of creation.
World, ‘kosmos,’ means
the orderly arrangement, decoration, all of creation in the wider sense, of the
planet earth in a narrower sense.
However, the creation of planet earth occurred when all of the universe
was created. God did not create the
universe and then subsequently create the planet. Creation is not the same as restoration. The earth was created, became null and void,
and was then restored. This is a
reference to the very beginning, before creation, before creation was even
conceived or designed or thought of.
Blessings preceded the
design of and the work of, creation.
Therefore, before God
even conceived of angels, of the universe, of humanity, of anything and everything
that exists in creation, then before everything, at some point in eternity
past, when only God Himself existed, God laid out the pattern and exactness of
all blessings. None were invented during
history, none were earned during history, none were deserved, none were
spontaneously generated or determined, none were an afterthought.
Therefore, all blessings
were and are a part of a phenomenal plan laid out by God, in eternity past, and
all blessings for us in time, and in eternity (future), were designed by God
for man, for each one of us, a very long time ago. God has a plan, God has a purpose, God has a
design that includes everything and all things that exist in your life and
beyond. God left nothing to chance,
overlooked nothing, excluded nothing.
Gods plan was conceived
in eternity past. God has but one plan. God did not make several plans. God did not make changes in His plan as time
and circumstances dictated. God has but
one eternal and overriding purpose, which has remained throughout all of eternity
past and now and on into the future forever.
That we should be holy, ‘hagios,’
set apart, sacred pure.
Without blame, ‘amomos’,
unblemished, without blame, spotless.
In love, ‘agape,’ the
social and moral conduct of action through principle. This comes to mean the content of the
scriptures as applied from the source of ones soul. One must first learn doctrine before one can think
or even apply it to their life.
Therefore, holy,
blameless, and love tie together the purpose of Gods plan. It comes to us
freely, but does not leave us without responsibility or open to the repercussions
of our thoughts, intents, and actions.
No one can presume that
since God has already determined a plan, that we can or are expected to do
nothing. No one can presume that they
can believe and then do as they please.
No one can presume that they can have both sides of life, both in sin
and good, and get away with it. No one
can presume that they have no obligations or responsibilities, or expectations
with which to conduct themselves in life.
Therefore, holiness means
salvation or faith in Christ, blameless means life in fellowship under the
control of the Holy Spirit as opposed to the sin nature, love means doctrine
which must be learned from the teaching of the scriptures before one can even
begin to use it within that ‘set apart’ sphere which we call the spiritual
life.
Therefore, and I have
said that word several times thus far, but this is the important one, blessings
come to mature believers. Blessings were
designed for mature believers. Blessings
were designed for those believers, who actually apply the mandates of God to
their own lives and advance in their daily spiritual lives to spiritual
maturity through the daily study of the Word of God (you do not live your life
one day a week or one day a year or whenever it seems right or convenient to
you).
But a daily study is more
than just a mere reading of the scriptures, no one can learn unless they are
taught, and no one can be taught unless they want to be taught, and want to
learn and want to comply with Gods purpose and plan, more so than their own.
The daily study includes
your learning and understanding (over time), and application of all (not just
the ones that you agree with), but all of Gods mandates for the spiritual life,
both your own and that of others as you support the extension of doctrine out
from your own life to others in various ways.
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