Friday, December 30, 2011

Ephesians 1:4


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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