Ephesians 1 - (7th Meditation) - Why?

Ephesians 1:4 - "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him."

Solus Christus exists to glorify God by treasuring Jesus Christ and spreading His eternal joy.

We see this as the theme of Bible.

God enables unworthy criminals to be acquitted, equipped, and inspired to glorify Him through faith in His Son, Who died a substitutionary death for His people and rose victoriously from the dead proving both (a) His ability to justify sinners before God and (b) His absolute reign over all things. The primary way God is glorified in such redeemed sinners is when they, by grace, ever-increasingly prize Jesus Christ as the most dazzling Person in existence. The primary evidence of glorifying God by treasuring His Son is displayed through a life surrendered to advancing Christ's kingdom until He returns. Or, in short, we exist to glorify God by treasuring Jesus Christ and spreading His eternal joy.

This truth is also packed into Ephesians 1:4.

Q: Why did God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world?
A: That we should be holy and blameless before Him!

I worship as I consider the weight of this truth.


God, before creating the world, chose (1:4) to share His joy with something outside of Himself. That's amazing!

God, in "eternity past" although completely satisfied in His Triune relationships, and wholly Self-sufficient lacking nothing, chose (1:4) us in Christ before the foundation of the world. That's amazing!

Jonathan Edwards saw two causes for this choosing, one primary and the other secondary. According the Edwards the primary cause for God's choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world is owing to the value God places on the relationship He has with Himself. The secondary result of God's valuing His Triune relationship was spilt over in creation. He valued the relationship which lead to creation. I think Edward's nailed it! Notice also, that Ephesians 1:4 teaches us that God chose us "before" He founded the world, which excludes the possiblity that He decided to save us after the Fall! It was before creation, much less the Fall. That's amazing!

But Why??? So much remains shrouded in mystery--and thank God for an eternity to unpack it!--but much is clearly revealed for us in God's Word.

"That we should be holy and blameless before Him!"

That statement reveals three reasons that God chose us in Christ! Only Christ could (1) present us holy, (2) present us blameless, and (3) only Christ could accomplish the goal of our salvation which is to bring us before God! That, I think, is the goal of our salvation! To bring us to God holy and blameless--otherwise, you can't come before Him. But in Christ, we too can enjoy rejoicing in God for eternity--which is what He's been doing for all eternity! That's amazing!

I Peter 3:18 - "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God..."