11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-12
In today's text, the Apostle Paul is proving that salvation comes to us of no merit of our own. In these verses Paul tells us that we were chosen in Christ and predestined by God according to His plan. In fact, Paul points out that God works out all things to the conformity to the purpose of His will.
These ideas are nothing new to the New Testament. God chose Abraham from among the Chaldeans (modern day Iraq). God does not chose anyone because of anything we are or what we have done. These ideas are the product of the counsel of God's will.
God has purposed all things before the beginning of time. It all starts with Him, it begins with Him. This is beyond our total understanding, yet this mystery is to be sought out by the believer. This purpose was not suggested to God by anyone. This was and is His purpose according to His will. It was the will of God that Adam and Eve would choose between His way and that of the evil one.
Our text teaches us the purpose which is that we who put our hope in Him might be to the praise of His glory. Knowing that apart from God's choosing and His predestination, we would have never chosen Him. God saw us in His will before we saw ourselves in His will. We have always been in the heart and mind of God.
This truth melts our hearts to bring glory to God. You will remember that mankind's first step away from God began with the lack of gratitude (see Romans 1). God is using the Apostle to confront our greatest enemy, our pride. The understanding of God's grace leads us to repentance from our way to His.
In Ephesians 2:10, we read, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." The work has always been God's work.
The word "handiwork" is the Greek word from which we get our word "poem." We are the artwork of God. Paul writes in Philippians 2:13, "It is God who is at work in us to will and to do according to His will."
We who are believers in Christ should NEVER struggle with insecurities regarding our salvation because our salvation was procured by God Himself as this passage clearly puts forth.
Finally, take note that this is for the praise of His glory. And, His glory is His presence in our lives. It is His imprint upon our being. To this work, we who believe and hope, owe our praise.
C.S. Lewis once said, “To be supremely loving, God must give us himself.”
