Note: This post is part of a series on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Click here to view all posts.
“He did this when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. He did this in accordance with the good purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
Before you ever drew a breath, before a single star was hung in the sky, God had you in mind.
Paul’s opening words in Ephesians sweep us into the eternal heart of God. “In love he predestined us.” Not reluctantly. Not arbitrarily. But in love. The doctrine of election, which might seem intimidating or confusing at first, is actually one of the most comforting truths in Scripture. It means that your salvation does not rest on your decision, your discipline, or your devotion. It rests on the unshakable foundation of God’s will and purpose.
God didn’t choose you because you were good. He didn’t look down the corridors of time and pick you because he saw you would one day believe. He chose you purely out of grace. Before you could do anything to deserve it, before you were born, he claimed you as his own.
That’s the heart of predestination.
It’s not about trying to unlock a hidden mystery. It’s not about guessing who’s in or out. It’s about assurance. It’s about confidence. It’s about knowing that your identity in Christ is secure because it comes from God’s eternal plan, not from your temporary performance.
Paul tells us we were “adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” That word adopted carries deep weight. Think of what it means to adopt someone: to bring someone else into your family; to give this person your name, your home, your love—permanently. God didn’t just forgive you and send you on your way. He adopted you. He brought you into his household. He calls you his child.
And that adoption came at a price. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, took on flesh, walked among us, and gave up his life to secure our place in God’s family. Through his blood, we are redeemed. Through his resurrection, we are made new. Because of Jesus, we are no longer spiritual orphans. We are beloved sons and daughters.
This means your value is not tied to what others say about you or even what you say about yourself. It’s anchored in what God says. And he says, “You are mine.”
So when guilt accuses you, when doubts creep in, when the world tempts you to prove your worth, remember this: You were chosen. You were chosen before time began. You were loved long before you ever loved him. You are not an accident. You are not forgotten. You are God’s child, through Jesus Christ.
Let that shape how you see your life today. You don’t have to strive to earn what God has already given. You don’t have to fear losing what God has eternally planned. Instead, you can live in confidence, rooted in grace, secure in his love.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for choosing me in Christ before the world began. When I feel unworthy or forgotten, remind me that my identity is anchored in your eternal love. Help me rest in the truth that I am your adopted child not because of anything I’ve done but because of everything Christ has done for me. Strengthen my heart with this grace and let me live with confidence today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Discover what God wants you to know about the unsearchable riches of Christ, which are yours by faith, and the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge, Ephesians: The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, a devotional commentary by Pastor Roy W. Hefti.
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Scripture references come from the Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. Click here to learn more about this translation. Have questions about the Bible itself? Check out a helpful series here.
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