The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible

“Every Christian is a saint. You cannot be a Christian without being a saint, and you cannot be a saint and a Christian without being separated in some radical sense from the world.” - Martin Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose

“The sanctified life is not the fruit of our labors but of God’s love. It does not come from love alone or from our own virtue but from God. It is all His work.” - Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, no. 1

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 1

Weekly Physical Challenge: Max weighted pull-ups (#45)

Prescribed load will be #45 pounds. Feel free to adjust weight as needed, but you’ll need to use #45 if you want to win. Form check is honor system; just go all the way up and all the way down, don’t need to pause at the bottom of each rep, just lock it out.

On the final day of Ephesians (next Friday), the winner will be announced. If you want to compete, drop your numbers in the comments between now and then. I’ll keep track and winner(s) will get a prize.

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The P Word

Paul makes clear that God has chosen His people from before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him:

In love, He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace…

The word predestination is polarizing in our day but it doesn’t need to be. Modern critics mischaracterize the Biblical doctrine of predestination by claiming that the belief in one’s own “election,” or being chosen by God, leads to carelessness and sin, like some rubber stamp which permits a disobedient and autonomous life without consequence. If I am elect, because God has predestined me to be saved, then I can live however I want without fear.

This bastardization of the clear teachings of Ephesians 1 has no place in the church’s teaching or practice. Predestination simply means this: believers are chosen by God before the foundation of the world, not for anything in themselves, but purely by His grace and for His glory. This election then leads to holiness and adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. The duty of man to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and salvation is in no way violated or negated; God is fully sovereign, and yet man is still responsible.