The doctrine (teaching) of election is one of the most highly contested doctrines of Scripture. That God in eternity past, before time began, chose the individuals who would be the recipients of His grace. God predestined us for adoption into His eternal family before the world existed. This truth resounds throughout Scripture and yet is often rejected, ignored and even deemed unloving. How does a Christian digest something as grand as the doctrine of election? We can simply sit and read God’s Word plainly, sit in wonder and amazement and give credit where credit is due. May God’s Word and His glorious work of salvation cause us to praise Him all the more. Ephesians 1:3-6 allows us to delve deeper into understanding the teaching of election:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should 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, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6)

The letter of Ephesians was written to the church Paul planted in Ephesus and is known for its theological depths and teachings about the church, the people of God. The letter was intended to instruct the Ephesians and others on how they should conduct themselves as God’s people. This question is answered in the second half of the letter (chapters 4-6) or “the what,” but before Paul answers, he gives believers the reason why. Paul is not the spiritual parent who when asked “why do I have to do this?” responds with the common “because I said so.” No, Paul gives his reasons up front (chapters 1-3) or “the why” before calling believers to action. At the beginning of “the why” Paul blesses God because He has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (v.3). Wow, that’s a lot of spiritual blessings! More than we can fathom, for sure. Then Paul moves into these Spiritual blessings and the foundation of the believer’s spiritual blessings. Paul begins with none other than the doctrine of election. Ephesians 1:4 states that God “chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world”. Wait, God chose me before Genesis 1? But that was in the beginning? Precisely, you were chosen before God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). This ought to ignite awe in the believer. It will likely cause your head to hurt and likely raise questions like: what has God chosen me for and why has God chosen me? Paul goes on to answer in verse 5 to explain the what and the why. That God has “predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ” and the why “according to the purpose of His will”.  God chose who would be adopted into His family and that they would be holy and blameless through the blood of Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world because of His will and His grace. Take a moment to bow your head and thank God for His unmerited choice of you.

The doctrine of election causes many other questions to arise within us, but Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit does not choose to deal with other questions within this context. The plethora of questions that the doctrine of election raises is unfortunately where many Christians dump the doctrine of election. They run down every rabbit hole looking for answers and when one cannot be found then the teaching cannot be true; however, a simple reading of the text makes it profoundly true. At the risk of appearing to dodge the hard questions about election, one must be reminded that “the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of [His] law” (Deut 29:29).

We must be sure that we do not take Scripture further than the Holy Spirit took it through its inspired writers. We must not misuse or abuse Scripture in order to appease our own prideful rationale. Instead, we must come to Scripture as James, Jesus’ half brother, exhorts: “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger … and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls” (James 1:19-21).

Now, back to the book of Ephesians. Two of Paul’s major themes in the book of Ephesians is love and unity. These themes are popular buzzwords today and are often toted by the Christian and non-Christian alike. The non-Christian calls for love and unity under a broad umbrella of acceptance at the expense of truth and many Christians are not far off. Unfortunately, this definition is an antithesis to biblical love and unity. For Paul, this love and unity within the Christian community is undergirded by what God has done for us and the first thing Paul blesses God for in this letter of love and unity is His election of the saints (Eph 1:3-4), the very doctrine that causes so much division within the modern church. God’s election of His children (Eph 1:4-6), their adoption through the blood of Christ (Eph 1:7-12), and their being sealed by the Spirit (Eph 1:13-14) is the foundation of their unity in love. This is the foundation as to all God’s commands in “the what” portion of this Epistle (chapters 4-6). In love, God chose you to be holy and blameless, cleansed by the blood of Jesus, therefore:

• Walk in a manner worthy of your calling (4:1)
• Put off your old man (4:22)
• Be renewed in the spirit of your minds (4:23) 
• Put on the new man created after the likeness of God (4:24)
• Be imitators of God and walk in love as Christ loved us (5:1-2)
• Abstain from sexual immorality and crudeness (5:3-6)
• Do not get drunk but be filled with the Spirit (5:18)
• Address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (5:19)
• Give thanks always and for everything to God (5:20)
• Submit to one another (5:21) 
• Wives, submit to your husbands (5:22) 
• Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (5:25)
• Children obey your parents (6:1) 
• Obey your earthly masters (6:5)
• Be strong in the Lord  (6:10)

Christian, embrace the doctrine of election with awe and reverence and allow it to motivate you to serve your King with an affection that moves to action. Recognize this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with His grace long before time even began. May eternal truths that the Almighty has given us a glimpse into cause our love for Him and for one another to raise indefinitely! May our love be a love that is incorruptible (Eph 6:24).

For further study of the doctrine of election see the following verses.

• John 1:12-13; John 6:35-40: Notice in these verses the tension between God’s will and our responsibility to believe. 
• Acts 13:48; Romans 8:33; Romans 9:14-15; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:1; 2 John 1