“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
(Ephesians 1:5–6)
Before the foundation of the world, before time began its course, God in His infinite wisdom and sovereign grace chose a people for Himself. The Apostle Paul, in this glorious passage of Ephesians 1, declares that those who are saved have been “predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.” Election, then, is not the product of human merit or foreseen worth but the outworking of God’s eternal purpose—a decree grounded in His own good pleasure and intended for “the praise of the glory of His grace.”[1]
To be chosen by God is to be loved from eternity. It is to have one’s name written in the Book of Life, to be known and beloved before birth, before repentance, before faith, before even creation itself. This is the wonder of divine grace—that God should set His affection on sinners, not because of anything in them but because of everything in Himself. He chose His people freely, sovereignly, lovingly, “according to the good pleasure of His will.”
Yet, many who are indeed God’s children wrestle with doubt, wondering if they truly belong among the elect. The question arises: How can one know that he has been chosen by God? The answer is found not in recognizing the visible fruit of election—the presence of faith and repentance. For those whom God predestinates, He also calls; and those He calls, He justifies and glorifies (Romans 8:30).
Faith is the great evidence of election. It is the means by which the elect lay hold of Christ. It is the hand that receives His righteousness and the heart that trusts His word. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:12, “We have received…the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” Faith opens the eyes of the soul to behold these free gifts, among which are forgiveness, adoption, and eternal life.
This saving faith is applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit, assuring believers of their acceptance “in the beloved.” It produces a confidence not rooted in presumption but grounded in divine testimony: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). It is this inward witness that distinguishes true faith from mere profession. The elect not only believe but continue believing, for their faith is sustained by the same grace that first created it.
Though doubts and fears may trouble the believer, they cannot undo the work of God. The faith that unites the soul to Christ is a bond unbreakable, for the same power that drew the sinner to the Savior holds him fast forever. Like Job, the believer may endure loss, affliction, and silence from heaven, yet still he can say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Such faith is indestructible, for it is born of the Spirit and anchored in divine decree.
Adoption, as Paul writes, is the fruit of this predestinating grace. God not only justifies His people; He brings them into His household. He is not content to simply pardon them as a judge but also delights to receive them as a Father. Through Jesus Christ, believers are made sons and daughters, joint-heirs with Christ of an eternal inheritance. The grace that chose them also calls them, justifies them, sanctifies them, and will one day glorify them.
The doctrine of election humbles the proud, strengthens the weak, and stirs the soul to worship. And as faith grows, assurance deepens, until the believer rests fully in the knowledge that his salvation began in grace, is sustained by grace, and will end in glory.
Contemplations
- Faith as the Evidence of Election. Ephesians 1:5-6 teaches me that faith is the proof of God’s eternal choice. It is not self-generated but bestowed by grace. Every act of trust, every moment of surrender, confirms His work within me. My faith is the echo of His calling, the evidence that I am His child.
- The Assurance of Forgiveness. Though my heart condemns me, God is greater than my heart. And I know that my forgiveness rests not on my obedience but on Christ’s finished work. The Spirit reminds me, as in 1 Corinthians 2:12, that I have received forgiveness freely from God. To doubt this is to diminish His grace; to rest in it is to honor His Son.
- The Power of Faith in Trials. Job’s declaration, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15) reminds me that true faith endures even in darkness. Trials test faith but they cannot extinguish it. When I cannot trace God’s hand, I must still trust His heart, knowing that His eternal love governs every affliction.
- A Heart Taught by God. Ephesians 1:6 assures me that acceptance in Christ is a work of grace. It is God who opens the heart to understand truth and to delight in it. Every insight into Scripture, every act of obedience, every spark of love for God’s glory is evidence that He has written His truth upon my heart.
Prayer (Adoration)
Sovereign Lord, eternal in wisdom and rich in mercy, I lift my heart in adoration for Your electing grace. From everlasting You have loved Your people, and in the fullness of time You called them by name. Before I ever sought You, You chose me; before I loved You, You set Your love upon me. How wonderful is this mystery—that You would predestine sinners unto adoption through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of Your will!
I praise You, Father, that this choice was not based on my worth or merit but solely on Your grace. You have made me accepted in the Beloved, clothed in His righteousness, and seated among Your redeemed. You have turned my rebellion into worship and my despair into hope.
Lord Jesus, my Redeemer and King, I adore You as the channel of all grace. By Your blood I am reconciled; by Your intercession I am kept; by Your Spirit I am assured. You are my righteousness, my peace, my life, and my inheritance. The thought that You, the eternal Son, would claim me as a child of God humbles my soul and fills it with awe.
Holy Spirit, I worship You as the seal of my salvation and the witness of my adoption. You teach my heart to cry, “Abba, Father,” and You confirm within me the truth that I belong to God. Continue to strengthen my faith, deepen my assurance, and kindle my love.
O Lord, let this knowledge of being chosen in grace produce a heart of praise within me. Let it move me to holiness, gratitude, and devotion. May every act of obedience, every word of worship, every work of love reflect the glory of Your grace.
I thank You that the purpose which began in eternity will be perfected in glory. Nothing can separate me from Your love, for it is founded upon Your unchanging will. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. To You be praise forever and ever.
In Jesus’ name I adore You. Amen.
Further References for Ephesians 1:5–6
Romans 8:29; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:12; Isaiah 43:12; Jeremiah 33:9
[1] William Perkins, A Golden Chain: (Cambridge: John Legat, printer to the University of Cambridge, 1600), 584.
