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NASB | Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 1:5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will-- |
Subject: Basis of election and predestination? |
Bible Note: Hi, NC... You wrote, "I arrive at my own personal theology through Scriptures apart from any theological school of thought." With all due respect: Scary! Everyone is a theologian, regardless of whether they realize it or not. We all have grids by which we interpret things around ourselves, attempting to organize our impressions into patterns that make sense to us. We may not always be conscious of the process, but it is always there. So, the real question is not how to avoid theology, but whether the theology we have is good (aligns with the Word) or bad (aligns with something else). You see, man was created to perceive (Gen 2:20 and implied elsewhere) and to effect change (2:15); but not to interpret. They were made to always receive the proper interpretation from the Lord Himself (2:16-18), for that's what God does for man before the fall. This is visible today, for we do not live by facts -- we live by the interpretation of facts. God created man to live by God's interpretation of the facts (Dt 8:3). (We could spend a lot of time tracing that thought through from Adam, Cain, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, Joseph, Moses, etc. However, given your familiarity with the Bible, I'll leave that discussion tacit.) The problem arises when an alternative interpretation is introduced (Gen 3:4-5). Today we are bombarded by countless alternative interpretations (another topic rife with fruit for further discussion)! Most we reject, but many we embrace, whether we realize we have done so or not. Thus, it's naive and unbiblical to assert that human beings are simply tabulae rasae; and presumptuous to think we can erase bias in ourselves (Job 15:31). Deception has many sources: Satan (Rev 2:9), people (Col 2:8), and our own heart (Jam 1:26); indeed, our heart is the most deceitful thing in creation (Jer 17:9). God knows these things, of course. God's eternal purpose might be summarized by Paul's imagery of a temple built without hands (Eph 2:20-22; cf 1 Cor 3:9-11). In the process of building that temple, He lays the cornerstone (Eph 2:20b; Is 28:16; Luke 20:17-18), for the rest of the building, God has chosen to use people. Laying that foundation, He solves (Eph 1:19-20) two problems: (1) people who are dead in sin are brought to life (2:1, 5); and people who are separated are brought together (2:11-13). This incredible work of God is effected through the efforts of each Person of the Godhead. Since God has accomplished all this -- i.e., its a "done deal" -- Paul calls us to live in concert with that accomplished work (4:1-4). He explains that the unity has roots in a creedal set of "ones" (4:4-6) -- what a wonderful list! Therefore, He performs these wonderful works, and then follows up by giving us gifts: life and unity (per above), one another (4:1-3), the Holy Spirit (4:4), and grace (4:7). What is more, Christ's atonement also effects the granting of some very special gifts just for us: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers! See, God doesn't want us to be "children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (4:14b ESV) You wrote, "...you seem eager to pass along your Reformed beliefs to others." To paraphrase Hamlet, "Seems, sir! nay, it is; I know not 'seems.'" "Eager" doesn't come close! The Word "is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot" (Jer 20:9b). What else can I do but speak what I have heard (Act 4:20). If I do not preach the good news, I am accursed (1 Cor 9:16)! Spurgeon said, "The old truths that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, is the truth that I preach today, or else I would be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox's gospel is my gospel. And that gospel which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again." I'm not near the man Spurgeon, yet the same onus that rested upon him rests upon me. My Sovereign Lord God, did all of the stuff above for you, NC, and the other believers who read this forum. When you love Christ, you can do nothing else but love His sheep! What is left, then, but to tend them to the best of our ability! You wrote, "I have likewise studied the doctrines of grace, and find a good portion of them offensive." That doesn't anger me in the least, NC. On the contrary, I'm delighted. The truths that trouble us the most are usually the truths that the Holy Spirit is seeking to instill, though the crushing process is often unpleasant (Luke 20:18)! I don't want to persuade you. No, indeed, I don't want that at all. Indeed, I'd just as soon that, in the long run, you forget old Doc! I pray that the Holy Spirit will instill His truth into your mind, emotions, and actions, to your benefit and to God's glory! In Him, Doc |