Chosen, Accepted, and Adopted

Ephesians 1:1-14

Being chosen is a special thing, whether it’s being picked to play on the football team, or being asked to the school dance.  It shows that someone thinks well of you, and that you are accepted. There are some who go through life never being chosen for anything, never feeling accepted by anyone.  In our Scripture from Ephesians today, Paul gives us some good news. We have been chosen, we are accepted, and on top of that, we have a wonderful inheritance! Let’s look into our passage.

The Apostle Paul starts off his letter to the church in Ephesus by telling them, and us, that the Father has given us “every spiritual blessing”. (vs 3)  What are some of these blessings that we have through Christ? We were chosen by God before the foundation of the world (vs 4). We were adopted as His children (vs 5).  Jesus provided our salvation through His death and resurrection, and forgiveness of our sins (vs 7). We have the Holy Spirit residing within us, giving us power and hope (vs 13).  These blessings aren’t just something for the future, as God has already given us believers total blessings.  His blessings are “in Christ”, belonging only to believers who are His children by faith in Christ. As believers we can enjoy these blessings now and for eternity.

In verse 4 we read that we were chosen by God.  God chose us, but we have the responsibility to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are saved, not because we deserve it, but God graciously and freely gives it.  All we have to do is accept God’s free gift of salvation.

In addition to being chosen by God, He adopted us as His children (vs 5).  As opposed to the laws of some other countries at the time, in Roman law, an adopted child had all the same rights and privileges as a biological child.  Each child, regardless of birth order, was equal. Our salvation is to the glory of God (vs 6). Because of Jesus’s death and righteousness we are accepted, accepted by God as His children. Jesus’s death on the cross, His shed blood, paid the ransom to God (vs 7). We have been bought and paid for.

Another blessing we can be thankful for is that God has given us an inheritance (vs 11).  Having an earthly inheritance may be nice, especially if one is fortunate to come from a wealthy family.  Here we have been promised an inheritance from God! We have a divine inheritance that is so certain that Paul spoke of it as if already received.

How can we be so certain of this inheritance, or that we are chosen, accepted, and adopted?  In verse 13 we read that if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit comes to indwell believers when they are saved. He secures and preserves their salvation.  The Holy Spirit is given by God as His pledge of the believer’s future inheritance in glory. He is like the down payment, a deposit, the validating signature on the contract. The Holy Spirit in us shows the genuineness of our faith, proves we are God’s children, and secures eternal life for us.

Would you like to know that these blessings are yours, both now and in eternity?  God loved us so much, that when we were lost, wallowing in our sins, Jesus shed His Blood and died on the cross for us.  The moment you ask Him to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart as your Savior, you become a child of God, and all His blessings are yours.  As the Bible says in our passage today, God chose us, He accepted us, adopted us as His own children, and has given us an inheritance.