In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,--Ephesians 1:13
To My Beloved Daughters:
There was a time when I had no hope in this world...none. I was without Christ...a stranger from the covenant of His promise. BUT God who is rich in mercy because of His great love in which He loved me...even when I was dead in trespasses and sin has made me alive together with His Son! In Christ Jesus, I who was far off from Him, was made nigh by His blood. I who was once a servant of sin have now believed and obeyed the gospel of salvation...the word of truth...that was preached to me. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Believing, I have now been made free from sin and a servant of righteousness. He is my peace...He has reconciled me to my Father in the body of His flesh through death to present me holy and blameless and unreproveable in His sight! I now have access by His Spirit to my Father in Heaven!
I have obtained mercy by His sovereign choice before the foundation of the world...but this did not exclude my human cooperation. Faith was my response to His elective purpose.
Whoever believes in Him, the Bible says in Romans, will not be disappointed. Revelation 22:17 tells us, "Whosoever will may come". This is one of the many paradoxes we find in God's word that we in our finite minds find impossible to reconcile...but with Him all things are possible. Our job is to believe both sides without reservation just as they are revealed. Knowing these truths are in accord in the mind of God should be enough. The author of the following is not known but has always helped me with this particular paradox.
"Someone has pictured the divine and human sides of salvation in this way: When you look toward heaven you see a sign that reads, “Whosoever will may come,” and after you enter heaven you look back to that same sign and read on the other side, “Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.”
I like that. And this...
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: --John 1:12
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.--Romans 10:8-13
"God's choice of men is election; men's choice of God is faith. In election God gives His promises and by faith men receive them."--J. MacArthur
Yes, I was sovereignly chosen but I also was the one who trusted and believed after hearing the word of truth.
He that believes, the gospel of Mark says, shall never be damned. Whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation. God's grace that brings salvation has appeared to all men. In him was life and that life was the light of men...He is the true light that gives light to every man coming into the world.
The last part of verse 13 tells us that we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise at the time of our salvation. We who believe have been give the earnest of the Spirit of God in our hearts. The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance that is reserved in heaven for us. His word to us should be enough but in His grace and mercy, He sealed us with His Spirit. More on this in next study.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.-Romans 8:8-11
for next study in Ephesians go here
