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Chosen



According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4 

            Do you know how important the church is? Paul, an inspired Apostle, had something to say about the church. These things apply to the church as a whole (cf. Eph. 1:1). It  is important to take into account that all the things we read in the following applies to the church. Remember all spiritual blessings are in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3). So we must apply what we read in verse 4 to the church (those in Christ). This is particularly important when we come to words like we see in Eph. 1:4.
             Let us examine a few descriptions and promises that Paul recorded. We are chosen! How valuable does the Lord consider the church?  Chosen calls to mind that He sought and selected the bride of Christ. Eklego, the Greek word that is used, means to pluck out, select, or to choose for oneself. How did He choose us? Simply in Him. Paul said so to remind us of the location of those whom He chose (in Christ). To be in Him is to be in the body, the bride, the church, the kingdom of Christ. 
            The church was not an afterthought or back up plan. To say such is to blaspheme the bride of Christ, the plan of God. Think about how important it is to be chosen. The church was chosen in a sense before the foundation of the world. In creation, God made man in His own image to have fellowship with the man and his wife in the garden that He created. When the fall occurred, Jehovah provided a plan to redeem man from the transgression that occurred, and we see that established throughout the Word through Noah, the patriarchs, Moses, and David which all led the faithful to reconciliation in Christ. The church was God’s chosen plan. He chose that the church would be the only institution in which men would be made holy and without blame. Only through association and submission to Jesus can we be made so. This is only found in Christ. To be part of the called out and chosen ones, each must choose to obey the Gospel of Christ and be added to His chosen vessel by which men are saved, the church that belongs to Christ. Any other plan is incompatible and a different gospel. 

Grace and Peace, 

Ryan 


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