My family and I are in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia. There’s a little boy right now halfway across the world who doesn’t even know that America exists. Much less, that there’s a daddy, mommy, and two big brothers waiting for him here. But we have been working to get him for almost a year now. Essentially, we are drawing him to ourselves. There’s nothing special about him. We can’t see his future potential. No reason to pick him over the other five million orphans in Ethiopia. The only thing we know about him is that he needs a family. He’s in a desperate situation and we want to give him a family.
Our focus passages today are Ephesians 1:3-12 and Ephesians 2:4-10. The first word that stands out to me as I read this passage is adoption. Our spiritual adoption process starts with God, just as our son’s adoption doesn’t start with him, but with us as his parents. God chose us before we even knew we needed a Savior. Dead in our sins, we were blind to the Truth. Ephesians 2:4 & 5 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). And 1: 7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
We did not orchestrate our own salvation. You didn’t go to God on terms you came up with. God set the standard of holiness and made a way for your sins to be forgiven. Not only did you not orchestrate your salvation, you did not earn your salvation. Verses eight through nine say, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” By grace through faith, not by works! You don’t have to worry about the good outweighing the bad in your life. You don’t have to keep a list of what you’ve done that makes you “good enough.” Even your goodness isn’t perfection, so a Perfect Sacrifice had to be made.
So, the idea of salvation didn’t originate with you. It wasn’t on the basis of your works. God chose, adopted, and predestined. Our passage in Ephesians also says God has a plan for you life. 2:10 says “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” His life-long plan is that you would grow in Christlikeness, or be sanctified. His plan includes events that will draw you closer to Him. I’m so thankful He not only saved us, but wants a relationship with us! His activity in our lives never stops!
God chooses us and redeems us, for His glory, for the purpose of sanctification. Praise God today for His grace, His plan of redemption, and for drawing you to Himself!
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The Scripture Dig team will be speaking on the beautiful theme of adoption at a retreat this weekend. Please pray for us as we prepare, travel, and minister!
Sandra, thank you for reminding us that God chose us! I love the truth that He picked me out for Himself!
Thankful that I’m adopted by the King.
“God chooses us and redeems us, for His glory, for the purpose of sanctification. Praise God today for His grace, His plan of redemption, and for drawing you to Himself.” AMEN!!
Very clear in Scripture is God’s love for the orphan..couple that with the fact that Jesus was essentially adopted into the bloodline of David via Joseph and it is so clear how adoption is God’s plan. I love these verses in Ephesians because it reminds me that Christ adopted me..I am HIS!
Sandra ~ What a wonderful reminder that we are in His forever family because of what He has done – not because of anything we have done. I love how you said, “We did not orchestrate our own salvation.”
“His plan includes events that will draw you closer to Him.” — I have found that to be so true! I am praising God for the journey He has brought me on and for the shaping He is doing to this little lump of clay!
Living for Him, Joan
God does has a plan for each of us. I just had a discussion with our oldest son {who is adopted} about adoption in the family of God. Thank you for such great insight and a reminder of who really in control.
Ephesians 2:8-9
are my favorite bible verses in the Bible. I continue to be in awe every day of the gift of salvation. I like your comparison of being “adopted” in the family of Christ. It really puts in perspective God’s plans and God as figure of a father.
“You don’t have to keep a list of what you’ve done that makes you “good enough.”” I still struggle with this. I struggle with the truth that I am so unworthy of this grace and everlasting love. And that no matter how much I could try, I could never earn it. Yet, though I struggle with this lack of the ability to give an equal return of effort to God, I’m SO incredibly thankful and blessed.
These verses from Ephesians show why grace is so beautiful.
Thank you for this post, Sandra.