Jan 7, "HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE…" (Very Rev Dr I. U. Ibeme)

The Chapel of Grace Unimaid Midweek Service 07-01-2021 Topic: "HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE …." (Ephesians 1:3-4) Minister: The Very Revd. Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE …. Eph 1:3-4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: I. This Scripture highlights the Divine Truth that..... Salvation and the New Covenant in Christ has to do with what God’s initiative toward us is, so that we do God’s intention for His initiative. Salvation in Christ is not our initiative or purpose or power but God’s alone to which we submit, subscribe and succumb. Again Salvation in Christ is not an afterthought for a parenthesis church age programme following the rejection of Christ by Israel as some postulate today. Rather, Salvation and the New Covenant in Christ is the eternal counsel of God’s will (Eph_1:11) before all things, which God mysteriously and mightily works out in His due time (Gal_4:4; Eph_1:10). II. The Bible refers to "the foundation of the world" in two chronological sense..... There are things God did or had done BEFORE the foundation of the world (Joh_17:24; Eph_1:4; Heb_4:3; Heb_9:26; 1Pe_1:20), but there are other things which have been doing or does SINCE or FROM the foundation of the world (Mat_13:35; Mat_25:34; Luk_11:50; Rev_13:8; Rev_17:8). Revealed mystery of the Gospel shows that all God’s redemptive provision for humanity stands on representative and covenant basis which are all rooted IN Christ. Although God created humanity in God’s image and likeness with full freewill to exercise dominion for God and worship God, yet God did not create humanity with divine perfection and divine invincibility against damnation for sin. It then follows that each free human being is also frail, and so cannot individually guarantee being entrusted with eternal matters in themselves personally. III. *So, what strategy did God use being the Wonderful Counsellor or Extraordinary Strategist....?^ God strategically used entrustment by covenant representation, such that the predestination of all humanity is put in their anointed representative and election of all humanity in put in their anointed representative. Divine strategic purpose is that where the first or generational representative fails then all who descend through him shall fail, but where the second or re-generational representative prevails then all who believe in Him shall prevail. That is why God purposed in His wisdom to begin with the fallible temporal Adam sent to represent God’s dominion, but end with the infallible eternal Christ sent to redeem from God’s damnation. IV. In Ephesians Chapter 1 as well as Colossians 1, the Apostle points out that ..... ALL THINGS ARE IN CHRIST, BY CHRIST, THROUGH CHRIST, AND FOR CHRIST Col_1:16-20 1. Our perfection (complete competence/full function/mature measure/thorough thoughtfulness) is only possible IN CHRIST Col_1:28; 2. Our heavenly blessing is IN CHRIST Eph_1:3; 3. Our election before the foundation of the world to be holy is IN CHRIST Eph_1:4; 4. Our predestination to adoption is BY/THROUGH CHRIST Eph_1:5; 5. Our bestowed grace is IN CHRIST Eph_1:6; Our acceptance to God is IN CHRIST (for the glorious praise of God’s grace) Eph_1:6; 6. Our redemption is IN CHRIST (through His atoning Blood and rich Grace) Eph_1:7; Col_1:14; 7. The mystery of God’s good pleasure is finally revealed and set forth IN CHRIST Eph_1:9; Heb_1:2; Mat_13:35; 8. God’s plan is to eventually head up or gather up all things IN CHRIST Eph_1:10; 9. Our being claimed as God’s own predestined possession is IN CHRIST Eph_1:11; Our predestined inheritance is obtained IN CHRIST Eph_1:11; 10. Our trust is set IN CHRIST Eph_1:12; 11. That’s why first of all, our faith is IN CHRIST Eph_1:13; 12. Forgiveness, inheritance and sanctification come through faith IN CHRIST Act_26:18; 13. The Eternal Life God has given us is IN CHRIST 1Jn_5:11; 14. And we know the Truth because we and the Truth are IN CHRIST 1Jn_5:20.