Ephesians 1:3-6 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love ⁵ He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 

Many in the Body of Christ argue and fight over terms such as predestination and foreknowledge.   I think we need to rethink and redefine those realities.

God is infinite, including with regard to time.  He has been in the past, the present, and the future.  He knew us before the foundations of the world.  He can tell us precisely what happens in the future because He has been there and is there.

He knows the choices we will make before we make them.  Thus, He can plan our future, including our salvation, because He knows what we will choose and do.  His foreknowledge in no way diminishes our ability to choose. 

He chooses us based on His infinite foreknowledge of how we will respond and choose.  He does not arbitrarily choose some and reject others.   He chooses and rejects based on His foreknowledge of what we will choose.  God knows our future, and we know God.  Therefore, we need to focus on Him rather than fretting over the what-ifs.   

I trust Him to keep what I have committed to Him and guide me into making the right choices; if I believe that God arbitrarily decides my eternity with no involvement from me, I develop a view of God as a puppet master, even a tyrant.  Imagine someone with that power operating arbitrarily.   That is beyond frightening.

Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God has blessed (Has Blessed) us with ALL spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Jesus. God’s love is unconditional, but that does not mean He ignores disobedience. God has prepared a plan for us based on His foreknowledge of what choices we will make. He is never surprised by our choices. Additionally, He wants us to know what He desires.  But He will not make the choice for us.  He gives us options, even though there is only one acceptable option. 

We are predestined to be transformed into the image of Jesus.  His predetermined plan is based on His seeing our decisions.   He helps us make the right and difficult choices, yet the choice is ours.   We would not have been given a will if He had desired robots. 

The fact that He has given us the ability to choose reveals His desire for us to mature.  We do not want to make every decision, in detail, for our children or anyone.   We want them to mature, apply their knowledge, and make the right choices.

I heard – “Do you trust Me?  Do you believe what I have said?  Then, quit asking Me to do for you what I equipped and authorized you to do.  You have authority over the devil and your will. Exercise it.” I received the chastisement and am at peace with my purpose. My destiny results from the right choices I have made, am making, and will make through His Spirit.

I have a will that I have willed to surrender to His will.   I am, therefore, free!

May God bless, guard, keep, and guide you each step of your spiritual journey!