Predestined

Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”

It is an odd thing to think that we have been predestined. That before the foundation of the world, God had planned to work in our lives. When we think of being predestined that does not mean we are living out some pre-planned life, not making our own choices. The Bible makes it clear that we have choices and God who is sovereign has predestined certain parts of our lives.

This topic certainly has tension and like so many Biblical topics, we find people like to live on the extremes. There is the “we have choices and God never interferes with our choices” group. Then, way on the other side we have the “God is sovereign and predestines everything in our lives so we don’t have any choices" group.

The truth is God is sovereign. Who is going to tell God what He can and can't do. If He chooses in His sovereignty to give man a free will, what are you going to say to Him,"You can’t do that?" The fact that God is sovereign says He can do what He wants no matter what you or I say.

God has predestined certain things in our lives. Through His foreknowledge (and yes I do believe that God knows everything, even the future), He knows who, through His grace and by faith, will choose to follow Him, long before they ever make that decision; and because they responded to the drawing of God in their life. He now predestines them to be conformed to the image of His Son and as it says here in Ephesians 1:5, "to adoption as sons."

Two things, to remember. God has been thinking about you for a long time. He is working out His plan in your life. Second, all of this is to the good pleasure of His will. He not only predestined you to be in his family as a son or daughter, it also brings Him pleasure as he works these things out.

Let us know what you think. Give us your comments on what the Lord has spoken to you through this verse.