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God has an eternal plan to produce a holy people redeemed by Jesus Christ and protected by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:1-10, gives an overview of God’s plan in choosing us, adopting us and redeeming us “to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph. 1:10b).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16)
Jesus Christ is the focus in this eternal plan of God. Believers were chosen before the creation of the earth to be “in Christ”, and our salvation and eternal destiny is assured. God blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. In Christ, our sins and guilt are removed and thus we begin the restoration of the relationship with God our Father when we are transformed (born again). As saints (set apart people), Christians are also adopted as sons of God’s family in union with Jesus as Head of the Church.
What is the purpose of being God’s chosen people and receiving His blessings? The ultimate purpose of our being chosen “in Christ” is to be holy (set apart) and blameless before God. Because of Jesus being in our lives, we are eternally holy before God. God sees us in His Son and sees the work His Son has done in us. We have, through the Amazing Grace of God been made holy and blameless, so that no one can accuse and reject us because of what Christ has already done in our lives. Those who have been declared holy because of their faith now need to walk in a worthy manner. We should
strive to be holy and blameless in our daily living. For some, it could mean a total change in their present way of life. It is not what we can do for Christ but what Christ has done for us and continues to do in us. He is inherently pure and holy and wants to be expressed in His work through us to the glory of God.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)
The greatest challenge for Christians is to surrender their wills totally to God. We live holy and blameless lives that God calls us to. Jesus is the One and Only Way – we simply follow His Way to stay holy and blameless.