Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 "according as he has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy without blame before Him in love" Love is the 3rd purpose in God's election of the believer in Ephesians chapter 1. This is a love we experience, know and show in our lives through an encounter with the grace of God in preserving, restoring, saving, sustaining and strengthening the Christian day by day. Encountering the love of God in Christ allows us to express that love to others.
Jacob was saved by that love
Moses and Israel was sustained by that love
Elijah's left was kept and he did not die because of that love
David was restored by that love
Peter recovered by that love
Lazarus arose from the dead by that love
“that we should be holy, without blame before Him in love”
It is according to some scholars and translations legitimate to attach the “in love” with the beginning of verse 5 as an alternative, a translation used in the HCSB:
“For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,” (Ephesians 1:1-4)
The “in love” could be linked with “He predestined” and that as I am sure you would see would be very understandable.
I do prefer the AV translation, maybe out of personal prejudice / tradition, yet “in love” as the object and purpose of our election fits very well with one of the big sub themes of Ephesians.
The believer in Ephesians is:
- Chosen
- Predestinated
- Saved
- Redeemed
- Under new management (2:1ff)
- Sealed (1:13) and indwelt by the Spirit of God
- Transformed by the work of God’s Holy Spirit into the character of Jesus Christ (Eph 2:10)
- Living out the Christian life in the power of the Person of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, by putting off the old man and putting on the new (Eph 4:22ff)
- At the core of that aspiration for the Christian lies the prayer of the apostle in Ephesians 3:14ff that the believer, the adopted child of God might be:
Thus to be “holy, without blame before Him in love” is a purpose for the Christian echoed throughout the epistle.
It is the purpose and plan of God that we might both:
- Experience that love
- Express that love
It is that love encountered in Christ by the believer (Eph 3:19) that is then worked out through life in:
- Church
- Marriage (Ephesians 5:25ff)
- Family
- Work
That “love” which fills the believer is the product of an encounter with that love, it is the consequence of “experience” of that love Ephesians 3:16,19.
As I wander through the wilderness for 40 years, through a dry barren place, a desert, going round in circles and ask; why is it I have not starved to death or died of thirst in this barren place of lost souls and fallen carcases? Why is it I am still alive? Did I not:
- Construct and worship an idolatorous golden calf?
- Grumble and murmur against Moses, God’s appointed leader?
- Complain in my heart and to God?
- Desire a return to my bondage in Egypt because the food was better back then?
And yet here I am, sustained in the wilderness!
Why am I still alive?
Why does bread fall from heaven?
Why am I sustained with water from the rock?
Why do my shoes not wear done?
The only answer I receive “But because the LORD loved -- you, and because he would keep -- the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut 7:8)
Those 40 years were an encounter, an experience, a knowledge of the love of God!
Why do I hear a voice, an echo from beyond the stony wall of the tomb “Lazarus come forth”? Because “behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” (John 11:3)
Why is it not enough when I pray “it is enough”:
“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested -- for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” (1 Kings 19:4)
Why does God not just let me die?
Why is there a cake baked on the coals to sustain me?
Why does God still speak to me?
Why does God not just give up on me?
I’ve had enough! Does He not see it?
My life is a failure, my mission unsuccessful, I’ve preached and prayed and demonstrated the power of God on mount Carmel, performed miracles and yet no revival, just rejection and a people who do not listen nor respond. I’ve had enough! Why doesn’t God just leave me alone?
Why are there cakes cooked on the coals (1Kings 19:6)?
Why that touch from the angel (1Kings 19:5)?
Why do I hear again the sound of the still small voice (1Kings 19:12)?
Why does God not just give up? Because Elijah is “His servant Elijah”
God did not give up on Elijah because God loved Elijah, this strengthening of His servant was because God loved His servant! This was a personal experience of the love of God in His life.
I’ve gone back to the fishing, leave me alone!
The Lord finds Peter and restores Peter to useful and effective service, Peter experiences the Love of Christ in His life.
It is by the experience of that love:
- In sustaining
- In restoring
- In forgiving
- In fitting for service
That we know and experience the love of God
Dr J Stewart Gillespie