Scripture:
Ephesians 1:13-14
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Observation:
After introducing himself as the writer of the letter, Paul communicates that as a believer he had been predestined as a saint, an adopted son, a recipient of his wisdom and forgiveness and one who has had the will of God revealed to him. He then includes the readers of the letter in this same group and points out that they too have the guarantee of the same inheritance because they believed on Christ when they heard and received the Holy Spirit.
Application:
From a scriptural sense, this passage is one of the strongest and most clear presentations of the theology of predestination. That is the theological stance that spiritual life and death are predetermined even before our own birth and that God’s sovereign will is determined not by our actions in life but according to His perfect plan. Regardless of ones stance on this theology this passage does make a few things clear…
-The reception of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the revelation and vehicle to experience eternal life. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is not revealed, a person can not believe and therefore does not receive the Holy Spirit. (Action Step: Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is essential to people experiencing life)
-The love of God is the motivation of the revelation of the Son and therefore the motivation for the reconciliation and redemption of man. In other words the only reason we can experience eternal life and the inheritance of sonship is because of the Love of God made evident through Christ. (Action Step: If the motive of reconciliation and redemption is the love of God, then my message to others better clearly communicate that and be fueled by that)
-The reception of the promised Holy Spirit comes by hearing and believing on the word of truth which is the gospel of salvation. (Action Step: The Spirit doesn’t come on someone without hearing and experiencing the gospel. God can use silent rocks if He wants, but I’d rather be obedient and have him use me and my mouth and life.)
Prayer:
Father you have predestined me as a child, a son, a recipient of your love and Spirit. May I take this same gospel, this same love, and this same faith and preach it so that others may hear, respond and receive you and all that comes with that.