“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:4-6 NKJ
How did you feel this morning waking up with a new thought about being worthy of God’s blessings because of what Jesus did for you at the Cross? And what does it feel like to know that IN Christ you can access and operate IN those blessings? This might be a hard truth to accept for some because we have been conditioned our entire lives to feel unworthy. I know this was my reality when I first learned this truth. I felt anything but worthy! I was so inwardly focused on my own shortcomings that I didn’t believe I was worthy of God’s blessings. This caused me to operate in my own mindset instead of operating IN the mindset of Christ; which led me to reap the things of the flesh instead of reaping the spiritual blessings of God, IN Christ!
This lasted for years until I came to understand the revelation that Paul shares in Ephesians 1:4-6. Understanding that I was chosen IN Christ before the foundation of the world was created to be holy and blameless before God IN love, changed my life! I came to realize that what Adam and Eve had cursed me with in the Garden of Eden when they sinned; Jesus redeemed for me on the Cross! As a believer in Jesus Christ I was born again into the original image of the one God chose IN Him before the foundation of the world was created! So Holly, the new creation, (his adopted daughter) in His eyes, is holy and blameless because He sees me through the blood of Jesus! I am not holy or blameless in this earthly body or in my flesh, for it is a part of the fallen world that won’t be made new until Christ’s return.
But I am holy and blameless in my spirit because I believe IN Jesus Christ! And so are you if you said yes to Jesus Christ! Being holy and blameless isn’t a feeling, it is a fact! This is a truth that is contested on a daily basis by the accuser of the brethren, but he is a liar and he has no authority over our spirit man. He can do all he wants to try and get us to believe that we are worthless (unholy) and to blame, but we have been given all authority IN Christ to put his works of accusation to death. The key is to believe the truth that in God’s eyes we are holy and blameless because of what Christ did for us on the Cross! When God looks at our new life creation IN Christ, He no longer sees the wretched man that we once were. He ONLY sees the heart that has been washed clean by the blood of the LAMB!
When we come to accept this truth then we can accept our adoption as sons and daughters of God. But Paul uses a word before he tells us that we are the adopted children of God that needs to be understood because so many Christians quarrel over this word. The word he uses is predestined. What does that mean? If we look at in the context of this writing it is clear that every human was predestined to live IN relationship with God IN His original plan for man. But when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden that original plan then became a plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.
When we say yes to Jesus Christ God does not restore our spirit to the state of original man. He restores our spirit to the state of His original plan before the foundation of the world was formed. And the original state that existed before the foundation of the world was formed; was completely holy and blameless IN Him. But we cannot access that state through the flesh. We can only access it through our faith IN Jesus Christ! And only IN Him can we operate in a mindset that does not take on shame and guilt. IN Him we operate in the mindset of knowing we are covered with His holy and blameless blood! This enables us to believe by faith that when God looks at our hearts He sees us as holy and blameless IN Christ!
This was, “according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Verse 6) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) So in order for us to walk IN the good works of God that He prepared beforehand for us when we were created IN Christ, before the foundation of the world was created; we have to accept our adoption as the holy and blameless children of God IN Christ!
This is what empowers us to walk IN the mindset of our NEW Father IN adoption, who gives us the desire IN our hearts to do the will of our Father, just like Jesus had when He was on the earth. Can you see it? We are no longer bound to the earthly ties of natural man. Jesus loosed those ties that bind when He broke forth from the grave and defeated the devil! Understanding this is where we begin to see ourselves, not as weak and incapable human beings, but as strong spiritual beings IN the power of His might through His Spirit!
Prayer: Help me to come to an understanding of the wisdom You want to grant me in regards to my adoption as your son/daughter IN Christ. Open my eyes to see beyond the physical realm of my reality so I can see with my spiritual eyes, because this is where I can begin to access every spiritual blessing You have stored up for me. Help my unbelief and empower me by Your Spirit to believe by faith that what You have promised, You will perform IN my life. Amen
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