Ephesians 1:3-14
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 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, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. - biblegateway.com
This passage is a theologians treasure trove. There is so much in these verses, that to write about all that is in here would probably take an entire book. We can see election, predestination, salvation, redemption and inheritance. But the general theme of this Scripture, I believe, is being chosen in Christ.
Paul writes that we are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. In Him we have redemption through His blood through the grace of God. In Him we have obtained an inheritance. In Him we trusted after hearing the word of truth, the gospel of salvation. In Him we also believed.
It is in Christ we have every spiritual blessing. It is in Christ the mystery of the will of God is made known. No more guess work. In Christ, we can know the mysteries that have been hidden in ages past. But now in the dispensation of the fullness of times, all things are gathered together in one, whether in heaven or on earth. Indeed, all things are fulfilled in Christ. There is no exception. All things, whether here on earth or in heaven, are fulfilled in Christ. All things are in Christ as it pertains to spiritual life. All things being in Christ, what can be outside of Christ. Nothing. No salvation, no redemption, no spiritual blessing, no inheritance, no understanding of mysteries, no unity, that is no gathering together in to one. All things are in Christ.
There are those who claim one can be saved outside of Christ. How can that be when all things pertaining to salvation are in Christ? And that is just the plain and simple truth.
Some would use this passage to support their doctrine of election and particular redemption. But, this passage does no such thing. Just look at the language of verse 4, "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world..." Notice that little two-letter pronoun, "us." That indicates more than one. This indicates more than one is chosen in Him before the foundation. So this Scripture in no way supports particular redemption. Election, sure. But not particular or individual redemption. Our election is in Christ.
The same is true for predestination. Again, look at the language of verse 5, "having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself..." Once again, there is the little two-letter pronoun, "us." Our election and predestination are in Christ. Those that are elected and predestined are so together in Christ. There is no such thing as being separate in Christ. We are together, unified, one in Christ. We are all chosen in Christ.
