According as he hath chosen us in him
This choice cannot be understood of a national one, as Israel of
old were chosen by the Lord; for the persons the apostle writes
to were not a nation; nor does he address all the inhabitants of
Ephesus, only the saints and faithful in Christ that resided
there; nor are they all intended here, if any of them. However,
not they only, since the apostle includes himself, and perhaps
some others, who did not belong to that place, nor were of that
country: nor does this choice regard them as a church; for though
the saints at Ephesus were in a church state, yet the apostle
does not write to them under that formal consideration, but as
saints and faithful; nor are these persons said to be chosen to
church privileges, but to grace and glory, to be holy and
blameless: besides, from ( Ephesians
1:3-12 ) , the apostle seems to speak of himself, and some
others, who first trusted in Christ, as distinct from the
believers at Ephesus, ( Ephesians
1:13 ) , nor is this choice of persons to an office, for all
that are here intended were not apostles, or pastors, or deacons:
nor can it design the effectual calling, or the call of persons
in time by efficacious grace; because this was before the
foundation of the world, as follows: but it intends an eternal
election of particular persons to everlasting life and salvation;
and which is the first blessing of grace, and the foundation one,
upon which all the rest proceed, and according
to which they are dispensed; for according to predestination are
calling, justification, and glorification. The author of this
choice is God, God the Father, who is distinguished from Christ,
in whom this act is made; and it is according to his
foreknowledge, and is an act of his grace, and is entirely
sovereign: the objects of it, us, are not angels, but men,
considered as unfallen with respect to the end, and as fallen
with respect to the means; and these not all mankind: to choose,
implies the contrary; and they that are chosen are distinguished
from others, and are represented as few; nor do all men partake
either of the means or end appointed in the decree of election;
and yet some of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, are included in
it; though none for any previous qualifications in them, as not
for their good works, faith, holiness, or perseverance therein;
for these are fruits and effects of election, and therefore
cannot be causes or conditions of it: and this choice is made in
Christ; and the persons chosen are chosen in him, and by being
chosen they come to be in him; for this refers not to their
openly being in him at conversion, as believers, but to their
secretly being in him before time. Christ, as Mediator, is the
object of election himself; and all the elect were chosen in him
as their head, in whose hands their persons, grace, and glory
are, and so are safe and secure in him: the Arabic version
renders it, "by him"; not as the meritorious cause, for Christ's
merits are not the cause of election, though they are of
redemption and salvation; but as the means, in order to the end:
the Ethiopic version renders it, "to him"; to salvation by him,
and to the obtaining of his glory; as if he and his benefits,
being the end of this choice, were intended; which was made
before the foundation of the world:
and that it was so early, is certain, from the love of God to his
people, which this is the effect of, and which is an everlasting
love; and from the covenant which was made with Christ from
everlasting, on account of these chosen ones, when Christ was set
up as the head and representative of them; and from the provision
of all spiritual blessings for them in it, which proceeds
according to this choice; and from the preparation of a kingdom
for them from the foundation of the world; and from the nature of
God's decrees, which are eternal; for no new will, or act of
will, can arise in God, or any decree be made by him, which was
not from eternity: God's foreknowledge is eternal, and so is his
decree, and is no other than himself decreeing. The end of this
choice follows,
that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in
love;
the objects of it are not chosen because they were holy, but that
they might partake of the sanctification of the Spirit; that they
might be sanctified by him here, and be perfectly holy hereafter;
and be without fault and blame, both in this life, as instilled
by the righteousness of Christ, and as washed in his blood; and
in the life to come, being entirely freed from all sin, and
without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; and appear so in the
sight of Christ, who will present them to himself, and in the
sight of his Father, to whom they will also be presented by him,
even in the sight of divine justice: and this will be all "in
love", or "through love", as the Syriac version renders it; or
"through his love", as the Arabic version; for the love of God is
the source and spring of election itself, and of holiness and
happiness, the end of it; and which is shed abroad in the hearts
of God's people now, and will be more fully comprehended and
enjoyed in the other world; and which causes love again in them
to him. A phrase somewhat like this is used by the Targumist on (
Ecclesiastes 11:6 )
where, speaking of a man's children, he says;
``it is not known unto thee which of them (bj ywhml rxbta) , "is chosen to be good", this, or that, or both of them, to be alike good.''Some copies put the stop at before him; and read the phrase, "in love"; in connection with the words following, thus, "in love", or "by love hath predestinated us"; so the Syriac version.