Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 31:61 (Autumn 2018)
Article: The Church: Chosen To Reign (Ephesians 1:4–5)
Author: Kenneth W. Yates

JOTGES 31:61 (Autumn 2018) p. 3

The Church:
Chosen To Reign (Ephesians 1:4–5)

Kenneth W. Yates

Editor

I. Introduction

Paul uses two verbs in Eph 1:4–5 which deal directly with the issue of election. In the NKJV, the verbs are “to choose” and “to predestine.” The Apostle writes:

…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… (emphasis added)

R. C. Sproul cites these verses, along with eleven others, and concludes that if an exegete is going to be Biblical, the issue is not whether the Bible teaches predestination or not, but what kind of predestination is Biblical.1 Sproul makes it clear that he strongly believes that God has predestined or chosen certain individuals for eternal life. This choice was made by God before these people were born. Their eternal destinies were settled even before the world was created. Sproul goes on to say that to believe otherwise is to make eternal salvation dependent upon work and makes the person holding that view an Arminian.2 This, in turn, would deny that eternal salvation is completely by the grace of God.

This article will agree with Sproul that Eph 1:4–5 does teach predestination. However, it will disagree that this predestination involves God’s selecting specific individuals for eternal life. Instead, it involves the corporate Church and the service God has called the Church to do.

JOTGES 31:61 (Autumn 2018) p. 4

It would be helpful to look at how different scholars view the doctrine of election. It will become clear that one could disagree with Sproul’s definition and still hold to salvation by grace through faith alone.3

II. Different Views Of Election

Some agree with Sproul that in Eph 1:4–5 Paul is teaching that God has chosen some people for eternal life before they were born. Among those who do agree, there are differences of opinion as to when this choosing took place and whether this choosing by God removes all free will. Others believe that the predestination of Ephesians 1 does not involve the choosing of individuals but the Church.

A. Individual Election Without Free Will

There ar...