Joe Morgan

I am not Jewish, I was not born into Israel. As a gentile I am adopted into God's family through Jesus who bought me at a price. This is encouraging for me because it means that we serve a kind and loving Father who desires ALL to know him. Regardless of our personal issues or situations He loves us enough to take us ALL as part of His family.

This seems to answer it.... "Holy" (Greek hagios, the same word as "saints" in verse 1) means that we are consecrated to God, separated to him as his possession. God has claimed us and we belong to him.17 Blameless?! - only through Christ who stands in my place. I am a sinner who needs a Savior.

The scary part of predestination is that in simplistic form it seems to take free will out of the equation. The comforting part is that although we all sin and fall short of Gods glory, He STILL choose us! I think that Paul is trying to convey to a group of gentiles that would have known their status set apart from their Jewish brothers and sisters that they too are chosen and were chosen from the begining of time. I think he is truely grateful for the work that God is doing in the church at Ephesus. I also think that he is setting a tone with the rest of his letter, one that is going to call gentiles to greater depth and understanding in Christ because of our status with the Father.

To be in Christ for me is the same as being included as part of his family, a whole and complete member. It gives me a sense of peace and security that I have the love of my Father even when I make mistakes (sin). The implications of this mean that my actions no longer effect just me. Everything I do personally directly effects my new "family" and carries it's own weight.