Introduction
Today, we will reread some verses from Ephesians and add a few new ones. Why? Because we want to look deeper into the text. Yesterday, we looked at the more straightforward pieces. Today we’re going deeper. This text, along with others, raises important questions about free will. In other words, what does God control versus what do we control? Does God plan everything? How do our choices fit in? These questions might sound like philosophy but are essential to everyday life. They help us understand how the world works and what our responsibilities are in it.

Today’s Scripture
Ephesians 1:3-14 (New Living Translation)

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time, he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him."

Explanation and Reflection
When we read this text, we see a lot about God’s will and plan. It talks about how God chose us and planned things in advance. For example, verse 4 says God “chose us,” and verse 5 says God “decided in advance.” Verses 9 and 10 mention God’s plan. Verse 11 repeats that God “chose us in advance” according to his plan. The what, how, and why of all of this have been a long-standing debate in the church, so we can’t fully settle it here in 750 words. But let's look at what Ephesians 1:3-14 implies for us today. When we read this text, we see a lot about God’s will and plan. It talks about how God chose us and planned things in advance. For example, verse 4 says God “chose us,” and verse 5 says God “decided in advance.” Verses 9 and 10 mention God’s plan. Verse 11 repeats that God “chose us in advance” according to his plan. The what, how, and why of all of this have been a long-standing debate in the church, so we can’t fully settle it here in 750 words. But let's look at what Ephesians 1:3-14 implies for us today.

1. God Has a Plan
History isn’t random or an accident. God knew what he was doing before the world was made.

2. That Plan Involved Jesus
God planned to use his Son to bring us into his kingdom. He knew about our messy lives and planned to overcome sin with Jesus instead of rejecting us.

3. That Plan Involved You
Verse 4 says God chose us because he loved us. God’s love isn’t just for everyone in general; he loves each of us personally. He knows our sins, messes, hurts, hang-ups, and mistakes. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” And this made God “happy,” according to Ephesians 1:5.

4. We Have a Responsibility
Even with all this talk about God’s will and plan, verses 12 and 13 show that both Jews and Gentiles made a choice for Christ. We need to hear the Gospel, trust it, believe it, live it out, and share it. This passage isn’t just about conversion but about long-term transformation. It isn’t just about being chosen; it’s also about sharing the Gospel.

We don’t know exactly where God’s control ends and our choices begin. It’s probably a mix of both, and it’s a mystery. But we clearly have a responsibility to live, love, and share according to the Gospel’s teachings. It might be confusing, but this lack of understanding pushes us to trust Christ even more in determining where we should engage (be active) and where we should put faith in God (be passive) with the outcomes.

Question of the Day
Here's a question for you to think about and apply:
We all have days when we feel worthless, like we don’t matter to God or anyone else. How does the truth of Ephesians 1:3-14 help us fight those feelings?