Just As

Passage: Ephesians 1:4

4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  

At first, we would overlook the true beauty of this passage, being taken by the immensity and the magnanimity of the main thought.  However, we need to look at each word and phrase and see what it is that god is saying here.  The depth of this passage goes far below the surface and we would do well to take a close look and see what is there for us to savor and take in and grow on.  We have looked at the major theme of these verses (through verse 10) and seen the broad stokes painted by the themes here.  Now let us take a look back and see the intricate beauty and majesty as Paul lays out for us the awesome and worship-inspiring plan and purpose of the eternal and infinite mind of God.

The word “Just as” is an adverb meaning as, just as; or inasmuch as, because; in so far as, to the degree that; how, or that (of indirect discourse).  It indicates a direct connection and functions as a subordinating conjunction.  What that means is that is “subjects” what follows to the idea that went before.  That is the way the two ideas relate to one another.  In the prior verse, God had spoken of the great blessings that we have in Christ.  We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.  The fullness of that tremendous gracious act of God is beyond measure (though we have tried to give some small hint as to its immensity).  Here, we see that it is even larger, bigger, more fabulous than it even seemed at first.

It is far more than just that God saves sinners.  That is marvelous and we do not in any way wish to minimize or de-emphasize that great truth.  Were we told in the Bible that simple sentence, that God saves the lost, and that was all, it were enough for us to savor and to bring us to our knees is praise again and again, now and through all eternity.

But it is not all that we are told.  Graciously and marvelously, God has told us far more!

Verse 3 tells us, in very broad strokes, of the marvelous grace of God.  Verse 4 and following tells us the details of how that great pouring forth of blessing has taken place and shown itself to men. 

He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ “just as” or according to His perfect plan in electing the children to salvation.  God worked out his desire to save and bless by means of the grace of the election of His elect.

Now, election is a bad word for many people.  They don’t like the subject and they are uncomfortable even saying the word.  But it is a Biblical word and we must, if we are to be good Bible students, not only say it, but acknowledge its presence and its truth in God’s economy.  God worked out His desire by means of the doctrine of election.  He decreed what would be the fulfillment of his loving and gracious heart’s desire. 

You and I would certainly have chosen a different avenue to pursue and to accomplish our goals.  We would surely have sought to sway men by persuasion, or entreaty, or some other more palatable form.  However, God chose to accomplish His plan by the exercise of His will.  The reasons for this are too numerous to mention in detail here, but the all surround the truth of man’s inability and unwillingness to submit himself to God and to God’s righteous requirement to bow the knee and give Him the glory that the One True, Living God desires and is due.  Men cannot submit to the truth, and they would not, even if the could of themselves submit to it!

All the more praise is due our God for this great truth.  So much the more as it confounds our wisdom and our logic in proclaiming that salvation of the Lord and not of man!