2026.05.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:9–10

Read Ephesians 1:9–10

Questions from the Scripture text: What has God made known to us (Ephesians 1:9a)? According to what had He decided this? What had He done “in Himself”? When would He carry out His plan (Ephesians 1:10a)? What would He gather into one? In Whom would He gather all things? What things would be included in these “all things” (verse 10b)?

What drives predestination? Ephesians 1:9–10 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s own, internal pleasure drives predestination. 

We tend to focus upon ourselves when we think about God’s eternal purposes. And that is understandable, not because it is right, but because we are fleshly, and it is understandable that we would so sinfully think about things. The Lord, however, thinks upon us with amazing love and goodness and generosity, precisely by putting us in our proper place: under Christ and in Christ. 

In the previous verses, we read that He bent “all wisdom and prudence” (Ephesians 1:8) upon redeeming us by Christ’s blood (Ephesians 1:7). Now in this passage, we read the heart and goal of that wisdom and prudence: to gather all of creation (signified by the “bookends” of “heaven and earth,” Ephesians 1:10) together, in one—in Christ.

This was that “mystery of His will” to which Ephesians 1:9 refers. In the New Testament, the word “mystery” generally means something that God has revealed in Christ and the gospel, that we would not have known in any other way. And what has God now revealed: that Christ redeeming us (and all creation with us) has always been at the center of God purposes.

These, of course, are eternal purposes. It is in Himself that He purposed them. And, this plan was “according to His good pleasure.” That is to say that in these purposes, God was not responding to hypothetical futures at all. His own, internal pleasure is what drives this. Pleasure to glorify Himself. Pleasure for that glory to be in His Son. Pleasure for His Son’s great display of glory to be as Redeemer. And now, God has sent as a Redeemer that Son unto His glory! These riches that He has poured out in love to purchase us are all, entirely, only because it pleased Him!

This is the true and biblical way to think about election and predestination. And it is a source of great wonder and worship, and love back to God, and peace and security in His redemption. What a doctrine! What a Redeemer! What a God! Hallelujah!

In what manner have you talked and thought about election and predestination? In what manner should we all?

Sample prayer:  Lord, how marvelous You are, in the glory of Your grace! How marvelous the display of that glory in Your Son! We rejoice to hear and think about Your pleasure. Please make it our pleasure to delight in what pleases You, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”