Doctrine

Chosen

Pastor Tan Thai

Ephesians 1:3Ephesians 1:4Ephesians 1:5Ephesians 1:7Ephesians 1:7-8Ephesians 1:8Ephesians 1:9Ephesians 1:11Ephesians 1:13-14Ephesians 1:4-6Ephesians 1:11Ezekiel 33:112 Peter 3:91 Timothy 2:4Deuteronomy 30:19Joshua 24:15John 6:37Matthew 11:28John 15:161 Peter 1:1-2Acts 13:481 Corinthians 15:9-101 Corinthians 1:26-281 Corinthians 1:29-31Psalm 51:5Ephesians 2:1-3Romans 8:28-30Ephesians 4:1-3

This sermon presents the message of God's election of the church. Based on Ephesians 1:3-14, the sermon affirms that God chose us before the foundation of the world to be sanctified, adopted as sons, redeemed, and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The sermon opens with a hymn of praise to God the Father in Ephesians 1:3, affirming that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ in the heavenly realms. The preacher lists nine specific blessings given to the elect: sanctification, adoption as sons, redemption and forgiveness of sins, the giving of grace, wisdom and insight into all things, knowledge of the mystery of God's will, inheritance in Christ, and sealing with the Holy Spirit.

The second section develops the theological doctrine of election and predestination. The sermon quotes Ephesians 1:4-6 (New Translation) to demonstrate that before the foundation of the world, God chose us to be holy and blameless before Him, and in love He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ the Savior. The sermon also presents three fundamental truths about salvation: God desires all people to be saved, human beings have freedom of choice, and God has predestined and chosen certain people to be saved and abide in Him. Passages from Ezekiel 33:11, 2 Peter 3:9, and 1 Timothy 2:4 are cited to demonstrate that God does not desire the death of any person but desires that all repent and be saved.

The third section applies the message to the character and qualities of the elect. The sermon quotes 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 to emphasize that God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, what is weak in the world to shame the strong, and what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are. Ephesians 4:1-3 is used to encourage the elect to walk worthy of their calling, with humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The sermon also emphasizes humility in God's servants, citing 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 about Paul, who once persecuted the church but was completely transformed by God's grace. Romans 8:28-30 is presented at the end to summarize the entire process of salvation: those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, called, declared righteous, and glorified.