A NEW DISPENSATION AND NEW RELATIONSHIP

            Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will". In recent Devotionals, I have addressed the beliefs of the Calvinist (Reformed Theology) concerning 'election' from 1 Peter 1:2, and 'predestination' from Romans 8:29, 30. They have assumed that the word 'foreknowledge' concerning election and 'foreknown' that results with predestination were each making reference to what God decided before the foundation of the world. It is only an ASSUMPTION and not based on Scripture! I revealed that God knew all about each individual before He got to know each one as His precious child after salvation. When Jesus told the false professors "I never knew you" in Matthew 7:23, He was telling them they had never belonged to Him. He knew each of their names and was well aware of their religious activities, but He never KNEW them in a spiritual relationship since they had not been saved. The text I am using in this devotional is another of the Calvinist's favorites that they have falsely interpreted because of their assumptions. A wrong interpretation of one Scripture will invariably lead to the false understanding of other Scriptures as well!

            They have assumed the phrase 'chosen us in him before the foundation of the world' in verse 4 is referring to their being elected to be saved resulting in the word 'predestinated' in verse 5. They totally ignore the opening verse of Ephesus that reveals that these truths are being written to the saved members in that local church. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus" (verse 1). The Reformed Theologist also teaches 'the mystery of his will' mentioned later in verse 8 is a reference to God alone knowing who He has chosen to be saved. Obviously, I do not agree with their assumptions! I believe this text clearly teaches that God knew before the foundation of the world that those in Ephesus would be living in a new dispensation and enjoying a new relationship with Him. That is the mystery of His will being revealed to them and to us.

            The people of Israel represented the Lord in the Old Testament. After the rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders of Israel and their demand that He be crucified, the Lord commissioned New Testament churches to be obligated to serve as His representatives and ambassadors on Earth. Romans 11 describes how the good olive branches (Israel) were broken off and bad olive branches (Gentiles) were grafted into the stump. That text also reveals that one day the good branches will be grafted back in to the same stump. I believe that will happen after the Rapture, but until then we are living with the benefits given to us in the new dispensation Paul revealed to us in this letter to the Ephesians.

            In our text, Paul was also writing them about a new relationship that was available to them in the new dispensation. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come upon someone for a specific purpose and then depart for a time. After Samuel anointed David, the Scripture states, "And the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:23). That was very unusual! When Sampson sinned, the Scripture says, "And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him" (Judges 16:20). That could never happen to a New Testament Christian! From the foundation of the world, God knew what would happen to Jesus on the cross! He also knew the Holy Spirit would be given to each believer on Pentecost! Jesus even promised it to His disciples! "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; --- for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16, 17). The small word 'in' reveals the precious truth Paul wanted them (and us) to know about the new dispensation and the new relationship each believer has with the Lord.         

            As a dipper placed in a pail of water will immediately be filled with water, so when we were placed in Christ we were immediately filled with Him. What the book of Leviticus is to the Old Testament, the Epistle to the Ephesians is to the New Testament. They both revealed the worship that we should have with the Lord. In the first chapter of Ephesians, the Spirit emphasized through Paul what we have IN Christ. Please use your Bible to notice the word 'in' from the following verses: 'in Christ', verses 1, 3, 10, 12; 'in whom', verses 7, 11, 13; 'in Him', verses 4, 10; and 'in the beloved', verse 6. The important thing is to understand how and when we were placed in Christ.

            Reformed Theology teaches that before the foundation of the world God selected all who would be His elect and predestinated them to be saved by His sovereign will. They believe Jesus only died for the ones God elected, and the Holy Spirit would be sent only to them. The Spirit will enter into the lost giving them new life. After the Holy Spirit enters, He will give them the gifts of faith and repentance. All others would have no opportunity to ever be saved and would, therefore, live a life without Him and spend eternity in Hell. Our text has absolutely no reference to any particular individual who God elected to be saved, but it describes what each and every saved person has received in Christ!

            But, how did those in Ephesus who Paul was writing to become saints and faithful in Lord Jesus as described in verse 1? Their salvation experience is described in verse 13, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." They first heard the Gospel! Then they trusted in Jesus! They received the Holy Spirit! They became God's elect and were predestinated to one day be like Jesus and receive the heavenly inheritance God had prepared for them. They were to serve the Lord in this new dispensation some call the Church age, while others refer to as the age of grace. They were in Jesus Christ enjoying their new fellowship with Him as they were to serve Him in this new dispensation!