Ephesians 1:5-6 (NKJV) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
God wasn’t forced but it was His good pleasure to predestine us to adoption as sons and daughters by Jesus Christ to Himself. Truly understanding His plan for salvation and His love for us will give us the assurance that all is well and we are accepted by God regardless of our past. It is God’s plan, His pleasure and will for us to return to His family as His children.
God knows our weaknesses, sins, and imperfections. Nevertheless, He has chosen to love us, and adopt us into His family willingly and with great pleasure. He has given us the right to become His children the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and we have gone from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light, turned from a slave of sin to a slave of righteousness upon our profession of faith.
Just like a caterpillar which has transformed into a beautiful butterfly, we used to be sinners and belonged to the kingdom of darkness, but we now have a new identity as God’s children, and the Heavenly Father sees us as righteous in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV) In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Because God sees us in Christ, we have been approved by Him. God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit in our hearts, which means He owns us and is preserving us. Just like the prodigal son was given the signet ring as a sign that he belonged to the family, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit to showcase to the spiritual realm that we belong to God and will be lifted up at Jesus’ return. It is a guarantee of our inheritance.
This seal of approval is our new identity before God. It was given to us because we trusted in Him after we heard the Gospel. God ensured that we are always in favour before Him by blessing us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. He has no favourites, and has demonstrated His love for us through Jesus dying for us while we were yet sinners. He has chosen not to leave or forsake us through the establishment of the new covenant in Jesus’ blood, and to remember our sins no more. He doesn’t consider our worth because He has chosen to love us regardless of our current state. That’s Agape love—it keeps loving because it is unconditional. We are prince and princess in the kingdom of the King of kings, and our status will never change.
Sermon Series: Sonship
永远的王子和公主
以弗所书 1:5-6 就按着自己意旨所喜悦的，预定我们，借着耶稣基督得儿子的名分，使他荣耀的恩典得着称赞，这恩典是他在爱子里所赐给我们的。
上帝预定我们藉着耶稣基督被祂收养成为祂自己的儿女，祂这么做不是被迫的，而是甘心乐意的。真正了解祂的救恩计划和祂对我们的爱将使我们确信一切都好。无论我们的过去如何，我们都已蒙上帝的接纳。这是上帝的计划，祂的喜悦和旨意，让我们回到祂的家庭，成为祂的孩子。
上帝知道我们的弱点，罪和不完美。尽管如此，祂还是选择爱我们，并欣然乐意地收养我们进入祂的家庭。从我们接受耶稣为我们的救主那一刻起，祂就赋予我们成为祂孩子的权利，我们已经从黑暗的国度进入光明的国度，从我们认罪开始我们就从罪的奴隶变成公义的奴仆。
就像毛毛虫变成美丽的蝴蝶一样，我们曾经是罪人，属于黑暗的国度，但现在我们有了新的身份，成为神的儿女，天父在基督里视我们为义人。
以弗所书 1:13 你们既听见真理的道，就是那叫你们得救的福音，也信了基督，既然信他，就受了所应许的圣灵为印记。
因为神在基督里看见我们，我们就蒙了祂的称许。上帝以我们心中的圣灵标记了我们，这意味着祂拥有我们并保护我们。就像浪子用图章戒指作为他属于那家庭的标志一样，我们以圣灵为印记，向灵界展示我们属于上帝，并将在耶稣再来时被提升。这是我们继承的保证。
这个认可的印章是我们在上帝面前的新身份。之所以赐给我们，是因为我们在听到福音后选择相信祂。上帝在基督里用天上各样属灵的祝福来祝福我们，确保我们在祂面前总是蒙恩。祂没有最喜欢的人，并当我们还是罪人时通过耶稣为我们而死证明了祂对我们的爱。祂通过耶稣宝血中建立的新约，祂选择不离开或抛弃我们，也不丢弃我们，不再记住我们的罪。祂不考虑我们的价值，因为无论我们目前的状态如何，祂都选择爱我们。那是无条件的爱 —这爱绵绵不绝。我们是万王之王国度的里的王子和公主，我们的地位永远不会改变。
讲章系列：作为儿子的身份
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