Hi to all and Eph 1:4 reads L Just as He CHOSE us for Himself in Him BEFORE ?PRO ( THE ) Overthrow of ( the ) WORLD ( FOR ) us to be holy and without blemish BEFORE / PRO Him in love !!
Here is another passage that show that He HATH CHOSEN / EKLEGOMAI BEFORE / PRO the overthrow of ( the ) WORLD !!
The verb HATH CHOSEN is in the AOTIST tense or PAST TENSE that points to before the TIME BEGAN !!
The Greek word WORLD / KOSMOS means the Universe , the Earth or Human Family !!
So , the BODY PREDATES all other groups , like PENTECOSTAL , PRETERISM , COVENANT THEOLOGY and the names go on !!
dan p
The Apostle Paul's actual assertion is that the choosing he is referring to is IN Christ (as further explained in Romans 8, etc).
That is what election within BOTH aspects of God's TWO-Fold Purpose: Prophecy (ISRAEL) and Mystery (The BODY) it is the issue of service.
That is how Scripture defines Election - by HOW It uses words.
Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 45:4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
Isaiah 65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
In other words, where The Mystery aspect of Election is concerned; before time began, God had determined that those who during this Mystery Age, would choose to place their trust in His Son, in turn, God would choose to place them IN His Son's Body to there conform them to the image of His Son towards His purpose for the Body as His HEAVENLY servants IN His Son unto His Son's glory.
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: 1:4 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: 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
To what other end also?
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
The end of Ephesians 1, and elsewhere in Paul's Epistles, identifying who those principalities and powers in Heavenly are...