For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Ephesians 1:4

The Ephesians must have certainly asked, “Who are God’s chosen people?”  There were Jews among them, but most were Gentiles.  The Jews knew the Scriptures well enough to know that they were God’s people, chosen since Abraham to make God known among themselves and to all nations.

So, Paul, a Jew, writing to the believers in Ephesus, wrote, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world.”  Before Abraham?  Before Moses?  Abolutely!  Now, what is new?  Jesus!

The key to understanding this is the phrase, “in him.”  Who is the “him?”  Obviously, it is Jesus. Amazing indeed.  Before the sun was hung in space God had already chosen people to be holy and blameless in his sight.  Those chosen ones included all those who believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Paul does not even mention the special calling of the Jews, a foundation on which Jewish peoplehood was based and the theology in which he was raised.

He is simply declaring that every human being who embraces God is among those who are holy and blameless in God’s sight.  I need to, again, let this reality sink in, to flood my soul and set my heart to singing!