You Were Chosen Before Time Began
By Aaron Hall
I've been sitting with Ephesians 1:1-14 lately, and honestly, it wrecks me every time I read it. We're walking through the book of Ephesians together in our Sunday night Bible study at Jubilee City Church. In these Scriptures, Paul is so overwhelmed with what God has done that he basically writes one giant run-on sentence in Greek…just pure worship spilling out onto the page.
This passage shows us salvation as the beautiful work of the Trinity. The Father plans it, the Son accomplishes it, and the Spirit seals it. And three times, Paul can't help but say the same thing: it's all "to the praise of His glory."
The Father Had You in Mind
Paul kicks off this praise song by blessing "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."
But then he drops this bomb in verse 4: we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
Let that sink in for a minute. Before God spoke light into existence, before He formed the mountains or painted the first sunset—He had you in mind. His plan has always included setting His love on you.
And it gets better. Verse 5 says He predestined us for adoption. God didn't just decide to tolerate you or put up with you. He chose to bring you into His family as His own son or daughter.
Your life isn't some cosmic accident. You weren't Plan B. You were chosen, loved, and adopted before time even started ticking. That means your identity doesn't hang on whether you had a good day or a bad day, whether people approve of you or not, whether you feel worthy or not. It rests on God's eternal, unchanging plan.
Jesus Paid It All
Then Paul shifts to what Jesus accomplished for us.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."
Redemption, that's the language of the slave market. Jesus bought us back. He paid the price for our freedom with His own blood. And the result? Complete forgiveness. Not partial, not conditional, not temporary. Complete.
Paul goes on to say that God has made known to us "the mystery of His will"—His plan to unite all things in Christ. This isn't just about individual salvation. Jesus is bringing all of creation back under God's good rule. You're not just saved from something; you're saved for something bigger than yourself.
Everything your heart is searching for—real freedom, true forgiveness, actual purpose, hope for the future—it's all found in Jesus. Nothing else will satisfy that deep longing in your soul.
The Spirit Is Your Guarantee
Finally, Paul talks about the Holy Spirit's role in all this.
The moment you heard the gospel and believed, you were "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." In the ancient world, a seal was a mark of ownership and protection. It said, "This belongs to me, and don't mess with it."
That's what the Spirit does for you. He's God's way of saying, "This one is Mine."
But the Spirit isn't just a mark, He's also a guarantee. Paul calls Him the down payment on our inheritance. You know how, when you buy a house, you put money down to show you're serious about completing the purchase? That's what the Spirit is. He's God's promise that He will finish what He started in your life.
You don't have to wonder if you're really saved. You don't have to doubt whether God will keep His promises. The Holy Spirit Himself is living proof that your inheritance is secure.
The Point of It All
Here's what blows me away about this passage: three times Paul says it's all "to the praise of His glory."
The Father planned your salvation for His glory. The Son accomplished it for His glory. The Spirit seals it for His glory.
This isn't about you being awesome. It's about God being awesome and letting you be part of His story.
When you really grasp what God has done—that you were chosen before time, redeemed by Jesus, and sealed by the Spirit—the only reasonable response is worship. Your whole life becomes a praise song, just like Paul's.
So What Now?
As you go through your week, remember who you are. You're not defined by your past mistakes or your current struggles. God can redeem your story. You're not at the mercy of other people's opinions or your own feelings.
You are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed by the Spirit. How amazing is that?
That's your identity. That's your security. That's your hope.
And that's definitely worth celebrating.
Aaron Hall is a husband, dad, pastor, and writer. He writes daily devotionals and shares Bible-based encouragement about faith, life, and family, plus hosts the podcast Unscripted with Aaron Hall—all available at UnscriptedPodcast.org. He is also the Lead Pastor of Jubilee City Church and the author of Redeem the Story: A Call to Let God Rewrite Your Story. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
