Ephesians 1:1-3 NIV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

Ephesians 1:4-6 NIV

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 

Calvinism (Reformed view)

• God sovereignly chooses certain individuals for salvation, not based on any foreseen merit or action.
• Those not chosen are passed over and left to their own sin, resulting in damnation 
• Associated with: John Calvin and Reformed churches

Arminianism

• God predestines based on His foreknowledge of who will freely choose to believe in Christ.
• Grace is resistible; humans can accept or reject it.
• Election is corporate (the church is elect), and individuals are elect as they remain in Christ.
• Associated with: Jacob Arminius, John Wesley 

Open Theism

• God knows all possibilities but does not have exhaustive foreknowledge of future free actions.
• Thus, predestination in the classical sense is not possible.
• Emphasizes God’s relational and responsive nature.
• Associated with: Clark Pinnock, Greg Boyd

Ephesians 1:7-12 NIV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Main Point: 

Let your identity shape your reality.