Ephesians 1꞉4 | Chosen In Him Before the Foundation

The sermon presents a robust biblical defense of free will and conditional election, arguing that God's choosing of believers in Ephesians 1 is not a predetermined decree of salvation but a result of personal faith in Christ. It refutes Calvinist interpretations by emphasizing that 'chosen' and 'predestinated' refer to those already in Christ through faith in the gospel, not a prior selection apart from human response. The preacher underscores that election is located in Christ, the true elect, and that access to its blessings requires believing the gospel and being baptized by the Holy Spirit. Through scriptural examples—including Judas, Israel, and the call to 'whosoever will'—the sermon dismantles the idea of a fixed, preordained group, instead affirming that God's purpose in election is to make believers holy, blameless, and loving before Him. Ultimately, the assurance of being chosen is not found in hidden decrees but in the present, personal decision to trust in Christ, making the gospel the open door to eternal blessings.