To whom is Paul principally speaking through Ephesians? While the letter was written to the church at Ephesus, the letter holds timeless truths which we can all use to grow into holiness and the imitation of Christ.
Specifically, in Ephesisians 1:3-6, how we define “us” determines the interpretation of Paul’s audience. Our definition of “us” also has wide-reaching theological implications, as we shall see.
1. “Us” cannot mean the church at Ephesus alone because “us” includes Paul. So “us” could mean Paul, the church at Ephesus, and the early Christians, but no one else. Such a view means that there is no hope through Ephesians for any other Christian.
2. “Us” could mean Christians in general, but exclusive of all non-believers. Thus, if a non-believer reads the verse or Ephesians in general, it could not apply to the non-believer. However, using this definition, non-believers are still in view because they are necessarily predestined to be excluded from Christ. This is problematic because it requires reading into the text. There is no indication that Paul was intending to imply non-believers are equally predestined (double predestination). The problem with double predestination is that God becomes the only volitional force behind either righteousness or sin. If we are all pre-determined before birth, some to hell and some to heaven, then we have zero choice in the matter, and it all depends upon God. There is no escaping that God is the author of sin and the only volitional force behind sin, and this idea is problematic. This definition also leads to the mistaken belief that Christ could not possibly have died for everyone, which is contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture.
3. “Us” could also mean Christians in general, but not in an exclusive sense, such that anyone who becomes a believer can identify with Ephesians. In this reading, there is no reference to and no implication for the non-believer until the individual believes in Christ. This definition leaves open limited free will, such that Christ is drawing everyone. John 12:32, Romans 5:15-19, 1 John 2:2, John 3:16, Isaiah 49:6 This definition also allows for a non-believer to read Ephesians and be brought to belief. Knowing that Christ is drawing everyone, before the foundation of the world, all people were predestined to be adopted through Christ to be holy and blameless. Limited free will permits all people to reject the drawing of Christ, which then triggers damnation to hell – the predestined result of refusing Christ. In other words, either hell or heaven are predestined for us, but we retain some degree of control over our ultimate destination. We can believe on Christ when our eyes are opened to see that He is drawing us and enabling our faith, or we can refuse Christ. That much is available to us, but no one is predestined to belief or unbelief. Predestination is ultimately reserved for the ultimate destination of those who choose to believe when awakened or those who choose to reject Christ.
The problem with a limited and exclusive definition of “us” here in Ephesians chapter 1 is that we become guilty of the sin of the Pharisees. Throughout history, the greatest evil and atrocities have been committed by those who believe they are superior to every other group of people or by those who believe they are entitled to more resources than anyone else, such as a corrupt government leader. To think that it is a few who will partake in Christ and everyone else is excluded by God’s design makes us better than or superior to others. God’s favor rested upon me, but it did not rest upon others.
Moreover, Paul is specifically writing to Gentiles, thus, “us” must include all people. In the Old Testament, God’s favor rested upon the Jews who were predestined to be a special people to God. However, we must note that God did intend from the beginning to include the Gentiles. Genesis 12:1-3, Deuteronomy 4:6-8, 10:19, Joshua 4:24, 1 Samuel 17:46, 2 Chronicles 6:32-33, Psalm 22:25-27, Ecclesiastes 3:11-13, Isaiah 42:6, 49:1-6, and many more. There is no limiting in the Old Testament of who God intended to know that He is God. The purpose of knowing God is not merely to possess an acknowledgment. God created humanity, and sin caused a breach. God’s design from the beginning was to redeem and reconcile, or shall we say, to repair the breach. To limit salvation necessarily means the breach cannot be repaired. God will be exalted in the earth, and to limit those who can be saved necessarily limits God’s exaltation. Do we dare diminish the glory and exaltation due Christ?
Limiting the definition of “us” makes God partial and makes His love, mercy, and grace arbitrary. Deuteronomy 10:17, Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9 Nowhere in Scripture does God give us the license or liberty to say that God’s favor is limited. We are not in a position to speak for God.
Thus, we cannot defend an exclusive definition of the word “us” in these verses. It does have to mean everyone is predestined to acceptance in Christ; and those who are not accepted have rejected Christ of their own volition. Those who reject Christ are predestined to hell, and their predestination is based on their conscious and willful rejection of Christ.
The broadest definition of “us” is the basis for hope among unbelievers that they can become partakers of Christ and the grace of God as exhorted throughout Ephesians. A serious problem with a limited definition of “us” is proclaiming that unbelievers are predestined to unbelief and have no hope of salvation. However, such judgment is not granted to us. Christ is the sole judge of sin and unbelief.
Thus, to avoid excluding or keeping out of heaven those who otherwise may be saved, we should always err on the broadest definition of “us” in Ephesians chapter 1.
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