4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
4 Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,
11 All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus.
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Read Ephesians 3:8-12)
Those whom God advances to honourable employments, he makes low in their own eyes; and where God gives grace to be humble, there he gives all other needful grace. How highly he speaks of Jesus Christ; the unsearchable riches of Christ! Though many are not enriched with these riches; yet how great a favour to have them preached among us, and to have an offer of them! And if we are not enriched with them it is our own fault. The first creation, when God made all things out of nothing, and the new creation, whereby sinners are made new creatures by converting grace, are of God by Jesus Christ. His riches are as unsearchable and as sure as ever, yet while angels adore the wisdom of God in the redemption of his church, the ignorance of self-wise and carnal men deems the whole to be foolishness.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ephesians 1:4
Commentary on Ephesians 1:3-8
(Read Ephesians 1:3-8)
Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father. His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son, and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divine mercy.