In Love (Ephesians 1:4-5)

Love. 

Biblically, it’s more than an emotion or feeling.

Love is a Person (Jesus – see 1 John 4:8, 16) and it’s an action (Cross – see Romans 5:8).

Between verses four and five of Ephesians 1, Paul inserts the phrase “in love.” 

Scholars argue whether the phrase “in love” goes with the statement made in Ephesians 1:4 (“you were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him IN LOVE”) or whether it refers to God’s position in predestining us unto adoption in Ephesians 1:5.

In this expositional study in Ephesians, Nathan Johnson discusses this dilemma and gives his conclusion … and in so doing discusses what it means for God to always act from the nature of love and calls us to do the same.

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Key Passage: Ephesians 1:4-5

Ephesians 1:4-5 – “… 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, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will …”

In Our Next Study Together …

I invite you to join me on this journey from the book of Ephesians to discover God’s eternal purpose, His plan for your life, and learn how to practically live out an abundant and fruitful Christian life. 

• Focus of our next study: Ephesians 1:5
  
• We will examine the concept of “adoption” found in Ephesians 1:5
  
• I encourage you to read through Ephesians a couple of times this week and focus specifically on the blessing section found in Ephesians 1:3-14.

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The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series

The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series in Ephesians is an in-depth verse-by-verse study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. These studies will guide you through this life-changing book of the Bible and give you practical application to help you grow in your faith, gain greater intimacy with Jesus, experience the victorious Christian life, and help you build your life around Jesus Christ. 

About NRJohnson 

NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps Christians discover and experience a passionate love for God and His Word so that they can grow in their faith, live victorious lives, share the Gospel boldly, grow in their intimacy with Jesus, and transform the world through the indwelling life of Christ.
Read more about him here.