Being Marked

DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

BEING MARKED

Eph 1:11-14

11 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, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.

NIV

Well, here we are at one of the main verses the Calvinist’s use to hold to the idea of predestination that some are chosen and some are not. But that is not what this passage means in any sense. First, we have to contend with the “we”. That does not mean us. In the context of the eleventh verse the “we” does not exist in the Greek, however it does appear in the twelfth verse thus being implied in the eleventh. However the “we” are Paul and Barnabas, not us. We are the “you also were included”. It certainly appears Paul was specifically selected by God when his name was Saul. He was such a hater of Christians, although they were not called Christians at the time. He made every effort to have them arrested. So when God called him and changed his name to Paul, he had a testimony of the power of God in his life. No one could doubt that it was God who changed his heart. However, even the word translated as chosen does not fully express the Greek word which means, cast by lots, to determine by lots, to choose by lot, to assign by a lot. A form of this Greek word is used once in the New Testament as to make Kleeros, a heritage, private possession. Nevertheless, it was Paul and Barnabas who were allotted a heritage or inheritance that was predetermined according to the plan of God, who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. That is to say, God did not predetermine Paul, but he predetermined the inheritance, eternal life through Jesus Christ. The whole reason Paul and Barnabas were allotted this inheritance was for the glory of God. However, Paul was among the first, but not the first, as the Apostles were called directly by Jesus, one by one. Paul was added later due to a revelation of Jesus after his ascension. Yet Paul was called to go to the Gentiles as the Apostles spent most of their efforts exhorting the Jews to believe in Jesus. This has been God’s plan from the beginning when he called Abram, changing his name to Abraham, and gave him the promise that through his seed many nations would be blessed. Now on to the “you also”. We are that “you also” who are included having believed. The reason we are included is not that we were chosen, but because we believed after hearing the word of truth. This bears witness to what God inspired John to write regarding whosoever believes should not perish but gains, or inherits, or having the inheritance of eternal life. This is all in accordance with the will of God and is for his praise and glory. Paul does not say anything about himself being marked with a seal, however, we have to assume he was. However, because we heard the word of truth and believed we have been marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. We have the mark of God upon us. Talk about being a marked man, we are in fact marked people. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will inherit eternal life. We do not know how many more will believe, being God’s possession. But until the full number of people he foreknew would believe, we wait having been guaranteed eternal life, living marked.