Featured The New Testament teaches The Doctrines of Grace.

It means, "have a good day."

Taisto (pron: ty-stoe) is a Finnish first name. My family, grandparents, lived near Lahti, Finland before immigrating to the United States in the 1920s.

 

That chosen is not being elected. But precedes being elected.
Mark 13:20, ". . . the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, . . ." Case in point.

 

I have taken the time in the past to copy much of this epistle with the antecedents of the many pronouns and have found it to be exceedingly helpful. The main character in this epistle is God the Father. It is describing his work and his purpose he is accomplishing through Jesus Christ and his Spirit and the apostle Paul. He is dealing with two people groups who are players in this purpose, making a difference in the methodology of accomplishing it but making them the same and one when it is done.

Here is an example of the exchange of nouns and pronouns.

Eph 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you (Plural - the "saints" which are at Ephesus,.comma, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus) ), and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who (God the Father) hath blessed us (the saints which are at Ephesus) with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he (God the Father) hath chosen us (the saints which are at Ephesus) in him (in Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we ( the saints which are at Ephesus) should be holy and without blame before him (God the Father) in love:
5 Having predestinated us (the saints) unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself (God the Father), according to the good pleasure of his (God the Father's) will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his (God the Father's) grace, wherein he (God the Father) hath made us (the saints) accepted in the beloved.(in Christ)
7 In whom (the beloved = Christ) we (the saints) have redemption through his (Christs) blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his (God the Father's) grace;
8 Wherein he (God the Father) hath abounded toward us (the saints) in all wisdom and prudence;

I could go on and it would be even more helpful but one can do it on his own and learn. What we have here in this epistle particularly are the saints and (a conjunction) to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Two distinct groups, but, as we keep reading, we will find they are both in one body, the body of Christ. They did not both begin in the body at the same time, but they share the same identity as sons and their purpose in the body is the exact same. They are designated in group #1 as saints which are at Ephesus, and group #2 as the faithful in Christ Jesus. So both these groups are saved and in the body. One can do see by doing a word search for saint in the epistle that it is designating those who have previously and before the faithful in Christ Jesus, been in the body. Example;

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

He is putting himself in the company of the saints, though he is confessing to be the least of them. A careful reading of this epistle will prove that the gentiles are those in the body who are designated "the faithful in Christ Jesus. They were added to the body later after those believers of Israel. Look at this division;

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:
11 In whom (Christ)also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye (faithful gentiles in Christ Jesus) heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom (Christ) also after that ye (faithful gentiles in Christ Jesus) believed, ye (faithful gentiles in Christ Jesus) were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our (both saints and faithful gentiles in Christ Jesus) inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (our bodies to whhich we are predestined)), unto the praise of his (God the Father's) glory.

(Saints = Israelites first in the body)
(Faithful in Christ Jesus = gentile believers)

"also" is a word of addition. One will read the word "together" which requires at least two. In this case it is two people groups to fulfill the purpose of God in forming the church of Jesus Christ and making the two, along with the Spirit, who is in them all, one body and thus in the image of God, a trinity.

Now read Ephesians 1 with this additional light that God has given us in his words.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

Great doctrines of the infinite mind of Cod expounded in ten words. You are a hoot.