Pre-ordained in Christ 1:4-5
It was out of the eternal love of God that he planned for the adoption of believers into the family of God and for them to be “sons” of God. This was to be achieved through Jesus Christ. The saving work of Christ was pre-ordained. Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. In this way Jesus is the ultimate example of obedience to the Father. It is very easy to celebrate being adopted in God’s family and accorded the privileged position of being a child of God. However, we can be reluctant to fulfil the responsibility of a child to be obedient to the Father. If, however Jesus had chosen to refuse to be obedient then there would have been no way for us to become a child of God. Have we grasped the enormous privilege it is to be called a child by God the Father? Have we properly considered the responsibility of obedience that accompanies such a position?