(A message to Kingdom Citizens)
Introduction: The Mystery of Divine Election
Before the first sunrise appeared over creation, before the stars were hung in the vast expanse, and before man ever took his first breath, God already had a plan. His purpose was clear, His wisdom eternal, and His choice deliberate. He did not react to human history; He wrote it. From eternity past, God chose a people for Himself — not by accident, not by merit, but by divine intention.
The apostle Paul reveals this eternal mystery in Ephesians 1:4:
“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.”
This verse unveils one of the deepest truths in the entire Word of God — that long before the world began, the Creator already had you in mind. You are not an afterthought. You are not a mistake. You are a chosen vessel in the eternal purpose of God.
1. The Eternal Plan of God
When Paul speaks of being chosen “before the foundation of the world,” he invites us to look beyond time and space. God’s plan was not birthed in Genesis; it was revealed there. His purpose existed before the first act of creation.
In 2 Timothy 1:9, we read:
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
Before there was sin, there was salvation. Before there was the fall, there was grace. Before Adam ever disobeyed, God had already made provision for redemption. Nothing takes God by surprise — He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
This means that your existence, your calling, and your destiny are not random. You were written into God’s story long before time began. You were not chosen because of what you could offer, but because of what God purposed to accomplish through you.
2. Chosen “In Him”
Paul carefully writes that we were chosen “in Him.” The phrase “in Him” refers to our union with the Son of God. It means that our identity, acceptance, and destiny are all tied to Him who was slain before the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:8 says:
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Even before creation, the Lamb was already foreordained to die. Redemption was not an emergency plan; it was part of the eternal purpose. Those who are chosen are chosen in Him — meaning that the plan of salvation and the identity of the redeemed are inseparably linked to the Lamb of God.
This truth humbles us. It reminds us that our acceptance before God does not come from personal righteousness but from divine grace. You are not chosen because you were good; you are chosen so that you might become good — conformed to the image of the One who called you.
3. Chosen for Holiness and Love
The purpose of divine election is not merely privilege; it is transformation. Paul said we were chosen “that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”
1 Peter 1:15-16 says:
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Being chosen means being set apart. It is not a license to live carelessly but a call to live differently. The chosen are called to reflect the character of the One who chose them. Holiness is not a garment we put on for show; it is the very nature of God working within us.
Love is the atmosphere of the chosen life. Holiness without love becomes harsh, and love without holiness becomes compromise. The two must walk hand in hand — for God chose us to be holy and to live in love.
4. Chosen for Purpose and Service
The call of God always comes with a mission. When He chose Abraham, it was not only for personal blessing but so that “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Likewise, you were chosen not only to be saved but to serve.
John 15:16 declares:
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”
The chosen are not spectators in the kingdom; they are instruments in the hand of the Master. God’s election empowers you for fruitfulness — in prayer, in witnessing, in service, and in godly living.
When God chooses a man or woman, He equips them. He places within them a divine assignment that fits perfectly with His eternal design. You are not merely existing; you are fulfilling a purpose written before the foundation of the world.
5. Chosen by Grace, Not by Works
The world measures worth by performance, but God measures by grace. The chosen are not selected because of perfection but because of divine mercy.
Romans 9:15-16 says:
“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”
You did not earn the favor of God; you received it. Election is not a reward for effort but an expression of mercy. If God had waited for perfect people, no one would be chosen. But He delights to use the weak, the broken, and the overlooked to display His glory.
Grace removes boasting. The chosen cannot take credit for their calling; they can only give glory to the One who called them.
6. The Evidence of the Chosen Life
How do we know we are among the chosen? The evidence is not in mere words or emotions but in transformation.
2 Peter 1:10 exhorts:
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”
To “make your calling and election sure” does not mean earning salvation, but confirming it through the fruits of obedience, humility, and faith. The chosen walk differently. They live with heavenly focus, treat others with compassion, and pursue righteousness even when no one is watching.
Their identity is not hidden in titles or outward appearances but in the consistent reflection of divine character. The chosen are marked by endurance — they may be tried by fire, but they come out as gold.
7. The Chosen Endure in Faith
Election does not exempt us from trials; it guarantees divine purpose in them. The chosen are refined through challenges so that they may reflect the purity of God’s plan.
Romans 8:28-30 gives us this assurance:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son… Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Every pain, every storm, and every delay works together in the life of the chosen. What others call a setback, God calls a setup. The chosen are not defined by circumstances but by covenant.
When the world rejects you, remember: you were accepted before the world began. When men forget you, remember: Heaven wrote your name before the foundation of the earth.
8. The Glory of Being Chosen
To be chosen before the foundation of the world is to be part of a divine mystery beyond human understanding. It means you were loved before you ever loved God.
Jeremiah 31:3 declares:
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
This everlasting love is not seasonal or conditional. It is not shaken by failure or limited by time. It is the unchanging affection of the Eternal One who saw you in your weakness and still chose you for glory.
To be chosen means to be known — fully, deeply, and eternally. God’s choice is not a temporary favor; it is an eternal covenant sealed in divine love.
9. Living Worthy of the Calling
Since we are chosen, our lives must reflect that high calling. Paul admonishes in Ephesians 4:1:
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”
The chosen must walk worthy of their calling — with humility, patience, faith, and integrity. Our lives become the testimony that reveals the beauty of God’s purpose. The world may never understand why you refuse to conform, why you choose righteousness over popularity, or why you endure hardship with joy — but the chosen understand: they live for the One who chose them.
When you walk worthy of your calling, you bring honor to the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Conclusion: You Were Always on God’s Mind
Before there was a world, there was a Word. Before there was sin, there was a Savior. Before you were born, there was a purpose.
You were chosen before the foundation of the world — chosen for love, for holiness, for service, and for glory. You are part of an eternal plan that cannot be reversed or erased by the failures of time.
So, walk with confidence. Stand firm in faith. Let your life be the living proof that the eternal purpose of God is still unfolding in the earth.
As Romans 8:33 reminds us:
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”
If He chose you before the foundation of the world, nothing in this world can disqualify you. You were chosen then — and you are chosen now.