We are predestined according to his purpose, not our puny, finite free will, according to his purpose,

according to his purpose, who works all things after the counsel of his will so that he gets the glory.

Hi, I'm your host, Dan Kroover. What is God's goal in choosing a people for himself?

In this episode of Light and Truth, John Piper opens Ephesians 1 verses 11 and 12 to show

that election and predestination exist for the praise of God's glory.

This teaching was originally delivered on a Wednesday night at Bethlehem

Baptist Church on January 28, 1998. A quick overview from last week and then some new thoughts in

verse 11 and 12. Here we are. If you're newer with

us tonight, we've been working on Ephesians since September, believe it or not, and we're at

verse 10. And going too fast for some of you. Let me read this. In him we have redemption through

his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace

Which he lavished on us. Maybe there's a period there and maybe there's not

In all wisdom and insight

He made known to us the mystery as will. That's what we spent our whole time on last week.

Mystery of his will.

And we said, it consists in the summing up of all things in Christ in heavens and on earth and under the earth.

So the mystery does not mean unintelligible. It means something that's

been kept secret. And now with the coming of Christ and the spreading of the gospel is made known

to the world that this Messiah is not just for Jews, he's not just for the Roman Empire. He's for all peoples and he's for all things and

all things are to be summed up in him. And we went over to chapter 13 of Romans to see the one

other place where this was summed up is used. And it's used of love your neighbor as yourself

as the sum of all the commandments.

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