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BRUSHFIRES | WEEK 4

A Discipleship Series from Brushwood Press | BrushwoodPress.com

Core Doctrine: Sovereign Grace – Unconditional Election

 

Verse: Ephesians 1:4–5 (CSB)

 

“For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

 

Book Context:

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Paul wrote Ephesians around A.D. 60 while imprisoned in Rome, addressing the believers in Ephesus and the surrounding region. The letter emphasizes the cosmic scope of God’s redemptive plan. Chapter 1 opens with a cascade of praise focused entirely on God’s eternal initiative to redeem His people through Christ—before creation even began.

 

Core Doctrine:

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Unconditional Election means God’s choice to save was made before we existed and was not based on anything we would do. It was rooted in His will, not ours. These verses anchor us in God’s sovereign love, reminding us that our adoption into His family wasn’t a backup plan—it was His plan from eternity past.

This doctrine doesn’t diminish human responsibility—it magnifies divine mercy. It silences pride and stirs worship.

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Danger of Not Holding to the Core Doctrine – Week 4: Sovereign Grace – Unconditional Election

 

To deny sovereign grace is to soften the scandal of salvation. If we believe we contributed even a thread to the tapestry of redemption, we rob God of His glory and risk building our assurance on a shaky foundation. The doctrine of unconditional election humbles us—because it removes every ground for boasting. But it also lifts us—because it means that before the foundation of the world, God set His love on His people, not because of them, but in spite of them.

 

The danger here is not only theological—it’s personal. If we reject this truth, we begin to see grace as something earned by a wise choice or spiritual insight. Salvation becomes about our initiative, our moment of surrender, our strength to believe. And when the weight of salvation shifts to us, so does the burden of keeping it. Assurance becomes fragile, because it rests on a decision rather than a decree.

 

Even well-meaning efforts to preserve “fairness” can become quiet resistance to God’s revealed will. But the God who chose Israel from all the nations, who called Paul from a path of persecution, and who gives sight to the blind hearts of sinners—He is not unjust. He is merciful. And His grace is more beautiful, not less, because it cannot be manipulated or earned.

 

To resist sovereign grace is to resist worship. But to receive it is to fall on our faces in wonder, knowing we were chosen not because of who we are, but because of who He is.

 

Conversational Evangelism:

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The idea of being “chosen” by God is often met with resistance. Many feel it’s unfair or exclusive. But what if you framed it this way: “If God picked people based on merit, who would be chosen?” That opens the door to show that election isn’t about exclusion—it’s about grace. Unmerited. Unearned. Unshakable.

 

Call to Action:

 

Live as one who’s been wanted by God—not for what you bring, but for what He gives. Let this truth humble you, and let it compel you to tell others that God doesn’t wait for people to qualify—He qualifies the called.

And as you share the gospel, remember: if salvation starts with God, then no one is too far gone to be reached by His grace.

 

Fire Starter Question:

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How does knowing that God chose you before the foundation of the world affect the way you share your story—and who are you praying will experience that same calling?

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