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Chosen To Be Like Jesus

the one blessing us in every spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, just as choosing us in Him before founding the world to exist holy and in his presence in love.*

Paul writes this was purposed, the mystery of His will purposed in Christ so that all things in heaven and on earth, are brought into fullness in Christ, according to His will.* "In Christ we have obtained a portion, predestined upon, a purpose that accomplishes all upon the counsel of his will, to the extent we, of hope in Christ existing to the praise His glory."* How do we exist the praise of His glory? Paul writes, when we hear the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation and believe, we are marked with the Holy Spirit, which is a pledge of our inheritance until God takes possession of His own, to the praise of his glory.* According to that purposed in Christ we receive adoption, redemption, forgiveness. For a purpose, we are chosen, to be loved and to be like Him.

Chosen

 Predestining us to the extent of adoption as his own through Jesus Christ, according to the good favor of His will.*

To enter the kingdom of God it must be granted and one must be born of the Spirit. These chosen receive a testimony of Spirit, which testifies we exist His children.* The Old did not accomplish what was purposed in Christ, so we do not go back again to build upon it. "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading back to fear rather receiving a Spirit of adoption in Him we cry out Abba Father."* God had hidden that to be purposed in Christ, this is why the glory of the Old was veiled so that all things come to completion in Him. It is a profound mystery, to the praise of His will and glory we are chosen a people of His own, of His glory, a glory that reflects more so of who He is and who we are in Christ. This is what it means that we are of God's glory, of his own possession, not to exist slaves nor servants but adopted for no other purpose than to exist of His own, to know of Him, of the love of God and to be a people who are like Him, in holiness, divine nature, and character.

 Favored

 To the extent, the praise of his glory, of grace, which he favored us in the beloved.*

We are favored in the Beloved. Such is profound. The true mindset of serving comes from knowing this, serving from this good will of God, as highly favored.* The great become servants so that others know of and grow up as favored in Him. God chose us to be in his presence, in holiness and in love.* In love God sends His only Son, the Beloved, to bless us in spiritual blessings from heavenlies. "God existing rich in mercy through that His great love, whom loving us while we existed dead in trespasses, to make us alive together, of Christ's grace existing saved..."*  In love God was rich in mercy, "to demonstrate to the age come His surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, for of grace existing saved through faith and this is not from yourselves, the gift of God, not of works so not boasting in a glory of our own."* In Christ we are favored, blessed in every spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.*


Redeemed/Forgiven

... whom highly favored in the beloved, in whom possessing redemption through that His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of his grace.*

Like the testimony of the Spirit that exists not of men but of God there is a testimony of blood. We have peace before God, justified by his blood, standing in grace having access to it by faith.* We can boldly approach the throne of grace, of the Father, because of these two testimonies we have in Christ. John writes the child knows the Father and that his sins have been forgiven.* There is much to the teachings related to these concepts, like the teachings of justification and righteousness in Romans, 3-6. We receive justification by grace through redemption.* Paul writes he counted all things loss in order to know Christ and to be found in a righteousness based not upon works but upon Christ.* Faith is our victory, which Peters writes has the goal of saving our souls. And important it is to be founded, rooted in love, as without love we are nothing, and truth in love we will grow up in Him. 

Purposed

just as choosing us in Him before founding the world to exist holy and in his presence in love, predestining us for adoption as His own through Christ Jesus.* 

This is the purpose, the ones God chose also he predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Is there any greater purpose, service, sacrifice, offering acceptable to God? "Now knowing that all things work together, to the extent of good, the ones loved of God, the ones existing called according to his purpose, for that those he foreknew also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son."* Here we see we are called according to his purpose, to be conformed to the image of his Son. It is a high calling to holiness.* According to this purpose there is a reasonable service, the goal being holiness, the sacrifice acceptable to God.* God has given us all things for godliness and life through knowledge of Christ. What is God working out for our good? God disciplines his legitimate children according to this purpose, that we share in His holiness.* We count it all joy during the trial as in the "proving" we mature in Christ according to this purpose. The ones called according to this purpose, are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Blessed with adoption, redemption, forgiveness, chosen and purposed to be like Him, of glory. Chosen to be like Jesus, a Christian, conformed to the image of His Son.

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