Just think, if Paul hadn't been converted to Christ, we wouldn't have over half of the books in the New Testament.  But because he found Christ, and was saved by the grace of God, Paul had a story to tell.  And he did it superbly.  He was a scholar of the Jewish Torah.  He studied at the feet of Gamaliel--who was the top scholar of the day.  Paul was brilliant.

He was the consummate person of the intelligentsia to connect prophecy concerning the coming Messiah with the person of Jesus Christ.  No one writes like Paul does.  The other disciples were common men.  Fishermen, etc.  Not Paul.  Today we would say that he graduated from Harvard, got his Masters at Yale and his Doctorate at Oxford.  Paul was smart.  Knowledgeable.  A virtual sponge of the history and writings of the Jews.  Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David.  Paul knew everything about them.  He knew all of the prophetic writings of the elders of the Jews.  He knew Jewish history.

So when Paul wrote a letter to someone, it was full of connections to the Old Testament.  He pulled everything together and explained why Jesus was the Christ.  I said I was going to write about his letter to the Ephesians, but it is important that you first understand the man who wrote the letter.

Eph. 1:4-7 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself...in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins..." is a passage that, by interpretation, separates one group of Christians from the rest of us.  They are called Calvinists.  They believe that not everyone can come to God--that God has already decided who gets redeemed and who doesn't.  Who has their sin forgiven, and who doesn't.  But that's just not Biblically possible.

You can't take one or two verses out of the Bible without trashing the meaning of the rest of it.  We all remember John 3:16, "For God so loved the world...that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish."  The New Testament is replete with verses that bid, "Whosoever..." to come to Christ.

God predestinated all of us to be adopted into His family.   The opportunity to become a child of God is for everyone.  But some people say, "No."  The choice is up to you, and me, and every individual.  Are you a believer?   Have you said,  "I give Christ my life.  I will live it for Him.  I repent of my sins."  If you are sincere, Yea!! You've been adopted.  'Welcome to the family.  The family of God.