From the Series: The Gospel According to the Whole Counsel of God
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
—Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)
From the opening of Scripture to the final pages of Revelation, God’s heart for redemption is not hidden. He is not a God of confusion or secrecy, but of revelation and truth. He has spoken plainly through His Word so that we might know Him, trust Him, and walk with Him.
Paul writes that before the foundation of the world, God purposed salvation in Christ (Ephesians 1:4–6). Peter reminds us that Christ, the spotless Lamb, was foreordained before time began, but made manifest in these last times for us (1 Peter 1:18–21). This is not a hidden plan known only to a few. It is the very heart of God revealed for all to see in His Son.
Scripture could not be clearer: God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3–4). He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). These verses pull back the curtain on God’s will. His heart is wide, His invitation is open, and His grace is sufficient for every sinner who will turn and believe.
Not Hidden in Philosophy or Systems
From the earliest days, men have been tempted to reduce the mystery of God into philosophies, categories, or systems. The apostle Paul warned against being taken captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8). When we replace God’s living Word with a framework of our own making, we end up with something less than truth.
The Scriptures do not give us a closed circle of logic. They give us a living Savior who reveals the Father. Jesus Himself said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). If we want to know God’s will and heart, we look to Christ, not to the cleverness of men.
The Witness of the Early Church
The first generations of believers knew this well. Clement of Rome, writing to the Corinthians near the end of the first century, called the church back to faith and obedience. His appeal was simple: return to the humility, repentance, and love that Christ and the apostles had taught. He did not appeal to speculation or hidden decrees, but to the revealed truth of Scripture and the example of Christ.
The Ante-Nicene Church flourished under persecution because they clung to this simplicity. They trusted that God’s promises were true for all who believed. They proclaimed the gospel freely, knowing that anyone who heard and repented could be saved.
God’s Heart for You
The Father’s plan of salvation is not something you must puzzle out through human reasoning. It is revealed in Christ and illuminated by the Spirit. The question is not whether you are counted in some hidden decree, but whether you have heard His voice and believed His Son.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)
This is the promise of God: eternal life in Christ for all who believe. It was His plan before time began, revealed in His Word, and testified to by the earliest believers. It is His heart toward you today.
Reflection Questions
- When you think about God’s eternal plan, do you picture it as hidden and exclusive, or revealed and open through Christ?
- How do the Scriptures we read today shape your view of God’s heart toward the lost?
- What keeps you from resting fully in the simplicity of God’s revealed Word instead of human systems?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for revealing Your heart through Christ. Thank You that Your desire is for all to be saved and that You have made the way clear in Your Word. Keep me from being distracted by the systems of men, and help me to hold fast to the truth that You have shown. May my life reflect the same faith and obedience that the early believers lived out, and may I rest in Your promise of salvation through Christ alone. Amen.
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