Nothing New

Ephesians 1:3-14 - 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, just as HE CHOSE US in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having PREDESTINED US to adoption as sons BY Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which HE MADE US accepted in the Beloved. IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION through HIS blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of HIS GRACE which HE MADE TO ABOUND toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to HIS GOOD PLEASURE which HE PURPOSED in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times HE MIGHT GATHER TOGETHER in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. IN HIM also WE HAVE OBTAINED an inheritance, being predestined according to the PURPOSE OF HIM who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the HOLY SPIRIT of promise, WHO IS THE GUARANTEE OF OUR INHERITANCE until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of HIS GLORY. 

Nothing new: Not about us; nothing we can do. It starts with His work in us. We just submit to His Son, receive, live out His will for us. We are a purchased possession! We are promised the things of heaven: redemption, adoption, spiritual blessings, an inheritance...all through Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! A free gift; nothing we can do but receive Him...

The Apostle Paul understood. It was God who changed him from Saul who persecuted Christians to Paul who couldn't stop preaching, at any cost, about Jesus. He understood where he had come from and who he now was. He understood his purpose in Christ. He called himself at times an Apostle (follower), a bondservant or prisoner of Christ. He did God's will. 

2Timothy 1:8-9 - Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began...