The Fantasy Christian Draft
In what round were you drafted in the Fantasy Christian Draft?
Peterson and Williams clarify: “God’s choosing us ‘in him before the creation of the world’ (Eph 1:4, 11) refers to union with Christ before creation. The words cannot speak of actual union with Christ because we didn’t exist before we were created. Rather, they speak of God’s planning to join us to Christ.” (Why I Am Not An Arminian, p.58, emphasis mine)
In other words, God did not choose us in Christ, as Paul said. God chose us ‘to be’ in Christ, meaning that God takes those who are eternally chosen in Himself and plans to join these to His Son. Rather, Paul’s words speak of an actual union with Christ, regardless of whether we existed before we were created, because we were foreknown in Christ. God literally chose us in union with His Son, having foreknown us in His Son. (Romans 8:29) Calvinists not only contradict Paul, but must also insert ‘to be’ at Ephesians 1:4 in order to make their theory work.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that God didn’t just say: Robert A. Peterson and Michael D. Williams are just too important for Me not to save. Those two are ‘blue chip’ prospects and are going in the first round of My ‘before the foundation of the world’, Fantasy Christian Draft.
God chose you in union with Christ. (Ephesians 1:4) Never separate yourself from Christ when speaking of Election. When you view yourself as Elect, independent of Christ, or chosen TO BE in Christ, then by default, you’ve presupposed a prior election in the Father and have ruined true Election in Christ. Having been foreknown in Christ, God chose you in Christ, for all that He has eternally laid up for Christians. Having foreknown you in His Son, back then, serves as the basis for how He chose to use you in Christ, and to give you a unique gift in Christ for edification and evangelization.
