Chosen Before the Foundation of the World

“...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Verse 4.

Those who are born of Him were foreknown by Him, and they are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29.)

This longing was in Christ before the foundation of the world. He existed from eternity past, before the world was, before God had “made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men. And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.” Proverbs 8:26-32.

Just as Eve was flesh of Adam’s flesh and bone of his bones, the church of Christ is likewise flesh and bone of Christ. Adam said, when God had created Eve from one of his ribs, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Genesis 2:23.

There was a longing in Adam to find his helpmeet. He didn’t find anything he could call a helpmeet (woman) among the animals. She was in Adam while he was alone, for she was in his bones and flesh. But then she was separated out as a woman. In the same way, we were also in Christ before the foundation of the world, but we are to be separated unto Him—as a woman, as it were. Of all that has been created by Him and for Him, nothing can satisfy Christ like His Bride, she of whom He can say, “Finally, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” He beheld her in the spirit and knew her before the world began. To her He says, “And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.” He says this in order that we may be holy and blameless before Him. The Bride and the Bridegroom are to have the same education. The Holy Spirit is their Teacher and Instructor.