Connect 1 Peter 1:20 with Ephesians 1:4 on God's eternal plan for believers. Setting the Stage: Before the Foundation • 1 Peter 1:20 – “He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.” • Ephesians 1:4 – “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.” Both verses reach back to the same moment—“before the foundation of the world”—and reveal a single, seamless plan: the Father eternally set His love upon Christ and, in Christ, upon all who would believe. Christ at the Center of God’s Plan • Foreknown, not merely foreseen. “Known” (1 Peter 1:20) speaks of an intimate, predetermined relationship: the Father’s affectionate determination that the Son would be the Redeemer. • Revelation 13:8 – “the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world” confirms that Christ’s sacrifice was not an afterthought but the heartbeat of history. • John 17:24 – Jesus prays, “You loved Me before the foundation of the world,” tying divine love to the eternal timeline. Believers Included in the Eternal Plan • Chosen “in Him” (Ephesians 1:4). The Father’s election is inseparable from union with Christ; His people are gathered into the Son’s pre-existing favor. • Purpose: “to be holy and blameless.” Our destiny is not merely rescue but transformation that mirrors the character of the Holy One. • 2 Timothy 1:9 – “He saved us… according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before time began.” Grace is not reactionary; it predates time. Key Threads between 1 Peter 1:20 and Ephesians 1:4 1. Same timeframe: “before the foundation of the world.” 2. Same focal point: Christ. 3. Same beneficiaries: believers who are now hearing the gospel (“revealed in the last times for your sake,” 1 Peter 1:20). 4. Same outcome: holiness and blamelessness in God’s presence, secured by the Lamb’s foreordained sacrifice. Supporting Passages • Romans 8:29-30 – Foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified: a golden chain anchored in eternity past and stretching into eternity future. • Acts 2:23 – Jesus was “delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God,” reinforcing the deliberate nature of Calvary. Takeaway for Daily Living • Your salvation rests on an eternal blueprint, not a last-minute repair. • Holiness is woven into that blueprint; pursue it with confidence that God’s plan and power stand behind every step. • Worship flows naturally when we realize we were on God’s heart before the universe existed, and Christ was set apart to secure our place in His family. |
    |