Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ephesians 1:5

"having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," — Ephesians 1:5 (ASV)

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Oh, what a blessing this is, altogether inconceivable in its results!

"Behold what wondrous grace,
The Father has bestowed
On sinners of a mortal race,
To call them sons of God!"

Having predestinated us

Having destined us before we were born,

Unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

The chosen ones are adopted; they become the children of God.

The universal Fatherhood of God, except in a very special sense, is a doctrine totally unknown to Scripture. God is the Father of those whom he adopts into his family, who are born again into his family, and no man has any right to believe God to be his Father except through the new birth and through adoption. And why God thus elects or adopts is declared here: According to the good pleasure of his will. He does as he pleases.

That old word of God is still true: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Men do not like that doctrine; it galls them terribly; but it is the truth of God for all that.

He is Master and King, and he will sit on the throne, and none will drag him from there.