Commentary on Ephesians Quotes

“Is our God as the Bible describes him – sovereign and almighty – or is he like the pagan gods, who are no gods at all – limited and struggling? Is salvation really "from the Lord," or is it partly from God and partly from man? Does God overstate his own role in salvation? Does he boast too much about himself? Should he share the credit with man?”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16), but”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“The doctrine of predestination is controversial not because the Bible is unclear or because there are good arguments on all sides. It is controversial because sinful man lacks intelligence to grasp the truth and integrity to admit the truth. He demands salvation from God but refuses to give him the glory. He reserves a decisive role for himself, and declares that although God makes salvation possible for everyone, he makes it actual for no one until each person permits God to save him.   He convinces himself that he is the master of his soul, and that no one can take it out of his hands. Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16), but sinful man retorts, "You have 'chosen' me only because you know that I would choose you, so that my will logically precedes and determines your will!" He says, "If conversion is necessary, then by my will I will turn against my wickedness, even my own evil will, by my might I will escape from Satan's hold and sin's grip, and by my power I will turn to Christ and permit him to save me, as if I need him at all."   The religious sinner resents this representation. He obscures his thoughts with beautiful words and reverent expressions, but he is driven by such wickedness and defiance that he makes himself the center of the universe, so that even God must bow down and serve him. Thus "free will" is Satan's slogan, and Arminianism is his creed. On the other hand, the Christian faith declares, "Salvation comes from the LORD" (Jonah 2:9) – really and wholly from God.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?   What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath – prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory – even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:20-24)[28]”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“True free will must be a freedom from God, so that even God cannot determine our choices and actions. This is the relevant issue when we consider if man has free will. With this in mind, the Bible never teaches that man has free will;[14] rather, it teaches that God has absolute sovereignty over man, even determining all his choices and actions. Nevertheless, the evil desire for autonomy is so ingrained in fallen man's thinking that he insists that he has such freedom, and even asserts that the Bible acknowledges it.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“The Christian faith is the only true religion from the only true God. All other religions, philosophies, and worldviews lead to hell. Thus Paul does not pray to Allah or Buddha, or any other god, but he is praying to one who is different from, greater than, and hostile to Allan and Buddha, and all other gods. His idea of God is definite and exclusive. He does not pray to a generic deity, and there is no such thing as a generic deity. Rather, he prays to him who has a specific relationship with Jesus Christ, and who has a specific relationship with believers through Jesus Christ.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“God is one "who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (v. 11), and not one who considers man's permission and opinion. Since there is divine sovereignty, there is no human freedom, or free will – "only an insane person could believe both of these."[86]”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“The Lord knows those who are his" (2 Timothy 2:19). If God has given us faith in Christ, then we are among his chosen ones; if we are among his chosen ones, then we are his special possession; and if we are his special possession, then he has given us his guarantee that he will jealously protect and preserve us to the day of redemption by his almighty power.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“If God has revealed something, then we should learn it and believe it.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“The Bible leaves no room for anti-intellectualism, and offers no excuse for withholding agreement or obedience.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“You must not think that you had the good sense or moral clarity to choose Christ, as if God did not sovereignly and irresistibly cause you to so choose. The doctrine of free will represents the height of impiety and the essence of false religion.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“Salvation is really and wholly from God, from start to finish (Hebrews 12:2). F”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“Faith is "a gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8) – it is something that God gives, and not something that we produce.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“Sinners will oppose any teaching that exalts the sovereignty of God over the freedom of men. So”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“in our spiritually dead condition, it is impossible to have the positive spiritual disposition required to have faith in Christ.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“let us not be ashamed of the gospel, that God saves his chosen ones by his grace, according to his will and his pleasure, and for his glory.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“Thus "free will" is Satan's slogan, and Arminianism is his creed. On the other hand, the Christian faith declares, "Salvation comes from the LORD" (Jonah 2:9) – really and wholly from God.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“The doctrine of predestination is controversial not because the Bible is unclear or because there are good arguments on all sides. It is controversial because sinful man lacks intelligence to grasp the truth and integrity to admit the truth. He demands salvation from God but refuses to give him the glory. He reserves a decisive role for himself, and declares that although God makes salvation possible for everyone, he makes it actual for no one until each person permits God to save him.   He convinces himself that he is the master of his soul, and that no one can take it out of his hands. Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16), but sinful man retorts, "You have 'chosen' me only because you know that I would choose you, so that my will logically precedes and determines your will!" He says, "If conversion is necessary, then by my will I will turn against my wickedness, even my own evil will, by my might I will escape from Satan's hold and sin's grip, and by my power I will turn to Christ and permit him to save me, as if I need him at all.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“it is God's righteous decree to reveal his wrath and his power (v. 22), and to show forth his mercy toward the elect (v. 23). All things are done by God's will and power, and he needs no excuse for his decrees and actions.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“It is right for man to submit to God and obey his commands (Ecclesiastes 12:13).”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“As for the charge that the doctrine of predestination encourages licentiousness, there must be something wrong – something depraved and sinister – in those who make this objection.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“God is the only standard of justice, and we must submit to his standard instead of imposing our own standard on him.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“and dream contradictions for themselves."[27] The Bible teaches both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. They do not contradict each other, and responsibility does not presuppose freedom. In fact, it is divine sovereignty that imposes human responsibility, as God declares that he would hold man accountable, so that man is responsible precisely because he is not free.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“the evil desire for autonomy is so ingrained in fallen man's thinking that he insists that he has such freedom, and even asserts that the Bible acknowledges it.”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians

“out of this mass of sinful humanity, he would call and draw out his chosen ones, removing them from the kingdom of darkness and placing them into the kingdom of his Son (Colossians 1:13).”
― Vincent Cheung, Commentary On Ephesians