Salvation as God’s Free Gift: Reading Ephesians 1 with Calvin

Therefore, when we study Ephesians 1 through the lens of John Calvin, we are entering into a profound dialogue with reformed theology that invites us to contemplate the magnitude of divine choice and to recognize that our salvation is a free gift chosen by God before any action of our own. This is the beauty and the mystery of Calvinist predestination. Ephesians presents one of the most profound and paradigmatic texts on the doctrine of divine election. Paul writes, “Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless before him, in love, he predestined us for adoption as his children through through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will.” This passage is fundamental to understanding Calvinist theology and deserves careful analysis. Calvin in commenting on this passage emphasizes that election is an exclusively divine act.