1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love, 5having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved. 7In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him. 11We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will, 12to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
15For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Paul introduces the doctrine of election in Eph 1:3-14, a topic in theology that is central to the apostle’s understanding of grace, redemption, and God’s sovereignty. The development of this biblical teaching in this passage is similar to what one discovers in the book of Romans 8-9. According to Ephesians 1, God’s election of believers unto salvation (and subsequent predestination to heirship) is eternal and independent of human action or will, comes from the unmerited favor (grace) of God, brings praise to God, and relates to the person of Jesus the Messiah of God.
The doctrine of election presented by Jesus and the apostles affirms that God’s choice of specific sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on man’s part (such as faith, etc). Faith and obedience were the results, not the cause of God’s election. Therefore election was not determined by or conditioned on any good quality or act foreseen in man. Everyone whom God elects will be brought by the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Consequently, God’s election of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation, though God holds man responsible to believe the gospel. Scripture presents a theological tension between man’s responsibility to believe and God’s sovereign election. Though we may not be able to completely reconcile the two, Scripture presents both truths (Mt 11:27-28; Acts 13:46,48).
There are at least nine characteristics of divine unconditional election: (1) God's eternal election was made before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4); (2) God's election was not based upon foreseen merit or good works dwelling in those whom He chose (Rom. 9:11-13; 2 Tim 1:9); (3) God's election was not based on foreseen faith for faith is the result and not the ground of God's election (Acts 13:48; 2 Th 2:13-14); (4) Election was based on the sovereign mercy of God, therefore it does not ultimately depend on man’s will but God’s will (Rom 9:16; Jn 1:13); (5) Election is unconditional, therefore making the salvation of the elect certain (Rom. 8.29-30; Jn 6:37-39); (6) Election is just (Rom.9:13-24); (7) God chose particular individuals unto salvation not group election (Rev. 13:8; 17:8); (8) Two fold purpose of election: (a) To result in salvation (2 Th. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:10) and (b) to result in the glory of God (Eph. 1:5-6, 12-14); and (9) election is a positive doctrine of God’s work to save fallen humans and not a negative doctrine to exclude. There is no election to be separated from God, for this is the state of all humans by default, unless the individual sinner is brought to God. – SPS