Reading in John Piper’s The Pleasures of God, Piper brings up a fantastic scripture reference that got me thinking tonight.

Joshua 24:2-3:

“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods…”

Essentially, what’s been said here is that Abraham, the father of the elected nation of the Jews, came directly from a family that “served other gods”. In the book of Romans, through chapter 9-11, Paul goes through pains to make it clear that God chose Israel, not because of anything they were or did or would do, but simply because he had chosen them.

But here, here’s the icing on the cake. God made Abraham the father of the nation of Israel, yet he came from a dark place—probably even a dark past himself.

What does this say about our own personal election. I think it serves as a reminder that our salvation is all of grace. While we may have come from and occupied a life of wickedness, that will have no bearing on our election. God’s grace is greater than our sin. It reminds me of this verse, Ephesians 3:14-21:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

That’s awesome. Love wider, love longer, love higher and love deeper than the vilest of our deeds. Just awesome.