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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 2

TITLE: GOD’S MASTER PLAN FOR SALVATION, PART I

TEXT: EPHESIANS 1:3&4A

INTRODUCTION: (1) DOCTRINE, IF IT IS RIGHTLY UNDERSTOOD AND APPLIED, LEADS TO DOXOLOGY.

* IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE DISCOVER WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US, WE WILL PRAISE HIM.

** THE APOSTLE PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS WELL, FOR MOST OF HIS LETTERS BEGIN EARLY ON WITH PRAISE AND PRAYER TO GOD.

*** IN FACT, PAUL’S LETTERS TEND TO DIVIDE INTO TWO SECTIONS: TEACHING AND APPLICATION OR, AS WE COULD ALSO SAY, FAITH AND LIFE.

**** DOCTRINE IS FOLLOWED BY DUTY FOR BEING IS RELATIVE TO KNOWING, TO ACT RIGHT WE MUST BELIEVE RIGHT.

(2) BUT NORMALLY IN PAUL’S WRITINGS INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, LONG BEFORE HE GETS TO THE DUTY SECTION, HE REVELS IN WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US BY PRAISING HIM.

* AND OF ALL OF PAUL’S LETTERS, NONE IS SO OVERFLOWING WITH INITIAL PRAISE TO GOD FOR OUR GREAT BLESSINGS AS EPHESIANS 1:3-14.

** THIS IS A REMARKABLE SECTION OF PAUL’S LETTER. TO BEGIN WITH, IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE VERSES 3-14 COMPRISE ONE SENTENCE.

*** NOW ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS GENERALLY BREAK THE WORDS UP FOR EASE OF READING, BUT IN THE GREEK PAUL SIMPLY BEGINS WITH A NOTE OF PRAISE TO GOD FOR EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING AND THEN KEEPS GOING, ADDING PHRASE UPON PHRASE, DOCTRINE UPON DOCTRINE, AS HE LISTS THESE BENEFITS.

**** ONE COMMENTATOR CALLS THIS A “MAGNIFICENT GATEWAY” TO THE EPISTLE. ANOTHER CALLS IT “A GOLDEN CHAIN OF MANY LINKS”.

(3) A THIRD CALLS IT “A KALEIDOSCOPE OF DAZZLING LIGHTS AND SHIFTING COLORS”.

* BUT IT IS NOT JUST A GREAT PANORAMA OF COLOR AND MOVEMENT THAT WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH IN THESE VERSES.

** WE ALSO MEET WITH A VAST DISPLAY OF DOCTRINES. IN FACT, THEY ARE INTERCONNECTED.

*** FOR IN THIS ONE SENTENCE THAT COMPRISES VV. 3-14, WE SEE GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION, THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ASPECTS OF IT, GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE FOR HIS CHURCH.

**** FOR IN VV. 3-6A, WE ARE SHOWN THE PAST ASPECT, ELECTION; IN VV. 6B-11 WE ARE SHOWN THE PRESENT ASPECT, REDEMPTION; AND IN VV. 12-14 WE ARE SHOWN THE FUTURE ASPECT, INHERITANCE.

(4) WITHIN GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION IS EVERY BELIEVER WHO HAS OR WILL EVER TRUST IN GOD AND BE SAVED.

* AND AS IT IS SOMETIMES EXPRESSED, HISTORY IS SIMPLY THE OUTWORKING OF “HIS STORY” WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN PLANNED AND PREWRITTEN IN ETERNITY.

** BUT ALSO NOTE VV. 3-14 CAN ALSO BE DIVIDED INTO 3 SECTIONS, EACH OF WHICH FOCUSES ON A DIFFERENT PERSON OF THE TRINITY.

*** VERSES 3-6A CENTER ON THE FATHER, VERSES 6B-12 CENTER ON THE SON, AND VERSES 13&14 CENTER ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.

**** PAUL TAKES US TO THE VERY THRONE ROOM OF THE GODHEAD TO SHOW THE GREATNESS AND THE VASTNESS OF THE BLESSINGS AND RICHES THAT BELONG TO THOSE WHO ARE IN JESUS CHRIST.

(5) PAUL IS SAYING THAT THE BLESSINGS AND RICHES LISTED COME FROM GOD THE FATHER, BECOME OURS IN JESUS CHRIST, AND ARE APPLIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

* AND WE WILL NOTICE THAT GOD THE FATHER IS THE SUBJECT OF NEARLY EVERY VERB IN VV. 3-14 AND THAT THE PHRASE “IN CHRIST” OR “IN HIM” OCCURS THROUGHOUT.

** NOW SPECIFICALLY TODAY WE COME TO THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS SENTENCE WHICH CENTERS ON THE FATHER’S WORK AND THE PAST ASPECT OF ELECTION IN GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION.

*** AND OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS OR SO WE WILL BE STUDYING THIS LONG SENTENCE WHICH I’VE TITLED, “GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION”.

**** AND TODAY WE’LL START BY LOOKING AT PART I AND WE WILL LOOK AT VV. 3&4A. AND WE’LL LOOK AT TWO THINGS.

(6) NO. 1 THE PRAISE THAT IS GIVEN TO OUR GREAT GOD FOR THE BLESSINGS WE ENJOY IN JESUS CHRIST; AND NO. 2 THE PLAN OF THE FATHER IN CHOOSING US IN CHRIST FOR SALVATION BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

* AND WITH THAT SHORT OUTLINE IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 3 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE PRAISE.

I. THE PRAISE, (READ V. 3)

A. NOW FIRST OF ALL NOTICE THAT IN MOST OF YOUR BIBLES THE WORD BLESSED IS USED TWICE AND BLESSING OR BLESSINGS IS USED ONCE IN V. 3.

* THE EXCEPTION TO THAT IS THE NIV WHERE THE FIRST BLESSED IS TRANSLATED PRAISE.

** NOW THE ROOT GREEK WORD THAT IS USED IN 3 DIFFERENT FORMS AS AN ADJECTIVE IN IT’S FIRST USE, AS A VERB IN IT’S 2’D USE AND AS A NOUN IN IT’S 3’D USE IN V. 3.

*** IT IS THE GREEK WORD FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD EULOGY.

**** AND WHEN WE EULOGIZE SOMEONE, WE SPEAK WELL OF THEM, WE PRAISE THEM, WE COMMEND THEM, WE SPEAK OF GOOD THINGS THEY HAVE DONE, WE EXTOL THEM, WE LAUD THEM.

1. AND THE FIRST BLESSED TO BEGIN WITH IS DIRECTED TO GOD THE FATHER, THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

* WHICH REMINDS US THAT OUR SUPREME EULOGY, OUR SUPREME PRAISE IS FOR GOD ALONE.

** AND THIS IS A SUPREME DUTY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS, TO PRAISE, TO EXTOL, TO LAUD AND SPEAK WELL OF GOD THE FATHER WHO SAVED US FROM HIS WRATH.

*** SO WE PRAISE AND BLESS HIM.

**** NOW PAUL GETS SPECIFIC OF WHY WE BLESS OUR GREAT GOD IN THE REST OF V. 3 AND THE REST OF THIS SENTENCE THROUGH V. 14.

2. AND SPECIFICALLY IN V. 3 BECAUSE THE FATHER HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN CHRIST.

* NOW WHAT IS EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING? WELL, IT IS THE BLESSINGS THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE EXPERIENCED BECAUSE THEY ARE “IN CHRIST”, THE LAST PART OF V. 3.

** AND CONTEXTUALLY VERSES 4-14 GIVE A LISTING OF THESE BLESSINGS WE ENJOY, THAT WE ARE RICH WITH “IN CHRIST”.

*** AND THESE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS INCLUDE ELECTION, V. 4; ADOPTION, V. 5; REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS, HIS GRACE, V. 7; THE REVELATION OF GOD’S PURPOSE IN HISTORY, VV. 9&10; THE SEALING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, V. 13; AND OUR INHERITANCE, V. 14.

**** NOW THESE ARE OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AS BELIEVERS, TREMENDOUS PRIVILEGES, ETERNAL BLESSINGS, FANTASTIC ETERNAL RICHES.

3. AND BELOVED, IF WE COULD JUST FOCUS ON THESE BLESSINGS AND THINK OF THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, WE WOULD LIVE A MUCH MORE ENCOURAGED LIFE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE ABOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRIALS WE GO THROUGH AND NOT ENVY THE LOST, READ PSALM 73:3&17

- AND WE HAVE A DIFFERENT END AND IN BETWEEN. WE ARE RICH.

* THE SOURCE OF THESE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS COME FROM ABOVE, FROM HEAVENLY PLACES, NOT EARTHLY PLACES, NOT PHYSICAL EARTHLY PROSPERITY.

** OUR TREE OF HAPPINESS DOESN’T GROW IN THE CURSED EARTH AND IT’S TEMPORAL TEMPORARY PLEASURES AND THINGS.

*** OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, READ PHILIPPIANS 3:20.

**** AND BELOVED OUR FOCUS MUST BE ABOVE, IT MUST BE MORE ETERNAL, IT MUST BE ON THE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS WE ALREADY HAVE IN CHRIST, NOT WHAT WE DON’T HAVE MATERIALLY OR HEALTH WISE OR EVEN FAMILY WISE, AS FAR AS LOOSING DEAR LOVED ONES.

4. PAUL WOULD SAY IN COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 (READ THEM). ALSO READ II CORINTHIANS 4:17&18.

* AND CHRISTIANS MUST CONSIDER WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST, WE MUST THINK AND FOCUS ON IT AND WE WILL SEE THAT WE ARE RICH IN SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE.

** AND NOTICE AS WE LOOK BACK AT V. 3 THAT OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS WHICH COME FROM ABOVE ARE NOT SIMPLY PROMISED, BUT POSSESSED.

*** GOD HATH BLESSED US IN V. 3, PAST TENSE. THE BLESSING OR PROSPERING SPIRITUALLY OF BELIEVERS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED, FOR IN ETERNITY PAST GOD DETERMINED THESE THINGS.

**** SO OUR NEED AS BELIEVERS IS NOT TO RECEIVE SOMETHING MORE, BUT TO DO SOMETHING MORE WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

5. WE POSSESS EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING FROM ABOVE IN CHRIST. WE HAVE A HUGE SPIRITUAL BANK ACCOUNT. WE JUST NEED TO LIVE LIKE IT RATHER THAN LIKE A PAUPER, A HETTY GREEN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST SUNDAY.

* AND AS WE SEE THESE TRUTHS, AND LIVE THESE TRUTHS, OUR THEOLOGY BECOMES DOXOLOGY, WE LIVE A LIFE OF PRAISE, BLESSING OUR GOD WHO HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST.

** AND THAT PHRASE IN CHRIST OR IN HIM WHICH IS USED SOME 164 TIMES IN PAUL’S WRITINGS AND AT LEAST 35 IN EPHESIANS, TALKS ABOUT OUR POSITION AND UNION WITH CHRIST.

*** AND NOTE HOW THIS EXPRESSION DOMINATES THIS SENTENCE IN VV. 3-14.

**** GOD’S PURPOSE AND ELECTION TAKE PLACE IN CHRIST IN VERSES 4, 9 AND 11.

6. GOD’S GRACE AND REDEMPTION ARE FOUND IN CHRIST, VERSES 6&7.

* ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH ARE SUMMED UP IN CHRIST, V. 10.

** PEOPLE HOPE IN CHRIST, HEAR THE WORD IN CHRIST AND BY FAITH ARE SEALED IN CHRIST, VV. 12&13.

*** AND BELOVED IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM. REMEMBER THAT THIS WHOLE SECTION IS WORSHIP; GOD IS BEING PRAISED, AND THE FOCUS OF THAT PRAISE IS WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN CHRIST, OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST.

**** AND WE MOVE FROM THIS PRAISE IN V. 3 TO THE PLAN OF GOD IN ETERNITY PAST WHICH BRINGS FORTH THE PRAISE, SO PLEASE LOOK AT V. 4A WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PLAN.

II. THE PLAN, (READ V. 4A)

A. NOW THE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS THAT BELIEVERS HAVE BEGIN WITH AND ARE BASED ON ELECTION.

* GOD CHOSE US, US MEANING THOSE WHO WERE IN CHRIST AT EPHESUS IN THAT DAY AND ALL WHO WILL TRULY BELIEVE FROM THAT TIME ON, ALL TRUE BELIEVERS, THE SAINTS TALKED ABOUT IN V. 1.

** NOW NOTICE THAT GOD IS THE SUBJECT HERE AND BELIEVERS ARE THE OBJECT. GOD DID SOMETHING BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

*** THIS IS GOD’S ACTIVITY, GOD INITIATES THIS, GOD DOES THIS.

**** AND WHAT DID HE DO BEFORE THE FOUNDATION, BEFORE THE WORLD, BEFORE CREATION, BEFORE THE UNIVERSE WAS BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE BY THE CREATIVE ACT OF GOD?

1. NOW WHAT DID GOD DO BEFORE THIS TIME? THE ANSWER IS HE CHOSE US, HIS ELECT, BELIEVERS, IN CHRIST.

* AND THE GREEK WORD FOR CHOSE OR CHOSEN LIT. MEANS TO PICK OUT, TO CHOOSE OUT OF, TO PICK OR CHOOSE OUT FOR ONE’S SELF.

** AND THIS PARTICULAR VERB IS IN THE AORIST TENSE AND THE MIDDLE VOICE. AND THE MIDDLE VOICE IN THE GREEK INDICATES THE SUBJECT PERFORMING AN ACTION UPON HIMSELF (REFLEXIVE ACTION) OR FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT.

*** MEANING THAT GOD NOT ONLY CHOSE BY HIMSELF BUT FOR HIMSELF, AS V. 6 SAYS, TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE.

**** BELIEVERS ARE CHOSEN FOR THE LORD’S GLORY. GOD IS GLORIFIED IN SAVING HIS ELECT, PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WORTHY OF SALVATION.

2. IN OTHER WORDS, IN THE PLAN OF GOD RATHER THAN DAMNING EVERY HUMAN BEING BECAUSE OF SIN, THIS WOULD BE A RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN TO SAVE SOME TO BRING GLORY TO HIMSELF AND TO RESCUE SINNERS FROM HELL.

* NOW THIS IS A REPETITIOUS THEME IN SCRIPTURE. FIRST IN THE O.T., GOD CHOSE ISRAEL OUT OF HIS LOVE TO BE HIS SPECIAL PEOPLE.

** IN DEUTERONOMY 7:7&8 IT SAYS: “THE LORD DID NOT SET HIS LOVE ON YOU NOR CHOOSE YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE MORE IN NUMBER THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLES, FOR YOU WERE THE FEWEST OF ALL PEOPLES.”

V. 8 – “BUT BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU AND KEPT THE OATH WHICH HE SWORE TO YOUR FOREFATHERS, THE LORD BROUGHT YOU OUT BY A MIGHTY HAND, AND REDEEMED YOU FROM THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY, FROM THE HAND OF PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT.”

*** NOW BEYOND ISRAEL, GOD’S HEAVENLY ANGELS ALSO ARE ELECT OR CHOSEN, I TIMOTHY 5:21 SAYS: “I SOLEMNLY CHARGE YOU IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND OF CHRIST JESUS AND OF HIS CHOSEN ANGELS, TO MAINTAIN THESE PRINCIPLES WITHOUT BIAS, DOING NOTHING IN A SPIRIT OF PARTIALITY.”

**** SO THERE ARE CHOSEN ANGELS AND FALLEN ANGELS. BEYOND THAT THE APOSTLES WERE ELECT OR CHOSEN ONES, READ JOHN 15:16.

3. AND THEN IN THE O.T. GOD CHOSE ABRAHAM TO BE THE FATHER OF ISRAEL AND TO BLESS MANY NATIONS THROUGH HIM. GOD CHOSE JACOB OVER ESAU. GOD CHOSE MOSES OVER PHARAOH.

* AND MOST DON’T STRUGGLE WITH GOD CHOOSING ISRAEL, OR ANGELS, OR THE APOSTLES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING PEOPLE FOR SALVATION SOME DEAR PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS.

** SOME COMMUNICATE ELECTION IS UNJUST. BUT IN REALITY, JUSTICE WOULD DECREE OUR DAMNATION! JUSTICE WOULD SENTENCE US TO HELL! WE ARE REBELS AND TO NOT SEE OURSELVES AS REBELS AND THE ENEMIES OF GOD IS TO BE BLINDED BY PRIDE. YOU MUST THINK YOU ARE WORTHY OF HEAVEN AND SO MISUNDERSTAND YOUR SIN.

*** FOLKS, IT IS NOT JUSTICE WE WANT FROM GOD, IT IS GRACE! IT IS MERCY! NO ONE DESERVES HEAVEN, EVERYONE DESERVES HELL.

**** NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, THEN WHY DOESN’T GOD GIVE HIS GRACE TO EVERYONE? A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.

4. BUT WE DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER. WE MIGHT SUGGEST THAT GOD IS HONORED WHEN HIS JUSTICE IS MANIFESTED IN LEAVING SOME TO THE PUNISHMENT THEIR SINS DESERVE.

* AND HE IS HONORED WHEN HIS GRACE IS MANIFESTED IN THE SALVATION OF THOSE HE CHOOSES.

** AND THAT GOD CHOOSES PEOPLE, THAT HE SELECTS, ELECTS PEOPLE TO BE SAVED IS A CLEAR TEACHING IN THE N.T.

*** FOR EXAMPLE IN ACTS 13:48 IT SAYS: “AND WHEN THE GENTILES HEARD THIS, THEY BEGAN REJOICING AND GLORIFYING THE WORD OF THE LORD; AND AS MANY AS HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED.”

**** ROMANS 11:5 SAYS: “IN THE SAME WAY THEN, THERE HAS ALSO COME TO BE AT THE PRESENT TIME A REMNANT ACCORDING TO GOD’S GRACIOUS CHOICE.”

5. II TIMOTHY 1:9 SAYS: “WHO HAS SAVED US, AND CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE WHICH WAS GRANTED US IN CHRIST JESUS FROM ALL ETERNITY.”

* II TIMOTHY 2:10 SAYS: “FOR THIS REASON I ENDURE ALL THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO ARE CHOSEN, THAT THEY ALSO MAY OBTAIN THE SALVATION WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS AND WITH IT ETERNAL GLORY.”

** AND PAUL’S HEART IN THIS VERSE WAS TO REACH THE ELECT, THE ONES WHO WERE ALREADY CHOSEN, IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT TAKE HOLD OF THE FAITH ALREADY GRANTED THEM IN GOD’S SOVEREIGN DECREE.

*** AND THEN IN II THESSALONIANS 2:13&14 IT SAYS:

“BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR YOU, BRETHREN BELOVED BY THE LORD, BECAUSE GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU FROM THE BEGINNING FOR SALVATION THROUGH SANCTIFICATION BY THE SPIRIT AND FAITH IN THE TRUTH.”

V. 14 – “AND IT WAS FOR THIS HE CALLED YOU THROUGH OUR GOSPEL, THAT YOU MAY GAIN THE GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”

**** TITUS 1:1 SAYS: “PAUL, A BOND-SERVANT OF GOD, AND AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST, FOR THE FAITH OF THOSE CHOSEN OF GOD AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH WHICH IS ACCORDING TO GODLINESS.”

1. AND THEN FINALLY IN I PETER 2:9, PETER AS HE WRITES TO BELIEVERS SAYS: “BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM THE EXCELLENCIES OF HIM WHO HAS CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT.”

* AND THOSE ARE A FEW OF THE VERSES IN SCRIPTURE THAT COMMUNICATE THAT GOD CHOSE US.

** AND LET ME SAY THIS IN LOVE FOR OUR DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO WRESTLE WITH THIS.

*** AND THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE WITH ELECTION AND MANY DO, THEIR REAL PROBLEM IS NOT WITH ELECTION, ALTHOUGH THEY THINK IT IS, BUT WITH THE DOCTRINE OF DEPRAVITY THAT MAKES ELECTION NECESSARY.

**** FOR THE QUESTION TO SETTLE IS, HOW FAR DID THE HUMAN RACE FALL WHEN IT FELL?

2. DID MAN FALL UPWARD? THAT IS THE VIEW OF SECULAR EVOLUTIONISTS AND HUMANISTS, THAT WE ARE ALL GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. AND MOST OF US WOULD AGREE TODAY, WE ARE NOT.

* THEN DID WE FALL PART OF THE WAY, BUT NOT THE WHOLE WAY, SO THAT WE ARE DAMAGED BY SIN AND NOT RUINED?

** WELL, THAT IS THE VIEW OF PELAGIANS OR ARMINIANS. IT AFFIRMS THAT WE ARE AFFECTED BY SIN BUT INSISTS THAT WE NEVERTHELESS POSSESS THE ABILITY TO TURN FROM IT AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST WHEN THE GOSPEL IS OFFENDED BY OUR OWN POWER.

*** OR DID MAN FALL THE WHOLE WAY SO THAT HE IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF MAKING EVEN THE SMALLEST MOVEMENT BACK TOWARD GOD UNLESS GOD FIRST REACHES DOWN AND PERFORMS THE MIRACLE OF THE NEW BIRTH IN CHRIST?

**** WELL, JESUS DECLARED, “NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM” IN JOHN 6:44 AND IN THAT SAME CONTEXT IN JOHN 6:65 JESUS SAID “NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS IT HAS BEEN GRANTED HIM FROM THE FATHER.”

3. THEN PSALM 14:2&3 AND ROMANS 3:11 SAYS: “THERE IS NO ONE WHO SEEKS GOD.”

* AND THEN IN EPHESIANS 2:1 AND COLOSSIANS 2:13 IT SAYS “WE ARE DEAD IN TRANSGRESSIONS AND SINS.”

** SO IN REALITY MAN’S WILL IS NO LONGER FREE BUT IN BONDAGE TO SIN, AND LEFT TO HIMSELF WITHOUT NEW LIFE, NEW BIRTH, REGENERATING THE WILL ALWAYS FREELY CHOOSES SIN OVER CHRIST. OUR WILLS ARE FAILING, THERE IS TOTAL INABILITY TO TURN TO CHRIST. WE WANT OUR SIN.

*** AND DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD CALLS US ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE AND NOT OURS.

**** AND ANY TEACHING THAT DIMINISHES THE SOVEREIGN, ELECTING LOVE OF GOD BY GIVING MORE CREDIT TO MEN ALSO DIMINISHES GOD’S GLORY, THUS STRIKING A BLOW AT THE VERY PURPOSE OF SALVATION.

4. AND WE SHOULD BE SATISFIED SIMPLY TO DECLARE WITH JOHN CHADWICK:

I SOUGHT THE LORD,

AND AFTERWARDS I KNEW

HE MOVED MY SOUL TO SEEK HIM,

SEEKING ME!

IT WAS NOT THAT I FOUND,

O SAVIOUR TRUE;

NO, I WAS FOUND BY THEE.

* BELOVED, ELECTION TEACHES THAT WE ARE TOO HOPELESSLY LOST IN SIN EVER TO PARTAKE OF GOD’S GREAT SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ON OUR OWN.

** INSTEAD, GOD IN HIS MERCY CHOSE US AND THEN MADE HIS CHOICE EFFECTUAL OR EFFECTIVE.

*** AND FIRST HE MADE OUR SALVATION POSSIBLE BY SENDING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO DIE FOR OUR SIN.

**** THEN HE MADE US CAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO HIM BY SENDING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN OUR EYES TO THE TRUTH AND GLORY OF THE GOSPEL.

5. THUS, ALL THE BLESSINGS WE ENJOY MUST BE TRACED BACK TO THE SOVEREIGN ELECTING PURPOSE OF GOD TOWARD US IN JESUS CHRIST. SO WE PRAISE HIM. AND THAT’S HOW PAUL KICKS OFF THIS GREAT BOOK.

AS I WRAP UP OUR TIME IN THE WORD TODAY, LET ME IN APPLICATION GIVE YOU THE BLESSINGS OF ELECTION, A DOCTRINE FOR BELIEVERS.

1. NO. 1 ELECTION ELIMINATES BOASTING. ELECTION MEANS THAT SALVATION IS UTTERLY OF GOD. AS PAUL SAYS, “HE CHOSE”, “HE PREDESTINED”, “HE HAS FREELY GIVEN” AND THIS IS “TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE” AND NOT TO OUR GLORY.

* AND ONLY ELECTION ELIMINATES ALL GROUNDS FOR BOASTING. FOR SUPPOSE IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

** SUPPOSE THAT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS A PERSON COULD GET TO HEAVEN ON THE BASIS OF SOMETHING HE OR SHE HAD DONE. THEY SOUGHT GOD.

*** IN THAT CASE, THAT INDIVIDUAL COULD CLAIM SOME PART (SMALL OR LARGE) OF THE GLORY.

**** IN FACT, IT WOULD BE THE CRITICAL PART, THE PART THAT DISTINGUISHED HIM OR HER FROM THOSE WHO WERE NOT SAVED.

- THAT IS WHY SALVATION’S BLESSINGS HAVE TO BE OURS BY ELECTION ALONE FOR EPHESIANS 2:8&9 SAYS: (READ IT).

2. NO. 2 ELECTION GIVES ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

* BELOVED SINCE GOD AUTHORED OUR FAITH, HE WILL FINISH OUR FAITH. SINCE HE STARTED IT, HE WILL KEEP US. OUR PERSEVERANCE IS DEPENDENT UPON HIS CALL.

** BELIEVER, A GOD WHO CHOSE YOU BEFORE TIME, WHEN HE ONLY EXISTED, WILL NOT LEAVE YOU VICTIM TO THE TIME AND TIDES OF LIFE.

*** GOD’S PURPOSES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED, IF GOD CHOSE YOU HE WILL KEEP YOU.

**** ROMANS 8:33&34 SAYS: “WHO WILL BRING A CHARGE AGAINST GOD’S ELECT? GOD IS THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES.”

V. 34 – “WHO IS THE ONE WHO CONDEMNS? CHRIST JESUS IS HE WHO DIED, YES, RATHER WHO WAS RAISED, WHO IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WHO ALSO INTERCEDES FOR US.”

- BELIEVER, OUR SALVATION IS AS SECURE AS THE GOD WHO PLANNED IT, PURPOSED IT AND PRESERVES IT IN CHRIST.

3. NO. 3 ELECTION LEADS TO HOLINESS. AND I’M ONLY GOING TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE NEXT WEEK WE’LL COVER IT FULLY, BUT THE PURPOSE CLAUSE IN V. 4 OF EPHESIANS 1 SAYS THAT GOD CHOSE US TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS.

* AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND SOVEREIGN GRACE, YOU UNDERSTAND GOD’S CALL TO BE HOLY, FOR GENUINE SALVATION LEADS TO SANCTIFICATION.

** AND IF THERE IS NO SANCTIFICATION, THERE IS NO SALVATION. ELECTION TO SALVATION AND ELECTION TO HOLINESS GO TOGETHER. THEY CANNOT BE SEPARATED. BUT I MUST MOVE ON.

4. NO. 4 ELECTION PROMOTES EVANGELISM. FOR AS WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTION THAT WE GAIN HOPE IN EVANGELISM.

* FOR ONLY GOD CAN SAVE A SOUL. AND SINCE GOD CHOSE US TO GLORIFY HIM, WE WANT TO GLORIFY HIM BY DECLARING HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, HIS WONDERS AMONG ALL PEOPLE.

** WE WANT TO LIFT UP OUR GREAT GOD OF MERCY AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM. WE DO IT OUT OF GRATEFULNESS FOR HIS CHOOSING US. WE DO IT OUT OF BURDEN THAT GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN PEOPLE ARE SAVED AND KNOWING THAT PEOPLE DESPERATELY NEED THE LORD.

*** AND WE DON’T KNOW WHO THE ELECT ARE, SO OUT OF PRIVILEGE, OBEDIENCE AND BURDEN, GO TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.

5. AND FINALLY, IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY WITHOUT CHRIST, YOUR NEED IS NOT TO UNDERSTAND ELECTION, YOUR NEED IS CHRIST BECAUSE OF YOUR SIN.

* YOUR SIN HAS SEPARATED YOU FROM GOD. AND YOUR CONCERN SHOULD BE YOUR SIN AND NOT WHETHER YOU ARE ELECT.

** FOR IN GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE YOU ARE NOT HERE BY ACCIDENT. AND IF YOU SEE YOUR SIN AND NEED OF CHRIST, GOD IS DOING AN ETERNAL WORK IN YOUR LIFE TODAY.

*** AND IF YOU COME TO CHRIST IN REPENTANCE AND FAITH, HE PROMISES TO SAVE YOU. READ JOHN 6:37 AND ROMANS 10:13