Well, you can turn with me and your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter one. Ephesians chapter one, our focus is going to be on verse seven, but we'll have cause to speak about some of the other portions of the book of Ephesians. Baptisms are a great time to not only remember the doctrine of baptism, but the grace of God as to why or the rationale for why we baptize. And I think that's the focus or the focus I want to bring to us this morning is on verse seven, where it speaks of the riches of God's grace.
But I want to read beginning in verse three, to verse 14.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3–14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him. in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will. according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. In him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
Well, let us pray.
Opening Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the Lord's day. We thank you for your house and for the privilege to gather together as the church of God to praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray that you would be enthroned upon the praises of your people here, that you would be glorified and honored and adored. We acknowledge your goodness and your kindness in the created order.
We acknowledge your power and providence, and we see your grace and mercy so vividly displayed in redemption. We thank you for the son of your love, that champion, that mediator of the new covenant, that one who took on our humanity and lived for us and who died for us and was raised again for us. We bless you for his current session. We look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
And our desire, our hope, our prayer is that all those hearing the gospel today would be forgiven, cleansed in his precious blood, and clothed with his righteousness, that they may stand before you on that day. We ask now that you would forgive us of all of our sins and unrighteousness, cleanse us in that precious blood of the Lamb, and guide us by your Holy Spirit, and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Introduction
Well, as I said, baptisms are a wonderful time for us to worship God, to witness God's handiwork, and to acknowledge His goodness in the provision of His Son in the gospel of our salvation. And so, this morning, I'm not going to launch a polemic against infant baptism. I try not to do that usually, though sometimes we get a little bit far afield. But I just want to focus on what we have there in terms of the redemption wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 7.
But before we look specifically at verse 7, you should know that verses 3 to 14 are one long sentence. We break them up in the English versions with periods because that's the way we do things, but it's one long sentence that describes the triune shape of God's salvation of His people. Note, for instance, that the Father is praised specifically according to verse three. Paul says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
So what Paul is doing here is not something new, but it's something that we see throughout the Old Testament. It's a convention called the barakah, which simply means blessing. So to speak well of God is to bless God. We're not adding to Him because we can't do that.
We're not taking from Him because we cannot do that, but rather we are ascribing or we are declaring something concerning His glory and His power. And so after that general statement in verse three, with reference to every spiritual blessing, Paul then gets specific as to how God has saved his people from their sins. He speaks of the father predestinating and electing, according to verses five. He speaks concerning the son as being the one in whom we have redemption through his blood in verses seven to 12.
And then in verses 13 and 14, he speaks concerning the Holy Spirit. So that's why I say it's a triune shape, or a triune nature of God's salvation of His people, which then sets the precedent for our return as redeemed sinners unto God. For in chapter two, in verses 18 and 22, we see that we go to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. The blessings of God come from the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit, to the people of God.
So the apostle is arguing here, not really arguing, but rather asserting or declaring God's glory in the matter of salvation.
The Glory of the Redeemer
So let's look specifically at the redemptive work of the Son in verse 7. And there are three things I want to consider here. First, the glory of the Redeemer. Secondly, the nature of redemption.
And then thirdly, the riches of God's grace. That should encourage all of us. Riches of God's grace. If we're redeemed sinners, we rest in the riches of God's grace.
If you're not a redeemed sinner this morning, I hope that you are going to long for the riches of God's grace. Notice it's not just a little bit of God's grace. It's not just a miserly portion of God's grace, but there is infinite grace because God is infinite. God is glorious and wondrous, and He is profuse in the giving of this grace to needy sinners.
So let's first look at the glory of the Redeemer.
Accepted in the Beloved
Notice at the end of verse 6, it says, "...by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." So what Paul is doing here, verses 4 and 5, as I mentioned, election and predestination are predicated or appropriated, rather, specifically to God the Father. And so as he moves now into a consideration of the glory of God the Son, he says, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved. Note the emphasis. We didn't make ourselves accepted.
We didn't commend ourselves to God. We didn't clean up our act. We didn't get a bit of religion and act upon it, but rather God made us accepted in the Beloved. It is the initiation, or rather the initiative, of the divine being that is the rationale for our salvation.
Paul says this clearly in Romans 9-16, it doesn't depend upon him who wills or upon him who runs, but upon God who shows mercy. I just want to get the heavy-handed, fatherly lecture part out of the way right now. Remember, we're not clapping, we're not applauding, and that applies to you children this time. because that indicates or it could suggest that there's something in Sean or Silas and Janelle that demands congratulation. It's the riches of God's grace.
It's the divine initiative. It's the fact that the Father chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. It's the fact that in love, God having predestinated us unto adoption as sons. It's predicated on the fact that in Christ we have redemption through His blood.
So instead of applauding and giving any sort of a semblance or a nod to man, and I know that that's not what we mean by it, but nevertheless, we're going to praise God, from whom all blessings flow. So the apostle goes from the father now to the son, and the language that he uses is beautiful. And I would suggest
Christ Beloved of Father and People
he's beloved to the father because he's the only begotten son of the father. He's begotten, not made. He's the one that has the very nature of the Father. He's not the Son by creation, He's not the Son by adoption, but He is rather the only begotten Son of the Father.
In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And that Word became flesh and dwelt among us. It's not the case that the Lord Jesus Christ just arrived at the status of being beloved by the Father. This is eternal.
This is blessed Trinitarianism. And so when the apostle says, by which he made us accepted in the beloved, he is beloved to the Father. Remember at the baptism and at the Mount of Transfiguration, you've got the sound of the Father from heaven. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
But he's not only the beloved to the father, he's the beloved to those objects of mercy and those objects of grace that we read about in the rest of this chapter. He's beloved to the people of God. We resonate with that bride in the Song of Solomon when she muses upon the bridegroom and she says, he's altogether lovely and he's chief among 10,000. Remember that bit when the bride describes the bridegroom to the daughters of Jerusalem, and she does so in such a way that it evokes from those daughters of Jerusalem the question, where is your beloved God that we may find him also?
He is the beloved of the Father. He is the beloved of the conquered sinner. In other words, when we, by grace, come out of darkness into marvelous light, when we are effectually called by the Spirit, when He applies that election and that predestination and that redeeming blood to us, when He seals us and when He guarantees us, our radical orientation has changed. It's no longer that Christ is an object of scorn.
He's no longer a curse word on our lips. He is rather the altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. And so Paul refers to Jesus as the beloved.
The Nature of Redemption
Notice then, secondly, the nature of redemption. So moving on to verse seven, he says, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. The objects of redemption is curious. Note what he says in verse 7, in him we have redemption.
Now, you might think, well, you know, that's a special class of people, they clean themselves up, they do what they're supposed to do, they walk, you know, insofar as they're able to, holy lives, and they're righteous, and, you know, they just need a bit of an additional sort of impetus to make it into heaven. No, when Paul says in him, we have redemption, he's gonna further describe the we in chapter two, verses one to three. The we here is sinners. So if you're not a believer in Christ this morning, if you're not a Christian, I just want to encourage you that the people who are, are not because of something good in them.
They're not because they made good decisions. They went to Sunday school. They can recite the catechism. That's not why we have redemption.
That's not why we are believers. That's not why we are Christians or heaven-bound. The glory is Christ's, it's not ours. As Matthew Poole says, we are hateful in ourselves as sinners, but accepted in Christ as sons.
So when the apostle says, in him we have redemption, the objects of redemption are guilty, vile, helpless sinners who stand in need of this kind of salvation. Think about it this way for just a moment. If you, you being you, as an unbeliever, or even as a believer, could make it to heaven by your own, or perhaps with just a little bit of a nudge, then why Ephesians 1? Why would it necessitate God Almighty electing from before the foundation of the world, in love, having predestinated unto adoption as sons?
And why would it necessitate blood atonement on the part of God the Son? Why would it necessitate the Holy Spirit functioning as seal and guarantee of our final inheritance? If it were the case that we could, without supernatural, divine grace from on high, make it to heaven, why all this? Well, the reality is, it's all this because without it, we are dead in our trespasses and sins.
Without all this, we are hell-bound. Without all this, we suffer eternally. from the hand of an infinite holy God. So when he comes to deal with this particular situation, he says in him we have redemption through his blood.
Redemption Presupposes Bondage
Redemption supposes captivity and slavery. I'm quoting John Gill here. Redemption supposes captivity and slavery and is a deliverance out of it. God's elect by nature are in bondage to sin, Satan, and the law.
So, I guess that's the assumption behind the word that is employed by the Apostle Paul. When he speaks of, in him we have redemption, it assumes the doctrine of sin. It assumes total depravity. It assumes total inability.
And that assumption is going to be crystal clear by the time we make it to chapter 2, specifically at verses 1 to 3. And so the Apostle Paul speaks or uses the language of redemption. Thank you. I can get away without water, but I've had a bit of a cold this week, so that was very helpful.
Thank you, brother. But the assumption behind redemption is bondage and slavery, which leads us to consider, what is redemption? Why does Paul use the language, in him we have redemption? There's a lot of language that is applied with reference to the gospel, and I think it's various facets of that gospel jewel.
When we consider reconciliation, for instance, Reconciliation assumes or presupposes that two parties are at odds. According to the Apostle Paul, two parties are at odds in terms of man and God. Man toward God and God toward man, Romans chapter 5. Propitiation.
We may have cause to look at that in a bit more detail in a few moments, but in Romans chapter 3, what's propitiation assume? That there's wrath. God is angry with the wicked every day. Propitiation speaks to the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, taking in Himself that punishment due for us so that we don't get punished in like manner.
Our sin is heaped upon the Savior, it's punished in the Savior, and then His righteousness is heaped upon us. The whole idea of salvation, that's a pretty simple one. We're lost, we must be found. We're dead, we must be made alive.
But here redemption presupposes slavery. It presupposes this bondage and servanthood to sin. And so with reference to redemption, it means literally release from a captive condition, release redemption deliverance. Redemption, acquittal, also the state of being redeemed.
So in him, we have redemption through his blood. Now that through his blood is very important because it indicates that redemption isn't simply a bare act of will on the part of God. In other words, God doesn't just look down and say, okay, you're redeemed. That's it.
You're delivered. Listen to John Murray. He says, the idea of redemption must not be reduced to the general notion of deliverance. I'm going to try and explain this in a minute.
The language of redemption is the language of purchase and more specifically of ransom. And ransom is the securing of a release by the payment of a price. In his book, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, Leon Morris makes the same observation. It is important to realize that it is this idea of payment as the basis of release, which is the reason for the existence of the whole word group.
So in other words, it's not just a bare deliverance, but it's a deliverance wrought by the payment of a price. And that's why Paul says we have redemption through his blood. That's the payment of the price. And if we ask the further question, why the payment of a price?
Because in the gospel, God not only displays his grace, In the gospel, God not only displays His mercy, in the gospel, God not only displays His goodness and His kindness and His love toward sinners, but in the gospel, God displays His righteousness. In fact, turn to the book of Romans in Romans chapter 3. Really, this is Paul's point when he comes to deal with the doctrine of justification by faith alone. which he does in detail in the latter half of chapter three into chapter four and five as well. But if you look specifically at Romans chapter 3 at verse 21, there's a shift in the argument at this point.
Notice that he says, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. And that shift is with reference to Romans 1.18. Romans 1.18, he says, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all those who are ungodly and unrighteous. And here he moves from the wrath of God revealed, having made his case in chapter 1 verse 18 to chapter 3 verse 20, that every man, whether Jew or Gentile, is guilty before God.
He's liable to God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. In other words, he starts his gospel presentation with the bad news. Before he deals with the provision of God's grace in the gospel, he deals with the plight of man in their rebellion and sin and wickedness. So here in verse 21 of chapter 3, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law in the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.
For there is no difference for all who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So there's that redemption word used again. And this whole idea or notion is bondage to sin and slavery to sin, and they're redeemed through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. But then notice in verse 25, but, or whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith.
Now note, to demonstrate his righteousness, So I'm not sure that's where we would begin in our presentation of the gospel. And I'm not sure we'd be wrong, but if I said to you, at the cross you can see the love of God. And I'd have a text. John 3, 16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
I could say to you, at the cross, we see the grace of God, the provision of the Son of His love to die in our place. It's graciousness. We can see mercy. Do we start with the righteousness of God?
So I think Paul does this because he doesn't want to deal, not wasn't want to deal with it, would be the way I would do it, but because he had already been confronted with this reality that justification by faith alone compromises the holiness of God. Justification by faith alone compromises the righteousness of God. What do you mean God just forgives sinners? What do you mean God just receives them unto Himself through faith in His Son?
How can that be just? That's Paul's point. It is just in the provision of the Son of His love as a propitiation through His blood. In other words, when the Father puts the Son on the cross, which He does according to the prophets and the New Testament.
Now, I know there's instrumental means. I know the Jews. I know the Roman Pontius Pilate. I know all that.
It was the predetermined plan of God the Father that the Son went to the cross. So He does that to demonstrate His righteousness. In other words, at the cross, grace and justice meet. This is his point in Romans 3.
Notice, to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time, again he says it, his righteousness, and this is explanatory, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. In other words, the faith of the sinner given by God in accordance with election and predestination and blood atonement and the work of the Holy Spirit does not compromise the righteousness of God. It does not make void the law of God. It does not empty the Ten Commandments of its power. but rather Christ at the cross upholds the justice of God by standing in our stead and taking in himself the penalty due for us.
Sort of the foundational emphasis in the word atonement is the satisfaction of divine justice. So Paul is able to say that God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So back to our text, that's why I submit that this whole idea of purchase price attached to redemption is absolutely crucial. Notice as we move through verse 7, in him we have redemption, it goes on to say through his blood.
How do we have it? What's the payment price? It's the blood of Jesus. It's the sacrificial death of Jesus.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Well, why did the Word become flesh? Was it simply for an example? Was it simply to teach us better ethics?
No, it was to take on our humanity with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, so that He could live in our place, so that He could die in our place, so that He could be raised again. Substitutionary curse bearing. It's not just an example that you get at the cross. It's not just, wow, look at that love that the Savior has manifested.
Though it is, look at that love, excuse me, that the Savior has manifested. It was substitutionary curse bearing. It was Genesis chapter 22, when Isaac says, Father, we've got the wood, we've got the fire, but we don't have a sacrifice. What's Abraham say?
The Lord will provide. Abraham's about to bring the knife down upon the son, his only son, the son whom he loves, and the angel of the Lord stops him. What happens on the heels of that? They turn around and they see a ram caught in the thicket.
The substitute, the one instead of Isaac. It's the glory of the gospel. It's not just moral persuasion. It's not just sort of an exemplary model, but it is rather blood atonement.
Hebrews 9.22, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. Behold the Lamb of God, John 1.29, that takes away the sin of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ in his life, in his death, in his resurrection, is the means by which we have redemption.
Forgiveness as Chief Blessing
But then notice a blessing associated with redemption. If redemption presupposes bondage and slavery due to sin, something's got to happen to that pesky sin problem. And that's what Paul indicates in verse 7. In him we have redemption through his blood.
And then sort of what's called an appositional phrase. It just sort of further illustrates or describes what he means by this redemption through his blood motif. He says the forgiveness of sins. There's other things.
I mean, in 1-3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. You've all experienced that, who have come to the Savior. You've all known that as you've come to the Savior. You know the blessedness of having everlasting life.
You know the prospect of glorification. You know the ongoing sorts of, I want to say battles, but triumphs that you experience in sanctification. You know that there's a manifold blessing that God gives to His people. But you know what oftentimes leads the charge in the hands of the apostolic writers?
It's the forgiveness of sins. Because in some sense, that's everything, right? What has separated us from our God? Our sin.
How do we get back to God? Through forgiveness of sin. This is one of the chief boons of the Christian religion. This is, I would say, the, but of course I'd have to answer somebody after, what about this?
Yeah, that too, okay. He's talking about the category of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein He forgives us of all our transgressions and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. So when Paul comes to treat redemption, if we understand the presupposition involved in redemption, we understand that bondage and slavery as a result of our sin is the specter that lay behind that.
When he says through his blood and then further illustrates or further rather explains that the forgiveness of sins, we all go, oh yeah, yeah, that's it. That is one of those chief boons of the Christian religion. And this is just perhaps an encouragement, if you're not a believer here this morning, I think this is one of the best enticements for you to believe. There's nothing better than to be able to sing, my sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought.
My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. There is nothing better than a conscience clear with God Almighty. In fact, the Apostle says as much in Romans 5.1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
The forgiveness of sins is something desperately needed in our generation and in every generation. Man's problem hasn't changed. I know the church at times trying to be more relevant, tries to figure out what's happening culturally. I'll tell you what's happening culturally.
It's happening now just like it was when Paul wrote Ephesians, just like it was after Genesis 3.15 and the fall of the man. Man sins. Man's a rebel. I know we can put a lot of nuance and a lot of spin on that, but if you boil everything down, the big problem in this world today is Romans 1.18 to Romans 3.20.
The big problem is mutiny against Yahweh and his Christ. The big problem in relationships. The big problem in families. The big problem in societies.
Our brother prayed thus with reference to the nation. Abortion, euthanasia, all kinds of sexual perversion. Are we going to just fix that by throwing money at it? Are we going to fix that with focus groups?
No, we fix that under God by the proclamation of Christ and Him crucified. And we don't fix it, God fixes it. But God calls us to be faithful in a faithless age and to preach what is most necessary in that faithless age. Sin is your problem.
Sin is my problem. Sin was Paul's problem. Sin was Peter's problem. Sin was Isaiah's problem.
You get the point. I don't need to name everybody in the Bible. Sin is the issue, and that's what's so good about the gospel. God provides the remedy.
God the Father elects and predestines. God the Son, the Beloved, is the one in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. It is the blessed privilege of the people of God to know the joy of the Lord specifically at the point of having been forgiven, having been cleansed, having been washed. In fact, turn to the book of Revelation, Revelation chapter one, before John gets to the actual dealings in his book, just his greeting, his opening greeting to the churches is most excellent in this regard.
Notice in Revelation chapter 1, and there's a triune shape, that language is Swain's, I'm sure it's other people's language as well. Shape seems odd to me, I think I voiced that in the Saturday morning thing, but it does seem to fit, and it does seem to work. But notice in Revelation 1.4, John to the seven churches which are in Asia, graced you in peace from him who is, and who was, and who is to come. and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. You've got a reference to the triune God in verses four and five.
Grace to you and peace from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Father. Not that that's not true of the Son, or that it's not true of the Spirit, but specifically appropriated to the Father. And from the seven Spirits who are before His throne. That doesn't mean there are seven Holy Spirits, but it's the language of completion or perfection applied specifically to the Spirit.
And then from Jesus Christ. And then we speak about the threefold offices of Christ. That wasn't Westminster who came up with that. It wasn't just a creedal or confessional consensus that we can somehow summarize the work of the Redeemer under this threefold grid.
It's from the Scriptures. Notice the prophet, priest, and king. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, prophet, the firstborn from the dead, priest, and the ruler over the kings of the earth, king. But then notice how John moves from the triune God Specific reference to the Lord Jesus Christ and his offices as mediator, to the work of the mediator, to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
Beautiful language. Absolutely wonderful language. Again, if you could get to heaven just a bit helped, if you could get to heaven just a bit fixed, If you could get to heaven based on just a bit of your own resolve, then whence the cross? Without that shedding of blood, there is no remission.
But with that shedding of blood, there is remission. Jesus says in the Gospel of John, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out. What should that encourage us in? To come to the Son.
You mean the Son says He's not going to cast me out? Then I have to go to the Son? Remember that scene in John's Gospel, John chapter 6. Some of those who had professed to be His disciples no longer wanted to walk with Him.
I don't believe they were actually saved and they were now unsaved, but they made a profession, at least for a time, based on the fact that He had fed them. And then Jesus looks at his intimates, his disciples, and he says, Do you also want to leave? Do you also want to depart? Simon Peter's words there are wonderful.
He says, To whom, Lord, shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. In other words, why would I go anywhere else when I have heard that in you there is forgiveness? Excuse me, in you there is a righteousness.
Why would I go elsewhere? So the Apostle John excuse me, tells us to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Go to Hebrews chapter one for just a moment. Hebrews chapter one. You see how this whole aspect of the forgiveness of sins is central to the apostolic presentation of the gospel. See, the gospel doesn't come to people with just some issues.
I mean, I guess it does. It comes to people with the issue. It's not self-help that is promoted here. It's not an increased do-goodery.
It's redemption through blood. That's what's at stake in the gospel. Notice that Hebrews chapter one, specifically at verse three, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Turn back to the book of Acts for a moment.
Acts chapter 2, a passage we looked at in a baptism recently. Acts chapter 2, specifically at verse 38. For what? For an additional help to your already holy life?
No! For the remission of sins. Look at Acts chapter 13, the beginning of the first missionary journey. We see the Apostle Paul in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch.
What do you think he's there to do? Just kind of tell them a few new religious truths? No. Notice what he says, according to Acts 13 at verse 38, Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.
And by him, everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. So just by way of a real practical encouragement, I want to say that what we have this morning in terms of witnessing people be baptized is an outward declaration of that inward forgiveness of sins wrought by God the Most High. as a result of the work of His Son, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Back to Ephesians, we need this desperately, because according to chapter 2, verses 1 to 3, we are lifeless, helpless, and hopeless. According to chapter 2, in the latter half of the chapter, we see that we are homeless, churchless, hopeless, and godless.
So if there's any benefit, if there's any help, if there's any blessing, if there's anything to be had, it comes as a result of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and one of the chief boons of that is the forgiveness of sins. Of course, in justification, it's not just forgiveness of sins. Imagine saying that, it's not just forgiveness of sins. That's like saying to your wife, that's not just a billion dollars, honey, and we no longer have any debt.
But that's the glory of the gospel. Remember when we used to get mail? You'd get a piece of mail, and it would say, you've just won a free seven-day trip. If you were brought up like I was, if you have half a brain, you would look at that and say, it's too good to be true.
Don't we say that with a deal? Oh, it's too good to be true. Not only is there the forgiveness of sins, but there is the giving by God of a righteousness to us that was wrought by the Son. So, honey, it's not just a billion dollars.
There's a billion more! It's not just the forgiveness of sins. We need to be cleansed in his blood, but without the clothing in his righteousness, we're back at the tree. And we don't want to be back at the tree.
We want to be confirmed as a result of the last Adam, who for us men and for our salvation came down out of heaven to fulfill all that was laid upon him. And he does it, he does it perfectly, such that on the cross he's able to say, it is finished.
The Riches of God's Grace
So when we look at what Paul is saying here, we see the glory of the Savior with reference to redemption. But then that brings us finally to consider the last bit in verse 7. I think this phrase works in two ways. One, It obviously underscores the infinitude of God's bounty, right?
It just does. According to the riches of His grace? The riches of His grace? Yes. according to the riches of His grace.
There's a concept out there of God as having, you know, 25 units of grace, and He's just about all spent up, and therefore, no, there is infinite resource in our blessed God. And so when Paul says, according to the riches of His grace, he's making a theological statement. He is underscoring something true of God. There is no lack, no potential emptiness, no possibility of ever depleting that well.
You can't spend it all. You can't finish it all. You can't get rid of it at all. The Lord God Most High is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
All that is in God is God, so it can't be the case that we can tap Him dry. So it's a statement concerning theology, who God is, the riches of His grace. But I think it's also a statement of anthropology. It's not just a bit of grace that you and I need.
We got lots of sin. We got lots of problems. In fact, right now, you might be an unbeliever thinking, well, I'm not sure if there's enough in that well for me. I remember many years ago, Steve and I went to near the neighborhood here to pass out tracks.
I think we met an old guy and, oh, there's just no hope for an old sinner like me. It's kind of out there, right? There's no hope for an old sinner like me. There's only hope to be had in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But that hope is glorious hope. It's not a potential hope. It's not a probable hope. It's not, well, get in while the getting's good because that well is gonna dry up.
No, we need grace. We need riches of grace. The lifeless, helpless, hopeless, Christless, godless lot that is explained in chapter 2 doesn't come into saving union with God based on a little bit of grace and their own performance. If it ain't riches of grace, we're not going to heaven.
In fact, listen to what a couple of the older brothers say. John Eady says,
Infinite Sufficiency of Grace
God's grace has unbounded liberality. Don't you love that? You're probably a good parent. I say probably.
You are, you're good parents, and I have no reason to believe otherwise. But we fancy ourselves as quite benevolent and quite generous, don't we? I think that was sort of behind Peter when Peter says to the Lord, you know, Lord, if my brother sins against me seven times in a day, do I forgive him? I don't think Peter was probably bargaining for the answer that he got.
He looked pretty magnanimous. Seven times in a day, good on you, Peter. That's virtue to be able to forgive that way. What's Jesus say?
Seven times 70. And the point there isn't keep track. And once you get to the final answer of seven times 70, then you stop. No, you keep forgiving.
The riches of God's grace. So back to you being parents, you're good, but you got your limitations. I certainly did when my children were in the home. But God's grace has unbounded liberality.
Much is expended. Many sinners of all lands, ages, and crimes are pardoned, fully pardoned, often pardoned, and frankly pardoned. But infinite wealth of grace remains behind. It's not gonna be exhausted by you.
It's not the case that if you get saved, you've got to be careful about evangelizing because it might use up God's grace according to the riches of His grace. Going back even further than Edie, let's look at Goodwin. Goodwin says, when you come and you see your sins told out before you, set in order before you, and piled as high as heaven and as low as hell, thinks the poor soul, where is the wealth? Where are the riches?
Where is that that shall forgive these sins? Here it is. Here is the riches of grace told out before you. Here is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ manifested to you.
Riches of grace. You need not bring one penny. God is rich enough. What should you bring?
Your duties or anything to the forgiveness of sins? Here is riches of grace that does it. Not a penny of ours, but get faith. It is the key to unlock this treasure and to possess thee of these riches.
There are multitudes of sins. Here are multitudes of mercies." That's a beautiful, beautiful summary explanation of what Paul says in our passage in him. in the Beloved, the Beloved of the Father, and now, of course, by grace, the Beloved of the Child of God. In Him, we have redemption. Remember the presupposition?
Bondage, slavery because of sin. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the payment of a price to maintain or to demonstrate grace, but to maintain justice at the cross so that God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. And then that explanation, that chief boon of Christian blessedness is the forgiveness of sins. This is according to the Apostle Paul, according to God's wisdom, verse 8.
It is the revelation of his plan, verse 9. And it's all according to the cosmic purpose of God in verse 10. Just thought I would round out that sort of outline of that section. So that brings us then finally to consider practically the purpose of the Father.
You look at the world around you, you ask the question, why? God. That's the answer. Why did God make all things?
For His own glory. Why does God govern all His creatures and all their actions? For His own glory. Why did God send the Son of His love into this world, sinners, to save?
For His own glory. I think that's what Paul is explaining in verses 8 to 10 in Ephesians chapter 1. But as I said, we don't have time to get into all of that. The purpose of the Father.
This is very important. Because again, I think we miss this. God made this world. God governs all his creatures and all their actions.
God sends the son of his love into this world, who assumes our humanity, who lives a life of obedience, who dies a death as a sacrifice and a substitute, and he's raised again the third day. He does that, but he's not really invested in the salvation of sinners. In other words, I don't think that I should come to Him because perhaps in my theology I've gotten this idea that there's only going to be a handful of people that are actually going to fall into heaven. You see, that's not the truth.
Jesus talks about the inauguration and the new covenant in his blood. And he says, this blood is shed for what? For many, for the remission of sins. You turn to the book of Revelation, there's a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.
So if you're operating with some sort of a faulty theology, well, I can't really believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's only for this group or that group or whoever the minister approves of. May I encourage you that the very purpose of God the Father is to reconcile the world through his Son? And it is a good thing to look unto the Lord Jesus.
It is a blessed thing to come to the one in whom there is forgiveness, the one in whom there is a righteousness. I would suggest not only the purpose of the Father is set forth in this chapter, but the glory of the Son. He is the beloved of the Father and the elect, and He is the Redeemer of those given to Him by the Father. Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures in one person forever. That's why He's beloved to us. That's why we call Him chief among 10,000, altogether lovely. He is that for the people of God.
He could be, you know, or we could grow rather in our appreciation and in our esteem, that's for sure. But what Jesus is to the believer, He's everything. If you are living a life without everything, I would encourage you to come to everything. It's Jesus, the one in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
I know that this is consistent among men. We all have conviction. There's not a one that has ever lived except Jesus, because he was the divine word who assumed our humanity, that never had a guilty conscience. that never puts their pillow on their head with the sneaking suspicion that if they should die at night, they're gonna end up in the fires of hell? I mean, come on!
How do we assuage that? How do we find peace for that? How do we have that clear conscience? In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Application to Baptism
And I would suggest thirdly and finally to our baptismal candidates, the official terminology now, the baptismal candidates, I would suggest first, what we do in that tank is an outward demonstration of an inward change. It is an outward demonstration of an inward change. It's not the tank that conveys the blessing. It's not the water that conveys the washing.
It is rather the symbol, the thing that signifies the blessed reality of Christ's precious blood. Secondly, the outward identification with the triune God. This is a good thing. Matthew chapter 28, verses 18 to 20.
Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name, singular, of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The living and true God that exists eternally is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And these three today are identifying publicly, confessionally, biblically, obediently to that blessed God by identifying with him. I would say thirdly, the outward commitment of a life lived in obedience to God.
Again, it's not the water that is the impetus for going out to be holy. But it's certainly a reminder of what has happened to you in terms of justification by faith, and can be a wonderful impetus to us in the pursuit of holiness. In the last statement in chapter 29, paragraph 1, it says, and of giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life. And I would suggest finally, with reference to Silas and Janelle and Sean, this ought to be a day of great joy. not for what decisions you've made, not for what wisdom you've expressed, but for the reality that there are riches of grace to be had in our God.
And if you're not being baptized today, but you want to be baptized, you can email me for sure, but most importantly is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. young and old. That is the message. Christ lived, Christ died, Christ was raised, so that all who look to Him in faith will have everlasting life. Well, let us pray.