Ephesians chapter 2, this Friday October 31st marks the 497th anniversary of when the Protestant Reformation actually kicked off. Now I think that we as North Americans like a particular date. We can't say the Reformation began on October 31st, 1517. Certainly there were many precursors to Martin Luther, to John Calvin, to Ulrich Zwingli, But certainly that is a date that we can sort of latch our minds onto.
It was the date that that young monk, Martin Luther, nailed 95 theses on the castle wall at Wittenberg. and thus declared his plan, intent, and desire to reform the Church of Rome. Protestantism is a protest movement. It protests against the abuses of Roman Catholicism. The Reformation didn't say, or the Protestant reformers didn't say, that Catholicism got everything wrong.
They certainly got things right. There are things that are consistent between Romanism and Protestantism today. We still hold to the same early church councils and creeds, specifically those concerning the deity of our Lord Jesus and the triunity of our God. But certainly what the Reformation sought to reform was Rome's view concerning soteriology, or the doctrine of salvation.
So this morning, by way of exposition, we're going to look at Ephesians 2, verses 8 to 10. Well, note first the plan of salvation in verses 8 and 9, and then secondly the place of good works, because the charge is often made that if you affirm justification by faith alone, then that leads to licentious living, it leads to an absence of good works, it leads to all manner of wickedness. Well, nothing could be further from the truth, so it's good for us to see God's plan of salvation and the place or role of good works in that saving plan. Beginning in chapter 2 at verse 1, we'll read the entirety of the chapter and then pray before we look in detail at verses 8 to 10.
And you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we're by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Therefore, remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through him we both have access by one spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Amen." Well, let us pray.
Our Father, we ask now for the ministry of Your Spirit again. We ask that You would guide us and illumine us as we study this plan of salvation. How we thank You for the grace that is so conspicuously displayed in this book of Ephesians. How we thank You for Your mercy. and your kindness, your exceeding riches of grace.
We ask that you would cause us to reflect upon these things and to return worship and praise and adoration and glory unto you, our great God. Do forgive us now for all sin and anything that would darken our mind and our understanding and help us to take every thought captive to the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in his name that we pray. Amen.
Introduction
Now, as we opened worship this morning, we read, or after we read Psalm 65, we sang, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. That's a hymn, obviously, written by Martin Luther. Now, on Reformation Day, we don't celebrate Martin Luther. Rather, we celebrate the fact that God Most High, in His grace, has done wondrous things, at a particular time period, in causing men to reflect upon that, and renew their vision in the purity of God's Holy Word.
As I said, we're not here to celebrate Luther, but the grace that he discovered, preached, and wrote concerning. When we look at these reformers, however, Luther is certainly one of the most colorful of them all. Luther certainly is an interesting sort. He was not without his sin.
He was certainly not without his blemishes. He was not without any imperfections, but as far as a character in history goes, he makes for some very interesting reading and some interesting study. When Luther himself heard that people were calling themselves Lutherans, he said, the first thing I ask is that people should not make use of my name and should not call themselves Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther?
The teaching is not mine, nor was I crucified for anyone. How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?" So certainly he was not down with the fact that people were being called Lutheran. Luther explained his perception or his understanding of his role in the events of the Reformation. Again, a bit of a colorful explanation, but it highlights something that we need to appreciate that was central in terms of the Reformation.
Luther said, I simply taught, preached, wrote God's Word. Otherwise, I did nothing. And then while I slept or drank Wittenberg beer with my Philip and my Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that never a prince or emperor did such damage to it. I did nothing, the Word did it all." I think that is what we need to observe in terms of these men that God raised up in the 16th century to call the church to reform, to protest against abuses, primarily in the matter of authority.
It was adding to the Word of God. Rome was adding to it with their decrees and with their papal statements and declarations and with their authoritative tradition. And then with reference to salvation, it becomes so difficult. It becomes so complicated.
It was founded upon a whole structure, an ecclesiastical structure, where money was involved and where all kinds of things took place that had nothing to do with the Pauline interpretation of salvation and redemption. And certainly one of the passages that we ought to consider in conjunction with this day, Reformation Day, is Ephesians 2, 8 to 10.
The Plan of Salvation
So I mentioned we'll look first at the plan of salvation. We have three sub points here and this is where we're going to focus our energy or attention this morning. First, the origin of salvation, the triune God. Secondly, the objects of salvation, sinful wretches, or to use Luther's description, stinking bags of maggots.
And thirdly, the instrument used in salvation, faith. I realize that when we refer to people as stinking bags of maggots, our delicate sensitivities are offended. I think in many ways the comparison is simply inaccurate. We as sinners are worse than stinking bags of maggots.
You see, stinking bags of maggots as they wriggle around in the bag and as they reek or produce their smell or noxious odor, they are doing specifically what God made them to do. That is the reality of it. We, however, have rebelled. We, however, have transgressed.
We have raised our fist at the majesty on high. So when we speak of us in comparison with a stinking bag of maggots, we ought to recognize that we're actually worse than a stinking bag of maggots. So
Origin of Salvation: The Triune God
let us proceed first, the origin of salvation, the triune God.
Ephesians 1 as Foundation
We cannot miss the connection between chapter 2 with chapter 1. Certainly chapter 1 precedes chapter 2 logically, chronologically, but as well in terms of God's theological plan, in terms of God's salvific plan in redeeming His people from their sin. If you go back to chapter 1 for just a moment, verses 3 to 14 is one long sentence. It is one sentence in Greek.
The English versions break it up, they put some punctuation in there to make it a bit more readable, but 3 to 14 is one long sentence that celebrates the triune God of salvation. It affirms God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit in the matter of the redemption of God's people. And then in chapter 1, beginning in verse 15, Paul lets the people of God in Ephesus in on his prayer life. And one of the things that he wants the people in Ephesus to recognize with reference to God is His exceeding great power.
Notice what he says in verse 19 of chapter 1. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe? Isn't that a comfort for the believer? Isn't that something that you and I should appropriate?
Isn't that something that you and I should come to grips with? That we should understand something of the exceeding great power of God? I'm having troubles at work. I can trust that my God will help me.
I'm having troubles with sin. I can trust that my powerful God will help me. I'm having difficulties with reference to a particular situation. I can trust in the exceeding power of God to see me through these things.
Brethren, it is good for us to consider theology proper, to consider His omnipotence, His power, His majesty, His excellence, because this will fortify the soul. We are weak, we are destitute, we are feeble, we creep along, but our God certainly doesn't. He sees us through by His might, by His strength, by His exceeding greatness. And Paul wants the saints in Ephesus to know that power.
And then Paul gives three illustrations of that power. How do we know God's powerful? First, because He raised Jesus from the dead. That's chapter 1, 19 to the end of the chapter.
Because God raised Jesus up from the dead, and He stationed Him at His right hand, and He gave Him a name which is above every name. In chapter 2, verses 1 to 10, we know that God is powerful because He overcomes our sin. In the matter of individual salvation, God's power is such that He takes the persons described in verses 1 to 3, and in His grace and in His mercy, He seats them and makes them alive together with Christ Jesus. That is exceeding great power.
If you've ever wondered if God is powerful, if you're a believer, look in the mirror. that He overcame your sin, that He dealt with your tragic ways, that He dealt with your iniquities and wickedness, that demonstrates that He is powerful. And then in verses 11 to 22, God's power is demonstrated in the fact that God brings together Jews and Gentiles who were formerly at enmity with one another, and He makes them one new man under Jesus Christ. That's the flow of chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 1, 3 to 14, is a doctrinal foundation for all that follows.
Verse 19, Paul in chapter 1 wants them to know what is the exceeding greatness of God's power. That power seen in the resurrection of Christ, that power seen in the salvation of sinners, that power seen in the unification of Jew and Gentile under the Lord Jesus Christ.
Election and Predestination by the Father
Notice, specifically back in chapter 1, at verses 3 to 14, the salvation of the triune God. Do you love verse 3? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. How many times have we taken verses out of Ephesians 1 or out of Romans 9 and used them polemically.
By polemics I mean we engage those who are theological enemies. We go out with our texts in hand and we bat people over the head. I'm not necessarily against that. I don't mean physically bat them over the head or take your Bible.
That's why I have a big Bible. When I swing it I really want to do some damage. No, that's not it. I'm talking metaphorically here.
You know, for Paul, in chapter 1 of Ephesians, beginning in verse 3, he's not dealing in polemics. He's not arguing with foes. He is not even instructing the saints in Ephesus. Rather, he is praising God.
He is worshipping God. He is speaking well of God. When we hear the term blessed, when it's applied by God to us, it usually means that He gives us good things or He manifests good things in our lives. He makes things better for us.
We pray for blessing. When the Bible says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, this means that we ascribe praise to Him. This means that we speak well of Him. This means that we worship and adore Him.
This is a convention that's employed throughout the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for blessing is barakah. And you see this convention used. Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, says, bless it, be the Lord.
And then he gives specific reasons why we ought to bless. David does it in Psalm 103. Bless the Lord, O my soul, forget not all his benefits. And then he indicates those benefits so that he can bless him and speak well of him.
Paul uses this convention. Peter uses this convention. We ought to adopt this convention. In other words, we consider who God is, we consider what God has done, and then when we sing to Him or when we praise Him, it's in an informed manner.
You see, Baal called his worshippers to forget. Baal called his worshippers to empty-headedness. Baal called his worshippers simply to experience The feeling! Yahweh calls His worshippers, our God and Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus, calls us to consider who He is, to think in terms of His beauty, to think in terms of His majesty, to think in terms of His glory, and then return praise to Him.
This is Paul's emphasis in Ephesians 1.3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then he highlights each of the persons of the triune God, though he's blessing the Father in each instance. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the work of the Father. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the work of the Son.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the work of the Holy Spirit. This is his target. He comes to the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit and primarily with reference to the Father. Notice what is ascribed to him.
Election and predestination. just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. You see, when we get to Ephesians 2.8-10, which is something of a summary, really, of what Paul says in 2.4-7, we ought not to forget the eternal foundation in Ephesians 1.3-14. Why is it that by grace you have been saved? Because the Father elected.
Because the Father predestined. Because the Father chose. You didn't come into this sphere because of your good deeds. You didn't come into this sphere because of your wisdom.
You didn't come into this place because you made a decision for Jesus. You came to this place because before the foundation of the world, God set His affection upon you. Before the foundation of the world, God determined to save you. You see, this doctrine is offensive to some.
It ought to be embraced and rejoiced in and delighted in. As Pink says, if God had not predestined some unto salvation, then every last one of us would be lost. That's the reality. As stinking bags of maggots, we cannot work our way to heaven.
We cannot indebt God to us. He owes no man anything. It is simply by His sovereign good pleasure. John Gill references the doctrine of election, and he makes this perceptive statement based on what we see here in verse 4.
I don't know if this is specifically Gill's context in terms of verse, but it certainly has its tap roots here. Notice in verse 4, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame. It doesn't say he chose us because we were holy and without blame. Does it?
You see, so much of Reformed theology is just basic reading comprehension. Just taking the words as they stand. You see, if the opponents of Reformed theology were right, it would be that God chose us because of something He saw. That's not what the text specifies.
The text doesn't indicate that at all. The text indicates that He chose in order that we would be holy and blameless. Gil says, election does not find men in Christ, but puts them there. Election does not find men in Christ, but puts them there.
Praise God. Who doesn't want sovereign grace? Who doesn't want predestination? Who doesn't want the election of God Most High?
You're going to have to take a scalpel out and start cutting away a lot of the scripture, because it's conspicuous. Gil says, it gives them a being in Him and union to Him. So the Father is praised primarily for election and predestination. Notice at the end of verse 4, we have, that we should be holy and without blame before Him.
I take the in love going with verse 5. The idea there is in love having predestined us. How many times have you spoken the truth, the predestination to somebody, and they say, well, that sounds like there's just this machine out there that's pulling the strings. It almost sounds like the Muslim doctrine of fate has this blind personality involved in it.
And that's not it at all. In love, having predestined. It's love, the foundation upon which that we stand. God most high, in his love, did these things in order for his people.
Truly beautiful, the way that the text flows. 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. Have you ever noticed that if you've met somebody that have adopted kids, they're heroes, right? Have you ever met somebody that's adopted children and they said, yeah, we adopted two children out of that orphanage.
I know that orphanages aren't out there anymore, but please bear with me for a moment. Do we ever yell at them and upbraid them and say, you should have adopted all the children that are in that orphanage. No, we never do that. They're heroes.
That's an act of selflessness. That's love. That's kindness. That's mercy.
And yet this is thrown in the face of God. Well, it's not fair that He didn't elect every single human being. No, it's absolutely wondrous and glorious that He elected some. Praise Him!
Adore Him, say with Paul, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has done this.
Redemption Through the Son's Blood
Notice he then goes on to praise the Father for the work of the Son in verse 7 specifically. He says, "...in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." You see the progression of the passage, the progression of salvation history. God in eternity past, purpose to save. God in history sends His Son, born in the fullness of the times, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law.
Same thing is true in 2 Timothy 1, verses 9 and 10. God's purpose began before time. but now has been manifested in the sending of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have that covenant of redemption wherein the Father and the Son compacted to save a people by the Son's redemptive activity. We have the covenant of works in the Garden of Eden where Adam broke and transgressed and because of that all in him died. we have the covenant of grace, we're in the Lord Jesus as the second Adam.
The last Adam comes and does everything necessary for the salvation of the elect. And here in verse 7, Paul says, in Him we have redemption through His blood. You know, if you don't go to Christian churches often, well, I'm speaking to people who are at a Christian church. Remember a buddy of mine. friend in the Palmdale Church.
He said, we had people over one day, they were not believers, and we sang, there is a fount filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. And these people that weren't exposed to the gospel, or that weren't brought up in Christianity, or didn't attend church, thought that was a bit odd. I mean, if you think about it, if we weren't conditioned to look favorably upon the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we were singing a song about a fountain open for sin and uncleanness, and it's drawn in Emmanuel's blood, you might think you'd have cause to roll your eyes and say, what is with these people? What do the New Testament authors emphasize again, and again, and again?
It's the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, We need to be cleansed. We need to be washed. We need to be purified. We need our sins dealt with and we have it in that fountain prophesied by Zechariah and filled with the blood of Emmanuel himself.
This is what Paul says to God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because in Jesus Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. See, this is cosmic, glorious, wondrous description of praise to our Father. And then
Sealed by the Holy Spirit
dropping down in verses 13 and 14, the Holy Spirit is specifically referenced. In Him, Christ, you also, 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. Isn't that beautiful? We're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
We bear the mark upon us, spiritually speaking. The seal isn't ultimately circumcision. The seal isn't ultimately baptism. The seal, in terms of salvation in Christ, is the Holy Spirit himself.
And then notice what he goes on to say. Verse 14, "...who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." How can we fall away when the Spirit who sealed us is the Spirit who guarantees for us? The Spirit who secures us, the Spirit who keeps us. How could Paul in 2 Timothy 1.12 say, I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him unto that great day.
You see, reformed theology is not a construct imposed upon the scripture. It is a proper reading of the scripture in the plain and simple sense of the words given. You can't miss this. I would assume that it's an imposition to not see reformed theology on the pages of scripture.
So that's connection. Notice the conspicuous element, or the conspicuous attribute of God mentioned.
Grace as the Determining Factor
Now you can go specifically to chapter 2, verse 8. There's a bit of a sideline there. Notice in 2.8, for by grace You see, this is what we need to appreciate. We're not here this morning worshipping God Most High because of our good works.
We're not here worshipping our God Most High because of our wisdom. We're here worshipping our God Most High because of His grace. This is the determining factor. This is the issue.
Salvation of God flows from the grace of God. The grace of God is conspicuous in chapter 1, it is mentioned in verses 6 and 7, but it's certainly the backdrop for all of God's dealings in verses 3 to 14. Notice in chapter 2 at verse 7, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace. Do you understand that?
The exceeding riches of His grace. This is why we sang 600 this morning. It's not till then that we'll fully know. It's not till then that we'll completely comprehend.
I mean, we have an understanding in an inkling now, a stinking bag of maggots and now a worshiper of God. Certainly the grace of God has been manifested and is predominantly on display for us to stand in awe of. But we haven't fully embraced it. There is in our heart of hearts something deep down that thinks, well, he did owe us.
I mean, it's us, right? He did owe me, because after all, I'm me. Maybe that's not something you struggle with. Maybe pride is an enemy that you deal with repetitiously.
You know, brethren, there are some believers out there, some Christians that struggle with pride until their dying day. Do you realize? The devil may take a day off and not harass you. The world may shut down for a day and not harass you.
I know you can't conceive of that, but think power grid. Think the end of the power grid and what would happen to Western civilization. The world shut down! What enemy is constantly there?
When you're swimming that River Jordan, you're getting closer to Emmanuel's land, what enemy is still there? It's that on-board enemy. It's that resident enemy. It is your own remaining corruption.
We do not fully appreciate yet the grace of God manifested to us in the Lord Jesus Christ because of that remaining corruption. Certainly we sing our hymns, certainly we read the scriptures, certainly we theologize and we discuss, and in good times we say, man, that grace is amazing. There are times and seasons we break out in Newton's song, Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound, that saved a wretch like me. But I don't think we fully appreciate it, how holy and good and glorious God is, and how wretched and bad and evil we really are.
This is what Paul's emphasis is in verse 7. That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Do you see what God is doing in the church? What God is going to do subsequent in the eschaton?
He's going to display that exceeding riches of His kindness, of His graciousness to us. We stand before that throne and we've been there 10,000 years. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. And then verses 8 and 9 specifically summarize this whole thing.
Four, by grace you've been saved. Grace. Unmerited favor. Something you did not work for.
Something you could not earn. Something you could not demand from God. He is no man's debtor. He doesn't owe you anything.
He's not obliged to give you anything. Forgiveness of sins flows out of His grace. Forgiveness of sins flows out of His mercy. Adoption and predestination unto sons by Jesus Christ flows out of His love.
We have no demand upon God, for by grace you've been saved." This is the Apostle's emphasis. The word used is a perfect passive-partisan. I don't want to confuse anybody, but this is a great word. It's perfect.
That means something happened in the past and it has abiding results for us now. And it's a passive. That means God saved us. By grace, you have been saved.
Not by grace, you saved yourselves. Not by grace, you participated in your salvation. Not by grace, you contributed 30% to Jesus, 70%. But for by grace, you have been saved.
This idea that our works mingled with faith in Jesus in order to get the 100% salvation is wrong. It is solely and alone by the grace of God. Paul takes pains to explain that no works are introduced into the concept. No works come into play.
This was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation in terms of soteriology. Rome taught a mingling of faith in Christ and works. You see, Rome does not deny grace. Rome does not deny faith.
They simply do not. There's nobody that I know that's a strict legalist that says it's, well, Pelagians, but it's by my works that I can gain and garner favor with God. Even the Judaizers didn't do that. The Judaizers mingled faith with Christ, plus works of the law, in order to be saved.
Rome does the same thing. Faith in Christ, because of God's grace, but our works too, to complete the package. Paul is conspicuous. For by grace you have been saved. not for by grace plus a mingling of your works, not for by grace plus a little bit of your effort.
Brethren, if you think for a moment that you stand based on what you've done, even to the smallest degree, you've misunderstood the Bible. Abraham believed God and it was reckoned under righteousness for him. If Abraham did something, he'd have cause to boast before God. Romans 4, 1-4.
But Paul says, not before God. What's the implication? Abraham can't boast. Abraham can't take any credit.
Brethren, it is grace. This is what brings us together. This is what brings commonality to us. This is why old people and young people and white people and black people and all kinds of people find solidarity.
It's not because we stumbled onto the way for people to deal with one another, it's because Christ was crucified and rose again to bring us together based on God's grace. For by grace you have been saved.
Objects of Salvation: Sinful Wretches
Now notice, we've looked at the origin of salvation, let's look secondly at the objects of salvation. What he says, for by grace you have been saved. Who's the you there? Oh, well these were the people that grew up in the church.
These were the people that grew up in the synagogue. These were the people that had their pencil in their pocket, and they wore their tie, and they had the El Martin tape in their pocket, and they were Reformed Baptist poster boys and girls. No. Who's the you in our verse?
The you in our verse are those first in union with Christ. Notice our election is in Christ in Ephesians 1. He chose us in Him. Nothing God does toward us is apart from the mediation of our Lord Jesus.
Secondly, the us is found in verses 1 to 3 in chapter 2. Look at what Paul says. Now think, stinking bag of maggots. Which is better?
The stinking bag of maggots are the men described in chapter 2 verses 1 to 3. You know, stinking bags of maggots don't commit abortion. Stinking bags of maggots don't put on ski masks and take, you know, Uzi's and go into liquor stores and gun men down for 20 bucks. Stinking bags of maggots don't beat their wives.
They don't abuse their children. Who's really bad in this world? It's man. What's the problem?
Consistently, in every age, it's sin. The social engineers want to explain it away. No, it's because of money. People in an absence of money will do horrible things.
I remember years ago in LA, Beverly Hills specifically, two men shot their parents' heads off. That wasn't because they didn't have money. They had nothing but money. Why does a man run at the Parliament building?
Well, because he was changed and became a jihadist. Yeah, that's certainly an event or an effect. What's the fundamental cause? Sin.
Solomon was absolutely right. The quicker we appreciate this, the better off we're going to be. God made man upright. They sought out many devices.
You may not run upon the parliament building singing or praising Allah. that all of us consistently have sinned against God. This is what makes 2.8-10 so amazing, so wondrous. This is why we sing with Newton, amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I remember hearing that sometimes in modern hymnals, you know that hymn that we sing, would he devote that sacred head for such a worm as I.
That's offensive today. So in modern hymnals, they change it from worm to sinner. They've changed it from bad to worse. Worms are better than sinners.
Worms don't rebel against God. Worms don't abort their baby worms. Worms don't smoke crack and go out and rape people. Sinners do that.
You see, if you miss total depravity, if you miss 1 to 3, 4 to 8 don't dazzle the mind as much. If you see sin as a little bit of a problem, then 4 to 8 might be a little bit of a solution. But when you feel the impact and the significance of what Paul says in verses 1 to 3, and then when he shifts directions in verse 4 and says, You say, with Him, yes, but God, He delivered us, He freed us, He saved us, He redeemed us, He freed us, and the us is described very clearly. Notice in verse 1, and you, He made alive His supply, and it's not a bad supply there, we'll take it for now.
And you, He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins. You see, praise God for Reformed Theology, because Reformed Theology teaches that the sovereign God, who has almighty power, is able to give life to the dead. We don't preach. To near-dead people, rise up and take Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
We preach the gospel, the gospel of the facts relative to the Lord Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection. And we preach those facts and we preach that gospel and we urge men to believe, trusting not in their power to believe, but trusting in the power of God Most High to make them willing in the day of His power and to bring them to the Lord Christ. Notice, dead in trespasses and sins. You see amazing grace standing in this spotlight.
Makes sense, doesn't it? We don't need amazing grace if we're not dead in our trespasses and sins. We need grace, we need help, we need a little bit of assistance, but we don't need amazing grace because there's something in us that can claw our way out of those graves and start making a move to the Lord Jesus. But that's not what the scripture says.
We're dead. Do you realize that before you came to the Lord Jesus Christ you were dead in your trespasses and sins? Why are you alive now? Is that because of you?
Is that goodness in your heart? Was that wisdom on your part? Was that your ability? No, it's amazing grace!
That is secondly, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit, who now works in the sons of disobedience. This is the way we walked. This was our orientation. This is why it's so offensive as Christians, as believers, our walk sort of looks like this from time to time.
We mustn't imitate this. We mustn't be like this. We mustn't walk according to the course of this world. Notice thirdly, he says, among whom also we.
This is Paul. Paul's not saying, you wretches, you stinking bag of maggots. No, Paul says, among whom also we. Paul himself includes himself.
What was Paul doing in his conversion or at the time of his conversion? Was he going to Bible study? Was he going to preach the gospel? Was he going to a prayer meeting?
No, he was going to kill Christians. He was going to kill Asia Bibi. He was going to kill Saeed Abedini. He was going to kill people who professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what Paul was doing when he came to Jesus. Or better yet, when Jesus came to him. You see, Paul never forgot that. James Stocker said, Paul's theology is nothing else but the explication of his own conversion.
Paul's theology is nothing else than the explication or explanation of his conversion. He was a dead man seeking to destroy physically those who confess the good faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. On that road to Damascus, Christ comes to him. Christ saves him.
Christ gives him a new heart. Christ gives him faith and repentance. Christ enables Paul to close with the Lord Jesus. He knew it wasn't his works.
He knew it wasn't because he was seeking God. He knew it wasn't because he was a nice upstanding man. He knew it was because God Most High is full of grace, rich in mercy, and abounds in loving kindness. among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh." And notice the completeness or the totality of depravity, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. You might say today, well I've never actually committed adultery, but you've probably had the thought in your head before.
I've never bowed the knee to Baal, but in your mind and in your heart you have. I've never gone and actually committed murder, but in your heart, or mind, you have." You see, didn't Jesus teach us that that's how the law works? But I tell you, whoever looks upon a woman to lust has broken the commandment. Whoever says, fool, or raka, is broken the commandment.
I've been musing recently. I know that I share my struggles in terms of patience on the road. I often feel like I'm one red light from a psychotic episode. I need to get a better handle on that.
That's not righteous. It's not their fault if they cut me off, or it's not that they're against me. My wife says, do you think people wake up in the morning and say, Jim Butler's driving today. We need to go cut him off.
In my worse moments, I think that's the case. But no, it's not. So there's evil in there. This is Christian.
Look at what Paul describes here. In Psalm he says we're lifeless. Lifeless. You being dead in your trespasses and sins.
Helpless. Can a corpse raise themselves? Can a man make himself alive once he's dead? No.
Therefore we are hopeless. Chapter 2, verse 4, But God rings so blessedly wonderful because of what precedes it in verses 1 to 3.
Instrument of Salvation: Faith
Notice thirdly, the instrument used in salvation, faith. Verse 8, "...for by grace you have been saved through faith." Notice what Paul does not write. Paul does not write, "...for by grace you have been saved because of faith." That is simply not the way you ought to translate the words. Again, for those who are actually tracking in terms of the grammar, it is the preposition dia with a genitive.
When dia is used with the genitive, it is through. If dia was with an accusative, it would be because. You see, the idea is not because of your faith. I have faith, therefore God showed me grace.
Doesn't our confession make this conspicuous? Chapter 11, paragraph 1, those whom God affectionately calls, He also freely justifies, not by infusing righteousness unto them, that's Roman Catholicism, or into them, but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone, not by imputing faith itself, You see, the confessional authors are simply making this distinction. It's not the faith that brings the salvation in terms of causal. Faith is the instrument that brings us into this blessed sphere.
It's not on account of, wow, if you just believe, then God will save you. No, God saves you, and one of the manifestations of that salvation is that He gives you the gift of faith, that instrument by which you are joined savingly to the Lord Jesus. The confession goes on to say, not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. Notice in Ephesians 2 verse 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God.
If you read any of the theological literature, you look at the debates between reformed people and non-reformed people, this is a text that's often debated. They say, well wait a minute, that can't refer to faith. That cannot refer to faith and the technical reason for that is that the pronoun is a neuter and faith is a feminine. You have to have agreement in the Greek language.
The idea being that if it was faith then that would be a feminine pronoun. The way the verse is supposed to be understood is that the concept or the complex of events are being referred to by that. So let me explain it. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
That refers to the grace through faith salvation. The grace through faith salvation. That is not of yourselves. What does that mean?
That is not of yourselves. It doesn't originate with you. It hasn't become as a result of you It results because of God. For by grace you've been saved through faith and that, this grace through faith, salvation, is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
God gives this gift freely and wonderfully to those described in verses 1 to 3 because of his predestinating work in chapter 1 verses 3 to 6. That's what that is all about.
Faith Versus Works
John Murray says, with reference to faith versus works, he says faith is self-renouncing. Works are self-congratulatory. Faith looks to what God does. Works have respect to what we are.
And Paul makes it clear that it's not by works. After making this statement in verse 8, it is the gift of God. He further qualifies by giving a negative statement in verse 9. Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
You see, Paul shuts the door on anybody or anything or anybody saying, well, wait a minute, it was me, or wait a minute, I did contribute, or wait a minute, I was a good guy or a good girl. No, it's not of works. Not at all. Not in the least.
Not to the smallest iota. Why? Because if it was, you would have wherewithal to boast before God. You see, we are that way.
If we can get credit, we'll get credit. Again, maybe that's not your sin. Maybe you're just the humblest sort in the world, but if somebody were to congratulate the person standing next to you for something you did, or something you participated in, would you or would you not offer that information? Again, you may be holy, and godly, and righteous, and you should teach Bible studies on how to pursue humility.
Most of the people I know, at least the guy I know the best, wait a minute, I did that! We want credit! We like credit! We want people to think well of us.
Paul says, not in the matter of salvation, You ever displayed or exhibited your testimony in a way that makes you sound good? Yeah, and then I went here and I did that and I went, no. It is God's grace, man. The fact that I'm not dead in my trespasses and sins wearing hockey masks and going out and robbing liquor stores is because God's gracious.
Wearing hockey masks and robbing liquor stores are no worse than being a self-righteous Pharisee boasting in their ability and in their state before God based on their own performance. Paul excludes works. Not of works lest anyone should boast. The Scripture everywhere highlights this.
Genesis 15, I've already referred to. Romans 3, 28. Romans 4, 1-4. Romans 9, 11.
Galatians 2, 16. We read it in 2 Timothy 1 this morning. Titus chapter 3, verse 5. That Rome missed this is extremely unfortunate because the Apostle Paul himself excludes as a reason for salvation any notion or any whiff whatsoever of our works or of our contribution.
I think it was Luther who said the only thing we contribute to our salvation is the sin we need to be saved from. That's appropriate. That's what Paul is asserting.
Application
Well, we'll end there, take up the good works perhaps this evening. We ought to observe first the clarity of what we do call reform doctrine. You've perhaps heard those solas of the Reformation. Sola Scriptura, Soli Deo Gloria, Sola Christo, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide.
Basically what we have in this passage is a clear admission or a clear confirmation or affirmation of those very things. It's by grace alone, that's taught us by verse 9, not of works. So it's by grace alone, through faith alone. He doesn't say through faith plus a little bit of your works.
In Christ alone, for the glory of God alone, as revealed to us in the scripture alone. You see, it's not hard to find those sullas in the Bible. They are absolutely crystal clear, and we ought to appreciate the reality that by the grace of God, we've not only been called out of darkness into marvelous light, but we've been called into a rich heritage, brethren, a very rich theological heritage. I wonder if we oftentimes muse on that or understand that and delight in it as we ought.
I mean, there is a blessing that we have. We're not wingnuts on the pages of history doing some brand new thing. We owe our Christology in large part to the early church. We owe our Soteriology and our Ecclesiology in large part to the Reformation and Puritan church.
We stand on the shoulders of giants. We ought to praise God for that. It is a blessing. It is good to be hedged in.
It is good to have a confession of faith. We don't look at it on the same terms as Scripture. We need to always qualify that, but it is a summary statement of those things most surely believed among us. They keep us from excess.
They keep us from going astray. They keep us from wandering doctrinally away from our Great Shepherd. Secondly, We ought to appreciate in this passage, and in many passages, the amazing grace of God. But God.
Chapter 2, verse 4. Martin Lloyd-Jones has a sermon, a whole sermon, on those two words. But God. I'm sure if you do a Google search, Martin Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 2, 4, you can find it.
But God. See, when I read that, and I understand that, and I hear that, I think about those Old Testament passages where we get similar but gods. We get God telling Israel that they should be punished, that Israel should be condemned, that Israel should suffer as a result of her covenant breaking. Nevertheless, God says, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.
God is merciful. God is gracious. God is glorious. And in this context, Paul uses this as a means by which to bless Him and to praise Him and to honor Him and to worship Him.
And we must do likewise. Mentioned before, the threefold sort of breakdown of the Heidelberg Catechism. You've got guilt, grace, and gratitude. We ought to respond in gratitude to God.
When we come here on Sunday morning, as tired as we may be, wipe out all the sleep from your eyes, pick up the hymnal, listen to the Word of God, and return praise to Him. He has saved us. For by grace you've been saved through faith. For by grace you've been saved through faith, that not of yourselves, that whole complex of events has been given to you by God most high.
It's not of works lest you should boast. Let's praise God from whom all blessings flow. And may these things humble us. May these things cause us to be humble before God." I know, and in my preaching at times I can be critical, and I apologize for that.
I mean, we ought to take seriously the desire to pursue theological accuracy. You know, I acknowledge, and I want to hear embrace and state, people aren't saved for their theological accuracy. People outside of our church are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. Not whether they carry a 1689 Confession.
We need to be genuinely Catholic. We need to be genuinely loving. We need to be genuinely kind, and gracious, and humble before God, and humble before men. What do we have that we did not receive?
We didn't come out of the womb clutching our Confession. We didn't come out of the womb clutching our New King James Version. We didn't come out of the womb clutching Lewis Burkhardt. It simply wasn't the case.
God, in His grace and in His mercy, has given us those things. My hope and prayer, at least for my life, is that this doctrine will humble me. I'm way too proud. Way too proud.
As well, we need to understand that in Christ, in Jesus, is life and immortality. In Christ is salvation.
Call to Believe on Christ
You may be here this morning and you may have problems with predestination. You may have problems with election. You may not be able to sort it all out in your head. You may have curiosities concerning the order of decrees, the order of this, the order of that.
This much you need to hear. This much you need to get crystal clear. You need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to look to Him and live.
Kids, young people, children. Everything depends upon Christ. The Gospel is about Christ. It's about His life, His death, His resurrection.
The Scripture is very clear. All those who believe in Him will have everlasting life. You say, what if I'm not predestined or what if I'm not elect? Believe on Him.
Come to Christ. Look and live. Do not use the doctrines of predestination and election to continue in sin, to continue in rebellion, to say, well, I can't sort it all out. I can't piece it together.
I've looked on my body. I've spot the back of my head. There's no elector. There's no predestined.
I don't bear a tattoo. Just look to Christ. Men will hide behind anything to try and justify their sin. Beware of hiding behind good, solid, reformed theology to justify your sin.
Well, I don't know about predestination. You don't need to know about that right now. You need to know there is a fountain filled. A fountain for sin and uncleanness.
And that fountain is filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. Sinners plunge beneath that flood. lose all their guilty stains. That's the bottom line. Believe, look to Christ, and you will be saved.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for your word, and we thank you for your grace. We thank you for the mercy that is displayed so clearly in passages such as these. I ask God that you would help us to receive these things with thanksgiving, help us to return to you praise and glory and worship and honor and adoration.
And I pray that you would deal graciously and savingly with any and all outside of Christ this morning. I pray they by grace would believe, they by grace would know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ. And our Father, we pray that wherever the gospel is preached today, it would run swiftly and be glorified, that you'd send revival to your people and awakening to those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. We ask that you would go with us now, watch over us on this Lord's Day, help us to use the day profitably, and bring us together tonight that we may worship you together.
And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.