WEBVTT 00:00:01.449 --> 00:00:04.490 We come again today to the first chapter of the 00:00:04.490 --> 00:00:13.169 book of Ephesians. Our subject is what God has 00:00:13.169 --> 00:00:22.809 done. Verses 3 through 14 compose one of the 00:00:22.809 --> 00:00:25.489 most expressive paragraphs in the Word of God. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.980 Actually, in the Greek language, it is one sentence 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:34.560 of 202 words. That's the longest sentence you 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:37.960 have ever written. I would dare say it probably 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:41.880 wasn't composed of that many words. But the Apostle 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:45.780 Paul begins to write, and he can't stop. One 00:00:45.780 --> 00:00:49.719 word after another flows from his inspired pen 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:57.979 until he writes to us what God has done. It is 00:00:57.979 --> 00:00:59.979 something like a snowball that begins rolling 00:00:59.979 --> 00:01:02.759 down a hill and picks up both mass and momentum. 00:01:03.579 --> 00:01:07.700 As the Apostle Paul writes, the paragraph gains 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:11.959 in glory and praise to God for his master plan 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:18.799 of redemption. Last week we discussed what God 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:24.060 has done initially, and our first subject was 00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:27.799 that God has blessed us. In other words, God 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:31.159 has provided us with eternal benefits because 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:36.000 we are in Christ Jesus. These benefits, it is 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:40.319 said, involve every spiritual blessing. That 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.980 is, everything that we need pertaining to life 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:47.340 and godliness. He has lavished upon us spiritual 00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:52.400 resources that are inexhaustible. These blessings 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:56.700 are said to be in the heavenlies. That is, the 00:01:56.700 --> 00:02:00.640 sphere of reality having to do with the supernatural. 00:02:01.700 --> 00:02:05.439 It is the realm or the dimension of spiritual 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:11.439 reality. He has blessed us. Then we began to 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:15.599 study, secondly, that he has chosen us. Verse 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:20.180 4, just as he chose us in him, in Christ, before 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:23.360 the foundation of the world, that we should be 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:28.969 holy and blameless. What this means is that God 00:02:28.969 --> 00:02:33.169 has selected us for himself out of the peoples 00:02:33.169 --> 00:02:37.849 of the world. This act of choosing is an unconditional 00:02:37.849 --> 00:02:42.349 act of God. What that means is that it was not 00:02:42.349 --> 00:02:46.530 done on the basis of our worth or our works. 00:02:47.669 --> 00:02:50.849 Paul writes to Timothy a very poignant verse 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:57.180 in 2 Timothy 1 .9. For he says, God who has saved 00:02:57.180 --> 00:03:02.819 us and called us with a holy calling, not according 00:03:02.819 --> 00:03:08.180 to our works, but according to his own purpose 00:03:08.180 --> 00:03:13.099 and grace, which was granted us in Christ Jesus 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:18.919 from all eternity. And so this act of God in 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:23.949 choosing out people for himself was an unconditional 00:03:23.949 --> 00:03:28.490 act. It was not based upon the worth or the merit 00:03:28.490 --> 00:03:32.270 of any of the individuals involved. It was not 00:03:32.270 --> 00:03:36.590 based upon their works. It was based solely upon 00:03:36.590 --> 00:03:40.849 his grace and his purpose, which is from all 00:03:40.849 --> 00:03:45.550 eternity past. It is an unconditional act, secondly, 00:03:45.550 --> 00:03:49.530 because it is not based upon our foreseen faith. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:53.840 Again, I'd like you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.300 1. Right at the beginning of this book, Peter 00:03:59.300 --> 00:04:04.919 addresses the recipients of the letter, who are 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:10.039 those who are scattered in various places, and 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:14.479 he says about them, who are chosen according 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:18.740 to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the 00:04:18.740 --> 00:04:21.870 sanctifying work of God. of the Spirit, that 00:04:21.870 --> 00:04:25.089 you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with 00:04:25.089 --> 00:04:29.649 his blood. And notice Peter also uses this term, 00:04:29.829 --> 00:04:34.410 who are chosen. He goes on to say who are chosen 00:04:34.410 --> 00:04:38.189 according to the foreknowledge of God. Now there 00:04:38.189 --> 00:04:41.230 are those who believe that this explains this 00:04:41.230 --> 00:04:43.829 matter of election. At least it does to their 00:04:43.829 --> 00:04:47.949 satisfaction. They say God foreknew, he knew 00:04:47.949 --> 00:04:51.569 ahead of time. Who the ones were who were going 00:04:51.569 --> 00:04:55.009 to believe. He knew ahead of time who was going 00:04:55.009 --> 00:04:58.930 to receive his word. And based upon his foreknowing 00:04:58.930 --> 00:05:03.730 that they would believe, he chose them. And there's 00:05:03.730 --> 00:05:07.589 only one problem with that. Foreknowledge means 00:05:07.589 --> 00:05:13.029 more than knowing something ahead of time. The 00:05:13.029 --> 00:05:16.629 idea in foreknowledge is that God knew intimately 00:05:16.629 --> 00:05:22.350 the people. that he had in view, and that he 00:05:22.350 --> 00:05:26.589 selected them. You see, inherent in the biblical 00:05:26.589 --> 00:05:32.329 term foreknowledge is the idea of God predetermining 00:05:32.329 --> 00:05:37.189 and choosing. But Peter is not saying here that 00:05:37.189 --> 00:05:39.290 God saw ahead of time who was going to believe 00:05:39.290 --> 00:05:42.329 and chose them. That would be a very meaningless 00:05:42.329 --> 00:05:46.730 kind of choice. In fact, it completely undermines 00:05:46.730 --> 00:05:49.529 any idea of God's choosing. If God simply chose 00:05:49.529 --> 00:05:53.189 those who were going to believe. The idea in 00:05:53.189 --> 00:05:56.529 foreknowledge is that God saw ahead of time the 00:05:56.529 --> 00:05:59.089 individuals involved. He knew them intimately. 00:05:59.209 --> 00:06:04.209 He selected them and chose them. And then in 00:06:04.209 --> 00:06:06.670 time, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit 00:06:06.670 --> 00:06:10.290 took place. That is, the Holy Spirit wooed those 00:06:10.290 --> 00:06:14.040 individuals, drew them. to the faith in the Lord 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:17.339 Jesus Christ so that they would obey Jesus Christ 00:06:17.339 --> 00:06:22.040 and be sprinkled with his blood. My friend, the 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:24.920 choosing of God was unconditional, absolutely 00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:28.660 and totally. God did not choose on the basis 00:06:28.660 --> 00:06:34.939 of our works, our worth, or a foreseen faith 00:06:34.939 --> 00:06:39.660 on our part. Now this does not violate at all 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:43.910 human responsibility. The Word of God also teaches 00:06:43.910 --> 00:06:47.149 that each person is responsible for his own choice 00:06:47.149 --> 00:06:52.250 to reject God's revelation. And the Bible says 00:06:52.250 --> 00:06:55.509 that man naturally does that because of his sinfulness. 00:06:55.610 --> 00:07:00.550 There is none who seeks after God. As we stated 00:07:00.550 --> 00:07:03.470 last week, God's sovereignty and man's responsibility 00:07:03.470 --> 00:07:08.769 are a paradox to our minds. These two parallel 00:07:08.769 --> 00:07:12.240 truths can only be... reconciled and resolved 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:17.220 in God's infinite intelligence and wisdom. How 00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:20.600 they work together, only God knows. It is a secret 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:23.839 that belongs to him. But we can say for sure 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.579 that the Bible teaches both of them as being 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:31.759 equally true, that God sovereignly chose. But 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.139 on the other hand, every man is responsible for 00:07:34.139 --> 00:07:38.699 his own decision. We see this once more, if I 00:07:38.699 --> 00:07:41.279 may take time to point this out, in 2 Thessalonians 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:46.620 2, 13. And here we have the work of the Holy 00:07:46.620 --> 00:07:50.139 Spirit in setting these two truths side by side 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:54.839 in a beautiful balance. 2 Thessalonians 2, 13. 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:58.379 That we should always give thanks to God for 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:03.220 you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because... 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:10.600 God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.339 You see, there is this doctrine again. But he 00:08:15.339 --> 00:08:18.920 goes on to say, through sanctification by the 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:22.279 Spirit. And so here is another word similar to 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:26.500 what Peter said, we read a few moments ago. But 00:08:26.500 --> 00:08:28.860 said in balance here against God's choosing, 00:08:29.019 --> 00:08:32.799 through the sanctification of the Spirit, is 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:38.230 the next phrase, and faith in the truth. There 00:08:38.230 --> 00:08:42.909 is man's part. There is man's decision, man's 00:08:42.909 --> 00:08:46.529 choice to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to 00:08:46.529 --> 00:08:51.470 be saved. So once again, the Bible presents the 00:08:51.470 --> 00:08:54.889 two truths in parallel, in balance. They are 00:08:54.889 --> 00:08:58.009 a paradox. They cannot be reconciled in our minds, 00:08:58.110 --> 00:09:01.309 but God works them together in his infinite wisdom 00:09:01.309 --> 00:09:05.340 so that we are saved. Someone asked, will a person 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:09.440 then be saved without faith? Can he be elect 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:14.639 but unbelieving? The answer is absolutely not. 00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:18.159 For every person that God has chosen will come 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:21.799 to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is impossible 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:26.639 for a person to be saved without faith. But then 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:31.519 will a person believe without elective grace 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:36.070 working in his life? Apart from God's choice, 00:09:36.210 --> 00:09:39.029 God's divine grace, the work of the Holy Spirit 00:09:39.029 --> 00:09:42.070 wooing him, will he believe? Again, the answer 00:09:42.070 --> 00:09:46.990 is no. He will not. For man's heart is depraved, 00:09:47.090 --> 00:09:50.929 totally depraved. Every part of his being, including 00:09:50.929 --> 00:09:57.389 his will, is in opposition to God. No person 00:09:57.389 --> 00:10:00.490 will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ under the 00:10:00.490 --> 00:10:05.019 saving of his soul apart from this grace on the 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:07.379 part of God. We sang about that in the last hymn, 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:10.399 if you noticed, in the last verse. We praised 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:14.480 God for his sovereign grace. That's exactly what 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:18.000 we're talking about. That God has chosen some 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.419 does not mean that he is unjust to the rest. 00:10:24.419 --> 00:10:28.179 Because God has chosen some to salvation does 00:10:28.179 --> 00:10:31.259 not mean that he has therefore chosen to send 00:10:31.259 --> 00:10:36.659 others to hell. That doctrine is not taught in 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:42.600 the Bible. Election, God's choosing, predestination, 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:46.480 however you want to term it, these things are 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:50.019 always used in relation to the saved. But never 00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:53.820 does it say, never does God reveal to us that 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:57.460 he chooses some people to go to hell. The matter 00:10:57.460 --> 00:11:01.200 of the fact is that he simply allows them the 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:04.470 loss. to go on in the direction of their own 00:11:04.470 --> 00:11:11.389 choice. Their choice is disobedience and rebellion 00:11:11.389 --> 00:11:17.230 against God. God simply allows those people that 00:11:17.230 --> 00:11:20.750 he has not chosen to go on to the destiny that 00:11:20.750 --> 00:11:24.330 they themselves choose of their own will. But 00:11:24.330 --> 00:11:27.070 he intervenes on the part of some, thank God. 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:30.659 by the work of the Holy Spirit, lest there would 00:11:30.659 --> 00:11:36.240 be none saved, not one. Election is the work 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.679 of God in choosing the instruments or the vessels 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:44.019 which he would use in accordance with his eternal 00:11:44.019 --> 00:11:48.940 and sovereign purposes. This doctrine is used 00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:51.620 in the Bible of several groups or individuals. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.820 For example, Israel is said to be God's chosen 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:59.929 people. One example of that is Isaiah 41, verses 00:11:59.929 --> 00:12:03.950 8 and 9. But we see it many times in the Old 00:12:03.950 --> 00:12:05.830 Testament, and we see it in the New Testament. 00:12:06.090 --> 00:12:10.090 In Romans 9, 13, for example, there is a quotation 00:12:10.090 --> 00:12:15.129 from Malachi 1 in which God says, Jacob I loved, 00:12:15.129 --> 00:12:20.149 but Esau I hated. Those are the two sons of Isaac. 00:12:20.570 --> 00:12:27.720 Did God hate Esau? No, God loved Esau. Indeed, 00:12:27.740 --> 00:12:32.220 Esau received blessing. What does it mean, then, 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:36.519 when it says, Jacob I loved, Esau I hated? Well, 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.279 it means in relation to God's elective purposes, 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:43.639 God's choosing of an instrument to use, he chose 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:48.500 Jacob and did not choose Esau. Now, was that 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:50.960 because Jacob was a particularly nice fellow? 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:54.500 As a matter of fact, if you were back in those 00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:57.379 days and you had to know them, you were neighbors 00:12:57.379 --> 00:13:00.779 of Isaac, you would probably choose Esau over 00:13:00.779 --> 00:13:03.220 Jacob. He was a whole lot easier to get along 00:13:03.220 --> 00:13:07.820 with. He was a sportsman. He was a man of the 00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:11.440 earth. He was the kind of a person you could 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:17.000 identify with. Jacob seems to have been a mother's 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:22.049 boy. Some say even a little bit of a sissy. He 00:13:22.049 --> 00:13:25.750 was a deceitful person. He probably wouldn't 00:13:25.750 --> 00:13:28.529 have chosen Jacob. But God says, I have chosen 00:13:28.529 --> 00:13:31.990 Jacob. He is my choice. And it was through Jacob's 00:13:31.990 --> 00:13:33.970 descendants that he brought the Redeemer into 00:13:33.970 --> 00:13:36.909 the world. Why? Because Jacob was better than 00:13:36.909 --> 00:13:40.909 Esau, not in the least. Simply because that was 00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:45.470 God's sovereign purpose. And then there are angels, 00:13:45.690 --> 00:13:49.940 1 Timothy 5 .21, who are called my... or whether 00:13:49.940 --> 00:13:54.519 his chosen angels, his elect angels, evidently 00:13:54.519 --> 00:13:58.879 referring to the holy angels, the ones who did 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:03.120 not fall. The Lord Jesus Christ is said to be 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:08.440 elect or chosen. 1 Peter 2, 6, I lay in Zion 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:13.799 a choice, a chosen, an elect stone, a precious 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:17.000 cornerstone, speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:22.899 The apostles were chosen. They were elect. Jesus 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:25.940 said to them, you have not chosen me, but I have 00:14:25.940 --> 00:14:29.639 chosen you and appointed you that you should 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:32.500 go and bear fruit and that your fruit should 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:37.659 remain. Paul makes it clear in Galatians 1, verses 00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:41.600 15 and 16, that he was chosen for the office 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:45.740 of apostle from his mother's womb. before there 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:48.240 was any opportunity for him to do good or bad. 00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:53.799 God simply said, I choose you. And then it is 00:14:53.799 --> 00:15:00.500 used, this idea, this word, elect, choose. It 00:15:00.500 --> 00:15:03.100 is used in relation to believers in this age. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:07.379 It is the church, the called out body of the 00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:10.419 Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like you to turn to Romans 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:13.870 chapter 9. with me and look at verses 22 and 00:15:13.870 --> 00:15:18.889 23. Now we're cutting into the middle of a wonderful 00:15:18.889 --> 00:15:22.110 chapter here, but I want you to try to glean 00:15:22.110 --> 00:15:25.870 with me what we're talking about. That is that 00:15:25.870 --> 00:15:29.590 God has chosen us to be a part of this body and 00:15:29.590 --> 00:15:33.830 this age. Election is the work of God choosing 00:15:33.830 --> 00:15:37.669 the vessels that he would use according to his 00:15:37.669 --> 00:15:43.700 own sovereign eternal purpose. But if God, although 00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:45.659 willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:49.220 his power known, endured with much patience vessels 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:52.980 of wrath prepared for destruction, and he did 00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:56.320 so in order that he might make known the riches 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:02.019 of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he 00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:08.000 prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:11.720 he also called, not among Jews only, but also, 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:16.299 from among Gentiles. So you see, once again, 00:16:16.379 --> 00:16:20.039 we see the truth that God has chosen, on the 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.299 basis only of his sovereign eternal purpose, 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:28.000 you and me who are in Jesus Christ, not of Jews 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.700 only, but of Gentiles as well. We are a part 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:36.059 of his chosen body, his vessel in this age for 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:40.279 the declaration of his word to the world. It 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.659 seems to me that this doctrine about which we 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:47.460 speak is a wonderful antidote for low self -esteem 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:52.159 and self -worth. For you see, if you are a Christian 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:56.700 today, God sees you as eternally valuable. The 00:16:56.700 --> 00:16:59.519 Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood to save you. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:04.839 You are of infinite worth to the eternal God. 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:09.339 You have been chosen by him. Not of your own 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:14.660 doing, but of his alone. And so if you struggle 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:18.539 with feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness, 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:23.200 please try to come to an understanding of who 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:27.039 you are in Christ Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:30.079 to enlighten you to that truth and to help you 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:33.900 understand what the spiritual resources are that 00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:39.059 you have in Christ. Now, all of that by way of 00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:43.000 review from last week. In our outline, we come 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:47.339 now to this point. We have talked about what 00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:50.019 God has done for us. He has blessed us. He has 00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:53.859 chosen us. We've talked about the objects, us, 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:56.160 the likes of us. We've talked about the action, 00:17:56.299 --> 00:18:00.180 God's choice. Now notice with me, back in Ephesians, 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:06.500 chapter 1 and verse 4, the basis. of this act 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:14.420 of God, just as he chose us in him. Now, in those 00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:17.200 two words, we have the foundation for salvation. 00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:21.259 You see, it was not enough that God simply choose 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:26.819 a people to rescue from their own chosen destiny 00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:31.579 of hell. It was not enough that God look ahead 00:18:31.579 --> 00:18:37.210 and select a people for himself. In order still 00:18:37.210 --> 00:18:42.630 to be just and holy and righteous, God had to 00:18:42.630 --> 00:18:47.029 do something to deal with their sin, these people 00:18:47.029 --> 00:18:51.289 that he would choose. He simply could not overlook 00:18:51.289 --> 00:18:55.049 their sin. He had to deal with it in an honorable 00:18:55.049 --> 00:18:59.490 and eternally just way. And so God chose a way 00:18:59.490 --> 00:19:04.289 to do that. It is in Jesus Christ that our sins 00:19:04.289 --> 00:19:08.750 have been cared for. That is why the Lord Jesus 00:19:08.750 --> 00:19:12.309 Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the 00:19:12.309 --> 00:19:14.609 foundation of the world. Notice that language. 00:19:16.329 --> 00:19:19.849 We are said by Peter to be redeemed by precious 00:19:19.849 --> 00:19:22.670 blood as the Lamb without blemish and without 00:19:22.670 --> 00:19:27.849 scrap who was foreknown before the foundation 00:19:27.849 --> 00:19:32.829 of the world. In other words, before creation, 00:19:33.069 --> 00:19:34.950 and we'll get to that in a moment, God not only 00:19:34.950 --> 00:19:40.509 chose us, But he chose the method by which he 00:19:40.509 --> 00:19:42.809 would save us, and that is through the death 00:19:42.809 --> 00:19:50.630 of his own son. God appointed the son to come 00:19:50.630 --> 00:19:53.690 into the world to be the sin bearer of his people, 00:19:53.769 --> 00:20:00.109 so that he then might be just in saving those 00:20:00.109 --> 00:20:02.569 people from the condemnation that they themselves 00:20:02.569 --> 00:20:08.759 deserve. The basis? of our salvation is found 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:12.599 in him, the Lord Jesus Christ. And apart from 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:16.819 him, there is no salvation. A man of another 00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:21.559 generation wrote, To thee, O Lord, alone is due 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:27.380 all glory and renown. Ought to ourselves we dare 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:32.539 not take or rob thee of thy crown. Thou wast 00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:36.589 thyself our surety. in God's redemption plan. 00:20:37.069 --> 00:20:43.349 In thee, his grace was given us long ere the 00:20:43.349 --> 00:20:47.730 world began. And that does indeed bring us to 00:20:47.730 --> 00:20:50.829 the next point in our study in verse 4, and that 00:20:50.829 --> 00:20:56.309 is the time. When was it that God chose us? Well, 00:20:56.329 --> 00:21:00.309 it says, before the foundation of the world. 00:21:01.289 --> 00:21:04.470 That exact phrase is found two other times in 00:21:04.470 --> 00:21:08.869 the New Testament. I have referred to one, 1 00:21:08.869 --> 00:21:12.869 Peter 1 .20, where Christ is said to have been 00:21:12.869 --> 00:21:17.390 foreknown as the sin bearer before the foundation 00:21:17.390 --> 00:21:20.170 of the world. The only other place it's found 00:21:20.170 --> 00:21:23.569 is in John 17, where Jesus speaks in verse 24 00:21:23.569 --> 00:21:27.329 about the Father loving him before the foundation 00:21:27.329 --> 00:21:34.029 of the world. This phrase refers to eternity 00:21:34.029 --> 00:21:39.710 past, as we call it. It refers to action that 00:21:39.710 --> 00:21:43.849 took place before God laid the foundation of 00:21:43.849 --> 00:21:50.609 creation. It is before Genesis 1 -1 that God 00:21:50.609 --> 00:21:55.009 looked ahead into the creation of time and space. 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:02.980 and chose a people, you and me, to be in Jesus 00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:07.819 Christ. God's elective decree was formed in eternity 00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:14.079 before anything could have influenced that choice. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:18.759 That is again why we talk about the grace of 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:23.339 God. There is nothing that influenced God's choice, 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:27.569 nothing whatsoever, except that God chose. a 00:22:27.569 --> 00:22:31.289 people out of the peoples of the world to be 00:22:31.289 --> 00:22:35.430 his own. Now, what is the purpose of God doing 00:22:35.430 --> 00:22:39.890 this? Well, it says in verse 4, he did this that 00:22:39.890 --> 00:22:46.390 we should be holy and blameless before him. Notice 00:22:46.390 --> 00:22:48.970 that it says that we might be before him. That 00:22:48.970 --> 00:22:52.529 means in his presence. Or another way of saying 00:22:52.529 --> 00:22:56.980 it is this, that as God sees us, We're talking 00:22:56.980 --> 00:23:00.619 here about what we refer to as positional truth. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:06.420 God chose us in Christ before the foundation 00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:11.380 of the world so that we would be in his sight 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:17.160 as he would see us a holy and blameless people. 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:22.700 Holy refers to that which is set apart for special 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:29.740 use for destiny. God chose you that you might 00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:35.920 be before him as a vessel reflecting the purity 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:45.240 of his own holiness. So the glories of God may 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:49.640 be reflected in you for the rest of eternity. 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:55.369 You say, how can that be? But how God is going 00:23:55.369 --> 00:23:58.789 to do that, I do not know fully. He doesn't tell 00:23:58.789 --> 00:24:02.509 us. He gives us a hint or two when we get into 00:24:02.509 --> 00:24:07.670 chapter 2. But there is some way in which God 00:24:07.670 --> 00:24:10.970 has set you apart if you are today trusting in 00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:14.509 the Lord Jesus Christ so that throughout all 00:24:14.509 --> 00:24:17.049 eternity to come, that is forever and forever 00:24:17.049 --> 00:24:24.880 and forever, he might point to you. and exhibit 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:32.000 you as a reflector of the glories of his purity 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:37.440 and holiness. He has chosen us that we might 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:40.039 be holy before him, but also that we might be 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:43.160 blameless. There's not a great deal of difference 00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:46.440 here in thought. It literally means without blemish. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.359 There's a word that is used in some places of 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:54.170 the absence of defect. in animals that were to 00:24:54.170 --> 00:24:58.390 be sacrificed under the old covenant. There is 00:24:58.390 --> 00:25:00.950 a word that is used of the Lord Jesus Christ 00:25:00.950 --> 00:25:08.849 in 1 Peter 1, 19, again in Hebrews 9, 14. And 00:25:08.849 --> 00:25:13.150 it is used of the church in its future state 00:25:13.150 --> 00:25:16.130 in Ephesians 5, 27, and we'll look there in a 00:25:16.130 --> 00:25:21.170 moment, and then Jude 24. And it is said... could 00:25:21.170 --> 00:25:25.210 be descriptive of us right now as well in Philippians 00:25:25.210 --> 00:25:32.049 2, verse 15. We are to be the blameless sons 00:25:32.049 --> 00:25:36.910 of God in this generation, right here and now, 00:25:37.069 --> 00:25:42.130 Philippians 2, verse 15. Is not it a marvelous 00:25:42.130 --> 00:25:47.190 thing that God has taken vile and unholy sinners 00:25:47.190 --> 00:25:54.549 like you and me? and has chosen us that we should 00:25:54.549 --> 00:26:00.589 in eternity to come be the objects of his grace 00:26:00.589 --> 00:26:05.609 and his glory, so that as he lavishes these upon 00:26:05.609 --> 00:26:09.769 us, we then will reflect that glory and grace 00:26:09.769 --> 00:26:13.809 to all of God's creation, whatever that entails 00:26:13.809 --> 00:26:18.789 in the future. God has chosen you to be set apart 00:26:18.789 --> 00:26:24.779 for a special destiny. that you might be blameless 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:30.119 and unblemished as he sees you. My friend, if 00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:33.599 God sees you this morning, if you are in the 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.299 Lord Jesus Christ, if you have trusted him as 00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:41.000 your Savior sincerely and genuinely, God sees 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:45.980 you without any fault whatsoever. You say, yeah, 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.980 but you don't understand what I've done this 00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:50.619 week or how I acted this morning or what I said. 00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:55.009 Look. I don't know. That's right. You see, as 00:26:55.009 --> 00:26:58.170 God sees you, he knows all those things, but 00:26:58.170 --> 00:27:01.089 he still chooses to see you as blameless and 00:27:01.089 --> 00:27:05.269 unblemished in his sight. Because he sees you 00:27:05.269 --> 00:27:10.730 in his Son. And there's nothing in all creation 00:27:10.730 --> 00:27:15.349 that can change that. There's nothing that can 00:27:15.349 --> 00:27:19.500 separate you from the love of God. which is in 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:22.279 Christ Jesus our Lord. God loves you just as 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:26.960 much as he loves his own dear son. As God sees 00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:30.740 you, you are as holy, you are as unblemished 00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:36.200 before him as the Lord Jesus Christ is. That 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:40.160 is why John remarks in his first epistle, as 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:46.839 he is, as Jesus is, so are we, he says, in this 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:52.380 world. Isn't that an amazing thing to you? That 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:57.440 God sees you that way? You see, really the goal, 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:04.519 the aim of the Christian life is for us to live, 00:28:04.660 --> 00:28:09.019 to conduct ourselves in such a way that more 00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:11.700 and more we walk according to the way that God 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:16.420 sees us. The whole idea of the Christian life 00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:20.740 is to get the practice of our walk up to where 00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:23.519 the position is that we are in Christ Jesus. 00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:30.680 Turn with me over to chapter 5 and look at these 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:35.660 marvelous verses. He says in verse 25, Husbands, 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:41.259 love your wives. How are we to love our wives? 00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:46.230 Well, he says, just as Christ. also loved the 00:28:46.230 --> 00:28:51.210 church. There's not a husband here this morning 00:28:51.210 --> 00:28:56.710 who's able to do that in himself. We are to love 00:28:56.710 --> 00:29:01.849 our wives as deeply, as utterly, as completely 00:29:01.849 --> 00:29:06.650 as the Lord Jesus Christ has loved the church. 00:29:07.930 --> 00:29:13.690 He goes on to say, and gave himself up for her. 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:18.380 that he might sanctify her. Now there's the idea 00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:23.700 of holy again. That he might set her apart, having 00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:27.619 cleansed her by the washing of water with the 00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:31.640 word. Now there is a sense that when you and 00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:38.079 I hear the word of God and we believe it, there's 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:42.539 a washing that takes place in us. We are cleansed 00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:46.660 from our sin. forgiven of all of our trespasses. 00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:50.940 We're washed. And then there's another sense 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:54.500 in which every time we come to the Word of God 00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:58.019 and read it, meditate upon it, every time we 00:29:58.019 --> 00:30:00.240 come to a church service and we hear the Word 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:04.660 of God, that we are cleansed. We're washed in 00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:09.460 our walk. The Word washes us. And he says this 00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:14.319 all takes place that he might... Present to himself 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:21.759 the church in all her glory. That's something 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:23.460 that's going to take place in the future. It 00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:28.299 hasn't happened yet. The Lord Jesus Christ is 00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:33.420 our bridegroom. We, the bride, are still being 00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:35.779 called out. The bride is still being formed. 00:30:35.859 --> 00:30:38.180 The gospel is being preached today around the 00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:41.609 world. People are trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:30:41.750 --> 00:30:44.650 They're being saved, being added to the bride. 00:30:46.430 --> 00:30:49.210 So the bride is still being called out. The Lord 00:30:49.210 --> 00:30:52.589 Jesus Christ is waiting for that day when the 00:30:52.589 --> 00:30:57.549 bride is complete. You see, if God has chosen 00:30:57.549 --> 00:31:03.450 the people, as the Bible says he has done, then 00:31:03.450 --> 00:31:07.960 it means that somewhere, sometime, The last chosen 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:15.240 person is going to believe in this age. The church, 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:17.839 the body, or the bride, as it's called here in 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:23.319 Ephesians 5, is going to be complete. I believe 00:31:23.319 --> 00:31:27.400 it is at that moment that the rapture of the 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:32.700 church will take place. I think that is a great 00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:38.410 motive for soul winning. If you want to see the 00:31:38.410 --> 00:31:43.529 Lord Jesus Christ come back to the earth, if 00:31:43.529 --> 00:31:48.529 you want to see the church caught up, that the 00:31:48.529 --> 00:31:51.329 church might be presented to the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:31:51.609 --> 00:31:55.029 if you want to see that take place, then my friend, 00:31:55.049 --> 00:31:58.509 be busy winning people to Jesus Christ. Because 00:31:58.509 --> 00:32:01.630 only God himself knows who that last person is 00:32:01.630 --> 00:32:06.250 that God has chosen. Now when that person is 00:32:06.250 --> 00:32:09.829 chosen, the church is leaving. It's going out 00:32:09.829 --> 00:32:12.309 of the world, and it's at that time that he will 00:32:12.309 --> 00:32:16.529 present to himself the church. And notice that 00:32:16.529 --> 00:32:19.349 it's in her glory, so it's in our glorified state. 00:32:19.789 --> 00:32:22.589 After the changing of these lowly bodies, after 00:32:22.589 --> 00:32:26.490 the rapture, this is going to take place. He 00:32:26.490 --> 00:32:29.390 says that he might present to himself the church. 00:32:29.509 --> 00:32:33.049 The idea is that he might place the church beside 00:32:33.049 --> 00:32:40.220 himself. That is a tremendous thought. What is 00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:44.000 it, do you think, that is exciting to a bridegroom 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:45.640 when he walks out of that door over there and 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:47.700 comes to stand here in the front of the church? 00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:51.299 Do you think it's that his parents are sitting 00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:55.980 in the front row? Do you think that his future 00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:57.460 mother and father -in -law are sitting on the 00:32:57.460 --> 00:33:01.779 other side is exciting to him? My friend, the 00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:04.319 bridegroom has one thing in mind, and that is 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:09.960 a beautiful, person coming down the aisle. And 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:13.220 he can hardly wait until she's there to be beside 00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:19.640 himself for their union in marriage. You see, 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.059 the Lord Jesus Christ is waiting today, waiting 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:27.339 for the bride to be complete. And when that day 00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:30.000 comes that the bride is complete, she will be 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:33.859 called out to go to her destiny. And all of her 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:37.700 glory will be caught out from the earth to be 00:33:37.700 --> 00:33:42.039 beside the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:49.839 Notice that the last sentence of this verse says, 00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:55.940 Having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, 00:33:56.119 --> 00:34:00.819 but that she should be holy and blameless. The 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:07.900 same two words is back. in chapter 1. You who 00:34:07.900 --> 00:34:11.420 have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ have a 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:18.380 glorious destiny. Are you today living like it? 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:23.940 Considering the fact that one day you will be 00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:30.340 like him in every respect and will stand beside 00:34:30.340 --> 00:34:37.480 him At his throne in the heavenlies where he's 00:34:37.480 --> 00:34:43.260 seated now. Considering the fact that he has 00:34:43.260 --> 00:34:48.460 chosen you before time even began to live right 00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:54.059 now as a vessel to reflect his glory. But not 00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:57.039 only for now, but for all of eternity to be his 00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:59.880 chosen instrument and vessel that throughout 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:03.750 all of his creation His creatures might know 00:35:03.750 --> 00:35:10.389 what is life by you. Considering that, are you 00:35:10.389 --> 00:35:13.969 walking worthy of the calling with which you've 00:35:13.969 --> 00:35:20.449 been called? You say, well, Pastor, I'm not even 00:35:20.449 --> 00:35:23.730 sure that I'm one of those people. How do I know 00:35:23.730 --> 00:35:28.230 that God has chosen me? You can know that for 00:35:28.230 --> 00:35:32.219 sure. If today you will trust on the Lord Jesus 00:35:32.219 --> 00:35:38.500 Christ, if today you will obey his command to 00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:41.139 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, 00:35:41.480 --> 00:35:45.099 you can know without any doubt whatsoever that 00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:53.320 you are one of his. Will you do it? Will you 00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:57.280 trust him? Do you feel that tug in your heart? 00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:02.800 Is the Holy Spirit right now sanctifying you, 00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:06.159 as the Word of God says? Is he wearing you? Is 00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:09.019 he showing you your sin? Is he revealing your 00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:12.559 need, your utter selfishness to you, your lostness, 00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:18.239 the mess you have made of your life? Let me tell 00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:19.619 you, you're not coming to that understanding 00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:23.559 by your own effort. That's the work of God in 00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:31.199 your life. If you have not yet trusted in the 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:34.619 Lord Jesus, well, today you do it. Believe on 00:36:34.619 --> 00:36:44.699 him. Let's pray together. With our heads bowed, 00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:51.039 our eyes closed, as the Spirit of God does his 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:55.099 work in my heart and yours. I wonder if there's 00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:57.159 some friend here who would say, Pastor Carl, 00:36:57.280 --> 00:37:04.179 I have not ever sincerely, honestly, truly given 00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:09.980 up hope in myself and thrown myself on the grace 00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:16.400 of God. I have never honestly received the Lord 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:21.860 Jesus Christ as my Savior, knowing that I couldn't 00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:28.000 save myself. or at least help in it. But I'm 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:31.019 beginning to understand that there's nothing 00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:39.539 I can do except receive and believe. And today 00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:44.920 I'm right on the verge of that. My friend, will 00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:48.840 you take the step of faith? It is not enough 00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:51.860 for you to see your need. You have to start there. 00:37:52.909 --> 00:37:55.550 But you have to see the one who has met your 00:37:55.550 --> 00:38:00.510 need at Calvary by his death and by his resurrection. 00:38:02.090 --> 00:38:05.389 He is alive today and he stands ready to save 00:38:05.389 --> 00:38:14.690 you if you will trust him. Father, I pray that 00:38:14.690 --> 00:38:18.550 in the quietness of these moments, there will 00:38:18.550 --> 00:38:21.550 indeed be those who will make that decision. 00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:29.679 And who, being prompted by the Holy Spirit, will 00:38:29.679 --> 00:38:35.440 open their hearts and believe on the Lord Jesus 00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:44.400 Christ and be saved. I wonder, my friend, if 00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:46.579 right now you would pray that within your own 00:38:46.579 --> 00:38:51.719 heart and silently use your own words telling 00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:57.409 God that you know your sinner. but you're trusting 00:38:57.409 --> 00:39:05.210 him, receiving the Lord Jesus as your army. Will 00:39:05.210 --> 00:39:41.440 you do that right now? like me I once was lost 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:59.119 but now am found was blind but now I see Lord, 00:39:59.199 --> 00:40:02.610 thank you for that grace. with sovereignly worked 00:40:02.610 --> 00:40:06.329 in our hearts to rule us to christ that we might 00:40:06.329 --> 00:40:15.130 obey him and be sprinkled with his blood we give 00:40:15.130 --> 00:40:20.630 ourselves up to you as fully as we know how lord 00:40:20.630 --> 00:40:25.650 having begun to understand something more of 00:40:25.650 --> 00:40:27.710 what your word teaches regarding the mystery 00:40:27.710 --> 00:40:32.329 and the miracle of our salvation May we go out 00:40:32.329 --> 00:40:37.329 from here to be faithful declarers of this gospel, 00:40:37.489 --> 00:40:43.670 loving men and women, showing them the kindness 00:40:43.670 --> 00:40:48.050 and the grace of God in our lives, and sharing 00:40:48.050 --> 00:40:52.309 with them by our lips how they might come to 00:40:52.309 --> 00:40:55.929 know him. And Lord, we pray then that you will 00:40:55.929 --> 00:41:00.500 use that word that we share. to bring to yourself 00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:04.079 those whom you have chosen before the foundation 00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:07.139 of the world. Amen.