Oh Lord, how it reminds us, as
it covers the ground, how it reminds us that all our sins
is covered by thy precious blood. And oh, we know that the scripture
declares that we've been made whiter than snow, Lord, so we
have a picture. of the forgiveness of all our
sins right here before us, and oh, Lord, we thank you as we
look at that pure white snow and see how beautiful it is,
knowing that we are clothed in thy perfect spotless righteousness,
Lord, and that all our sins are forgiven. We marvel, we marvel
at this wondrous truth that gets set before us all the time. Lord,
we pray you be glorified today and magnified through the preaching
of your word, Lord. Our hearts will be drawn to you,
that you are what is most important. You are who is most important.
We come here to worship you, to praise you, to thank you,
to hear about you, to get away from the world and the things
of the world for our time, and have our focus upon Thee, O Lord,
and gather with the Lord's people, Lord, and each time we gather
together, Lord, Not only do we rejoice to hear the word, but
we rejoice to see each other because, oh Lord, there's great
edification when we're together and the fellowship is sweet when
we gather together with the Lord's people. And we need each other,
Lord, but mostly we need you, Lord Jesus. So we pray that you'd
be glorified and magnified through the preaching of your word today.
In Jesus' name, amen. Open your Bibles, if you would,
to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two, we'll
continue the Attributes of God series that we've been doing And today we'll be looking at
the grace of God the grace of God Ephesians chapter 2 will
be looking at verses 1 to 10 The grace of God And you and remember Paul's writing
to God's born-again blood-bought believers and you hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and sins and So Paul right away before
us brings forth the natural state of man. We were dead in trespasses
and sins. Where in times past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit did not worketh in the
children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our
conversations in times past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
the children of wrath. even as others. Now if the scripture
stopped right there, what a hopeless state. What a hopeless state. Dead in trespasses and sins. Children of disobedience. That
was our natural state, but look at what verse 4 says. But God,
who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved
us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together
with Christ by grace, ye are saved, quicken there as we're
born again by the Holy Spirit of God, and hath raised us up
together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ,
that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of
his grace in his kindness toward us, and oh how kind our great
God is being towards us, in and through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Towards us through Christ Jesus, for by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, Oh, if people would only believe
that, eh? That's what Norm Wells says, the problem is people don't
believe what the scriptures say. The scripture right there says
you're not saved of yourself, are we? No. We're saved by the
grace of God. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves? It's a gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship. Salvation
is of the Lord from beginning to end. He's the Alpha and the
Omega in salvation. We're His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus. Created in Christ Jesus. Under
good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk
in them. Oh my. So we see here set before us
the grace of God. Last week we looked at the mercy
of God in our study on the attributes of God. And it's only fitting
today that we should follow that up with the grace of God. with
the grace of God, looking at the grace of God. Now, the grace
of God, grace is a perfection of the divine character, which
is exercised only toward the elect of God. It's exercised
only towards the elect of God. The grace of God is not mentioned
in connection with all of mankind. It's not mentioned in connection
with all of mankind, in the Old Testament or in the New, but
God's grace is shown and manifested to his people, to his people. And it comes to us, we saw there
in our text, in and through Christ alone. It's only through Christ. And we even see this in our text,
which we read here in the opening. The scriptures plainly bring
forth that it is God's people, his elect, who have received
the wondrous gift of grace. Not everyone receives this gift,
but God's elect do. God's chosen people do. And that
is salvation in Christ alone. And very plainly, Paul masterfully
bought out that it's not by our works, didn't he? Very plainly
in the scripture there. It's not by our works, but it's
all in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. It's all in and through
the work which Christ has accomplished as our substitute. And remember
too, this is all according to the mercy, goodness, and grace
of God towards us in Christ. And God's grace is the source
from which the goodwill, love, and salvation of God comes to
His chosen people. Again, only through Christ. And it's all according to the
eternal, free, and sovereign favor of God. Have you ever thought
of that? That you're saved according to
the eternal, free, and sovereign favor of God. That's why you're
saved. It's not based upon anything
we've done. It's not based upon anything we will ever do. but
it's all according to God's grace and favor, which has been manifested
to us when Christ came to this world to save his people from
their sins. And we know Christ is the source
of all spiritual and eternal blessings, right? We know that.
We know that. And through Christ comes to God's
people all the spiritual blessings that God has promised. All. Thus, Why it is so important
for us to preach salvation by grace alone, through Christ alone. And you know who it comes to?
You know who this grace comes to? Unworthy, undeserving sinners. Those who are dead in trespasses
and sins. Those who are not even looking
for God. Is it so when the Lord found you? Because I know we
didn't find the Lord. People often say, I found the
Lord. Well, I didn't because I wasn't looking for him. He
found me. Is it so for you? Did he find
you? John, you told me he found you
in the middle of the ocean on a ship. The Lord will get his
sheep, beloved. He will find his sheep. And he will draw them. and pick
them up and carry them in his arms. And the grace of God, remember,
is unmerited and unsought for. Brother Tim, you told me you're
sitting in the football game one time and saying, why am I
even here? After you had heard the gospel,
why am I even here? My. You see how the Lord works,
beloved, unsought for, unmerited grace, grace. And this grace can in no way
be earned. It can be in no way earned. And
it's given to those who are undeserving of this mercy and grace. I know
it was for me. And I know you'd say the same
thing, you who are God's people. We didn't deserve this. We didn't
deserve this. We didn't merit it. If we could
earn it, or if we deserved it, then it would not be grace, would
it? You ever think of that, too? If we could earn it, or if we
deserved it, it wouldn't be grace. It wouldn't be grace. A.W. Pink says this, it's, the grace
of God is towards his people and Christ is pure charity. Unasked
for and undesired. Pure charity. Pure love. Pure
love. Now we know that in the letters
of Paul, He's often confronting works-based salvation. Now turn
to Romans chapter 11, if you would. He's often confronting
works-based salvation. And Paul masterfully, of course,
by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, brings forth the contrast
between the grace of God in opposition to works-based salvation. In
his epistles, if you read them and you see that vein through
them all, that he's often confronting works-based salvation and presenting
the grace of God in Christ plus nothing. Often. That's what he
preached, we know. But often in the epistles, he's
combating some form of error that man has cooked up to gain
merit and favor with God. Look at this in Romans chapter
11. We'll start in verse 1 and we'll read all the way to verse
10. I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid.
For I also Excuse me. I am an Israelite of the seed
of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin God hath not cast away his people
which he foreknew what ye not what the scripture saith of Isaiah
how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying Lord
they have killed thy prophets and dig down thine altars and
I am left alone and they seek my life or Elijah I'm sorry But
what sayeth the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to
myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of
Baal. Even so, then, at this present time, there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. Don't ever despair, beloved.
God has a remnant. God has a people in every generation,
doesn't he? We know that because we're chosen
out of our generation. Even so, at this present time,
there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Look
at this in verse 6. Ended by grace, then there is
no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace.
You see what Paul just wrote there? If you put a pinprick
of works and add it with grace, it's no longer grace. Very clearly
stated there, isn't it? And remember, this is by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God. But if it be of works, then it
is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work.
What then? Israel hath not obtained that
for which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it,
and the rest were blinded. According to this written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should
not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David
saith, let their table be made a snare and a trap in the stumbling
block and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that
they may not see and bow down their back away. Note in verse
six, though, how Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, has
masterfully bought forth that that grace and works do not mix.
He's masterfully bought that forth. We are either saved by
grace alone or we're not saved at all. And that grace is a gift
of God. And the gift of faith which we
have in Christ Jesus is also a gift given to us to worship,
trust and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at how clearly the
divide between grace and works is. We'll read verse five and
six again. Even so then, at this present time also, there is a
remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then
it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it
is no more grace. Do you see that there's a great
divide there, isn't there? Salvation's by grace alone. with
none of our works. We just look to Christ, beloved.
We just look to Christ. And even that faith that God
that we have that allows us to look to Christ is a gift from
God. It all comes from our Lord, beloved. Otherwise, work is no
more work. Now, our great God, we know that
his grace is reigning grace. Turn over to chapter five of
Romans. God's grace is reigning grace.
It's sovereign grace and his mercy Here have mercy upon whom
here have mercy, the scripture declares. Here have compassion
upon whom here have compassion. And the believer says, praise
God he had compassion upon me. Praise God he had mercy upon
me. Look at Romans chapter 5 verses
20 and 21. Moreover the law entered that
the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace
did much more abound. that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ our Lord. These verses here before us are
very, very precious to the believer in Christ. We see the grace of
God overflowing before us in these two verses. The scripture
proclaims here that where sin abounded, Grace did much more
abound. Grace did much more abound. The
scripture here for abound, when it talks about grace abounding,
is super abounding. That's what it means in the Greek.
Grace is super, it's not just grace, it's super abounding grace. Super abounding grace. And how
is it super abounding grace? And here's what the Greek word
Well, the Greek word there just means super abound. How is God's
grace super abounding to the believer? It covers all my sin. I'm justified
before God by the righteousness of Christ. I'm sanctified and
set apart. I'm one of the elect according
to the remnant of grace. I'd say God's grace is super
abounding to the believer, wouldn't you? Oh my. Oh my. And this grace of God is free.
Covers all of our sins. Why? Because Christ has paid
all that God demanded for our sins. Note in verse 21 there. It says that as sin hath reigned
unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto
eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The little word there,
reign, in the Greek means to be king, to be king. So God's
grace, even so might grace reign, be the king, through righteousness. Metaphorically, it means to exercise
the highest influence, to control. And think of this in light of
our text that we read when we started the message which proclaimed
that we were dead in trespasses and sins. Dead in trespasses
and sins, both by nature and by choice. We were once ruled by sin, weren't
we? It was a king over us. It really
was. Had us in its grasp. It abounded in our lives, but
now the grace of God for we who believe abounds in our lives. Sin doesn't have the hold it
wants head on, even though everything we do is tainted with sin. Now
we're convicted of our sin. Now we know what our sin is.
Now we hate our sin. We hate our sin. Oh, my. And now think of this to think
of the great change that that has been brought in God's people.
We once I did not like the people of God before the Lord saved
me. I'll be honest with you. I didn't. I didn't want to ever
be around anyone who professed Christ before I was saved. I
just did not want to be around them. You know why? Because I
was convicted of my sin. That's why. But now you know
what? I love God's people. Do you?
And that's a test, isn't it? We know that's a test scripture.
Do you love God's people? Do you love them? Oh yeah, we
do, don't we? What a change how grace has reigned
in our life now and super abounded in our life. That it would take
a sinner who despises the things of God, or even if they didn't
verbally say that, we shook our fist at God by our own sin, didn't
we? and now to hate our sin, to love God, to love his people,
to love the gospel, to love the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace reigns
in our lives, doesn't it? It absolutely reigns in our lives,
beloved. It's marvelous. So God's grace
is reigning grace, beloved, because God reigns, because God reigns. Grace reigns by him, and Christ
is all our righteousness, and God's justice is satisfied in
Christ and glorified Do you know that God's justice and law is
glorified by Christ? It's magnified. He fulfilled
it in our place. My. God's grace reigns, and salvation
is all of grace. Therefore, you who are the redeemed
of the Lord, rejoice. Rejoice. Rejoice that the Lord
Jesus Christ has given this grace to you. To you. He doesn't give it to everybody.
and rejoice. This grace is also eternal. A.W.
Pink brings this forth. He said, grace was planned before
it was exercised. It was purposed before it was
imparted. Oh my. Turn if you would to 2
Timothy 1, verse 9. We'll see where he gets that
thought from. 2 Timothy 1, we'll read verses
9 and 10. verses 9 and 10, and then we'll
go back to Ephesians chapter 2. Who has saved us and called us
with unholy calling, not according to our works, there it is again,
not according to anything we've done, but according to his own
purpose in what? Grace. Which was given us in
Christ Jesus when? Before the world began. Oh my! planned, purposed, and executed. All by God. All by God. But now is made manifest, how?
By the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished
death and has brought life and immortality to light through
the Gospel. This is wonderful. The grace
of God, beloved, is free. No amount of money can buy it.
No amount of money can buy it. You could have mountains of money
and you can't purchase the grace of God. You can't purchase the
grace of God. And it can never be earned, no
matter how much work you do. This is why people who are trying
to work their way to heaven or gain merit and favor with God
by their works, they don't even know what the Scripture says,
because you can't earn it. It's impossible to earn. It's
a gift. It's a gift and it's given from
the hand of God. Think of that. From the hand
of God to every believer. It's marvelous. It's absolutely
marvelous. It can never be earned. It can never be merited. It can
never be purchased. And let's go back to Ephesians
chapter 2. It's so clear in Ephesians chapter
2. We'll read verse 7 and 8 again.
7, 8, 9 and 10 again. Look at this. Let's read 6 with it, and hath
raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavy places
in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the
exceeding riches of his grace. Now could God show the exceeding
riches of his grace if we could earn it or merit it or purchase
it? No, because then we'd boast,
wouldn't we? This is exactly what the scripture says. But
because it's the free grace of God, because it's unmerited,
because it's undeserved, because it cannot be purchased, And in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace, and oh how rich is
His grace, in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For
by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not of works. Same thing that we read
over there, over there in 2 Timothy, right? Not according to our works,
Paul wrote over there. He just keeps stressing this,
doesn't he? And remember, this is all by inspiration of the
Holy Spirit of God. This is stressed time and time
and time again. Not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to His mercy, He has saved us.
It's a constant theme through the Scripture. Not of works,
lest any man should boast, for we are His workmanship. Oh, we're
created in Christ Jesus. unto good works which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. Where is workmanship,
beloved? And God's grace is given to us.
And the faith that we have in Christ has been given to us by
God. And we believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, all because of God's grace, which is given to us. And oh, what kindness he's showing
us, what kindness God is showing us in through Christ. Do you
know that throughout all eternity, God's people will be displayed
as trophies of the grace of God? Trophies of the grace. I don't
know. We'll probably look at each other
and see each other as trophies of the grace of God, won't we?
It'd be amazing. Oh, you're here the same way
I am, by the grace of God. And what do we all say? Worthy
is the lamb, worthy is the lamb. Oh my, we're giving him all the
glory, beloved. And you know what? We'll praise
Him forever. We'll praise Him forever for His grace and mercy
that's been given to us in Christ. And we'll praise Him forever
for His kindness towards us. And this grace is sovereign grace
because our sovereign God exercises it. He exercises it. And He bestows it upon whomever
He pleases. Whomever He pleases. Even so
might grace reign. Romans 5.21 If grace reigns, then it's on the throne, and
the occupant of the throne is sovereign. And think how our
God, our God's throne is what? It's called the throne of grace. Let us therefore come boldly
to the what? The throne of grace. He's a king. We come before the
king, beloved. We come before, don't ever, always
remember when you're praying, you're praying to the king. When
we come here to worship, we don't take this lightly. When we come
here to worship, we come here to worship the king. Don't we? We come here to worship the king.
The king of kings and the lord of lords. Oh my. And do you know that God's grace,
it's sovereign, he gives it to him however he pleases? And do
you know he's obligated to give it to no one? But he's chosen
the people to give it to, hasn't he? But he's in no way obligated
to do that. He's done that according to His
free and sovereign grace, His mercy. His mercy. He gives it
to Him however He pleases. And do you know that His grace
is no respecter of persons? It doesn't matter what status
a person is in life, rich or poor, or even in the middle.
No, this grace that we receive is all a gift, beloved. It's
all a gift. And we are saved by the pure,
free and sovereign grace and mercy of God in and through Christ
Jesus, our Lord. Plus nothing. Not of works of
righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy,
he has saved us. According to his mercy. Rejoice
if you're one of God's people. He's had mercy on you. Turn,
if you would, to Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 9. God does
whatever He pleases. He does whatever He pleases.
He does whatever He pleases in heaven. He does whatever He pleases
on earth. No one can stay His hand. And
the scriptures declare that eternal life is a gift of God. Therefore,
it can either be earned by works or claimed as a right. We can't
even claim it as a right, can we? No, it's a gift. It's a gift that's given to us.
All according to the grace of God. Romans 9 verse 15 and 16
very clearly brings this out. It's God who shows mercy. For
he say it to Moses, I have mercy on whom I have compassion. Put
your name in. He's had mercy on us, hasn't
he? He's had mercy on us. Romans chapter 9, verse 15 and
16. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I'll have
mercy. Well, he's had mercy on me. I'm one of the ones he's
had mercy on, are you? And I'll have compassion on whom
I'll have compassion. Well, we're one of them. We who
are God's people. So then it is not of him that
willeth. There goes man's free will right out the window. good verse to bring people so
then it's not of him that will nor him that run it can't be
earned can't be earned but of God that
what show it mercy is the key beloved mercy and nothing brings
the amnesty which natural man has towards God nothing brings
out the amnesty which natural man has towards God than the
preaching of God's free and sovereign grace. And telling them that
God can choose whomever He desires to choose. It brings the enmity
that man has out to God in full front. I've seen it many times.
And we preach the absolute sovereignty of God. We preach that God will
have compassion on whom He will have compassion. The absolute
sovereignty of God in salvation. The absolute sovereignty of divine
grace and salvation in Christ alone, all by the will of God
alone. And when you preach that and
when you talk to people about that, they do not like that. Because it offends man's pride
when you tell them they can't do anything to be saved. Oh,
my God's grace cannot be earned by any works of man or won by
any efforts of man. And this offends the self-righteous
man or woman. And the fact that God is the
potter and we are the clay, offends the natural man. Offends the
natural man, who always wants something to do to gain merit
and favor with God. I told you many times, when before
the Lord saved me, I thought my good would outweigh my bad.
Little did I know I had no good. But that's what I thought, because
it was based upon what I was doing. Is it so for you? Might have been something a little
bit different, but it was probably based upon something you were
doing. Oh my. This gift of grace is wondrous.
This faith that God has given us is wondrous. And then we marvel
at this distinguishing grace of God, the fact that He even
gave it to us, and He passed by other people that we know.
It leaves us in wonder and awe. Absolute wonder and awe. So we
see the truth of, so then it is not of him that willeth, nor
of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. We see the
truth of that even in our own lives, don't we? Since there's no cause in the
recipient, then the whole cause is in the giver, isn't it? If
there's no cause for this grace to be given to us in us, then
the cause of this grace being given to us is all in the giver. That's the truth of scripture.
That's the truth of scripture. This grace finds no cause in
the recipient. No cause at all. Not by works
of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy,
he has saved us by the washing of the regeneration, being born
again and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which was shed abundantly,
which was shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Mercy, mercy, mercy. The word mercy is defined as
this in the scriptures. Kindness or goodwill towards
the miserable and the afflicted. That was our natural state. Dead
in trespasses and sins. Joined with a desire to help.
And oh has God not helped us, hasn't he? He's given us grace
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith to believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. And we are saved by his grace.
He has mercy on poor sinners. Think of how the grace of God
takes rebels. takes rebels and turns them into
a child of God. Think of that. Turn, if you would,
to Acts chapter 9. Think of this. This is how our
dear brother Paul was, wasn't he? Saul was bitter and bloody
persecutor of the church, beloved. He was breathing out threatenings
and bent upon the slaughter of the church. And God's sheep,
they were worried about him. And he put to death the disciples
of the Lord Jesus Christ. But marvel at how a rebel is
transformed by the invincible grace of God in and through the
Lord Jesus Christ. Look at this in Acts chapter
9 verses 1 to 6. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or
women, he didn't care, that he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Oh my. And as he journeyed, he
came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined around about him
a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth and heard a voice
saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Again,
this shows the unity of the body and the head, because he was
persecuting Christians, and the Lord tells him, why are you persecuting
me? And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am
Jesus, whom thou persecust. Is it hard for thee to kick against
the pricks? And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what
wilt thou help me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise,
and go into the city, and there shall be told thee what thou
must do. So the grace of God took a rebel
and turned him into a child of God. Do you know the Corinthians,
the Corinthian people? where no one in the Roman Empire
is criminal people, villainous people, steeped in debauchery. There were songs written about
them, about their debauchery. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
6. And some of what they did was
talked about in this chapter here. We'll read verses 9 to
11, but marvel here before us in the transforming grace of
God, in the elect of God, as we know that they were saved,
called and saved out from among the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians
6, verses 9 to 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revivals, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God." And look what Paul writes here, "...and such
were some of you." My, but ye are washed. You are sanctified,
you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and
by the Spirit of our God. Note their wash, beloved, and
we know that's in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who died in their place at Calvary's Cross. They're sanctified, we
know that's all by a powerful operation of the Holy Spirit
of God, and we're also sanctified in Christ Jesus our Lord. And
they're justified through the infinitely tender mercies of
the grace of God. They were once steeped in sin.
We read that. They were once steeped in sin.
And now they glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now they glory. They praise the wonderful merciful
Savior who's rescued them from that situation. And let's bring
it home. We were once dead in trespasses
and sins, weren't we? We were once dead in trespasses
and sins. Just as our opening text proclaims.
but God had mercy upon us, we who are his people, and were
born again by the Holy Spirit of God, were washed in the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we give all the glory, honor,
and praise to our great God and King. Hallelujah! What a Savior
is Jesus Christ, our Lord. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee
for allowing us to gather together, for allowing us to hear Thy Word
preached and proclaimed. O Lord, we know that not everyone
is is bought here by your providence, but by your providence you bought
us here to gather together, to hear thy word, and we are so
thankful, O Lord. Thankful that we can hear the
scripture preached and proclaimed. Thankful that you've given us
ears to hear and eyes to see thee, O Lord, because otherwise
we would still be dead in trespasses and sins and with no hope. But
what a hope we have in thee, O Lord. What a rest we have in
thee. Glory to your name. Honor and
praise in Jesus' name.