That song. Oh, what a wonderful
song. Prone to wander, aren't we? Oh,
but he keeps us. He keeps us. Oh, goodness. Tonight we'll be
in Ephesians chapter 3. Now today we've looked at in
our two messages so far, we've looked at that God does everything to the praise and the glory of
His grace. And then today, this morning, we looked at, so great
is salvation. And tonight we're going to look
at God's eternal purpose. God's eternal purpose. They all
tie in together. Ephesians 3, we're starting in
verse 1. For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ
for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation
of the grace of God which is given to me to you, how that
by revelation He made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore
in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge
and the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known
unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles
and prophets by the Spirit. that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs
of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ by the
gospel. Where have I made a minister
according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by
the effectual working of His power? Again, we looked at this
morning how He by Himself had redeemed us and how He by Himself
saves us. Here it says the effectual working
of His power in verse 7. Unto me, now God's people don't
vault themselves up, do they? Unto me who am less than the
least of all saints, is this grace given? that I should preach
among the Gentiles. Look at this. The unsearchable
riches of Christ. You can mine and mine and mine
and mine Scripture and it's unsearchable. The unsearchable riches of Christ.
We just scratched the surface here while we're here on earth.
We're just scratching the surface. Oh my. And to make all men see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which hath from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things
by Jesus Christ. And that ties into Colossians
where we saw that He's the Creator. of all things, Jesus Christ,
the God-Man-Mediator, to the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers and heavenly places might be known by the church
the manifold wisdom of God. And here's the verse that we're
going to use to look at different points. According to the eternal
purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom
we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him,
Wherefore, I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,
which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named. He's the head and we're the body.
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to
be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being
rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with
all the saints what is the breadth, and the length, and depth, and
height, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge,
it passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fullness of God. Now unto him that is able, now
see we are not able, We are not able to do these things. We are
not able to save ourselves, but He's able. He's able to do all
things. Now unto Him that is able to
do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, He's
God. He's not like us. He's not like
us. According to the power that worketh
in us, unto Him, be glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout
all ages, world without end. Amen. Oh, God's eternal purpose. Look at verse 11. According to
the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Now Paul, the apostle, writes of God's eternal purpose.
And he accomplished that in Christ. He accomplished his eternal purpose
in Christ. And God's purpose is His fixed
aim. That which shall come to pass. What God has decreed will
come to pass. Will come to pass. His purpose
are not like our purposes. We purpose to do things sometimes
and they don't happen. If God purposes to do something
in eternity, it's going to happen. It's going to happen. Because
He's God. And remember this, God's purpose
is eternal. Because it spans the ages. He's
outside time and space. We're locked in this time and
space. He's outside of all that. He
dwells in eternity. He dwells in eternity. And eternity
has no beginning and no end. Oh my. And so His purpose, therefore,
is eternal. God's eternal purpose. And our
Scripture says that according to the eternal purpose which
He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. It concerns the things done by
Christ from eternity. Acts 15, 18, I'll read this,
it says, No one unto God are all His works from the beginning
of the world. He knows everything that's going to happen. Nothing catches God by surprise.
Vicki and I, through our life, since the Lord has saved us,
we always have a saying that, I didn't catch God by surprise.
Sure caught us by surprise. But didn't catch God by surprise.
And that's true. Nothing catches him by surprise.
Nothing. Nothing. Oh, no one under God are all
his works from the beginning of the world. This eternal purpose
concerns things done by him before the foundation of the world.
We looked at that too this morning, didn't we? He chooses a people
before the foundation of the world. This is part of his eternal
purpose. And what God sets out to do in
an eternal purpose, it shall come to pass. He chose a people
to redeem them. to sanctify them in Christ, right?
God's people are saved in Christ. It's come to pass. We didn't
know we were part of that eternal decree when we were little, growing
up in our lives, did we? Those of us who are saved, did
we have any idea that we were God's elect? We didn't have a
clue. God knew. He knew. He knew. It concerns things done by Him
before time began. 2 Timothy 1.9 says this, "...who
has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace." God
has a purpose. God is the giver of His grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
2 Timothy 1.9. Concerns things done by Him before
the ages. I'm going to read a couple of
verses here, but I want you to turn to Matthew 25. But I'm going
to read a couple of verses here. But we speak the wisdom of God
in the mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before
the world unto our glory. He ordained before the world
unto our glory. The hidden wisdom which God ordained
before the world unto our glory. It concerns the things done by
Him beforehand. Romans 9.23 says this, "...and
that He might make known the riches of His glory and the vessels
of mercy which He had aforeprepared unto glory." Romans 9.23. He
does whatever He pleases. He gives His grace to whomever
He pleases. And it's all according to His
eternal purpose. Doesn't it make you marvel as
one of God's people? I don't know if you guys have
sang that song. I've heard it sang a different. He included
me? Praise God, he included us. Oh my. Oh my. Oh, it's so humbling. It brings us right down to the
dust. Look at Matthew 25 and we're going to look at this. We've often talked about this.
Religious folks like to tell what they've done for God Look
at Matthew 25, 31-36, we'll look at first, and then we'll continue.
When the Son of Man shall come in His glory and all the holy
angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of glory.
And before Him shall be gathered all nations. And He shall separate
them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left. Then
shall the king say unto them on the right hand, come ye blessed
of my father. Now remember, chosen in him. God chooses the people,
right, in Christ. When? Before the foundation of
the world. Blessed of my father. God's people,
God's elect, are blessed of the father. Oh, what a mighty salvation. Inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry,
and you gave me meat. I was thirsty, and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. Naked, and you
clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me.
I was in prison, and you came unto me." And like I say, now
religious folks, they love to brag about what they do. Love
to. But look at what God's people
say after the King, the Lord Jesus Christ, has told them that
they did all these things. Matthew 25, 37 to 40. And think on this, in Matthew
7, there's a group of folks, religious people, who say, Lord,
have we not done all these marvelous things in your name? And he says,
depart from me, I never knew you. Now think of this, think
of that in mind when we look at this. 37 to 40. Then shall the righteous answer
him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungered and fed thee, or
thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger,
and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or
when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?"
They don't have a clue. God's people do not have a clue
when they've done these things. That's how it is with grace,
folks. We're not looking for the glory, are we? We're looking
to give Him all the glory. When we go visit someone, we
go visit them because we love them. Because they're part of
the body. We desire to be there with them. When we find out a brother or
sister is in need, we desire to help them. Not to get anybody,
not to trumpet it and say, look what I'm doing. But to bring
glory to God. And the King shall answer and
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done
it unto one of the least of these my brethren, the least of my
brethren, Ye have done it unto Me." Oh, what a great God. This eternal
purpose also concerns things done by Him for the elect. 2 Thessalonians 2.13, I'll read
this. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Now there's
a wonderful statement. Beloved of the Lord. Sinners. Beloved of the Lord. Because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of truth. Turn, if you would, to 1 Peter
1.20. This eternal purpose concerns persons by Him foreknowing. Romans
8.29 says this, For whom He foreknew, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be firstborn
among many brethren. Do you see how this eternal purpose
takes everything in a believer's life into account? Everything. This man received sinners. Why?
Because it was appointed and decreed of God to receive those
sinners. Now, we flee to Him, don't we? Yeah. But He makes
us willing. And praise God that He does that. It concerns persons by Him foreordained.
Look at 1 Peter 1.20. Who verily was foreordained before
the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last
times. For you, Christ is a lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. He's manifested in these last
times for you. It's wonderful. What a wonderful
God. This eternal purpose concerns
persons by Him predestinated. If you want to turn to Ephesians
1.11, I should have mentioned that for you guys too. Sorry
about that. But look at this in Ephesians
1.11. in whom also..." And this is
according to God's eternal purpose. It concerns persons by Him predestinated. Ephesians 1.11. "...in whom also
we have obtained an inheritance..." Now look at the verbiage in these
verses. We have obtained. We've obtained
this. How? It's only through Christ,
eh? It's only through Him. "...in
whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated
according to the purpose of Him." Where's man's will? Folks pop off all the time, don't
they, about free will. In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of Him.
God, look at this, who worketh all things after the counsel
of His own will. His will. And all this eternal purpose
is accomplished in the Lord Jesus Christ. In God's eyes, His eternal purpose
was accomplished before the world was created. Remember Acts 15,
18? No one other than God are all
the works from the beginning of the world. Christ is a Lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. A Lamb's book of life. written in eternity. We didn't
have a clue. We didn't have a clue. It's all
according to God's eternal purpose, even from eternity. Romans 4.17 says this, As it
is written, I have made thee a father of many nations. Before
him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead and calleth
these things which be not as though they were." What God has decreed from eternity to do was considered by Him already
done. In man's eyes, God's eternal
purpose was accomplished in time. When God manifested to our eyes
what He had decreed as wrought from eternity. Our thoughts are not His thoughts.
Our ways are not His ways. And this revelation from God, as we learn and grow these facts
regarding the eternal purpose The eternal purpose, God's eternal
purpose, we see more and more as we study Scripture. We see
more and more that this was all accomplished in Christ. All accomplished
in Him. Turn, if you would, to Romans
8, verse 29. First point is, God foreknew
all His people. God's eternal purpose, He foreknew
all His people. Romans 8.29, "...for whom He did foreknow,
He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." This is
not God looking down through time and seeing who would choose
Him, and in Him making a choice. Because that would be works.
That would be based upon what man does. No. No, this salvation is free. And it freely comes from the
grace of God in Christ. And it's sovereign. He bestows
it upon whomever he pleases. And this is what makes it, we
looked at this afternoon, so great a salvation. It's great. We could never, you could get
a million people together, we never would have thought of anything
like that. We would have had something to do. Christ has done it all. He foreknew
his people with an intimate knowledge, with
an intimate knowledge, with an everlasting love, scripture says.
And he is all-knowing. Remember, there's nothing that
catches him by surprise. If there was, he wouldn't be all-knowing.
But he is all-knowing. For if our heart could damn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 1 John
3.20 He knows all things. All things. I am the good shepherd,
and I know my sheep, and them knowing of mine. But if any man
love God, the same is known of him." The Greek word for knowing is
gnoska. And it implies, or through the
translation, it's an intimate knowledge. God has an intimate
knowledge of His people. And it talks about the relationship
between Adam and Eve. It's an intimate knowledge. He
knows His people, and He loves His people. And He's loved them
with an everlasting love. Oh, what a wonderful God. And
as we looked at this morning, this man received sinners, and
all we who are saved are just saved sinners. But this was all part of God's
purpose. He foreknew. He didn't just know
His people. He didn't look down through time and see who would
choose Him. He knew them with an intimate knowledge. He chose
them. Oh, what a wonderful salvation.
Turn, if you would, to John chapter 17 and verses 23 and 24. We'll
look at I'll read Galatians 4.9, it says
this, but now after that we have known God, and this is an amazing
scripture, but now after that ye have known God, or rather,
are known of God. He knew us before we knew Him. It's marvelous. How turn ye again
to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to
be in bondage. Galatians 4, 9. I'm going to
read that first portion again. But now, after that she had known
God, or rather, are known of God. Oh, we could just park there. Right there. God's people are
known of God with an everlasting love. Objects of His eternal
and covenantal love. Oh, it's marvelous. Look at John 17, 23 and 24. I
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.
And that thou may know that thou hast sent me, and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me, and has loved them. And look at this. This
is Christ speaking. And this is Christ speaking about
His people, His elect. and hath loved them as thou hast
loved me." Now that is love that we cannot
even comprehend. The Lord Jesus Christ says that
God has loved His people as thou hast loved Christ, as thou hast
loved me. No wonder Scripture declares,
greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his
life. And He says, Father, I will that
they also, they being the ones that the Father has loved as
He's loved Christ. Father, I will that they also
whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am, that they may
behold My glory which Thou hast given Me, for
Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world. Oh, the love of God for His people. The love of God in Christ. And this is all in Christ. It's
nowhere else. And God assures His foreknowing
people this in Jeremiah 31. He says this, "...the Lord hath
appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea!" And remember what we read
in John 17? Yea! I have loved thee with an everlasting
love. And then he says, therefore,
think of this. Think of this. Folks often say,
well, they say, you guys believe that God, He chooses the people,
and you're a bunch of robots. And look at what Scripture says.
I'll read it here. We're not robots. We're made
willing, but we're drawn with loving kindness. Therefore, with loving kindness,
have I drawn thee. See, we would never come. Jeremiah
31.3, The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea,
I have loved thee. Now, right there, we're sinners. We know what we are. And God says to His people, I
have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving
kindness have I drawn thee. Sinner friend, this man receives
sinners. Oh. And he draws his people with
loving kindness. And what happens? We just run. We just run to Christ. We look
to him. And I don't mean run by works.
I mean we look to him. We flee. We lay down our arms. The battle's over. We just put
our arms down. When General Lee, when they surrendered,
All the confederates came and laid their arms down. And that's
what every believer does. He lays his arms down or her
arms down before God, and we take sides with God against ourselves. I'm a sinner in desperate need
of Christ. Oh, what great love. What great
love God has for His people. Now for the wicked, Scripture
says this, Psalm 5.4-6, For thou art not a God that hath pleasure
in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish
shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Psalm 5.5, Thou shalt destroy
them that speak leasin. The Lord will abhor the bloody
and deceitful man. Now that ties right into this
morning's Sunday message. How shall we escape if we neglect
so great salvation? The answer is we can never do
that if we neglect the salvation that's
in Christ. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 8. God's eternal purpose includes
the elect's election to salvation, for they are elect according
to the foreknowledge of God, 1 Peter 1-2, and also included
in God's eternal purpose is their predestination, calling, justification,
and glorification, and the working of all things together for their
good and for His glory. This is all part of God's eternal
purpose. Romans 8. Verses 28-30. Think of this in light of what
we read in Ephesians 3.11, according to the eternal purpose which
He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. God has an eternal purpose
and it's been accomplished in Christ. Look what he says here
in Romans 8.28-30. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God. To them who are the call, call,
call, God's people are called according
to His purpose. Oh, it's marvelous. For whom He did foreknow, He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
He did predestinate, and remember, this is all included in God's
eternal purpose in Christ, and it's all accomplished in Christ.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. God calls those whom he predestinated. Now, we have no clue who they
are, but he knows. He knows. We preach the gospel
to all. God does the saving. I can't
save anyone. I can't save myself and I can't
save anyone else. But God can save the chief of
sinners, the vilest of sinners. This man received sinners. Moreover,
whom He did predestinate, them He also called. And whom He called,
them He also justified. And think of this as we walk
through this world of woe, beloved, elect of God, and there are storms
that come up, right? Like Brother John and I were
talking, I mentioned this morning, this Christian life is not an easy
life. There's rough water sometimes. But look what the Scripture says
in Romans 8.30. And whom He justified, and notice
it's all past tense, them He also glorified. Oh! Not one of His sheep will be
lost. Not one. We're weak. We get weary. They'll not lose one. They'll all be glorified. Demi
also glorified. What wonderful news for us as
sinners. What wonderful news. We're saint
sinners, but we're still sinners. But Scripture declares. Demi
also justified. And whom He justified? Demi also
glorified. All part of God's eternal purpose. Nevertheless, the foundation
of God standeth sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth
them that are His. And let every one that nameth
the name of Christ depart from iniquity." God's people are chosen
in Christ before the foundation of the world. Oh, what a wonderful salvation.
And we just looked at, too, that God's people are predestinated. They're predestinated. which means to predetermine,
to decide beforehand. In the New Testament of God,
it speaks of the decreeing from eternity, to foreordain, to appoint beforehand. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
we might be the firstborn among many brethren. What God has purposed
in his eternal decree shall come to pass. Shall come to pass. Now people, a quick word on predestination. People get all bent out of shape
over that. But look at Romans 8, 29. It says, for whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son. What one of us do not want to be conformed to the
image of Christ? Oh, do you sin more than you
want to? I sure do. One day we'll be without sin. Part of God's eternal purpose
is that He gives grace to His people. Grace to His people. 2 Timothy, if you want to turn
there, 2 Timothy 1.9. Part of God's eternal purpose is He gives
grace to His people. And I'll read Psalm 103, 17,
part of it, which says, The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting
to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness
unto children's children to such as keep His covenant. You remember today, this morning,
we looked at the union of Christ, too? The union of the believer
with Christ, He's the head for the body. Our interest in Christ, our union with Christ, our union
with Christ brings these unspeakable mercies to us. Remember? All spiritual blessings are in
Him. They're nowhere else. Look at 2 Timothy 1.9. Who has
saved us? Man likes to think he saves himself,
but Scripture declares that God is the one who saves us. who
has saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according,
just in case we thought it was our works or had something to
do with us. Scripture declares, not according to our works. Now,
you'd think, you know, you'd think that, well, unless it's
revealed, we'd never see it. So, not according to our works. but according to His own purpose
and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. Oh, that ties right in. According
to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord, Ephesians 3.11. This covenant relation in which
believers stand before God is in Christ and it secures the
peace of this life and the everlasting happiness of that which is to
come. At that day you shall know that
I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." John 14, 20. Now, we know who Christ is because
He's been revealed to us. There was a time when we didn't
even know Him. Oh, but the love of God, He knew
you. He knew you. And isn't it amazing when you
really stop to think about it too? Like I said about this morning,
all the people we've known in our lives, you know, I have two
brothers who are strong and I was the sickly child in the family.
You know, if it was based upon man's strength or man's, they
would, you know, but it's not based upon that. God uses the foolish things of
the world to confound the wise. It's amazing. It's incredible. He gets all the glory. He gets
all the honor. He gets all the praise. Turn,
if you would, to 2 Thessalonians. Part of God's eternal purpose
is that God chooses His people to salvation in all its benefits
and foreordain the means by which they would receive it. I'll read Ephesians 1-4. We looked
at that quite a bit this morning. According as He has chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love. I just marvel when
it says that we should be holy and without blame. But that's
what Scripture declares. It's incredible. We who are sinners.
Look at 2 Thessalonians 2, 13 and 14. And think of this, everyone God
chooses to be saved will be saved without fail. They will be saved. Look at 2 Thessalonians 2, 13
and 14. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. And remember,
God's eternal purpose, right? Because God hath from the beginning,
beginning, before there was anything, when it was just God in His solitariness
dwelling by Himself. Because God at the beginning
had chosen you. You who believe. You who have
been granted faith. You who have been drawn by the
Holy Spirit of God. You who have been redeemed by
the blood of the Lamb. You who believe. God has from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth. These folks who say that people go to heaven without believing
in Christ, they don't know what the Bible says. Because there
is only salvation in one man, in one man alone, and he's the
God-man. Neither is there salvation in any other, right? That wipes everyone out except
for Christ. Salvation's only in Him. He is
the only one who bled and died on Calvary's cross for the sins
of His people. And He did that to appease God's
wrath and justice, right? He did that. We had broken the
law. We're lawbreakers. We are. But Christ Jesus the King died
on the cross to purchase His people. And it was all according
to God's eternal purpose. Oh, God has favored His people.
Part of God's eternal purpose is that He has graciously favored
His people to be suitable for acceptance in Christ. We looked
at that verse. Look at verse 6 of Ephesians
chapter 1. Now, on our own, right? In our
own flesh. And by nature, we are unacceptable
to God. Look at this marvelous verse
in Ephesians 1, 6. To the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath, He hath. Look at the verbage Scripture
uses. There's no wiggle room for, well,
he might have. Do you see the fallacy of what
religion teaches? When they say, well, he's done
all he can do, now the rest is up to you. Scripture doesn't say that at
all. It speaks of what he has accomplished. And this is the hope for sinners.
This is why we say this man received sinners, He did it all for sinners. He's perfect, spotless. Not one
sin. And it says, to the praise of
the glory of His grace, wherein He hath, Christ, hath made us
accepted in the blood. Or God hath made us accepted
in Christ, in the blood. We're accepted in Him. And God
purposed this from eternity. It's marvelous. Like we looked at this morning.
It's so great salvation. God, we looked at just earlier,
God has prepared His people for glory too. What if God willing
to show His wrath and to make His power known endeared with
much longsuffering? Much longsuffering? God's longsuffering. The vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction, that he might make known the riches of his glory
on the vessels of mercy, which he had aforeprepared unto glory."
Romans 9, 22 and 23. Which he had aforeprepared unto
glory. We didn't have a clue. We didn't
have a clue. But God knows. It's all according
to His eternal purpose. And aren't you thankful that
your salvation is in Christ? That He holds Him? That He keeps
us? What a mighty Savior. God foreordained
Christ to be Redeemer of His people. Turn, if you would, to
1 Peter, verses 18-21. Oh, and Christ is a lamb slain. Look at this. God foreordained
Christ to be the Redeemer of His people. 1 Peter 1, 18-21. For as much as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, money
can't buy salvation. Money can't buy salvation. From
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.
Church traditions can't save anyone. There's all kinds of people that
baptize their infants and say, oh, now they're saved. Just getting
them wet. Just getting them wet. Vain traditions
from your fathers. Look at this. But with the precious
blood of Christ. Christ's blood is precious. As
of a lamb without blemish and without spot, sinless, perfect,
spotless. Who verily was foreordained before
the foundation of the world, God's eternal purpose is accomplished
in Christ. but was manifest in these last
times for you. And that's for all God's
people. For you. That's good news. That's good news for sinners. Who by Him do believe in God,
that raised Him up from the dead, and we know from our brothers
reading that Christ was raised for our justification. And gave Him glory that your
faith and hope might be in God, not in yourselves. Oh, what a salvation. And it's
all part of God's eternal purpose. Oh, Christ is the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13 says this, and
this was all part of God's eternal purpose. All that dwell upon
the earth shall worship Him whose names are not written in the
Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
All part of God's eternal decree. How shall we escape if we neglect
so great salvation? Turn, if you would, to Acts chapter
4. God foreordained the death of Christ, and it was all part
of God's eternal purpose. Acts chapter 4. That which came to pass was decreed
by God, Acts 4, verses 27-28. And put your finger in Titus 1, verses
1-2. In God's eternal purpose, God
foreordained the death of Christ. Acts 4, verses 27-28 says this, Against thy holy child Jesus,
whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered together. Right? They were gathered together.
For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. These are the lambs slain from
before the foundation of the world. And you tie that in with
that verse. There it is. for to do whatsoever
Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done. Do you see
how every single person in this world
is at the mercy of God? He gives us breath to breathe. When we're dead sinners and trespassers
and sins, He makes us willing. He regenerates us. It's all His work. It's all His
work. Look at Titus 1, verses 1-2. Part of God's eternal purpose
is that He promised eternal life to His elect. Paul, the servant of God and
the apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's
elect and the acknowledgment of the truth, which is after
godliness, In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot
lie, promised before the world began. Promised before the world began. He chose a people. And they shall be saved. In hope
of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the
world began. What God promises, He keeps. We talked about this somewhat
today a little bit too. I've mentioned this before in
other messages. God has prepared good works of
His people. Now, we do not have a clue when
we do these things. We don't do them to get rewards. The believer's reward is Christ. He's our exceeding reward. Turn, if you would, to John 6.
And I'll read Ephesians 2.10 which says this, For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. John 6, verses 28 and 29 says
this, Then said they unto him, What shall we do that we might
work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto
them, This is the work of God. Now look at that. Man is always asking what they
have to do for salvation, right? Remember the Philippian jailer?
What must I do to be saved? Paul's answer, believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Look at what our master
says here. Jesus answered and said unto
them, this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he
has sent. That you, ye believe on him. And notice, this is the work
of God. Salvation is all of Christ. All the work of God. Then in Ephesians 2 it says,
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.
Isaiah says this, Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us, for
Thou hast also wrought all our works in us. Now, God's people do works, good
works, That scripture that says faith
without works is dead. You see? Those works aren't to
justify us. They prove our faith. And we
don't know when we do them. We saw that earlier in the scripture,
didn't we? If you think you did a good work, you didn't. Oh my. Acts 13.48 says this. And when the Gentiles
heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.
And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." This man receives sinners. And
we know that when we preach the gospel, we know that God has
to do the saving, and God has to do the moving, right? And
we also know we can preach, grace preachers can preach confidently
knowing And believers can talk to others about Christ knowing.
that as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Salvation
is the work of God. It's all His work. It's all His
work, from beginning to end. He's the author of it, and He's
the finisher of it, and He's the object of our faith. He's
everything to the believer. Everything. And our prayer is,
whether the message goes out on the internet, or for folks
here or out on the internet, may God grant your faith to believe. May God grant your faith to look
to Christ. That's all He's done for we who
believe. He has granted us faith and repentance. He has done the work. We run
to Him. We run to Him.