The book of Ephesians, what a
blessed, glorious book. Under the inspiration of God's
Spirit, the Apostle Paul related in the first three chapters the
glorious sovereignty of Almighty God. Ephesians chapter 1, In verse 4, listen, how many
times have we quoted this? And this evening, I truly desire that we might behold Him. There's nothing else. There's
no other message. The Gospel is concerning the
Lord Jesus Christ. I want to hear of His glory. Tell me one more time how the
Father has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to
the good pleasure of His will. Chapters 1 through 3 of Ephesians
tells us who God is and what God Almighty has done for us
in the blessed person of the Lord Jesus Christ Reconciling
us back to Him. Peace had to be made between
God and fallen man. And Christ has reconciled His
people back to God. Paul the Apostle says, Now be
ye reconciled. And only in regenerating grace
is that so. That God Almighty gives us a
new heart and calls us to Himself and gives us a hunger and a thirst
to hear of Him. Chapters 4 through 6 of Ephesians
relates the effect of regeneration. We are not saved by works of righteousness that
we've done. You know that. You know that.
It's not what I've done for the Lord. You tell me one more time
what God's done for me. You tell me how the Lord put
away my guilt. How God chose to show mercy to
me. How that salvation was an eternal
purpose and decree and will of Almighty God and in time He performed
it. and did it through the preaching
of the gospel, that he used the means of the gospel of God's
free grace. And then tell me once again how
the Scripture sets forth that believers are going to walk like
believers. There's going to be an effect.
There's going to be a walk that is consistent with the gospel
that they believe. but they're not going to put
any trust whatsoever in their works, in their efforts. They're going to walk after Christ,
but they're going to do so by the grace of God. And all the
while, they'll have no confidence in their flesh. In chapter 4,
here's the foundation of our conversation. Here's the foundation
of our walk before God. I, therefore, the prisoner of
the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
you're called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
for bearing one another in love, endeavoring, now listen to this,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. There's one body, one Spirit,
even as you're called in one hope of your calling, one Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above
all, through all, and in you all. I thank God that I can be
with you tonight and that we can assemble ourselves together
in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and be refreshed in our
heart hearing of Him. Tell me of Him one more time. Tell me of Him. Here's His mercy
not to ever leave us alone. Now let me tell you what He's
done for us in bringing us together to teach us. Verses 7 and 8. But unto every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore,
he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and he gave gifts unto men." Now, the scripture sets forth
that the Lord's gifts to His people for their maturing, for
their perfecting. Verse 11, He gave some apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. for the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ. He did this for the undertaking
of the ministry and the establishing of what Almighty God was going
to do for His people. He's going to perfect us. He's
going to do it through the preaching of the gospel. We need to grow. But the only way we're going
to grow is hearing of Him. This is the only message that
the Spirit of God is going to bless. It's for the edifying,
for the building up of the body of Christ. How long is He going
to do this? Well, look at verse 13. Till
we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of
the Son of God unto a perfect, mature man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Till we all come in
the oneness of the persuasion and the full discernment of Christ
till we see Him. Now, when is that going to be?
Well, it's going to be when we see Him. Look at 1 John 3.2.
1 John 3.2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. Now I'll just stop for just a
second and just muse on that. A man or woman that trusts Him,
that trusts Him. Not in any works that they've
done, they trust Him. Now are we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be. But we know that when He shall
appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
How are we? Now are we the sons of God. What
are we? Being sons of God in 1 John 3
verse 9, "...whosoever is born of God,
doth not commit sin. For his seed, the seed of Christ,
remaineth in him, and he cannot sin. An unbeliever, this old man,
this old carnal nature, with which we've all been born, and
we all still have, it cannot not sin. It cannot, it cannot
not sin. The old man cannot cease from
sinning. When the Lord looked and saw that there were None righteous,
not the wickedness of man. Every thought of his imagination
was only evil. Every thought was only evil. You know what that meant? He
could not not sin. We have an old man that is absolutely
wretched. That's what Paul said. Oh, wretched
man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? What death? That wretched man
that I am. You've got two natures and they
are the opposite ends of the spectrum. One of them cannot
not sin and the other one doth not commit sin. He cannot sin
because his seed remaineth in him. Brethren, Now are we the
sons of God struggling in this world, warring, fighting. I mean, there's no mixing of
these two natures. These two natures are absolutely
opposed to one another. They war and strive. Till we all come into unity,
verse 13, to the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullest Christ. Verse 14 says that we henceforth
be no more children tossed to and fro. Don't be resembling
children tossed to and fro, holding on
to no fixed course. I mean, man outside of Christ,
is a wayward, wandering man. Sheep. Sheep. Carried about with every wind
of doctrine, every doctrine of man. And that's dangerous. Dangerous. It's dangerous to
not believe the gospel. Galatians 1. Verses 8 and 9,
but though we are an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man
preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received,
let him be accursed. Is it bad to preach anything
other than the gospel of God's free grace? It's soul damning.
It's soul damning. to preach or to believe any other
gospel. And this by the slight of men,
verse back in Ephesians 4, that we henceforth be no more children
tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine by
the slight of men. Now let me tell you, by the art
of deception, by the slight of men, playing upon men's carnal
reasoning. They're playing games. But it's
a deadly game. Deadly, deadly game. Whenever
you hear a man stand up and lie on God, and lie about men, and give men all the honor and
the glory and the praise for what they've done. They always speak in such a way
that it always appears as though that they're doing it out of
love. We love people. If it's not the gospel of God's
grace, let me tell you what they are. And recognize, I said this
last week, I'm going to say it again. I was vividly reminded
of it today. Whenever someone stands up and
exalts man and completely ignores the glory of God in the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ, let me tell you what's really happening.
Now here is the The slight of man and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive. They're going to say it in such
a way to where they make it appear as though that they care. That
they care. This is what it's going to come
across. The slight of man. Kind of like a little trick.
Didn't even catch that, did you Mark? See how it just... Didn't
see it. Cunning craftiness. They lie
and wait to deceive. The flood that comes out of Satan's
mouth, which is a false gospel. And the purpose of that false
gospel, I've read that before, it's in Revelation 12. The purpose
of the false gospel is to wash away the bride. To destroy the
bride. The world helps the bride by
God's power, God's grace to the bride, to the sheep, to the elect,
to the church. And the earth opens up her mouth
and swallows it. And God Almighty gives men what
they want. That's what they want. He gives
them. He gives them a life. And they're helping, but the
reason for false religion, if you want to know why there's
so many different ones, God gives men what they want. You want
a little variety? Pick the one you want. Pick your
poison. Which one sounds good to you?
I told you years ago about Darwin Pruitt's nephew asking me. He
said, Darwin, you say that God is sovereign. They say that man
is free will. How am I going to know the difference?
How do I know? Darwin told him, he said, but
for the grace of God you won't. And but for the grace of God,
you'll settle down in one of these false deceptions. You'll
settle down right there and you'll perish. That's right. Cunning craftiness. Now, having
said all of that, bringing us to this verse 17 to 19, the Apostle
Paul says, this I say therefore, and testifying the Lord that
you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of
their mind. Speaking to converted Gentiles,
now listen, this is for us tonight. Knowing what Almighty God has
done for us, chosen us, predestinated us, gave us gifts, gave us apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers for the perfecting of
the saints. Paul says, I say therefore and
testify in the Lord. This is from the Lord. I'm telling
you what I've received from the Lord, that you henceforth walk
not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minds. Before,
men, all of us, we were all born like this. We had worthless thoughts
in the vanity, vain, worthless thoughts about God. This is what we thought. We had worthless thoughts about
God. God wants to save this. God desires. He makes him a beggar. Worthless thoughts about ourselves. It's all up to you. The Lord's
done all He can do. Really, He's not omnipotent if
He's done all He can do and is waiting on you. Worthless thoughts
about the Lord Jesus Christ. that He came into this world
to make salvation possible. No. You call His name Jesus because
you know what He's going to do? He's going to save His people
from their sins. I love these shalls. He will. He will. He shall not fail. Men
are born vain in their reasoning. That's the deceitfulness of our
heart as we're born in Adam. Deceitful above all things. You
think of all the things in this world that are deceitful, liars,
liars. The thing that's the most deceitful
is the human carnal heart. So the apostle exhorts, he said,
I've told you all these things that you henceforth walk not
as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. When we
are by the grace of God through the power of God's Spirit given
life in Christ, we ought not walk or have our conduct. seek to find pleasure and happiness
in this world. And we're all prone to do that.
I'm telling you. There's an old man there and
I'm telling you, that's what, you know, we're acting as though
we're going to be here forever. And I'm telling you, I've said
this before, this may be the last time that somebody in here
ever hears the truth preached again. If it's me, Lord, have
mercy on my soul. This world is fleeting. Psalm 39, 5, Behold, thou hast
made my days as a hand-breath. Remember, I told you that. It's
just hand-breath. In mine ages is nothing before
thee. Now listen to this Scripture. I saw something in this Scripture
that I'd never seen before. Barely every man at his best
state, settled state, at his settled
state. I'm talking about a man that
now has been settled down. Every man at his best state is
altogether vanity. There's not one thing that this
man right here, Wretched man that's still with me, sin is
mixed with all that I do. Lord, as you say that there's
a new man there that doesn't sin, Lord, I believe you. I believe you. But oh, how I
don't see him. I don't see him. I know he's
there. I know him, love him. But everything
that I see that I do is mixed with sin. Then Paul continues. His warning, verses 18-19, having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through ignorance that's in them because of the blindness of their
heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto
lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. Now, it's not
that men are born ignorant of the things of this world. It's
not. Men are wise in evil things. But in spiritual things, their
understanding is darkened. That's what he said. Having their
understanding darkened. Paul says, don't walk as other
Gentiles walk. Having their understanding darkened,
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that's
in them because of the blindness of their heart. Men are alienated
from the life of God because of sin. But this understanding
of the life of God, a right and proper knowledge of God Himself,
His will, His purpose, His sovereignty, man is not born with that. Their understanding is darkened. Because of the ignorance that's
in them, the blindness, the hardness of their heart. Turn to 2 Corinthians 4. 2 Corinthians
4. 2 Corinthians 4, verses 3 and 4.
Now listen to this. If our gospel
be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.
in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Now the Lord
is pleased to use Satan. It says here, they're blinded
by the God of this world. The Lord is pleased to hide. And the Lord Jesus Christ thanked
the Father that He had hidden these things from them. If it's
God's will to hide, man is going to be hidden from seeing. If our gospel is hid, it's hid
to them that are lost, they that are blinded in their minds by
the God of this world. Their minds are filled with nothing
but the ignorance, of Almighty God. They go through this world
professing to know Him. They speak of Him. They speak
as though they know Him. But by God Almighty's wise and
omnipotent permission. Remember, God created Satan. The devil is God's devil. And Almighty God does as He will.
The army of heaven. And he gives Satan permission
and power to blind men's hearts as they're born in Adam. Satan can't keep the gospel from
being preached in this world. He cannot keep God Almighty from
saving. He's bound in his ability. Remember, it is the Lord. who
is all-powerful. All power, the Lord Jesus Christ
said, is given unto me, that I should give eternal life to
as many as thou hast given him. But Satan is the great blinder
of carnal men. And concerning this gospel being
hidden, you remember this, if Almighty God withholds, no man
is going to see. No man will behold. Men said,
I don't think that's fair. Well, let me ask you this, shall
the potters of this world speak against Jehovah? Who art thou,
old man, that replies against God? Man's ignorance and darkness
is man's fault. When Adam rebelled against God,
he died spiritually. Is God unjust? for allowing man
to continue in what he wants to do. Friend, the safest place
that you will ever find yourself is sitting under the sound of
the truth. The truth alone is going to set
a man free. David said, Psalm 119, 10, Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The Lord
again thanked the Father for hiding these things from the
wise and prudent in themselves. To bow to His Word is by the
grace of God. If you believe the Gospel, if
I believe the Gospel tonight, it's by God's grace that I do
so. Why would the Lord show mercy
to one such as I? Because it pleased Him to do
so. Praise unto Him who said, I will have mercy on whom I'll
have mercy, and I'm going to have compassion on whom I'll
have compassion. So then, it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."
If a man or woman perishes, it's because that's what they
wanted. God is just. He'll give a man just exactly
what he desires. To say that I will not have this
man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, mediator, to rule over
me, if that's what a man wants, if that's what a woman wants,
that's what they'll have. But if a sinner is rescued from
the plague of his own rebellion, if Almighty God in mercy and
power reaches down and gives that man a new heart. I'm gonna give you a new heart.
Now you think about this. No rebel against God ever asked
for this before he got it. I'm gonna give you a new heart. I'm gonna birth you again from
heaven. I'm going to remove that heart of stone. I'm going to
dethrone it. And sin's not going to have dominion
over you. And I'm going to be your God.
And you're going to be my people. And I'm going to teach you. And
I'm going to mature you. And I'm going to send you a pastor.
And they're going to feed you with knowledge and understanding.
And when you all come together, I'm going to meet with you. And my will is that where I am,
there that's where you're going to be also. And all of these
things, all of these spiritual blessings, they're found in the
Lord Jesus Christ for His merit, for His honor, for His glory.
and for our eternal good. And knowing those things, I'll
just read this to you. This I say therefore and testify
in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not, as other Gentiles walk,
in the vanity of their mind, vain thoughts of God, vain thoughts
of yourself, vain thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ, having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that's in them because of the blindness
of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves
over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness."
And then verse 20 says, "...but ye have not so learned Christ."
Brethren, this evening, We've not learned Christ that way. Let every one of us esteem the
other better than themselves. Don't walk in the van. Don't
walk as other Gentiles, you know, greediness. Esteem each other. Brethren, love one another. Pray for one another. for the
glory of God, for the fellowship of the brethren. This is the
bride of Christ, His body, His peace, our peace, His comfort
to us. Walk as believers. Lord have
mercy upon us here for Christ's sake.