All right, this is indeed a great
passage, a great eulogy from the Apostle Paul with having
to do with our great salvation. So look at the third verse. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessing in heavenlies in Christ. 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, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of His will." Watch this. to the praise of
the glory of His grace, and watch this, wherein He hath made us
accepted in the Beloved. And we'll work off of that, wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. And in a bit, we'll
come to it and look at it. Now, let me warn you or lead
you in this way. that we are indeed aware that
we are casting our nets indeed into very deep water and hoping
for a great spiritual catch of the morning. This is a subject
that we're dealing with that was once preached as the truth
by many of the old-time preachers, but is hardly ever heard or heard
little or heard not to a great degree in our day and in our
time. And I'm sad to say it is even
looked upon with suspicion by some who name themselves as being
Reformed or Sovereign Grace. of old, John Gill, one of my
favorite commentators, was in the middle of this doctrinal
fight, and he took a very strong stand for the subject that we
are looking at today, and that is that our union with Christ
is an eternal one. that it is from everlasting in
a way only the Spirit is able to give us understanding and
to teach it. Gilles strongly complained against
the tactics of the adversary of this great doctrine because
they charged that holding to this doctrine would make one
weak on the subject of sin. They argued They tried the two
things together and they argue that those who hold to eternal
union, taught that believers are, and I'm quoting them, need
not be afraid of their sins, unquote. And that somehow it
will give one the attitude that sin is a light thing and is not
anything to be greatly concerned about." To which Brother Gill
replied that their making the unlikely connection was nothing
more than a ploy on their part to bring the doctrine of eternal
union into disgrace and to cast aspersion upon the doctrine of
the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Now, this is a very common tactic
of merit mongers even until this very day. If you would, allow
me a short time to make what I think is a vital point and
an answer to that accusation, which can be relevant to what
we have just said. And I will give some examples
of how there are certain ones who seek to destroy and disgrace
some of the great doctrines of the Bible by trying to associate
them or blame them for licentiousness on the part of Christian or professing
believer. Here is an example or two. Number
one, that if one is an elect and is predestinated to salvation,
then they may live as they please. After all, God knows the end
and will bring it to pass. Example number two. Salvation
by grace and by grace alone without anything required or contributed
by the sinner will make one live in sin and be loose and licentious. A libertine. Not according to
Paul in Romans chapter 6. How shall they that are dead
to sin live any longer therein? Thirdly. to tell believers that
they are not under the law will also cause them to be libertines
and live a fleshly life. And yet, we remember that there
are many who think that they are under the law and have done
all they can to put themselves under the law, who also live
loose and licentious lives in their own personal endeavor. Example number four, some draw
the same conclusion from the doctrine of eternal security. Do you hold to eternal security
or the perseverance of the saints? You know that there are those
who charge that this will cause people to live a loose and a
sinful life. We do not deny that that some
have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. Certainly
they have done that, but they are without the grace of God,
and we see that in Jude verse 4. Then I wind up the digression
with this. that all good and true doctrine,
every doctrine of the scripture, has in some way, in some time,
by some men, been perverted, corrupted, abused, and denied
and opposed. Good doctrine may be taken in
a wrong way twisted out of its original intent. And yet grace
is still grace, God is still God, his purpose is still his
purpose, and God is still true even if every man is a liar. Now with that digression behind
us, with a hope that it proves relevant, to our present subject
and study of the day. We return again, therefore, to
the subject that is at hand, and that is the mystical union
between Christ and those called the elect. Now, this union is
pictured in several ways in the scripture, too strong to be denied
or to be overlooked, such being known and recognized by the people
of the world that is used as an image for the union of Christ
and his people. One of them in the scripture
is that intimate union of Christ and his church as husband or
groom and bride. She is his bride, he is the groom. You find that in Ephesians chapter
5. Again, it is represented as the
head and the body. Christ is the head and the church
is the body. Colossians 1.18, Ephesians 5.23,
and Ephesians 4.23. 15 and 16 then there's that beautiful
imagery in John chapter 15 of the vine and the branches I Am
the vine said the Lord and you are the branches therefore they
grow out and by and off of him and receive their nourishment
and their life and their strength from him who is the root and
is the branch then There's the foundation and the building. Christ is the foundation of his
church, and the church is the building, Ephesians 2, 20 and
22. Now, before we proceed, let's
be reminded that the question today is not just about a believer's
union with the Lord Jesus Christ, per se. It is not only about
a union or some union. Most can be called Christian,
believe that there is some sort of a union between themselves
and the Lord Jesus Christ, his people. Calvin reasoned like
that. No person can benefit from Christ's
redemption, redemptive work, unless there be some union that
is formed between Christ and they. that every saving blessing,
and I would repeat that, every saving blessing that flows unto
us, all these spiritual blessings that are mentioned in our text
this morning come through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. That this union, therefore, is
the way that these blessings are given or realized by us. And they are ignorant of this,
if they are, or they deny at the same time that there is any
connection between the spiritual blessing and the union with our
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, some Unionist views must
be rejected as inadequate and even heretical teaching in our
day, such as that the mystery who think that there is a merging
of the essence of God and the essence of man. There are those
who teach that the essence of man is merged into the essence
of God, so that man actually becomes God. And then there's
the view of the rationalist, that there is a union of or with
the Christian logos in all human spirits, that in some way the
human spirit, therefore, is united unto the divine logos, or the
Word, or the Lord Jesus Christ. Then there's the view of the
Sassanian that the mystical union is nothing more than a moral
union of mutual love, and it does not include Christ being
in you, the hope of glory, as Paul says in the Scripture. Now,
concerning the union of which we speak, the union of Christ
and his people, and then the question, what or where is the
point of contention? As already stated, it's not about
union per se. because many think of a union
with Christ. It is not about who are in union
with Christ, but the issue becomes when and what in regard to the
union with Christ. In other words, when is or was
that union formed? When did that union take effect? The union of Christ with his
people. At what point is the union in
effect between the two? Is it in time? Is it in our lifetime,
for we did not live until our lifetime, or is it or was it
in eternity? Was it before the foundation
of the world that this union with Christ and his people was
solidified and formed? And then what? The question of
what? What is the point of contact
Well, let's say it like this. What is the cementing bond between
Christ and his people, this union? What gives the union its substance? What makes it a reality so that
it produces the desired result and the desired fruits? Is it
our faith? Is our faith that solidifies
and brings the union into effect? Is it our faith that does so? Is it our love or our devotion
to the Lord Jesus Christ? And when we love him and submit
to him, then the union is solidified at that time. Or is it the seal
of the Holy Spirit of God put upon? Or is it the promise of
God? Or further back, is it the decree
of God and the purpose of God from all eternity? Thus we can
see that when anyone agrees up to the point that there is indeed
a union between Christ and his people, yet there is much more
to discuss and consider and a clear definition then given of that
union. Let me try to illustrate it,
and I think I feel another digression coming on. Take, for example,
Many will say, oh yes, I believe in election. I believe the Bible
teaches the doctrine of election and then they explain it like
this. I believe, some say, God elected
all, everyone without exception. That's the position of some in
the world. Or others say, I believe we are
elected when we believe and accept Christ and are converted. Or others will say, well, I believe
election applies to Israel as the nation and not individual. Others there are who say, well,
I believe that election only applies not to salvation, but
on the service. Now what kind of an election
is this indeed? Take foreknowledge again on the
other hand. Some take it to mean only God
looking ahead and knowing what would occur because he's omniscient
and because he knows all things. So he knows what would happen.
Poor knowledge is nothing more than God being able to look down
through the corridors of history and of time and know what will
occur. And so some say he appointed
those things because he saw that they would occur. Just as they
say, he elected this one because he foresaw that they would believe
and would accept Christ. Again, take the doctrine of foreordination. Some will say, yes, I believe
in foreordination or predestination. I believe, they say, that God
predestinates those whom he looked ahead and knows or foresees will
accept Christ and others say no it is after the believer has
come to Christ from then on they are predestinated to eternal
life and predestinated unto heaven so you can see that this is a
complex issue union with Christ does not mean the same thing
to all that confess that they believe and in a union with Christ
or between Christ and his people. And I agree with John Gill. The
opinion of these people are largely based upon two matters. and he
names them. Number one, by hearing or reading
the opinion of those that they hold in high regard. If you like somebody, if you
like a preacher, you have to believe what he says, whether
it's true or not, and it's sound doctrine. But then secondly,
because they have not logically thought the matter through and
may not be sufficiently acquainted with election and the divine
purpose and such like, not having perhaps heard or been taught. Let's go back to those two questions. When is the union formed? When was it in force? At what point is this union solidified
and effective? And number two, What is the cementing
bond of this union between Christ and his people? Is it the decree
of God in eternity or the faith of the person in the time of
history? Now, it seems that logic and
reason would show us. To answer the first would also
go very far in answering the second. When was it formed also
would answer the question of what is it that gives it its
essence. But now, let's put our attention
upon what Paul has written here in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse
6 that we read as part of that great passage on the saving purpose
of God. After I tell you that Thomas
Goodwin the Puritan in his exposition of Ephesians, one of the best
I think that I've read, He makes the distinction between the blessings
that were done for our salvation before the world began and then
in time. That there was a work done by
God before the world, there is a work done by God in time with
regard unto our salvation. And the question is, verse 6
of Ephesians chapter 1, Which does that belong to? Are these part of the eternal
blessings with which you have blessed us? Or are they the beginning
of those that are done in time? Who is this beloved? Made us
accepted in the beloved. Is that the church, the people
of God? They're sometimes or often called
beloved. I believe that here it is the
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Made us accepted in the beloved. And me thinks that Goodwin is
right. That being made accepted in the
beloved, belongs among those blessings that were given or
bestowed before the foundation of the world. For the first thing,
please notice, Paul in this passage in Ephesians 1, Paul changes
tenses after verse 6. And you need to notice that as
you read, just like you notice the tenses in Romans chapter
7, when he speaks of the past and he speaks of the present.
But he changes tenses after verse 6, beginning at verse 7, if you
notice. From verse 3 through verse 6,
he speaks in the past tense. See it again. Having blessed
us, verse 3. Having chosen us in Christ, verse
4. Having foreordained us, in verse
5. And having accepted us in the
beloved, in verse 6. Then in verse 7, he speaks in
a more present tense, in whom we are having redemption, even
the forgiveness of sin. I want you to look at the word
accepted in Ephesians 1 and verse 6. in our King James it is translated,
hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In another translation,
a version, you may have another word. It is but this one time
and one more is this word used anywhere in the New Testament. And you know where the other
place is? It is in Luke chapter 1 and verse 28. It is the message of the angel
of God unto the chosen vessel Mary. And it says in King James,
thou art highly favored. And that's the same word that
we have here in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 6. Now this has been
hijacked and misapplied by some in order to deify the Virgin
Mary. Thou art highly favored. But the word means to be gracious. It means to highly favor. It means to act in and with grace
favor toward an individual. John Eady put it like this, referring
to the past indefinite time, unquote. It is a bestowing of
grace in abundance and is done in his beloved, wherein he graced
us, in the beloved the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we have grace? before
we believe and repent? Can grace be ours or grace be
towards us before we believe and repent? Can grace be ours
before Christ even became incarnate, even before the world? Well,
I'm going to give you a text that says yes. 2 Timothy chapter
1 and verse 9 speaks of our having been given grace in Christ before
the world began. Now note, in Christ, before the
world began. Now if we were chosen in Christ
before the world, if we were given grace in Christ before
the world, then it implies a union, certainly a relationship of some
sort with Christ, as we see here in Ephesians chapter 1. What
does it say? Hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places, in Christ before the foundation
of the world. For ordained us to the adoption
of children, and highly favored us, made us accepted. Verse 6,
end of 11. Now all of these, as Thomas Goodwin
wrote, are founded upon our relationship to the person of God's beloved,
the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, this is making us accepted,
highly favored, has two things here to commend it that we want
to be sure to notice. Number one, It is grounded in
the one who is God's beloved. This is my beloved son, God said
during the ministry of our Lord. And there is not another so near
or dear to God as is his only beloved and begotten son. But the second thing that we
ought to note is that it is eternal. It is from everlasting, from
before the world, from the beginning. The union is formed by that eternal
decree of God before the world ever began. And it is to be seen
in its intended end, a display of the manifold grace of God
in Christ Jesus. in the rescuing of God's people
that he chose and that Christ died for. So let's consider,
when did Christ become our surety? Here's another argument. Christ
is the surety of the New Testament or Covenant, Ephesians, I'm sorry,
Hebrews chapter seven tells us he is the surety. And we know
what a surety is. Assured is one who assumes the
debt, the responsibility of another to pay upon that person default. So Christ became the surety of
the covenant. Now the question, when did Christ
become the surety of the covenant? Was it when he became incarnate?
When he stepped in our flesh and assumed it in union with
his divine nature? Or was it when our sins were
rolled over upon the Lord Jesus Christ? Or was it when he died
yonder on the cross bearing our sin? Nay, his surety ship is
as old as the covenant. He was made a surety of the covenant. Now that covenant has to have
a surety. It has to have one to answer
for the debt of those that it is intended to bless. And it
must have one because all fell into sin in Adam. So here's the
question. When were we first in the Lord
Jesus Christ? When we believed? No, says the
scripture, from the foundation of the world. Chosen in Him. the foundation of the world. When was Christ slain for our
sin? At Calvary? Well yes, he actually
died and suffered at the cross, but scripture said he was slain
from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13 and verse 8. Of
course, not actually, but then in the decree, in the purpose,
in the will of God. God therefore established a purpose. Christ became the surety of the
covenant and was slain in the mind and the decree of God. from the foundation of the world. There's another verse found in
1 Peter 1, verse 20, who was foreordained before the foundation
of the world, that is, the Lord was to die. Now, when did God
first love his elect? Now, it is the doctrine of Arminianism,
most of the world, that God loves people. Most believe that he
loves all, and that without exception. So the question then can legitimately
be raised, when did God first fix his love upon his people? Was it when they believed? Did
he not love them until they believed? Was it when they began to reciprocally
love God in return? No, His love is everlasting. I have loved you with an everlasting
love. He loved them no less I want
you to hear this. He loved them no less when they
were dead in trespasses and sin, and loves them no more when they
are quickened and walking in a way of righteousness. In whichever
state or condition they may be in, nothing can separate them
or diminish or exterminate the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus, Romans chapter 8. John gilled in a contingent with
one of his contemporaries concerning this union with Christ did write,
and I would like to quote, there is an elect union, a legal union,
a federal union, a representative union between Christ and the
elect from everlasting. And then he added these words,
quote, all these take their rise from the everlasting love of
God in Jesus Christ, unquote. Come, let us reason together
now. If there is no union prior to
faith and conversion, then how does Paul teach the saints there
at Ephesus that they were quickened together with Christ, that they
were raised up together with Christ, that they were made to
sit together in heavenlies in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2, verse
5 and verse 6. And to the Colossians, chapter
2 and verse 13, Quickened together with him now that stands for
Christian of all ages But some were not even born when that
occurred Quicken died with him resurrected with him ascended
with him in him and to those Saints at Rome Paul in Romans
6 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him. And how does Paul say in Galatians
2 20, I am crucified with Christ. And by the way, this is also
how he became dead to the law by and through the body of the
Lord Jesus Christ. This is how he became dead to
sin. I'm crucified with Christ. How? How can that be apart from
some special union and relation between Christ and his people? And you think that we were not
born till long after Christ died and bore our sin and yet were
we crucified with him. We died with him under sin and
we raised again with him. Furthermore, if there is no union
and if that union is not eternal, then there is no such thing as
a blessed doctrine that I love called eternal justification,
because they stand or they fall together. And there is no justification
apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, whether viewed from the standpoint
of eternal, by the death of Christ, or by the grace of faith. Perhaps the reason that so few
hold do not hold a view on eternal justification is they have not
a proper concept of that union that is established between Christ
and the elect. For if there is no eternal union,
how then were we given grace in the Christ before the world
began? And in another direction with
our study and our thinking, if no eternal union what is become
of that blessed doctrine of eternal security. If there's not a union,
what upon does eternal security then stand? if there's not a
union unbreakable between Christ and the elect, better known as
the perseverance of the saints. And we just finished a study
of that some time back. Thus, this mystical union between
Christ and the elect need not be delayed until they have actual
being or until they actually believe or are converted. It is not the first forming of
the union when one is brought to faith in Christ. A man named
Abraham Kuyper in his book put it like this, Scripture teaches
that we were in the Lord Jesus Christ when he died on the cross,
when he rose from the dead, when he ascended into heaven, and
have been seated with him at the right hand of God." For when
the Father chose us in the Son and gave us grace in the Son,
a mystic union was established between the son and the elect,
one that cannot be nullified. In fact, I read one author who
said of this eternal and mystical union that not only does it exist,
but it is so deep and so extensive that any and all subsequent relations
with Immanuel, quote, spring from this fundamental root relation
alone." This union, therefore, is the source or the conduit
of all the spiritual blessings that are ours. So if we be asked
to define or sum up this union, we could do it, I think, by the
short quote that I've taken from Lewis Burkhall, quote, that intimate,
vital, and spiritual union between Christ and his people by virtue
of which he is the source of their life and of their strength,
of their blessedness and salvation, unquote, the union that has been
established. Now, this union, if compared
to a river, and it might be, runs not underground all of its
course. For while Paul said it was not
made known as it now is, it was not made known to the people
of God. But then God broke up the fountains
of the deep in the incarnation when the union by decree would
be actually brought to fruition in the saving work of God and
the Spirit and Christ in the salvation of the elect, fulfilled
through the Incarnate One, by Him assuming our nature in union
with His own, not only to manifest and to confirm the union, but
that it might be subjectively realized and brought to bear
in the case and conversion of those chosen in Christ, the elect
bringing them into literal spiritual communion with the Lord Jesus
Christ, our blessed Savior. Now, if faith alone be that bond
of the union, then the union is at any time no stronger than
the faith of that believer or of that elect. And it is faith. Or is it faith or is it an act
of faith? The principle of faith or an
act of faith? Is not faith the gift of God?
Yes, says Paul, it is a work and a gift of God. I think we
ought to quickly face another objection, which was of old raised
against the doctrine of eternal union. That eternal union would
have, quote, Thou leprous members united with him." That's the
argument of some. Eternal union would have thou
leprous members united with him. And that one cannot be in Christ
prior to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within them They
must first be cleansed of their sin as a condition of union with
the Lord Jesus Christ. Sounds strong? Well, how shall
we answer that? We might remind them of the likeness
of eternal union and eternal justification, how they run parallel
one with the other. But this would carry no weight
with them, as they that reject one also have no problem rejecting
the other. So as to two doctrines standing
or falling together, one down the other also. So we challenge
them to two points in closing our study today. Number one,
Are the saints and believers, the converted, are they in union
with Christ? Have they a literal, mystical,
spiritual union with Christ? Then the second question is,
are they perfect? They are in union with Christ,
but have they ceased sinning? No, they have not. They still
sin, and yet is the union with Him not broken? And it might
be that at times we, they, feel ourselves foul, leprous members
of our blessed Savior. Even Paul had that feeling if
you read it in Romans chapter 7. Secondly, Take the question
or the doctrine of the love of God. Now, if I mistake not, it
is the general consensus, the opinion and the belief of these
same ones who deny eternal union that God loved his people before
they were a Christian and before they were ever converted, before
they were in union with him by faith. How can he love then? foul, leprous people, if we want
to turn the argument back upon them. Because His love is everlasting. It had no beginning, it can have
no end. That which had no beginning can
have no end. His love is everlasting. It abides in whatever condition
the elect pass through, even when they're dead in sin. You
turn on the TV and the radio, anytime you'll hear preachers
telling lost sinners God loves you. God loves you. He wants
you to be saved. You hear that all of the time. How could that love be upon foul,
leprous sinners unless it is eternal and therefore had no
beginning? God's works were finished before
the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4 and verse 3. Romans chapter 4 verse 17. He calls those things which are
not as though they were. He said Abraham would be a father
when his wife was barren and when they were procreatively
dead. He said Abraham would be a father. He called those things
which were not yet as though they were. That's no problem
with God. for he is all-powerful and has
all knowledge. Now the union is what Gill called
an elect union in Christ from everlasting unquote. Now who
could disagree with that taking the scripture at face value,
sealed by the will and by the decree of God Almighty. This union therefore is formed,
this most perfect union that cannot be severed for it is formed
by God with an everlasting bond. So I hope that the doctrine of
vital union would be a blessing unto us today.