This is one of the great, great
epistles with regard to salvation, the work of God, and salvation
through our Christ and how it is brought unto us. So in verse
1 of chapter 2 through verse 7. and you." You notice those
words have been quickened in the King James in italics, they're
not in the original text, so it says, and you who were dead
in trespasses and sin, wherein in time past you walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now works. in the children
of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation,
or literally our manner of life or conduct, in time past in the
lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy
for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, has quickened us to gather with Christ, by grace
you're saved, and hath raised us up together, made us to sit
together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
towards us through Jesus Christ. Now watch verse 1 again, you,
dead, in trespasses, and in sin, and then verse 5, even when we
were dead in sin, has quickened us together with Christ. Let me come at our study this
morning in this manner, by this manner, of introducing our subject. It is a blessing when we meditate
on and when we contemplate on the divine remedies, let me say,
the different divine remedies that God has provided for the
different spiritual maladies into which the human family fell
in Adam. Each and every one of these maladies
was, as it were, a bar to heaven except a remedy be provided for
each and every one of them. For example, We were condemned
except God had provided for us a free justification in Jesus
Christ. We were sinful. He provided us
a saving righteousness again through our Lord and Jesus Christ. saving for us the best robe,
the righteousness of God. We were in darkness and ignorance
and the light shined into our heart by the Spirit of grace. We were as sheep going astray
in our ignorance and in our lostness. And the Great Shepherd came found
us and brought us again with rejoicing into the fold. We were bound as prisoners in
our sin and depravity, and the Almighty Liberator broke our
shackles and set us free. Also, we were enemies of God,
and yet God reconciled us unto Himself making us friends again
by the Lord Jesus. We owed a great debt of sin,
impossible for us to pay, but our surety, the Lord Jesus settled
the claim everywhere, to the satisfaction of the great paymaster
who had demanded the debt. so that we now owe not a farfling
for all that God has given unto us. Now, if I might use the illustration
before we move along, our good Samaritan, the Lord Jesus Christ,
passed by, finding us there, wounded and bleeding from our
wounds of sin, and near unto death. He had compassion upon
us, he bound up our wounds and he poured in oil and wine, carried
us unto the inn, saying unto the keeper, whatsoever more,
whatsoever is needed, I will pay thee, I will take care of
it. But one of the worst maladies
which sin had visited upon us, even as the elect of God, is
spiritual death. And it is declared twice in the
text that we read in Ephesians. In verse 1, you were dead in
trespasses and in sin. Down in verse 5, even when we
were dead in sin. Now, in the twin epistle to that
of Ephesians, and I'm talking about the Colossian epistle,
chapter 2 and verse 13, Paul puts it a slightly different
way. And you being dead in your sin
and the uncircumcision of your flesh. We'll bring that in later. So let us put this on hold a
bit in order that we might get a glimpse of the state of those
to whom Paul is writing in this epistle. As he says in verse
1, you, He is speaking to those in the assembly. Again in verse
11 He said, ye are literally you. Now we see from down in
verse 11 and following that there were Gentiles and evidently quite
a few of them in the Ephesian assembly or church. He calls
them Gentiles in the flesh, or Gentiles according to the flesh
as it is down in verse 11. Now if we might follow up on
this, this we see that the Gentiles stood at a double disadvantage
being Gentile. And I'll say that again, they
stood at a double disadvantage and both of them are here in
Ephesians chapter 2. There were two great obstacles
to be overcome in the case of the Gentiles, that they might
be in fellowship with Christ and that they might be in the
body of Christ, that is, in the church. So there were two things
to overcome. The first one is in verses 1
through verse 5. They had been dead, entrespassed,
and in sin. Now, this they shared in common
with all mankind. Not a one. now alive in Christ,
but once was dead in trespasses and in sin. Now, in the flesh,
life is first and then comes death. But in the spiritual realm,
death is first and then comes the gift of life. from our God. Thus the Gentiles who were there,
that Paul writes to, were by nature, or had by nature, in
common with all men, the nature, fallen nature. Secondly, there
was another obstacle, particular and unique in their case, And
Paul carries this from verse 11 and following, for Paul reminds
them that they were Gentile. He has reminded them what they
were by nature, dead in trespasses and sin. now reminds them what
they were by nationality or by being Gentiles in the flesh. Children of Abraham, they were
not. They were strangers from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant and from the
promises of God. In short, in their past they
had been without Christ, they had been without God, and they
had been without hope in the world. But our present focus
is upon verses 1 through verse 7. where we have the two parts
of our study, dead in sin and then quickened by the power of
God's wonderful grace, made alive, born from above, regeneration
if you prefer, given spiritual life, born of God, as John loves
to call it in his epistle. Now, Methinks, for what it is
worth, that they are right to think that there is no necessity
for a division of chapters here in this particular place. That
it is not a new subject at all that has been brought in, and
that the only reason for the division is to better find our
place in the Word of the Lord. There is no new subject that
commences at chapter 2 and verse 1. That, as John Eady, the Scotch
Calvinist, did write, the apostle resumes the thought which he
had broken off in verse 20 back in chapter 1. And that subject
was the greatness of God's power unto salvation as seen in the
raising up of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ again from the dead. Not only raising Him up, but
elevating Him to the very right hand of God in heaven. That Christ was dead, that Christ
was in the grave, and that for three days and three nights,
and God raised him up from the dead. Here is the connection,
that God delivered him from the cords, or the bonds, or the bands
of death. I'll say it again, Paul says
Christ was dead, and God raised him up Not only, not just a new
earthly life, but elevating him to his own right hand in the
heavenly places. Thomas Goodwin probably wrote
the most extensive commentary on the book of Ephesians that
I have ever seen. Up through chapter 2 and verse
10, his book covers. He said that it was the drift
and the scope of the Apostle Paul from Ephesians 1 and verse
19, quote, to make a parallel comparison between what was done
in Christ our head and what has been done in we the members."
Now, in other words, what was done in Christ by the power of
God has in a sense been duplicated in the elect. So we have seen
the connection between the last few verses of chapter 1 and the
first few verses of chapter 2, which is in reality a connection
between Christ and His people or His elect. Or if you prefer,
let's call it a parallel between what was done in Christ and what
has been replicated in His members or His people or in His elect. Now, let's ask the question,
what was done in Christ, and we want to look back in chapter
1. We take note of three things
in the end, or close to the end, of chapter 1. First of all, look
at verse 20. God raised Christ from the state
of the dead. In Ephesians chapter 1, verse
19, the last part, and verse 20, the first part, quote, according
to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ
when He raised Him from the dead." Now, to simplify that, Christ
was dead. Christ died. Christ was buried. Christ was in a state of death
and God raised Him from the dead. The state out of which He was
raised is death. Christ died and was raised again. Secondly, back in chapter 1,
God not only raised Christ from the dead, but He advanced Him,
He elevated Him, He exalted Him to the highest glory. When we look at Ephesians 1 verse
20 and the last part, and there it said, And set Him at His right
hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power
and might and dominion, in every name that is named, not only
in this world, but also in that which was to come, and hath put
all things under his feet, and hath given him to be head over
all things. unto the church. Now the third
thing that we see that was done in Christ, all of this was done
by the working of the mighty power of God. Chapter 1 and verse
19. Look at the phrases that roll
off of the pen of the Apostle Paul. the exceeding greatness. Again he writes, the mighty power,
the exceeding might or greatness of his power. So that's what
was done in Christ. Then In chapter 2, the apostle
sets forth the parallels that are between Christ and the elect
after the same three-fold pattern, if we may notice it carefully.
Number one, Christ was dead, God raised Him up. Even so, you
were dead in trespasses and in sin, but God quickened you. Again, verses 1 and verse 5,
we have already seen that. He quickened us together with
Christ. We dare not leave that out. God
raised up Christ. God has quickened you. Now the second thing that we
notice, God raised up Christ, not just to a continuance in
an earthly life, but raised him up and elevated him to heavenly
glory. In fact, he set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly. Even so, look what Paul said,
the elect God has wrought those things in the elect that correspond
with that done in Christ. For example, look at Ephesians
2 and verse 6, "...and hath raised us up together, and made us to
sit in heavenly places in Christ. Literally, in the heavenlies
is how it could rhyme. In the heavenly realm. And in Christ Jesus this has
occurred. Now, note something here, if
you would. We have this same expression
back in chapter 1 and verse 3, and in chapter 1 and verse 20.
In the heavenly. blessed us with all spiritual
blessing in the heavenlies or in the heavens in Christ Jesus. Thirdly, and finally, the third
parallel, all of this was done to Christ and to the elect by
and through the power of God. And for a manifestation of the
fullness of the glory of God. And not only in this world, and
not only in this life, but in that which is to come. Again,
let's compare. Chapter 1 and verse 21. That not only in this world,
but also in that which is to come. In the end. Then look at
chapter 2 and verse 7, that in the ages to come he might show
his exceeding glory. So there is that parallel or
likeness between what was done in Christ and what is done in
the elect. But now let's settle in on our
subject of the morning, which is spiritual quickening. Now,
the parallel being God quickened Christ and He has quickened you. The connection or the likeness
being the raising of Christ from the dead as John Eady called
it, was a pledge of our spiritual vivification. That is, bringing
us out of deadness in sin. So let's view it in this light.
Christ died, but it was not possible for Him to be held continually
under the power of death. God would deliver Him. God would
sever the cords of death. He would not be held forever
in the bonds of death. Even so, I submit to you, it
likewise is not possible for the elect to remain under spiritual
death. God will not leave them under
spiritual death. God will quicken them. He will,
like He quickened Christ, bring them out of their deadness. Rather, death will not and cannot
keep them forever. God, at His own time, even as
He did Christ at the proper time, will resurrect them out of spiritual
death. May I bring in a thought from
Job? Job chapter 14 and 14, there
is a question there, and it is this, If a man die, shall he
live again? Even so, parallel, if one be
dead in trespassing and in sin, can one be delivered? If one
be dead under the power of trespassing and in sin, is that death final
and irreversible? Can one be brought again out
of spiritual death into spiritual life, having been dead in trespass
and in sin? We usually think of death as
the great finality. But in the case of Christ and
in the case of the elect, it is not so. The Lord asked the
prophet Ezekiel a question. In Ezekiel 37 and in verse 3,
He carried him out into a great valley. And He showed the prophet
a valley of dead, scattered, dry bones. And he said to the
prophet, son of man, can these bones live again? What a question. The prophet
answers, only thou knowest, O God, who knowest but thee whether
these bones can live again. Who can tell? Because we read
in the text that they were many. Many dry bones. We also read
in the text that they were dry bones, with the emphasis upon
dry. In fact, very, very dry, likely
signifying that they had been in that condition and in that
state and place for a long time. There was no flesh, no tendons,
no muscles to aid in their living. Long had they been laying there
exposed to the bleaching sun in the day and the elements of
all kind And yet they were fleshed out and they lived again by the
power of God. So let's go back to the question.
Is there a remedy for spiritual death? When one has fallen over
the cliff into that death. when one is under the power of
sin? Did some doubt or deny that Christ
would live again? Were there those who said that
it was but a fantasy? Would Christ live again? And
then can one, a sinner, A sinner great and a sinner for a long
time be raised up out of that spiritual death again? Or is
it a permanent condition in their case without any remedy? If so, then none would be delivered
None would escape the power of death under sin. Now, notice
here in Ephesians 1 and 2, and we need to bring them together,
that Paul taketh a long time to lay this out. For in chapter
2 and verse 1, would follow upon chapter 1 and verse 20. And then chapter 2 and verse
5 would follow upon chapter 2 and verse 1. But when he mentions
the raising of Christ, he does not stop there, but he goes on
to describe the glory and the exaltation that was to follow. And mentioning our having been
dead in trespasses and sin. In chapter 2 and verse 1, he
first follows out with a very graphic description of our behavior
when we were dead in trespasses and sin. He does not say you
were dead and God quickened you, but he says, and you were dead
in sin, and then he gives us the manifestation of that. And it is in chapter 2 and verse
2 and verse 3 that spiritual death did manifest itself in
putrid, demeaning conduct on the part even of the elect when
they were dead in trespasses and in sin. And yet, notwithstanding,
says Paul, that wretched condition, God rich in mercy, for His great
love wherewith He loved us, in verse 4, even when we were dead
in sin, in verse 5, quickened us together with Christ. He adds, with Christ. Again,
Paul will not let us sever our quickening from Christ and the
raising of Him. Nor should it be, or could it
ever be, for we are quickened not only with Him, but on account
of Him and also through Him. Now, we ask the question, what
then is the nature of this quickening? Let's put our attention and our
focus there. Now, to answer that, we must
remember the nature of the death from which we are raised or out
of which we are delivered. Now, it concerns not physical
death. It is not the death of the body
that Paul is describing in this place. The death is spiritual. It is death of the soul, of the
spirit, of the faculties, in man, dead, in trespasses, and
in sin. So that means that the quickening
is a raising one up out of that deadness in sin. That after that,
then such are, according to Romans 6 and verse 11, alive unto God
through Jesus Christ. Listen to that, alive unto God
through Jesus Christ. The same process that delivers
from deadness in sin renders us dead to sin as set out in
Romans 6 and Romans 7. Now, we notice that while Paul
here puts a premium on this quickening, it is a wonderful blessing, an
indispensable blessing to bring the elect to heaven and happiness,
yet we notice that he does not describe, he does not take the
time, he does not stop to describe the process and how it is wrought
out in them. He does not describe how the
quickening takes place. He gives us the fact of the quickening,
but not the manner or the instrument. Saying simply, you hath he quickened. You were dead in trespasses and
sin. By the way, he doesn't enter
into the how and why. We became dead in trespasses
and sin, but the fact again. Though he does mention in chapter
2 mercy, love, and grace. All of them are involved in this
great work of God. Now by the same token, in speaking
of the raising up of the Lord, he also gives the fact but not
the process. The emphasis is on the mighty
power of God wrought, or which was effectual, or which was operative
in raising the Lord Jesus Christ out of the dead. Now that same
power also quickens the elect from their deadness and sin.
How was Christ raised then from the dead? Well, we read in the
Scripture that God raised Him, that the Spirit raised Him, and
that He took up His own life. So we might meet any of these
three in the Scripture. But Paul says in Romans 8 and
verse 11, that the Spirit raised up Christ Jesus from the dead. In John 3, the Savior Himself
said that one must be born of the Spirit or he cannot see or
enter into the kingdom of God. Again, in Ephesians chapter 2,
Paul is speaking of our raising and he is speaking of it in past
tense or as past action. Something already done in the
case of the Ephesian assembly and believers, speaking to them
as those who had been quickened from their deadness in sin. So
we see that he is not exhorting them to seek to be born again,
or to be born of God, nor is He declaring the necessity of
quickening, or being born again, as the Lord does in John 3. Or
He's not describing for us here the particular process, nor does
He attach any action whatsoever to the people themselves having
any influence on being raised out of spiritual death. They did not believe or repent
as a condition of being quickened. In fact, John who wrote strongly
on the new birth, writing in his epistle. He said something
in 1 John 5.1 that I want to call to our attention and just
look at it for a bit. He says this, 1 John 5.1, Whosoever,
that would be everyone, all, in each one, as many as believe
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Now let's look at that
very carefully. Whoso believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God. First of all, let's compare it
with 1 John 4, 15, another statement from him. Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in
God Now, in both verses we have cause
and effect. Any that believe that Jesus is
the Christ, that is, that he's the Messiah, that he is the Anointed
One, does so as a consequence of the new birth. Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ does so because he has been born of
God. Just as any that confess that
Jesus is the Son of God is evidence that God dwells in them. Their believing does not cause
God to come in and dwell. Their believing is a result of
God coming and dwelling in them. So that the opposite is also
true in both cases. Everyone born of God will, as
an effect of it, believe that Jesus is the Christ. All of them will. all in whom
God dwells by His Holy Spirit do, by reason of that enlightenment,
confess, that is they believe, and are sure John 6 and 69, that
Christ is the Son of the living God. This great work of God brings
them to that confession and to that belief. So let's share some
comments with you from Samuel Isles Pierce, who wrote a large
commentary on 1 John, on the epistle of 1 John. And he said
this, and I'm quoting, Faith in Jesus Christ is an evidence
of the new birth." Faith in Jesus Christ is an evidence of the
new birth. He goes on to say, Christ is
the object of this faith, unquote. 1 John chapter 5, verse 1. Again,
he wrote, and I'm quoting, faith in Christ has and contains its
full evidence of regeneration, unquote. One that believes that
Christ is the anointed, that Christ is the Son of God, is
or has been born, has been quickened, has been given new life and understanding. No one can believe a rite in
Christ who is not born again. No one can be born of God, but
will confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living
God. So let's put our thoughts now
back over in the Ephesian epistle, which shows us that salvation
is of the Lord. Jonah said that, chapter 2 and
verse 9. It is all of the Lord. It is of the Lord from start
unto finish. It's all of God. It's all of
grace. Salvation is. It is not of ourselves. So, we get a threefold view of
the saving purpose of God in the great Ephesian epistle. Here they are very quickly. Number
one, we learn in chapter one verse 3 through verse 6, we learn
that salvation was purposed or ordained in Christ before the
foundation of the world. Salvation is not an afterthought
with God. It was purposed before the world
ever began, before the creation of the world, before the creation
of Adam or before the fall of Adam. Secondly, We learn in chapter
1 of Ephesians that it was provided, and let me use the word secured,
in the redeeming death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians
1.7. in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sin. Thirdly, and this is our
area of study this morning, it is applied. It is applied to
the elect by the Spirit and the power of God. Having been purchased
before the world, having been secured or accomplished in the
death and blood of Christ, it then is applied by the Spirit
and power of God. In other words, not only has
it been purposed and accomplished, but it must be applied, and that
is not the work of man, this also is the work of God. Now, there must be a connecting
link between the accomplishment and the application. The death
of Christ of itself leaves those that He died for still in their
trespasses, and in their sin, but is a warrant, is the authority
for the blessed Holy Spirit of God to regenerate them that God
has chosen and that Christ has redeemed. For those Christ died
for will be quickened. because it is the purpose of
God. Stephen Charnock wrote something
in his book on regeneration. I was reading it again this week
and he said that regeneration is common to all of the elect
for whom Christ died. Regeneration is the birthright
of the elect and of the redeemed. Those chosen are redeemed. Those redeemed are regenerated. And those regenerated are called
and are converted. Regeneration lays the foundation
for the real change from nature unto grace in God's elect. Now, in studying for this message,
I read again a part of Stephen Charnock's work on regeneration,
and he wrote this on page 113 of that little book. The end of regeneration is to
advance the soul. It can never be advanced by anything
lower than itself or equal unto itself." Regeneration, I think,
is the first internal saving work of God in the elect. Here begins the ordo salutis,
the order of salvation. There will be true faith, there
will be true repentance, there will be true conversion when
one is quickened again. There could not be these things
apart from regeneration, nor could there be any sanctification
until there is first regeneration. Let me say it this way, regeneration
is what John was to Christ. It is the forerunner to conversion
and their proper order is first conversion and the first regeneration
and then conversion. Only the quickened are converted
as there is no basis for conversion until there is new life put in
and the heart is changed. So question, how then is regeneration
effective? What is the manner? What is the
instrument? And must God have? the cooperation
of the subject that is being regenerated? That's a good question.
Must God have the cooperation of the subject that is being
regenerated? That is, has the sinner an active
part in his regeneration? Now, I'm not talking about conversion
or faith or repentance or sanctification. but the initial regeneration. Has the sinner an active part? Let's ask it another way. Can
the sinner resist being quickened? Can the sinner successfully resist
being regenerated? Can they refuse to be born again? Now by example, could Lazarus
have resisted his resurrection? Could he have said, I'm not coming
out of here, I want to stay right here where I am. Could Mary have
resisted having conception of the humanity of Christ in her
womb? Could Saul have resisted the
work and the call of God on the road to Damascus? We say no to
all of these. Those regenerated can neither
resist nor can they aid in it. cannot stop it and they cannot
give it a hand. Resurrection is the motion of
the power of God upon the body that was dead. So regeneration
is the motion of the power of God upon the soul that was dead
in trespass and in sin. Now, I agree with those theologians
who say that since regeneration is the motion of the power of
God in the sinner. That in regeneration, in initial
quickening, in being born from above, the sinner is passive
in that act or work. It being wholly an act, a work
of God, without any agreement, without any action from the creature
whatsoever. But then let's say something
else and we must hasten to a close. Regeneration itself creates no
new faculties in the one being regenerated or born again. God does not need to create any
new faculties in them. And it is not the awakening of
slumbering grace or goodness in the one that is being regenerated. It's not stirring up of holy
principles that were already there but lying sleep or dormant. It is not the annihilation of
faculties that have been spoiled by sin, but it is a quickening
and enlightening of those which had formerly been under the power
of spiritual death, so that our faculty, our understanding, our
conscience, our soul, our spirit, our mind, our heart are worked
upon by the Spirit of God and are quickened into life. What does Paul say? You have
He quickened. He has quickened you, and that
is the essence or the foundation of our hope in Christ and of
our living unto God. You were dead in trespasses and
sin, not the flesh that was dead, but the soul, trespasses and
sin, and God has quickened you. And new light comes on, and great
light comes on, and the understanding is enlightened. The mind is renewed,
and the conscience is relieved of its great and former guilt
and condemnation. You hath He quickened. And my brother and sister, this
is the great changing point. This is the focal point of the
work of God in us. All before it is working toward
it. All after it flows out of this
great work of God. And I think to be wrong on regeneration. make it to be by being dunked
in water or by the will or decisional regeneration or even some folks
call it gospel regeneration, is to miss the point. We have
no hearing ear until God has quickened us, given us a hearing
ear and a seeing eye. You have God quickened.