these are that we just read. Let us take them to heart for we just read the gospel, the truth, the gospel of Christ and him crucified and your people constantly amazed and in wonderment as to why you should we show any mercy and grace to us. We who have sinned against you, we who have rebelled against you, we have committed crimes against you, broken all of your laws.

But yet, in your son, in whom we are gathered here tonight, in whom you foreordained before the foundation of the world to give a people to, and for those people to be saved. There hasn't been a time when we have not been saved. For your son, our Lord and Savior, was a lamb slain before the foundation of the world. You knew the end from the beginning, but your son still had to come into this world and hang on a cross and give up his life blood to pay for the sins of the people that have sinned against you. And now as we read in your word, we are accepted by you, but only in Christ. We look nowhere else but to Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Lord, be with this man that you have appointed to stand behind this pulpit tonight. Give him wisdom of words. Give him unction from above. Let your spirit of utterance stand with him and be with him. Don't let him come up here in a few minutes without your spirit present with him. You may strengthen him. and that we rejoice in the words you have given him.

Lord, we pray for those who are going through trials and afflictions. There are many, and you know who they are, you know where they are, and if you have always promised, you'll always be with your people. No matter how deep the waters or hot the furnace, you're with your people. And we give you thanks in your son's name and for his sake, both now and forever. Amen.

Go back to the passage that Ron read there in Ephesians chapter 1. I'll be speaking to you out of this passage tonight. This is one of my favorite portions of God's Word. one of those that comes to me in the course of any given day and sometimes in the midst of a sleepless night, I repeat these verses and phrases to myself and consider them. I've often thought if I were going to speak to someone that knows perhaps not much about the scriptures and doesn't really understand what salvation is or why Christ came, that this is one of the places I would go to, to speak to them, to teach from God's Word. And indeed, if you've been attending here for a number of years, a lot of you have been here for decades, you've probably heard many messages out of this passage. And it seems you can scarcely hear a gospel message from our pastor or from most others that there's not at least a reference to this passage. So I won't be telling you anything new tonight. Now, you might get some new tidbit of information definitely a new presentation.

But the aim here is to tell that same old story of salvation by grace in Christ Jesus. Now, one of the early considerations I had for this message was how to title it, how to properly title it. I first settled on the origin of salvation, but I kind of got the feeling that just didn't set well with me. And it eventually occurred to me that salvation only has an origin in our limited perspective. We don't grasp the things of eternity.

So to us, it has an origin in God. But if you take it to heart that this is the inerrant, immutable, inspired word of God, then it's apparent in this passage that salvation has eternally been with God. I'm sure you've heard statements made concerning salvation or some aspect of it as being conceived in the mind of God. And I wouldn't part ways over that terminology. It's kind of a way of expressing that which is inexpressible.

But in reality, our God never conceived anything in that sense, since to do so would by definition require evolution and progression of thought. give to God the attribute of omniscience, which is one of our core beliefs. If we accept and receive the fact that He is omniscient, then the two concepts of thought, progressive thought and omniscience, are mutually exclusive. So our God simply doesn't just simply have knowledge, He is all knowledge, in the same way that He's all wisdom and He's all righteousness and so on. So I prefer to think of these things as residing with God, and without him they cannot be. And so it is with salvation. It resides with God and has and will eternally, and without him it cannot be.

So therefore, upon further reflection and looking into the word, I discovered a much better title in Paul's introduction of himself as an apostle. He says in that first verse, by the will of God, So that's what this will be titled, By the Will of God. This is much the theme of the first 14 verses here that we're going to be looking at.

And it's carried on well into the second chapter. And so it seems well suited to this application. Now, often the first two verses of this chapter are skipped over in order to begin a message or comments with verse three. But I think sometimes we miss a few valuable and important things in these two verses. And we know that nothing in the Word is extraneous in nature or without pertinence, though sometimes it's difficult for us to understand the relevance. That's the need for continual study, seeking more light to walk in.

So we'll be attending to this passage verse by verse and phrase by phrase, word by word as appropriate, and within the limited abilities of this speaker. So we begin in verse 1. Paul introduces himself simply. Paul. Now this is Saul. This is the persecutor of the church, the despiser of Jesus of Nazareth.

And Acts 8.3 says, he made havoc of the church in one who breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord in Acts 9.1. This is the same one that was brought to his knees on the road to Damascus, was converted. brought to faith in Christ and taught the gospel by him. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, this same one, was made an apostle, a sent or commissioned one, commissioned by Christ himself, specifically to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of full and free salvation in him, and especially to spread the word throughout the Gentile world.

Let's turn to Galatians 1. Let's back a few pages to Galatians 1. Look at verse 15. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen. Back to Ephesians.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God. Paul takes no credit for his status as an apostle, but gives all glory to God. Indeed, like the rest of us, by nature, Paul had no desire to be associated with the Lord, let alone to become his servant and proclaim his gospel. But obviously, the Lord had other plans for Saul.

And he writes to the saints, those who are sanctified, set apart, consecrated, and proclaimed by God to be holy, and those saints which are at Ephesus." He writes here immediately to the believers in the city of Ephesus, but by inspiration of the Spirit, he also writes, and to the faithful, the trustful, the believing, the sure and true, the unwavering in Christ Jesus. Now this letter is written to the believers of this day as well as to the believers in Ephesus of that day. And we'll look at the phrase in Christ in greater depth here in just a few minutes, so place a mental bookmark there.

In verse 2, he says, grace be to you. This is the favor and bounty of God to his elect. It's the presence of God and his effectual working in the heart, the soul, and the life through the Holy Spirit. Could anyone pray for a greater thing to be bestowed on another than this, the grace of God? Grace be to you and peace. Grace is always accompanied by peace. Peace with God, peace of conscience. This is calmness, rest, quietness of soul, contentment, and satisfaction.

It is, according to Philippians 4.7, the peace of God which passeth all understanding. And this peace is from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. This grace can only come from God, the sole source of all grace and peace, and can only come through, by way of, because of, and in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he says in verse 3, blessed, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed is a word that usually indicates the giving of something that is not already possessed by the recipient. Well, it's certain we can give nothing to God in that sense, but in use here, in this application, the sense is to be hallowed, thanked, honored, exalted, loved and adored, extolled, sanctified in our hearts and minds, praised and worshipped. Any of these could be substituted for blessed and be well placed, but blessed encompasses all these. And so, as believers, we bless God.

Blessed be This is supplied by the translators in this instance. And the verb to be seems to be an understood throughout much of the scripture and is often supplied by translators. But in our language, it's a foundational verb and it would be hard to carry on much of a conversation or write much of a letter without some tense of it being involved. But as it's used here, it indicates a perpetual state of blessing, blessed be.

Blessing that should or even must always exist. Psalm 34, 1, I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 35, 27, and 8, let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. Blessed be thee. Now this is a simple article adjective which denotes singularity or exclusivity. Our God is not one of many or just a God, he is the God. Isaiah 44, six. I am the first and the last. And beside me there is no God. Jeremiah 10, 10.

But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and an everlasting King. And this is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I find this to be a marvelous and astounding statement. Consider this. The Lord Jesus is described in Isaiah 9.6 as the mighty God, the everlasting Father. And yet, our God and Father is His God and Father. I don't think there's a full understanding of this in human terms and experience. Indeed, this is the mystery of godliness.

In 1 Timothy 3.16, it talks about great is the mystery of godliness, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. And the first thing it lists in the things that follow is God was manifest in the flesh. This is, here again, a foundational belief, and the fact that we believe it is a mystery. We have nothing to touch or handle, to look upon with our eyes, and yet, through the hearing of the ear and the work in our hearts, we do believe these things.

And this same God, by his will, hath blessed us. This refers back to verse one, the us, the faithful. And note that verb tense, hath blessed. Blessed here has more of a sense of being prospered or enriched by, blessed with all spiritual blessings. We're given all spiritual prosperity and enrichment, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, faith, hope, love, repentance, and so on it is.

And we're blessed in heavenly places, or as concerns heavenly things, which being brought forth from the very throne of God, are by their very nature far above and separate from earthly things, as they are without taint of sin. But now we see them through the glass darkly, and we enjoy them even yet with this sinful flesh. We see through that glass darkly, but we are looking anxiously to that day when we see these things in the unobstructed and sinless enjoyment with Christ in glory and all these blessings These spiritual blessings are in Christ.

Verse four, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. According, the very definition of this word indicates prior, preceding, or coming before, and harmonizing, agreeing, conforming, or in consistency with. So his blessing us conforms with and is consistent with as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. The Lord God has determined from all eternity that his chosen people, the faithful, from verse one, should be chosen in Jesus Christ as their representative or their federal head, which qualifies them to receive all spiritual blessings.

Well, let's camp out here for just a few minutes. First, I want to give you an example, albeit an imperfect one as it pertains to our Lord, yet hopefully still a helpful example, of a federal head. Consider now our own form of government. It consists of local, state, and federal branches, and all individual bodies ultimately submit to the authority of the federal government, with the federal head being the president. Now some of his enumerated duties are in dealing with outside entities and other nations and governments, setting a foreign policy, treaties and trade and so forth. Now, if another nation wishes to enter into a trade agreement or a treaty with the U.S., it doesn't seek the approval or the signature of 330 million individuals, but instead deals with our federal head through him, the President, as representative of all the citizens of this nation. Now, there's some other constitutional technicalities there, but I won't go into all of that. And so, As they deal with this representative, whatever happens in those agreements, we're bound by his acts in our stead. Simply stated, I boil it down to this. As the representative, so the represented. As the representative, so the represented.

And so it was with Adam as the first man in creation, the federal head and representative of all citizens of mankind before God. all those said to be in Adam. But Adam conceived sin in his heart and rebelled against God, thus severing himself from fellowship with God and plunging himself and all those he represents, all those that are his natural offspring, plunging them into a state of sin and unrighteousness in the sight of God.

And the result of that, turn with me to Romans 3. Romans 3. Verse 23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Turn over a page or two to Romans 5, verse 12, wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. Romans 6, Verse 23, for the wages of sin is death.

Ezekiel 18.4 says, the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

James 1.15, then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. This is not merely physical death, but this is also spiritual or soul death. So that's the end result of Adam's fall for all he represents.

But our Lord is compassionate. Lord God desires to show mercy to some out of Adam's sin-stained race. He desires to have a people to himself to set his love and affections on through all eternity. But he cannot look upon sin and will by no means clear the guilty. He can't compromise his law and his justice or he would cease to be God. Capital punishment must be carried out against all those in Adam as guilty sinners before God. How then shall he accomplish this desire to show mercy without compromising, completely making null and void his own law and commandment?

He cannot out of hand deliver different verdicts for the same offense. Well, quite simply, all those the Lord chooses to be his must have a new representative. They can't be found in Adam. This one, this representative, must be able to pay all their debt owed to law and justice.

That is, he must accept sentence of the law against them and die in their stead to redeem them, and at once supply a perfect righteousness before the law that can be provided to them, thus leaving them guiltless and debt-free in the sight of God, the All-Seeing One. Only then can the Father receive them unto himself. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for those chosen ones, those elect. He who is co-equal with God, covenanted with the Father to redeem a particular people, and came down to this earth from the glories of heaven. He took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men, according to Philippians 2, in order to represent us as a man. And he lived on this earth in our condition.

He was tempted and tested by men, demons, poverty, hunger, Satan, and according to Hebrews 4.15, He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He knew no sin in thought, motive, word, or deed.

He was obedient to all the Father's will, unto death, even the death of the cross, Philippians 2.8. His sinless life proved him qualified, worthy, and able to bear all the sins and penalty of the law for those he represents. his spiritual offspring. And upon the cross, as our representative and substitute, he took upon his flesh all the punishment his citizens deserved in their flesh, paying that debt.

And there he made his soul an offering for sin, Isaiah 53.10, thereby satisfying all the law's curse and sentence against his elect.

Now remember, the soul that sinneth it shall die. I cannot grasp the sacrifice of his soul, the bearing of his soul, to the soul death that I deserve. What an awesome thought, one we can't grasp in this flesh. And that also satisfied the dead. And having accomplished all that the Father required of him to redeem those in him, or represented by him, he died. that being the final necessary act of obedience and the last claim of justice against us. Since law and justice could demand no more payment, since all wrath against the sins of the chosen had been expended against their representative and substitute in their stead, since God could now be just to justify them, being satisfied with the sacrifice offered and everlasting righteousness, perfection before the law being brought in for them those in him and since because of the perfection of his person it was not possible that death could have any hold on him Christ was resurrected and exalted to the right hand of the majesty on high until all his enemies are ultimately subdued and become his footstool and this was all done back in Ephesians 1 that we are in order that, or with the goal being that, those chosen should be holy, separated unto him, and without blame, without fault, error, or sin before him in his sight.

This was all done for those chosen without any works or obedience that they have done or will do, without any supposed adherence to laws or traditions, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand not of works, but of him that calleth," Romans 9.11. In other words, all is done by his will. As the representative was successful in answering the rightful claims of law and justice, so also the represented in him.

And the result, Romans 8.1, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. As the representative, so the represented, through his righteousness imputed. And it says at the end of that first four, we're without blame before him in love.

This is the wellspring of salvation and all spiritual blessings to the chosen. God set his love upon them to bring them to himself. And he purposed the means of their redemption in Christ. and all that he does now works toward that. So we're now before him in love, both his to us and ours to him. 1 John 4, 19 says we love him because he first loved us. Having predestinated, verse five, having predestinated, ordained or predetermined us, those chosen in Christ, unto the adoption of children, Now, adoption indicates being placed into a position of rest, not as a result of our own works, but because we're become beloved offspring and heirs through Christ and in Christ.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God, 1 John 3.1. Now, this thing of adoption, if you think about a set of parents trying to adopt a child.

They have set their love upon this child and their affections upon him, whichever child they choose. And they undertake to do everything necessary to bring him to themselves and to legally make him their own. They have all that's needed. They have a home. They have finances and wealth. They have love and affection.

They have all that the child needs. and it's freely given without the child earning it or having birthright to it. This is the way God's salvation is. But modern religion has it perverted. In modern religion, the child allows the parents to adopt him, and then they're obligated to provide all that the child needs. Beware this leaven and this lump.

It's by Jesus Christ, in verse 5, we're adopted unto the, having predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, solely by our Savior's work, according to the good pleasure in harmony with the satisfaction or delight of his will, his preference or intention.

And the results of this choosing and adoption, in verse 6, It is to the praise, the magnifying, the extolling, and the lauding of the glory, the absolute splendor and magnificence of His grace, His unmerited favor. Now this grace, this also implies to set affection on or to delight in, to reconcile self, which is exactly what God the Father did through this sacrifice of His Son. He reconciled through this act Himself to us, made peace. and this grace wherein from within being surrounded by, and I like this definition, this wherein. This is the point from which motion or action proceeds. It's a state or a relation of rest. So this grace is a place of rest for the children of God and the place from which God undertakes and acts for our benefit, for the children of God, for his elect. And he hath made us accepted received with favor and satisfaction in the Beloved. And we are in him that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ."

1 John 5.20. Verse 7, in whom? Being placed in and represented by this Beloved, and because of whom we have redemption. Let's read Romans 3 again. Go back to Romans 3 quickly.

Romans 3.24, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 9. Turn to Hebrews 9 and verse 12.

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, his elect." Redemption here is twofold. It's at once consisting of the removal of all penalty under the law, and since there is no guilt, it's also the subsequent restoration of perfect fellowship with God. And it's all done through his blood, his successful cross work. The forgiveness of sins in legal terms, that is case dismissed with prejudice. In other words, no charges can ever be filed against the elect because agreement is reached. The law is satisfied, the debt's paid. God is no longer angry with us, nor can he be.

And it's according to, in harmony with, the riches, the fullness and abundance. of his grace, of his favor. Verse 8, wherein, from within this state of grace, he, the father, hath abounded toward us. The tense here seems to suggest a continuing abounding. To me, hath been abounding, a super abounding, a pouring out in most excellent excess of both quantity and quality. David said, my cup runneth over. Do you not find it so with yourself? Does your cup run over? And he is abounded toward us in all wisdom and in prudence. He imparts to us spiritual knowledge and wisdom through his word and moral clarity of action and speech in our daily lives.

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, having revealed to us through the gospel message that God saves sinners by grace alone in Christ Jesus. Let's look at 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 21. For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world, by wisdom, by its own wisdom, knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself." This, to me, is kind of a redundancy in phraseology, and it's designed to reinforce the fact that simply that God saves whomsoever he will by his will.

Exodus 33, 18 and 19. will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Verse 10, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times to the end that his will and purpose are fulfilled in time according to his own management and oversight in due time the scripture often says that he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth. Let's go to Colossians 3. Colossians 3, verse 11.

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. So he gathers together all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. And now that the veil is rent, and we may enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, fellowship is restored between God and his elect, all things can now be gathered together or realized in Christ because of his successful work. All types, all pictures, all shadows, all covenant promises, all spiritual blessings, all truth, all life, all righteousness, and even all elect men and angelic beings in him. At some point in time, when all of God's will in this earth is fulfilled, when the last of his chosen ones receives faith to believe on Christ, then time shall end, and all evil shall be dispatched to eternal separation from God. and his children shall be gathered together, caught up with him to be with the Lord Christ in righteousness, and will forever behold his face, worshipping him with all the heavenly host, both of men and angelic beings, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance.

We then bequeath the place in the king's palace." Turn with me to a familiar passage in John 14. John 14. In verse 2, in my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

The comfort of our Lord's words to his disciples. being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. In short, because he would. It's by God's will that we should have this inheritance as beloved children. Thus, all that he brings to pass in the time and eternity is toward this end. That we should be to the praise of his glory. It will be our eternal delight to praise God throughout the ages for his marvelous grace to us in Christ Jesus. But our very presence in glory will be unmistakable evidence of his gracious salvation redounding to his glory. Let's go to Revelation 5. Revelation 5. will begin with verse 9 of Revelation 5.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests. And we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders. And the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. And we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

The best I can tell from study is likely pertaining in particular to believing Jews who, like their Gentile brethren, were chosen out of Adam's fallen race unto salvation and who had been given the gospel message for even generations before the Ephesians were brought to believe it. But this is not an announcement of the Jews' superiority or preference before God. It merely prefaces the next phrase, which is, in whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Romans 10, 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Upon enlightening the mind and the understanding through the hearing and belief of the word, The Holy Spirit seals us. Now this alludes to the ancient method of fastening or protecting a letter, or of authenticating a document or decree with a particular mark or signet, often used by kings and rulers. And it defines as something that confirms or guarantees a pledge, or as that which settles, determines, or decides irrevocably. but a seal is only as effective as the power and authority behind it. And in this case, we are sealed through the precious blood of Christ, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 1 Timothy 6, 15. This seal, the presence of God's own spirit, savingly reveals Christ to our hearts, distinguishes us from the world, and protects and preserves us unto glory. which is the earnest of our inheritance.

His spirit's work to create in us faith in Christ, to see him as all that we need in time and eternity for salvation, causing us to look to him and to shine our own works or obedience as playing any part in that salvation. His work to protect and preserve us and cause us to persevere in the faith is partial payment of all spiritual blessings. until the redemption of the purchased possession, until the final realization of all promises in Christ when we enter into our heavenly dwelling place in His presence, having left behind all vestiges of sin, unto the praise of His glory. So then, with all that's been said, there's probably just a couple of main things I'd like you to take away tonight.

First, salvation is of the Lord. It's by His will, to whom He will. It's by His will in its plan, in its purpose, in its predestination, in its performance, in its perfection, all in the purpose and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and only by His grace. Second, Christ Jesus is the glory of God's grace. Whenever that word glory appears in scripture in this context, you likely can just insert the Lord's name there. So that one phrase then would become, to the praise of the Christ of his grace. And all of salvation and its spiritual blessings are in him. Dave. you