By Himself

Q: What does the Bible say about how we are saved?

The Bible teaches that we are saved by the grace of God alone, apart from any works or decisions on our part. The scriptures affirm that salvation is a work solely accomplished by God through Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 1:3, it clearly states that Christ, by Himself, purged our sins, indicating that no human effort or decision is involved in our salvation. Ephesians 1:4-5 emphasizes that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, highlighting His sovereign initiative in the salvation process. The believer recognizes that salvation is not about our actions but about what Christ has accomplished through His finished work on the cross, wherein He provided redemption for His people alone.

Q: How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

God's grace is sufficient because it is through His unmerited favor that we are saved, as affirmed in the scriptures. The sufficiency of God's grace is thoroughly grounded in the gospel, where it proclaims that His grace brings salvation to all men (Titus 2:11). This grace is not just an offer but an effective means through which God accomplishes salvation for His chosen people. In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, it is made clear that God has chosen believers from the beginning to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, demonstrating the effectiveness of His grace in action. When one truly acknowledges their inability and total depravity, they turn to the sufficiency of God's grace that has already paved the way for their redemption through Christ's work.

Q: Why is the concept of God's sovereignty important for Christians?

God's sovereignty is crucial because it underscores His ultimate authority in salvation and all aspects of life. The sovereignty of God assures believers that their salvation is secure and not contingent upon their actions or decisions. Hebrews 1:3 illustrates that Christ purged our sins by Himself, signifying that He alone holds the power to redeem and save. This is further affirmed in Ephesians 1:11, where it states that He works all things according to the counsel of His own will, highlighting that God directs every facet of creation and salvation. For Christians, understanding God's sovereignty fosters trust and confidence, as we know that our salvation and future are orchestrated by His perfect plan.

I invite you to turn your Bibles to Hebrews 1. Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter one, we'll read the first four verses. It says, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

And there in verse three, that is what I've entitled this message, By Himself. We hear so often how man believes himself to have some ability to save himself from his sin, and if man believes he is able to make a decision to be saved, if man believes he has the power to ask or accept Jesus into his heart, then something's not adding up. This is not a new thing, or for a moment I wondered where this all began, because natural man, generation after generation, has believed it's their responsibility that they get to make a decision to be saved, accept Jesus into their heart. But this has been going on since the Garden of Eden, when the serpent told Eve the complete opposite of what God commanded Adam.

And that's a big deal. You can tell someone something, they don't have to do it, but a command in the service, when an officer tells an enlisted member, they command them to do something. They must do it. If they don't, they disobey that order, there's harsh repercussions for that.

Natural man of every generation is leaning on their own understanding, which is the complete opposite of scripture. And I invite you to turn over to Proverbs 3. I hope y'all don't get tired of me turning to scripture, because I need to read this often, and I need to receive it often. But Proverbs 3, verse 5.

Says, trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord. Depart from evil. Trust in the Lord, not by my filthy works, not some worthless decision. Lean not unto thine own understanding.

People need to learn how to get out of their own way, and they will only lean truly by the preaching of his word. And verse six talks about, in all the ways acknowledge him and he shall direct their paths. The problem with man is he's not acknowledging the Lord. He's leaning on what he, as in man, thinks. and we are our worst enemy sometimes. As I think about some encounters I have had, often it starts with I and not him.

There, verse seven says, be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord, revere the Lord, depart from evil. Be not wise in thine own eyes, lean not unto thine own understanding, I don't know the scriptures like my parents. Lean not on that own understanding.

Ask the Lord. Show me the way, Lord. We have not because we ask not. We hear that from our pastor often. Natural man, young and older, being lied to and ultimately are lying on God, and that is a vitally dangerous act to make. When we get right down to it, natural man wants the ways of God on his own terms. He wants a puppet little G God. that he can control. But when a sinner is made to believe, the believer is opposite.

The believer knows in himself there is no power to save himself, let alone really do anything. In this verse, it clearly says, and we talked about this last time I spoke to y'all, he upholds all things by the word of his power. His word has power. His word is powerful. It actually says in Psalm 29 four, The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

And then again, in Hebrews 4.12, it says, for the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Remember, in you and me, there is no power but The voice of the Lord is powerful and the word of God is quick and powerful. The word quick, in regards to our passage here, the Blue Letter Bible defines this word quick as having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul. The word of God has vital power in itself and exerts the same upon the soul.

When the Lord sends forth his word and the spirit of God, sends his effectual call to a sinner. It sends forth a vital power and of itself to the sinner. A once dead sinner in and of themselves is made alive in the only way possible by the Lord Jesus Christ, quickening them, making them alive, making them to believe. How does he do this?

Through the preaching of his word, by the preaching of the gospel, Titus 1.3 says, but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Manifested is to make known by teaching, and furthermore, of God giving instruction through the preachers of his gospel.

1 Corinthians 1.18 says, for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.

If a man or woman is saved, it won't be by the decision they made. It will be by the power of God. It will be by himself. And then as we go back to our text in Hebrews 1, I gave some examples earlier of what men claim, making personal decisions and to be saved and accepting Jesus in their heart. And it's interesting to me, because there's nowhere in the Bible it talks about it. It's actually on the contrary. In 2 Corinthians 5, 9, it says, wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted.

We may be well-pleasing. We may be accepted of him. Not us accepting him. We may be accepted of him. In Ephesians 1, it speaks of, wherein he hath made us accepted of the beloved. the beloved of the love which God regards Christ. This doesn't sound like me accepting him. Actually, we don't do the accepting, he does.

We are vile creatures who need to be saved, and how can a weak, lifeless thing save anything? How can a dead, lifeless creature do anything? If I'm drowning, I need to be saved, and I can't save myself. I need to be saved. I need a savior. I need the Savior, therefore, in time of trouble, Jeremiah 14. And just when you're in trouble, know all the time, because sinners are always in trouble. We think we have it figured out, but, and I know myself, I need to be saved over and over and over again. And if we take our eyes off Him, we're gonna be in serious trouble.

I'm not looking to myself, I'm trusting in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe, especially those that believe. And we talked about this last time, and I want to be perfectly clear, Savior of all men, meaning he is the one who delivers and protects. He supports all creatures, even unbelievers. So once again, imagine if he supports those who are strangers to him, imagine the support he provides to those who are members of his church, members, one body of believers, especially those that believe.

If you would turn over to Just turn back to Titus 2, verse 11. Titus 2, verse 11. Titus 2, verse 11 to 14 says, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Verse 11, he says, he bringeth salvation by the way of the grace of God.

Sovereign, irresistible, unmerited favor is provided by God. Through the grace of God, there is salvation. And that is sweet music to the believer's ears. Verse 13, the appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, this blessed hope, is the believer waiting for that which has been promised, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord doesn't need or require help.

Everything required to follow man, Christ, the Son of God, accomplished solely on his own without any help, acceptance, or decisions by us. And this is corroborated in our next verse, in verse 14, who Christ gave himself for us, the sheep, his people, to redeem us from all iniquity, purifying unto himself Peculiar people, treasure people, zealous of good works. When Christ was hung on Calvary's cross, his blood was shed for the remission of sins, to redeem his people of all of their iniquity. The shedding of his blood purified his sheep. Those called a peculiar treasure people, desirous of good works.

John 19.28 says, after this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegars, sour wine, and they filled a sponge with this vinegar and put it upon his sip and put it to his mouth. When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished.

It's finished. It's all done. There's nothing for us to do. And bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Back in our text in Hebrews, again, it says, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. And I love this. By himself, he purged our sins. Doesn't sound like he needs our help. Doesn't need us to make a decision or for us to let him. Once again, to try to add anything to this, to try to claim a part, In your own salvation, to try to say God needed your help is to lie on God. And once again, that is a vitally dangerous thing. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. By himself, the believer loves it that way. The believer knows that if given the opportunity to help, we just mess it up.

I'm glad he purged our sins by himself. He was about his father's business and did all the work his father sent him to do. In John 8, 28, it says, Jesus says, you shall know that I am he and that I do nothing of myself, but as my father hath taught me. He had by himself purged our sins. What is it to be purged of sins? He by himself had the power to atone, to cleanse, to save by the sacrifice of himself. He had, by himself, purged our sins. When the sinner's sins are purged, he is made a new creature.

If you'd like to turn with me to 2 Corinthians 5. 2 Corinthians 5, and we'll start in verse 17. And reads, therefore, if any man being Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 17, when the Spirit of God breathes life into a sinner and gives them a heart to believe, the sinner is given eyes to see the power in the Word of God, given eyes to see the redemptive work of the gospel. The sinner is made into a new creature, made to believe, made to be a believer in Christ and Him crucified. This believer is a new creature.

Old things are passed away and all things become new. And in verse 18, All things become new, all things are of God. Says there, behold, all things are become new. And then verse 18, all things are of God. I just, I honestly just can't even wrap my head around that, but it's right there. All things of God.

He reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. This reconciling is to receive one into his favor, or to receive one to himself by Jesus Christ. In John 14, 6, it says, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. You want to know God? You want to see God? Christ is the only way. Look to the Son. Look to Christ. And here at the end of 2 Corinthians 5, 18, It says, the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry whose work it is to induce men to embrace the offered reconciliation of God.

What is this reconciliation? It is an adjustment of difference. I'm a sinner and I need Christ. It is a restoration to the favor of God to sinners that repent and to put their trust in the expiratory death of Christ. as in the finished work of Christ Jesus, when he by himself was made sin for us, when he by himself was hung under the tree at Calvary, when he by himself shed the blood for the remission of sins for his people, when he by himself purged our sins.

In regards to this reconciliation and the restoration of the favor to God's sinners, that restoration involves repairing something broken, the sinner, has a broken heart that needs to be repaired. Restoration involves renewing something worn out. The sinner requires a renewing of their soul by the Spirit of God. When the Spirit of God breathes new life into a sinner's soul, they are refreshed, they are restored. Restoration involves reestablishing something that has been damaged or degraded.

The sinner has been damaged and degraded since birth. The sinner was born into sin, originating from their first father, Adam. However, the Lord makes a sinner to repent, and their damaged heart is restored. Their mind is changed. The sinner is given a change of mind about Christ. The sinner is given a change of mind about themself, and a change of mind about how God saves sinners. I need the Lord to restore me. I need the Lord to make me repent, to change my mind.

When a sinner is made to repent and made to place their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, their favor with God is restored. This favor is not based on something of their own doing, but what's already been done, that which was determined before the foundation of the world. Remember, he said it is finished. There's nothing for us to do. If you want to turn over to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1, verse 3. Excuse me.

Ephesians 1 verse 3, it says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who have blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ. According as he have 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, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ." Back there in verse three, what did he bless us with? Not some, not some, but all spiritual blessings. in heavenly places in Christ, what wonderful blessings they are in heavenly places and in Christ. Remember, by himself he purged our sins.

And look here in verse four, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, he did the choosing, not me.

I wonder if this is being preached today because if people are making so-called decisions and accepting, that makes me think they are doing the choosing. But this is scripture, and scripture doesn't lie. And this is the inspired word of God. Men might have wrote it, but God inspired it. Think about choosing. Think about two teams, two captains. You have this group of people and two captains. And that captain picks someone. And if I choose a player, they're chosen. They can't turn around and say, well, since you chose me, I chose you. No, you are chosen, and there's nothing that you can do about it. There's nothing you need to do about it.

If we are His and we are the chosen, He will make us to believe on Him, believe on the finished work of Christ. If we're made to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. I'm glad he didn't stop there. If you are of the chosen, we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. If He chose us before the foundation of the world, that would corroborate the fact that here in verse five, It says, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ himself.

As a sinner, I have no hope for myself without Christ. Like an orphan in a home with no parents, orphan believing that no one truly loves them, but when the orphan is adopted, they're shown what true love is. When the sinner sees who and what they are and is made to see who Christ is, they have no hope anywhere but in their savior. Jesus Christ to himself. Why were we predestinated unto the adoption by Jesus Christ to himself?

According to the good pleasure of his will. Not our will, but his will. I'm thankful for that, for the good pleasure of his will. My will is damaged apart from Christ, but in Christ, all is well. And we talked about this earlier, but here in verse six, it says, the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us except in the beloved. Two, to have made us except in the beloved is to pursue with grace, is to compass or lead with favor. It is to honor with blessings, is to be highly favored.

And once again, our subject, he hath by himself purged our sins. In verse seven, we have redemption through his blood. redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus. We have the forgiveness of sins. How and why? According to the riches of his grace, according to the riches of his unmerited favor. In verse eight, he hath abounded, he hath abounded to furnish one richly so that he has abundance. How does he abound us? In all wisdom, and prudence, in all wisdom and understanding. He furnishes us richly, how? With and in all wisdom and understanding.

Here in verse nine, there is this mystery, says, this mystery of his will. And I had to study this pretty hard. The Lord led me there. The mystery is not meant as something inherently or essentially incomprehensible to the human. It is actually just secret and shut out beyond the reach of natural man.

When the spirit of God breathes life into a sinner, he reveals the mystery of his will into the sinner. He reveals the saving truth of Christ to the sinner. And he and his will is no longer a mystery. It is for his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself that he would make known this mystery of his will unto us. Did he ask us what we thought about it? No, he did it in and by himself.

He's the potter, we are the clay. Verse 10, when the fullness of time has been met, God will gather together in one all things in Christ, those in heaven and on earth, even those in him, even those in him. First Corinthians 3.23 says, and ye are Christ, and Christ is God's. Verse 10 ends with in him, and then verse 11 says, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance. In whom? In him, in Christ.

Romans 8.16 says, the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. If we are in Christ, then we have obtained an inheritance. This inheritance makes the believer heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That's music to my ears.

If the believer has obtained this inheritance, verse 11 says, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, According to his purpose, not ours. And then the last part looks like a by himself phrase and reverse 11 says him who worketh all things after the counts of his own will, not ours, his.

Not my will, not my decision, not my walking the aisle, not making a sinner's prayer. And once again, I can't truly understand all this, but if you look there, it says who worketh. He continually working all things after the counsel of his own will, not mine. He did it by himself. He finished the work. I can't truly understand it, but I believe it, and I'm thankful for it. He continually works all things after the counsel of his own will.

And then in verse 12, it says that we, who is the we? It's the chosen, those he chose before the foundation of the world to be, as in to exist, and then the praise, to be a praise to a person. When I'm talking to somebody about chess and the girls, I'm praising their accomplishments. I'm bragging on them. Who's this person the chosen are being praised to?

God the Father, in his glory, in his most exalted state, in his most glorious condition, in the same condition Christ was raised to after he achieved his work on earth. Ephesians 112 ends with who God first trusted in Christ. He trusted Christ, the son of God, to come down to earth and take on the whole body of earthly man. God gave him a work to do after the counsel of his own will, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. Christ is the brightness of his father's glory. And as we close, just remember there is power in the Word of God, and He upholds all things with His power. Remember Christ, if I didn't say enough, I'm going to say it again, by Himself purged our sins.

And when He did, He sat down in the right hand of the Majesty on high, God the Father. Even now, at this very moment, just think, at this very moment, Christ is sitting right next to the Father. His right hand. And then I want to end with this passage.

If you want to turn with me to 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. Second Thessalonians 2 verse 13 says, but we are bound to give thanks all way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Where into he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember, he did the choosing. He did the accepting. He set apart a peculiar people, a treasured people, a chosen people from the beginning of time. How does he call? He does it through an effectual call by the Spirit of God and belief of truth by our gospel, by the gospel. When a sinner's called by the gospel, they obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I love this right there. It says, our gospel. It says, our Lord Jesus Christ, our. There's ownership there. I am his and he is mine. But guess what? I didn't do anything to deserve it. He sent forth a sovereign, irresistible grace to the chosen by the finished work of Lord Jesus Christ. Unconditional, unmerited favor to a chosen people. He did it all. By himself, he purged our sins. Amen.

By Himself

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about how we are saved?

How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

Why is the concept of God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

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By Himself

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about how we are saved?

How do we know God's grace is sufficient for salvation?

Why is the concept of God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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