God's Good Promise

Q: What does the Bible say about creation and salvation?

The Bible shows that God's act of creation parallels His work in salvation, where He creates new life in believers. The act of creation described in Genesis 1 illustrates God's sovereign will and power, which is also evident in His act of salvation. Just as God spoke and created the heavens and the earth, He also speaks to sinners, creating new life in Christ. This transformation is described in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where those in Christ are made a new creation. This miraculous recreation is central to the sovereign grace theology, highlighting that salvation is purely the work of God.

Q: How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

The Bible explicitly states that salvation comes by grace through faith, not by works or human effort. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly articulates that salvation is by grace through faith, emphasizing that this grace is not from ourselves; it is a gift from God. This reinforces the historic Reformed view that faith and salvation are entirely dependent on God's initiative and grace, countering any notion that people can earn their favor with God through their actions. Thus, the doctrine of grace underscores the sovereign work of God through Christ in the lives of believers.

Q: Why is understanding our condition outside of Christ important?

Recognizing our state of being without form and void highlights our need for grace and regeneration. Genesis 1:2 portrays a world without form, void, and in darkness, which serves as an analogy for humanity's spiritual condition apart from Christ. This understanding is critical because it underscores the total depravity of man, a key component of the Reformed faith. Without acknowledging that we are spiritually dead, void of righteousness, and in darkness due to sin, we cannot fully appreciate the miracle of regeneration. God's sovereign grace brings us from this state into His marvelous light, emphasizing our reliance on Him for salvation.

Q: What does it mean that God creates new creatures in Christ?

Being a new creature in Christ signifies a radical transformation brought about by God's sovereign work. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states that anyone in Christ is a new creation, signifying that the old has passed away and all things have become new. This transformation is not merely reformation but a creation that involves divine intervention. God does not reform the old heart; He replaces it entirely with a new heart formed by the Holy Spirit. This new creation exemplifies God's sovereign grace, illustrating that salvation is entirely an act of God’s will, for His glory.

Q: Why is fellowship with unbelievers discouraged in the Bible?

The Bible cautions against fellowship with unbelievers to maintain spiritual integrity and prevent darkness from influencing believers. 2 Corinthians 6:14 warns against being unequally yoked with unbelievers, emphasizing the stark contrast between light and darkness. This directive is crucial for maintaining the purity of the church and the witness of believers. Fellowship requires a shared foundation in faith, and without it, believers risk compromising their spiritual integrity and mission. The separation from wickedness is not meant to isolate but to preserve the work of God's grace in the lives of His people.

There we go. Genesis chapter
one. Last week, we did a overview
of the entire chapter. Tonight, we're just going to
look at the first five verses as they relate to the supernatural
abounding grace in salvation and in the calling of God's elect.
First five verses. As we looked at last week, we
turned to John and saw what Christ said about this book of Moses. In John chapter 5, verse 46,
he says, Moses wrote of me. Moses wrote of me. So our responsibility
is to glorify Christ, look for Christ, desire to see him in
these chapters. Verses 1 through 5, In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without
form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God
said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw
the light, that it was good, and God divided the light from
the darkness, God called the light day and the darkness he
called night and the evening and the morning were the first
day. Now, in verse one, he says, in the beginning, God created.
He created as was this. Miracle, this act of sovereign
will on God's part, he spoke. And he created. He spoke and
he created. And in the beginning of the new
birth, when God saves a sinner, God must create new creatures
in Christ Jesus or there will be no salvation. Oftentimes,
which We should, as believers, are
completely awestruck at times by the beauty of the creation,
the wonder of the creation. I remember years ago, we went
down to Gulf Shores, to the ocean, and Pastor Tommy Robbins made
a comment, he said, if there's anybody that can understand and
appreciate the creation, it's God's people. Because it's just
overwhelming. But I'm going to tell you that
there's something more overwhelming than the most wonderful skyline,
the most wonderful, glorious snow-covered mountain, and that
is God creating new creatures in Christ. He speaks and sinners
come to life. We're going to look at quite
a few verses tonight. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. We're speaking of how God creates. He spoke and he created. The heaven and the earth is no less
of a divine miracle for God to create new creatures in Christ
Jesus. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter
5 and verse Seventeen, therefore, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature, new creation, new creation,
new creature. Oh, things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. I'm going to stop right there
for a second. Only God creates. I know often
times we hear scientists in their laboratories say, well I've created
this or created a new product or created a new idea. But all
these things that men do take an idea, take something and make
something different. It might be new that it hasn't
been seen before but it's not created. The literal thought
and definition behind creation is to take nothing and have something. We don't create anything. Wood,
anything, we have to use something that's already there. George
Washington Carver discovered a new dye. Well, it turned out
that it was, you know, it was hundreds and hundreds of, you
know, it hadn't been, they thought it was that blue dye or it was a
dye that they had never seen or hadn't been seen in hundreds
of thousands of years or whatever, but He didn't create it. He discovered it. But and then
he made things with it, but he had to have something to start
with. God creates. God creates and hold that thought,
because it's going to be important as we see what God does in salvation. Turn to Ephesians chapter two,
Ephesians chapter two and verses eight and nine. Ephesians 2,
verse 8 and 9. For by grace are you saved through
faith. Obviously he's talking about
salvation, the grace of God coming to a sinner's heart. And that's
not of yourselves. Over and over again, grace is
not of yourselves, faith is not of yourselves. People don't have
latent or dormant faith and then something happens, you know,
a big struggle in their life or somebody dies and they get
all emotional and then they have faith. No, faith is a gift of
God. We don't have faith. We're born in sin. But he says,
by grace, you say through faith and that not of yourselves is
the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Look
at verse 10, for we are his workmanship created. In Christ Jesus unto
good work, which God has before ordained that we should walk
in them, we are created, we are his workmanship created in Christ
Jesus. God, in the beginning, God created. He spoke, previously there was
nothing there, something happened. Look at Colossians chapter 1.
Colossians, after Philippians, Colossians chapter 1, verses
13 through 19. God who has delivered us from
the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear
son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. Christ who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by him,
Christ, were all things created. that are in heaven, that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions,
principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and
for him. Yes, the creation, the beginning
of time, the creation of the things that we enjoy now, but
we're talking spiritual. We have to be birthed, created. And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. Him all things consist and verse
19 for it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness
dwell and lastly Isaiah 43 Isaiah 43 on this first verse God in
the beginning God created The new birth is nothing is none
the less Spectacular than what he spoke here in Genesis 1 and
it was. He took that when there was nothing
before and he spoke it and he created. And that's exactly what
he does with rebels and sinners. He speaks, he speaks to the preacher
in the gospel, he speaks to his word, the Holy Spirit quickens
that which is dead, no life. Isaiah 43 and verse 1, But now,
thus saith the Lord, That created thee, O Jacob. And
he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed
thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. So see,
the word created and creation is interchanged, as it were,
back and forth as far as God, it's all God's work though. He
says, I say to the Lord that created thee, created thee. Let's turn back to Genesis chapter
1. Look at verse 2. And the earth was without form,
the earth was void, and the earth was darkness upon the face of
the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters. Without form, void, and darkness. This is us outside of Christ.
This is exactly like us outside of Christ. The earth was without
form, void, and darkness. Without this is us without life
without peace or grace at the first When we're born, we're
not we're born born void of anything That would recommend us or commend
us to God void And I in the eyes of God void of
anything good that empty empty We're empty of the righteousness
that God must have and he must see upon us in order to accept
us. And the earth was without form, void and darkness. You know, people say, well, they
have, you know, Paul said they have a form of godliness, but
not according to knowledge. So true religious form is created
by God in the soul. I know people are religious,
I know they do a lot of forms, a lot of traditions, but in God's
eyes, just like in verse 2, without form, and void, and darkness. This is us by nature, from birth,
and by practice. Darkness. John chapter 3. John
chapter 3. John chapter 3 verses 18 and
19. He that believeth on him is not
condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil. For everyone that doeth evil
hates the light, neither cometh it a light, lest his deeds should
be reproved. John, the same gospel, the first
chapter, John chapter 1. verses 4 and 5, in him was life
and the life was the light of men and the light shines in darkness
and the darkness comprehends it not. We do not understand
the least thing about this book or the gospel until it's revealed
unto us. Look at 1 John chapter 1, 1 John Chapter 1 and verse 6, if we
say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we
lie and do not the truth. We say we have fellowship, we
understand the gospel. Then walk in darkness, see there's
oppositions, there's opposites here, darkness, light. Turn to
Ephesians chapter 5, Ephesians 5. And verse 8, For ye were sometimes darkness,
but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. But
it wasn't always so. It's not always so. It's not
something that we will. One day we decide we want to
be in the light. No, it's again, God creates. It's all by His
sovereign, free grace. And you don't have to turn here,
Proverbs chapter 4 verse 19 He says the way of the wicked is
as darkness The way of the wicked is as darkness and that's the
way we all are were born in sin Adams sin is upon us We're just
like in verse 2, the earth was without form and void and darkness
was upon the face of the deep. But but behold, the miracle of
sovereign grace in. in the man's soul by the God-man
Christ. Behold the perfect substitute
for ruined sinners. Behold the light that shines
into the darkness and calls out his people to walk in newness
of life, light, and liberty." Verse 3. And God said, let there
be light. And guess what? There's light. Christ, who is that pure and
perfect and lovely light of grace, mercy and redemption comes into
the heart and shines his glory there, creating anew, not reformed,
not reformed. That's why I said, hold on to
that thought about creation, because there's a lot of reformed
theology, a lot of reformed doctrine. Reformation will not do you any
good. Decide well today, tomorrow.
Reformation is often, religious reformation is often like New
Year's Eve resolutions. Start, I'm going to do this different,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. We're talking about regeneration,
not reformation. We're talking about creating
new. that which was not there before.
He doesn't reform the old heart. He casts out the old heart and
puts in a new heart. That's what Ezekiel 36 says.
That's what we're talking about. We're not talking about shadows
here, but Christ in us, the hope of glory. This miracle of spoken
creation, like we're seeing here in Genesis, He spoke it and it
was, is as the miracle of blood-bought regeneration in the sinner's
soul. It's as dramatic, it's as glorious, it's as mysterious,
But it's all of God. It's all of God. Turn to Psalms
107. And God said, Let there be light.
And there was light. Psalms 107. See how he speaks of this light as
salvation and calling of God's elect. Psalms 107, verse 14. He's speaking about the God's providence in dealing with
people and what he's done for them. He brought them out of
darkness and the shadow of death and break their bands and sunder
those those in Egypt out of darkness. Well, everyone. Yes, spiritually
sure was darkness. Luke chapter one. Luke chapter one and verse seventy
nine. Let's start at verse 76. And
thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest, for
thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission
of their sins through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the
dayspring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that
sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death to guide our feet, into
the way of peace. Who is he speaking of? And the
child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in the desert
till the day of his showing unto Israel. Light. To give light to them
that sit in darkness. People say, well, I've never,
I've always understood this book. I've always understood the gospel.
I've never sat in darkness. Well, then you don't have any
light. This light is given to those
who sit in darkness and by the spirit of grace and supplication
are made aware and know that they're sitting in darkness.
John chapter 8. John chapter 8. And verse 12, this fake Jesus
again, I'm saying I am the light of the world. He that follows
me shall not walk in darkness, but you'll have the light of
life. I'm not saying we don't sin.
I'm not saying we don't stumble. I'm not saying we don't understand
because that old nature is still there. But all that nature that
he puts in. We it's not darkness, we follow
him. We understand the things of the
grace of God. Second Corinthians, chapter four.
Second Corinthians, chapter four and verse six, for God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, just like he did in creation.
And he's drawn a similar similarity here connection between that
and salvation. has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. The only way God can be understood,
God's glory can be seen in the gospel is in the face of Jesus
Christ. It's always been that way. And
1 Peter chapter 2, 1 Peter chapter 2. But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should
show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
and into his marvelous light. Out of darkness and into his
marvelous light. Go back into our text in Genesis, verse 4. It stands to reason Christ is
that light and that light is in us and it's free, created
by God himself in the person of Christ through the Holy Spirit
and the preaching, receiving of his truth. Verse four, and
God saw the light and it was good. The light of Christ, the
light is Christ, that is good. I see two things here. He says
the light is good. Christ is the absolute good and
his salvation is the absolute good for and towards his elect
children. He saw the light and it was good.
Why not? Because it emanates from himself. In him who is no
darkness. And lastly, I see another thing
in this verse. God saw the light. It was good.
And then secondly, God divided the light from the darkness.
There's a separation. Always has been. Always will
be. There's a separation then and
there's a separation between the light and darkness now. The
old and new man are as opposites as the North Pole and the South
Pole. Don't reform the old man. He's not going to listen. He's not going to listen. Renew your mind. Redeem the times. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter
6. God separated the light and the
dark. That's the way it always is. That's the way it's going
to stay. The gospel of God's grace is never going to hold
hands with the, that's not a gospel, but a teaching of works. Salvation
by merit, man's merit, man's worth, man's will will never,
never be allowed in the same quarter, the same room, as salvation
in and through Christ. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse
14. Be ye not unequally yoked together
with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness,
and what communion hath light with darkness? We cannot have fellowship with
the people or the ways of darkness. Now, the word fellowship is bandied
about. It's used for everything. When
the scripture speaks of fellowship, it is two people specifically
understanding and agreeing and living and worshiping and glorifying
God as He's revealed in this book. I have many friends who do not
believe the gospel. I don't have fellowship with
them, but I communicate with them. I speak with them. Otherwise,
he might as well do the biblical, unwarranted principle of going
to a monastery. He didn't take us out of the
world. He left us in the world to testify of him. But, it's just not going to happen. It's not going to happen. what communion has like with
darkness and people who try to take Egypt or go back to Egypt
and They're the children of God's grace. They're gonna the Lord's
gonna chastise him. He's gonna he's gonna see to
that that doesn't happen Ephesians chapter 5 And I'll
read you verse 11 Proving what is acceptable unto
the Lord, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 5. Again, do not misunderstand me.
It does not say you don't have friends, people of the world,
you don't talk with people that are of the world, you don't be
nice to people. That's not what we're talking about at all. We're
saying that you can't have fellowship and they're not going to see
the things you see. They're not going to understand the things
of the grace of God and neither would we except for He set us
aside and separated us. But we are to walk as we are
called in grace, long-suffering, kindness, and love, but we're
not called to walk in darkness. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse
4 and 5. But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You
are all the children of light and the children of the day.
We are not of the night, nor of darkness. People's all, you're
talking about holier than thou. Well, that's what religious,
that's what the world religion teaches. Don't touch, don't handle,
don't taste, don't look. This is not even what we're talking
about. We're just saying if you understand the gospel, if God
has brought you out, he will keep you and it'll be evident. I have some situations that I'm
not even going to go into in my life that are painfully clear
that when I was trying to speak to people and things that I didn't
need to be speaking to them about I was casting my pearls before
swine and then they just make fun of you and just turn around
and just knock you. I remember one man I was trying
to talk to him a little bit and then he started making fun of
me and so I should have stopped But I didn't. I, you know, I
thought, well, he's my friend. He wasn't a believer trying to
get him, you know, see if he could would come to hear the
gospel. And we were doing some stuff,
loading some stuff in a big old heavy bag of fertilizer fell
and just about hit me on the head. And he goes, oh, did God
ordain that? You know, did he predestinate
that he was making? He was mocking the things that
are precious to the believer, showing again you can't have
fellowship. Again, not that you can't have
friends, you can't have family, I'm not saying that, but I'm
saying there's a point at which it's separate. It's separate. And until God gives grace, it
will stay that way. It's the way it is. It's protection
for his people, for his church, and it does glorify the Son. in showing that we are of the
light by God's grace. We go back and somebody says,
why do you think you're any different? You go back to Genesis or anywhere
in this book and you say. God created. I didn't do a thing. He did it
all. So he would get all the glory.
And I'm just going to tell you about it. He said, let there
be light, light of the gospel, the light which is his son, the
light in which we walk in, the light which is in us. And he
saw the light and said, it's good. And this gospel of light,
this gospel of grace, this gospel concerning his son is good indeed. Matt, would you close us please?

God's Good Promise

What does the Bible say about creation and salvation?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Why is understanding our condition outside of Christ important?

What does it mean that God creates new creatures in Christ?

Why is fellowship with unbelievers discouraged in the Bible?

Sermon Transcript

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God's Good Promise

What does the Bible say about creation and salvation?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Why is understanding our condition outside of Christ important?

What does it mean that God creates new creatures in Christ?

Why is fellowship with unbelievers discouraged in the Bible?

Sermon Transcript

About Drew Dietz

Comments

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