Would you turn back to Ephesians
chapter one? Tonight, I'm going to be preaching
on Jacob. Jacob. Let's read this 11th verse again. 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. I've entitled this message, The
Counsel of His Will. Once again, as I prepare to preach,
I'm guaranteed failure. No way I'm going to be able to
preach this message as it ought to be preached, but that's true
with regard to every sermon. That's something to look forward
to. You know that however you say
it, it's going to be a failure, but the Lord will bless it according
to His will anyway. Now, I'm not attempting to explain,
defend, or reconcile what I'm saying with other things we may
hold as truth. I'm hoping to simply set forth
what God has revealed in his word regarding this glorious
subject. Didn't see it fall off. Thanks,
Dwight. I've got five points. The first
point is in whom. The second point is we. The third point is having obtained an inheritance. The fourth point is being predestinated. And the fifth point is according
to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will. We're just going to look at everything
said in this blessed verse. First point, in whom. Now, I think it's very interesting
that this sentence In Ephesians chapter one, verses three through
14, that's just one sentence. That's a long sentence, isn't
it? But it's just one sentence. And in this one sentence, 10
times, we have this glorious phrase, in whom? In whom? Now this is Paul's way
of reminding us ten times that all of God's blessing, all of
God's salvation, all of God's grace, all of God's favor, all
that God has for the sinner is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every blessing we experience
of God's salvation is for Christ's sake. It's all in him. He is salvation. And I wish I
could emphasize this properly. Look in verse four, according
as he has chosen us in him. Election is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look in verse six, to the praise
of the glory of His grace when He hath made us accepted in the
beloved acceptance is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse seven,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. All of God's blessing is in the
Lord Jesus Christ. It's for His sake. I love when
the Lord is speaking in Ezekiel chapter 36 of all the things
he's going to do. I'm going to give you a new heart.
I'm going to put my spirit within you. I'm going to wash you. He
prefaces all that by saying, not for your sakes do I this,
saith the Lord. I'm not doing this for your sake,
not because of something in you, not because of any sorrow you've
demonstrated, not because of anything you've asked for. It's
not for your sake that I'm doing this. I love what John said in
1 John 2, he says, I write unto you, little children, for your
sins are forgiven for his name's sake. Ephesians 4, verse 32,
be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you. This is good news to anybody
that doesn't have anything to bring to the table. Now let me repeat that. This
is good news to anybody who does not have anything to bring to
the table. You don't have to bring anything.
This is done for Christ's sake. All of God's blessing is in him. And the only thing that would
prevent us from loving this is some form of self-righteousness. And it comes in so many disguises. But if you have no righteousness, this is good news. In whom? There's nothing to prevent God
from blessing you because all of his blessings are in Christ
Jesus. It's not for your sake. It's not because of anything
in you. It's for Christ's sake. Second point is we. 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.
Who is the we? Well, everyone identified in
our text. Everyone identified in our text. The we is those
who have obtained an inheritance, those who are predestinated according
to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will. The we is the elect of God. The we is those
for whom Christ died. The we is those whom God the
Holy Spirit has given life to and given hearing ears to. The
we is those who believe the gospel. The we is those who repent. But let me tell you what I like
the best as far as these descriptions of who the we is. Now you listen
carefully to this verse of scripture. This is who the we is. In 1 Timothy
1 verse 15, Paul said this is a faithful saying. And it's worthy
of all acceptation. This is something everybody in
this room ought to jump for joy over. Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners. of whom Paul said, I am the chief.
Now, here's the best description for we. Yes, it's believers.
Yes, it's the elect. Yes, it's those for whom Christ
died. Yes, it's those that God, the Holy Spirit has given life
to, but it is every sinner. Isn't everybody a sinner? Well, not everybody really believes
they are. Yes, everybody's a sinner in the sense that everybody was
dead and Adam and no man is righteous. Yes, everybody's a sinner in
that sense. But not very many people really
believe they're sinners. Not in the scriptural account. What's a sinner? A sinner is
somebody who really believes that all they do is sin. They really believe that about
themselves. They cannot not sin. And it's all their fault. I say
this a lot. I'm going to say it again. I hope somebody hears
it. Their sin is all their fault. They cannot not sin. All they
do is sin. And their sin is all their fault.
They're not victims. They can't blame something. It's
all their fault. They can't. A sinner is someone
who can't look down on anybody in moral superiority. He can't
stand in judgment of anybody because he, whatever that person
is, he believes himself to be worse. A sinner is somebody who
has no claims on God. I can't say, God, you need to
do this for me because I know a sinner is somebody who's nothing
but sin. Would that be you? Somebody says, no, it's not.
Well, you're not in this we then. Are you a sinner? then you are
included in this we that have obtained an inheritance. In whom we have also obtained
an inheritance. Here's the third point. In whom
we have obtained an inheritance. You know one of the glorious
things about inheritance? If you inherit something, you didn't
earn it. you didn't earn it. Have you
ever known anybody who's not a good person in themselves but
they obtained an inheritance simply because of the privilege
they were born into? Sure you have. They got everything
just because of who their daddy was or who their mom was. It
had nothing to do with them earning or achieving anything. It was
given to them because of their relationship with somebody else. Now here's what is interesting
about the believer and his inheritance. It's true that I don't get an
inheritance because of anything I do or because I'm a good person.
It has nothing to do with it. It's because of who I am in Christ.
But in Christ, I am actually worthy of this inheritance. Me, Todd, every believer. Ephesians or Colossians 1, turn
with me there. Colossians 1 verse 12. Giving thanks unto the Father,
Colossians 1, 12, giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made
us meet sufficient fit. to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light. There's a great group right now
called the saints in light in heaven, worshiping the Lord Jesus
Christ. And every believer is right now
fit sufficient for that right now. Now, what is this inheritance? I wish I could describe the inheritance
every believer has. It ought to make every believer
long for death. I'm going to be just like Christ.
I'm going to be in His presence. I'm going to behold His face
in righteousness. I'm going to be without sin.
I'm going to have whatever He has is mine. The scripture says
we're joint heirs with Christ. Think of that, joint heirs with
Christ. What an inheritance. I can't
possibly describe the glories of heaven, I wish I could, but
I know this. I'll be in his presence, and
I'll behold his face in righteousness, and I will awake in his likeness. What could be better than that?
What can even compare with that? Oh, the inheritance every believer
has. You may be going through some bad times right now, maybe
some difficult times, but it's not going to last very long.
And you're going to wake up in the very presence of the Lord
Jesus Christ, perfectly conformed to his image. No more sin, no
more suffering, no more sorrow. What an inheritance every believer
has. The Lord is my portion. The Lord
himself is my inheritance. You know, people talk about heaven.
They talk about the streets of gold and try to make it a material
thing. Well, gold is so worthless there,
they paved the streets with it. So don't look at it in terms
of material things. It's the spiritual blessing of
perfect likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ. What an inheritance
is awaiting every believer. I couldn't help but think what's
waiting every unbeliever. Oh, when you die, this is all
you got now. When you die, you're going to be without Christ. I hate to use the term hell,
but that's where all unbelievers will be, separated from God. May the Lord give everybody in
this room grace to call on, Lord have mercy on me. Not just so
I won't go to hell, but I don't want to go there, you. I don't
want to go there. I want to be in heaven, enjoying
this glorious inheritance. Now the fourth point is being
predestinated. In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated. God is the God of absolute predestination. Whom he did foreknow, then he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Predestination, I'm not going
to spend a lot of time on this point because we've already dealt
with it a couple times this year, but predestination is God being
God. If you don't worship the God
of absolute predestination, the God you worship is a non-existent
God, it's an idol. The only God there is is the
God of absolute predestination. And if you don't believe in predestination,
you might as well be worshiping a totem pole. It really is that
real. God is God, and he controls everything. And the only folks who are going
to be saved are the people that he predestinated to be saved. That's just so clear in the scripture.
I think of that scripture, this regards everything. Acts 4.27
says both Gentiles and Pontius Pilate with the people of Israel
were gathered together for to do, talking about the cross,
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. Why was Christ crucified? Crucified, nailed to the cross,
because it was predestinated. He's the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. Why is one man saved and others not?
Well, one man was predestinated to be saved. The other was passed
by. That is the truth of Scripture. Now, if it seems harsh, I don't
want it. It's not harsh. It's not harsh. It's good news. If he didn't
predestinate a vast number of people, no one would be saved.
But thank God he did, because he's merciful and because he
is gracious. Predestination, I repeat, is
neither more nor less than God being God. And the only alternative
to predestination is atheism. And atheism is not an option
at all. God is the God of absolute predestination. And I love it that way. I wouldn't
want it to be any other way. Now here's the last point, and
this is the point that I wanted to deal with. 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. God is a God of purpose. He doesn't do anything by accident.
He does all things according to the purpose of his own will. He never responds. All things
are according to his purpose. I have spoken it. I also will
do it. I have purposed it. I also will
bring it to pass. We're in Ephesians. Look in Ephesians
chapter three, verse 11. We read of according to the eternal
purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. The eternal purpose, the purpose
that didn't have a beginning. Romans chapter eight, verse 28,
we're familiar with this verse of scripture. And we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are thee called according to his purpose. Second Timothy
1.9, he saved us. He called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose.
grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Romans 9, 11, for the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose, there's that word again, the purpose of God according
to election might stand, not of works. That's God's purpose,
that salvation might not be of works, but of him that calleth. Now, he works all things after
the counsel of his own will. His purpose is that he works
all things after the counsel of his own will. Everything that
takes place in time, everything was decreed in eternity. Why are you here this morning? God predestinated it to take
place. It's according to the counsel of his own will. Somebody's listening to this
and saying, I don't like this. Well, that's according to his
purpose too. He's in control of everything.
Somebody else says, I love this. I love the God who is God. That's
according to his purpose. He controls everything. And that's how Romans 8, 28 is
true. All things work together. All things work together, not
separately, but together for good. To them that love God,
to them who are the call according to his purpose. That means everything. The Lord said, not a sparrow
falls to the ground without your heavenly father. He controls
everything. Whatever's happening is His will
being done. Predestination is the purpose
of grace. Providence is the execution of
the purpose. Notice these words back in our
text in Ephesians 1, 11, in whom also we've obtained an inheritance
being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will. Now, this is what is known as
the decree of God. That's a scriptural term. You
remember in Psalm 2, verse 7, where the Lord said, I will declare
the decree. The Lord hath said to me, thou
art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Everything happens according
to God's decree. Let me give you one of the confessions
definition. I can't improve on it. The decrees
of God, this came from the Westminster Confession, the decrees of God
are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will,
whereby for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever
comes to pass. Nothing escapes that. Everything
takes place according to the decree of God. Now God's great
end in his decrees is his own glory. That's why he does all he does,
his own glory. They're all reducible to one
eternal purpose. God's only got one purpose, his
own glory. And they're all free and sovereign. What he does, what that means,
free. He doesn't have to wait to see what you're gonna do.
He doesn't have to figure out events. No, they're free, done
according to his sovereign will, determined by the counsel of
his own will. and they comprehend all events,
he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Now
when I said everything God does, he does for his glory, where
are you with that? Where am I with that? Am I on
board with that? Do I believe that it's altogether
glorious that God does what he does for his own glory? Do I
believe that salvation gives him all the glory? Well, turn
with me for a moment to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1, beginning in verse
26. For you see your calling, brethren,
how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, Not
many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which
are mighty and the base things of the world and the things which
are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not
to bring to naught the things that are that no flesh should
glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption, that according as it is written,
he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Why did God create the universe
and the world? For his glory. Why did God create man for his
glory? Why did God allow Adam to fall
for his glory? Why the cross? The glory of God. All God does, he does for his
glory, for the glory and exaltation of his son. The Lord hath made all things
for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. I am the
Lord and there's none else. I form the light, I create darkness,
I make peace, I create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. Thou hast created all things
for thy own pleasure. They are and were created. God does what he does for his
glory. Now, I wonder if there's anybody thinking, isn't that
egotistical? I thought that before. Isn't
that egotistical? Well, it would be beneath the
excellency and dignity of his character to act under any lower
motive than that. That's how glorious He is. For Him to act in any other way
would be beneath the dignity of His character. And for us
to think anything like that shows a profound ignorance of God. I love what the Lord said. He
said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
You have hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed
them unto babes, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy
sight." Now, I think of man's natural objection
to God being an absolute sovereign rule and control over everything.
men will object. Paul anticipated this in Romans
chapter 9 when he said, why does he yet find fault for who has
resisted his will? If God is so absolutely sovereign
that if even if I snap my finger was predestinated by God, If
He's predestinated everything, well, how can He hold me responsible
for sin I commit? If I commit sin, it's all a part
of His purpose, so how can He hold me responsible? Who has
resisted His will? Nay, but, O man, who are you
to reply against God? When I make a statement like
that, what I'm saying is, I am more moral than God. I can sit
in judgment on God and declare I think this is right or I disagree
with that. That is not to be done. He is God. Whatever he does is right. He has no law over his head. He is God. Shall not the judge
of the earth do right? And if he does it, he doesn't
do it because it's right. It's right because he does it.
Trust him. Trust him. He is worthy of complete
trust. He's God. And whatever he does
is right. All things are deduced to this.
God purposed it. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning. His works are eternal. His purpose,
his counsel is eternal. What does that mean? Of course,
you and I don't understand eternity because we're stuck with space
and time. I can only be here, I can't be
out there. I'm stuck in space. at a certain place. I'm stuck
in time. I can't tell what's going to
happen tomorrow. God dwells in eternity. There is no past. There is no present. There is
no future with him. He's God. He doesn't look at
things in the order of a sequence of events. He's God. He controls
everything. Everything is in the eternal
now. And he sees it all. Now, do we
understand that? Of course not. But do we believe
it? Absolutely. His counsel and purpose,
His decrees are eternal. They are immutable. There are
no unforeseen emergencies, no inadequacy of means, no need
for contingency plan, no need for plan B. His purposes are
His one purpose, His own glory, the glory and exaltation of His
Son. No changing. He never changes
his decrees. The Lord's not a man that he
should repent and his decrees are free and uninfluenced. What do I mean by that? We'll
turn to Romans chapter 11 for a second. Verse 33. Oh, the depth of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his
judgments and his ways past finding out for, who hath known the mind
of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?
Who did he try to seek advice from? Or who hath first given
to him and it should be recompensed to him again? For of him and
through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen. His decrees, his purpose is absolute
and sovereign. He doeth according to his will
in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth
and none can stay his hand. or saying to him, what doest
thou? They're absolute, they're efficacious,
that means they're always done. His will's never thwarted, never. His will is always done exactly
as he purposed it with regard to all things. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he. None can stay his hand or say
unto him, what doest thou? And his decrees relate to all
events. He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will. And that includes the free actions
of men. You do what you want to. I do
what I want to. All the time. And God is completely sovereign
over the free actions of men. Men object to this. What about
man's freedom? God's sovereign over man's freedom.
Well, this is making God the author of evil. If you're saying
he controls everything, you're saying he's the author of evil. What you mean by that is you're
God's judge and you don't really want him to be running the show. That's what that really means.
No love for God. But this will destroy men's initiative
if you say everything's after the counsel of his own will.
Well, what's the point in witnessing? What's the point in preaching?
What's the point in efforts of obedience? What's the point in
anything? What this'll do is it'll destroy men's effort. It'll
make men not care. It'll make men not give. It'll
make men not... No, it doesn't. That's just a
lie. If you're looking for a reason
to be that way, you'll find one, there's no doubt about it, but
it doesn't make any believer give less effort in any way. will lead to fatalism. That's
another lie. Doesn't lead anybody to fatalism.
Fatalism is a belief in blind fate. This is the God of glory
controlling everything. There's all the difference in
the world. Now, you know what this tells me? Bottom line. This
tells me that I don't have anything to worry about. I don't have anything to worry
about. God's on the throne. And salvation is in Christ. It's
not in my works. It's in Christ. God saves this
sinner for Christ's sake only. Praise the Lord for that. If
I had to find a reason in myself for him to save me, I couldn't
find a reason. Because there is no reason. But he says, for
Christ's sake, what am I called upon to do? To trust him completely. I love what Paul said. I'm persuaded. God's persuaded
me. I'm persuaded. You know, everything
I believe, this stuff that I've been talking about, the counsel
of his own will, his purpose, him being in control of everything.
I've been persuaded of that. God persuaded me. And when He
persuades, you're persuaded. And if you're not persuaded,
it's because He never persuaded you. If He persuades you, you'll know
this is so. This is who God is. And I'm persuaded
that He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is able to keep that which I've
committed to Him against that day. I've committed the entire
salvation of my soul to this One who really is God, who really
rules and reigns, whose righteousness is a perfect righteousness, who
has the ability to save me by His grace. What a glorious Savior. What a glorious Savior. A Savior
that is not this Savior is no Savior at all. He is Lord. He's my Lord, and I bow before
Him now willingly, and that willingness comes by His grace. But I bow
before Him willingly. Aren't you thankful for this
verse, in whom we have obtained an inheritance? being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will. Let's pray. Lord, we give thanks for who
you are. We give thanks that salvation
is in your son. We give thanks for the glorious
inheritance every believer has. Lord, we give thanks for your
predestinating grace, whereby you work all things after the
counsel of your own will. It would really be wrong to leave
this part out. Turn with me to Genesis 45. I had this in my notes, haven't
been looking at my notes, and then looked down and saw this,
and this just ties up what Ephesians 1.11 says. Genesis chapter 45. Verse 1, then Joseph could not
refrain himself before all them that stood by. And he cried,
cause every man to go out for me. And there stood no man with
him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. They
didn't know who he was up until this point. And he wept aloud,
and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph
said unto his brethren, I'm Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brother, brethren, couldn't
answer him. They were troubled at his presence.
They remembered so clearly throwing him into that pit. They remembered
selling him as a slave and they remembered all that. And when
he makes himself known, they're scared to death. They can't even
speak. They can't even respond. Verse four, and Joseph said unto
his brethren, come near to me, I pray you, and they came near.
And he said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. I've heard people say, when you
forgive somebody, you need to forget what they did too. Impossible. Joseph didn't forget. God does, because he makes it
to where there's nothing there to remember. That's what the
blood of Christ did. It put away the sins of his people.
But Joseph really had forgiven these men and loved them, but
he didn't forget what they did. He said, I am Joseph, your brethren,
whom you sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved.
nor angry with yourselves that you sold me hither. For God did
send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath
the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years
in which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent
me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and
to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not
you that sent me hither, but God. That's true of everything. And God is able to bring good
out of evil. He always does. Genesis 50, this
is after Jacob has died and his brother and get to thinking about
it, verse 15. And when Joseph's brethren saw
their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate
us and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did
unto him. You see, as a man, he is so he thinks others to
be. That's the way they would have been. And so they're thinking
Joseph is going to be this way. And they sent a messenger unto
Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
So shall you say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the
trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for they did unto
thee evil. And now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants
of God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake
unto him, and his brothers also went and fell down before his
face. And they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph
said unto them, Fear not, for am I in the place of God? As
for you, you thought evil against me. But God meant it unto good
to bring to pass as of this day to save much people alive. Thank God for God. Amen.