Today, for our Bible study, I
would highly encourage you to find your Bible this morning
and turn to Ephesians, chapter one. Ephesians, chapter one. Let me read for you in the beginning
here, Ephesians one, verse three, down through verse seven. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,
according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy without blame before
him in love having predestinated us under 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 that is in the Lord Jesus Christ in
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins according to the riches of his grace." Now, if you would
carefully read this chapter, you would see the whole work
of the triune God involved in a scheme of our glorious salvation. We see God the Father choosing
a people unto salvation in verses 3 through verse 6. We call that
the Bible doctrine of election. Paul wrote about that when he
wrote to the Thessalonians and he said, but we are bound to
give thanks always to God for you. Brethren, beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. We also see the redeeming work
of the Lord Jesus Christ in securing the salvation for those for whom
God has eternally chosen in that covenant of grace. We read in
the book of Hebrews 2 verse 17, wherefore in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people." We also see in
Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and verse 14, we see the Holy
Spirit making application to the heart of those chosen and
redeemed. It's God who has begun a good
work in you. He will apply it. He will finish
it. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, when
he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth,
for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall
glorify me. That is, the Holy Spirit glorifies
Christ. He shall receive of mine and
show it unto you. Now, one phrase that is constantly
repeated through all that God has done for us throughout this
chapter that we have just read a portion of, Ephesians 1, we
read this phrase three times in verse 6, 12, and 14. Everything
God does, He does to the praise of the glory of His grace. God
is determined in all that He does to glorify His holy name. All those who believe are also
made willing and ready to give God all honor and glory for his
great salvation. David said in Psalm 115, not
unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, give glory
for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. Paul said, God forbid that
I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. Now
this morning in the remaining time that we have, I want you
to focus on verse 7 for a few moments. Let's read Ephesians
1 verse 7 one more time. through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of His grace. Now I want to point
out to you six glorious facts about the redeeming work of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Here's the first one, the purchaser
of redemption. It says here in whom we have
redemption. Never lose sight of this blessed
truth who died to secure and pay the price and pay the ransom,
the ransom price for God's elect. The Lord Jesus Christ is none
other than God himself incarnate, God in human flesh apart from
sin. It's who he is that gives power
and effect to what he accomplished. John said, The Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. God bought us with His own blood,
Acts 20, 28. So we see who does the redeeming. It's the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Secondly, the object of His redemption. It says here, in whom we have
redemption. Now listen carefully. Contrary
to popular belief of most people, the Bible does not teach universal
redemption, universal atonement. That is, that the Lord Jesus
Christ died for all men without exception. Now keeping in the
context of this chapter you can clearly see that Paul is teaching
that the Lord Jesus made atonement only for those chosen by the
Father in the covenant of grace and given to the Lord Jesus.
The Bible does teach a definite atonement and a particular redemption
for his elect. Those for whom Christ died will
be justified by his blood. His sacrifice does not make salvation
a possibility, but rather an absolute certainty for those
for whom the Lord Jesus Christ stood as surety and substitute. We read in Matthew 121, the message
from heaven is, she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call
his name Jesus. And that means savior for he
shall save his people from their sins. Our Lord said in John 10,
I'm the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known of mine,
as the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father. I lay down
my life for the sheep, for the transgression of my people, our
Lord said in Isaiah 53. I'm stricken for their transgression. Particular redemption, definite
atonement, that's what Paul is teaching here. Thirdly, the fact
of redemption, in whom we have redemption. This sacrifice of
Jesus Christ is not without effect an accomplishment. Salvation
through his blood sacrifice and atonement for sin enables God
to justify the guilty sinner and magnify his justice, magnify
his glory, magnify the glory of his grace and the glory of
his mercy, the glory of his justice at the same time. in whom we
have redemption. Paul wrote to the Galatians,
when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son,
made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Again Paul writing to the Romans in Romans 3.25, in whom God had
sent forth to be a propitiation, that's an atonement, a covering,
Atonement for sin through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are passed Through the forbearance
of God to declare I say at this time his righteousness That he
might be just and the justifier of him which believed in the
Lord Jesus Christ the fact of redemption in whom we have redemption
in and by and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's the fourth
fact of redemption in this verse, the price of redemption. The
price of redemption, what was the price that God demanded?
His blood. Sin demands an appropriate penalty
and price. The wages of sin is death. The
Lord Jesus Christ is God's appointed, anointed, and provided lamb to
take away sin, the sin of God's people. The prophet of old said, behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. That doesn't mean all without
exception, but all without distinction. That is, the Lord Jesus stood
to take away the sin of a whole lot of people, John 1, 29. This
blood sacrifice was offered up to God to make full payment of
all his righteous demands. Here's the scripture, Hebrews
9, that Christ being come a high priest of good things to come,
by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hand,
that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats
and of calves, but by his own blood. You see, sin demands death. By his own blood, he entered
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us. The price of redemption, his
blood, were redeemed not with corruptible thing, but with the
precious blood of Jesus Christ. Here's the fifth fact of redemption.
the results of this glorious redemption, the forgiveness of
sins, the forgiveness of sin. Now this is great comfort to
those who believe, to those who are guilty, to those who need
an atonement, the blood atonement of Christ, Jesus Christ, is all
that God requires. This is all that God has provided
for our eternal pardon. His blood atonement for sin is
so affectionate and complete that God says of those for whom
the Lord Jesus Christ died, Their sins are no more. He said in
Psalm 103, He has separated them from us as far as the east is
from the west. In Hebrews 10, 14, For by one
offering hath he perfected forever them that are sanctified. Again
in Hebrews 10, our Lord said, their sin and their iniquities
will I remember no more. Paul preaching in Acts chapter
13, be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. The
forgiveness of sin because Christ paid our debt and by him all
that believe are justified from all things which could not be
justified by the law of Moses. Now this is good news, my friend.
This is comfort to those who are guilty, to those who are
sinful. The blood atonement of Christ
pays all our sin debt. We have the forgiveness of sins. In the sixth place, we see the
cause of redemption. It says here, in whom we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according
to the riches of his grace. The riches of his grace, that
is the cause of redemption. God's grace is a free and sovereign
favor of God toward guilty sinners who do not merit anything but
wrath. The only reason for grace is
found in God himself. The only reason for grace is
grace. John said in John 1 16 of his
fullness, have we all received grace for grace. Paul wrote to
the Romans and said being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. in whom we have
redemption. It all flows from the sovereign
purpose and grace of God. That's why the apostle said when
he wrote to young Timothy, reminding him of God's saving grace, he
said, it's God who saved us and God who called us with a holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began. but is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who hath abolished death
and hath brought life and immortality to life through the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Now I pray this message will
be a blessing to you and I would encourage you to get your Bible
and read very carefully Ephesians chapter 1 and ask God to teach
you The message of his word, salvation is of the Lord.