Now, Ephesians, the fifth chapter. Last time we met together, I
believe it was two weeks ago, we talked about that blessed
relationship between the husband and the wife and how that is
a fit picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride. his church. We learned last time how the
Lord loved the church and gave himself for it. Notice in verse 25 of Ephesians,
Ephesians 5, husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved
the church. His body, His elect, loved her
so much that He gave everything, He gave Himself for His church,
His bride. He laid down His life for His
bride. He willingly, obediently, and
freely laid down His life out of love, out of love. Notice
in the same chapter, You remember verse 2, walk in love as Christ
also had loved us and had given Himself for us in offering and
sacrifice to God. Now I emphasize I think on that
point that sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was not offered
unto men, it's offered unto God to satisfy His law and justice
for a sweet smelling savor. He willingly and obediently laid
down His life for us. Our Lord said, no man takes My
life from Me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of My Father. He became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ bought
His bride with His own blood. It says that in Acts 20, 28.
He bought us. He bought the church with His
own blood. He redeemed her, His church,
His bride, from all her sins according to the redeemed by
the blood from all our sin, according to the riches of His grace, if
you'll find back in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7, in whom we
have redemption, we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of His grace, not according to
our merit, not according to as we are deserving, but according
to the richness of His mercy and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I've mentioned several times
that the Lord loved the church, gave Himself for the church.
He laid down His life for the church, for these people who
make up His body, His elect. Where did the Lord The Lord Jesus
Christ obtained these people that make up the church of the
firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, even all the elect
of God. Where did they come from? Who are these people? Well, remember
back in chapter 1, turn back over there, in chapter 1, verses
4 and 5, He's blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ
Jesus, verse 4. according as He hath chosen us
in Him." That's where the Lord Jesus got these people. They
were chosen and given to Him. According as He hath chosen us
in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy. He didn't choose us because we
were. He chose us that we should be holy, 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, excepted only in the Beloved." In the Beloved. Now, look back
at our text again. So, husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ also loved the church, That's not talking about
a denomination. He's talking about the elect
of God, those given to Christ in that covenant of grace. And
it is an eternal covenant. Our Lord said, all that the Father
had given to me, they will come to me. And those who come to
me, I will in no way, no way cast them out. Now, verse 26. We'll pick up here. We left off
last time with verse 25. We see in these verses, we see
the fruit and effect of His glorious covenant mercies unto His chosen,
the chosen of God, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the Word, verse 27, that He may present
it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or
any such thing. It's a spotless church. But that
it should be holy and without blemish. No blemish at all. The
Lord Jesus Christ, considering this blessed covenant of grace
that David said ordered in all things, and it's sure, the Lord
Jesus Christ gave Himself for us, for His church, that He might
cleanse it, justify it, and sanctify it unto Himself a glorious body. He's the head of the church,
He is the Savior of the body. A glorious church, a sanctified
church, a justified church, a holy bride, without spot, without
blemish, completely justified and complete in Christ Jesus. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and in Christ believers are complete. Now, why did we need this done
for us? Why did we need this sanctifying
and this cleansing and this washing? Why do we need all this? You know why, don't you? because
of our problem. S-I-N. In Adam we were defiled
with sin. In Adam we were guilty before
God. In Adam all died, it says in Romans 5 verse 12. We were
defiled both with original sin, that's when Adam sinned, I sinned. What he did, I did. I fell in
him. In Adam all died. In Adam all
sinned. That's what we call original
sin. We were defiled with original sin, And also, actual sin. How have you done on your own?
We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God, haven't
we? There is none righteous, therefore the Word of God said,
there is none righteous, no, not one. There's none that understand,
there's none that seek after God, they've all gone out of
the way. There is none that understand it, no, not one. We're all ignorant of God, dead
in sin. The elect of God, Though chosen
and loved in Christ from eternity, we fell with the rest of mankind
into guilt and defilement of sin. We were born in sin, shaped
in iniquity as all mankind. Even though we were chosen in
Christ, in Adam, death. In Adam, sin. In Adam, guilt
and defilement passed upon all men. And that's our state by
nature. David said, I was born in sin
and shaped in iniquity. We live in this fallen state
until God in His saving sovereign mercy is pleased to call us out
of darkness into His marvelous light. Now remember these verses
from Ephesians chapter 2. Turn back there just a moment.
God must command the light to shine in our heart to give us
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians chapter 2, it says
in verse 1, And you, you hath he quickened who were dead in
trespasses and in sin. In time past we walked, According
to the course of this world, how is that away from God? Walking
in darkness and ignorance? According to the prince of the
power of the air? the spirit that now worketh in rebels and
the children of disobedience, among whom we all had our conversation
in time past, in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature, just like
everyone else, children of wrath, deserving of God's just condemnation,
even as others, but God." He made a difference. But God, who
was rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us, even
when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ
by grace, are you saved. Down to verse 12 in the same
chapter, Ephesians 2, verse 12, that at that time you were without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God
in this world, but now in Christ Jesus. Now in Christ Jesus, ye
who sometimes were far off or made nigh by the blood of Christ,
He is our peace. He made peace for us with His
own blood. His own blood. So, we live in
this fallen state until God in His mercy is pleased to call
us out of darkness into His marvelous light. And that's what we give
thanks for. If you'll find Ephesians, or rather Colossians chapter
1, Colossians chapter 1 verse 12. We'll be reading several
scriptures here back and forth. But you notice Colossians chapter
1 verse 12. giving thanks unto the Father,
who hath made us meet," and the word there is fit, "...to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Christ
is the light. "...who hath delivered us from
the power of darkness, translated us into the kingdom of God's
dear Son, the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through
His blood, even through forgiveness of sins." He has done a work of grace,
sovereign mercy, sovereign grace in our heart. He shed His blood. at Calvary's tree to sanctify
His church, to cleanse her from all her sins and filth, and to
make atonement, satisfaction for their sin, to deliver them
from the curse of the law. He has redeemed us from the curse
of that law, being made a curse for us. He delivered us. He has redeemed us. Now, when
did this take place? When was this accomplished? In Revelation 13, verse 8, it
says, the Lord Jesus Christ was a Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. What God purposed from eternity
is also accomplished in time. The Lamb was purposed in eternity,
but in time the Lamb came and the Lamb actually accomplished
what God purposed and decreed from all eternity. When Christ
died for our sin according to the Scripture, He redeemed us,
He put away our sin, He justified us, He sanctified us, so much
so that the Lord Jesus Christ said, it is finished. It's done. The work is completed.
He both justified and sanctified us with His blood. That He, look
what it says in that verse again, that He might sanctify and cleanse
it. Justified and sanctified with
His blood. Now, let's look at those two
things for just a moment. If you'll find Romans chapter
3. Romans chapter 3. Justified,
that is cleared of all guilt. Cleared of all guilt in the court
of God's law and justice. No charge. Who can lay anything
to the charge of God's elect. justified by His grace. Romans
3 declares, verse 24, verse 23 says, we've all sinned and come
short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace. But don't leave this out now.
God has ordained the means as well through the redeeming blood
that is in the Lord Jesus, whom God set forth to be the propitiation,
the satisfaction 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 them who believe
in Christ Jesus." Now, stay in the book of Romans. The book
of Romans tells us a lot about justification. In Romans chapter
5, look at verse 8 and 9. Romans 5, verse 89, God commended
His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us, much more than being now justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through Him. Justified. Justified by
His grace, justified through His blood, justified through
that righteousness that He provided for us. And as well, turn to
Romans 8, Turn over there, Romans 8, I quoted this a moment ago,
Romans 8, verse 32, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give
us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is He that condemneth? There's no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus. It is Christ that died, rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also makes intercession for us. Good news. He has justified us
by His blood, justified us by His grace. I want you to turn
to Hebrews chapter 10. Sanctified as well. Cleansed
from all sin. Cleared from all guilt and cleansed
from all sin. It says over here in Hebrews
chapter 10 verse 9, Hebrews 10 verse 9, Then said He, Lo, I
come, I come to do Thy will, O God, He taketh away the first
that he may establish that eternal covenant of grace. He taketh
away the law by fulfilling the law. Look at verse 10, by the
witch will. We are sanctified, we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest standeth daily, ministering, offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices which can never take away sin, But this
man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he
sat down on the right hand of God." Now read on, "...from henceforth
expect him till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one
offering, that one perfect offering, he perfected forever them that
are sanctified, separated unto God." So, we are justified. We are sanctified through the
Lord Jesus Christ. It's His doing and His dying,
not ours. It's His obedience, not mine.
It's His faithfulness. It's His faithfulness unto the
law. He satisfied the law of God for
us. It's His righteousness. It's
His obedience. Salvation is all summed up in
Christ, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who He is and what He has done.
Now, look at this last part of verse 26, that He might sanctify
and cleanse it, justify and cleanse us with the washing of water
by the Word. Now, the Lord has done a glorious
and grand work for us, no doubt about that. But there's also
that mighty work of grace that God does within the sinner, within
the sinner. by the washing of water by the
Word." Now, a lot of people have misused this verse. By the washing
of water by the Word, this is not referring to water baptism,
as some folks would say, that water baptism is a means of our
sanctification. Or some have even gone as far
as to say that water baptism is a means of obtaining forgiveness. It's by the blood of Christ.
Some have even said that water baptism is a means of sanctification. or the means of regeneration.
Not at all. Not at all. But I tell you what
this is talking about. I believe it is talking about
the true experience of God's regenerating grace within us.
Within us. If you'll find Titus chapter
3. Titus chapter 3, I'm thinking, I thought there might be a reference
here. Yes, there is a reference here. If you have a marginal
reference, Titus 3.5, but turn there, over there to Titus 3.5. We begin reading at Titus 3,
3. He said, We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
this is Titus 3, 3, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,
living in malice, envy, hateful, hating one another. That's what
I am by nature. All these things. But, here's
this word again, but God. But after the kindness and love
of God our Savior toward man appeared, toward His people hath
appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to His mercy. He saved us." Now here's this
washing. It's a washing of regeneration.
And the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He shed on us abundantly,
now, has to be through the Lord Jesus Christ. You see that? Through
the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, that being justified by His grace,
We should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
And this eternal life is in Christ Jesus. Now, stay with me here. this experience of grace, God
has ordained the means whereby He calls out His people with
the word of truth. This is referring also to the
ordained means that God has devised to call out His elect and make
application of grace under their heart and conscience through
the declaration of the gospel, through the declaration of the
preaching of the word. Now, find I Corinthians, I Corinthians
chapter 1, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, we'll be looking at several
scriptures here. God has also devised the means
whereby He does call out His people and whereby He does use
the Word as that seed of life planted within the believer and
blessed by God the Holy Spirit. Now notice, if you will, this
is 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 21. For after
that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by what some folks would consider foolishness, the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe this truth,
this gospel of God's grace." Now, back to the text. Now, stay
with me, with the washing of water by this regenerating work
of God's grace by the Word. Now, if you look that word up,
W-O-R-D, here in this reference, it means the utterance or the
message of the Word. What is the message of the Word?
Well, it's Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, all summed up in Him.
Christ is the living Word. that the Word made flesh that
dwells among us. It says in Hebrews 4.12 that
the Word of God, some say that's referring to the written Word,
some say that's referring to the living Word. I think it's
a reference to both because you can't separate the two. The Word
of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. This is the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God. You know what says that in Ephesians
chapter 6? Turn over there. Ephesians chapter
6. I have a dear preaching friend
of mine, and he always talks about going and taking the sword,
the sword of the Word. He said, I don't want to go and
preach anywhere without the sword of the Word. Ephesians chapter
6, look what he says in verse 16, above all, taking the shield
of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench the fiery darts
of the wicked, take the helmet of salvation and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of truth, the word of God. the
Word of Truth. Christ is the sum and substance. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
message of the written Word. To Him give all the prophets
witness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
sum and substance and declaration of the Gospel. You cannot separate
the Word and the message. It's all summed up in the Lord
Jesus Christ. The message of the Gospel will
go unheard by most But the sheep of Christ will hear it." The
sheep of Christ will hear it because they are quickened by
it and made to hear the Word of Life as it is in Christ Jesus. Now say with me, let's see what
the Word of God says. Turn to John chapter 3. John
chapter 3. God has ordained the end, but
He has also ordained the means to arrive at His certain end.
and part of those me and is able to pluck them out
of my Father's hand, I and my Father are one." And here's a
couple more references to this. There is a necessity. Find Colossians
chapter 1 again. There is a necessity for the
elect of God to hear the Word of truth. To hear, not just preaching. We've got enough of that. But
to hear the truth declared that Jesus Christ is God, that He
accomplished all that God sent Him to do. The Word of Truth.
Our Lord said, You shall know the truth, and the truth shall
set you free. Now Colossians chapter 1. Notice
verse 4. Since we heard Verse 4, since
we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. Now how did they hear
about how can you have faith in Christ Jesus without hearing
the message, hearing the word? Since we heard of your faith
in Christ Jesus and the love which you have to all the saints,
now read on, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven
whereof you heard before in the word the truth of the gospel. which is coming to you as it
is in all the world, but it brings forth fruit unto the elect, as
it does also in you, since the day you heard it and knew the
grace of God in truth." Now, you remember the reference back
in Ephesians chapter 1, turn over there. Ephesians chapter
1. I hope I'm not overwhelming you
with the word, but there's so much scripture on this that it
would make a worthy study. Ephesians chapter 1, look at
verse 11, 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, in whom you
also trusted after you..." What? you heard the message, you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also
after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit
of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, unto the
redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."
When God makes His sovereign application of grace unto us
in this day, It is through the proclamation and the preaching
of the Word of Truth, the Gospel, which He uses to give life and
faith in Christ. The Word is a seed of life that
God uses to quicken the hearts of His people. Now, Romans 10,
turn over there. Romans 10. I'm not among those
who believe that God quickens apart from the Word. He uses
what He has ordained, the Word of Truth. Romans 10, I believe
firmly in the sovereignty of God, but I also know that God
has sovereignly ordained these means to the calling out of His
people. Romans 10, look at verse 13,
for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved. How then shall I call on Him
in whom they've not believed? How shall they believe in Him
of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
somebody telling the truth, a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings
of good things? But they have not all obeyed
the gospel, for Isaiah said, Who hath believed our report?
So then, faith comes by this message, this Word of Truth,
this Gospel, the hearing. And the hearing by the Word,
not of men, not of Tom, but of God. God's Word, God's Truth. I want you to turn to another
scripture on this. James chapter 1. James chapter
1. Of His own will, Look at James
1, 17. Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above. And it comes down from the Father
of light, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Now
look at verse 18. "...of His own will..." Now there
is a will involved in salvation. It's not mine, it's His. "...although
He makes His people willing in a day of His power, of His own
will begat He us..." That's a new birth. "...with with the means
He has ordained, with the Word of Truth, that we should be a
kind of firstfruits of His creature. So here we see involved in our
salvation. I'm talking about not the accomplishment
of it, but the application of it in our heart. Christ in you,
the hope of glory. We see the will of God is the
reason, not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but
it's God that shows mercy. The Holy Spirit is the quickening
agent, The Holy Spirit is a quickening
agent. You have the quickened who were dead in trespasses and
in sin. And the Word of God is the instrument
or the seed of regeneration. It has to be a seed. It has to
be a seed. That's what Peter talks about.
Turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1. It has to be the seed of the
Word. Yes, the will of God, the sovereign
will of God, He quickens whom He will. The Holy Spirit is that
quickening, powerful agent whereby He quickens those who were dead,
but also there has to be that Word of God, the Word of truth,
the seed of life. Now this is what Peter tells
us here in 1 Peter 1, verse 22. Seeing you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth. That's our experience of it.
That's the application of it. Through the Spirit unto genuine,
genuine unfamed, genuine love of the brethren. See that you
love one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born again. That's the new birth. Regeneration.
It's not of a corruptible seed. That's how we were born the first
time. But the incorruptible seed by the Word of God is the living
Word. It's the powerful Word which
liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass. The
glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass withereth and
the flower fades away, but the Word of the Lord The message
of the gospel, the truth, the seed endures forever and this
is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Now, have you got time to turn
to one more? Let's see. Let's find II Thessalonians
2.13. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. What
I'm saying is simply this. God uses the preached Word, the
written Word, the declared Word, all telling us about the Lord
Jesus Christ who is the Word, and He has ordained that as the
means to call out His people. Now notice what He says here
in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. We are bound. We are bound to
give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the
Lord. Because God hath from the beginning
chosen you, sovereignly chosen. Our Lord said, you didn't choose
me, I've chosen you. Chosen you to salvation through the means
that He has ordained. Sanctification of the Spirit.
What is that? Regeneration. What does that
lead to? Belief of the truth. Verse 14,
whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of water by the
word. Has to be that word, that seed
of life that God uses and blesses. That's why he told us throughout
the gospels to go into all the world to go into all the world. Now, wherever that may lead us,
wherever God... You know, Paul, oftentimes, he
prayed, he asked the church to pray for him that God would open
a door. And we see throughout the book of Acts, all these preachers
going all over, and God, He brought persecution and hardship there
to that center core of Jerusalem, didn't He? when they were all
knit together in harmony, and they were. But God sent persecution. And you know why? He scattered
them all over the known world, the Roman world, and they went
everywhere doing one thing. Preaching, preaching, preaching
the truth. and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
condemned." Now that's what the Word of Truth declares. So let's
go back to our study here. and without blemish, without
thought. His church, He presents His church
to the Father just as it really is in Him. We are one with Him. And what's through the head is
through the body. Believers in Christ in the Lord Jesus Christ,
they are made up a glorious church. We are called His jewels, His
bride, a glorious church. You see, believers are complete
in Christ Jesus, so much so that He says here, not a spot or a
stain, not a spot or a stain. God said their sin and their
iniquity will I remember no more. He appeared once in the end of
the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Not a spot
or a stain, not a wrinkle or defilement in the robe of our
righteousness." Not a spot, not a wrinkle. We have a perfect
garment of righteousness. Do you want to read something
about it? Turn over here to Isaiah 61. Isaiah 61, not a wrinkle,
not a spot, not a blemish, but a glorious righteousness. Do
you know why? because Christ is our righteousness
before God. Isaiah 61 verse 10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for
he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornament, as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. We have
a glorious, glorious righteousness in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not
a spot, not a stain, not a wrinkle of defilement, nor it says there
not any such thing, but that it should be holy, and in Christ
we are holy. And we are without blemish. I'll close with this reference
if you find Colossians again, chapter 1. Colossians chapter
1. It says over there in Jude 1
verse 24, He's able to keep us from falling and to present us
faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Do the only wise God our Savior
be all honor, glory and blessing both now and forever. Colossians
chapter 1, look at verse 19. For it pleased the Father that
in him should all fullness dwell, having made peace through his
blood, through the blood of his cross." How is peace made? Through
the blood of his cross. "...by him to reconcile all things
unto himself. By him, I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes
alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled." He reconciled in the body of His flesh to death
to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight." Now,
there's not a period there. Seeing, if you continue, is seeing
you continue in the faith, grounded, settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel which you have heard. We've heard him
speak from heaven, which was preached to every creature which
is under heaven. Wherefore, I, Paul, am made a
minister." There's the preaching of the gospel and the declaration
of the Word of God once again.