Okay, let's turn back to Ephesians,
the fifth chapter. Ephesians chapter 5. Let's begin
at verse 1 and we'll look down, read down through verse 3. Be
ye therefore followers, followers of God. Followers of God in Christ
as little children totally dependent upon His grace, His mercy to
save us, to keep us, to feed us, to sustain us and walk this
way. Walk in love. Walk in love. Love to Him. Love for one another
as Christ also hath loved us and hath given Himself for us
an offering and sacrifice to God for a satisfaction. Satisfaction. He put away all
our sin, having forgiven us because of Christ paying our debt. Now look at verse 3. But he says,
Believers in Christ, don't let these things be named among you,
as becometh saints, ornication, all uncleanness, all covetousness,
let it not once be named among you which becometh, or who are
becometh saints." Now those who are followers and lovers of the
Lord Jesus Christ, they earnestly desire to avoid everything and
anything that would bring dishonor to the gospel we believe and
the Lord for whom we trust. Let these works of the flesh,
as they're called in Galatians 5, 19, or as I call them, the
fruit of the flesh, not once be named or practiced by believers."
Our desire, our true desire, is to put off the old nature,
put off the old man, as it says in chapter 4, verse 22, 23, and
verse 24, to put off the old man, the old
nature, and put on that new man created in Christ Jesus. One of the old Puritan writers,
William Grinnell, wrote this in 1660. He said, Faith has two
hands. With one it pulls off its own
righteousness, which is filthy rags, and throws it away. With the other, by faith, put
on Christ. Put on Christ. and that righteousness
found in him. Believers in Christ Jesus. Now
here's what we want to concentrate on. In verse 3. Believers becometh saints. We are saints in Christ Jesus. Believers in Christ are saints. They are sanctified. They become
saints by grace alone. Christ alone. The power of the
gospel alone. For they are sanctified in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now the scripture says this,
but of Him are you in Christ, who of God is made unto us, He
is our wisdom, He is our righteousness, He is our wisdom, He is our righteousness,
He is our sanctification, He is our deliverance, He is our
Redeemer. All things are in Him. Everything
this sinner needs to stand complete before God is found in the Lord
Jesus. He is our sanctification. I have become a saint. Now, I
want you to take your Bible and maybe this will help you to understand
this thing of sanctification. Find, first of all, Jude. Jude,
that little book right before the Revelation. Jude, and there's
just one chapter, so we'll say Jude, chapter 1, sanctified by God the Father,
sanctified by God the Father. It's God the Father who has made
us and put us in Christ Jesus, made us one with Him in that
covenant of grace. Jude, verse 1, Jude, the servant
of Jesus Christ, the brother of James, to them that are sanctified
by God the Father, Preserved in Christ Jesus and called. Sanctified by God the Father
in that electing grace God put us in Christ. God chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world. Sanctified by God
the Father. Now notice this. Find I Corinthians
1. Sanctified by the Father. And then it says here in I Corinthians
chapter 1 verse 2, "...unto the church of God which is at Corinth,
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints,
with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord
Jesus, name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, sanctified
in Christ Jesus." by His blood and by His righteousness, sanctified
in Christ. Now here's the third thing. If
you'll find II Thessalonians, II Thessalonians chapter 2 at verse 13. So we're sanctified by God the
Father, sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ. You see the whole
triune God is involved in this thing of sanctification. Sanctified
by God the Father in that covenant of grace. Sanctified by the Lord
Jesus Christ by His blood and His righteousness. His blood
cleanses us from all sin. Sanctified by God the Holy Spirit
in regenerating mercy, regenerating grace. II Thessalonians 2.13.
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. That's regeneration. And that leads to this, belief
of the truth. Whereunto He called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me read just one more.
Jot this down if you want to, you don't need to turn to this
reference, but 1 Peter 1, or 1 Peter 1, 2, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification
of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood
of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Sanctification. Sanctification. We're sanctified in Christ Jesus. He is our righteousness. He is
our holiness. Now in our salvation and the
experience of salvation, We see two things, justification and
sanctification. And here's what it is, that work
of justification is what the Lord Jesus Christ, by His blood
and His righteousness, He has done for us, justified by His
blood, and that work of sanctification is what God has done within us,
making us new creatures in Christ Jesus. Now, look back to the
text. So we, by His grace, we are sanctified
in Him. We are complete in Him. That
being so, avoid these things, filthiness, foolishness, and
silliness. Filthiness, foolish talk, filthy
talk, and silly talk, which are not proper. are not proper for
those that have become saints, been made saints in Christ Jesus.
Let your word be seasoned with salt. Let your word be seasoned
with grace. You know, this tongue is an unruly
member. The book of James talks about
the tongue being an unruly member in James chapter 3. I tell you,
it takes the power of God to control this tongue. It will
set the world on fire, it says over there. So be careful how
you talk. Be careful how you walk. Filthy
talk, foolish talk, silly talk, that's not proper. It's not proper.
But here's what is proper. Look at verse 4, the last part
of it. But rather, let's do this. Giving of thanks. We sing that
song, O for a thousand tongues, to sing His praise. How about
if we just use the one we have? To give thanks unto the Lord,
as He says in this same chapter, verse 20, giving thanks always
for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Giving thanks always. Now find
I Thessalonians chapter 5. I Thessalonians chapter 5. You are familiar with these verses
here in the closing part of that 5th chapter, verse 16 beginning. I Thessalonians chapter 5, it
says, Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, In everything
give thanks. In everything give thanks for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench
not the spirit, despise not preaching, prove all things, hold fast to
that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil, and the
very God of peace sanctify you wholly. I pray God your whole
spirit, soul, body, that's who we are, spirit, soul, body, be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that called you who will also, he'll do it, he's
true to his word, he will do it. Now look back at Ephesians
5 again, verse 5, Well, you know this. This you
know. You know this. We know we're redeemed with the
blood of Christ. We know this too. We know that
no whoremonger, nor an unclean person, and he's talking here
about people that's unconverted. He's talking about here the unregenerated.
He's talking about here persons who are idolaters, who love not
the gospel of God, who love not the Lord Jesus Christ, nor a
covetous man. A covetous man is an idolater.
He's an idolater rather. "...hath any part, any inheritance,
in the kingdom of Christ." Now this inheritance, here's the
third thing. We're saints, saints give thanks,
and saints are heirs of God in joint heirs with the Lord Jesus
Christ. This inheritance believers enjoy in Christ is the inheritance
of free grace. It's an inheritance that Peter
called incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, that's reserved
in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God. We have
an inheritance in Christ Jesus. An inheritance, what do we know
about an inheritance? An inheritance is something earned
and merited by someone else, is it not? And freely given to
the heirs of the estate. Maybe some of you older ones
have a will to your estate where you've named certain individuals
in your will to be an heir of your estate. They didn't earn
it, you did, but you've determined by your own heart to give them
what you've earned and what you deserve. Believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ have been made heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We've been given right entitled
to all grace now, all glory hereafter by the sovereign will of God. He determined who would be the
heir and how he would bless us in Christ Jesus. Now, if you
have a will that you have had someone, an attorney or someone,
draw up that will, and you've signed it, and it's been validated,
it's been notarized, it's been guaranteed, and at your death,
they will take that will, and they will probate that will,
and the judge or someone who is executor of your estate, they
will determine to take out those things that you have written
down, and to see to it that it's taken care of and completed.
But you know, even in the courts of men, sometimes those wills
that are written by people will be overturned. Someone will contest
a will and will change what you have done and what you have desired,
and there's nothing you can do about it because you're not here.
But my friend, this will of God concerning the heirs of salvation
He ever lives to enforce His will. He is the executor of His
will, which cannot ever be contested by any sinner, can never be overturned
by anyone, no judge, no court. God has made all things certain
and sure in Christ Jesus. He's made us heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ Jesus. It's not of Him that willeth,
nor of Him that runneth, But it's God that shows mercy to
us. Now look at verse 6. Verse 6
in our text. He said, Let no man deceive you
with vain words. For because of these things cometh
the wrath of God, the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. The wrath of God upon those who
are unbelievers. You see the marginal reference
on the word there. disobedient, unbelief, unbelief. Now, let no false preacher or
arrogant man, let no false preacher, no arrogant
Pharisee or deluded, deceived conman swindle you and trick
you with vain, empty words. That's what he's saying there.
Let no man Deceive you with vain words Empty words saying that
salvation is by what you do or what you don't do Not at all. Our Lord warned of these days
in Matthew chapter 24. He said there shall arise false
Christ False prophets and shall show great signs and wonders
in so much that if it were possible, they would deceive They would
deceive the very elect of God He says, let no one deceive you
and tell you that God will not punish sin. Now, He will. We
hear a lot of talk in our day that God is love, God is love.
That is true. But God is holy. God is righteous. God is just. He must and will
punish sin. Let no one deceive you. The wrath of God, as it says
there, the wrath of God will abide upon those who are
in idolatry and unbelief. The wrath of God abides upon
those who are rebels against His grace, rebels against the
Lord Jesus Christ. The wrath of God abides upon
those not found in Christ Jesus. The wrath of God abides upon
those who have no justifying righteousness in Christ Jesus. The wrath of God abides upon
them. Now I want to show you something here that will give
you some comfort. It does me. Turn back to 1 Thessalonians
chapter 5 again. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and
notice this. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, look
at verse 5. You are the children of light. and the children of
day, we are not of the night nor darkness. Therefore let us
not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they
that sleep, sleep in the night, they that be drunken are drunken
in the night. Let us who are of the day be
sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and of love, and for
a helmet the hope of salvation." Now look at this, "...for God
hath not appointed us to wrath, But to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ. Who has made us to differ? God
has made us to differ. He's not left us in our ignorance,
in our disobedience, and in our unbelief. He's called us out
of darkness into His marvelous light. Now look at verse 7 back
in our text. Let no man deceive you with vain
things. Look at verse 7, Be not ye therefore
partakers with them. Let's not be a joint partaker
with them. Let us not, and this is going
to sound narrow-minded, but it's just as narrow as the Word of
God. Let us not be associated with, nor have any fellowship
with these deceivers. These deceivers. They are unfruitful
works of darkness. That's what they are. I want
you to find 2 John. Can you find that? It's right
next to 1 John. And then in between, right before
3 John. 1 John. 2 John I want. 2 John. Let us not be associated
with any of these deceivers. 2 John, look at verse 7. 2 John, verse 7, just one chapter. For many deceivers are entered
into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh. This is a deceiver and this is anti-Christ. Look
to yourselves that we lose not those things which have wrought
or have been wrought in us, but that we receive a full reward.
What is that? Christ is our reward. Whosoever
transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath
not God. He that abideth, he that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son, now watch this, if there come any unto you, and bring
not this doctrine, salvation accomplished in Christ, who he
is, what he's done and why, receive him not into your house, don't
bid him Godspeed, will they knock on your door? Don't bid him good day. Tell
him to get out of your yard. If there come any, and bring
not this doctor, and receive him not in your house, neither
bid him God's speed. Don't even say good day. Tell
him good riddance. For he that biddeth him God's
speed is a partaker of his evil deeds. Now, I tell you what,
that's just as narrow as the Word of God. Be not ye therefore
a partaker with them." Tell them good riddance, goodbye. They
have nothing to say because they have not the truth, they believe
not the truth. They need to hear the truth. Now look at verse 8. Back in
our text. Ephesians 5 verse 8. For ye were sometimes darkness,
we were sometime deceived because we were darkness. Now this doesn't
say here we were in the dark, oh that's true. Look back over
here in chapter 4, you remember this? Chapter 4 verse 18, having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness
of their heart, we were in the dark But something here that's
more striking and more powerful, we were sometimes darkness itself. Now certainly every believer
can identify with this fact. Before God did a work of grace
in the heart, we were ignorant fools, loving darkness, living
in spiritual ignorance, loving darkness, not light, not knowing
the evil of sin, nor anything of true righteousness. Before
God saved us now, before God did a work of grace, we didn't
know anything of true righteousness. We were going about to establish
a righteousness of our own, caring not for the glory of God, seeking
not the glory of God in Christ Jesus, rather seeking our own
glory. Why? We were darkness. After
all, we were darkness. We were ignorant and in the dark.
It says over in chapter 2, remember, without God, without hope, without
Christ in this world, that was us. But look at these two words
in verse 8. We were darkness, but now. But now. Now, you're just the
opposite. Now you're light. your light
in the Lord. Now don't leave that out. Now
walk as children of light. Walk as children of light. But
now in Christ Jesus, by His marvelous grace, we're no longer in darkness. Do you remember that verse over
in II Corinthians 4? God who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God turned on the light. But
more than that, more than that, the light came into you, Christ
in you, the hope of glory. Now let me show you scripture
over here. John chapter 8 is what I want.
John chapter 8. John chapter 8 verse 12. John 8 verse 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. He's light in us and we're light
in Him. in Christ Jesus by His marvelous
grace. But now, you remember back over
here in Ephesians chapter 2, turn over there just a minute.
Ephesians chapter 2, he talks about everything we were by nature.
In verse 1, dead in sins. In verse 2, in time past we walked
according to the course of this world. We walked away from God. Disobedience in rebellion, verse
3, 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 children of wrath, even as others. But God,
but now, God who is 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? Verse 13 in the
same text, "...but now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our
peace." In Christ, we are light. We've been delivered from darkness.
The Scriptures declare that plainly unto us. Translated out of the
kingdom of darkness, Colossians chapter 1. Translated out of
the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son,
the Son of His love. It says over there in 1 Peter
2, 9 that we've been called out of darkness into His marvelous
light that we should show forth the praises of Him who hath called
us by His grace. Now, back to the text. You were
sometimes nothing but darkness, blind, that's darkness, blind,
blind. But now you're light. He's enlightened
us. He's given us eyes of understanding.
Your light in Christ, light in the Lord in the fact that He
invaded your whole person, body, soul, and spirit. Your light
in the Lord. Now walk that way. Walk as children
of light. Walk as children of the King.
Walk in light. You remember we've had this exhortation
several times. Look at chapter 4, verse 1. I
therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk
worthy of the calling wherewith you are called." Walk worthy
of Him. And then in Ephesians 5 verse
2 he says to walk in love. Now he says here to walk as children
of light. Walk as children of the King.
Be followers of God as His dear children. Walk, this is a walk
of faith. The just shall live by faith. We walk not by sight, but we
walk by faith looking to Him, resting in Him. This is a persuasion
that God has given us in our heart. It's the walk of faith. It's the walk as children of
light. Look at verse 9 in our text,
Ephesians 5 verse 9. 4, the fruit of the Spirit is in
all goodness. righteousness and truth. The fruit of the Spirit produces
in us the fruit of light. Opposed to unfruitful works of
darkness, the works of the flesh. Three things are mentioned here.
You see those three things in verse 9? Goodness, righteousness and truth. Producing in our lives these
things by His grace. This is not only teaching grace,
but revealing grace. But it's also producing grace.
Goodness as opposed to malice, filthiness, uncleanness, greed,
lust, and cruelty. His goodness in us. Righteousness
as opposed to evil, idolatry, and a covetous spirit. The fruit
of the Spirit in us produces these things. Truth, as opposed
to, as it says in verse 25, lie not one to another. Truth as
opposed to lying, foolish talk, and silly talk, and filthy talk. Goodness, righteousness, and
truth, by His grace, by the fruit of the Spirit in us. Walk as
children of light. Light produces growth. Can you grow any, most of you
are gardeners, I know you are. You ever try to grow anything
in the dark? I tried to have a garden one time up at my place on the other side
of the river behind the house. You know, I found I couldn't
grow anything over there. You know why? No light. Shade, too
many trees. It takes light to produce growth. Same way in the believer, it
takes the light of Christ in us to cause us to grow in grace
and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can't grow in
the dark. It's not going to grow in the dark. It takes the light
of Christ. Where the Spirit of God dwells
there will be to some degree the appearance of this fruit
of the Spirit in us to some degree. Now let me show you a scripture
that will help us on this. Remember the parable of the sower?
That's found in Matthew 13. You turn there. Matthew 13. Where the Spirit of God dwells,
there will be to some degree the appearance of this fruit
of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering. Matthew 13. You
remember the parable of the sower where the seed fell by the wayside,
the stony places, and then the thorny places? begin reading
at verse 22, Matthew 13. He also that receiveth seed among
thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of the world,
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and
becometh unfruitful. But he that receiveth seed in
the good ground... Now, how did that good ground
get that way? It was prepared ground. God prepared the ground. He that receives seed in good
ground, as he that heareth the word, understands the word, which
also beareth fruit, bringing forth some hundredfold, some
sixtyfold, some thirtyfold, but that seed, the word of God, sown
in the heart by the power of God, it does produce fruit unto
his glory. unto His grace, some small, some
more, as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 10, back at
our text. Proving, proving to us, showing
to us what is truly acceptable unto the Lord. What is truly
pleasing is the word there, acceptable unto the Lord. Now what is first
and foremost pleasing to God Almighty? What is acceptable
to God Almighty? You know God, now listen to this,
now write this down. I heard this by an old preacher
years ago and it stuck with me and it's so true. God will only
accept that which He has provided. What has He provided? The Lord
Jesus Christ. First and foremost, proving what
is acceptable unto the Lord. Our God speaks from heaven concerning
the Lord Jesus, the God-man mediator said, this is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased. Well pleased. Secondly, believers in Christ
Jesus who walk and live by faith, This is the evidence of being
one with Him and well-pleasing to God in Christ Jesus. Believers in Christ who walk
and live by faith in Him is the evidence of being one with Him. For we are accepted only in the
Beloved. For He is the ground of salvation. We're accepted
in Him. And the effect of this salvation is walking with Him. following Him, being one with
Him, His sheep hear His voice, and they do follow Him. Now,
read on, look at verse 11 now in our text. Have no fellowship,
have no harmony with, have no agreement with, have no fellowship
with unfruitful works of darkness. But rather, convict them. Rather, reprove them. Now, notice
this carefully. It does not say, have no fellowship
with workers of darkness. It rather says, unfruitful works
of darkness. Now, you remember what the Pharisees
accused the Lord Jesus Christ of? They said, well, He's gone
home to be with sinners. He's a friend of sinners. Now,
the Lord had fellowship with those who were sinners, but He
didn't have any fellowship with their works of darkness. That's
what's being said here. Have no communion, have no part
in, have no confidence in, no assurance in, no fellowship with
what this flesh produces, which is nothing but unfruitful works
of darkness. But rather, He said, condemn
them. Condemn them. Find no hope in them. Have no
assurance in them. The deeds of the flesh. Have
no delight in the works of darkness, which are the works of the flesh. Sinful doing, which is nothing
but darkness. But rather reprove them, admonish
them, convict them, condemn those things, the works of the flesh.
Have no confidence in them. Find no assurance from them.
Deeds of the flesh. Unfruitful works of darkness
are nothing more or less than what Romans 7, 5 declares them
as, you know what it says of them? Fruit unto death, not fruit
unto life. Have no confidence in unfruitful
works of darkness. Have no confidence in the flesh.
Description of believers found in Philippians 3, 3. We are the
true Israel which worship God in His Spirit, that rejoice in
Christ Jesus, that have no confidence in unfruitful works of darkness. None in the flesh at all. But
rather condemn them. Condemn them. Be done with them.
Find no hope in them. Now look at verse 12. I'm going to go down to the end
of verse 13, and then we'll pick up there next week at verse 14.
For it is a shame to speak of those things which are done of
them in secret. It is shameful to trust the flesh
for any part of salvation. It's shameful. It's shameful.
Unfruitful works of darkness, works of the flesh, are worthy of condemnation and
deserving of the wrath of God." Would you find any assurance
in a place where God condemns? No. It's shameful even to speak
of those things how much more vile it is to commit such sins
against God. Now, I can't think of anything
more shameful and anything more sinful before God Almighty than
to say the Lord Jesus Christ is not everything in salvation.
To say that the Lord Jesus Christ paid a part, and then I have
to bring my part, and then we put the two parts together and
have a whole. Now that's shameful. That's what's
being said here. It is shameful. It is utter rebellion
against God. It's bringing reproach upon the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to speak of human merit, human
righteousness in any way as to the merit and the ground of salvation. It has to be by grace alone in
Christ Jesus. That's why he says reprove them.
It's a shame to speak of those things. Speak of those things
which are done of them in secret. Look at verse 13 now in closing.
But all things, all things that are reproved, all things that
are discovered are made manifest by the light, by the truth. How do you reveal error? By truth. How do you, you take a, Spurgeon
had this illustration. How do you describe a crooked
stick? A crooked stick. He laid down
a straight stick and it reveals the crookedness. You don't talk
about all the crookeds. He laid down that straight stick
and exposes error. That's what's being said there. All things that are reproved
are made manifest by the light, by the truth. Light exposes darkness. What things whatsoever doth make
manifest is light. All these things are discovered
and exposed, made known by the light of truth, by the word of
God, by the Lord Jesus, who is the judge of all men, who will
do right. He is the omniscient God. In
Hebrews 14, verse 13, it talks about In verse 12 it talks about the
sword of the Spirit, which is quick and powerful, sharper than
any, two-edged sword. This is Him with whom we have
to do. This is Him with whom we have
to do. And it says over here that He
knows all things, for there is neither any creature that is
not manifest in His sight. But all things are naked and
open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. we have to do. All things are
reproved and made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth
make manifest is like. Wherefore, verse 14, he saith, Awake thou
that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you
light. Walk in the light you have, he'll
give you more light. See then that you walk exactly
Not as a fool. The fool said in his heart, there
is no God. But walk wise, redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is.