Ephesians chapter 1, and we embark
on a journey this evening through the book of Ephesians. And I
pray the Lord will be pleased to meet with us and bless us
together with His Word. One of the best ways that we
can preach the gospel as ministers of Christ is to take His Word
and go verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book, line
upon line, precept upon precept. Everything we need to know about
our salvation and the Lord Jesus Christ and the way of grace and
mercy and peace is found in this book. Everything. Everything
we need to know about life, about salvation, is found in this book
we call the Book of Books, God's Word, the Bible. And as believers,
we make much of it. And in the service, and in the
preaching service, and in the worship service, we make much
of God's Word and of God's truth. Ephesians 1, verse 1, Paul. Paul. Starts out pretty simple,
doesn't he? Paul. Paul. You remember his
name before he learned the Gospel, before he was taught of God,
the Gospel of God's grace. Paul was a very arrogant, self-righteous
Pharisee, and he was known in those days as Saul of Tarsus. Saul of Tarsus. Israel had a
mighty king at one time named Saul. He had a great fall. But
Saul, the name, I believe that's where the apostle Paul at one
point was named Saul, maybe after that king. But anyhow, that name
means somebody big. Saul means like the sun, big,
important. This name here, Paul, you know
what it means? Small. What the grace of God,
it reduces us down to nobodies. It reduces us down to nothing. So he starts out here not with
Dr. Paul, not Paul who's a big shot,
Just, oh, small, Paul, by the grace of God, I am what I am. Paul, he's one who was called
by God to be God's apostle. The apostle, one cent of God. The apostle of Jesus Christ,
and it's by the will of God to the saints, to the saints. Now,
this is amazing, is it not? When you read and consider what
we have just read, in Acts chapter 19, how that whole city was taken
up with idolatry. When Paul arrived at the city
limits of Ephesus and of that region in Asia, when he arrived
in that city, he didn't find believers there, he found pagans
there. He found idolaters there. And
he walked in Preaching nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Being determined not to know
anything among any pagan, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. What does a religious man need
to hear? The gospel. What does a pagan man need to
hear? An idolater. What does he need to hear? He
needs to hear the same message. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Notice Paul, an apostle by the
will of God to the saints. These are saints now. What were
they before? Pagans. Saints, which are at
Ephesus and to the faithful. Saints are faithful. They're
faithful in Christ Jesus and they're saints in Christ Jesus.
Now, this is quite an amazing story. What a transformation.
Grace does make a difference. Who made you to differ from another?
It's the grace of God who has made us to differ. Remember the
city of Ephesus was a godly pagan city given over to rampant idolatry. worship of the goddess Diana.
Their whole economic industry, there was a whole economic industry
that revolved around making silver shrines. unto that idol. Demetrius and all his fellow
craftsmen, that was their business. That's how they made their living,
carving out and making these miniature idols unto the great
idol of Diana. And when Demetrius and his fellow
craftsmen were threatened to be put out of business, and their
idol to be despised, Through the preaching of the gospel of
the true and the living God, this caused a great uproar. They
were about to be put out of business. And it caused a great stir, a
great stir in the city. The Apostle Paul, he said this
in 1 Corinthians 15. He said, speaking of these battles
that took place there in Ephesus, you know what he said? He said,
after the manner of men, I fought with the beasts at Ephesus. That's pretty plain language,
isn't it? He called these idolaters beasts, having no knowledge of
a true and a living God. They were ignorant of God. Now,
we know from the record of the book of Acts, chapter 19, that
Paul spent two years there preaching the gospel in a schoolhouse,
in a schoolhouse, preaching the gospel for two years. You know,
that's how this ministry started here in Kingsport, in a schoolhouse. Isn't that interesting? And God
made this building available. And who knows what'll happen
down the road? I don't. God knows, and we'll
see. But we'll keep preaching the
gospel until God reveals unto us what we'll do in the years
to come. But we'll be faithful in doing
what God has given to us in this day. God sent the apostle Paul
here to this pagan city. Now, couldn't he have picked
a better place? Couldn't he have picked a better
city where maybe some kind of hope of somebody over there that
maybe knew something about God and something about the gospel?
God knows all things. He knows where his sheep are.
He knows them by name. God had an elect multitude. of His chosen people in this
pagan city, and that's why God sent Paul down there to preach
the gospel. And the Lord used that message
to call those people out. And God Almighty raised up and
established a congregation, probably many congregations in this city,
for it being a large city. God raised up faithful preachers
of the gospel. He raised up believers, and He
raised up gifted men to teach and preach the gospel. Now, some
years later, if you'll turn clear over here to chapter 6, notice
the footnote. Now, years later, don't know
how many years later, but some years later, Paul is in a Roman
prison, and God gives him this word, unto these dear believers,
Notice a footnote, written from Rome unto the Ephesians by Tychicus. Tychicus was the scribe. God
Almighty was the author through the Apostle Paul, and somehow
the Apostle Paul was a conduit, and he told Tychicus what to
write. But remember why Paul was in
Rome. He was there to preach the gospel,
but while he was there in Rome, he was also in prison for the
gospel's sake, for the gospel. Now, you think about this. God
Almighty has preserved this Word and given it to us right now,
this evening. What a blessed thing we have
to have God's Word from the throne of God through the apostle Paul
to old Tychicus, and Tychicus penned the words down, and they
sent this letter by courier somehow back to Ephesus, and these elders
rejoiced in what Paul had said, and God preserved this word,
and we have it here tonight. Aren't you glad? I'm so thankful
for his word, and so is truth, for his truth. Now, we have Paul's
introduction here in the first three verses. And he identifies
himself as the Apostle of Jesus Christ. An Apostle is one who
was sent of God. An Apostle is one who has received
the message of the Gospel from the Lord Jesus Christ. An Apostle
is one who had seen the resurrected, glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
And the Apostle Paul was certainly that one that God had called
and raised up to be his Apostle. Notice it's one, and the word
actually means, sent of God. An apostle is one sent of God.
Sent of Jesus Christ by the will of God. By the will of God. Now there are no apostles today.
There were only twelve, of which Paul was one. Paul received his
message, his calling, this special office. Notice it's by the will
of God. Hold your place there. Remember
back in Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1, verse 1,
Paul, an apostle, not of men, he didn't put himself in the
ministry, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father
who raised him from the dead. He said, God put me in the ministry. Turn over here to Ephesians chapter
3, verse 7, wherefore I was made a minister according to the gift
of the grace of God. given unto me by the effectual
working of his power unto me who am less than the least of
all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Paul didn't put himself
into ministry. God put him into ministry. God
called him. God taught him. God gave him
the gospel. Now notice who he writes to.
He's writing here to the saints. To the saints. those who were
sanctified by God in eternal election, sanctified by the death
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by God the Holy Spirit,
regenerated and made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Now, he reminds
us what these people were by nature, and what we are by nature
in chapter 2, look at verse 11, he said, Wherefore remember that
you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who were called
dogs, uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision
in the flesh made by hand, that at that time, look what it says,
verse 12, you were without Christ, you were aliens, you were idolaters
from the commonwealth of Israel, you were strangers from the covenants
of promise, and you had no hope, and you were without God. That's
us by nature, that's our description. Look at verse 13, but now, but
now, who made the difference? I like that little word, B-U-T,
it's a big word in scripture. But God, look at verse 4 in Ephesians
2, but God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith
He loved us, even when we were dead in sin. But now, in Christ
Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh. made nigh unto God by the blood
of Christ. He made peace for us with His
own blood. To the saints who were living
at Ephesus, and God called them out of darkness to light, out
of bondage, out of bondage into liberty in Christ Jesus. And
because of that, it says that they're faithful in Christ Jesus.
Now God's people are faithful people. They're faithful. They're
faithful to God. They're faithful to one another.
They're faithful to the gospel. They're faithful to the Lord.
They're obedient to the Lord. And this is a good description
of all of God's elect. Faithful saints in Christ Jesus. Faithful to the cause and interest
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 2. Grace. Grace to you. Grace to you. It seems to be particular. He
doesn't say grace to all men everywhere. Grace to you who
were saints called, called by God. Saints. Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now
notice the order here. It's always grace and then peace. And it comes from the fountain
The fountain of God Almighty. All spiritual blessings flow
out from the sovereign throne of grace. It's grace and peace. Grace is the source. Peace is
the fruit. No peace with God apart from
the grace of God manifested in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe
through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5 declares,
therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. by whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God in Christ Jesus. In Him dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily. He made peace for us with His
own blood, and we're complete in Him." Now, grace and peace. Now, you know, most folks just
read over that and say, well, that's just a common salutation.
Oh, no, nothing common about grace. It's sovereign grace.
It's special grace. It's electing grace. It's saving
grace. It's fetching grace. It's redeeming
grace. It's grace of God given to you
who are undeserving of any grace whatsoever. And because God is
pleased to give us grace, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, look at verse 3. Ephesians
1 verse 3, blessed be God. What else can you say? He breaks
out into a doxology of praise when he thinks about the grace
of God and the peace of God that he has in his heart. Peace with
God through Jesus Christ. He breaks out into a doxology
of praise God from whom all blessings flow. Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had blessed us. We bless
God. who had blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the Lord, David said, O
my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Our merciful Lord and Savior
has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. These are not common
and temporary blessings. These are covenant blessings,
special blessings, eternal blessings, such as redemption, righteousness,
reconciliation, and regeneration in Christ Jesus. And these are
eternal covenant blessings. Whatsoever God does, it shall
be forever. He doesn't save us temporarily.
He doesn't save us conditionally, based upon whether we keep or
lose our salvation upon our performance. We're saved upon the merit of
Christ, and we're saved with an everlasting salvation. He's obtained for us eternal
redemption. That's right, isn't it, Brother
Hall? Eternal redemption. He saved us with what kind of
salvation? eternal salvation. He gives His sheep what kind
of life? Eternal life! And they shall
never, never perish. That's a blessing of God. Praise
God! For all that I am, all that I
have, all that I ever will be is by His sovereign eternal gift
of grace. Every believer can say this,
I am what I am by the grace of God. It's His grace. Remember
this, there are no spiritual gifts and no salvation apart
from, notice, He's blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly spiritual things in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every blessing, benefit that
God has for any guilty sinner is found in Christ, in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Neither is there salvation in
any other." Now, I want to look at verse 4, 5, and 6 in the remaining
time that we have. Verse 4, 5, and 6. And we see
three things. Now, usually when we teach Ephesians
chapter 1, we show the work of the Father, the work of the Son,
and the work of the Holy Spirit. It's found in these first 14
verses. But I want to concentrate this evening just on these three
verses. Verse 4, 5, and 6. And we see three things. We see
the Father's sovereign choosing. He chose us. You see, verse 4,
according as He has chosen us. He has blessed us according as
He has chosen us. So number 1, the Father's sovereign
choosing or His electing love. Number 2, in verse 5, we see
the Father's predestinating us unto the adoption of children,
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of His will. And then thirdly, in verse 6,
the Father's accepting us in the Beloved. You see that? Wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Now, who is the Beloved?
It's Christ. He's the Beloved. This is my
Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Now notice, all these
things are in Christ. We're chosen Election, someone
said, whatever it is, I know what it is. Well, election, whatever
it is, it's in Christ. Salvation, whatever it is, salvation
is in Christ. Redemption, whatever it is, it's
in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you would go through this
chapter 1 and see how many times it says, in Christ, by Christ,
through Him, salvation is in Him, of Him, through Him, and
to Him. And then three times it says this statement here,
and makes this statement, to the praise of the glory of His
grace. To the praise of the glory of
His grace. To the praise of His glory. Three
times it says that. In verse 6, in verse 12, and
verse 14. Now let's look at those three
things. The Father's sovereign choosing. Or, we could put it this way,
His electing love. His electing grace." Notice what
it says, "...according as He, Almighty God, hath chosen us,
wiggling, wretched, rotten maggots." Why would He choose us? Why would
He choose us? There's no reason found in me
for His choosing. The reason's all found in Him,
is it not? according as He hath chosen us
in Him, in the Lord Jesus Christ, before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy." He didn't choose us because we
were. And Adam all sinned. That we should be holy without
blame, before Him in love. Now, here we see sovereign electing
grace. Now, I don't know how this religious
world can read these words and come up with something different.
It's just beyond... The only thing we can come up
with is they're blind. They're dead. They don't know
God. Because God is the electing God. God is the sovereign God of all
things. Now, three things we see on this
first point. Who did the electing? It says
there, according to it, He hath chosen us. Now, it's pretty clear,
is it not? God Almighty chose His people
in eternity. Who did the choosing? Well, clearly,
it was of His good pleasure and His choice. Our Lord said this
in John 15, 16. You have not chosen Me, but I've
chosen you, and I've ordained you that you should go forth
and bring forth fruit unto God. Three times in I Corinthians
chapter 1, Three times, I think we read this last week in verse
26 down to verse 29, it says, God hath chosen, God hath chosen
the weak to base. God hath chosen to bring to naught
the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
God hath chosen. Now why do sinners get angry
at that? Now His people don't. Thank God
He chose me, I never would have chosen Him. That's right. Who did the electing? God Almighty
did the electing. Romans 11, 5 and 6 said there's
a remnant according to the election of grace. Psalm 65, 4 says, Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest and cause to approach unto thee. So clearly, when we talk about
election, it's His choice. It's His sovereign choice. Secondly, When did this unconditional
election take place? Look what it says. He chose us
in Him before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation
of the world. Before we were born, before we
had done any evil or good that the purpose of God, according
to election, might stand. That's exactly what we read in
Romans 9. Don't turn, let me just read it to you. For the
children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, talking about Jacob and Esau, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him
that calleth. It was said to her, the elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob, I've loved,
I've chosen Jacob. Esau, I passed him by. Jacob
have I loved, Esau have I hated. Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid! He's not unrighteous to pass
me by and leave me in my sin. He would be just to do so. I
deserve not mercy. I do deserve His justice. I do
deserve His wrath. I do deserve His condemnation.
Now, when did this election take place? before the foundation
of the world, before creation, before creation, God made a sovereign
choice before creation. Listen to this, 2 Thessalonians
2.13, We are bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
to salvation through sanctification of the and belief of the truth,
whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ." So whose choice is it? Now, let's
be honest, it's his choice. When did this choosing take place?
Before the foundation of the world. Old John Gill said this,
he said this, in his commentary, I found this on, I have his books,
But this commentary by John Gill is very good. I recommend it
to anyone who would read it. But if you go to sermonaudio.com,
and go to that index on the left, and click on Online Bible, and
go to any book, any verse, and click on that verse, you can
see his commentary. And you just click on that commentary,
and there it is. I paid hundreds of dollars for
my set of John Gill commentary. And I about wore them out. But
this is free. It's free. What a blessed thing
we have. But old John Gill said this,
the very nature of all God's decrees are eternal. No new will
or act of will can arise in God or any decree be made by Him
which was not from eternity. God's foreknowledge is eternal.
So is His decrees, and is no other than God Himself decreeing
all things from the beginning. His foreknowledge is based upon
His eternal foreordination, His eternal decree of all things. Now, if you ever notice this
verse, I'll have you turn to this one. Find I Peter 1, I Peter
1, chapter 1. A lot of people will point to
this verse, And they will say, well, we believe in election.
But we believe election is according to foreknowledge. And what they
mean by that, they think that God somehow looks down through
the telescope of time to see what the creature would do, and
if that creature decides by his own choice and free will to believe,
then he elects that person. That's ridiculous. That's giving
God credit for something He didn't do. And this right knowledge
of God's election according to foreknowledge is based upon His
decree. God knows as many as were ordained
to eternal life believe. This religious world has got
that backwards too, don't they? As many as believe, they say
were ordained. No, no, it's just the opposite.
Elect, see what it says? 1 Peter 1. Peter, an apostle
of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus,
Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia. Oh, they're strangers, but not
to God. He's known them from all eternity.
according to the foreknowledge, the foreordination of God. Him
being delivered by the determinate counsel, the same word is used
there in Acts 2.23. He being delivered by the determinate
counsel, the foreknowledge of God, the foreordination of God,
elect according to God's foreknowledge, His foreordination of God, the
Father through sanctification of the Spirit, and to the obedience
and sprinkling of Jesus Christ, grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Next time someone throws that
on you, go back over there and explain that to them, that that
word there is talking about God's foreordaining all things. I Peter 2.9 says, we're a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, that we should show forth the
praises unto Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous
light. Acts 15.18 declares, known unto
God were all His works from, from, What's the rest of it? From the
beginning. From the beginning. So, who did
the choosing? God's choice. When? In eternity. To this end, look
what it says, verse 4, that we should be holy without blame,
before Him in love, to this glorious end, conclusion, and consummation,
that we should be just like Christ, that we should be holy without
blame before Him in love, not chosen because we were holy,
but chosen to be holy in Christ. You see, did you ever notice
this in Scripture? Brother Hall, you've probably
read this. The first time the word ever used in Scripture,
elect, Isaiah 42, verse 1. Check me out on it. Isaiah 42,
1. Behold my servant, my elect,
in whom my soul delights. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
is the elect. We're chosen in Him and loved
in Him. That's what election is. It's
in Christ. He is the elect. He is the beloved. And we are chosen to be one with
Him, that eternal blessed union in Christ without spot, blameless,
faultless before the holy throne of God in His sight. Ephesians chapter 5, look over
here. Ephesians chapter 5. Husbands! Ephesians 5.25. Husbands! Got a few of them in
here, don't we? Maybe some future ones someday.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or
any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish,
without spot. You see what he says there? that
we should be holy without blame before Him in love." The love
of God. Where is the love of God manifested?
Where is the love of God known? Where is the love of God experienced?
The love of God is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing can separate
us from the love of God which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8, 39. See what he's saying
there? You ready for point two? Okay. Point number two. We see the
Father's choosing. Okay? Now, we see the Father's
predestination. Election and predestination go
hand in hand. Where you find one, you find
the other. One old country boy I just love up our way. He's
just an old country timber man. Loves the gospel. Loves the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he said this to me one time.
He said, you know who believes in predestination? I said, no
brother Earl, who believes? He said, those who predestinated.
I mean, he's got a third grade education. He's an old timber
man, but he loves Christ and he knows the gospel. That's what
it is. Having predestinated us under the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will.
Predestinated to be an heir of God. Predestinated unto the adoption
of children. Election has to do with persons
chosen to salvation. Predestination has to do with
what these chosen ones are going to be. Conformed to the image
of Christ, to the adoption of children, to sonship in Christ.
Who doesn't want to be predestinated to be just like Christ? That
man that says, I don't want anything to do with that. You're a fool!
I want everything to do with God's predestinating grace, predestinated
to be conformed to the image of Christ. I want to be just
like Him. I pray you do. Romans 8, 29 and
30. Romans 8, verse 29 and 30. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. It's
used four times in Scripture. I better hold up four things.
It's used four times in Scripture, and every time it's used in Scripture,
it has to do with God determining to make a people and to populate
heaven with a people just like His Son. Look at verse 11, Ephesians
chapter 1, "...in whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of Him, and worketh
all things after the counsel of His own will." His will. We're predestinated. I think
I've got one, two, three things here on this second point. Predestinated to be an heir of
God, a son of God by his predestinating love and grace, as we read just
there in verse 11, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance
being predestinated. And this little word right here
that we read over, look at this word right here, according. And
you look through this first chapter how He does everything according
to His own purpose and grace. Predestinated to be an heir of
God, a son of God, by His predestinated love and grace. We read in Romans
8, For you have not received the spirit of adoption again
to fear, but you have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear, but have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so be we suffer
with Him, we may be also glorified together with Him." Adopted into
his family. Tony and Rita know something
about that adoption. It was your sovereign choice
to do so. And God has sovereignly chosen to adopt in love His covenant
people and to make them His own. Now, you remember back in Galatians
chapter 4? Turn over there. Galatians chapter
4, when the fullness of time was come, verse 4, Galatians
4, 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. Now look at verse 6. And because
you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your
heart, crying, Abba, Father, Father, Father. Predestinated
unto adoption. The inheritance we have in Christ
is an incorruptible, eternal inheritance. Heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ. Secondly, predestinated to be
one with Christ. Look what it says in our text.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to Himself. Predestinated to be one with
Christ. Jesus Christ Himself. Not only to happiness, Not only
to blessings, but to oneness and blessed union with the Lord
Jesus, being one with Him. John 17 says this, "'Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word, that they all may be one, as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one, in
us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me, and the
glory which Thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be
one, as we are one, I in them, Thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one." In one, in Christ Jesus. Christ in you,
the hope of glory. Now notice this word here, "...having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, to Himself, to Himself. Don't you want to be one with
Him? And we are in, we are by His grace. Isaiah 43, 21 said,
This people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth
my praise. Psalm 135, verse 4 said, For
the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for his peculiar,
particular treasure. He's chosen us to Himself. And
then thirdly, All of our blessed salvation is according to the
good pleasure of His will. Now whose will? His will. His
will. All of our blessed salvation
is according to the good pleasure of His will. His will. So then it's not of Him that
willeth, nor of Him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. He works all things, as it says
there in verse 11 again, all things after the counsel of His
own will. All of our salvation from election
to glorification is all according to God's sovereign will, purpose,
and pleasure. The pleasure and purpose of His
grace. Now, listen to this. Some who do not believe the gospel
would object and their objection might be formed in this fashion,
they might say, well, the sinner must believe, and the sinner
must repent. Oh, that's true. That too is
all of grace. That too is by His good will. We do believe the Gospel as it
says in this first chapter, what is exceeding greatness of His
power to us were to believe, you see verse 19, according,
we do believe, look what it says in verse 19, according, there's
that word again, according to the working of His power, mighty
power. The same power it took to raise
the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Faith and
repentance are both sovereign gifts of God according to His
will, according to His will. He's exalted to the right hand
to be Prince and Savior, Acts 5, 31, to give repentance to
Israel and the forgiveness of sins. of His own will beget he
us with the Word of truth." In the Scripture I quoted earlier,
when the Gentiles heard the Gospel, when them Jews in Acts chapter
13 rejected the Gospel and put it from themselves and would
not hear Paul or would not hear the preaching of the Gospel,
when the Gentiles heard the Gospel by the power of God, their granted
faith and repentance in the Lord Jesus Christ, they were glad
and glorified the Word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained
to eternal life, They believe the gospel. No more and no less. But both faith and repentance
are sovereign gifts of God. Man left to himself. Faith is
not something that blooms in our wicked, wretched heart naturally. Arthur Pink called it something
exotic. Something outside of us that's
planted in our heart by the sovereign will of God. Well, lastly, Verse
6, the Father is accepting us in the Beloved, wherein He hath
made us accepted in the Beloved. The Father accepting us in the
Beloved. Now what do you hear in religious
circles all the time? Accept Jesus as your personal
Savior. You'll not find that in the Scripture.
You see, it's His accepting us. And we're accepted in the Beloved,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And only that which God provides
will God accept. We're only accepted in Christ,
not upon what we've done, but rather upon His merit, His righteousness,
His substitutionary sacrifice, His satisfaction unto God, His
person. Accepted in the Beloved One. God said, this is My Beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased. Now notice, Clean your ears out
with this. It says this, "...wherein He
hath made us accepted in the Beloved." He hath accepted us. It's done. It's done. Our choosing, our predestinating,
our exception, our being accepted in the Beloved is said to be
done before the foundation of the world, before Adam sinned.
Before Adam sinned, before sin entered in, the Lord Jesus Christ
stood as a surety, the mediator, the covenant head, the Lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. Before Adam sinned, before
Adam fell, the Lord Jesus Christ stood, and we stood in Him, accepted
in the Beloved. That's good news. He is a surety
of the everlasting covenant. Works to this one end, verse
6. Works to this one glorious end, to the praise of the glory
of His grace. To the praise of the glory of
His grace. Not only to the praise of the
glory, not only to the praise of His glory, but to the glory
of His grace. It's all about His glory. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 7.
That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace. in His kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus. I like what David said, Psalm
115, ìNot unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give
glory for Thy mercy and for Thy truthís sake.î Well, thatís a
good start. You remember that? Those three
points?