Now, my text is taken from Jonah
2, verse 9, where it says that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation
of sinners, sinners that are dead in sin, is all of God. That's what we're preaching,
because that's what this Bible teaches, that salvation is all
a work of God. The disciples came to the Lord
one day and said, Lord, who then can be saved? Remember what he
said? He said, with men, impossible, but not with God, for with God
all things are possible. Salvation is absolute, certain,
and sure for all those who look to the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Not to Christ and my work, not
to Christ and my church membership, not to Christ and my but to the
Lord Jesus Christ alone. He is all of salvation, all of
salvation. Now, I know that everyone has
heard something of this story about Jonah, how the Lord prepared
a great fish. And this is a true story. This
is nothing mythical. This is actually something that
happened. It's a real story. The Lord prepared a great fish,
and this fish swallowed Jonah, swallowed him whole. And how
Jonah was held captive in this fish's belly for three days and
three nights. And how Jonah was totally helpless.
He was totally helpless to help himself. He couldn't get out.
He was in prison and he couldn't get out. And how Jonah cried
unto the Lord for deliverance and then he confessed, and all
of us confess this who trust Christ, that salvation is of
the Lord. And this fish vomited Jonah out on dry land. You reckon he was happy? You
reckon he was rejoicing after three days in darkness, three
days in despair, crying unto the Lord, and then the fish put
him out on the dry ground? I bet he was rejoicing in God's
mercy, rejoicing in salvation in Christ. Now, this story was
not given just to entertain us. And it is an interesting story.
Just on the surface, it's an interesting story. This story
was given by God to teach us how God saves sinners. That's
why it's given. How God saves sinners. And this
is the experience of all those who have been translated out
of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
Their confession is the same as Jonah's, the same as Paul's,
the same as Peter's, the same as all of God's servants, all
of God's saints, believers in Christ. Salvation is all a work
of God. It's all the doing of God. The
Lord Jesus Christ used this very experience of Jonah, recorded
in Matthew 12, and he used this story to preach the gospel of
Jesus Christ, his gospel, saving grace to these Pharisees, telling
them that salvation is not in signs and wonders, but in Christ
alone. A greater than Jonah is here.
A greater than Jonah. There shall no sign be given
this evil generation, but that truth that Jonah preached, salvation
is of the Lord." Now, what do we mean when we say that salvation
is of the Lord? What do we mean? What am I trying
to say when I say that salvation is totally of the Lord? Well,
the whole of the work. Someone defined it this way,
the whole of the work whereby guilty, depraved sinners are
lifted from the dunghill of sin and death and washed in the blood
of Christ and made clean is totally a work of God's sovereign, saving
mercy in Christ Jesus. I'm saying it's all a work of
God. It's all the doing of God. Salvation is not what we do for
God, but rather it's what God has done for His people in Christ
Jesus. You see, we're justified freely
by His grace. Justified freely by His grace.
That's Romans 3.24. Justify freely. I like that word
freely. Freely. 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?" Salvation is a free
gift of God, not of work, lest any man should boast. Yes, it
costs the Lord Jesus Christ a great price, and because he paid all
the debt I owe, salvation to me is free, 100% free. See, we're justified by His grace.
We're translated out of the kingdom of darkness. That's how we're
born, in darkness, into poverty and sin and guilt. And He has
put us in the kingdom of Christ. Salvation in Christ. Salvation
is a person. He's made us by His grace. He's
made us accepted in the Beloved. And Christ has made us before
God, being in Him, holy. Unblameable, unapprovable in
His sight. It's a work of God alone. Now,
this is what we're saying is different than what this religious
world is saying. They're saying that God's done
a part and left us to do a part. I'm saying that the whole of
salvation from eternity to eternity is all a work of God. A work
of God alone. David said it this way in the
Psalms. Psalm 118, verse 23, he said it this way. This is
the Lord's doing, and it's marvelous in our eyes. It's God's doing. God's doing. All God. God's doing. I simply receive what He has
already done. And that's the gift of God. I
receive salvation by faith. See, salvation is not received
by doing. Salvation is received by believing
God. By faith. And faith is something
that's a gift of God. A gift of God. Sovereign gift
of God. Now, this message has five points. That's my introduction
right there. Salvation is of the Lord. Now,
here's my first point. Salvation is of the Lord in its
origination. Where did it originate? Where
did this whole scheme of God saving a people who were condemned
in Adam, sinful and shut out, where did this idea and this
scheme and this plan of salvation begin? Where does it come from?
Well, salvation is of the Lord in its origination. It starts
with God. Salvation starts with God and
it ends with God. All the way in between. He is
called the Alpha and Omega. That means the beginning and
the end. He's everything in salvation. He's the beginning of it, the
ultimate end of it, where we're going to end up this message,
we're going to end up with ultimately conformed to the image of Christ.
So the first point is this, salvation is of the Lord in its origination.
Our Lord, in all eternity, purposed, planned salvation of his chosen
elect people before the foundation of the world. Now, can I make
good on that? Now, I said a whole lot there.
I'm saying that God from eternity chose a people unconditionally
and gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, you just turn to
this scripture with me, and if you can't find it, just sit and
listen or jot it down, but find 2 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians
2, and we see 2 Thessalonians 2.13. that God in eternity chose a
people to salvation. We call this the unconditional
election of grace. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, We
are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you
to salvation. Now, if you are a lover of the
Lord Jesus Christ, it is because God chose you. When did he choose
you? Before the foundation of the
world. Lonnie had it on his radio broadcast this morning from Ephesians
chapter 1. According as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy without blame before him in love. He predestinated us
to be just like Christ. So I'm saying that salvation
is of the Lord in its origination. Before Adam was created or even
fallen, the surety of the covenant The Lord Jesus Christ stood as
our mediator, as our Lamb that would be slain, and the purpose
of God, the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world.
I'm saying this, before Adam ever sinned, the Lord Jesus Christ
stood as the guarantor of my salvation, as the surety of my
salvation. Salvation, my friend, is older
than creation. It's older. You know, the fall
of Adam didn't seek up on God. God told Adam, in the day you
eat, you'll die. God ordained that day of his
fall. God ordained that time of sin
when it came into this world that he might magnify his grace.
I can't explain that, but I know it's so. Salvation is of the
Lord in its origination. It's older than creation. Salvation
in the secret counsel of God. Every detail of every sinner's
salvation with purpose decreed before time began. Paul put it
this way when he wrote to young Timothy. Paul was in prison,
and he wrote back to Timothy to encourage him. He said, don't
be ashamed of the gospel. You see, it's God who saved us
and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to God's own purpose and grace, 2 Timothy 1, 9 and
10, which was given us in Christ before the foundation of the
world. See salvation of the Lord in its origination. If you are
saved and justified in Christ, it is because God in eternity
chose you to salvation. God determined who would be saved
from all eternity. God determined that. It is not
some decision you made. God determined the outcome of
salvation. Not left in the hands of the
sinner. In the hands of Almighty God. The purpose of God. He said,
I've spoken it. I've purposed it. I'll bring
it to pass. I'll do it. Last week we talked about that
scripture from Romans 9. It's not of him that will it.
Or of him that run it. But it's God that would show
mercy. So, you got the first point. I've worked that over
pretty good, haven't I? Salvation is of the Lord and it's origination.
It starts with God and ends with God. And we look to Him, the
all-wise, almighty God. Now, the second point of the
message is this. Salvation is of the Lord, and
it's execution. Now, God purposed to save the
people, and He ordained their salvation. But, my friend, never
forget this. He also has ordained the means
whereby He can justly accomplish their salvation. God can't save
us apart from His law being satisfied. God can't save us apart from
His holiness being satisfied. You see, I'm guilty. I've sinned
against God. And God just can't arbitrarily
pardon me apart from His justice being satisfied. That's why the
Lord Jesus Christ died. That God might be just and justify
the ungodly. You see, the price of my sin
had to be paid for. Somebody had to pay my debt.
I couldn't pay it. Unable to pay it. What I'm saying
is the Lord Jesus Christ paid all my sin debt. Now, here's
a scripture I want you to turn to. Find the book of Galatians.
Galatians chapter 4. Salvation is of the Lord in its
execution. Galatians chapter 4, verse 4. In the fullness of time, I told
you the Lord Jesus Christ stood as a lamb slain before the foundation
of the world. But what happened in time? In
the fullness of God's time, Galatians chapter 4, verse 4, When the
force of time was come, God sent forth his Son, Galatians 4.4,
made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them. Now, you see, he came to redeem
them whom God chose in eternity. We preach and believe what we
call a particular redemption. That is, the Lord Jesus Christ
died for those he chose in that present of grace. That's what
this scripture teaches, to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are
sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart,
crying, Abba, Father. God sent forth the Lord Jesus
Christ to accomplish all our salvation. God not only purposed
the sinner's salvation, but he also provided the means whereby
he could justly accomplish this. Why is any sinner saved? Well,
certainly not because of anything that I provide, nothing that
I bring. That song we sing, simply to
the nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the Lord Jesus Christ
and Him crucified do I cling. We don't bring anything to Him
for salvation. He provides all of salvation
for us. Salvation is of the Lord in execution. The Lord Jesus Christ provides
for His covenant people sufficient blood atonement for the sin of
God-delect, and He put away by the sacrifice of Himself. When
He by Himself purged our sin by His own blood, He obtained
eternal redemption for His covenant people. Now, if you want some
references to look at, you can look at Hebrews 1, verse 3. And
then again, Hebrews 9, verse 12. where it says the Lord Jesus
Christ, as the great high priest, did not bring a typical animal
sacrifice, but he brought his own blood. God bought us. The Lord Jesus Christ is God
incarnate. God manifests in the flesh. And
the Lord Jesus Christ, as the God-man mediator, put away our
sin, the sin of God's covenant people, by the sacrifice of himself. He obtained eternal redemption
for us with his own blood. No one provided this but Christ
Himself. He's all of salvation. He is
God's Lamb. God's Lamb. Remember the story
of Abraham and Isaac? When Abraham was determined to
worship according to the instruction of God, and God told Abraham
to take Isaac, his son, and go to Mount Moriah and sacrifice
his son? Well, Isaac knew something, how
to approach God, and he knew you had to have an altar, he
knew you had to have fire, but he knew also that you had to
have a lamb. And he asked Abraham, Abraham,
the fire, the knife, the wood, the altar, and then he asked
Abraham, where is the lamb? Where is the lamb? You remember
what Abraham said? This is recorded in Genesis chapter
22. Abraham said, to Isaac, my son God will provide
himself a sacrifice. You see, that sacrifice that
God provides is God himself. John identified him that one
day when the Lord Jesus came walking on the shore of Jordan
there, or Galilee, and said, Behold, there is the Lamb of
God. Right there, God's Lamb, God's sacrifice. You see, only
that which God provides, now get a hold of this, only that
which God provides will God accept. Salvation is of the Lord in its
execution. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's
provided Lamb that made full atonement, that shed his blood
to put away all the sin of God's covenant people. So, the execution
of the means to accomplish our salvation. Our Lord said at Calvary's
tree, do you remember what He said? His last words? John 19.30
said, It is finished. It's done. Salvation is a done
deal. It's a done deal. In time, He
just lets me in on what He did for me. That's right. When He
regenerates me, makes me a new creature in Christ. That's my
third point. Salvation is of the Lord in its
application. Salvation is of the Lord in its
application. So we've got salvation of the
Lord in its origination. We've got salvation of the Lord
in its execution. It pleased God to bruise him.
We talked about that a few weeks ago. You remember God playing
the cross? God presided over the cross? And God participated
in inflicting his dear son a Waco sword against my shepherd, against
the man that is my fellow? You remember the text? Okay. The third thing is this, salvation
is of the Lord in its application. God must apply this salvation
to me in person. Now, in my substitute, it's done.
In my representative, it's done. But there has to be an application
to my heart. You see, salvation is a heart
work. Brother Mahan's preached this for years and years and
years. Two things. is in a person, and salvation
is a hard work. Salvation is just not you turning
over a leaf. Salvation is not you making a
new start. Salvation is not you coming forward and praying through.
Salvation is not a decision you make. Salvation is something
that God does in us. Regeneration, a new creation,
a new creature. You see, He's done a work for
us. I made this point in that conference in Danville. Do any
of you remember? Salvation is a work for us, but it's also
a work that God does in us. In us. In us. Christ in you. Now, you still have the book
of Galatians there? Here's a scripture that you can look at. We'll turn
to another one in just a minute. But it's a revelation of Christ
in you. Galatians 1, verse 15. Galatians 1, verse 15. When will
a man be saved? Well, I know what religion says.
Religion says, well, a man will be saved when he makes a decision.
When he walks an aisle, when he prays, when will a man be
saved? Look what it says right here. Galatians 1, verse 15,
But when it pleased God, God's sovereign mercy, when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, called me by His
grace to reveal His Son in me, that the revelation of Christ
in you, and then He says, that I might preach him among the
heathen. Immediately, I conferred not
with flesh and blood." But here's another scripture on that. Well, we've got Ephesians right
there. Let's turn there. Let's look at Ephesians chapter
1. Then we'll look at Philippians just a moment. Ephesians chapter
1. And a lot of people say, well,
you know, a sinner has to believe. A sinner must believe. A sinner
must repent. Well, that's true. Our Lord said,
except you repent, you'll perish. and salvation received by believing
that, my friend, what I'm saying is this, that believing and receiving
and repenting is all of God. Faith is not something that blooms
from this wicked heart. The only thing that blooms out
of this wicked heart is unbelief. We love darkness rather than
light. If you are a believer and lover of the Lord Jesus Christ,
it is because God, as Arthur Pink said, faith is something
exotic, planted in your heart by the hand of a sovereign God.
And here is why we believe Ephesians 1.19. What is exceeding greatness
of his power to us who believe according to the working of his
mighty power. Now, don't stop reading right
there. Ephesians 1 verse 20, look what it says next. What
kind of power are we talking about? Resurrection power. How
much power did it take to raise the dead body of the Lord Jesus
Christ? That took almighty power, didn't it? The same power does
it take to cause us to believe the gospel. Resurrecting life. You have to be quickened who
were dead. Look what it says in verse 20. "...which He wrought
in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at
His own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality
and power." You see, it's a work of God in the heart. Salvation
is a gift of God right across the page during Ephesians 2.
It talks about everything that we were by nature, children of
wrath, even as others. And then in verse 4, it says,
But God. You see Ephesians 2.4? That little word, B-U-T, the
big word in Scripture. But God. Who made you to differ
from another? I preached this morning for the
book of Acts, talked about Judas and John. What's the difference
between Judas and John? Grace. Christ. Salvation to the
Lord in its execution and its application. Look what it says
there. But 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. Who did the quickening? If we're
dead in sin, you know, a dead man doesn't quicken and give
himself life, does he? Lazarus had died, was in the
grave. Could Lazarus come out of that grave? No, he's dead.
That's our condition by nature. Spiritually dead. God must come
and give us life that we might believe Him. And if you're a
believer and lover of Christ, it's because God has given you
life. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, he does so because
he's been born of God. Born from above. And this is
all of God. Now here's another scripture
I wanted you to look at. Philippians. Philippians chapter 1. Philippians
chapter 1. Salvation is of the Lord in its
application. I'm saying God must apply this
to our heart, and this is what we call regeneration, the new
birth, the new nature that God implants within us. It's not
reformation of the old man, it's the creation of a new nature
that He gives us, and it causes us to love Christ. Now, Philippians
chapter 1, look at verse 6, being confident of this very thing,
that He, who hath begun a good work in you will perform it,
perfect it, finish it until the day of Jesus Christ. Now, he
says we're confident of this. Now notice this, whose work is
it? Whose work is it in that verse there? He who hath begun,
it's his work. Who starts this work? He does.
Who finishes this work? He does. It's all of His grace.
That's what I'm saying. Salvation is all of God's. God must apply salvation to the
sinner's heart, and this is what He does by sovereign mercy. It's a sovereign revelation of
God. You hath He quickened who were dead. God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, going back to the creation. God
said, let there be light. That's what happens when He regenerates
us. God said, let there be light.
And you see things you've never seen before. God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, as
2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, to give us the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It's by His
commandment. You see, somebody's got to turn
that switch on. And I can't do it because I'm
dead shut out. And when God turns on that light,
I see. I see two things. I see my sin,
I see my ugliness, and I see the beauty of Jesus Christ. I
see Christ. So salvation is of the Lord in
its application. Here's number four. Salvation
is of the Lord in its sustaining power. Its sustaining power. Now, does God save us and then
leave us? That God save us and expect us
to do the best we can to keep our salvation or to maintain
our salvation by our works, by our deeds? Absolutely not. That wouldn't be salvation is
of the Lord, would it? That would be salvation by cooperation.
But salvation is of the Lord, totally. We're kept by the power
of God. Those whom God saves by His grace
are eternally secured. Eternal salvation. He saves us.
with an everlasting salvation. It says that all through the
scripture, with an everlasting salvation, not a temporary amnesty
based upon my best efforts, what I do or don't do. Salvation is
all of God in its sustaining power. It says this. Can I make
good on that? I bet I can. Find 1 Peter. 1 Peter. 1 Peter. Over here, 1 Peter. I'm trying
to give you some scripture to validate what I'm saying. We're
kept by the power of God. 1 Peter 1, verse 3, "...blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a living hope,
a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
this is 1 Peter 1, verse 4, "...to an inheritance incorruptible? You know something about inheritance?
Inheritance is not something you earn. An inheritance is something
that's given to you as a gift. It's a gift of love. If you have
an inheritance that you inherited from your parents, it's because
they loved you and they gave it to you. We have an inheritance
in Christ that's incorruptible. joint heirs of God and joint
heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. It's an inheritance that's incorruptible,
that's undefiled, that does not fade away. It's an eternal inheritance. It's reserved in heaven for you
who are kept, you see verse 5, who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
time wherein we greatly rejoice in Christ. Now, you remember
what the Lord said to those Pharisees in John chapter 10. They said
to him, why do you cause us to doubt? If you be the Christ,
tell us plainly. Remember what he said? I told
you. I told you. He don't believe me. He said,
my sheep, they hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. And then he says this, I give unto them eternal life, and they'll
never perish. Neither can any man pluck them
out of my hand. Do you reckon they're secure? You see, our
life is hid with Christ in God. Now let me give you an illustration
of that. I used to do this when my kids were little, my little
boys. I used to give them this illustration, and here, turn
over back to the book of Colossians, over by Colossians, Philippians,
Colossians, but Colossians chapter 3. Talk about our security. He said, I give my sheep eternal
life and no man can pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave to me is greater than all, and no man can pluck him out
of his hand." Now look at Colossians 3, verse 1, "...if you then be
risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where
Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on
things above, not on the things of the earth, for you are dead,
dead to the guilt and condemnation of the law, dead in Christ, and
your life is hid with Christ in God." Now that's pretty secure,
isn't it? Now here's an illustration I
used to give my children when they were little. Here's my keys. They're in my hand. Come up here
and get them. I used to tell my boys. Come
up here and get them. If you can take these keys out of my
hand, you're stronger than I am. But wait a minute. Our life is
hid in Christ with God. Now come and get them. We read
in Scripture that none can stay in his hand, none can say unto
him, Lord God Almighty, what are you doing? One of you children
want to come and try to get these keys out of my hand? Huh? Can't do
it, can you? I'm bigger, I'm stronger, right?
Now Daniel, he thinks he can. I may be old, but I'm still a
pretty spy. Better watch out. But the sheep of Christ are secure
in the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what I'm saying.
All those for whom Christ chose, all those for whom he died, all
those for whom he applies salvation, they are sustained by the grace
of God. They are secure as Christ himself
seated on the throne of glory. That is secure. That is secure. Here is my last point. My last
point is this. Salvation is of the Lord in its
ultimate perfection. and ultimate perfection. What
is salvation all about? Well, turn to Romans chapter
8. Salvation is all about this. A lot of people, when you mention
the word predestination, especially religious people, they think
that's an ugly word. But you know, it's a Bible word.
Predestination is a Bible word. Romans chapter 8. Predestination
is found in the Word of God four times. And every time you see
the word predestination, it's God determining to make a people
just like Christ. Just like the Lord Jesus Christ.
God has predestinated and preordained to make a people just like He
thought so much of the Lord Jesus Christ that He said, you know
what? I'm going to populate heaven with a people just like Him.
And that's what salvation is all about. Romans 8, salvation
of the Lord and his ultimate perfection. Romans 8.28. And we know, here's what we know.
We know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are called according to God's purpose, for
whom he did for love, for know. electing sovereign love of God. He loved His people with an everlasting
love. He also did predestinate them
to be conformed to the image of His Son. Predestination is
all about being just like Christ. Who doesn't want to be like Him?
Well, I want to be like Him, don't you? You see, the ultimate
glory of salvation is to be just like Christ. Being conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brethren. He is the firstborn, he is the
elect, we are chosen in him. Now look at verse 30, moreover
whom he did predestinate, those he called, notice these are already
in the past tense, called. Those whom he called, he also
justified, and whom he justified, he glorified. Justified, glorified
then, what shall we say to these things? Well, I know lost religious
people say, well, that's not fair. I thought everybody had
a chance. Salvation is not by chance. Salvation
is by grace. It's by grace and purpose. What
shall we say then to these things? Well, if God be for us, who can
be against us? 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 can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who
is he that condemns? It's Christ that died, J. Rether.
It's Rether again who is even at the right hand of God who
also makes intercession for us. Now, who can separate us from
the love of Christ? None. Look at this exhaustive
list. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? How about tribulation? No. How about distress? No. How
about persecution, famine, nakedness, sword, peril? Anything? It says
it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long,
we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all things
we are more than conquerors, I like that phrase, more than
conquerors to him that loved us. Notice it doesn't talk about
we're conquerors because we love Him, although we do. But that's
not the cause of our salvation. That's the result of it. We're
conquerors because He loved us. We're more here in His love,
not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son.
Where is that? 1 John 4.10. He sent His Son
to be the sacrifice for our sin. I'm persuaded that either death,
or life, Angels, principalities, powers, things present or things
to come, height, depth, or any other thing, any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in the Lord Jesus Christ." This is covenant love. Covenant love. You see, it's the mercies of
a covenant God, as John Warburton said in his book. So salvation
is of the Lord. Can you remember all those? Salvation
is of the Lord in its origination. salvation of the Lord in its
execution, salvation of the Lord in its application, its sustaining
power, and its ultimate perfection. Salvation is all of God's saving,
sovereign grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, alone, alone.