I want you to open your Bibles
this morning to the book of Ephesians. I'll be speaking to you from
Ephesians 2, verses 7, 8, and 9. Paul writes in Ephesians 2,
for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast."
Do you know what we mean by the attributes of God? The old-time
preachers wisely made much of the attributes of God. They preached
about them, they wrote about them. One of the greatest books
on the attributes of God was written by Arthur Pinck many
years ago, read by many believers, The Attributes of God. Do you
know what we're talking about? But a simple definition of the
attributes of God is the character of God. That's what we mean by
the attributes of God. Those characteristics and those
qualities which belong only to the Lord. When Moses went down
into Egypt and told Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go,
this was his question. Who is the Lord that I should
obey his voice? Who is the Lord? Moses said,
the Lord said, let my people go. And Pharaoh said, well, who
is the Lord? And before that, when Moses was
told by God to go down into Egypt and deliver the people of Israel,
Moses said, Lord, when I go down there and tell them that you
sent me to deliver them out of bondage and slavery, they're
going to ask me, what is his name? Who is the Lord that sent
you? Tell us who he is. What are his
attributes? What are his characteristics,
those qualities that belong only to God? The heathen said to David,
Where is your God? Who is your God? David replied,
Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he pleased.
He identified God by his attributes. Our Lord Jesus Christ asked the
disciples, Whom do you say that I am? Whom do men say that I
am? Who is Jesus Christ? The attributes
are characteristics of God. The scriptures declare the character
of God. Actually, most of the scripture
is dedicated to declaring who God is. Listen to some of these
scriptures. The heavens declare the glory
of God. The firmament showeth his handiwork. In wisdom, O Lord, thou hast
made the world. Isaiah wrote in chapter 6, holy,
holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts. The name of the Lord endureth
forever. Immutability. God's name endureth
forever. He said, I am the Lord, I change
not. Justice and judgment are the
habitations of his throne. Mercy and truth go before thy
face. John wrote, God is love. And then God's knowledge of all
things, known unto God, are all his works from the beginning. Our God is in the heavens. He
hath done whatsoever he pleased. Wise men seek to know who God
is. Wise men seek to know the living
God. For our Master said, This is
eternal life, that they might know thee, the only true and
living God. And the Apostle Paul, in writing
the book of Philippians, said, O that I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection. Nowhere are the attributes of
God seen like they're revealed in the salvation of sinners.
God's attributes and God's character and those qualities that belong
to God are seen in the heavens, in the things that God has made,
in his word, in his promises, in his revelations to men. But
nowhere are the attributes of God revealed like they're revealed
in the salvation of sinners by the sacrifice of God's Son. Listen
to some of these. The wisdom of God plans salvation. We see in the great plan of salvation
the wisdom of our God. The love of God is seen in his
sending his only begotten Son into the world to redeem us.
For God so loved, God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son. Scarcely for a righteous man
will one die, but God committed his love toward us, and that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God's love. The
holiness of God is revealed in his obedience, in Christ's obedience,
in his obedient life before the law of God. The justice of God
smote Christ on the cross. The justice of God bruised him
on the tree. The power of God raised him from
the tomb. The immutability of God keeps
his promises. There you see in Christ's sacrifice
for sinners the characteristics of God. He's wise. He's holy. He's just and righteous. He is
love. He's almighty. He's unchangeable. He will keep his promises. But
the fountainhead, the fountainhead and foundation of all salvation
is the grace of God. For by grace are you saved through
faith. And that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God. God said, I will be gracious.
Moses said, Lord, show me your glory. Show me your glory. And
God did not parade his wisdom before Moses. When Moses says,
Lord, show me your glory, God did not parade his power, his
miracles, his majesty. God Almighty paraded his mercy,
his grace, his goodness. When Moses says, Lord, show me
your glory, God said, I'll cause all my goodness. to pass before
you. I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious. I will be merciful to whom I
will be merciful. So while the death of Christ,
the sacrifice of the Son of God for sinners, reveals unto us
all of the characteristics and attributes and qualities that
belong only to our God, nowhere, nowhere and in no revelation
do we see the mercy of God and the grace of God like a Calvary's
cross. Amazing grace, how sweet the
sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now
am found. I was blind, but now I see. T'was
grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed. Look back at verse 4 of Ephesians
2. It says, 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 by grace,"
or you say, "...and he hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the
ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace
in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." What I'm saying
is this, while every attribute of God is revealed in the gift
of his Son in the mercy of his Son, in the sin offering, in
the atonement, in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for
sinners, the fountainhead of it all, the foundation of it
all, the source of it all, is the grace of God Almighty, his
unmerited love. First of all, our election is
of grace. In Romans 11, verse 5, it said,
If the Lord of the Sabbath had not left us a remnant, we'd be
like Sodom and Gomorrah. But even so, at this time, there
is a rendement according to the election of grace. And if it
is by grace, it is no more works. There is a rendement according
to the election of grace. Our calling is of grace. I have
a preacher friend down in Crossville, Tennessee, who was sitting out
in the yard one day reading the Bible. And he said he read a
verse of scripture in 2 Timothy 1-9 that he had never seen in
all his life. It was like God had sent a message
from heaven directly to him through his word. And this was the verse
which he read, 2 Timothy 1.9. He had saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, not according to
our works. Even our calling is not according
to our works. Not only our election, not only
our salvation, but our calling is not of works, but according
to his own purpose and grace which was given to us. from before
the foundation of the world, in Christ Jesus, before the foundation
of the world. Our justification is by grace.
In Romans 3, 24, Paul said, being freely justified by his grace,
elected by his grace, redeemed by his grace, called by his grace,
justified by his grace, being freely justified by his grace
through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter
8, Paul said, it's God that justifies. And also our hope is through
grace. Every believer has a hope. It's called a living hope. It's
called a good hope. In 2 Thessalonians 2.16, he hath
given us a good hope through grace. And then our prayers go
to a throne of grace. We're told to come boldly before
the throne of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our trials
are comforted by his sufficient grace. Paul prayed three times
that God would remove that messenger of Satan, that thorn in the flesh,
that heavy trial that was upon him. And our Lord said, my grace
is sufficient. And by the grace of God, Paul
said, I am what I am. So like a golden unbroken thread,
all the way through the history and life of a believer runs the
grace of God. from eternity past to eternity
future. And there's no point in the life
of a redeemed man anywhere, there's no point anywhere from eternity
past to eternity future, that that redeemed man cannot say,
"'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. "'Twas grace that brought me
safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.'" Let's read our
text again. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. Now I want you to see three things
from this passage of Scripture. First of all, salvation, all
of grace, a salvation that's all of grace, all of mercy, gives
hope to real sinners. Now my friend, if salvation is
by the grace and mercy of God, Who out there needs to despair?
Who out there can say, it's not possible for me to be saved?
I'm too great a sinner. I've done too many evil things.
I've lived in sin too long. Now, if it's by works, you can
say that. But if salvation is by the grace of God, is there
anybody listening to my voice? I don't care if you're in the
penitentiary. I don't care if you're on Skid
Row. I don't care if you're a crooked businessman. I don't care what
you are, or what you've been, or who you are. If salvation
is a gift of God, and by the grace of God alone, that works
has nothing to do with it, not of works, lest any man should
vote, is there anybody out there that needs despair? Especially
when God says, though your sins be as scarlet, I'll make them
as white as snow. Now, salvation is by works, it's
for those that earn it. But if salvation is by grace,
It's for those who need it. The songwriter said, let not
conscience make you linger, nor a fitness fondly dream. All the
fitness grace requireth, grace requireth, is to feel your need
of him. So if salvation is by grace,
and grace alone, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast. If salvation is bestowed upon
a guilty sinner by the mercy of God, through the sacrifice
of God's Son, who out there need despair? And then I would say
this. If salvation is all of grace,
then our many sins do not prevent our salvation. It doesn't matter
how great your sins, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth
us from all sin. The Apostle Paul said this. This
is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus
Christ, God's Son, came into the world to save sinners, of
whom I am the chief. Well, if Christ came to save
the chief of sinners, why not you? Why not me? If Christ died
for the chief of sinners, why not you? Why not me? The scripture
says he's able to save to the uttermost them that come to God
by him. Someone said that means he's
able to save to the guttermost. to the gutter most, them that
come to God by him, to the uttermost extent of sin, of depravity. It doesn't matter. Christ is
able to save. Now watch this. If salvation
is all of grace, then no one great sin can prevent your salvation. Now I want you to listen to me.
There's hope here. There's mercy here. Salvation,
all of grace, gives hope to real sinners. It gives hope to real
sinners, not to hypocrites and Pharisees and religious self-righteous
people, but it gives hope to all real sinners. Now, if salvation
is all of grace, then no one need despair. If salvation is
all of grace, then it doesn't matter how many sins I've committed,
God's able to save. And if salvation is all of grace,
then no one great sin can prevent my salvation. Usually when a
person thinks of his relationship with God, usually I say, one
great offense comes to mind. That's right, when the average
person sits down to consider his interest in Christ, his relationship
with God, one great sin, he may have committed many sins, or
thought many evil thoughts, or said many evil words, or committed
many evil deeds, but there's usually one great offense that's
on his mind and heart. Maybe a murder, maybe a divorce,
may be a betrayal of trust, may have been a crooked business
deal, may have been an occupation that that person was involved
in, may have been some great sin, some great offense, some
period in that person's life that causes them the greatest
despair. Every time they think of God,
every time they think of mercy, every time they think of salvation,
every time they think of a relationship with Christ, they think of that
sin. Well, let me encourage you. Jacob found salvation. He found
grace, though he cheated everybody. David found grace and salvation,
though he murdered one of his best friends. David found grace,
although he committed one of the greatest evils, betrayal
of trust and the murder of a dear faithful soldier, Rahab. Rahab
found grace, though she was a professional prostitute. Peter found grace,
though he personally three times denied he knew Christ. The thief
on the cross found grace, although he was a professional criminal.
He was being crucified, one of the most horrible deaths that
man could impose upon a fellow man, because of crimes that he
had committed. Paul the apostle, Saul of Tarsus,
found grace, though he gave his consent to those who murdered
Christians. And though he did everything
in his power to blot out from this world the name of Jesus
Christ. So I'm saying this, if salvation is all of grace, now
if it works, then you better despair. And I had to and everybody
else had. But if salvation is all of grace,
no one great sin keeps you from Christ. Now your past may keep
you from fellowship with self-righteous hypocrites. Your past and the
things you've done or the things you've been or the things you
are may keep you from fellowship with the average self-righteous
church member, but it won't keep you from fellowship with Christ.
For our Lord Jesus Christ is the friend of sinners. He said,
I came to seek and to save the lost. I didn't come to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance. He was called the friend of sinners. And he said to those sinners,
you come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden. I'll
give you rest." So my friend, this is what I'm saying. The
grace of God is an attribute, a characteristic of our living
Lord. He's a wise God and a holy God
and a just God and a righteous God. But our God is a God of
grace and a God of mercy. He delights to show mercy. He's
plenteous in redemption. He delights to show mercy, and
his salvation is all of grace, and nowhere is the grace of God
seen like in the salvation of sinners through Jesus Christ
our Lord. And this gives hope to real sinners. Let me ask you
another question. If salvation is all of grace, then my length
of service in sin is no barrier to my salvation. What I'm saying
is this, God saves the old and God saves the young. I know the
scripture says we're to remember our Creator in the days of our
youth. But let me tell you something.
You who are up in years, you need not despair. Our Lord is
able to save a 10-year-old or an 80-year-old. Our God is able
to save a 20-year-old or a 70-year-old. The length of service in sin
is no barrier to salvation. Come to Christ just like you
are. Charlotte Elliott captured But what I'm trying to say in
that song she wrote that's so familiar that it loses its significance. Just as I am without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou didst me come
to thee, O Lamb of God, I come. Just as I am in waiting not to
rid my soul of one dark blood, to thee whose blood can cleanse
each spot, O Lamb of God, I come. Just as I am poor, wretched,
blind, but sight, riches, and healing of the mind, all I need
in Christ to find. O Lamb of God, I come. Let me
point out something else. Secondly, salvation by grace,
it gives hope to real sinners. It gives hope to needy sinners.
It gives hope to frail and empty sinners. It gives hope to real
sinners. But secondly, salvation by grace
gives directions to real sinners who are seeking the Lord. Here
it is. Salvation is not to pay. It's
to plead for mercy. It's not to pay. Two men came
to the temple. The scripture said to pray. One
of them was a Pharisee, one of them was a publican, one was
a religious man, and one was a great sinner. And the religious
man talked about what he had done for God. He talked about
what he had paid. He said, I've paid tithes, and I've paid my
alms to the poor, and I've paid my dues and ceremonies. I've
done all these things. But the publican would not so
much as lift his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, and
he didn't offer to pay. And he didn't talk about what
he had paid. He pleaded. He pleaded for mercy. He said,
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Let thy blood be perpetuation
for me on the mercy seat. Salvation by grace says, don't
pay, plead for mercy. And then salvation by grace says,
don't labor, look to Christ. Not the labor of my hands, can
fulfill the law's demands? Could my tears forever flow?
Could my zeal, no respite, no ease for sin, could never atone?
Christ must save, and Christ alone. The scripture says in
Isaiah 45, 22, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends
of the earth. For I am God, and there is none
other. And our Lord himself said, As Moses lifted up that serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever looketh, whosoever believeth, on him hath everlasting
life. So it's not to labor, it's just
to look. And then it's not to render my
merit, it's to receive his righteousness. John 1 says he came to his own,
his own things, his own nation, his own people, his own temple,
and they received him not. But as many as received To them
gave he the right, the privilege, to become sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name. Just receive it. This is the
record John wrote in 1 John, that God hath given us eternal
life. This life's in his Son. He that hath the Son of God hath
everlasting life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. These things are written unto
you that believe, that believe on the name of the Son of God,
that you may know that you have eternal life. Salvation by grace. It's not to pay, it's to plead.
It's not to labor, it's to live. It's not to render your merit,
it's to receive his righteousness, his merit. And it's not to come
to an altar. It's not to come to an ordinance.
It's not to come to a priest or to a preacher. But it's to
come to Christ. Don't miss Christ. Our Lord said
in John 6, all that my Father giveth me shall come to me. And
him that cometh to me I'll in no wise cast out. If I came down
from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me, and this is the will of him that sent me, that of
all which he hath given me I'll lose nothing, but raise it up
again at the last day. No man can come to me, except
my Father which sent me draw him. But those that are drawn
by the Father, and taught by the Father, and hath learned
of the Father, come to me." It's coming to Christ, coming to me,
all you that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. He
said, I'm the bread of life. I'm the water of life. I'm the
door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved. So salvation is by grace. Then
we have here directions. We have here clear directions
and clear instructions for any honest seeking sinner. It's not
pay. It's plead for mercy. It's not
labor. It's look to Christ. It's not
render an account of your merit. Lord, I preached in your name
and cast out devils and did many wonderful works. It's not to
render your merit. It's to receive his righteousness.
And it's not to come to those things that represent him, such
as an altar or a preacher or an ordinance or a priest. It's
to come to Christ himself. Close with Christ. That's what
the old timers used to talk about, closing with Christ. Then last
of all in closing, salvation, all of grace. All of grace, totally
of grace, from first to last, Alpha to Omega, gives assurance
to those who believe. Assurance. Now let me ask you
this. Is there any way that you can find comfort in your works?
Is there any way that you can find any assurance in your religious
deeds, in your religious works? Wouldn't you always be asking
this question, which works are works of God? Or how many works
should I do? Or how long should I work? Or
are my works sufficient? Would you ever have any assurance? Especially when you came to learn
from Isaiah 64, 6 that all our works are filthy rags in God's
sight. That all of our righteousnesses
are filthy rags in God's sight. So you can't find any comfort
or any confidence or any assurance in your works. Because they're
never complete, they're never sufficient, they're never without
sin, they're never without self. How long must you keep them up?
Well, then they offer this. The works of Christ are perfect.
The obedience of Christ is perfect. In fact, our Lord Jesus Christ
came down to this earth in the flesh as a man, fulfilled the
law of God, obeyed the law of God, and the Father spake from
heaven and said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This is my Son in whom I'm well
pleased. So if my salvation and my redemption,
my acceptance with God, is all in Christ, then God's pleased
with me. If my acceptance and my hope
and redemption and righteousness and holiness and sanctification
and obedience is all in what Christ did, and He gives it to
me by His grace, He imputes it to me by His mercy, then I can
have assurance, I can have confidence, I can have hope. because the
Father raised him from the dead. And when the Father raised his
Son from the dead, he is saying that all that Christ did and
all that Christ accomplished and all that Christ set out to
do for his people is accepted of the Heavenly Father. We are
his workmanship created in Christ Jesus on two good works, on two
good works. Salvation, all of grace.