CHURCH MATTERS: Salvation Matters (Ephesians 2:1-10)

what is a church?

what is it not? know it’s not a building

then what is it?

who is it?

ἐκκλησία

a church is an assembly of saved people who have committed to one another

Salvation Matters

Membership Matters next week

as important as membership is, it doesn’t compare to salvation

ONLY SAVED PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN

misconceptions

everyone is a child of God

everybody goes to heaven

God lets good people into heaven

but we throw this “saved” word around a lot

what does saved mean?

how is someone to be saved?

saved from what?

saved for what?

now we are considering the very most important eternal question

are you saved?

how do you know you are saved?

who says you are saved?

who cares what you think?

What God says always trumps what you think or feel

Ephesians 2:1-10

pew Bible # 1159

Every single one of us was/is spiritually dead

2:1-3

now we have it: the Bible talks about Zombies—living dead

a person may look alive

but they are unable to respond to spiritual things

may do good things but it is not pleasing to God

Hebrews 11:6a “And without faith it is impossible to please him

hopeless and helpless

Rom 3:10-12

Bible clear on our condition: in debt, enslaved, bankrupt, dead

former slide

you were dead in the trespasses and sins

have the freedom to choose whether this sin or that sin

not so much about actions as nature

committing a sin does not make you a sinner

we commit sin because we are sinners

in our very nature to rebel against God

no one had to teach me how to sin and rebel against God

but there is one who is dominate on earth

2:2

Satan dominates and pressures every person who is not saved

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

so it’s all Satan’s fault? no

2:3 — in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind

climax of being spiritually dead

were by nature children of wrath

sin in the smallest degree is still heinous before a thrice holy God deserves His wrath

the thought that everyone is a child of God is completely false

apart from Jesus, people are children of wrath, like the rest of mankind

not just a speed bump

spiritually dead

need sin to be forgiven

need a radical change

so radical only God can bring it about in Christ

born again (John 3)

not a better you

but a new you

heart of stone replaced with heart of flesh (Ez 36)

have you been radically changed?

explain was/is

this is a current reality

unless radically changed

Only God can make you spiritually alive

2:4-7

BUT GOD

being rich in mercy

because of His great love with which He loved us

God’s motivation to save us is rooted in unconditional love

even when we were dead in our transgressions

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God is the offended party and decides to act

not because of our lovability

but because of His great love

AND not only did He love enough to forgive

but also enough to die for the very ones who had offended Him

theology kicks in

made us alive together in Christ

great contrast to the you were dead in 2:1

our spiritual heart started beating

can understand spiritual truth

can desire spiritual things

dead people don’t need to get better

dead people need to be made alive

not good

but made new

in Christ

we are different

our past is not out present

once/formerly walked (2:2)

once/formerly lived (2:3)

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

former slide

raised us up with Him

seated us with Him

future event told in the past

it is as though your seat is saved

as good as done

we are future heirs

so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (2:7)

recipients of salvation will marvel for all eternity at God’s grace

it will take all of eternity to fathom God’s love

and those who are saved will never plumb the depths of it

a major rescue mission has taken place

God didn’t send the angels to come get us

He came HIMSELF

salvation is offer to all

but not all are saved

You can only be saved by grace through faith for good works

2:8-10

you have been saved

saved from what??? sin?

saved from God?

God’s wrath towards sin at the final judgment

were by nature children of wrath (2:3)

by grace

grace—get good that you do not deserve

no one demands fairness from God

Lecrae—if we fought for our rights, we’d be in hell tonight

bad question: why does God send people to hell?

good question: why does God save any of us?

grace by its definition is an unearned act from God

but want to add our part

Instant Cake

statics indicate people 39% who believe Eph 2:8-9 still think people will go to heaven if they are generally good

God Ran Him Down

“You seem to indicate that God did everything when He saved you. Didn’t you do your part before God did His?”

The new Christian jumped to his feet and said, “Oh yes, I did. For more than 30 years I ran away from God as fast as my sins could carry me. That was my part. But God took out after me and ran me down. That was His part.”

saved by grace through faith in Christ

not nebulous but clearly in Jesus

your faith is only as good as the object

faith is the anti-work

Jesus did all of the work

but by grace through faith (belief) we get credit

even the faith seems to be from God

And this is not your own doing

like cheating on a test without getting in trouble (it is a good thing)

FCC What We Believe - Doctrine

Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy

former slide

no one will ever be saved apart from placing their faith in Jesus that was given by grace

faith is breathing the breath that God’s grace supplies

but how do you know if you are saved?

where do works come into play?

for good works

purpose statement

although good works have no part in attaining salvation (biggest fallacy of E Texas)

they are greatly produced by salvation

you are not saved by works but saved to work

greatest confusion is timeline of works and salvation

not works earning salvation

Pharisee

but works resulting from salvation

Christian

God prepared them beforehand

now spiritually alive

able to do good works (HS)

how do you know if you are saved?

have you placed your faith in Jesus?

does your life look spiritually alive?

salvation test

not past sincerity

cannot find that in Bible

not baptism

cannot find that in Bible

but evidence of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19-21

Galatians 5:22-24

saved people are like God showing His handiwork

like art in a museum

Matthew 5:16

good works are all for God’s glory, not men’s applause

motive matters

when others look at the museum of your life

are you displaying God’s handiwork?

you claim to look and walk like a Christian

it it true? would other Christians say you look like a follower of Jesus? would God?

are you saved?

how do you know you are saved?

is there enough proof?

Salvation Matters