Incorruptible Blessings

Introduction

People my age (39-40) and older. I want you think back to when you were younger—a child/teenager. Did you have someone in your life (maybe a parent, or grandparent, or mentor, coach, teacher, youth pastor, etc) who gave you life advice? Maybe you were fortunate enough to have someone early on in your life who poured wisdom into you and warned you about the temptations and traps of life.

I can remember one of the things my dad always said to me—“Don’t ever let 5 minutes of fun lead you into a lifetime of regret.” You may have had someone give you life advice like that, or relationship advice, or financial advice.

Now, as you think about that person, can you look back and say, “Man, I really wish I had listened to them”?

Transition

The ancient church in the city of Ephesus is one of the most mentioned churches in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul had a special deep love for the believers in Ephesus.

We first read about this city in Acts chapter 19. The author of Acts tells us that, when Paul arrived in Ephesus, there were already some disciples—those who were beginning to follow the teachings of Jesus. He baptizes these disciples and they receive the Holy Spirit.

The city of Ephesus, though, was filled with witchcraft and paganism. As Paul began to minister and preach the gospel in the city, God did great works and miracles through him. This resulted in many people coming to faith in Christ and denouncing their demonic and pagan lifestyles. Those who practiced magic began burning their books and people stopped buying the pagan idols. This, obviously, didn’t go over well with the craftsmen in Ephesus who made a living off making and selling idols and a riot erupted against Paul.

Paul wound up spending a little over 2 years in Ephesus pouring himself out for the church and the ministry. It was in Ephesus where he met and discipled a young man named Timothy who later became the bishop (head) over the house churches in Ephesus.

Again, Paul deeply loved the believers in Ephesus. In Acts 20, as he is preparing to leave the city to continue on his missionary journey, we see a deeply emotional scene between he and the elders (pastors) of the church.

They’re weeping and are very heartbroken over Paul’s departure but, before he leaves, he issues this warning to them:

Acts 20:28–32 (ESV)

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

In the years after leaving Ephesus, Paul continued to write letters. He wrote two to the bishop, Timothy, instructing him on how the body of Christ is to live, be led, and carry out the gospel—specifically by teaching sound doctrine and standing against those who would teach a “different” gospel.

Paul also wrote the letter of Ephesians—which we are going to walk through over the next 6 weeks. But, I want you to see how the letter to the church in Ephesus ends…

Ephesians 6:24 (ESV)

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Now, 1 & 2 Timothy and the book of Ephesians aren’t the last time we see the church in the NT. In fact, the last time we see them mentioned is in the book of Revelation. They are actually the first church addressed in Jesus’s 7 letters to 7 churches in Asia Minor…and listen to what Jesus says to them.

Revelation 2:4 (ESV)

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Somewhere/Somehow between 60-62 AD when Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians and commended their incorruptible love for Jesus and 96 AD when Jesus sends them the message in Revelation…their love had become corrupt. They had gotten off track.

And, sadly, the same thing can happen to us.

Ephesians 1:1–14 (ESV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Main Point Eternally incorruptible blessings are ours by the grace of God, through the Son of God, for the glory of God.

You don’t deserve it.

You can’t achieve it.

You aren’t the center of it.

What are these eternally incorruptible blessings?

A) Eternal Security

(Verse 4)

Paul says that God the Father has chosen us “in Christ” before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Now, there are two “trigger” words in this passage that make some people kind of anxious and on edge—“chosen” and “predestined.” Churches have split over this whole issue…does God chose and predestine those who will be saved or do we have a choice of free will?

You want to know where I stand on this issue? My answer to that question—does God chose and predestine those who will be saved or do we have a choice of free will—is “YES.”

Here’s the point—you wouldn’t have a choice if God hadn’t made the choice first. Paul says that God chose us “in Christ” before the foundation of the world. In His omniscience, He KNEW that we would be rebels, that we would sin, that we would NOT choose Him yet He still provided a way for salvation—in Christ. It’s based on His grace and the result of our salvation is that we live in holiness and blamelessness to the glory of God.

There’s another aspect of the incorruptible blessing of eternal security in verses 13-14. Paul says that we who are in Christ have been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee (down payment) of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

B) Eternal Relationship

(Verse 5)

We aren’t just saved and get our salvation cards stamped for heaven so that we don’t go to hell when we die. No! We are created and saved for the purpose of a relationship with God!

And, it’s not just any relationship. Paul says that IN LOVE—it’s not simply a legal transaction of acquitting us of sin—it is an act of unconditional and eternal love—that, in Christ, we are adopted as the children of God.

Again, “according to the riches of his grace.”

C) Eternal Forgiveness

(Vs. 7-10)

Paul makes it VERY clear in verses 7-10…

The greatest need in our lives is forgiveness of sin. We are all guilty before a holy God. We are all sinners. We’ve all broken God’s righteous law. ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. The only way we can receive eternal life and right standing before God is if we are forgiven of our sin.

It is only in Christ that we have forgiveness of our sin.

(There is only ONE way that we can be forgiven. It’s only by the blood of Jesus. Not good works. Not church attendance. Not penance.)

It is only by the grace of God that we have forgiveness of our sin.

(There is only ONE way that we can be forgiven. It’s only by the blood of Jesus. Not good works. Not church attendance. Not penance.)

It is for the glory of God that we have forgiveness of our sin.

(What brings God most glory? Pardoning sinners/rebels who are his enemies. Not giving us what we deserve. )

D) Eternal Inheritance

(Vs. 11-12)

What is this glorious and incorruptible inheritance that Paul says we have obtained? What is the outcome of our salvation? Well, Peter tells us…

1 Peter 1:3–4 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

And, then, Paul, again, in Romans 8:15-17

Romans 8:15–17 (ESV)

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

This inheritance that we have obtained in Christ is the future glory that we will share with Christ for all of eternity. We will be made like him in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. All pain, all suffering, all brokenness that plagues us in this fallen world will be forever swallowed up. God, Himself, will wipe every tear from every face. We will be like Jesus as HE is in his resurrected glory. We, too, will have resurrected bodies. We will be free from the curse and the presence of sin. We will dwell in the renewed heavens and the renewed earth and we will see God face to face.

ALL of these eternally incorruptible blessings (SECURITY, RELATIONSHIP, FORGIVENESS and INHERITANCE) are ours by the grace of God, through the Son of God, for the glory of God.

So What? Now What?

Are these things just objectively true? If you are in Christ, yes.

1) If you have never repented of your sin and placed your faith in Jesus, then these things aren’t true for you….YET. You need to know that God loves you—has loved you from eternity past—and is pursuing you with His grace for salvation through His Son Jesus.

2) Praise—verse 3—“blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” // verse 6 — “to the praise of his glorious grace” // verse 12 — “to the praise of his glory”

3) Walk in Holiness and Blamelessness as the the Blessed Children of God.