Sola Gratia

The reformation, although it was a process rather than a single event, was marked as being initiated on the 31st of October 1517 (500 years ago) when Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door of the castle in Wittenburg.

That event sparked massive changes within the church, and really sparked a breakaway from the Roman Catholic Church of the day, which came about due to various concerns that Luther and others of his day saw within the church that went contrary to what they saw as the clearly revealed will of God in the Scriptures.

Not only did the teachings of the day go contrary to the Scriptures, but they went contrary to much of what had been taught by others in the further history of the church.

And so this morning, as we continue our look at the 5 solae, we will be considering the second sola...

Last week, we looked at Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

This morning we will be looking at Sola Gratia - by Grace alone...

The emphasis there is that we have received salvation and forgiveness by the Grace of God Alone.

I’d like to do that by turning to Ephesians 2...

Bible Reading

, but our focus will be on verse 4-5...

Ephesians 2:1–10 NIV84

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The focus verses from our text this morning again:

Ephesians 2:4–5 NIV84

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Introduction

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great orator, said once in preaching from , that:

Not only did the teachings of the day go contrary to the Scriptures, but they went contrary to much of what had been taught by others in the further history of the church.

And so this morning, as we continue our look at the 5 solae, we will be considering the second sola...

Last week, we looked at Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

This morning we will be looking at Sola Gratia - by Grace alone...

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great orator, said once in preaching from , that:

THE cardinal error against which the gospel of Christ has to contend is the effect of the tendency of the human heart to rely upon salvation by works. The great antagonist to the truth as it is in Jesus is that pride of man which leads him to believe that he can be, at least in part, his own saviour. [1]

Spurgeon was quite correct in this assessment.

In the history of the church - time and again, efforts were made to teach that salvation came not merely by God’s grace, but that there were works necessary in order to merit or earn salvation.

This error of our human hearts heading towards some kind of effort towards participating in our own salvation, or an effort towards earning God’s approval, is a consistent challenge that we ourselves very much face.

In reformation period…various aspects were being taught within the church against salvation by grace alone.

At the time of the reformation, the church of the day was teaching that Mass is a...

“…sacrifice which is truly propitiatory”

Propitiation…the action of appeasing God…bringing peace between a person and God...

The church went on to say that by the Mass...

“God…grants us grace and the gift of penitence, remits our faults and even our enormous sins.”

And so there was the teaching that it was through these various acts, including the attending of the Mass, God’s grace and the remissions of sins were granted.

Martin Luther himself was a man who struggled with sins, and desperately wanted to find peace.

Before he came to a full understanding of the true Gospel, and before he came to challenge the teachings of the church of the day, he used to wrestle intensely with his sin.

“Luther tried to win God’s favor by praying and fasting often. He whipped himself and lived in a cell that had no heat. He slept very little and recited many prayers. He tried to think of every sin he had committed so that he could do penance for them all, but that did not make him feel any better. He did not know that a sinner can only be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. He did not know about the love of God. Rather, whenever he heard about God, he was afraid. Luther’s trust was not in the Savior, but in saints and angels, good works, doing penance, and paying for his own sins.” [1]

Luther was under the illusion that there was a requirement on him, at least in some part, to bring about his peace with God.

But as time went on, and as Luther studied the Scriptures, he came to the wonderful realisation, that salvation was the free and gracious gift of God through faith in Christ.

It was realised by him, as it was by others before him, and others after him, that Salvation was by Grace Alone.

There was no meritorious act of man which could add or contribute to the salvation work of God.

Our salvation is Sola Gratia - by Grace Alone...

“The words sola gratia mean that human beings have no claim upon God. That is, God owes us nothing except just punishment for our many and very wilful sins. Therefore, if he does save sinners, which he does in the case of some but not all, it is only because it pleases him to do it. Indeed, apart from this grace and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that flows from it, no one would be saved...” [3]

And so this morning, let us consider from our text, and from other Scripture, the fact that we are saved by God’s grace alone.

Not God’s grace, plus something on our part.

But rather, God’s grace alone.

1. The Predicament Necessitating God’s Grace Alone (vv.1-3)

As we begin to do this, consider first with me, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I’m only going to touch on this aspect, but it’s essential for us in order to recognise and understand the fact that our salvation comes by Grace Alone.

In verses 1-3 of our text, Paul outlines for the Ephesian church the predicament that they had been before God’s grace had been so lavishly poured out upon them.

Ephesians 2:1–3 NIV84

Eph

The first words he uses to describe those who do not know Christ, is as “DEAD”

Ultimately, our predicament and the predicament of every person ever born is that they were born into utter spiritual death...

People were dead in their transgressions and sins...

Man has an utter inability to search after God...

Man in his natural state doesn’t desire God...

As Paul goes on, he explains in verse 2 what it meant to be dead in transgressions and sins....

Every person, in their natural state, lived in and followed the ways of this world, and the ruler of the kingdom of the air…the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

And Paul is emphatic, that ALL of us also lived among them at one time!!!

This was the position of each and every person.

And as Paul writes this letter to the believers in the church in Ephesus, he reminds them that they too, and he himself too, also lived among them at one time.

And the end of verse 3, he says… “Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath!”

Such is the predicament of man…and that predicament extended to all men!!

Job 25:4 NIV84

How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

John 3:19 NIV84

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Romans 3:23 NIV84

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Not only that, but the entirety of man was affected...

His body, mind, soul - every part of our being has been affected and poisoned by the sin that we inherited from our father Adam.

That’s what teaches us...

We live in a day where we are very often told that people are essentially good.

Coupled with this, we are told that people, in and of themselves are able to choose to do either good or evil

We in fact live

This is not a new teaching.

In the 5th century, a man named Pelagius taught that people had the ability to fulfill the commands of God [to do good] by exercising the freedom of human will apart from the grace of God.

In other words, a person's free will is totally capable of choosing God and/or to do good or bad without the aid of Divine intervention.

Pelagianism teaches that man's nature is basically good.

Thus it denies original sin, the doctrine that we have inherited a sinful nature from Adam.

He said that Adam only hurt himself when he fell, and all of his descendants were not affected by Adam's sin.

His teaching was denied as heretical at the councils of Carthage, as early as 412 A.D.

Not too much later, still in the 5th century A.D., a man named Cassian taught that original sin (that is Adam’s sin) certainly did affect each and every human soul and will.

But he taught that God and man cooperate to achieve man’s salvation.

He taught that man can make the first move toward God by seeking God out of his own free will.

Once man had sought out God, then God’s grace would supervene and come in and help this person to continue to live in accordance with God’s ways.

This teaching also was denied and denounced as heretical by the early church at the council of Orange in 529 A.D.

The fact is, that our salvation is by God’s grace alone.

Given the utter fallen state of man, as clearly expressed in the Scriptures, the only solution that man had, was God’s Grace alone!!

2. The Solution is God’s Grace Alone (vv.4-5)

So then, as we come to this matter of God’s grace alone, let us consider verses 4-5 of our text...

So then, as we come to this matter of God’s grace alone, let us consider

There have been times (and we even find ourselves in such a time today) where man is seen to be essentially good, and able to choose between doing good, or doing bad.

Ephesians 2:4–5 NIV84

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

A significant example in the history of the church was taught by a man named Pelagius, who suggested

There are some important considerations from this as we try and wrap our heads around this amazing grace of our God.

2.1. God’s grace and mercy were entirely unmerited

God’s grace and mercy were entirely unmerited

Verse 4...

“But because of His great love for us...”

What is about to follow....the fact of having been saved.

Saved…because of His great love for us.

We followed

We saw together that Paul stated that

God set His affection on us....

Set His love upon us…!!!

Why did He do that…?

Because of our inherent goodness?

Because we had a better attitude than some others?

Because we were more intellectual than others?

Because we were more sophisticated than others?

Of Course not!!!

Context here…we were dead in trespasses and sins!

Verse 5… “Even when we were dead in transgressions...”

We were wicked and evil…we were rebellious…Expand…!!!

And yet, God set his affection on us.

Love

This should remind us immediately of the Israelites in the OT

God chose them as a nation...

They were His chosen people....

He selected them, in order to bring glory to His name.

Why did He do that? Because they were better?

(NIV84) — 7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Nothing to do with their greatness or worth...

Later on, there is a different perspective on this...

(NIV84) — 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

This is amazing!

God is using this stiff-necked people to drive out the wicked nations.

No good in them…but God has chosen them.

And so it is with us.

God has not chosen any person because of them meriting His love.

He has simply chosen to set His love upon you.

Why was He able to do this?

Because he is rich in mercy...

God is a merciful and gracious God...

And He chose in His perfections to set His love upon us when we were still dead in our transgressions and sins!!!

Why?? Why would He do this???

For His own Glory!!!

Look down at verse 7…but begin v. 6

Ephesians 2:6–7 NIV84

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Eph

God has shown us His great mercy....

God has shown grace… in order to demonstrate the incomparable riches of His grace.

This is all for His glory!!!

He has done it.

He has wrought this salvation.

He has chosen those Whom He wills, and has brought salvation to them.

Ephesians 1:4–6 NIV84

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Let us continue further in our verses this morning…first few words of verse 5...

“God…made us alive....”

Salvation comes only by grace

Mark 10:19 NIV84

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

(NIV84) — 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Rich Young man says - obeyed all of those.

One thing you lack...

This grace that brings salvation is the gift of God.

(NIV84) — 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

We’re not all rich…but we were all dead in our trespasses and sins.

We all followed after the ways of this world, gratifying the desires of the flesh.

We were by nature objects of wrath!!!!

With ourselves, salvation was impossible.

Paul writes to young Timothy…that God....

(NIV84) — 9 ...has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

(NIV84) — 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

(NIV84) — 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

One more point that I want to mention from this text...

The fact that Paul speaks of salvation in finished terms.

It is something that is complete.

It is something that is certain to these believers within the church.

As Paul writes here, he speaks of the former way of life...

You WERE dead in trespasses and sins.

You lived among the lost at ONE TIME...

Those are past tense events...

But now it is present tense....

God MADE US ALIVE!!

It is by grace YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED!!

That Salvation has taken place.

God has made you alive!!

In other words, again, this is not some unsure thing in life.

God has given a gift…the gift of his grace and salvation...

You need not work towards salvation, and try and earn your salvation...

It is something done.

No works that you perform can add to your salvation, or further ensure your salvation, and make your salvation more of a reality...

NO!!! Any works that you do are now flowing out of a transformed heart and love for God because of what he’s done for you!!!

Your works that you will now do will only be a response to salvation already received!!

Ephesians 2:9 NIV84

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

And when we come to the judgment day, it still won’t be by any works…because there is no room for boasting.

Application and Conclusion

Encouraging!!!

Romans 9:16 NIV84

16 It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Romans 9:16

If you know Christ, rejoice!!!

It is not flesh and blood that has revealed this to you, but the Holy Spirit.

If you don’t know Christ, rejoice…because it’s not about your ability to force yourself to know…He can change you…He can work in you…it’s not in your own strength.

If you’re trying to earn your salvation, then stop…you cannot do it.

You’re going to simply burn yourself out like Martin Luther did!!! Only to be disappointed.

Listen to Paul, speaking to Titus...

(NIV84) — 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

sinner: but at the same time the text is most accurate, since grace is the fountain-head of salvation, and is most conspicuous throughout. Grace is to be seen in our election; for “there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace then it is no more of works.” Grace is manifestly revealed in our redemption, for ye know therein the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and

We can further be encouraged, that this amazing grace of God reminds us that He is near.

He has worked our salvation...

When we speak about God’s grace, we do not mean that God sits afar and cuts sinners a little slack by giving them a second chance. Rather, God places His holy hands on our filthy hears. With more personal contact than any surgeon uses in operating on our bodies, God is intimately involved in saving our souls. [4]

Spurgeon, C. H. (1872). Salvation All of Grace. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 18, p. 433). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

If this is this case, then we do not need to worry about God’s love for us…if we slip and fall…if we stumble in our Christian life…God’s love does not falter, because His love for us was never based on us in the first place.

Remember, you are saved entirely because of and by the glorious grace of God in Christ!!

Because we know that every person that we will share the Gospel with is in the same predicament as we once found ourselves…they’re dead.

And we are powerless to make them alive.

Thank Him!

Worship Him!

Delight yourself in Him!

Rather, God places His holy hands on our filthy hearts. With more personal contact than any surgeon uses in operating on our bodies, God is intimately involved in saving our souls.

And respond with gratitude to the grace He has given you!

Bibliography

Spurgeon, C. H. (1901). Salvation by Grace. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 47, p. 397). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

Kleyn, Diana et al. (2009). Life of Martin Luther (p.6). Pensacola: Chapel Library.

Anon. (unknown). The Five Solas of the Reformation. Retrieved from http://sola5.org/the-five-solas-of-the-reformation/

Richard D. Phillips. What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace? (Kindle Locations 759-760). Kindle Edition.

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