Soli Deo Gloria

Review: Celebrating the Reformation

· Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone is our final authority for life and doctrine.

· Sola Gratia – Salvation is by God’s Grace Alone.

· Sola Fide – We are Justified by Faith Alone.

· Solus Christus – Christ Alone is our only mediator.

· Soli Deo Gloria – today Salvation (and everything else) is to the Glory of God Alone.

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Introduction: Why does God save people? To what end?

Is it for the sake of man for the glory of man (man-centered)? Or for the glory of God (God-Centered).

Important Question: Its answer informs us of how we ought to live; to what end we should live. It indicates our purpose as new creatures in Christ.

Catholic Church – the glory of the salvation of sinners is distributed three ways:

Partly to God in Christ.

Partly to Mary and the Saints.

Partly to the Individual Sinner.

Reformers said, “No, Salvation is for the Glory of God Alone.

And, that is what we find in our text: and the main point of today’s message…

Homiletical Idea: Salvation is (Soli Deo Gloria) for the glory of God alone, for He alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.

(Transition: As we come to our text…let me fill you in on the context. The Israelites have been taken out of the Promise Land and are now in Exile in the land of Babylon. They have been there for 7 yrs and now a group of elders have come to the Prophet Ezekiel to inquire of God, likely looking for a message of salvation. And the LORD has a message for them. It is not the message they were expecting or wanted, yet it was the message they needed to hear and it is a message that we need to hear. The first true God reveals to us in the text is…)

I. There is Nothing Praiseworthy in Us, For We are Defiled to the Core.

A. A History of Corruption: 5 Eras of Israel.

1. The Lord Saves.

2. The People Respond with Rebellion.

B. 3 Levels of Corruption:

1. Culture (Idols of Egypt).

2. Family (Idols of Fathers).

3. Individual (Your Idols).

C. Arg: One of the biggest flaws with the secular culture (and a good bit of counselling) today is the tendency to always shift blame to someone else.

1. We are products of our culture.

2. But Scripture says our biggest problem is our own corruptness.

(ESV) — 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

D. Ill: You Don’t Have to Teach a Child Bad Behavior.

E. App: We Need to Understand Who We Are: Corrupted Sinners in Need of God’s Grace.

(Transition: There is Nothing Praiseworthy in Us, For We are Defiled to the Core and we need God to save us from corruption. The second truth we see in this text is…

II. God Alone is Worthy of Glory, Honor, & Praise.

A. Salvation is for the Glory of God Alone.

1. So That the Nations May Know (9, 14, 22).

2. So That You May Know (44).

B. For He is the LORD (“I am the LORD” 9x):

1. The Eternal God.

2. The Creator God.

3. The Savior God.

(ESV) — 18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

C. Arg: God’s Glory is Always First with God.

(ESV) — 9 “For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

D. App: We Not Only Need to Understand Who We Are, But We Need to Understand Who God is. The LORD our God is GOD and there is No Other!!!

(Transition: There is Nothing Praiseworthy in Us, as We Are Defiled to the Core. God Alone is Worthy of Glory, Honor, and Praise. If this is true, then, How Should We Then Live?)

III. We Must Live for the Glory of God Alone.

A. Arg: This Just Makes Sense:

1. God Made Us Alive in Christ for His Glory.

2. God is Transforming Us to Will and to Work for His Good Pleasure for His Glory.

3. Therefore, the Aim of Our Lives should be to Glorify God.

B. Scripture:

(ESV) — 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

(ESV) — 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

C. App for Church: We Do Everything for God’s Glory (Services, Ministries, etc.)

1. Unfortunately Many Have Turned Away from This Doctrine in Church.

Televangelist Robert Schuller said that the theology of the Reformation, “erred because it was God-centered rather than man-centered” (Self-Esteem: the New Reformation).

2. This is the basic theology of many churches today – build church service around what will attract people (man-centered worship); rather than what will glorify and magnify God (God-Centered worship).

3. Simply Unbiblical; even more sinful.

D. App Individual: We Live Daily for the Glory of God.

1. At Home.

2. At Work.

3. At the Grocery Store & Restaurant.

4. At the Ball Game.

(Transition: There is Nothing in Us Praiseworthy, for We Are Defiled to the Core. God Alone is Worthy of Glory, Honor, and Praise. Therefore, We Must Live Our Lives to the Glory of God Alone.)

Conclusion: Are You Living for the Glory of God?

Christian: Do you daily let the light of Christ shine in your life that others may see you good works and give glory to God. Or is your life all about you?

Today, catch a fresh vision of the Glory of God.

Make a Commitment to Live Everyday so as to Exalt His Glory above Everything Else.

Lost: If you are here and you do not have a saving relationship with God, by God’s grace through faith in Christ, you cannot glorify God with your life.

By God’s Grace, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to live a perfect life on your behalf and to die for your rebellion in your place and raised Him up from the dead so that you might be saved.

If you believe on Jesus Christ and surrender to His Lordship in your life today you will be saved.

And God says He will transform you so that you will be a light of His Glory.

But it all starts, for you, with Faith.

Homiletical Idea: Salvation is (Soli Deo Gloria) for the glory of God alone, for He alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.