3. A Reason to Rejoice - Part 2 (Eph. 1:3-4)

A Reason to Rejoice - Part 2

LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

A Reason to Rejoice

November 19, 2017

Dr. David S. Steele

Intro

A. This morning, we continue a message from last week that we entitled, A Reason to Rejoice.

B. Last week, we explored the backdrop of election. We learned that our wills are free, yet paralyzed.

1. To be autonomous is to be a law unto oneself.

2. “If God is sovereign, man cannot possibly be autonomous. If man is autonomous, God cannot possibly be sovereign. These would be

contradictions.”[1]

3. “One does not have to be autonomous to be free. Autonomy implies absolute freedom. We are free, but there are limits to our freedom. The

ultimate limit is the sovereignty of God.”[2]

C. I want to continue to explore the backdrop of election by asking a critical question: How Free is Free?

Each sinner faces:

1. Spiritual Death - Dead in sin ().

a. “In this state, unregenerate people are completely unresponsive to the things of God. Just as a corpse cannot see, hear, or make choices, one

who is spiritually dead cannot properly respond to the things of God.”[3]

b. ““Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

(, ESV)

* John Calvin comments, “It is generally agreed that Christ is referring to spiritual death here … Christ shows that we are all ‘dead’ before he gives us life. This makes clear what man contributes towards his salvation.”[4]

2. Spiritual Blindness - Unable to see the light and glory of the gospel (; ).

3. Spiritual Inability - Enslaved in sin and unable to come to Christ apart from God’s empowerment (; ).

a. Distinguish between permission (may) and ability (can).[5]

4. Spiritual Alienation - Separated from God and strangers to his promises (; ).

5. Spiritual Deafness ().

a. “The Jews do not hear Jesus’ teaching. They are so wrapped up in their preconceptions that they cannot perceive its truth. It repels them …

Jesus is speaking basically of spiritual incomprehension, not of any failure of intellect … Because they lack the necessary kinship with heaven they do not heed the things he says.”[6]

6. Spiritual Slavery and Bondage (; ).

a. Prior to the fall, Adam possessed the ability to sin (posse peccare) and the ability not to sin (posse nonpeccare). However, after the fall, he (and all subsequent people) are only able to choose evil - which are free choices! All men, therefore, are subject to the bondage of evil.

b. “The regenerate man possesses the same absolute liberty as did Adam before the fall and sinners after the fall. The difference between an

unregenerate man is one of ability, not liberty. Both are free to do good, but only one is able to do good.”[7]

D. The extent of our depravity is total! Apart from grace, we are doomed! Apart from grace, we are damned!

1. Until you embrace what the Bible says about the radical fallenness of humans, you will never appreciate grace; you will never fully appreciate

what Christ accomplished on the cross; you will never appreciate the depths of God’s love and mercy; you will never worship with a full heart.

E. This is the portrait of radical depravity.

1. “If you truly believe and embrace every facet of total depravity, you will be begging for unconditional election.” - Steven Lawson

F. With the portrait of radical depravity before us, we are now in a position to stand in awe of the remaining pillars in that help undergird

your Christian life and truly give you a reason to rejoice!

1. The first pillar, you will remember was the preeminent blessing. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have been blessed beyond measure!

II. PILLAR # 2: THE PRIORITY OF ELECTION ()

A. THE BASIS IN SCRIPTURE

1. What we find is that the doctrine of election is found throughout the Word of God. It is an undeniable reality that we need to acknowledge and

embrace.

“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (, ESV)

“For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.” ()

“So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” (, ESV)

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (, ESV)

B. THE BOTTOM LIFE OF ELECTION

1. The Old Testament word for election is bachar - “to choose, elect, or decide for” (; ; ; ).

2. Chose (ἐκλέγομαι) - “To choose for oneself; to elect; to select out of a number.”

a. “That eternal act of God whereby He, in His sovereign good pleasure, and on account of no foreseen merit in them, chooses a certain number

of men to be the recipients of special grace and eternal salvation.”[8]

“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose (ἐκλέγομαι)you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (, ESV)

3. The term is always tied to a specific task

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones (ἐκλεκτός), holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” ()

“You did not choose (ἐκλέγομαι) me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (, ESV)

4. A sovereign act of God.

a. The biblical support (; ; ).

b. “God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things,

whatsoever comes to pass.”[9]

·The argument moves from the general to the specific, that is, God is sovereign over the macro as well as the micro.

· "I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the star in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche."[10]

does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the star in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche."[10]

III. PILLAR # 3: THE PLAN OF ELECTION ()

A. CHOSEN BY GOD THE FATHER

1. One of the things that we will need to do as we study God’s Word, especially , is pay careful attention to personal pronouns. The

personal pronoun that we’ll need to watch for is the word, he, him, or his.

2. Verse 4 reveals that the elect were chosen by the Father.[11]

a. The Father has ultimate priority in salvation.

b. The Father has the prerogative of who he chooses.

c. The Father demonstrates his sovereignty in salvation as he chooses his elect.

3. Responding to a Common Objection

a. “Election is not fair!”

· The minute you accuse God of injustice, you are on thin ice.

· If you you want “fair,” you get hell!

B. CHOSEN “IN HIM”

1. When God choose us, he chose us in him, that is, he chose us in Christ.

a. He chooses us according to his good pleasure.[12]

b. He chooses us apart from anything that we have ever done or ever will do - that is he chooses us unconditionally.

c. Martyn Lloyd-Jones counsels, “We are on holy ground here, and we should take off our shoes from off our feet.”[13]

C. CHOSEN IN ETERNITY PAST

1. All of God’s elect were chosen before the foundation of the world.

a. καταβολή - “creation or foundation.”

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (, ESV)

“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you” (, ESV)

“and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” (, ESV)

D. IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PLAN

1. This plan reveals the depth of God’s love for his people.

a. In eternity past, God set his affection on you and called you his own.

2. This plan reveals the depth of God’s mercy.

“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,” (, ESV)

3. This plan should fill us with wonder and fuel our hearts to worship God.

IV. PILLAR # 4: THE PURPOSE OF ELECTION ()

A. CHOSEN FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE

1. God chooses us to be holy and blameless in his sight.

a. Holy (ἅγιος) - “Holy or consecrated” (the same word in , translated as saints).

“but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” (, ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (, ESV)

b. Blameless (ἄμωμος) - “Without defect; without blame.”

“he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless (ἄμωμος) and above reproach before him,” (, ESV)

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,” (, ESV)

“We must be holy, because this is one grant end and purpose for which Christ came into the world … Jesus is a complete Savior. He does not merely take away the guilt of a believer’s sin, he does more - he breaks its power.”[14]

B. APPLICATION

1. I want to challenge you to think back over your Christian life. If you are a new Christian, that might mean looking back several weeks or months. If you have been a Christian for many years, you may have to tax your memory banks a bit! Realizing that each of us stumble and fall at certain points in our Christian journey, can you say there has been a progression in your love for holiness?

2. A few questions for our church family:

a. Is obedience what your church is known for?

b. Do people think of holiness when they think of Christ Fellowship?

· Horatius Bonar, a Scottish preacher said, “Holiness is not measured by one great heroic act or mighty martyrdom … It is of small things that a great life is made up.”[15]

3. God has chosen his people to be holy and blameless in his sight. Is holy living your passion today?

V. PILLAR # 5: THE PRAISE THAT ELECTION GENERATES ()

A. CHOSEN TO DECLARE HIS PRAISE

We’ll need to circle back to verse 3 to catch the significance of this final pillar.

1. The doctrine of election sparks supernatural praise!

a. Blessed (εὐλογητός) - means “to praise.”

b. We should praise him for the priority of election.

c. We should praise him for the plan of election.

d. We should praise him for the purpose of election.

Conclusion

A. The doctrine of election gives you a reason to rejoice - Truth Point

1. Are you rejoicing yet? Are you celebrating the rich heritage that is yours in Christ?

B. PowerPoint (Total Depravity) As we close, I want to have you consider the radical falleness of mankind. Each sinner faces spiritual death, spiritual

blindness, spiritual inability, spiritual alienation, spiritual deafness, and spiritual slavery.

1. Yet — God chose some! He chose some in eternity and he gave them to his Son (; , , ).

C. Reasons to be excited about unconditional election.

1. Apart from election, I never would have received the gift of salvation ().

2. God’s unconditional election is made apart from human decision because I am born of God (; ).

3. God’s unconditional election is made apart from human works ().

4. The pleasure of God is linked to election ().

5. Unconditional election guarantees saving faith ().

6. Unconditional election guarantees persevering faith (; ; ).

7. Unconditional election eliminates boasting and magnifies God alone (; ).

“God elects, predestines, and secures for one great ultimate purpose - that the glory of his grace might be praised forever and ever with white-hot affection. This is why God delights in election. It is the great first work of free grace that takes away the final refuge of human self-reliance and casts man on the unshakeable Rock of covenant love.”[16]

D. Oh, followers of Christ. We have a great reason to rejoice. My prayer is that your heart is exploding with gospel truth this morning as you

contemplate these weighty realities! Soli Deo Gloria!

[1] R.C. Sproul, Chosen By God (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986), 42.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Steven J. Lawson, Foundations of Grace - Volume 1 (Lake Mary: Reformation Trust, 2006), 274.

[4] John Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries: John (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994), 131-132.

[5] Pelagius took exception to Augustine’s well-known prayer, “Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire.” Cited in R.C. Sproul, Grace Unknown: The Heart of Reformed Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997), 121.

[6] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1995), 131-132. Cited in Steven J. Lawson, Foundations of Grace - Vol. I, 276-277.

[7] G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith, 86.

[8] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1939), 114.

[9] Samuel E. Waldron, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition (England: Evangelical Press, 1989), 60. Note the Westminster Confession of Faith is basically identical.

[10] C.H. Spurgeon, God's Providence in Spurgeon Sermons (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1883), 201.

[11] The context clearly reveals that the personal pronoun he, refers back to verse 3 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

[12] “he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—” (, NIV)

[13] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose: An Exposition of (Wheaton: Crossway, 1978), 84.

[14] J.C. Ryle, Cited in Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), Loc. 116.

[15] Horatius Bonar, Cited in Ibid, 2146.

[16] John Piper, The Pleasures of God (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1991), 137.