7. The Beauty of Sovereign Grace

The Beauty of Sovereign Grace

LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

The Beauty of Sovereign Grace

December 17, 2017

Intro

A. For several weeks now, we have been discovering the spiritual blessings that belong to everyone who is in Christ. My hope is that our journey has

invigorated you and awakened you to the beauty of the gospel.

B. Reviewing

1. We have learned about the preeminent blessing (v. 3).

• The fountainhead of all the blessings we receive find its origin in God the Father and that each of these blessings are linked to Jesus Christ.

• Each of these blessings are totally undeserved.

2. We have learned about the priority of election (v. 4).

• This is a doctrine that is found throughout the Scripture. This is an undeniable reality that we need to not only acknowledge; it is a reality that

should cause us to rejoice!

3. We have learned about the plan of election (vv. 4).

• God the Father chose us in eternity past, in Christ, according to his good pleasure (v. 5).

4. We have learned about the purpose of election (v. 4).

• God chooses us to be “holy and blameless in his sight” (v. 4).

5. We have learned about the motivation for election (v. 4b).

• We were predestined because he loved us.

• We were predestined for adoption as sons (v. 5).

• As sons and daughters, we may approach the Father ().

• As sons and daughters, we share in Christ’s suffering as well as his glory ().

6. And then we spent time lingering over the spiritual emancipation proclamation ().

• We have been granted freedom.

• We have been granted forgiveness.

• We have been granted spiritual focus.

B. In the passage before us today, we have one of the strongest statements of sovereign grace in the Bible. Paul continues to unpack the spiritual

blessings to God’s elect.

C. Raising Need

1. Do you realize the blessings that have been given to you?

2. Do you understand the magnitude of those blessings?

3. Do you understand how these blessings impact your life at practical level?

D. The title of the message is The Beauty of Sovereign Grace.

E. Text -

1. What does the Bible tell us about sovereign grace? It tells us this —

• We have been given an inheritance from God, according to the purpose of God, all for the glory of God - Truth Point

I. AN INHERITANCE FROM GOD[1] ().

A. WHAT IS THE INHERITANCE?

1. κληρόω[2] - “An inheritance; a chosen or appointed lot. Implies a new relationship.”

a. Under the terms of the old covenant, Israel was God’s inheritance.

“And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.” (, ESV)

b. “God has brought Jews and Gentiles together as his heritage for the praise of his glory.”[3]

2. The source of our inheritance is Christ.

a. In him (ἐν ᾧ) points to Christ (see. vv. 9-10).

b. Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, here’s what people can expect to receive from God - eternal judgment and eternal condemnation.

3. A powerful union with Christ.

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs (κληρονόμοι)—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (, ESV)

4. A promise from God.

“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance …” (, ESV)

5. A promise fulfilled from God.

• “In Jesus Christ, believers inherit every promise God ever made … Our every conceivable need is met by God’s gracious provisions in accordance with His divine promises. We are promised peace, love, grace, wisdom, eternal life, joy, victory, strength, guidance, power, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, truth, fellowship with God, spiritual discernment, heaven, and eternal riches.”[4]

Transition - How did the “lot” (κληρόω) happen to fall upon certain people?

II. AN INHERITANCE ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF GOD[5] ().

A. AN INSIDE LOOK AT GOD’S PURPOSES

1. God predestined our inheritance.

a. προορίζω[6] - “To decide beforehand; foreordain; to fix or determine.”

• “Predestination we call the eternal decree of God, by which He has determined in Himself, what He would have to become of every

individual of mankind.”[7]

determined in Himself, what He would have to become of every individual of mankind.”[7]

• “In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with the exact precision into its proper place in this unfolding of His

eternal plan; nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its peculiar fitness for its place in the working out of His purposes; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise.”[8]

the exact precision into its proper place in this unfolding of His eternal plan; nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its peculiar fitness for its place in the working out of His purposes; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise.”[8]

• “What predestination means, in its most elementary form, is that your final destination, heaven or hell, is decided by God not only before we

final destination, heaven or hell, is decided by God not only before we get there, but before we are even born. It teaches that our ultimate destiny is in the hands of God. Another way of saying it is this: From all eternity, before we ever live, God decided to save some members of

get there, but before we are even born. It teaches that our ultimate destiny is in the hands of God. Another way of saying it is this: From all eternity, before we ever live, God decided to save some members of the human race and to let the rest of the human race perish. God made a choice - he chose some individuals to be saved unto everlasting blessedness in heaven and others he chose to pass over, to allow them to follow the consequences of their sins into eternal torment of hell.”[9]

the human race and to let the rest of the human race perish. God made a choice - he chose some individuals to be saved unto everlasting blessedness in heaven and others he chose to pass over, to allow them to follow the consequences of their sins into eternal torment of hell.”[9]

b. In verse 5, we saw that God the Father predestined his people to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.

c. Now we see that God the Father predestines his people to an inheritance.

d. The Bible is clear about predestination.

“who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” (, ESV)

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined (προορίζω) to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined (προορίζω) he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (, ESV)

2. Predestination is purposeful.

a. God’s people have been “predestined according to the purpose of him (God the Father) …” (v. 11).

b. πρόθεσις - “setting forth a plan, a purpose, or a will.”

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (πρόθεσις)” ()

“though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad— in order that God’s purpose (πρόθεσις) of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—” (, ESV)[10]

3. God’s purpose is all-encompassing.

a. “… who works all things according to he counsel of his will” (v. 11).

• ἐνεργέω - “work, produce, cause to function; bring about.”

• βουλή - “plan or purpose.”

b. In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith: “God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and

unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”[11]

c. God’s purpose is “fixed, being part of a larger, universe-embracing plan. Not only did God make this plan that includes absolutely all things

that ever take place in heaven, on earth, and in hell; past, present, and even the future, pertaining to both believers and unbelievers, to angels and devils, to physical as well as spiritual energies and units of existence both large and small; he also wholly carries it out. His providence in time is as comprehensive as is his decree from eternity.”[12]

B. WRESTLING WITH THIS DOCTRINE

1. Predestination is biblical. The evidence for predestination is overwhelming.

The arguments in favor of predestination are absolutely compelling.

2. But please understand - if you struggle with the biblical doctrine of predestination, you are in good company. I have told you previously how I

battled this doctrine during my days in the university.

3. One of the most well-known Christian leaders who battled with predestination is Jonathan Edwards. Edwards - quote where he wrestles: “From

my childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of

is Jonathan Edwards. Edwards - quote where he wrestles: “From my childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of

Gods sovereignty, in choosing whom he would to eternal life; and rejecting whom he pleased; leaving them eternally to perish, and be everlastingly tormented in hell. It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me.”[13]

a. But Edwards finally came to a place where he not only accepted the doctrine of predestination, he rejoiced in it: “The doctrine has often

appeared exceedingly pleasant, bright, and sweet. Absolute sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God.”[14]

4. So if you wrestle with this doctrine, my prayer is that your struggle would one day lead you to say with Edwards, “Absolute sovereignty is what I

love to ascribe to God.”

Transition - In verse 12, we see the purpose of these spiritual blessings. We have been given an inheritance from God. Our inheritance is according to the purpose of God. Finally, our inheritance is for the glory of God.

III. AN INHERITANCE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD[15] ().

A. GOD’S FINAL AIM

1. “God redeemed and lavished grace by revealing his plan to consummate everything in Christ, making Jews and Gentiles his heritage, for the

praise of his glory.”[16]

Conclusion

A. We have been given an inheritance from God, according to the purpose of God, all for the glory of God - Truth Point

B. Application

1. Are you making the most of your inheritance? Do you realize that all your needs are met by God’s provision in Christ?

• Are you longing for joy? The joy of the Lord is your strength!

• Are you desperate for peace? You have peace with God through Christ!

• Are you seeking direction? God will direct your paths.

• Are you lonely? Your most enduring relationship is with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ!

• Do you need to be forgiven for a sin or a lifetime of sins? He is faithful and just to forgive all your sins!

just to forgive all your sins!

• Are you battling contentment? Rest in all that Christ is for you!

C. We have been given an inheritance from God, according to the purpose of God, all for the glory of God - Truth Point

1. This is the beauty of sovereign grace!

[1] Heading #1 answers the question, “What?”

[2] The lexical form is ἐκληρώθημεν (Aorist passive indicative).

[3] James Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 481.

[4] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Ephesians (Chicago: Moody, 1986), 30.

[5] Heading #2 answers the question, “How?”

[6] Aorist passive participle.

[7] John Calvin, Cited in Lorraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1969), 14.

[8] B.B. Warfield, Cited in Lorraine Boetner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1969), 23.

[9] R.C. Sproul, Chosen by God (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986), 22.

[10] See also .

[11] G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1964), 39.

[12] William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1968), 88.

[13] Edward Hickman, ed., The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 1 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1974), xii, xiii.

[14] Ibid, xiii.

[15] Heading # 3 answers the question, “Why?”

[16] James Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment, 481.