The Divine Purpose

Philippians 3:7–11 NASB95

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

We are introduced today to three of the key-words of the New Testament -’grace,’ ‘saved,’ ‘faith.’

“is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. — We love him because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:10, 19)

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died, for the ungodly. — But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6, 8)

I. The purpose of God in Christ is the display of His grace.

1. He lavishes His kindness on us by quickening, raising, and enthroning us with Christ.

2. We become monuments of His grace, or channels through whom the truth of that grace is made known to all creation. (Note the piling up of words showing God’s benevolent attitude toward men—mercy, love, grace, kindness.)

3. Believers are trophies of God’s grace.

Here we have the Christian unfolding of the source of salvation. ‘By grace ye have been saved.’ ‘Grace’ is love that stoops and that requites, not according to desert, but bestows upon those who deserve nothing of the kind; so when the Apostle declares that the source of salvation is ‘grace.’ he declares two things.

1. What it is not - Not of yourselves - Not of works

2. What it is - Gift of God

How do we recieve this gift? from the mercy of God alone and is offered to us in Christ by the Gospel. and is recieved by faith alone.

The reason - so that no man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

II. The great manifestation of grace is God’s kindness to us in Christ.

Here we have the Christian view of man’s deepest need, and God’s greatest gift. ‘Ye have been saved.’

It is a deliverance from what?

‘His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.’ He ‘delivers’-or saves-’us from the wrath to come.’ He ‘saves a soul from death.’ Sin, wrath death, death spiritual as well as physical.

Ephesians 2:1 NASB95

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

There are then two questions of infinite importance to us-do we show in character and conduct the grace which we have received by reverently submitting ourselves to its transforming energy?

III. The manifestation of God through men ‘in Christ’ is for all ages.

Created in Christ Jesus,” the use of the word “created” shows how radical and transforming the experience of salvation is. The change it effects is so great that Paul can speak of the saved man as a new creation. “In Christ Jesus” means “in union with Christ Jesus.”

It is ‘through the Church’ that ‘principalities and powers in heavenly places’ are made to ‘know the manifold wisdom of God.’ It is ‘His kindness towards us’ by which ‘to the ages to come,’ is made known the exceeding riches of grace.

Second it declares that His purpose was to make possible a life of good works on the part of believers.

I ask you to look at the purpose of this new creation brought out in our text. ‘Created in Christ Jesus unto good works.’ That is what life is given to you for. That is why you are saved, says Paul. Instead of working upwards from works to salvation, take your stand at the received salvation, and understand what it is for, and work downwards from it.

Created unto good works which God has before prepared’-before the re-creation-’that we should walk in them.’ That is to say, the true way to look at the life is to regard it as the exercising-ground which God has prepared for the development of the life that, through Christ, is implanted in us.

Salvation cannot be of works “for” (because, since) believers are themselves the handiwork of God. The Greek word for “workmanship,” the essential meaning of which is “a thing made,” was used for any finished product, especially for a work of art, such as a painting, a sculptured stone, or a piece of literature.

Romans 1:20 NASB95

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Psalm 19:1 NASB95

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Concluding Thoughts:

1. The expression of gratitude. Grace makes us debtors to God. Therefore, by our speech and by our life we should show forth our praise and thanks to Him.

2. The cultivation of character. A religion that does not express itself in character is worthless. Salvation is not a bare deliverance from the penalty of sin. It is the beginning of a new life that is intended to grow more and more Christlike. Only as this happens can we be the instruments through whom God makes His grace known to the world.

3. The performance of good works. We have often been so afraid someone would accuse us of teaching salvation by works that we have not done full justice to the biblical emphasis on works as the fruit and proof of salvation.

Jesus went about doing good. We should do the same. We should minister to the needs of the poor in our communities, share our substance with the starving millions around our world, help the homeless, befriend the friendless, care for the sick and suffering. In short, the compassion we profess must be translated into positive deeds of kindness.

Additional Notes:

Three Testimonies of Paul

Acts 9:3–6 NASB95

As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NASB95

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

Acts 18:9–10 NASB95

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

Jesus is King

Jonathon Edwards the use of your time

Either you is or you ain’t

Faith is the conduit by which you recieve grace.

Since salvation is so completely God’s work and since human achievement is so conclusively ruled out, it is little wonder that there is no room for any man to boast. All praise must be given to God and his grace.