Identity Series

By grace you’ve been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of our own works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

Now go to Philippians 1:29 briefly. Just to the right a tiny bit.

We’ll talk about that faith again. 1:29, he says this, he’s talking about God’s decree, His order,

For it has been granted… (Philippians 1:29 ESV)

That means in one moment, results that are current and ongoing…he’s talking about his decree.

It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ…

For Christ’s glory. Because of Christ’s choice.

…for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (Philippians 1:29 ESV)

Where’d the belief come from in this case? It was granted to them to believe in Christ. It was part of the plan from the beginning. It’s exciting. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful.

He also says, if you go to Ephesians 1, what did he say last week? Again, it’s not as a result of works that no one may boast. Let me remind you what he said in the same letter in one sentence, he says,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love… (Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV)

He predestined us. He did it. For adoption of sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will. To praise His glorious grace with which He has blessed us in the beloved. In Him we have redemption. Through His blood we have forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of HIS grace which HE lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose which HE set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, unite all things in Him. Things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we’ve obtained an appearance having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in Him were sealed with a promised holy spirit who is a guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, the praise of His glory.”

Who is salvation about? Who is the actor? God. It’s settled. So what does it start with? “You were a dead zombie, BUT GOD…made you alive, raised you up and seated you at the right hand of the father. Wow.

Finally, he says, “You are” verse 10. “For” can be looked at because it’s part Here’s the one thing…I broke it apart a little bit. Verses 8-10 are one sentence, ok? But this last clause of the sentence is emphatic here. There’s a change. There’s a crescendo to what he’s saying. This is the ending of a thought. It’s a bold exclamation point. He says this,

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.(Ephesians 1:10 ESV)