The PRODUCT OF GOD's LOVE[In The Aftermath of Mercy]-IV—Ephesians 2:1-10
After ‘Dodging a Bullet’
Attention:
For Veterans Day:
A recognition & appreciation of those still living, who have &/or are serving in the armed forces. No matter in what capacity you have served or are serving, we are grateful for your sacrifice in the security & welfare of these our United States!
God’s people first & foremost consider the importance of their spiritual lives & thus only secondarily consider their own physical lives. They do not stop being servants of Christ when faced with death. Christians spend their entire lives ‘training’ in preparation for such encounters. And as a result, they do not lose their effectiveness by retreating into themselves! They instead maintain the Lord’s effectiveness by retreating into Christ Jesus!
Need:
God’s people wrestle with life & death on a daily basis. And only occasionally are their training & preparation put to the test.
But what is the result of such occasion? What happens in our hearts when faced with life or death decisions?
Do you look at life differently after being spared death? After ‘dodging the bullet’? Does life in Christ take on new meaning as we come face-to-face with physical & spiritual death & loss?
Do our obvious blessings transport us to the place where we become more concerned about living for our Maker’s desire?
The apostle Paul explained that the Ephesian Christians were saved because God loves.
Man’s Salvation is the Product of God’s Love.
OR...
Salvation is available because God loves.
How is salvation the product of God’s love?
Thus far we have found that if you are a willing soldier of the Kingdom of God, that...
The Product of God’s Love is...
1. The CURE For DEADNESS(:1)
2. The CURE For A WAYWARD WALK(:2-3)
3. The CURE For SEPARATION(:4-6)
4—The Product of God’s Love is...
The CURE For BOASTING(:7-9)
Explanation:(:7-9)Deserving/Merit
:7—“that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
“that in the ages to come”
In & with Christ, God made us alive, raised us up, & seated us in the heavenlies. He did this so that ‘something’ would occur in future “ages.” That ‘something’ is expressed in the remainder of the verse. God is intent on revealing to our’s & to future generations(“ages to come”) “His kindness toward us.”
The Christian should be ever aware of God’s “kindness” toward them.
“That”(See :9)—ina—Conjunction—1) That, in order that, so that. Strong—probably from the same as the former part of eautou(through the demonstrative idea; compare o, h, to); In order that(denoting the purpose or the result).
“In”3X(See :3, 10)—en—a primary preposition denoting (fixed)position(in place, time or state), & by implication--Instrumentality(medially or constructively), i.e. A relation of rest(intermediate between eiv[into, unto, to, towards, for, among] & ek/ex[out of, from, by, away from]).
“Ages”—aiwn—Noun Masc.—1) For ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity; 2) The worlds, universe; 3) Period of time, age. Aiwn is usually better expressed by age, it is the world at a given time, a particular period in the world's history. Kosmov has very frequently an unfavorable meaning, denoting the inhabitants of the world, mankind in general, as opposed to God. A similar meaning is often attached to aiwn, it means the spirit of the age, often in an unfavorable sense. Strong—properly--An age; by extension--Perpetuity (also past); by implication--The world; specially(Jewish)--A Messianic period(present or future).
“To Come”—epercomai—Verb—1) To come to arrive—1a) of time--Come on, be at hand, be future; 2) To come upon, overtake, one—2a) Of sleep, 2b) Of disease, 2c) Of calamities, 2d) Of the Holy Spirit, descending & operating in one, 2e) Of an enemy attacking one. Strong—To supervene, i.e. Arrive, occur, impend, attack, figuratively--Influence. Used 10X.?From—epi—properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution[with the genitive case], i.e. Over, upon, etc.; of rest(with the det.)--At, on, etc.; of direction(with the accusative case)--Towards, upon, etc.—&—ercomai—1) To come; 2) metaph.—To come into being, arise, come forth, Be established, become known, To go, to follow one. Ercomai denotes motion or progress generally, & of any sort, hence to “come” & arrive at, as well as “to go.” Strong— To come or go(in a great variety of applications, literally & figuratively).
“That”...“He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
...Due to our being dead in trespasses & sins against God(:1), God made us alive, raised us up, & seated us in the heavenlies together with Christ, for the specific purpose that He might in fact fundamentally demonstrate the manifold & surpassing “riches of His grace.” That grace is extended toward “us” sinners, who would be accepting of & trust God’s Anointed Savior(“Christ Jesus”) of mankind.
Regarding God’s “kindness”=“usefulness”(see definition). That ‘usefulness’ toward “us” involves manifold aspects of God’s perfect nature.
God’s “kindness”, like His mercy(:4), is a showcase for His incomparable “grace” that is extended “toward us”(:5).
Again(:4, 5), the ‘much-ness’ of His love” is the source of His “kindness.”
“Show/Shew”—endeiknumi—Verb—1) To point out—1a) To show, demonstrate, prove, whether by arguments or by acts; 2) To manifest, display, put forth. Strong—To indicate(by word or act). Used 12X.?From—en—1) In, by, with etc.. Strong— A relation of rest(intermediate between eiv[into, unto, to, towards, for, among] & ek/ex[out of, from, by, away from]).—&—deiknuw—To show, expose to the eyes; To give evidence or proof of a thing, To show by words or teach.
“Exceeding/Surpassing”—uperballw—Verb—1) To surpass in throwing, to throw over or beyond any thing; 2) To transcend, surpass, exceed, excel; 3) Excelling, exceeding. Strong—To throw beyond the usual mark, i.e. figuratively--To surpass(only active participle supereminent). Used 5X.?From—uper—In behalf of, for the sake of; Over, beyond, more than; More, beyond, over. Strong—a primary preposition; “Over”, i.e. Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; Superior to, more than.—&—ballw—a primary verb; To throw(in various applications, more or less violent or intense).
“Riches”—ploutov—Noun Masc.—1) Riches, wealth—1a) Abundance of external possessions, 1b) Fulness, abundance, plenitude, 1c) A good i.e. That with which one is enriched. Strong—Wealth(as fullness), i.e. literally--Money, possessions, or figuratively--Abundance, richness, specifically--Valuable bestowment. Used 22X.?From the base of—plhyw—To "fill"(literally or figuratively [imbue, influence, supply]); specifically--To fulfill(time).
“Grace”(See :5, 8)—cariv—Noun Fem. Genitive Sing. Fem.—1) Grace—1a) That which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech; 2) Good will, loving-kindness, favor—2a) Of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, & kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues; 3) What is due to grace—3a) The spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace, 3b) The token or proof of grace, benefit—3b1) A gift of grace, 3b2) Benefit, bounty; 4) Thanks, (for benefits, services, favors), recompense, reward. Strong—Graciousness(as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, & its reflection in the life; including gratitude).
“In”—en—
“Kindness”—crhstothv—Noun Fem.—1) Moral goodness, integrity; 2) Benignity, kindness. Strong—Usefulness, i.e. Moral excellence(in character or demeanor). Used 10X.?From—crhstov—Fit, fit for use, useful(in manner or morals); Virtuous, good; Manageable; Employed; Useful(in manner or morals); Mild, pleasant(as opposed to harsh, hard sharp, bitter); More pleasant; Kind, benevolent.
“Toward”—epi—Preposition—1) Upon, on, at, by, before; 2) of position--On, at, by, over, against; 3) To, over, on, at, across, against. Strong—properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution[with the genitive case], i.e. Over, upon, etc.; of rest(with the dat.)--At, on, etc.; of direction(with the accusative case)--Towards, upon, etc.
“Christ”(See :5, 6, 10)—Cristov—Adj.—Christ = “Anointed”—1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God; 2) Anointed. Strong—Anointed, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.?From—criw—probably akin to craomai[to furnish what is needed; (give an oracle, “graze”[touch slightly], light upon, etc.), i.e. (by implication--To employ, or by extension--To act towards one in a given manner] through the idea of contact; To smear or rub with oil, i.e. by implication--To consecrate to an office or religious service.
“Jesus”(See :6, 10)—Ihsouv—Noun Proper Masc.—Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”—of Hebrew origin [ewvwhy Yeh-ho-shoo'-ah; or evwhy Yeh-ho-shoo'-ah]; Jesus(i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord & two(three) other Israelites.
:8—“For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
The Holy Spirit explains thru Paul, that it is only because of God’s “kindness”(‘usefulness’ expressed/extended) found in the surpassing riches of God’s grace(:6) that we are “saved” at all. Because of His divine kindness(:7)(driven by His love(:4)), He is “gracious” as to offer people “salvation” thru their personal “faith” in His solution for sin’s separating effect.
**“Grace” is God's part, “faith” to accept it is ours.” And that(kai touto)...Neuter, not feminine(tauth), & so refers not to pistiv(feminine) or to cariv(feminine also), but[rather] to the act of being saved by grace conditioned on faith on our part. Paul shows that salvation does not have its source (ex umwn, out of you)in men, but from God. Besides, it is God's gift(dwron) & not the result of our work.—RWP
Paul is reiterating the fact that you & I are “saved” entirely by “grace”... We are saved by “grace” that is accessed by means of individual, personal, conscious “faith”...“Faith” in the utter power of God’s available, extended “grace.”
*However, some hold that the “and that” of our verse refers specifically to the “faith” by which we are saved. So that even one’s individual “faith” is not of ourselves. It too comes to the individual from God’s kindness expressed in His “grace.”
“Faith is nothing that we do in our own power or by our own resources.”—MNTC
“Faith’s” attainment of God’s “grace” is drawn from us in our initially being drawn to God &, from that point, in our constantly being drawn to Him. Thus it is actually “not of yourselves.” It is God Himself who sets up that which draws those who possess the acumen of recognizing spiritual reality. These see their lives for what they really are, knowing that they are empty apart from God. These recognize that “faith” itself is a “gift” from God. “Faith” is simply a trusting response to God’s “gift.”
“Grace is at once the objective, operative, & instrumental cause.”[of faith] “The apprehending cause of salvation is faith.” Faith is also salvation’s “necessary condition.” “Faith however is not a quality, virtue, or a faculty” as “it is not something man can produce.” Faith “is simply a trustful response that is itself evoked by the Holy Spirit.” “The whole process comes from nothing that we have done or could do.” “The element of “givenness” applies to faith as well as to grace, for faith is a direct outcome of hearing the saving message.”—EBC
*“Faith” is from God also in the sense that He has made all people capable of a trusting indulgence in God Himself.
If you are one who looks at those yet without Christ, in a condescending(boastful) manner, your pride has made you a fool & thus no friend of God!(cf.-Js. 2:1-4ff, 12)
Js. 2:1-4, 12—“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, & there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, & you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes & say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” & say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, & become judges with evil thoughts?”.....“So speak & so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
“For”—gar—Conjunction—1) For. Strong—a primary particle; properly--Assigning a reason(used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles).
“By”——
“Grace”(See :5, 7)—cariv—Noun Fem. Genitive Sing. Fem.—1) Grace—1a) That which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech; 2) Good will, loving-kindness, favor—2a) Of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, & kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues; 3) What is due to grace—3a) The spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace, 3b) The token or proof of grace, benefit—3b1) A gift of grace, 3b2) Benefit, bounty; 4) Thanks, (for benefits, services, favors), recompense, reward. Strong—Graciousness(as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, & its reflection in the life; including gratitude).
“You”—este—Verb—1) Second person plural of “to be.” Strong—second person plural present indicative of eimi[I exist(used only when emphatic)]; Ye are.
“Saved”(See :5)—swzw—Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masc.—1) To save, keep safe & sound, to rescue from danger or destruction—1a) one(from injury or peril)—1a1) To save a suffering one(from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health—1b1) To preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue, 1b) To save in the technical biblical sense—1b1) negatively—1b1a) To deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment, 1b1b) To save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance. Strong—from a primary swv(contraction for obsolete saov"safe"); To save, i.e. Deliver or protect (literally or figuratively).
“Through”—dia—Prep.—1) Through—1a) of place—1a1) With, 1a2) In, 1b) of time—1b1) Throughout, 1b2) During, 1c) of means—1c1) By, 1c2) By the means of; 2) Through—2a) The ground or reason by which something is or is not done—2a1) By reason of, 2a2) On account of, 2a3) Because of for this reason, 2a4) Therefore, 2a5) On this account. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; Through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).
“Faith”—pistiv—Noun Fem.—1) Conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God & divine things, generally with the included idea of trust & holy fervor born of faith & joined with it; 2) Fidelity, faithfulness. Strong—Persuasion, i.e. Credence; moral conviction(of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly--Constancy in such profession; by extension--The system of religious(Gospel) truth itself.
“And”—kai—
“That/This”—touto—Pronoun—1) That(thing), this(thing). Strong—That thing.
“Not”(See :9)—ou, ouk, OR--ouc—Particle—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative[compare mh] adverb; No or not.
“Of”—ek OR--ex—Prep.—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).
“Yourselves”—umwn—Pronoun—1) Of yours. Strong—genitive case of umeiv[you]; Of(from or concerning) you.
“Gift”—dwron—Noun Neuter—1) A gift, present—1a) Gifts offered in expression of honor—1a1) Of sacrifices & other gifts offered to God, 1a2) Of money cast into the treasury for the purposes of the temple & for the support of the poor; 2) The offering of a gift or of gifts. Dwron refers to a present yet not always gratuitous or wholly unsuggestive of recompence. Strong—A present; specially--A sacrifice. Used 19X.
“God”(See :4)—yeov—Noun Masc.—1) A god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities; 2) The Godhead, trinity; 3) Spoken of the only & true God—3a) Refers to the things of God, 3b) His counsels, interests, things due to him; 4) Whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way—4a) God's representative or vice-regent—4a1) Of magistrates & judges. Strong—of uncertain affinity; A deity, especially(with o, h, to)--The supreme Divinity; figuratively--A magistrate; by Hebraism--Very.
:9—“not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
In speaking of our salvation by grace thru faith(:8), because it comes to each of us by God, it is as a necessary result, “not of works.” That is, a person’s salvation does not come to him/her because of their effort/merit/ability.
In order for God to be glorified as intended, the salvation He offers cannot be attributed to man.
If salvation & faith were of man’s effort or man’s deliberation & machination then men would be able to “boast” of their so-called ‘saving’ abilities!
The word translated as “lest” is two words in Greek—Literally--ina mh=‘That Not.’...Or meaning, ’for fear that.’
Salvation is specifically “by grace” “thru faith” for the express purpose of prohibiting & preventing “boasting” from occurring among men!
Salvation is not from man’s abilities but rather is a “gift of God”(:8).
Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
*It is a ‘fearful’ thing in the Kingdom of Heaven—regarding the Good News of salvation by Christ alone—that people might be duped into believing that God’s salvation does NOT come by God’s grace thru faith in Christ alone.
How are you & others saved? How are you & others involved in the process of being saved?...
If it is by any means other than by the blood of Jesus Christ, then it is not actual salvation!...It is a lie!! Do not live a lie! It’s your personal choice whether you live according to the lie or according to truth!
“Not”(See :8)—ou, ouk, OR--ouc—Particle—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative[compare mh] adverb; No or not.
“Of”—ek OR--ex—Prep.—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).
“Works”(See :10)—ergon—Noun Neuter—1) Business, employment, that which any one is occupied—1a) That which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking; 2) Any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind; 3) An act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work. Strong—from a primary(but obsolete) ergw(to work); Toil(as an effort or occupation); by implication--An act.
“Lest”—ina mh—Conjunctional Particle—=‘That Not’—1) Lest, that ... not. Strong—in order(or so) that not.
“Anyone”—tiv—Pronoun—1) A certain, a certain one; 2) Some, some time, a while. Strong—an enclitic indefinite pronoun; Some or any person or object.
“Boast”—kaucaomai—Verb—1) To glory (whether with reason or without); 2) To glory on account of a thing; 3) To glory in a thing. Strong—from some (obsolete)base akin to that of aucew(to boast) & eucomai[to wish or pray to God]; To vaunt(in a good or a bad sense). Used 38X.
Argumentation:
Jn. 3:3, 5-7—“Jesus answered & said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”.....“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, & that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
Any ‘goodness’ attained apart from God’s goodness, is not ‘goodness’ at all! It is no more than ‘filthy rags’(Isa. 64:6).
1Jn. 2:12-18—“I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, & the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, & the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Little children, it is the last hour; & as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”
The “pride of life”, along with it’s lusts, is manifested in a love for the world that overshadows one’s love for the Lord. If we truly love God rather than ourselves & the world, then ‘boasting’ is precluded, excluded, & consequently non-existent! Also knowing that it is the last hour, should compel any child of God toward greater intenseness & intention in our ministries/works of God. Indifference will be set aside with boasting!
1Pet. 1:3-9—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith[not thru ability!] for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, & glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible & full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.”
1Jn. 3:9-10—“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; & he cannot sin[cannot lose salvation], because he has been born of God. In this the children of God & the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”
1Jn. 4:1-11—“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, & every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, & is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, & have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, & the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth & the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; & everyone who loves is born of God & knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
What is our basic premise?...The product of God’s love is salvation!...A salvation which is the cure for boasting!
Rom. 9:11, 14-16—“(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),”.....“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, & I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”[Ex. 33:19] So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
Rom. 10:1-4—“Brethren, my heart’s desire & prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, & seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Titus 3:4-8—“But when the kindness & the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration & renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, & these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good & profitable to men.”
Mat. 19:30—“But many who are first will be last, & the last first.”
Mat. 20:16—“So the last will be first, & the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Lk. 13:25-30—“When once the Master of the house has risen up & shut the door, & you begin to stand outside & knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ & He will answer & say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ “then you will begin to say, ‘We ate & drank in Your presence, & You taught in our streets.’ “But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ “There will be weeping & gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham & Isaac & Jacob & all the prophets in the kingdom of God, & yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east & the west, from the north & the south, & sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, & there are first who will be last.”
How can ‘the last be first’, & vice versa? How is it possible that all can be equal with no one above or below another or others? By grace thru faith!!
Jn. 20:29-31—“Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen & yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, & that believing you may have life in His name.”
1Jn. 5:9-13—“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, & this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, & that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
Rom. 3:19-28—“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, & all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
1Cor. 1:26-31—“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, & God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; & the base things of the world & the things which are despised God has chosen, & the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--& righteousness & sanctification & redemption-- that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.””
2Tim. 1:9-11—“who has saved us & called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose & grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death & brought life & immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, & a teacher of the Gentiles.”
Illustration:
When you’ve got nothing to offer in the battle...
Even though you can currently ‘float like a butterfly & sting like a bee’ does not mean that you will always be able to do that!/Aging brings such youthful boasting to a screeching halt!/The CURE For BOASTING...
Muhammad Ali—the famed & self-assured boxer Cassius Clay(1960-1981).—He was nicknamed ‘The Greatest’ with which he readily agreed & constantly maintained.
Muhammad Ali was on a plane that began to encounter some mild turbulence.
Ali was told by the stewardess to put his seatbelt on.
Ali replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.”
To which the stewardess replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane!”—From: Ravi Zacharias
Application:
?You living with The CURE For BOASTING?...or are you just treating symptoms?
?Are you experiencing the Product of God’s Love?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
The Product of God’s Love is...
4. The CURE For BOASTING(:7-9)
1. The CURE For DEADNESS(:1)
2. The CURE For A WAYWARD WALK(:2-3)
3. The CURE For SEPARATION(:4-6)
Presented 11/11/2018am to:
FBCCbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
