Who do you think you are? That question is identity-shaping, life-altering, eternity-affecting. How would you describe yourself? How do you introduce yourself? How do you perceive yourself? That’s the greatest question you will ever ask yourself? It’s your identity…and the truest of what you think about…
How would you answer this question: I am “blank”? I am rich. I am poor. I am young. I am old. I am smart. I’m stupid. I’m loved. I’m hated. I’m single. I’m married. I’m married. I’m divorced. I’m desirable. I’m undesirable. I’m successful. I’m a failure. I have hope. I’m hopeless. Who do you think you are? How do you see yourself? How does your identity alter and affect your destiny?
And let me say that how we come to understand ourselves and our identity, it starts when you’re little. Were you the cute one, the not-so-cute one? Were you the chubby one, the skinny one? Were you the smart one? Were you the funny one? This can be in relation to your siblings or friends that you know. As you get a little bit older, are you the jock, the athletic one? Are you the artist, the creative one? Identity starts to get established. People start to give you nicknames, some of them negative, some of them positive. That helps to establish for you, yet again, the beginnings of an identity, who you are, who you perceive yourself to be.
You hit junior high and everybody’s confused about their identity. You attempt to figure out what this actually means…who you really are…college, career, marriage…
Identity determines everything…directs our decisions and determines our behavior, how we respond to others, and it can point the trajectory of our lives…
And our pursuit of identity, this ideology, could actually be leading us to a misaligned, misused, and mistaken view of grace and we don’t even realize it… Your identity is in total crisis, and conflict, and chaos all the time.
Ephesians 1
Background: The first 3 chapters are filled with truth about who God is and what he’s done in the gospel; the last 3 chapters offer some of the most practical instruction you’ll find anywhere in the Bible— on marriage, forgiveness, conflict management, family, workplace relationships and a host of other day to day issues.
But that’s partially where people read it wrongly. They treat primarily as a book of doctrine or a practical guide for living…something much deeper
IDENTITY CRISIS
- Ephesus was one of the most impressive and intimidating cities of the ancient world. It was on a seaport right at the intersection of Europe and Asia, which made it one of the main trade-hubs of the Roman Empire.
- It was cosmopolitan and multi-cultural. It boasted one of the largest libraries in history, and many of the world’s most prestigious scholars lived there. ACCOMPLISHMENT - IDENTITY
- Religiously, it was a smorgasbord. The city housed 50 different temples, including the largest Temple of the ancient world, dedicated to Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world. EFFORTS - IDENTITY
- Sexual immorality was a literal industry. Most of the temples offered some kind of prostitution as part of the worship ritual. What happened in Ephesus stayed in Ephesus, unless it was contagious, and then you carried it around with you for the rest of your life... SINFUL/MISTAKES - IDENTITY
IDENTITY DEFINED
All this to say, it was not a Christian-friendly place. As a result many of the people were struggling with their identify…how do I live out this new found Christian faith in this culture…it created an internal conflict for many… Identity crisis…physically, emotionally, mentally…all because of spiritual…THEIR IDENITY AS A CHRISTIAN WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THEIR NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST…so Paul writes to give them a balance of who they are and what they do…IDENTITY DETERMINES BEHAVIOR…WHO YOU ARE DETERMINES WHAT YOU DO…What does it mean to be a Christian…to stand in grace
Ephesians 1:3-14 - That is one, long sentence in Greek—202 words; a sentence that theologians love and English teachers hate; one long, Spirit- inspired, run-on sentence. Can you imagine what a grammar teacher would have done with this sentence? But there is a purpose, and that is to illustrate the way in which God’s plan is complete, with no weak or missing links in it.
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, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6
1:3 – eulogétos – blessing, praise
Blesseded be the blessed blesser who has blessed us with blessed blessings…
God is called blessed…
Blessed – aorist tense…past moment with continuing results
- Spiritual blessings… In the heavenlies only used in Ephesians…unseen reality
of course there are physical and earthly blessings…but Paul wants them to see identity is wrapped in spiritual blessings…that’s the arena of grace…and possession of every true believer
What are those blessings?
1. GOD CHOSE YOU BY HIS GRACE
eklegó – to choose
Now wait a minute…this is crazy…some of you just got nervous…
So what do we do with our objections? We could take a cue here from none other theologian John Calvin…
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29
Scriptures reveal this:
Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it. Isaiah 46:3-11
Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases. Psalm 115:3
God does whatever He desires…we agree with that… Must God do what God can?
We don’t have a problem with God choosing…Everyone agrees that God chooses
He chose nationally – Israel
He chooses vocationally – Samson the judge, David, Jeremiah the prophet, Esther the queen, Jesus is a choice stone
The question is…is there a spiritual election…The question is about what it means when it comes to our salvation…our lives
2 Predominant Views of Election
Passive Election – God chose me because I believed
Active Election – I believed because God chose me
The difference boils down to this: who has the ultimate choice in salvation—God or man? In the first view (the passive view), man has control; his free will is sovereign and becomes the determining factor in God’s election.
Passive – synergistic – man cooperates with God to be saved
Action – monogistic – one activity and it’s God’s
His election was not precipitated on anything in us…not a reward…If God does not elect…no one is saved
Election is based upon divine mercy not justice
Sovereign Grace: Based upon the total inability of man to initiate salvation, God, by an act of sovereign grace, independently chose from eternity past those who would be saved from sin’s bondage through the effective work of Christ’s death and resurrection by initiating their repentance and faith in Christ.
What about free will? We choose sin…that’s the problem…God answer this dilemma… If you don’t understand what we deserve by nature…this doctrine will seem unfair for you. If we believe we deserve something different…than we see the next aspects of grace to unfair.
Does this mean that we are simply robots without free will? No, because God works in the hearts of those He has chosen to bring them to salvation; thus, they believe in Christ because they want to. God does not bypass their wills but overcomes their blindness and grants the faith that they might believe. In answer to the question: did God choose me or did I choose God, the answer is that God chose you, and in response to His grace, you, in turn, chose Him. Without His choosing and calling, no one would come to Him (John 6:44). Despite the obvious tension between the two truths, the Bible teaches both God’s sovereignty over our wills, and also teaches human responsibility.
Gospel in the air and on the ground…Both whosoever will and God choosing…are both complimentary
- GOD CHOOSES INTENTIONALLY
Throughout history…we see this
Abraham – Old couple to have a child that would make a nation
Small boy who hears from God while sleeping at the house of the Lord, and calls him to priesthood – priest (Samuel)
Small shepherd boy – David
Choice can be used generically – choose…Setting love upon…
He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even 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 (John 1:11-13).
“No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44).
I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Romans 9:15
- GOD CHOSE ETERNALLY
- before the creation of the world…people were in the heart of God before history was written…God’s hand wasn’t forced…he wasn’t responding to a crisis…he wasn’t ratifying human choices…he was choosing on the basis of us…He chose sovereignly out of who He is…He is the source and reasoning
"I'm so glad that God chose me before the foundation of the world, because he never would have chosen me after I was born!" Charles Haddon Spurgeon
- GOD CHOOSES PURPOSELY
There is a goal…So that we should be holy and blameless
Our identity is wrapped in God’s choosing…
2. GOD ADOPTED US BY HIS GRACE
proorizó – to predetermine, decide beforehand
Predestined…not just that He knew our choice but He knew His choice…
God determines with the end in view…everything
***Building…travel agent…first question is “where”
Destination determines direction
Destination – Adoption – usually a concern for children but in first century it was heirs…for their estate…so that legacy could be assured…new family, new father, new future, new forms…
“Adoption is the highest privilege the gospel offers, arguably higher than salvation. Adoption is higher because of the relationship it involves with God. Salvation is wonderful, but it does not imply necessarily an intimate relationship. But in adoption, God doesn’t just save us, but He takes us into his family as children and heirs.” J.I. Packard
Why and how does God do this?
- God’s grace can be appreciated in praise
Literally - According to the praise of his glorious grace which he graced upon us…
So that grace would be fully known…demonstration of His value…His worth…His identity to be known
His worth His value are on display through Him…when we praise what is genuinely valuable…touchstone of value…we are moved in that direction
God chooses us in Christ, protects us in Christ, delivers us in Christ…God accepts us in Christ…grace upon grace…wave upon wave
Election says I matter
Adoption says I belong
Grace means I’m accepted…he gives us a title of beloved (agapao…loved ones) only used here in this text…
I matter, I belong – I’m adopted…I am chosen
IDENTITY CONFUSION
BIG IDEA: GRACE BECOMES AN IDOL WHEN OUR IDENTITY IS CENTERED IN OUR SUFFICIENCY AND NOT SET IN GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY
Just like the Christians in Ephesus, We too have an identity crisis…Spiritually…83% of Americans believe they are Christians…yet 31% call themselves “Practicing Christians.” If Identity determines behavior…then we have a problem with identity because the behavior doesn’t match…and it certainly isn’t set in God’s sovereignty…Only 57% say that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing perfect creator who rules over the universe…
Who are you? What defines you? How do you define yourself? The best way to respond to that question is to complete this sentence “I am _______”
- I am what I have or don’t have
- I am what I do or don’t do
- I am the hats that wear or don’t wear…I am dating this person, I am married to this person or I am single, I am divorced or heartbroken
- I am my career, my house, my car
- I am what I don’t have, my poverty, my lack
- I am my past, both the good and the bad
- I am my failures, my shortcomings, my fears
- My dreams
If I am those things…we work hard to present an image a presentation…so that people get the best version who you are. We begin to define ourselves by the things we accomplish, by names given, labels we wear…what we are called… That’s called self-sufficiency…
And then what happens…and when you try to live on your own sufficiencies you know what ensues…insecurity…because…Self-Sufficiency leads to insecurity…why? Because self-sufficiency is false security. For some that insecurity is obvious…for others it masks itself in a bit of pride…
And instead of resting in God’s choice of me…I will choose to find my identity elsewhere…
And then I start living on “grace a lot” instead of “grace alone”
IDENTITY RESTORED
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved Ephesians 2:1-5
- YOU ARE NOT WHO YOU WERE (Ephesians 2:1-3)
This answers those who battle insecurity…I’m not enough…I too far off… Not marked by mistakes…not past failures
Grace is unaffected by the degree of our sin. Grace doesn’t make demands. It just gives. And from our vantage point, it always gives to the wrong person. We see this over and over again in the Gospels: Jesus is always giving to the wrong people—prostitutes, tax collectors, half-breeds. The most extravagant sinners of Jesus’s day receive his most compassionate welcome. Grace is recklessly generous, uncomfortably promiscuous.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
- YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU DO
This answers those who feel self sufficient…you can’t do it…not derived by desire or based upon behavior…or the abilities you can acquire…
Grace doesn’t use gold stars, time cards, or bank accounts. It doesn’t keep score. As Robert Capon puts it, “Grace works without requiring anything on our part. It’s not expensive. It’s not even cheap. It’s free.”4 It refuses to be controlled by our innate sense of fairness, reciprocity, and evenhandedness. It defies logic. It has nothing to do with earning, merit, or deservedness. It is opposed to what is owed. It doesn’t expect a return on investments. It is a liberating contradiction between what we deserve and what we get.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
- YOU ARE WHAT JESUS ACCOMPLISHED BY GRACE
You are not defined by what you attempt to accomplish but cannot but what has already been done for you…What defines you is not who kicked you out, but by the One who has invited you in. You are not defined by the one who left you; you are defined by the One who found you. You are not defined by the one who overlooked you, but by One who chose you. You are not defined by the one who ridiculed you, but by the One who redeemed you. You are not defined by the one who rejected you, but by the One who has loved you. Paul says you are not defined by the one who abandoned you, but by the One who adopted you.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience… Ephesians 4:1-2
***Now watch your step…walk worthy…we are to watch our step***Walk in your identity
Those who feel unworthy – walk worthy…those who feel worthy…walk in humility
- REMEMBER WHERE YOUR IDENTITY LIES
Doctrine of sovereign grace that gives me great security in my life and sufficiency in life
Insecurity is overwhelmed in safety…Self- sufficiency is overcome by ability.
