Exposition on Ephesians - #5
‘THE GRACE OF PREDESTINATION’
Preached on January 14th 2001 (pm)
Text: Read; Ephesians 1:3-6
Intro: In our last study, we considered what we called the ‘WHY ME?’ question—the question that every true Christian, at one time or another asks—‘Lord, Why me? Why would You want to save me? Who am I that You would send Your Son to be bear away MY filthy sins?’
The more we learn about the unsearchable riches of God in Christ, the more we are made to wonder, ‘WHY?—Why me?’ Let me put it another way—the more we grow in grace, the more amazing grace becomes to us. Something is wrong when we are no longer amazed at God’s grace.
The first manifestation of God’s grace toward us is not the cross of Jesus Christ, but the eternal choice of God the Father. Why does God save any sinner? Because, ‘He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world…’ We saw last time, GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION begins with two pre-world elements of grace:
1st – UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION - God choosing to save sinners; choosing to save the ‘odds and ends of the universe’ not because of anything good in them, but because of the infinite goodness and grace that is in God. But someone asks,
(1) Why did God have to make this pre-world selection anyway? Why doesn’t He just let sinners choose for themselves? – because, left to ourselves, all of us would choose sin. None of us would choose God or grace or holiness.
If there were NO ELECTION, there would be no salvation; no one would believe in Jesus or care about a crucified Savior. For (Rom 3:11> ‘There is none who understands; there is none that seeks after God…’ (Is 53:6> ‘All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned (chosen) everyone his own way…’
(2) But, what happens if a person wants to be saved, but God hasn’t chosen them? – that has never happened—No one ever wants to be saved on their own—unless God first ‘works in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’
If a person really wants to be saved, they will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and God will save them according to His promise. And one day, they will find out the real reason why they believed—because God ‘chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world…’
2nd – INFALLIBLE PREDESTINATION – or the certain reality, that what God purposed in eternity, He will infallibly accomplish in time. There is something about the doctrine of predestination and election that cuts across the grain of our egocentric instincts and beliefs. The doctrines of grace have a tendency to ‘rub our Adamic nature the wrong way.’ One of the reasons for this, is that these doctrines don’t seem very democratic…
[Illus: I once heard a pastor attempt to explain-away the biblical doctrine of election by comparing it to a political election. He said, ‘God votes for you; Satan votes against you; and you have to cast the deciding vote.’]
What is it that God has purposed before time to do? God the Father purposed to create a family for Himself—a family, not of angels (not of seraphim and cherubim)—but of sinful, fallen men, women, boys and girls—sinners who are not worthy of the least of God’s mercies!
This evening, I would like for us to consider this doctrine of infallible predestination, as it pertains to our spiritual adoption as the children of God (v.5)…
1st – THE PRIVILEGE OF OUR ADOPTION – from our perspective.
2nd – THE PLEASURE OF OUR ADOPTION – from the God’s perspective.
1ST ... THE PRIVILEGE OF OUR ADOPTION - when we speak of privilege, we are speaking, about what (Web.> defines as ‘a right…or benefit enjoyed only by a person or persons beyond the advantages of most.’
For instance: [Chelsea Clinton has certain privileges that very few (if any) other people have. She has direct access to the President; she can talk to him almost whenever she wants. She is the only one who has the right to call the President -‘Daddy.’ She gets to sleep overnight in the White House—even in the Lincoln Bedroom if she wants. She has bodyguards constantly around her to protect her. She can travel first class on Air Force One. She can get front row seats at the Olympics…almost anything she wants—she can get—all she has to do is ask…]
From the perspective of those whom God the Father has chosen and predestined, the grace of adoption is the greatest blessing and privilege that anyone could ever have—far greater than being the child of any President, of any nation! We are the children of God!
I think that it helps us to appreciate our privilege as the children of God, if we keep in mind what salvation is really all about. Salvation is not merely freedom from the slavery and misery of sin. It is that, but it’s much more...
The focus of grace is not just on the negative—salvation from sin... The emphasis of grace is much more positive... it is salvation FOR God. (1 Pet 3:18> ‘For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might BRING US TO GOD.’
God the Father “chose us before the foundation of the world…” not because we were holy and better than others—-for we were sinful and ungodly just like everyone else. God chose us (in Christ) so that we might become ‘partakers of His holy nature.’
He predestined us, not because we were already children of God, for (Eph 2:3> says that we “were by nature, children of wrath.” But God marked us out for the rights and benefits of adoption—so that in the words of the 1689 London Baptist Confession —- we might ‘be numbered with, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of children of God.’
(?) – Are you presently enjoying the liberties and privileges of being a child of God? – It doesn’t depend upon your circumstances; or how long you’ve been a Christian. (Jn 1:12> ‘For as many as received Him, to them (God) gave the right (authority) to become children of God, to those who believe on His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’
1 John 3:1-2 … “Behold” (eido> to know (v.2> ‘we know’) could also be translated ‘Look or See.’ – There is a tendency among some of Christ’s sheep to spend a lot of time looking at themselves. It’s almost as if they bought a kind of moral microscope at the bookstore; and they use it to fixate upon their sins, faults, failures and ‘evidences.’
Our heavenly Father, through the apostle John, wants us to look up and away from ourselves, so that we can see, not our sins, but our Father’s unfathomable love!
John Cotton, one of our Puritan forefathers from New England (as quoted by S. Ferguson, Children of the Living God – p.28-29) – explained the word “Behold” in (1 Jn 3:1) and said that ‘This (word) reproves men’s squint looking. They do not look at God’s love, but at themselves and at their own corruptions and afflictions. It is a wonder that God’s children should pore only upon their corruptions, and not consider what love it is for God to discover them and pardon them.’
Notice, that in this text, the apostle is making a several important distinctions. Remember that GRACE, by its very definition is distinctive—grace is undeserved favor.
1st - There is A DISTINCTION OF LOVE – ‘Look! — what manner (or what kind, or what nature) of love…’ It’s not difficult to see that the love spoken of here (reverently) –is not just divine love. The love the apostle John is referring to is the LOVE OF A FATHER—an intimate, tender, personal, involved, responsible, caring love.
2nd - There is also A DISTINCTION OF PERSONS – he uses the personal pronouns, “Us” and “We” — referring to those who, according to (2:28> ‘abide in Him;’ and (v.29> who ‘practice righteousness’ and are ‘born in Him.’ These are all designated as the “children of God,” and are distinguished from those identified as “the world.”
Contrary to popular opinion, God is not the Father of all of us here. If you are not a Christian, you have no right to call God your Father… (Jn 8:41-47).
By grace, we were marked out to be the children of God, foreordained (Rom 8:29> to be ‘conformed to the image’ of Christ, that the Lord Jesus might be ‘the firstborn among many brethren.’
3rd - There is A DISTINCTION OF TIME – in (v.2) we have the now, and we have the later; the present and the future. (v.2> ‘Beloved (specially loved ones), NOW we are children of God…’
(1) THE RIGHT NOW—at this present time—‘NOW we are children of God…’ If you are a believer; no matter how young you are (or new you are in the Lord)… If you are born of the Spirit, you are a child of God with all the rights and privileges that God gives to all His children. You have ‘the Spirit of adoption,’ and He bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God.
Right now, you are an ‘heir of God, a joint heir with Christ;’ you have the right to call upon God as your Father and the promise that He knows how to give to you the best gifts – ‘For your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him…’
(2) THE HEREAFTER—‘When He (Christ) is revealed’—at a future time—those of us who are believers ‘shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.’ In that day, when Christ is revealed, we who are the children of God will also be revealed—‘we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…’ I can’t wait for you to see me then!—I can’t wait to see you then!
And ‘everyone that has this hope in Him, purifies himself…’
2nd ... THE PLEASURE OF OUR ADOPTION from God’s perspective - (Eph 1:5> ‘Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of (God’s) will.’
From the divine perspective, it is not just God’s purpose to make us His children by adoption; it is HIS GREAT DELIGHT TO DO SO! God takes pleasure in His children—How do we know? – the Bible tells us so!
(Lk 12:32> ‘Do not fear little flock, for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ (See also: Zephaniah 3:14-17)
Another proof, that God takes pleasure in His children is that He has many children...
(Rev 7:9-10> ‘A GREAT MULTITUDE which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’
(Rom 8:29> ‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among MANY BRETHREN.’
God also takes great pleasure in blessing His children. Our heavenly Father is very wise and ‘He knows how to give good things to His children.’ (Rom 8:32> ‘He who did not spare His only Son, but delivered Him up for us all…FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS.’
God’s pleasure is focused upon those who are in Christ; those who were given to Christ. HE IS PLEASED to have them; to save them; to bless them; to give them ‘all things that pertain to life and godliness.’
God takes delight and great pleasure in His children—
not in strangers or acquaintances or workers or Reformed Baptists… He takes pleasure only in those who are His children.
* The MARKS OF GOD’S CHILDREN
1st - God’s children take pleasure in their Heavenly Father – they enjoy Him; love Him; delight in Him; find their happiness in Him; are totally contented with Him; they honor and worship Him; they make much of Him and tell others.
* Do you take pleasure in God as your Father? – Our worship, is the expression of our the delight and pleasure we have in God our Father.
J.I Packer, Knowing God (p.182) – ‘If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and the whole lookout on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.’
2nd - God’s children desire to please their Heavenly Father – they want to serve Him; obey Him; follow Him; be more like Him…
Enoch was taken by God because ‘he had this testimony, that HE PLEASED GOD.’ How did Enoch please God?— He believed Him! (Heb 11:6> ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God…’
