And we're reading Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 1 to 14.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus,
grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
In him we have redemption through his blood,
the 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,
to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance,
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 to 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 the promised Holy Spirit,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance,
until we acquire possession of it,
to the praise of his glory.
Well, good morning, everyone.
Why don't we pray as we come to God's word?
Lord, we praise you for your nature,
that you tell us that a bruised reed you will not break
and a smouldering wick you will not snuff out.
Lord, we thank you for your gentleness and your patience with us
when we struggle to be sure that we are even a Christian.
Thank you that you are for us in your gentle nature.
Please reassure our hearts this morning by your word.
In his name, amen.
Amen.
Well, one of the lovely images that the Lord gives us
so that we can have confidence that we will receive a warm welcome into heaven
is that of a heavenly book, a book.
I'm not sure if you're into books or not,
but this book you will be into.
It's called the Book of Life,
with each and every name listed of those
who are going to receive a warm welcome into heaven.
One place we see this book appear is in Revelation 20 at the Last Judgment,
the picture of the Last Judgment,
where each individual person has their own book,
a record of everything they've done.
Now, that is a terrifying thought,
but then onto the scene comes this other book,
the Book of the Lamb who was slain.
And it's those who are written in that book,
not their own book of what they've done,
but the Lamb's book.
They're the ones who have the warm welcome into heaven.
It's a very personal image, this book.
Your name is written.
And it's a permanent image.
You don't write something down to forget it.
It's to remember it.
It's permanent.
It is written there.
For all those who put their hope in Christ,
the Lord reassures our hearts that your name,
my name is written in this book of life.
Now, this divine guarantee of salvation
is what our series in the Doctrins of Grace has been about, really.
The Lord wants us to be secure in his arms.
Now, just to recap the series,
because in a sense we're kind of finished
the Doctrins of Grace.
There's an acronym to remember the five points,
the five doctrines.
It's called CHULIP.
So you might want to write this down
if you haven't heard this before.
So like the flower, CHULIP,
let's quickly run through what we've covered so far.
So it's not the order we did it in in our series,
but here goes.
So T.
Actually, let's get some audience participation.
Can anyone tell me?
What's T?
Total depravity,
or another name is total inability.
That, you know,
born in Adam,
we are dead towards God,
Ephesians 2.
It's not total depravity
in the sense of
we're as evil as we possibly could be,
but it's total in the sense
that sin has infected us
in every faculty,
in our mind,
in our desires,
in our abilities.
In and of ourselves,
we're unable to want God
and seek God.
Okay, you.
What's you?
Anyone?
Heard these before?
Joel?
Help.
Unconditional election.
Unconditional election,
what we looked at last week.
The only election that matters.
The only election.
Yeah.
Thanks for that political comment.
The only election that matters.
In eternity past,
the Father chose,
by his mercy alone,
those sinners
he would adopt as his sons.
Unconditional.
Nothing in and of ourselves
did he look at us and go,
you're worthy of my choosing.
It's not about that.
It's unconditional.
It's his mercy alone.
Okay, L.
Limited atonement.
Another name for it
is particular redemption.
So,
it's not that Jesus died for the whole world
and goes,
whoever wants to take up my offer,
come and get it.
It's that God,
the Father,
sent Jesus into the world
with a particular mission
to save his people.
And he did it.
He actually redeemed.
He didn't just make it possible.
He saved his sheep.
He died for his sheep.
Okay, I.
Irresistible grace.
While we're still dead towards God,
God intervenes.
The Holy Spirit works inside us
to make the gospel message
effective in our hearts,
making us new on the inside,
opening our blind spiritual eyes
to see Christ
and so put our trust in him.
It's irresistible.
The Holy Spirit just go,
just makes us want
to put our trust in Christ.
Okay, last one, P.
Yeah, so,
perseverance of the saints
or better still,
as Don said,
preservation of the saints.
That God is working,
is totally committed
to finishing what he starts.
He's working in us
to keep us for heaven
and therefore,
we're going to persevere
because God is working
to get us home.
So these are beautiful truths.
Some start to finish.
Our salvation is resting
in the sovereign grace of God,
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It's a free and utter gift.
It's all him.
So, in a sense,
we kind of finished our series,
but there are some common questions
that come up
to do with God's sovereignty
and salvation.
And we just didn't have time
in each of the sermons
to deal with these
important questions properly.
So, we're going to change gear a bit
and try and address
four of these common questions.
And those questions
that we're going to cover
over the next four weeks are,
can I be sure
I'm one of God's elect?
We're going to do that one today.
And then,
can a Christian lose their salvation?
Does predestination mean
that evangelism and prayer
are pointless?
And do the doctrines of grace
really matter in 2021?
Like, can't we just
put them to the side?
Do they really matter?
Okay.
So, that's where we're going.
So, it's a bit different
in these next four weeks,
but let's get into the first one.
Can I be sure
I am one of God's elect?
There was this one wedding
where Emma and I
and some friends
we thought were invited to.
Emma and I
weren't as confident,
but our friends
weren't sure
if they were invited or not.
So, they went to the reception
before the bridal party arrived
and they went up to that list
of table place names
and checked out
is their name there?
No, it wasn't.
So, they rushed out again.
I tell that
because I imagine
when I talked about
this book in heaven,
those who are asking
this question
at a personal level
this morning,
can I be sure
I am one of God's elect?
Are probably feeling like
those friends
who went to the wedding reception
going,
I really don't think
my name's going to be there.
This is a very personal question.
It is an agonising question
to wrestle with.
It's a restless place to live.
You're stuck between
the beauty of the gospel
that God is absolutely
sovereign in salvation
and yet you're also,
but then you think
God is angry at you
because of your sin.
The very one you want to rest in
is the one who's angry
at your sin
and you're just stuck in between.
Which one is it?
Amen.
Now,
I want to say from the outset
that I do not expect
this sermon
to be a quick fix.
It could even be dangerous
because if in tomorrow
or during the week
you wake up in despair again,
you might think,
well,
that didn't help.
I'm even more stuck.
What do I do now?
I don't expect this sermon
to be a quick fix.
Unlike what Simon says,
I don't have all the answers.
But I do want to hopefully
give you some tools
to go away with.
Some new perspectives
that you can keep preaching
to yourself
whenever this fear arises
within you.
So the five perspectives
I want to touch on this morning,
you'll see it in the outline.
The first one has to do
when it comes to passages
in the Bible
that seem to question
our security of salvation.
So,
when you come to those,
we need to be asking ourselves,
am I sure
that this is what God
is saying here?
The second thing
you need to keep asking yourself
is when doubt arises,
doubt your doubt.
Ask questions of your doubt.
Why are you doubting?
The third is,
is this even a good question
to be asking?
What is God's question of you?
The fourth perspective is,
when you look inside yourself
and you see the muck
of your sin,
don't live there.
You need an external
reference point.
You need to look to Christ.
And the last one is,
don't dwell on yourself,
dwell on what God has done.
So,
let's just go through
each of these
one at a time.
Okay,
what about those troubling texts?
Am I sure
that I've understood
the text correctly?
So,
we're going to use
2 Peter 1.10
as a case study.
We don't have time
to go to the text
that can really trouble people.
But 2 Peter 1.10,
gee,
that's it.
This one's,
this one's up there
as one that troubles people.
Could you turn there
with me actually
because we'll spend
a few minutes here.
So,
2 Peter 1.
And we'll come back
to Ephesians
towards the end.
So,
here's 2 Peter 1.10
and I'll read
verse 11 as well.
Therefore,
brothers,
be all the more
diligent
to confirm
your calling
and election.
For if you practice
these qualities,
you will never fall.
For in this way,
there will be
richly provided
for you
an entrance
into the eternal
kingdom
of our Lord
and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
So,
it's talking about
an entrance
and falling
and it's saying
be diligent
to confirm
your calling
and election.
now,
if you read
that,
it just jumps
out at you
and it
sounds like
you must
confirm it.
It's up to you.
If you've got
to be diligent
to confirm it,
then it mustn't
be settled.
If I don't,
then I fall
and not enter
the eternal kingdom.
And you think,
okay,
what are these
qualities I'm
meant to be
putting into
practice?
And you go
back and read,
supplement your
faith with
virtue and
virtue with
knowledge and
knowledge with
self-control and
self-control with
steadfastness and
steadfastness with
godliness and
godliness with
brotherly affection and
brotherly affection with
love.
And that list just
hits you hard,
doesn't it?
Virtue?
I can list a
dozen things I've
stuffed up this
week or today
alone.
And then
knowledge.
I don't read the
Bible as much as
I want to.
Self-control,
my lust,
my impatience,
my anger,
steadfastness.
I waver in and
out of faith all
the time.
Godliness,
brotherly affection.
That list just
hits you.
You come to the
conclusion,
I must be
failing the test.
Maybe I'm not
elect.
When a passage has
this effect on you,
the emotions just
are strong.
They're very
strong.
Those strong
emotions I think
can make you think
you've interpreted
it correctly but
can I encourage you
to pause,
take a deep
breath,
maybe even get
the help of
another believer
and make sure
you've understood
what God is
saying correctly.
slowly.
Slow down
and re-read.
Look at the
details.
Let's do that
together.
I'm not going to
leave you hanging.
Let's do that
together in this
case.
firstly, look at
verse 5,
the start of this
little section.
It starts with
for this very
reason.
For this very
reason,
it goes on to
say,
confirm your
calling in
election.
So it should
indicate,
well,
what's the
reason?
Where's this
coming from?
So let's
go back.
Verses 1 and
2.
To those who
have obtained
a faith of
equal standing
with ours by
the righteousness
of our God
and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
Now we
elevate the
apostles and
they do have
an authority
because they
saw the
risen Christ
but if we
trust in
Christ we
have the
same standing
of faith as
the apostles
in the sight of
God.
How does
that come
about?
By the
righteousness
of our
God and
Saviour
Jesus Christ.
That's an
encouraging verse
but verse 2.
Why is Peter
writing this
letter?
May grace
and peace
be multiplied
to you in
the knowledge
of God and
of Jesus
our Lord.
Grace and
peace.
He wants us
to have grace
and peace.
I think even
there that
should make
you think
that's a funny
way to give
you peace
to then
make you
question
whether
you're
one of
God's
people or
not.
Even there
it's like
I'm not
sure I've
read this
correctly.
But then
we go on.
Keep
analysing the
detail.
Verses 3
and 4.
What's the
truth for
this very
reason
confirming
you're
calling an
election?
What is
that reason?
We find
it in
verse 3
and 4.
His,
God's,
divine power
power,
has granted
to us
all things
that pertain
to life
and godliness
through the
knowledge of
him who
called us
to his
own glory
and excellence
by which
he has
granted to
us his
precious
and very
great
promises
so that
through them
you may
become
partakers
of the
divine
nature,
having
escaped
from the
corruption
that is
in the
world
because
of sinful
desire.
God's
divine
power
is given
to you
and me
for all
things,
for life
and godliness.
Growing
in the
knowledge
of him,
he's given
us his
precious
promises
that we
might partake
of his
divine
nature.
All
God's
power
is at
work
to save
you,
to transform
you
into his
likeness.
So for
this very
reason,
God is
at work
in you.
You have
all his
help
to become
like him.
So for
this reason,
add virtue,
knowledge,
brotherly love
and so on.
He's at
work,
therefore
add these
things,
do these
things.
That's
the basis,
what he
has done.
And then
if you
go,
look on
the other
side of
the text,
verse 12.
Therefore
I intend
always to
remind you
of these
qualities,
though you
know them
and are
established
in the
truth you
have.
He's not
talking to
people who
are out of
the faith,
he's saying
you're in
it.
God's
power is
at work,
therefore
join him
in that
transformation
process.
All this
should make
us re-examine
verse 10.
Have we
understood it
correctly?
Is it a
test that
you pass
or fail?
I don't
think it
is.
It's not.
Because if
it is a
test,
it would
be demanding
perfection.
And no
one can
pass that.
It's not
a test,
it's a
road map.
It's a
road map
of what we
should be
striving
towards.
Having been
saved through
the faith in
God's promises,
having God's
power on
our side,
verse 10
is saying
join God
in working
towards that
same goal
that he
is calling
you towards,
that he
is working
you towards.
It doesn't
mean you
have to take
great strides
each day in
becoming more
like Christ,
but if you're
stumbling in
that direction,
that same
direction,
that's evidence
that God is
at work
bringing you
towards
himself.
I think we
can get
confused here
because when
the Bible
talks about
salvation,
it can talk
about it in
three ways,
past,
present and
future.
So some
verses are
saying you
have been
saved,
Christ has
saved you,
you are
saved.
Other verses
are saying
when Christ
returns you
will be
saved.
Here is an
example where
a passage is
saying you
are being
saved.
And we're
meant to be
active in
that process.
God is
saving you
to transform
us to
become like
him,
sharing in
the divine
nature,
so let's
be active
in doing
that.
That's what
verse 10
is saying.
Get on
board with
what God
is already
doing inside
you.
It's not
a test,
it's a
roadmap to
say keep
striving towards
that.
An
unbeliever
doesn't have
that as
the goal.
But if
you want
that,
even though
you're so
aware of
failing that
so often,
if that's
your trajectory,
even though
you might
stumble one
day,
you might
even stumble
for a
period of
years,
but if
your overall
trajectory is
that you
want to
be with
God and
like him,
that is
great evidence
that God
is at
work in
you to
bring you
to himself.
So I
hope that
demonstrates
that when
texts
trouble you,
just slow
down,
pray,
get the
help of
other
Christians,
and just
make sure
you're
actually
hearing God
correctly.
So that's
the first
one,
troubling
texts.
Another
perspective
that can
help someone
who's
wrestling
with this
question
is
doubting
your
doubt.
Now,
how do
you do
that?
Just ask
questions of
where is
this question
coming from?
So for
me,
it makes
me think,
what kind
of person
asks this
question?
Can I
be sure
that I
am one
of the
elect?
This isn't
a theoretical
question.
I.
Can I
be sure
that I
am one
of the
elect?
It's
someone who
wants to
be saved.
But it's
someone who
for some
reason
thinks they're
not elect.
And the
only thing I
can think
of is
that they're
so aware
of their
own
failings.
Now,
who would
be aware
of their
own
failings?
Someone
who doesn't
want God
or someone
who does?
It's
someone who
does,
who would
be aware
of their
own
failings.
Or you
could ask
the question,
what does
a person
already
believe in
order to
ask the
question,
am I
one of
the elect?
They
already
believe that
the Bible
is the
authority on
this matter,
God's
word is
the
authority
on whether
you're
saved or
not.
They
already
believe in
sin,
that sin
is real
and that
it's a
big problem
that you're
going to be
saved or
not.
They
already
believe in
their sin
that they
need a
saviour.
They
already
believe in
this is
they already
believe in
Jesus,
that he
is the
saviour.
and they
already
believe that
their only
hope is if
God
sovereignly
works to
elect.
That's a
lot of
truths that
you're already
believing to
even ask
this question.
How else
can you
doubt your
doubt?
I'm looking
at the word
sure there.
Can I be
sure that I
am one of
God's elect?
How would
you go about
proving that?
What evidence
would you look
to to go,
okay, I'm
looking at
that, I'm
sure I'm
one of the
elect now.
It's got to
be irrefutable.
It's got to
be absolutely
rock solid.
If you're
looking to
your own
fruit, then
you would
need 100%
good fruit
for you to
be sure
you're one
of the
elect, if
fruit is the
measure of
being sure.
But then you
already know
that's not the
gospel.
you know it's
not by works,
but by
trusting.
So if it's
not our own
fruit, what
else could
make you
sure?
There's only
one thing
really that
could make
you sure
that you're
elect.
That's if
God says,
you are
elect.
I think
that's the
only place
that would
be solid
enough for
you to
go, I
must be
elect.
God says
so.
Which then
just pushes
us towards
faith.
Trusting,
not what
we do, but
him saying
so.
So there's
just a few
ways to
just doubt
your doubt.
Your doubt
can feel so
strong, but
when you ask
a few
questions of
it, it's
not as
strong as
you think.
Only
someone in
the arena
of faith
actually cares
about this
question.
You're
believing so
much of
the Bible
by even
asking this
question.
And it
drives you
towards not
looking at
your fruit,
but what
God says
is true.
So doubt
your doubt.
A third
way to be
thinking is
well,
maybe this
question isn't
a good
question.
Does God
want me to
ask this
question?
Can I be
sure that I'm
one of the
elect?
Is that
God's
question of
you and
I?
When we
hear the
gospel,
are we
meant to
think,
okay,
now I
need to
work out,
God wants
me to
work out,
is my
name written
in the
book or
not?
Am I
elect or
not?
Is God
asking us
that question?
Well,
where in
his word
does he
ask us
to work
that out
or not?
I can't
think of
anywhere.
You can
correct me
if I'm
wrong,
but every
time election
is mentioned,
it's spoken
as words of
love from
God,
saying to
reassure
you,
you are
one of my
people.
And it's
spoken like
we saw in
2 Peter,
because you're
one of my
people,
strive to
become holy
like me,
because I'm
at work in
you.
It's never
spoken in
the Bible
as work
out if
you're
elect or
not.
Now,
why would
that be?
That's because
election is
God's business,
that's his
divine business,
that's what he
does in
salvation,
that's not
our responsibility.
And he
tells us
about that,
not for us
to do
anything with
it,
except be
reassured and
motivated to
keep striving.
So what
question does
God ask us
to answer?
What's our
responsibility?
And this is
where we come
to Simon's
question that
you guys were
discussing
before I
started.
So when it
comes to the
doctrines of
grace,
these are
wonderful truths
of the Bible.
They are
central in the
Bible.
They are
central in
understanding
salvation.
And so as a
church, we
want to keep
them central.
They're
beautiful truths
that we can
rest in God's
sovereignty in
our salvation.
But do you
need to believe
in total
depravity to be
saved?
No.
believe in
sin, you
don't need to
believe that to
be saved.
Do you
need to
believe in
the irresistible
call of the
Holy Spirit to
be a Christian?
The call of the
gospel, yes,
but the
irresistible
call, no,
you don't have to
believe that to be
a Christian.
Do you
need to
believe in
Christ's
particular
redemption to
be a
Christian?
That Christ is
the only way to
be redeemed,
yes, but in
particular redemption,
no.
Do you
need to believe in
the preservation of
the saints to be
saved?
that a
Christian needs
to make it to
the end
believing, yes,
but that that's
guaranteed, you
don't actually have
to believe that to
be saved.
Do you
need to believe in
unconditional
election to be a
Christian and be
saved?
No.
Now let me
reiterate, these
are beautiful
truths.
I wouldn't give
them up in a
moment.
I pray anyway.
These are
beautiful truths.
We want to keep
them central in
our church.
But there are
other Christians,
evangelical
Christians, who
don't believe
these points.
Now that, and
we should call
them brothers and
sisters because
they look to
Jesus' death and
resurrection alone
to save them.
They are
Christians.
Now that should
make us stop and
think, is
wondering if I'm
elect or not, is
that a good
question?
question or what
is the most
fundamental question
that God is
asking us to
answer when we
hear the gospel?
Let's look at a
few passages to
illustrate what that
question is, what's
our responsibility.
So Acts 13, 48.
Paul is preaching to
a crowd about who
Jesus is, what he
has done, and then
Luke makes this
observation.
When the Gentiles
heard this, they
began rejoicing and
glorifying the word of
the Lord, and as
many as were
appointed to eternal
life, believed.
Now, these non-Jews who
believed, were they
asked to work out if
they were appointed to
eternal life?
No, I doubt they were
even aware of that at
this stage.
That's Luke's divinely
inspired interpretation of
why they believed.
What was their
responsibility to work
out?
They heard from Paul who
Jesus is, what he has
done.
The question they
needed to work out was,
will I believe this or
not?
Will I trust this?
How will you respond
to Jesus?
That's the question that
you and I have to ask.
That's the question God
asks of us and we have
to answer.
Or consider the thief on
the cross.
He has minutes to live.
What question is he
confronted with, with
Jesus hanging beside
him?
He doesn't have time to
go into the depths of
God's sovereignty and
salvation.
Yet Jesus says, today
you'll be with me in
paradise.
From this man's words,
we hear that he says
two things.
Remember me when you
enter your kingdom.
Your kingdom.
He recognises that
Jesus is king and he
asks for mercy.
Remember me.
I deserve to die.
Remember me.
Give me mercy.
Jesus is king.
Give me mercy.
That's the question.
He was responding,
what are you going to
do with Jesus, says
God.
And the thief on the
cross says, you are
king.
Please give me mercy.
That's the question of
the gospel.
Not are you elect?
What are you going to
do with Jesus?
Or John 5, 24.
Truly, truly, truly, I
say to you, whoever
hears my word and
believes him who sent
me has eternal life.
This is Jesus speaking.
He does not come into
judgment, but has passed
from death to life.
He who believes has
crossed from death to
life based on believing.
So the question of the
gospel isn't, are you
elect?
The question of the
gospel is, what are you
doing with Jesus?
Are you trusting him?
Are you looking to him as
your only hope?
Because if you are, you
have crossed over from
death to life.
So that's the third way we
need to be talking to
ourselves.
What question is God
asking us?
Am I, how am I
responding to Jesus?
The fourth one is to do
with self-reflection,
self-evaluation.
When we look inside
ourselves into our mind and
desires and feelings, and
when we look, we just don't
see much excitement for
God, but instead we just
see all this sinful muck.
What do we do with that?
What do we do?
At first we can
rationalise that and go,
well, I'm a sinner and
therefore I need to be
saved.
But if we keep our eyes
fixed on ourselves and
just see all the muck, it
just becomes overwhelming.
You're not seeing any
change.
If your gaze is just
fixed within yourself, you're
so desperate to want
improvement.
But the problem is, because
you want improvement, you're
just so sensitive to your own
failings.
What do we do?
Is there a better way to be
self-reflective?
Because I think doing that is
like sitting in a dark room,
straining your eyes to see some
skerrick of light within
yourself.
But it's not going to come.
All you're going to find is
darkness if you just stay here.
There's got to be a better way to
do it.
The better way is to open a
window.
I'm not sure if this picture is
going to work or not.
Open a window and let some
light in.
In other words, don't use
yourself as the reference
point.
You need an external reference
point.
You need God's grace to speak
into you, not just keep
looking at yourself.
The Lord doesn't want us to
stay staring at our own failings
of faith or obedience.
He wants us to look at the
light, at Christ, his
forgiveness, his divine help,
his relational warmth.
We need him pouring into us.
Now, can I pause and say that
some people don't look inside
enough.
Some people just almost make a
habit of not looking inside.
Their problem will be a
superficial understanding of sin
and of God's holiness and
therefore of God's wonderful
grace.
But that's not this person's
problem if you're asking this
question this morning.
We should be looking inside.
The light of the gospel exposes
more darkness within us.
But don't live there.
Don't stay there.
Don't set up camp within
yourself.
When you see darkness, that's
meant to drive us to want
light.
So don't have yourself as the
reference point.
Have Christ as the reference
point.
And we do that by his word
pouring into us.
And I think his word can pour
into us through the community
of the church and his word,
obviously, his written word.
We need his light flooding
into us.
So don't just live within
yourself.
We need to be feeding off his
word, his promises, his
gospel.
So let's do that for the
remaining time, shall we?
We've come to the last
point.
Don't dwell on what you have
or haven't done.
Dwell on what God has done.
That's the reference point.
That's the light that floods
in.
So please turn back to
Ephesians as we finish.
We'll spend our remaining time
here.
So just jumping to verse 3.
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.
Paul starts not by looking
within ourselves, but looking
to what God has done.
This is a...
I love this passage.
If you're allowed to have
favourites, I think this is my
favourite chapter in the Bible.
It's...
It's awesome.
Now, every spiritual
blessing...
I used to think, okay,
that's cool.
I've got this undefined
spiritual blessing somewhere
up there that I suppose I'll
see one day.
I don't know what that is.
That's not what Paul's
saying here.
He goes on to define what
we have, what that blessing
we've received.
Verses 4 to 14.
At this point, I want to
hand it over to you.
Not talking to the person
next to you, but I want to
practice focusing on letting
the light in.
So, I'm going to give you a
minute just to write down,
and we'll start with that
first question on the
outline.
I want you to list all the
ways the Father has given
you every spiritual blessing.
How has the Father blessed
you?
Just list it.
So, let me give you a
minute to do that.
Okay, I'd love to hear...
Let's just do this really
quickly.
I'd love to hear some input
from some...
Whoever.
Let's just work through
this together.
What has he done?
What has the Father done,
given us?
Just call out.
Verse 4.
He chose us before the
foundation of the world.
He chose us.
It was his initiative.
Okay, what else?
Sorry, Will.
I'm just going to go with
the first one, adoption.
Yes, he's adopted us as
his sons.
He's called us to the praise
of his glorious grace.
Can I go back there?
He's predestined us.
He's decided beforehand,
I'm going to save you.
You're going to be on a path
of destruction, but I'm going
to intervene.
You are going to be adopted.
You're going to be one of mine.
And even before that, that we
should be holy and blameless
before him.
I think we can feel pressure
there.
I need to be holy and blameless.
That's true, but this is a
commitment here.
God is determined to make us
holy and blameless.
This is more a promise here than
anything.
Okay, what else?
Verse 7.
Thank you, Will.
I'm just trying to get lots of
input.
Verse 7.
He's redeemed us through his
blood.
We were caught in sin.
He's bought us.
We belong to him now.
He's redeemed us through his
blood.
Okay, forgiveness of our
trespasses.
Verse 9.
Yeah, he's made known to the
mystery of his will.
He's told us where the world's
heading, that everything is going
to be united in Christ.
We're not aimless and purposeless
in this world.
We know where it's heading.
He's got a good plan and we
know it.
We can live in line with that.
We can get on board with it.
Yeah, verse 6.
Accepted in the beloved.
Yep.
Okay, verse 11.
Obtained an inheritance.
Again, we've got that
predestined.
I think verse 12 there.
To the praise of his glory.
I think that's a gift as well.
We have a great purpose.
It's a purpose outside ourselves.
It's to the praise of his glory.
Even that is a gift.
What about verse 13?
Yeah, we're not alone, are we?
The word here is, it's like a
pledge.
It's like God has given us a down
payment of eternal life.
His Holy Spirit himself.
Eternal life has begun.
I would argue as well in verse 13
that when you heard the word of
truth, even hearing the word of
truth, I would argue from other
parts of scripture that God sends us
the gospel.
Even that is a gift.
Okay.
Let's do that again.
Can I give you another minute?
What part does Jesus have to play in
all this?
And you're going to see in him, through him.
I would really love you to write it down
every single time.
So can I give you another minute?
What part does Jesus have to play?
Okay, there's probably not quite a minute.
I'm conscious of the time here.
Instead of getting responses, I'm just going to
read all the times.
I'm not going to read all the verses, but in him,
through Jesus Christ, blessed us in the beloved.
In him, we have redemption.
Through his blood, we know the plan that he set forth in
Christ.
Christ is the one bringing about this plan.
And Christ is the object of our faith.
In him, we are included.
That we hope in Christ.
It's just in him, through him.
It's just all about Christ.
It's everything we receive from the Father is in Jesus.
It doesn't come to us by another means.
It's in Jesus.
Okay, one last one, and this one should be really
quick.
What part do we have to play in all this,
in salvation?
What part do we have to play?
I can only see two things in verses 12 and 13.
Put our hope in Christ and believe the gospel.
I think they're describing the same reality there.
It's all him.
It's just putting our hope in him.
It's a beautiful passage.
Salvation is by God.
Dwell on what he has done, not what we have or haven't done.
Let the light in.
If you are sure, in and of yourself, you have no hope of
entering heaven based on what you do.
If you have any hope, it's got to be only what God gives you in
Jesus.
Then whether you believe it or not, whether you feel confident or not,
in a sense, it doesn't matter whether you feel confident or not in that.
But if your only hope is in Jesus, God says,
your name is written in the book of life.
This might plague you, but know God's love.
He speaks these words of love for us.
Your name is written in the book of life.
You will receive a warm welcome.
Why don't we pray to finish?
Would you pray?
Lord, we praise you for just your goodness, your patience with us,
that you are the one who guarantees that we'll make it home to glory.
Lord, I pray again that you would be comforting the hearts of those
who are really wrestling with this personally.
Lord, we know that no one can snatch us out of your hand.
Your hand is too strong.
So I pray that you might, in your good time,
give them peace and rest in you.
But Lord, we thank you that ultimately it doesn't come down to our sense of
assurance, but it comes down to the fact that you are a faithful God
in that we do, that we are secure.
So we praise you for that.
In Jesus' name, amen.