TULIP - Unconditional Election, Salvation of a Sovereign

Ephesians 1:1-6

INTRODUCTION: As we have seen, all of us (mankind) are totally depraved and have a natural inability to do anything "good" in the eyes of God. This has a direct bearing upon how we think of our salvation and of God's grace. If we are totally depraved and unable, then salvation must be a work of GRACE alone. This is exactly what the Bible consistently teaches. We are not saved by our own efforts but by the unmerited favor of God. The question arises, when did God take the initiate to save us?

THESIS: God made a decision in eternity past to graciously save some.

TEXT

Ephesus was one of the five major cities in the Roman empire, along with Rome, Corinth, Antioch, and Alexandria. Paul first visited Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19-21). Paul had been a Christian for nearly 30 years. He had taken three missionary trips and established churches all around the Mediterranean Sea. When he wrote Ephesians, Paul was under house arrest in Rome (see Acts 28:16ff).

THIS IS A TRINITARIAN TEXT DEALING WITH THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SALVATION

I. The Father Elects (1:3-6)

II. The Son is the Mediator (1:7-12)

III. The Spirit's work in application (1:13-14)

Paul begins a season of Praise for God's Salvation in Christ, giving God praise for the salvation which He has provided the saints (3).

WE OBSERVE FROM THIS TEXT…

Salvation is rooted in God's Choice (election) "just as He chose us"

· eklegomai, ek-leg'-om-ahee to select :- make choice, choose (out), chosen.

Salvation is rooted in a relationship to Christ in Him

Salvation was planned out in eternity past - before the foundation of the world

· And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain (Revelation 13:7-8).

· “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

· John 15:16: "You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit."

· II These. 2:13: God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

Salvation is completed with sanctification - that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love

Salvation involves the unfolding of an eternal plan for all things…"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children

· “This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:26-27).

· 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).

Salvation is based upon what seemed good to God…according to the good pleasure of his will,

· There could be no greater reason for confidence that election is just since it is according the will of a good, just, and gracious God.

(1) Out of fallen humanity God chose certain persons unto salvation.

(2) The salvation of God's elect is certain.

(3) God does not elect individuals based on foreseen merit of any kind, including faith. Election is an act of God's sovereign choice alone.

(4) The purpose and motive of God's election are His glory, "To the praise of His glorious grace!"

CALVIN - This leads us to conclude, that holiness, purity, and every excellence that is found among men, are the fruit of election; so that once more Paul expressly puts aside every consideration of merit. If God had foreseen in us anything worthy of election, it would have been stated in language the very opposite of what is here employed, and which plainly means that all our holiness and purity of life flow from the election of God.

APPLICATIONS:

Election is rooted in our faith in the Sovereignty of God and this understanding of God's supremacy is indispensable to fully comprehending the truth of Scripture

· Arthur Pink makes this observation on God’s Sovereignty and Predestination, “It is the foundation of Christian theology …the center of gravity in the system of Christian truth, the sun around which all the lesser orbs are grouped.”

Election is the foundation of Grace…There could be no true grace if I am somehow ultimately responsible for my own salvation…

· "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, just as it is written, 'Let him who boast, boast in the Lord' " (1 Cor. 1.30-31).

· "For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Cor. 4.7)

Election is a mystery to a certain extent, we can not fully comprehend it…We have a million questions…

· Calvin (Institutes III, 21:1) When they inquire into predestination, they are penetrating the sacred precincts of divine wisdom. If anyone with carefree assurance breaks into this place, he will not succeed in satisfying his curiosity and he will enter a labyrinth from which he can find no exit. For it is not right for man unrestrainedly to search out things that the Lord has willed to be hidden in Himself; nor is it right for him to investigate from eternity that sublimes" wisdom, which God would have us revere but not understand, in order that through this also He should fill us with wonder.

· Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! [34] For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His COUNSELOR? [35] Or who has first given to Him THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? [36] For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. [NASB]

Election fits with the biblical teaching of our total depravity…we need a savior…we must get out of the business of saving ourselves…

· Michael Horton observes, “When we give in to election, we finally give up on ourselves.”

· James Kennedy makes this observation regarding the general objection to predestination, “The reason people today are opposed to it is because they will have God to be anything but God, He can be a cosmic psychiatrist, a helpful shepherd, a leader, a teacher, anything at all...only not God. For a very simple reason-they want to be God themselves.”

· Ephes. 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] not as a result of works, that no one should boast. [10] For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [NASB]

Conclusion

God made a decision in eternity past to graciously save some.

· The Bible teaches us that God is sovereign in salvation and all things

· Grace is amazing because of our sinfulness, because he chose to save us.

· We dare not think we understand this all perfectly.

· We must give up on saving ourselves and look to Christ for salvation - Have you, given up on yourself, and trusted Christ alone?

Isaac Watts, “Ten thousand ages ere the skies, Were into motion brought, All the long years and worlds to come, Stood present to His thought; There's not a sparrow or a worm, But's found in His decrees, He raises monarchs to their throne, and sinks them as He pleases.”