Ephesians– overview of 2:7-10; Saved with an end in mind, part 3 – Blessed Assurance.

Sunday June 02,2019

 

EPH 2:7-10 - Saved with an end in mind.

 

EPH 2:7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 

EPH 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

 

EPH 2:9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

 

EPH 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Grace is at the head of the sentence and so it is emphasized as the head or leader in God’s work for your salvation. If grace is the band-leader, so to speak, then works and boasting find absolutely no place in the salvation of any man.  

 

We sinners are a proud race, and our pride is oftentimes the worst of our sins. Therefore, God humbles us by His compassion.

 

He makes to us a free gift of His righteousness, and excludes every contribution from our store of merit; for if we could supply anything, we should inevitably boast as though all were our own. We must be content to receive mercy, love, grace, kindness - everything, without deserving the least fraction of the immense sum. How it strips our vanity; how it crushes us to the dust with the weight of pardoning love.

 

As sons we are sometimes humbled by discipline and by the overruling will of God. But our introduction to God through the gospel, our flight to Him as His sons is always occasioned by the humility caused by God’s deep compassion.

 

“you have been saved” - perfect passive of sozo. Here is Paul’s doctrine of assurance.

 

It is a repetition of our Lord’s doctrine of assurance when He said, “He who believes on the Son of God has eternal life.”

 

Eternal security has given stability to the church like nothing else can. Believers have known they are saved.

 

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

 

With his foundation secure, the house of life in the believer’s soul can be steadily built up. There are no fears or worries about the foundation.

 

Without eternal security, every believer would have quit on the plan of God at some point. Either they quit or they water down the requirements of holiness. With a firm foundation, the believer is not afraid to seek the perfection that He is called to. And God will not help us on any other path than the path of perfection.

 

For this reason, a believer having blessed assurance will work harder, work more, study harder, study more, pray more than a person who thinks they have to work for their security or hope. It seems like a paradox. If a man believed that his life depended upon his work then you would think he would work the hardest, but in fact, it is the free man who works the hardest. It is a documented fact that George Washington could not understand why his slaves would not work the beautiful land of Mt. Vernon as enthusiastically as he did. He treated them well, but his slaves wanted freedom more than anything. Washington, who fought for the freedom of many, seemingly because of the culture entrenched in his mind, couldn’t understand why an indentured slave desired the same.

 

1PE 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 

Living hope: We walk and breathe eternal security every day.

 

1PE 1:4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

 

1PE 1:5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [redemption of our bodies].

 

1PE 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

 

1PE 1:7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

 

Life puts our hope to the test. Faith in that hope shows or proves [dokimazo] the quality of our hope and salvation.

 

1PE 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

 

1PE 1:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

 

1PE 1:10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry,

 

1PE 1:11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.