| Introduction The character that most immediately comes to our minds when we think of the Reformation is Martin Luther, and perhaps the words that we associate with him is his defense at the Diet of Worms that has been immortalized in movies. "Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they often err and contradict themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, Amen." Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms It is very important, however, for us to remember that Luther was not alone in this endeavor. He had those who paved the way for him. Men like John Wycliffe and John Huss. And he had those who built upon his work – men like John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and Johannes Oecolampadius, and John Knox. These reformers were in strong agreement about the five basic pillars, or teachings, from which flowed a marvelous number of biblical doctrine. · The Bible is our only and sufficient authority in all matters of faith and practice. (Sola Scriptura) – we don't need to look elsewhere to find what we are to believe concerning God and what duties he requires of us. · The work of salvation is based solely and completely on the grace of God from beginning to end (Sola Gratia) · Faith is the only thing required for salvation (Sola Fide) · Christ in the only Savior of mankind (Solus Christus) · To God alone belong all praise, honor, and glory (Soli Deo Gloria). These five pillars are very important. They provide the framework for other, equally important, doctrines that were rediscovered by the reformers. I think one thing I did not make clear last week is that the solas of the Reformation were formulated in the context of the justification of the sinner. They are designed to answer the following question: how can a sinner be reconciled to a holy God? For centuries the Church had believed and taught that man was able to help God in saving his soul. There was a part of man's salvation that was God's part, but God could not finish the work unless man helped him to do so. Men had to add his own obedience to what Christ had done on the cross and resurrection in order for him to have enough points to reach heaven. A term often used to describe this model of salvation is synergism – God and man working together to save man's soul. Our text today shows that this is not the case at all. Man is dead and it is God who works in him to give him life. When the Reformers returned to the Bible as the ultimate authority for what they should believe concerning salvation, they saw that things weren't quite like the Church had been teaching for the last few centuries. They rightly understood that God initiates and completes the salvation of sinners to that the whole work is attributed to sovereign grace alone. The supreme God of heaven and earth – the sovereign, triune God of salvation – freely wills and applies saving grace to guilty, contemptible sinners, transforming their lives so that they enjoy him and live for his service. This description of men's salvation is often referred to as monergistic – God working alone in saving sinners. There are several doctrines that are inexorably and inseparably connected with the sovereign grace of God. Two of them are God's election of a people to himself and the complete and utter inability of humanity to come to God on their own will. Our passage this morning will help us understand that. I. Man in Salvation, 1-3, 5a. A. Notice the negative tone when Paul is talking about mankind – all men are dead, 1. B. Not only are all men dead, but in their deadness they are also in rebellion against God. b. The Gentiles – unbelievers – are called sons of disobedience to demonstrate their rebellion. c. Notice that this not a temporary state but a way of life – "walk." d. So, if you are without Christ you are walking according to the prince of darkness – Satan himself. 1) These are the only two options. 2) You are either alive in Christ or dead and serving Satan. b. Notice that Paul considers the Jews equally sons of the Devil – "among whom." c. The Jews are more concerned with their own selves than with obeying God. d. Again this is a way of life – "conduct." C. At the risk of being too repetitive, notice that Paul declares all people not only dead and in rebellion, but also serving the Devil – "prince of power of this world," 2b. Col. 1:13 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. D. Because the unbeliever is dead and in rebellion, he/she can do nothing to turn to God. 1. Notice that God is the one who make the unbeliever alive, 5. Rom. 3:11 – There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. 2. Since this is the case, there is no good work that can be done. a. Because God does not accept the works of an unbeliever. Rom. 8:8 – So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Pro. 21:4 – A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin. b. Because the unbeliever does not want to do works that are pleasing to God. Rom. 3:12 – They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Ecc. 7:20 – For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. E. Because they are in a state of rebellion, they are exposed to the wrath of God, 3b. 1. Jew and Gentile are exposed to the wrath of God – "just as the others." 2. Notice that "by nature" we deserve wrath. a. All that forms us, our being, deserves the wrath of God. b. It is only by grace that we are spared of that wrath – grace is God's love in Christ put into action. 1) Those who receive grace are not merely helpless sinners who are undeserving, but hostile rebels against God with bad hearts and bad records. 2) God is not obligated to be kind or gracious to them. 3) They are sinners, deserving of hell. 4) But in accord with his nature, God showers an entirely undeserved love upon them and as he does so, their lives are changed forever. 3. The wrath of God is a terrible thing and Christians should praise him everyday that he poured his wrath on Son, not on us. Jer. 10:10 – But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. Rev. 19:15 (ESV) – From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 1 Thess. 5:9 – For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. {TRANSITION: After the description of mankind without Christ, we find a but "But God" (4). Praise the Lord for these contrasts in the Scriptures. "Paul paints this bleak portrait of the human situation to throw into relief God's gracious and merciful response to it." NGSB} II. God in Salvation, 4, 5b, 8-9. A. Despite our being despicable, God chose a people to himself and loved them in Christ, 4 (1:11-12). B. He showed his love by making us alive with Christ (or in Christ). 1. The main verb of this Greek sentence is found in v. 5 – He made alive 2. This is the main point that Paul is making – God is the one who makes dead, rebellious sinners alive. Titus 3:3-7 – For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 3. As Christ rose from the dead, we too become alive, 6a. 4. As Christ ascended to heaven, we too are brought up to heavenly places with Christ, 6b (1:19-20). C. What is the basis then for our salvation? 8-9. 1. It is not what we can do for we are dead. 2. It is the work of Christ graciously communicated to us through faith, 8. a. Grace by definition is unmerited favor in the place of merited wrath. b. However, it is not sufficient to define grace just as unmerited favor. 1) As sinners, we have de-merited God's favor. 2) Not only do we not deserve grace, we do deserve hell. 3) Grace is God's blessing freely bestowed on ill-deserving sinners. c. Therefore, grace is God's love in Christ put into action. 3. Even the faith to trust in Christ for our salvation is a gift of God, 8b-9. a. Paul anticipated people claiming that they initiated the salvation process by having the faith needed to be saved. b. "And this" refers back to the whole thing – grace and faith. c. He knew man would try to boast about their faith, 9 – more about faith next week. III. Why Did God Do It This Way? 7 (1:11) A. God chose to have justification be by faith alone to show to the universe his grace. B. Every time a sinner is saved God's grace and kindness is displayed. C. Notice that it is not just grace, but the exceeding riches of his grace. D. Every time some one tries to make salvation to be in any other way, he/she is robbing God of the glory due him. IV. The Effects of Sovereign Grace. 1 Pt. 1:1-2 – Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1. In Christ, we are a new creature 2 Cor. 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2. The word workmanship is the English translation of the Greek word from which we get the word poem. a. Christians are God's redeeming poem. b. Christians are God's work of art. 3. The word "created" translate a Greek word that in the NT has only God as its subject. a. God is the one that accomplishes this creative work. b. Thus, this being made alive, this new birth, this work of regeneration has nothing to do with man and everything to do with God. 4. Although salvation has nothing to do with what we do to deserve it, after we are saved we must live a life of obedience to God. a. Notice, however, that even these good works have already been ordained by God, so that whatever good we may do, we give all the glory to him. b. Notice also that we don't have to fear, or be scared, about obeying God because he already ordained our obedience and will give us the grace to do so. B. Eternal life – you are made alive never to die again! Jn. 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but haveeverlasting life. C. Heavenly blessing, 6b. 1. Paul says that we are currently in heavenly places with Jesus. 2. This is better understood as our becoming members of the kingdom of heaven through Christ. 3. We are translated from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. 4. We are adopted and enjoy the benefits of sons and daughter's of God. Col. 3:1-4 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. D. Sovereign grace crushes our pride. 1. We want to be the subject not the object of salvation. 2. We want to be active, not passive in the process. 3. By nature, we rebel against sovereign grace, but God knows how to break our rebellion and make us friends of this doctrine. 4. When God teaches sinners that their very core is depraved, sovereign grace becomes the most encouraging doctrine possible. E. Sovereign grace creates dependence on God. 1. If we are convinced that the next breath we take depends on the gracious act of God, we will look to him for all things. 2. And when we look to him for all things, he will be even more gracious to us. This doctrine of justification by faith alone is a wonderful doctrine. To know that our salvation depends only on the decrees of an unchangeable God should bring great comfort to our heart. It is beyond comprehension to want it to be any other way. This free, sovereign grace cries out for expression in the church today. Human decisions, crowd manipulations, and altar calls are not where the power of God is. Only the old-fashioned gospel of sovereign grace will capture and transform sinners by the power of the Word and Spirit of God. Are we sons and daughters of the Reformation who will sing of God's sovereign grace from the heart?
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be; let that grace now like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee: prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.
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