God's Amazing Grace: How I Live

Portrait of the Prodigal Son

• I read an article about an artist who wanted to paint a portrait of the prodigal son.

1      Adapted from Puritan Prayers & Devotions, The Valley of Vision: Divine Support, 212-13.

•        So, the artist went into all the psychiatric wards,

o the drug rehabilitation centres o and the prisons o searching for a man wretched enough to accurately represent the

prodigal son.

o But he found no one who was suitable.

•        One day, as this artist was walking down the street, he met a man who was a perfect fit.

o He was a poor beggar crying out for mercy.

•        So, he told the beggar that he would pay him well, if he came to his studio and sat for his portrait of the prodigal son.

o The beggar agreed and the

appointment was set.

•        The day came and the beggar arrived at

the paint studio,

o “You made an appointment with

me,” he said.

•        The artist looked at him; and looked at him again; and said: “I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE.”

o “You cannot have an appointment with me.”

•        “Yes,” he said, “I agreed to meet you at 10 o’ clock.”

•        “YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN; it must have been some other artist; I was to see a

beggar here at this hour.”

•        “Well,” said the beggar, “I am he...”

•         

“You?”

•        “Yes!”

•        “What have you been doing?”

•        “Well, I thought I would dress myself up a bit before I got painted.”

•        “THEN I DO NOT WANT YOU,” said the artist; “I wanted you as you were.”[2]

•        Christianity is not

o self-reformation or o behaviour modification,

•        rather it is the gracious monergistic work

of God in regeneration.

•        Monergism is a theological term in which the prefix “mono” means “one” and the suffix “ergism,” from the Greek word: “ergon” means “to work.”

o So if you put them together they mean,

“the work of One;”

■ Salvation is of the Lord alone, not a cooperation of man and God.

o God is the sole Agent through the entire work of salvation.

o Regeneration is accomplished exclusively by the working of God.

•        Martin Luther said: “...the gospel,” doesn’t tell me “what I must do, but what Jesus Christ, the Son of God has done for

me” — It is His good work, not ours!

•        “The Kingdom of God is only open to those who abandon all self-effort to earn their way.”[3]

•        Behaviour modification has not saved anyone!

•        Christ does not ask people to try harder to obey in order to be acceptable to God.

o No.

•        We are all sinners by nature,

•        and none of us can save ourselves, and that is exactly why we ALL NEED GRACE.

• Before we open our Bibles to Ephesians 2, let’s turn to Acts 19 verse 17 for the historical context.

•        Luke records in Acts 19 verse 17 that “fear fell upon” “all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks,” and “the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.”

•        And then we read about their repentance from verse 18; Acts 19 verse 18: “Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

•        Before God saved these Ephesian believers,

o they were enslaved like the rest of

Ephesus to the cult worship of Artemis.

•        But because of the regenerating grace of God, we see that “those who believed

o “came confessing and divulging their practices.”

o And those who “practiced magic arts ■ brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.”

•        Talk about repentance.

•        We need to see more of this type of repentance.

•        Luke tells us in verse 19, that “they counted the value of [those books] and found that they came to 50 thousand pieces of silver.”

o Their repentance was costly.

Application

•        What changes have come about as a result of your repentance?

•        What sin and idols were you worshipping?

•        What idols did you burn when God graciously saved you?

•        What sin have you or are you currently mortifying?

•        This kind of repentance does not happen in response to behaviour modification!

o This is regeneration!

•        Turn to Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus; Ephesians chapter 2

Immediate Context

•        In Ephesians 2 vv 1-3 Paul reminds the believers who they were apart from Christ:

o They were Spiritually Dead in their trespasses and sins.

• And then he goes on to explain who they are in Christ, which we looked at last

week in Ephesians 2:4-7

o They are Regenerated—Made Alive, o Raised and Repositioned—Seated together with Christ in the Heavenly places.

•        In Chapter 2, verse 11 through to the end of Chapter 3,

o Paul explains who they are within Christ’s Church.

•        Paul only begins to address their conduct

from Chapter 4 onwards.

•        Your conduct—your new behaviour as a Christian is secondary to who you are in Christ.

•        It is important to understand that your conduct and your works are the fruit of salvation NOT the root of salvation.

o Nevertheless, good works are a necessary fruit but they do not save you.

•        This is the central truth of Ephesians 2:8- 10, which will be the focus of our time together.

•        Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 10, but let’s read from verse 1 for the context.

•        I am reading from the ESV

Read Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

2 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,

the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8     For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9     not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10     For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

•       

Unfortunately, there are many who will gather in churches today who have not understood God’s grace.

•        This results in two possible extremes:

Legalism or Antinomianism.

•        Both Legalism and Antinomianism undermine biblical grace;

o They are antithetical to grace o Directly opposed to biblical grace.

•        Legalism insists that we must add our obedience to Christ’s work in order to be justified.

•        Antinomianism asserts that those who receive Christ as Saviour need not submit to Him as Lord.

o They are “anti-nomos,” anti-Law; o They believe that Christians are free from the demands of God’s Law.

■     Free grace;

• live as you please, as long as you believe...

•        Both Legalism and Antinomianism are grave heresies that have and still plague the church today.

o Causing unregenerate believers to think that they are saved,

■     when they are still dead in their sins.

o And robbing the regenerate of their joy in Christ.

•        The solution to legalism is not removing the Law; nor is the solution for antinomianism adding the Law—

•        No, the solution for both is God’s grace.

Transition

•        God’s grace is once again the overriding focus of Ephesians 2, verses 8 through 10.

•        Let’s take a closer look at God’s amazing grace.

Propositional Statement

• In Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 10 Paul explains two foundational truths of Salvation essential for walking in a manner worthy of Christ.

• Two foundational truths of Salvation which are essential for walking in a manner worthy of Christ.

•       

I am sure that most of you, if you are indeed saved, desire to

o walk the walk and talk the talk, o to live your life in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.

•        You have most likely memorised 2 Corinthians 5:9 “We make it out aim to please Him”

•        And 1 Corinthians 10:31

o “Whether we eat or whether we drink, or whatever we do, do all to the glory of God”

•        Hopefully after today you will have a better understanding of what is necessary to live in a manner worthy of Christ...

• You must understand two foundational truths of salvation.

l) The First Foundational Truth of Salvation: The Root of Salvation

1) The first foundational truths of salvation is, THE ROOT OF SALVATION verses 8 through 9.

o The ROOT of Salvation

•        You are not saved by your good works.

•        Paul says in verses 8 and 9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one can boast.”

Roman Catholicism

• The Roman Catholic Church rejects the idea of an instantaneous salvation— instead they teach that salvation is earned over an entire lifetime.

o Adding a host of sacramental works to the gospel of grace, o Roman Catholicism states that in order for a person to attain, maintain or regain salvation, one must:

■     Have faith

■     Participate in the sacraments

■     Take the Eucharist

■     Keep the commandments

■     Perform penance and

■     Do Indulgences.[3]

•        Martin Luther was a miserable Roman Catholic monk because irrespective of:

o how hard he worked, or o how much he fasted and prayed, o he never felt like he was righteous enough to earn God’s favour.

•        He had not understood until the day of his

conversion,

o that good works are the fruit of

salvation, not the root of salvation.

1. Salvation is by Grace vv. 8-9

• Paul is clear; Salvation is by grace not by our good works; BY GRACE, and GRACE ALONE.

Peach Tree

• To take the root analogy a bit further.

•        For those of you who enjoy gardening... and even those who don’t,

o imagine you are planting a peach tree, but in the process, you accidently cut off the roots...

•        I think even the non-garners among us know

o that no matter how well you prepare the hole and the soil, o or how well you water the newly planted tree,

■     it will simply, with time, shrivel up and die,

■     and unfortunately, you will never get to eat any delicious peaches.

•        Friend, you need a new root! A new heart!

•        If you are saved today, it is not because God saw something good within you; it is

not because of something good that you

did, or will do...

o No, there is nothing good in you. o There are none righteous, no not

one.

•        There is nothing within you that warrants salvation.

o We are not saved because of good “works done by us in righteousness,” o We are only saved because of His regenerating grace to us

■ Who were dead in our sins and did not understand our need for a Saviour or even have any desire to be saved.

•        In the words of the Apostle Paul, “I know that in me—that is in my flesh no good thing dwells.”

•        Subconsciously or consciously we often compare ourselves to those whose lives were the epitome of wickedness before they were saved...

o And we think to ourselves, “Wow! he or she really needed the Lord’s forgiveness.”

o “I did not need quite as much mercy and grace as that rebel.” o Perhaps even thinking that we were a little more deserving of God’s grace than them.

•        Such thinking lays bare a failure to understand grace.

•        Do you realize that your need for God’s mercy and grace is as desperate as the most wicked person on this earth.

o That may be a bitter pill to swallow, but it is the truth described in this passage.

• If you are saved, it is because

o God’s grace set you apart before the foundation of the world, o It was His grace, that plucked you out of the pit of death and made you alive together with Christ.

•       

The Gift of Salvation is a Gift of Grace

•        Mercy is NOT RECEIVING what we deserve -> God’s wrath

Grace on the other hand, is RECEIVING what we do not deserve, the gift of salvation.

•        God’s grace is His unmerited favour.

o We don’t deserve it

o We cannot earn it

o We merely receive it as a gift—

■    We are justified by His grace.

Transition

•        God’s grace is the essence of His decisive saving act in Jesus Christ,

o which took place through His

■    vicarious

■    or substitutionary atonement—

■    His finished work on the cross on our behalf.

Grace is Antithetical to Law

• As one studies Paul’s letters, it is clear that Paul sets up grace as being antithetical—or directly opposed to the Jewish teaching regarding law observance.

•        On the one side, he sets up

o grace, o gift,

o righteousness of God, o faith, o the gospel, o calling and hope;

•        And on the other side, he sets up

o law, o reward, o sin, o works, o merits,

o personal righteousness, o worldly-wisdom, and futility.[4]

•        Apart from Christ, there is no grace.

•       

But then why on earth do we have such a hard time accepting that salvation is by grace?

•        It’s primarily because of

o self-confident self-righteousness;

o And the striving for prideful autonomy.

•        At the heart of it we do NOT want to be needy.

•        From the time sin entered the world we have struggled to admit our need of God’s mercy and grace.

•        At the heart of Eve’s disobedience was falling for Satan’s lie

o that she could be like God

o and we too struggle with the same lie.

•        We hate to admit that we need God’s mercy and grace.

•        Our pride leads us to believe that

o we are better than we actually are;

•        Our pride leads us to believe that

o there are many others who are far more needy of God’s mercy and grace

than we are.

•        But if salvation is by grace, God’s unmerited favour then it cannot be based on one’s good works; for if it were, grace would no longer be grace.[5]

•        A dead person cannot earn salvation!

o Salvation is by Grace!

2.       Salvation is Through Faith

•        Grace is the basis of our salvation; but

Faith is the means.

•        Salvation is by grace, and THROUGH FAITH!

o You are saved through believing; through trusting...

•        Take a look at verse 8, Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith”

•        Turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 4.

•        Romans 4 verse 3, Paul quoting Genesis 15 verse 6 says:

o “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

■ Abraham was not justified by
his works but by his faith.

• He believed and was
declared righteous.

•        Paul continues in Romans 4 verses 4 through 8 saying, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

•        Salvation has ALWAYS BEEN through faith.

o It has never been “by works.”

•        Paul goes on to explain in verses 9 through 12 that circumcision was a sign

of salvation not a work of salvation.

o There were many circumcised Jews who were not saved.

o And there are many “Good” upright people today who are not saved.

•        We see at the end of verse 13 that “the promise of righteousness is ‘through faith’”

•        “For if it” were “by adhering to the Law,” verse 14; then “faith is null and the promise is void.”

•        But as he says in verse 16, “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise

may rest on grace”

o Grace is the basis of salvation; o Faith is the means of salvation

•        Unless you are depending solely on the grace of God for your salvation,

o you are like a tree without roots; and you will ultimately shrivel up and die.

•        Turn back to Ephesians 2 verse 8.

•        It’s so important that you understand this, that Paul states it again,

o but this time in the negative; o take a look at the middle of verse 8

“this is not of your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

•        Even THE FAITH we have IS A GIFT from God.

•       

Every time you sit on a chair, you are

exercising faith.

•        This very moment you are trusting the chair you are sitting on—that those four little legs are going to continue to hold you up...

•        You are not doing anything to hold yourself up.

o The chair is doing it all.

•        Hebrews 11:6 confirms this truth in a passage you know well:

o “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

•        Faith is an act of the will.

o God requires that we take a step of faith to demonstrate our belief.

•        An intellectual assent to the gospel message

is not enough.

•        This is important to remember that when proclaiming the gospel to non-Christians,

o You have not finished proclaiming the gospel

■ until you have invited a response of faith from the hearer.

•        And the person is not saved

o until he or she has believed in the Person and finished work of Christ on the cross.

•        They are not saved

o until they have humbly given up any trust in self

o or their perceived good works, which can never save.

•        They are not saved

o until they are ready to acknowledge that faith in their good works is an insult to Christ;

•        Reliance upon good works is a denial of the sufficiency of the atonement;

o It essentially claims that Christ’s atonement is inadequate to pay the penalty for sin.

Illustration: Hymn

• In the words of the beautiful 18th century Hymn:

o Nothing in my hands I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace: Foul, I to the fountain fly,

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

•        The Lord requires that we come to Him with empty hands in childlike faith:

•        God gives us FAITH as a gift.

o A faith which relinquishes total control.

o A faith which trusts in the Person of Christ and His good works alone.

•        Not only is Salvation by Grace, through Faith, but Salvation is OF GOD.

3.       Salvation is of God (v. 8)

•        SALVATION IS OF GOD—it is “FROM GOD.”

•        Paul says at the end of verse 8, “it is a gift of God.”

•        The gift of salvation has its origin in God.[6]

•        “Salvation belongs to God.”

o Salvation does not have its origin or source in man, but in God.

But God

•        You’ll remember verse 4, But God,

o We were Dead But God

■     being rich in mercy,

■     Motivated by great love with which He loved us,

■     MADE US ALIVE together with Christ.

•        Our salvation is a work of God;

•        And because Salvation is of God, all self­boasting is excluded...

o Therefore, as Paul says in 1

Corinthians 1:31 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”8

8 cf. 2 Cor 10:17.

•        Paul said to the Galatians ..far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...”[7]

•        Ephesians 2 verse 9 - our salvation is

“not a results of works, so no one may

boast.”

o It is the monergistic work of God. o It is the gracious work of God alone.

Transition

•        Our good works are not the root of salvation, but they are the necessary fruit of salvation.

•        This leads us to the second foundational truth of salvation essential for walking in a manner worthy of Christ.

•        1) Firstly, THE ROOT OF SALVATION verses 8 through 9;

•        2) Secondly, THE FRUIT OF SALVATION verse 10.

2) The Fruit of Salvation (v. 10)

2) The second foundational truth of salvation is THE FRUIT OF SALVATION, verse 10.

•        Paul writes, verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

•        In case you missed it, Paul describes the monergestic work of God in our salvation even further.

•        Verse 10: “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”

•        To be His workmanship is likened to being His “work of art;”

o the term refers to the finished work of a craftsman,

o like one who moulds and shapes a beautiful valuable crown.

•        Christian you are God’s “work of art,” His “masterpiece,” for you have been recreated “in Christ Jesus.”

•        We are the work of His hands, crafted specifically for the good works He has prepared for each one of us individually

to walk in.

•        Paul says in Romans 1:20 that “God’s invisible attributes ...His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”

o God’s glory is manifested in what He has created.

•        In Ephesians 2:4-10 Paul explains that God’s glory is manifested in His recreation:

o His gracious work of recreating those who were spiritual dead; o raising them to newness of life, o regenerating them together with Christ,

o recreating them as His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.

Paul is deliberately linking our salvation to Creation.

o In the beginning God spoke the world into existence

•        And then He made man out of the dust of the ground.

o God took mud and fashioned and shaped it into a man, and breathed life into it.

•        Well in a similar way, God takes a spiritually dead corpse and breathes life into it...

o Christian you have been recreated!

•        Everyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come.

•       

But why did God graciously save us?

•        Paul tells us why in the middle of verse

10: “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,” Why? “for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

•        We are not saved by our good works, but our salvation results in good works.

•        Good works are not the ROOT of salvation, but they are the necessary FRUIT of salvation.

•        If the root is healthy, with the right nurturing, the peach tree will bear delicious peaches, so too if our spiritual

roots are healthy, we will bear fruit for

our Creator.

•        The idea that you can be

o saved...

o alive in Christ

o and yet not bear fruit in keeping with salvation is a contradiction in terms.

•        A fruitless professing Christian will hear Jesus say: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”10

•        If there is life, there will be fruit.

o good fruit which God prepared for us to walk in.

•        Before the foundation of the world,

o according to His predetermined will, o from eternity past, o God planned and prepared a way for us to be saved and conformed into the image of Christ.

•        How then do we live a virtuous life?

•        How do we walk in a manner worthy of Christ?

o By walking in the good works that God has prepared beforehand for us to

walk in...

•        God didn’t only choose us before the foundation of the world,

•        but He also prepared good works for us

to walk in, for the display of His glory.

• Notice the contrast!11

•        Paul says in verses 1 through 3, before God saved you

o “you walked” in trespasses and sins o “you walked” following the course of the world.

o “you walked” following the prince of the power of the air. o “you walked” following the passions of your flesh, body and mind.

•        BUT NOW, because of God’s monergistic work of salvation, verse 10, He has prepared good works that we should what?

o “walk in them”

•        Yes! We are to walk... we do not sit back and relax waiting for God to work, we get

walking.

•        Titus 2 verse 13 and 14 says that “Jesus Christ.. .gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession

who are zealous for good works.”

o Being zealous for good works has the

idea of

■     Being “eager,”

■     “enthusiastic”

■     striving

■     It refers to being “ardently active,”

■     “devoted” and “diligent.”

•        It is an active committed walking. not

sitting on our laurels.

•        God didn’t just save us for ANY WORKS, He saved us for GOOD WORKS.

o Works which are

■     morally and beneficially good for us

■     and those around us,

■     and most importantly for God

Himself.

Transition

•        Maybe you are sitting here thinking: “What good works has God prepared for

me to do?”

Application

• Well turn to Ephesians Chapter 4, because in these last three chapters— chapters 4 through 6 Paul provides several good works which we are to walk in.

•        Ephesians 4 verse 1 Paul says, “Walk in a manner worthy of your calling to which you have been called.”

•        And then he goes on to describe the good works.

o In verses 2 and 3 he says we are to

walk

■     “with all humility and gentleness,

■     with patience, bearing with one another in love,

■     eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Application

•        How is your walk going?

•        Is it characterised by humility and gentleness?

•        When others look at you do they see you displaying patience and love toward others,

•        Are you eagerly maintaining unity amongst your fellow believers?

•        Look at verse 17 “.. .you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds”

•        but end of verse 24 walk “in true righteousness and holiness”

•        In Ephesians 5, verse 2 we are told to “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us...”

o In love, are you laying down your

life for one another? Are you loving one another sacrificially?

•        End of verse 8 “Walk as children of light”

o Are you walking in holiness?

o Or are you living a secret life of sin, that you are trying so hard to keep in the dark?

•        Verse 15 “Walk, not as [the] unwise but as [the] wise.”

o Are you walking in wisdom—in accordance with God’s revealed Truth?

•        Verse 22 “Wives” are you submitting to your husbands?

•        Verse 25 “Husbands” are you loving your wives?

•        Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 1 “Children” are you obeying your parents?

•        Verse 3 “Father” are you provoking your children?

•        Verse 18 Christian how is your prayer life?

o Are you praying at all times? o Do you faithfully attend the

Corporate Prayer meetings?

•        Verse 19 Are you “opening your mouth boldly to proclaim the gospel”?

o When last have you presented the good news of salvation to a non- Christian?

•        You will have noticed by now that

o the foundation for the good works

that God has prepared for us to walk in,

■ are the fruit of a transformed life.

• If we are to bear much fruit for Christ, we must be willing to humbly submit to Him and His Word,

o allowing Him to transform our minds and character,

o so that we can be useful to Him— bearing much fruit for His glory.

• An important point to note in Ephesians 2 verse 10, is that Paul doesn’t say “do them,” but “walk in them.” o Grace is the foundation- o God prepared good works for us who are in Christ that

HE WILL PERFORM in us and through us as we walk in them by faith.

•        We walk in His power for His glory, according to His predetermined plan...

•        It is not doing a work for God, but rather God doing a work in and through us.

•        Paul says in Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

•        Therefore, much like our salvation, not even the “good works” can be a cause for boasting.

o Thus to Him alone belong praise, honour and glory, o for His glorious grace

■     in saving us

■     and preparing good works which He enables us to walk in!

• What a privilege!

•       

I trust you do not have any doubt as to the good works that God has prepared for you...

o starting with your character, He wants to work in you and through

you.

•        If you are unsure how you can be used by Christ to serve Him and His church, a good place to start is to get involved in:

o Faithfully attending the Corporate Worship Service

o Attend a mid-week Bible study o Join the outreach ministry, o Serve in the Children’s Ministry: Sunday-school and Creche o Join the weekly prayer meeting.

•        These are means that God uses to transform our lives, so that we are able to

o put off the sin that so easily besets us

o and put on the good works He has

prepared for us.

•        Listen and see the many needs around you; die to self and serve one another.

•        Get alongside someone who is walking through difficult trials.

•        Support a Missionary

•        Join a Church Plant, I know of a good one in the Fourways-Sandton area.

•        Our salvation is based upon the self- sacrificial gift of God;

•        and our salvation results in self-sacrificial service of God and one another.

•        Yes, walking in these good works are going to cost you

o Your time o Your money o Your energy o Your pride o Your preferences

•        You will be required to die to self and consider the needs of others as more important than your own.

o You will be required to no longer live for yourself but for Him who saved you.

•        Good works are the fruit of salvation, not

the root.

o They are evidence of regeneration.

•       

If you are sitting here this morning and you don’t see any “good works” in your life,

o if you have made a profession of faith at some stage,

o but you are still pursuing the life you lived before making such a profession, then you are most likely NOT SAVED.

•        The necessary fruit of salvation is a life which is being transformed.

o There should be evidence of a life characterised by growing obedience to God’s Word,

o and a growing desire to serve Christ and His Church.

•        If this is not the case, then I urge you:

o Cry out to the Lord,

o Plead with Him to save you.

o Forsake your selfish, wicked ways o And turn to the Lord in repentance and faith.

■ Turn to Him that He might have compassion upon you and abundantly pardon you. o Receive His gift of salvation by faith.

•       

Christians are nothing more than beggars and receivers.

•        What do we have that we did not receive?

o “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”

•        We received grace not so that we can continue in sin.12

o No!

o We received grace so that we can be set free from sins dominion—

■ we are no longer slaves of sin but slaves of righteousness.13

o “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”14

Conclusion

•        This is the foundation of salvation, with Christ Himself being the Cornerstone, in Whom we are fitted.

•        It is only when we live our lives in light of this rock-solid foundation that we can live in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

12      Cf. Rom 6:1. 15.

13      Cf. Rom 6:14; 1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 12:9; Rom 12:3; Eph 3:7-8; Rp, 12:6; 2 Cor 9:8; 2 Tim 1:9.

14      Cf. John 8:36.

o All pride, o self-sufficiency, o self-righteousness o and autonomy is to be crushed;

• Instead we are to be o Humble, o Strong in the Lord o Clothed with His righteousness o Under His Lordship

Transition

• Two foundational truths of salvation essential for walking in a manner worthy of Christ:

o 1) The Root of Salvation, verse 8 through 9

■     Salvation is BY GRACE;

■     THROUGH FAITH;

■     OF GOD

o And Secondly, 2) The Fruit of Salvation, verse 10

■ Salvation is FOR GOOD WORKS.

Transition

•        Next Saturday, on the 31st of October; not only will we have Church Plant Core Group Development Meeting, but we will celebrate REFORMATION DAY.

•        In 1517 Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the castle door of Wittenberg, Germany as

a “protest” against the Roman Catholic Pope, and the selling of indulgences.

•        This is what the Lord used to spark the reformation, and the recovery of the gospel:

o Salvation is not earned o Salvation is not deserved

o Salvation cannot be bought with an indulgence

•        Salvation is:

o by God’s grace alone! o through faith alone! o NOT BY WORKS.

•        It is in Christ alone!

o According to the Scriptures alone- o And for God’s glory alone!

•        Let us pray.

• Now may the God of all grace, strengthen and equip you with His grace that you may walk in the good works He has

prepared beforehand for you to walk in.

[2] D. L. Moody

[3] John MacArthur.

[3] Sourced from https://cann.org/indulgences An indulgence, according to the Roman Catholic Church, is a means of remission of the temporal punishment for sins which have already been forgiven but are due to the Christian in this life and/or in purgatory. This punishment is most often in purgatory but can also be suffered in this life. An indulgence removes time needed to be spent in purgatory. There are two kinds of indulgences: partial and plenary. A partial indulgence removes part of the punishment of sins. A plenary indulgence removes all of the punishment of sins. Granting an indulgence of a certain number of days or years means that is how many days or years is removed from the time of punishment a person must undergo in purgatory.

[4] Rom 3:21-26; 8:32; Gal 2:20-21; Phil 2:8-13.

[5] Rom 11:5-6.

[6] “Of God,” there at the end of verse 8, is a genitive of origin, indicating where this gift has come from.

[7] Cf. Gal 6:14