Salvation is not a result of the will of man and it is not to the praise and glory of man. Every aspect of salvation is born out of the purpose and the will and the plan of God that when it is accomplished it may be solely and only to the praise and the glory of God. Welcome to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson. The nature of authentic faith, that's not a minor topic.
With so many watered-down messages on salvation, which are popular in many churches, it's crucial that you understand the truth about saving faith and learn to communicate that truth accurately.
So, today you'll hear John MacArthur teach what Scripture reveals about the nature of the gospel, and in particular, what it says about the sovereignty of God in salvation. This message is part of our brand new study called John MacArthur's Most Memorable Sermon. We asked our staff members to name their favorite sermon of John's, and this new series pulls together 10 of those messages.
So follow along now for the lesson called The Sovereignty of God in Salvation, chosen by one of our team members as John MacArthur's Most Memorable Sermon. Above all other things, we are grateful to God that He has saved us. Nothing else would matter. if that were not true. And we affirm together that our salvation is fully the work of God.
That he is worthy of all praise. For he has provided for us Salvation. It is a gift. It has been given to us. It is all God's work.
and all the glory belongs to him. What a wonderful realization that is. One scripture stands out in my mind in thinking about this. Ephesians chapter 1, and I invite you to turn there in your Bible, if you will. Ephesians chapter 1.
And I want to read in your hearing verses 3 through 14. This great paeon of praise from the heart of the Apostle Paul is not a cool documentation of some theological argument, it is the passion and overflow of his own. Thankful heart. It appears In the original, as if there's no break at all. And while some of the translators have chosen to put commas and periods, it doesn't seem in the original that there's any stopping point from verse 3 through 14.
He just continues to allow his heart, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, to gush out praise for the God who has saved him. And as I read it in your hearing, would you listen for those things which assign our salvation wholly to God? Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Just 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 to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on 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, he made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his kind intention, which he purposed in him.
With a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose, who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory. What dominates this wonderful section of scripture. Is the idea that God has brought about salvation by His own will and His own purpose and His own design and to the praise of His own glory.
In verses 5, 9, and 11. Salvation is ascribed to His will. In verses 6 and 7, it is ascribed to his grace. Again in verse 7 to His blood, in verse 4 to His love, in verse 9 to His good intention, in verse 11 to His purpose, and in verses 12 and 14 to the praise of His glory. Every aspect of salvation is the work of God, but you will notice here that that work is mediated through Christ.
In verse 4, it says it is in him, meaning Christ. In verse 5, it says it is through Jesus Christ. In verse 6, it says it is in the beloved one, meaning Christ. In verse 7, in him, meaning Christ. In verse 9, purposed in him, meaning Christ.
In verses 10 and 11, in him, referring to Christ. In verse 12, in Christ. In verse 13, twice, in him, again referring to Christ. Our salvation is solely and only and wholly the work of God, but through Christ it is wrought, and also with the Holy Spirit. Verse 13 notes, That we have been sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance.
The guarantee of the full and future redemption of God's own possession. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are given all the credit. for salvation. And thus theirs is all the praise. Let me remind you that every element in salvation is the work of God.
And let me remind you by using the words of the Holy Spirit-inspired writer Paul. First of all, would you notice verse 3? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Paul is there saying the one deserving all the credit is God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he has blessed us.
with every spiritual blessing. This is praise to God, praise ascribed to God the Father. For what he has done. And what has he done? Number one.
He chose us. Look at verse 4. Just as he chose us. In Him, meaning Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. He chose us.
To be made holy in Christ. He chose us to become blameless in Christ. He chose us before the foundation of the world.
Now, the verb he chose us means to pick for oneself. It's a reflexive verb, and it turns back on the one who chooses. God chose for his own sake, he chose for himself, very personal. And he chose us. All of us who are saved, he chose, it says very explicitly, note it, before the foundation of the world, before the world ever began, before the world was ever created, which means before any of us were ever born.
He had already chosen us. Scripture repeats this tremendous truth of the choice of God as to who would be redeemed before the world was ever made. It repeats it in many places. Matthew 25, 34. Come, you who are blessed of my Father, said Jesus.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. The Lord designed his kingdom from before the foundation of the world, and he designed who would be in it. From before the foundation of the world. And you and I are saved, and we know the Lord Jesus Christ because God chose us before the world ever began. What an incredible reality.
In Luke 12, 32, We find again That the Lord says, Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. And again, the choice is always with God. Men don't choose God, God chooses men. His is the choice. In John.
There are several wonderful statements to this effect, one familiar to us. Jesus says, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. compels him pulls him, drags him. And in John 15, 16, that wonderful statement of Jesus to the disciples in which he says, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. We didn't choose him.
He chose us. We didn't decide for Christ. In the truest sense, he decided for us. In Acts Chapter 9, you remember the Apostle Paul was confronted by the Lord on the Damascus road, and the Lord said, In verse 15, go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine. The conversion of the Apostle Paul was abrupt, startling, shocking.
The man was on his way to persecute Christians. He was supernaturally, divinely converted on the spot, transformed, and called to be an apostle because God had chosen him to that before the world began. In the 13th chapter of Acts, a most fascinating statement is found in verse 48. Paul and Barnabas. Ready to preach?
And when the Gentiles heard this, That is regarding the gospel and the gospel of salvation. They began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.
Now note this, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. The only people who believe are those who've been appointed to eternal life. God only grants the gift of faith to those who are predestined to salvation. He chose us. And to those he has chosen, he gives...
The power To believe. In Second Thessalonians, A wonderful statement. Chapter 2, verse 13. But we should always give thanks to God for you. Why should we always thank God?
Brethren, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. That's why we thank Him. We don't thank you for your salvation. We don't thank you for being bright enough, clever enough, spiritual enough, insightful enough. We thank God for you because God has chosen you from the beginning.
for salvation. Through sanctification by the Spirit, coupled with belief in the truth. There has to be faith on your part, but that faith is the result of God's choosing. As he prompts it by his Spirit. 2 Timothy 1.9.
It says, who has saved us, speaking of God, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works. But according to his own purpose and grace, which was follow this, granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. Tremendous statement. He saved us. He called us.
Not according to our works, but according to His purpose, His grace, granted us in Christ. From all eternity. That's mind-boggling to me. I'm a Christian today because before the foundation of the world from all eternity past, God chose to set his love on John MacArthur and to give him the faith to believe at the moment that God wanted him to believe. He chose us.
Our names, it says in Revelation seventeen, eight. Were written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world. Before the foundation of the world. We are, says Peter. Chosen.
Chosen. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. We are chosen. Unto salvation.
We are chosen. to belong to him. When you look at your salvation, then thank God. Thank God because you're a Christian because he chose you. I don't understand the mystery of that.
That's just what the Word of God teaches. That is the most humbling doctrine in all of Scripture. I take no credit. Not even credit for my faith. It all came from him.
He chose me. He selected people. to be made holy In order to be with him forever. Why he selected me, I will never know. I'm no better than anyone else.
I'm worse than many. But he chose me.
Someone wrote, I sought the Lord. and afterwards knew He moved my soul to seek him seeking me. It was not that I found, O Savior true. No, I was found by Thee. He chose us.
It gets all the credit. Secondly, He predestined us. Verse 5. It says it. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the kind intention of His will.
His will, His intention, His purpose determined our destiny. That's what predestined means. It means to previously determine Someone's destiny, he did that. He chose us. And the purpose of his choosing was to set out our destiny.
And what was our destiny? to be adapted. as sons. Incredible. He chose us for the purpose of predetermining our destiny to be children of God.
The purpose of his choosing was to make us his children. To as many as receive him. John 1.12, he gives the power to become what? The children of God are the sons of God. And we are his children, Romans 8 says, and we cry, Abba, Father, Daddy, it says the same thing in Galatians 3:26.
We are his own beloved children. We belong to him. In Galatians 4, 6, it says, And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Therefore, you're no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir through God.
What a tremendous reality. We are his children. We are not just his children. We are his beloved children. We are his adored children.
And John says, and it's little wonder that he says it in 1 John 3, 1, how great love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. But we are We are. And so he chose us. And he chose us for the purpose of predetermining our destiny to become his children. And he did it.
According to the kind intention of his will. He did it, to put it simply, because he wanted to. It gave him pleasure. And he says in Isaiah 46:10, I do all my good pleasure. I fulfill all my purposes.
It's an incredible thought. God in eternity past chose you. For a destiny. and that destiny was to become his child.
Now, to make that possible, we come to a third reality here. He graced us. He graced us. The plan, the choice, the predestination was activated in reality through His grace. Verse six.
To the praise of the glory of his grace. Which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved One who is Christ. What is grace? Undeserved favor? Unearned blessing.
Unmerited goodness, and kindness Grace. is giving us something we do not deserve at all. And that's the way we're saved. We're saved by grace. In Ephesians 2, it says, For by grace are you saved through faith, and that is not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should what? boast we would take the credit if we had any credit to take. But it's all of him. The grace is of him. The faith is of him, not according to our works.
In Acts 15:11, do you remember? That wonderful and simple, straightforward statement. But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. What a testimony. We believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
And in the 18th chapter of Acts, same book, verse 27. It says He wanted to go across to Achaia. The brethren encouraged him, wrote to the disciples to welcome him, speaking of Paul. When he had arrived, he helped greatly those who had believed through grace. It's the only way anybody believes is God graciously gives you the ability to believe.
You don't deserve it. He gives it anyway. You can't merit it. He gives it anyway. You can't earn it.
He gives it anyway. Romans 3. 24 says, We are justified as a gift by his grace. A gift by his grace. He graced us.
In fact, the phrase there in verse 6 literally means: by grace we have been graced. That's the idea. He graced us. In Christ, the beloved one. Grace, then, was the means by which he brought to pass his choice and his predetermined destiny.
and made us his children. Fourthly, Notice what he did. He redeemed us. Verse 7. In him we have redemption through his blood.
He redeemed us. What does it mean to redeem, to buy back? What did he do to buy us?
Well, we were slaves to sin. We were slaves to death and hell and Satan and demons. We were slaved to the fallen flesh. We were slaved to the world. And there we were in the slave market.
And he came to the slave market and he bought us. Worthless, wretched, vile, rotten, darkened, hopeless. With minds that could never know God and hearts that could never seek righteousness. And all our desire was lust and evil. And we were unworthy.
And he came and bought us. Why? Because he chose us, because he predestined us, because he was wanting to grace us with grace. You say, why did he want to do that? I don't know.
He just did. That was his will, that was his purpose, that was his good pleasure. How did he redeem us? Through his blood? You paid the price.
The wages of sin is death. The price of redemption is death. The price of redemption is shed blood. And he paid that price. It was not easy to pay that price.
He had to take on human form, come into the world, die on a cross, pour out his blood as a sacrifice for sin, but he paid the price to buy us back. That's why the blood of Christ is precious. That's why Peter says You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your feudal way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Sure, it's precious. It's also praiseworthy.
That's why in Revelation 5 It says, and they sang a new song, Worthy art thou to take the book and break its seals, for thou wast slain and did purchase for God with thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. No wonder the hosts of heaven are praising him. His blood is precious. His blood is praiseworthy. It was the price of our redemption.
It was the shedding of blood and sacrificial death that allowed Christ to buy us out of sin's slave market. And bring us into his holy presence. And no longer are we the slaves of sin, we are the slaves of God. And that redemptive work made it possible for him to do something else. Once he had bought us out of the slave market, Fifthly, Paul says, he forgave us.
Oh, blessing. Verse 7. He provided the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us. He forgave us. He bought us out of the slave market, not to say, well, I'm going to hold all that against you, I've done you a big favor.
But don't think you're going to get away with anything in the future. No, no, no. He bought us out of the slave market and forgave us. Jesus, at the time when he was instituting his table in Matthew 26, 28, said, This is my blood of the New Testament, when he held up the cup, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. He forgave us.
Forgiveness, a fear me to send away, never to return. He removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. He buried them in the depths of the sea. He remembers them no more. No wonder Micah says, Who is a pardoning God like you?
Paul says, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 2:13 says, We are forgiven. 1 John 2:12, my little children, he has forgiven all your sins for his namesake. How could he do that? Through his grace.
Through the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us. It took a lot of grace, a lot of grace, because we had a lot of sin. In fact, according to the parable of Matthew 18, we have an unpayable debt, almost an uncountable debt, an indescribable debt. To whom do you owe your salvation? You owe it to the God who chose you.
You owe it to the God who predestined you. You owe it to the God who redeemed you. The God who forgave you. The God who wanted you to be his own because he wanted you to be his own and doesn't give any other reason. Even though we're so unworthy.
So unworthy. You're listening to Grace to You, featuring the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. Today's message on the sovereignty of God and salvation was chosen by a Grace to You staff member as John MacArthur's most memorable sermon, and that's the title of our current radio series, John MacArthur's Most Memorable Sermon.
Well, friend, when the subject is salvation, It's important to know the gospel that Christ himself taught, and John's book, The Gospel According to Jesus, will help with that. It's an all-time classic that spells out aspects of salvation that are often misunderstood or misconstrued, and it helps equip you to share that truth with others. Order your copy of The Gospel According to Jesus when you contact us today. The Gospel According to Jesus costs $15 in hardcover and shipping is free. Our number here, 855 Grace.
And you can also order from our website, gty.org. Keep in mind the Gospel according to Jesus is also available in Spanish. To order this classic volume by John, call 855 Grace or go to gty.org. and to dig deeper into what the Bible says about the nature of saving faith, or what it says about issues like trusting God through trials, or having victory over sin, or resolving conflict, or so many other things. You can pick up our flagship resource, the MacArthur Study Bible.
This one-stop resource features 25,000 footnotes written by John, all of them designed to help you understand God's Word and to apply it to your life. To order the MacArthur Study Bible, call 855 Grace. or shop online at gty.org. And now for the entire Grace DU staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Keep in mind, Grace TU Television airs this Sunday on DirecTV Channel 378, and be here tomorrow as we continue our brand new study called John MacArthur's Most Memorable Sermon.
With another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth, one verse at a time on grace to you.
