Blessed by the Best

Ephesians 1:7-12

  

Theme: one grand blessing believers have is the fact that we belong to God our Father as a result of His infinite grace towards us in Christ Jesus. We should “bless” or praise Him for the spiritual blessings of redemption, forgiveness, purpose and an inheritance in Christ.

Introduction:

We are blessed by the best! No one compares to our heavenly Father when we consider these gracious acts towards fallen humanity. Indeed, all spiritual blessings belong to us who claim Christ as Savior (Eph. 1:3). Some blessings such as being chosen, adoption, predestination, and acceptance are direct graceful actions of the Father towards repentant sinners (Eph. 1:3-6). He also affords blessings to us through the Holy Spirit like sealing us to guarantee our full salvation (Eph. 1:12-14). Beloved, we are the recipients of the finest treatment a sinner could never deserved! We are blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3). We are blessed by the Most High God; we are lavished most extravagantly by our merciful heavenly Father. We enjoy the best blessings possible from the most extravagant Source possible! These precious truths are worth rehearsing on a rainy day…during a hard season…amid the battles…while agonizing over defeat…when faced with rejection and on the mountain tops. They can restore needed balance to our perspectives.

Now Paul focuses attention on the blessings every believer enjoys through Jesus Christ. Note the great goodness of the Father through God the Son (Eph. 1:7-12). We should not think that each Person of the Godhead works independently, because each member works together to make possible our salvation.

Study:

I.       What are some spiritual blessings we have through Christ?  (v. 7-12)

Each Person of the Godhead has a distinct office and role to fulfil, a particular ‘spiritual installment’ to make in our lives. In this section we will concentrate on the specific blessings we enjoy through our Lord Jesus. As we trace the awe-inspiring arc of God’s grand salvation strategy for His people, we now focus on the reality of redemption.

A.  Christ Has Redeemed us (v. 7 a).

To redeem means "to purchase and set free by paying a price." A man could purchase a slave and set him free, and this is what Jesus did for us. The price was His own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Redemption refers to release or deliverance from a state of slavery. The term relates to paying the required ransom to God for the release of a person from bondage (Rom. 3:24; 8:23; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:7, 14; 4:30; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15). Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary paid that price for everyone enslaved by sin, buying them out of the slave market of iniquity (2 Cor. 5:18, 19). This redemption is from sin (Heb. 9:15), and thus this work of Christ delivers believers from slavery to sin. We are freed from the bondage and guilt of sin and introduced into a life of liberty. The Lord Jesus is the Redeemer.

This means that we are free from the Law (Gal 5:1), free from slavery to sin (Rom 6), as well as free from the power of Satan and the world (Gal 1:4; Col 1:13-14). If we were slaves, we would have zero options or prerogatives, but because we are sons, all the will of the Father is ours to explore!

B.  Christ Has Revealed God’s Will to Us (v. 8-10).  

This letter has much to say about God’s plan for His people, a plan that was not fully understood among the early churches in the first century. The word “mystery” (1:9) has nothing to do with eerie novels, or something that cannot be understood. It means a "sacred secret, once hidden but now revealed to God's people." God took the initiative to inform His people of His grand redemptive plan.

Paul explains particularly how God has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence by making known unto us the mystery of His will. This is the overriding thesis of the letter—the magnificent truth concerning Christ and the church. This glorious plan originated in the heart of a sovereign God, quite apart from any outside influences: it was according to His good pleasure. And the grand subject of the plan is the Lord Jesus Christ—which He hath purposed in Himself.

Dr. McGee highlighted these mysteries saying,

The Scofield Reference Bible (p. 1014) lists eleven mysteries in the New Testament: the greater mysteries are: (1) the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 13:3–50); (2) the mystery of Israel’s blindness during this age (Rom. 11:25, with context); (3) the mystery of the translation of living saints at the end of this age (1 Cor. 15:51–52; 1 The. 4:13–17); (4) the mystery of the N. T. Church as one body composed of Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 3:1–12; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3); (5) the mystery of the Church as the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32); (6) the mystery of the in-living Christ (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:26–27); (7) the “mystery of God even Christ,” i.e., Christ as the incarnate fullness of the Godhead embodied, in whom all the divine wisdom for man subsists (1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 2:2,9); (8) the mystery of the processes by which godlikeness is restored to man (1 Tim. 3:16); (9) the mystery of iniquity (2 The. 2:7; cp. Mt. 13:33); (10) the mystery of the seven stars (Rev. 1:20); and (11) the mystery of Babylon (Rev. 17:5,7).–McGee, J. V. Thru the Bible Commentary

God in His infinite grace brought into this awareness…he took initiative to inform and afford insight into his plans. We are able to share in the secret that God will one day unite everything in Christ.

Another interesting term Paul uses in this passage is dispensation. A dispensation (Eph. 1:10; Heb 1:2)) is an arrangement of things; a scheme—a plan of management or an administration—or a system of principles for a stewardship. It generally refers to the administration of God blessings. Dispensationalism deals with the administration of God’s eternal plan through the various ages of the earth and human experience. It may fit into a certain period of time, but it actually refers to the way God administrates His plan from eternity to eternity.  A dispensation is the way God manages His affairs among fallen men—the conditions of life He establishes. It is evident that God had Adam, Abraham, and Moses on a different arrangement than He has for you and me.

There are seven dispensations recognized by many premillennialists.

i. Innocence. Man was created innocent, set in an ideal environment, placed under a simple test and warned of the result of disobedience. (1 Tim 2:14; Gen 3:24).

ii. Conscience. By an act of disobedience man came to an experiential knowledge of good and evil. The result of this testing was complete degeneration ending in the judgment of the Flood (Gen 6-9).

iii. Human Government. The declaration of the covenant with Noah after the Flood (Gen 8:20-9:27) put man under a new test, featured by the inauguration of human government, the highest function of which was the judicial taking of life. Man is responsible to govern the world for God. The world is still Gentile-governed, and hence this dispensation overlaps other dispensations and will not strictly come to an end until the second coming of Christ.

iv. Promise. This era went from the call of Abraham (Gen 12:1) to the giving of the Mosaic Law (Ex 19:8). The dispensation was under the Abrahamic covenant and was exclusively Israelite.

v. Law. This era reaches from Sinai to Calvary. The period was a time of teaching used to bring Israel to Christ and was governed by the Mosaic covenant (Ex 20-31).

vi. Grace. This period began with the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom 3:24-26; 4:24-25). The predicted end of the testing of man under grace is the apostasy of the professing church (2 Tim 3:1-8) and the subsequent apocalyptic judgments.

vii. The Kingdom. This is the last of the ordered ages regulating human life on the earth, previous to the eternal state. It involves the establishment of the kingdom covenanted to David (2 Sam 7:8-17; Zech 12:8; Luke 1:31-33). This will include Israel’s restoration and conversion (Rom 11:25-27) and her rehabilitation as a high-priestly nation in fellowship with God and as head over the millennial nations (Zech 3; 6:9-15). –The New Unger's Bible Dictionary

Now God has never had but one method of saving folk; everything rests upon one method of salvation (Rom 3:21-31; Heb. 9:11-28). The approach and the man under the system have been different, however. For example, Abel offered a lamb to God, and so did Abraham. The Old Testament priests offered lambs to God. God had said that was the right way. But I hope you didn’t bring a lamb to church this Sunday! That is not the way God tells us to approach Him today. We are under a different economy.

David Cloud observed,

[I]t is plain that God has dispensations in the sense of dealing with man in different ways in different eras. Man is no longer tending the Garden of Eden, or building arks, or setting up tabernacles, or offering animal sacrifices, or rearing magnificent temples. Creation is over; the Flood is over; the Law is over; Pentecost is over. It is apparent that we have moved from the Mosaic dispensation to the Church dispensation. These are all examples of dispensational divisions in God’s program. Those who interpret Bible prophecy literally and see Israel’s kingdom as something yet future are dispensationalists…. –Way of Life Encyclopedia

“Dispensation of the fullness of times.” What is the “fullness of times”? This is the seventh and last of the ordered ages which condition human life on earth.  It is the final stewardship committed to men, which will bring the purposes of God to fruition in human history.

God is sovereignty executing His grand plan for the ages in multiple stages bringing it to its ultimate climax, Christ ruling supreme over all.  He is skillfully moving everything forward to the time when Christ will rule over all things in heaven and earth—the Kingdom Age (2Sam. 7:8-17; Luke 1:31-33). This is the fullness when everything is brought under the rule of Jesus Christ. Through Christ, God will restore original universal unity, when all things are brought back into harmony with himself and under the leadership of Christ (1Cor. 15:24-25). All other times and ages or dispensations will be brought to their completion (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14; Rom. 8:19-21; Rev. 20:4-6).

We know this about Christ, that God “… hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Heb. 2:8). This states very clearly that we have not yet come to that time. We are under a different dispensation today; we live under a different economy. But God has revealed to us what is to come to pass, something that had not been revealed in the past.

Ever since sin came into the world, things have been falling apart. First, man was separated from God (Gen 3). Then man was separated from man, as Cain killed Abel (Gen 4). People tried to maintain a kind of unity by building the Tower of Babel (Gen 11), but God judged them and scattered them across the world. God called Abraham and put a difference between the Jew and the Gentile, a difference that was maintained until Christ’s death on the cross. Sin is tearing everything apart, but in Christ, God will gather everything together in the culmination of the ages–the Millennial Kingdom. We are a part of this great eternal program and God has disclosed it to us so that we will work to build unity in His local assemblies today.

C.  Christ Has Given Us an Inheritance (vv. 11-12). Notice it reads, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance.” 

In Christ we have a wonderful inheritance (Eph. 1:14; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:5, 12; 3:24; Heb. 9:15; 1 Peter 1:1-5). It includes God himself, the consummation of our redemption hope, receiving eternal rewards, and the heavenly estate and endowment that all saints will enjoy because we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17; 1Cor. 3:21-23).

Also, in Christ we are an inheritance (Eph 1:18). We are valuable to Him. Think of the price God paid to purchase us and make us part of His inheritance! God the Son is the Father’s love gift to us; and we are the Father’s love gift to His Son. Read John 17 and note how many times Christ calls us ‘those whom Thou hast given Me’ (Jn. 17:6, 9, 11, 24).

The churches are Christ’s body (Eph 1:22-23), building (Eph 2:19-22), and bride (Eph 5:22-23); Christ’s future inheritance is wrapped up in His churches. We are “joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17), which means that He cannot claim His inheritance apart from us! Like Ephesians, the Book of 1 Peter begins with a wonderful tribute to the spiritual blessings we have through Christ. Read 1 Peter 1:3–9 for another expression of praise for all that we have been given in Jesus.

II.    God forgives our sins through the blood of Christ. What difference does this make in our daily life?  (v. 7)

To be forgiven by anyone is a wonderful gift, but to be forgiven by a holy God is a blessing of extraordinary value and benefit. Our guilt before God is gone, the responsibility for our sins was taken in Christ’s death, and we enjoy peace, assurance, and release. Life with God is marked by confidence and a solid sense that we are accepted by the Lord. We are not merely tolerated by God; we are wanted and welcomed by Him. The blood of Jesus Christ made this possible. It is good to pause and thank God for the redemptive sacrifice of our Lord Jesus! Now, let us take a closer look. 

A.     God has forgiven us (v. 7). “The forgiveness of sins.”

Forgiveness is not the same as redemption; it is one of its fruits. Forgiveness is God releasing the sinner from the condemnation of the Law strictly on account of the Cross of Christ. God removes the guilt of sin and the sinner’s actual liability to an eternity in Hell through Christ. Christ had to make full satisfaction for our sins before they could be forgiven (Matt. 26:28; Luke 24:47). This was done at the cross (Rom 3:21-28; Col. 2:13-14; Heb 10:16-18; 1John 2:12).

Forgiveness depends on the shedding of blood: it demands and depends on the payment of the penalty for sin. Christ’s death and the shedding of His blood is the foundation for forgiveness and, without that, there could be no forgiveness. All of our sins are forgiven freely the very moment we place our faith in the complete work of Christ (Isa. 53:4-6, 8, 11-12; Acts 5:31; 13:38-39; 1John 1:6-9).

Forgiveness is not the act of an indulgent deity who is moved by sentiment to the exclusion of justice, righteousness, and holiness observed Dr. McGee. He also stated,

I think here we need to learn the distinction between human forgiveness and divine forgiveness—they are not the same. Human forgiveness is always based on the fact that a penalty is deserved and that the penalty is not imposed. It simply means that one wipes out the account. God is holy and righteous. Therefore divine forgiveness is always based on the fact that there has been the execution of the penalty and the price has been paid. Human forgiveness comes before the penalty is executed. Divine forgiveness depends upon the penalty being executed. –McGee, J. V. Thru the Bible Commentary

B.      God’s Forgiveness is Infinite! (v. 7)

The word forgive means “a dismissal or release,” or even "to carry away." This reminds us of the ritual on the Jewish Day of Atonement when the high priest sent the scapegoat into the wilderness (Lev 16). First the priest killed one of the two goats and sprinkled its blood before God on the mercy seat. Then he confessed Israel’s sins over the live goat, and had the goat taken into the wilderness to be lost. Christ died to carry away our sins so they might never again be seen (Ps 103:12; John 1:29; Heb. 9:11-28; 10:19-25; Jn. 1:7, 9). No written accusation stands against us because our sins have been taken away! Sin made us poor, but grace makes us rich.

It was Dr. MacDonald who said,

The measure of our forgiveness is given in the words, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7). If we can measure the riches of God’s grace, then we can measure how fully He has forgiven us. His grace is infinite! So is His forgiveness! –MacDonald, W. Believer's Bible Commentary

Dear Friend, salvation is through Christ Jesus alone. It does not matter how hard we work, sincere we are, how much we serve, how long we have been a part of some church or religious organization, or how hard we try; we cannot secure our own salvation. God can save anyone who truly turns to Him regardless of how sinful, wicked, rebellious, and offensive our lives have been to Him. We must repent (have a change of mind and heart leading to a change of direction) and come to God through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the full and complete payment for our awful sins. Sin is vile rebellion against a righteous and perfectly holy God. Some sins are acts committed while other sins are acts omitted. It includes our thoughts, desires, and deeds! Yes, every human being, without any exceptions, stands utterly guilty before God until we receive His forgiveness. After all, nobody is perfect…right?

Turn from your sin and its devastating eternal consequences unto Jesus Christ to save you. Ask Him in faith to save you immediately. Turn from your past of unbelief and rejection of God’s salvation and use your faith to embrace Jesus Christ fully as your Lord and Savior. In faith cry out to God and ask Him to forgive you for your sin; ask Him to give you eternal life because you accept Jesus Christ. God will save anyone who comes to Him on His terms. This is His solemn promise to you. Turn to God through faith in Christ; do it today!

Count Your Blessings

Ephesians 1:4-6

Theme: a tremendous blessing God communicates to believers is the wonderful truth that we belong to Him; our heavenly Father brought us into an eternal relationship with Himself by His infinite grace towards us in Christ Jesus. We should reflect deeply upon these blessings and then “bless” or praise Him for the unmatched benefits of election, adoption, and acceptance in Christ.

Introduction:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

·        Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]

--Johnson Oatman, Jr., pub.1897

So familiar…so precious…and so true is this old hymn! Taking the time to reflect upon the blessings of God can literally fuel our praise, but it also improves the condition of our thoughts, brings balance to our perspective, and corrects our outlook on life. By counting our blessings we can become Christians whose praise is richly informed and deeply motivated in the right ways.

We all are naturally inclined to ponder the painful, fret over the threatening, and dwell on what went wrong. It’s a part of our innate desire to protect and preserve life. Honestly, we face a great deal of this kind of input every week and life can degrade into an existence marked by anxiety and discouragement if we only focus on these matters. God knows this also and he helps us by prescribing a Bible discipline called “counting your blessings.” If done correctly this will lead to praising God with an informed mind and heart for His involvement, nearness, and benefits towards us. This should lead to a round of appreciating Him for who He is and His great gracious heart towards us. Certainly, all of this is automatically beneficial to the believer mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Taking the opportunity to reflect on such information and messages from God is the key. In Ephesians 1:4-6, we discover blessings from God our heavenly Father; this is how He has been extremely gracious to us. There are three specific blessings in this text afforded to every genuine believer in Christ Jesus without a singular exception! Let us count them together….

A.                Blessing #1: God Has Chosen us (v. 4). This is the marvelous doctrine of election, a doctrine that has confused some and confounded others. A seminary professor once said, "Try to explain election and you may lose your mind. But try to explain it away and you may lose your soul!"

1.       That salvation begins with God, and not with man, all Christians will agree. “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16 see also Matt 9:12-13). The lost sinner, left to his own ways, does not seek God (Rom 3:10-11; 1Cor. 2:14); God in His love seeks the sinner (Luke 19:10; John 6:44, 65).

2.       First election teaches that God does choose men to salvation (2Thess. 2:13-14). It addresses believers as those who are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God” (1Pet. 1:2).  It teaches that people can know whether they are elect by their response to the gospel: those who hear and believe are elect (1Thess. 1:4-7).

3.       On the other hand, the Bible never teaches that God chooses men to be lost.  The fact that He chooses some to be saved does not imply that He arbitrarily condemns all the rest.  He never condemns men who deserve to be saved (there are none), but He does save some who ought to be condemned.  Compare Rom. 9:23 to 9:22. God prepares vessels of mercy to glory, but He does not prepare men for destruction: they do this for themselves by their unbelief. God simply respects their decision.

i.        The doctrine of election lets God be God. He is sovereign, that is, He can do as He pleases, although He never pleases to do anything unjust. If left alone, all men would be lost. Does God then have the right to show mercy to some?

ii.      But there is another side to the story. The same Bible that teaches sovereign election also teaches human responsibility. No one can use the doctrine of election as an excuse for not being saved. God makes a bona fide offer of salvation to all people everywhere (John 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; Rom. 10:9, 13). Anyone can be saved by repenting of his sins, and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if a person is lost, it is because he chooses to be lost, not because God desires it.

iii.    The fact is that the same Bible teaches election and free salvation to all who will receive it.  Both doctrines are found in a single verse: “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). The first half of the verse speaks of God’s sovereign choice; the last half extends the offer of mercy to all.

4.       This poses a difficulty for the human mind. How can God choose some and yet offer salvation freely to all men? Frankly, this is a mystery. But the mystery is on our side, not on God’s. The best policy for us is to believe both doctrines because the Bible teaches both. The truth is not found somewhere between election and man’s free will, but in both extremes. The blessing is we belong to Him who selected us.

5.       W. G. Blaikie summarizes:

Divine sovereignty, human responsibility and the free and universal offer of mercy are all found in Scripture, and though we are unable to harmonize them by our logic, they all ought to have a place in our minds. –MacDonald, William: Believer's Bible Commentary

B.                 Blessing #2: God Has Adopted us (v. 5).

1.       Here we meet that misunderstood word “predestination.”

i.        This word, as it is used in the Bible, refers primarily to what God does for saved people. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that people are predestined to hell, because this word refers only to God’s people. The word simply means “to ordain beforehand, to predetermine.”

ii.      Election seems to refer to people, while predestination refers to purposes. The events connected with the crucifixion of Christ were predestined and not an accident (Acts 4:25-28; 1 Pet. 1:19-21; Rev. 13:8). God has predestined our adoption—sonship (Eph 1:5; Jn 1:12), and our conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29-30), as well as our future inheritance (Eph 1:11). God has great plans for the future and they include us as His children.

2.       “Adoption” has a dual meaning, both present and future.

i.        You do not get into God’s family by adoption. You get into His family by regeneration, the new birth (John 3:1-18; 1 Peter 1:22-25).

ii.      Adoption is the act of God by which He gives His “new born ones” an adult standing in the family. Why does He do this? So that we night immediately begin to claim our inheritance and enjoy our spiritual wealth! A baby cannot legally use this inheritance (Gal 4:1-7), but an adult son can - and should! This means that you do not have to wait until you are an old saint before you can claim your riches in Christ.

iii.    The future aspect of adoption is found in Rom 8:22-23, the glorified body we will have when Jesus comes for us. We already have our adult standing before God, but the world cannot see this. When Christ returns to earth, this “private adoption” will be made public for everyone to see (Rom. 8:17-19)!

3.       What are the results of this adoption into the Family of God?

i.        We have the Spirit of adoption, we have lost the spirit of bondage and fear.  This occurred at the moment of the new birth through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

ii.      We have been given the spirit of liberty. The fear of condemnation by the law and the liberty from the law is senses (Rom. 8:15).

iii.    We are entitled to bare His name; we are a part of the household and Family of God (Lev. 26:12; 1Pet. 2:9-10).

iv.     We enjoy the present protection and consolation, which only God can give along with perfect provision for all our needs (Luke 12:7; Heb. 13:5).

v.       The Father’s love and chastening for our spiritual good—maturity/holiness/peace—and His glory (Heb. 12:6, 11).

vi.     We are also heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:17).

vii.   Then lastly we have eternal security as a part of God’s family and our inheritance is reserved for us in heaven (1Pet. 1:4; Rom. 8:38-39).

4.       God predestinated us to be adopted into His family in accordance with His will and to His praise—that His grace may be glorified (Eph 1:5, 6).

i.        Praise means celebrating God. Undoubtedly you have seen, and probably participated in, celebrations like Fourth of July fireworks displays and Memorial Day parades. The purpose of such festivities is not simply to set off firecrackers and Roman candles or to watch graying veterans march down city streets. The events are held to remember and honor the sacrifices of men and women who went before and paid the price for freedom.

ii.      As Christians, our lives are living tributes to God’s grace. God selected us as believers so that we might give Him praise. When others look at our lives, what kinds of “tributes” do they see? Liberated, engaging individuals, full of gratitude for all God has done for us? Or shriveled, sullen, embittered shells that feel as though we’ve been cheated out of life’s good things? Let your prayer life and worship express your gratitude to God. –The Life Application Commentary Series 

C.                Blessing #3: God Has Accepted us (v. 6).

1.       We cannot make ourselves acceptable to God; but He, by His free grace, makes us accepted in Christ.  The phrase “hath made us accepted” means to ‘endue with special honor’ or ‘to highly favor’ and thus ‘make acceptable.’ There is not only the imparting of God’s grace, but also the adoption into God’s family in giving special kindness, which is different from forgiveness.

2.       We are not trying to make ourselves acceptable to God so that we can be saved or to avoid losing our salvation.  No, we are presently fully acceptable to God because of trust in Christ, “the Beloved.”

i.        This Greek word for “love” is the same one found in John 3:16, Romans 5:5, 8, Gal. 5:22, I John 4:8. It speaks of the love that God is, and with which He loves the lost, the love which is the product of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the yielded believer. The perfect tense speaks of an action completed in past time having present, and in a context like this one, permanent results. It speaks of the fact that God the Father has always loved God the Son with an absolute love which is a permanent attitude on His part.

ii.      The words “in the Beloved” are indicative of a sphere. That is, God the Father freely bestowed on us the grace which saved us, and did so in the sphere of the Lord Jesus, His Person and His work on the Cross. His grace could not operate in our salvation apart from the atoning death of our Lord, for God is not only a loving God, but a righteous and just God who cannot pass by sin, but must require that it be paid for. Only thus can He manifest His grace. The word “Beloved” is a perfect participle, the perfect tense being used by Paul to show the degree of the love with which the Father loves the Son. Vincent says: “Beloved par excellence.” He refers us to Col. 1:13 and the expression, “the Son of His love.” –Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament

3.       Acceptance is one facet of our eternal position; it will never change, “He hath made us accepted in the Beloved” (Col. 1:13; Matt. 3:17; 17:5).

i.        We are received by God through the substitutionary death and imputed righteousness provided by Jesus Christ (Rom 3:24; 5:15). The glorious truth is that we are accepted by God and before God, thus because we are accepted in Christ, then we, like Him, are beloved of God.

ii.      Christ receiveth sinful men, even me with all my sin; purged from ev’ry spot and stain, heav’n with Him I enter in.  Sing it o’er and o’er again: Christ receiveth sinful men; make the message clear and plain: Christ receiveth sinful men. –Osbeck, K. W.  Amazing Grace

Sometimes we struggle through life longing for someone to accept us for who we are and the way we are. Not someone we have to pretend to be in order for them to like us and then finally accept us. What strengthens this impulse to “fit in” is the reality that none of us likes rejection or feeling like we don’t belong. If we sense we don’t measure up in some way, we will even resort to living someone else’s life to impress others. We seem to be convinced that our associates would not like us if they really knew the real version of us. As a result, life becomes one long episode of dishonesty, hypocrisy, shame, guilt, more lies, and struggles with who we really are and what we have become. The fear of rejection…the fear of being alone…the fear of being perceived as unworthy…this is what drives such insecurities and relational struggles. It is part of what drives some into sin and holds them there. Such folks are convinced they cannot do any better and do not deserve any better….

But God frees us from the need to live to impress Him or anyone else in order for us to finally be accepted. By His infinite grace He places us “in Christ” and there we are most wanted, loved, and accepted by God Himself. This frees us form the temptation to compromise our values, beliefs, and lifestyle to be acceptable to mere men.  Since we know to whom we belong and where we belong, we do not have to try to belong!

Finally beloved, it is right, helpful, holy, and good to focus on such messages from God your heavenly Father. Remember, He has chosen you in Christ Jesus. Reflect often on the truth that He has adopted you as His own and given you status as an adult child before Him. Recall the wonder that He currently and forever has accepted you in Jesus Christ. Believe these truths my friend. Drink deep from this well. Repeat these truths to yourself until they sink deep into your perspective. They will transform your praise towards God because He intentionally provided a place “in Christ” for you. Go ahead and praise Him for such a meaningful provision. Clear off a moment to bless His Name and exalt in His grace. Shout if you must, but certainly rejoice in Him. He is a merciful and gracious Lord. Beautiful and excellent is He. How magnanimous and generous He is! Who can match such thoughtfulness and kindness to us who are so underserving? God is communicating to you and me that He wants us, and He has planned the best for us. In fact, He planned forever with us! You matter because you matter to your heavenly Father.

So, make it a habit to count your blessings. Schedule it and write is down in a journal or a note book once a twice a week. Ponder what God has done and then think about what His actions reveal about His character and motive. Reflect on it and write it down. We will learns so much more about our God by reflecting on His blessings towards us. It will fuel your worship. Such disciplines will inspire your praise. Fall deeply in love with your Father in heaven. This habit will transform the climate inside of you. It could potentially improve your relationships. Every believer enjoys being around a grateful person with unwavering confidence in our heavenly Father. Start today…count your blessings name them one by one. It will surprise you what the Lord has done.

How Should We View Israel's Rejection?

Romans 11:1-10

SUBJECT: ISRAEL’S FUTURE

THEME: Israel’s rejection is not total, final, or permanent; in fact, God is saving individual Jews by His grace when they believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

INTRODUCTION:

Rom. 11:1-2a, I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

Paul’s opening question is, “Hath God cast away his people?” That is has God utterly, completely, and finally cast away the nation of Israel? Since the question is rhetorical, Paul answers, “God forbid!” Meaning certainly not! No, every single Israelite has not been cast away. He follows with the reason through a series of illustrations and Old Testament references demonstrating how God historically reserved a handful of faithful believers even in seasons of extreme national apostasy.

Israel’s Rejection by God is not Total; He has Always Reserved a Remnant for Himself; Therefore, Individual Jews can be Saved by Grace.

Remember Chapter 10 of Romans ended with the fact that the Nation of Israel refused to pay attention to the message and messengers of God. Paul described them as a “disobedient and gainsaying people.” There was nothing deficient in the message of God, they opted to close their ears to it. Likewise, there is no weakness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ even though the nation of Israel has rejected it. The majority chose not to believe, but there is a remnant!

CONSIDER THE TWO GROUPS OF ISRAEL (Rom. 11:1-10)

There is the minority group of believing Jews, and then there is the majority group of Christ-rejecting Jews.

The Minority Group Represents the Saved Remnant of Israel (Rom. 11:1-6)

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace (Rom. 11:2-5).

The Minority Group Is Represented by Paul (Rom. 11:1).  

The converted Pharisee, Apostle Paul, represents the believing remnant of Israel in this Age of Grace. Remember Romans 10:8-13, “Whosoever” includes Jews and Gentiles! We know that all Jews have not been cast away because Paul himself was a Jew and he certainly was a saved man. Exhibit A is Paul himself as proof that God has not fully rejected all of His covenant people Israel. Actually, Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 can be understood as a foreshadow of the conversion of the entire nation of Israel one day. They will acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship, trust Him as Savior, and serve Him faithfully after His glorious future revelation and return to the earth!

The Minority Group Is Represented by Elijah (Rom. 11:2-4).  

Elijah pictures the believing remnant of Israel throughout the life of the nation of Israel. The situation of Israel today is similar to that which existed in Elijah’s time. The mass of the nation had turned away from God to serve the idol Baal. It was so bad that Elijah prayed against his nation instead of for it!     

During Elijah’s season of discouragement, he was convinced he was the only believer in his day, and to make a bad situation worse, his life was in danger according to the death warrant issued by the queen of Israel. Who would worship Jehovah then? In those difficult times, the prophet actually made “intercession to God against Israel” (11:2). Can you imagine national conditions being so sinful and idolatrous that you feel compelled to pray judgment upon your own country? But God (who fully understood the truth) quickly informed him that: “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal” (Rom. 11:4; see also 1 Kings 19:10, 14,18).

What was true then is true today: God never leaves Himself without a witness. Though it may be modest, He always has a faithful remnant chosen as special objects of His grace (Vs 5, ... “according to the election of grace”). The fact that God always has a remnant of believing Jews is proof that He has not totally and finally cast aside Israel!

The Minority Group Represents the Principles of Salvation for Every Age (Rom. 11:6).

Rom 11:4-6, But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5, Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6, And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Like us, God did not choose this remnant on the basis of their cleaver and devoted works, services, or rituals! No, God's actions evidenced His own sovereign electing grace (vs 6). That is God saved them on the basis of unmerited, undeserved, unqualified, and unwarranted kindness. It is the same way God has always saved anyone who is saved or ever will be saved. Grace is always the basis of salvation. Paul also clearly insists that Grace and Law are mutually exclusive, and they can never be mixed. If you tried to combine them, you will in effect destroy them both. While Law and Grace cannot be fused together, they do complement each other. Law prepares us to see ourselves as sinners in need of the Savior. Accordingly, God saves repentant sinners by special favor motivated by His great love and nothing else—grace. Praise the Most High God that even this remnant under the Law from Elijah’s day were saved by Grace and not on the basis of their works/performance. If salvation was by our actions of service, we all would be damned to Hell for all eternity. God requires perfection and none of us measures up to the absolute perfection in Jesus Christ! Principally speaking, this minority group represents the saved, redeemed of every age! Praise our gracious Lord, I am in this group! What about you?

The Majority Group Represents the Unsaved of Israel (Rom. 11:7-10)

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (Rom. 11:7).

The Nation of Israel desires salvation, but they are going about securing it entirely wrong. Israel failed to obtain righteousness because they sought it through self-effort instead of through the finished work of Christ Jesus. In contrast, this elect minority—the chosen remnant—did indeed obtain God-given righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus. As a result, the majority of the nation of Israel has and will suffer various forms of God’s judgments. Review the history of the nation….

God Punished Them with Blindness (Rom. 11:7) “and the rest were blinded”: This blindness is a judicial act of Almighty God because of their unbelief, and their insistence upon trusting in their own efforts of self-righteousness (Rom. 10:2-4). They refused to believe God; they would not exercise faith in the all-sufficient atonement of Christ our Lord. Therefore, their refusal to receive the Messiah resulted in a decreased capacity and inclination to receive Him. This is exactly what the OT predicted would happen. Spiritual blindness is an act of divine judgment. Beloved, unbelief is an exceedingly serious matter to God!

Isaiah Predicted This Form of Slumber, Blindness, and Deafness: Compare Romans 11:8 with Isaiah 29:10.

According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this day (Rom. 11:8).

Today Israel as a nation is in a spiritual stupor; they have become insensitive to spiritual realities, because they refused their Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is key and central to comprehending God’s redemptive work and gracious plan, if you reject Him then nothing makes any sense at all. The greater number of the national population is in this group who have lost their power to see spiritual reality; therefore, they stumble around in utter darkness!

David Predicted This Curse of Enslavement to Blindness: Compare Romans 11:9-10 with Psalm 69:22-23.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway (Rom. 11 :9-10).

Understand, that no nation was ever privileged and blessed like Israel was historically. It was God who prepared an unrivaled “table” of spiritual and national benefits for them! Yet, the sum total of their abundant blessings became a source of curses to them! Yes, it even became a form of entrapment judgment upon them! Finally, it proved to be a stumbling block—an obstacle of great offense to them. Both prophets Isaiah and David predicted this. Present-day Israel is thus plagued with a threefold blindness:

         1) The blindness caused by the fall of Adam (Eph. 4:18)

         2) The blindness caused by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4)

         3) The blindness caused by God (Rom. 11:8)

Beloved, there is a sober warning for each of us in these words of Scripture. The things we cherish most can become the very source of our stumbling, blindness, and rejection of the mind and heart of God for each of us. You see a refusal to accept God’s truth and Christian responsibility will result in spiritual blindness for both sinner and saint alike. Peter warms NT believers of the possibility of spiritual senility taking over and crippling our potential for Christ (2Pet. 1:8-10). The writer of Hebrews cautions believers of the awful condition of growing backwards and reverting back to spiritual infancy (Heb. 5:11-14). It is vitally important that we pursue godly growth and maintain real sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Scriptures, our Holy Savior, and our Holy Sovereign.

It is a frightful thing to contemplate becoming so enamored with the blessings that I dismiss the God who blessed me! I shudder at the thought of allowing a human relationship, a professional path, a standard of living, a certain church family, or an unjustified prioritization of convenience and comfort over God’s will, godly convictions, and surrender to Christ. Too many of God’s people can delineate their blessings, but they cannot imagine life without those privileges…not even when God summons them to go further and deeper with Him in life and service. Saying NO, to what God is trying to teach us and refusing to accept God’s will for us is literally asking for His chastening!

CONCLUSION:

Because of the things we’ve explored, we are assured that God still has plans for His covenant people. Once again, the Nation of Israel will be saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and according to the Covenant of God to Abraham. God will fulfill all His great promises to the nation. In the meantime, God will save the Jewish person who repents believing the Gospel of Jesus our Lord. Therefore, Israel’s rejection is not entire, permanent and certainly not final—she has a brilliant future before her when she turns to Jesus Christ in faith.

Now consider this brilliant and powerful description of Jesus Christ, the Savior,

In whom [Christ our Lord] we have redemption [Redeemer] through his blood [Blood Atonement], even the forgiveness of sins [Forgiver of our sins]: [15] Who is the image of the invisible God [Revealer & Representative of God], the firstborn [The Unique Superior & Sovereign over creation] of every creature: [16] For by him [Jesus] were all things created [Creator], that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones [Superior to all creatures], or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him [Originator], and for him [Supreme Purpose & Meaning]: [17] And he [Jesus] is before all things [Preeminent One], and by him all things consist [The Providential Sustainer]. (Col. 1:14-17)

Beloved, because of these truths and Paul’s constant proclamation of Jesus Christ as the perfect, divine, all-sufficient Lord, we do not need to add anything to Him and His work to be saved. Nor should be supplement Jesus to find fulfillment, completion, confidence, maturity, power, victory, or meaning in this life and the next! Come Jews and Gentiles alike…there is room at the Cross for all. Come religious person and atheistic person to this one Savior and Lord. He promises to save, to give life to, to forgive, to receive you, to be your Savior when you trust Him. Remember, it is Jesus who died, was buried, and rose again the third day. Yes, He is alive to rescue you from spiritual destruction and hell because of your sin. Listen, God forgave even me when I repented trusting Jesus…He will certainly do likewise for you. Turn to Him now. Cry out to Him for forgiveness, confess that Jesus is the Lord God who became a man to die for our sins. Believe in your heart of hearts that God raised Him from the dead proving that Jesus had conquered sin, death, and hell for us. Our Lord Jesus, the very Son of God, is the consummate Savior! The question remains, is He your Savior? Why not trust the Lord today?