God's Sovereign Grace: The Gift of Salvation
Summary
In this message, we explore the profound truth that salvation is entirely the work of God, while damnation is the result of human rejection. We are responsible beings, accountable for our refusal of the Gospel, yet those who are saved owe their salvation solely to God's grace. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that it is God who initiates salvation, and if someone is not saved, it is due to their deliberate rejection. This leads us to the critical question: Is our salvation determined by our belief, faith, and acceptance, or is it solely the result of God's election?
Paul argues that if salvation were based on our belief, it would contradict his teachings throughout the scriptures, particularly in Romans and Ephesians. He asserts that salvation is not of works, lest anyone should boast. If belief were the determining factor, it would imply that some people are inherently better or more spiritually minded than others, which contradicts the essence of the Gospel. The Gentiles, who were once far from God, are now part of the church, not because of their superior understanding, but because of God's sovereign choice.
The Apostle further illustrates that if salvation depended on human effort or understanding, it would mean that ignorance is an advantage, which is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. The Jews, who had the law, stumbled over it, while the Gentiles, who were without the law, received the Gospel. This demonstrates that salvation is not about human wisdom or effort but about God's calling and election.
Ultimately, the message is clear: salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn or achieve through our own efforts. It is God's ordination that brings people into His Kingdom, and it is human rejection that keeps them out. We are called to glory in the Lord, recognizing that our salvation is entirely by His grace and not by our own doing.
Key Takeaways:
1. Salvation is God's Work Alone: Salvation is entirely the work of God, and we cannot attribute it to our own belief or faith. Our salvation is not a result of our efforts but a gift from God, highlighting the importance of humility and gratitude. [05:25]
2. Human Responsibility in Rejection: While God is the author of salvation, humans are responsible for their rejection of the Gospel. This underscores the importance of responding to God's call with an open heart and mind. [06:03]
3. The Role of Faith: Faith is not a work that earns salvation but a response to God's grace. It is a gift from God, and our belief is evidence of His work in us, not a cause for boasting. [09:37]
4. The Mystery of God's Election: The doctrine of election is a mystery that we cannot fully comprehend. It calls us to trust in God's wisdom and sovereignty, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. [39:36]
5. Glory in the Lord Alone: We are called to glory in the Lord, acknowledging that our salvation is entirely by His grace. This perspective fosters a spirit of worship and dependence on God. [43:08]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [05:25] - Salvation: God's Work Alone
- [06:03] - Human Responsibility in Rejection
- [09:37] - The Role of Faith
- [10:38] - Gentiles and Jews: A Contrast
- [12:26] - The Law and Its Implications
- [15:34] - Wisdom and Foolishness
- [17:29] - The Disadvantage of Human Wisdom
- [20:03] - Misunderstanding Salvation
- [22:14] - God's Sovereign Choice
- [23:37] - The Condition of the Gentiles
- [27:34] - The Jews' Rejection
- [30:25] - Ordination and Rejection
- [33:04] - The Honor of Israel
- [39:36] - The Mystery of Election
- [43:08] - Glory in the Lord Alone
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Romans 8:28-30
2. Ephesians 2:1-10
3. Acts 13:44-48
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 8:28-30, what sequence of actions does God take in the process of salvation? How does this passage emphasize God's role in salvation?
2. In Ephesians 2:1-10, what is the state of humanity before God's intervention, and how does Paul describe the transformation that occurs through God's grace?
3. In Acts 13:44-48, what was the reaction of the Jews and Gentiles to Paul's preaching, and what does this reveal about the concept of ordination to eternal life?
4. The sermon mentions that salvation is not based on human wisdom or effort. How does the example of the Gentiles and Jews illustrate this point? [10:38]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of God's election challenge or affirm your understanding of fairness and justice in salvation? Consider the implications of Romans 8:28-30 and Ephesians 2:1-10.
2. The sermon suggests that human rejection is the reason for damnation. How does this align with the account of the Jews' response in Acts 13:44-48? [30:25]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that human wisdom can be a hindrance to accepting the Gospel? How does this relate to the Apostle Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians 1? [20:03]
4. The sermon emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God, not something earned. How does this perspective influence the way believers should view their faith and actions? [43:08]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt proud of your spiritual understanding or achievements. How can you shift your perspective to give glory to God for your salvation? [43:08]
2. The sermon highlights the importance of responding to God's call with an open heart. What steps can you take to ensure your heart remains open to God's guidance and correction? [06:03]
3. Consider the role of faith as a response to God's grace. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude for this gift in your daily life? [09:37]
4. The mystery of God's election is acknowledged as something beyond human comprehension. How can you practice trusting in God's wisdom and sovereignty in areas of your life where you seek control? [39:36]
5. The sermon suggests that ignorance is not an advantage in receiving the Gospel. How can you actively seek to grow in your understanding of God's Word without relying on your own wisdom? [12:26]
6. Reflect on the idea that salvation is entirely by God's grace. How does this understanding impact the way you view others who have not yet accepted the Gospel? [05:25]
7. Identify one area in your life where you might be relying on your own efforts rather than God's grace. What practical steps can you take to surrender this area to God? [43:08]
Devotional
Day 1: Salvation as Divine Initiative
Salvation is entirely the work of God, a profound truth that underscores the importance of humility and gratitude. It is not something we can earn or achieve through our own efforts. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that if salvation were based on our belief, it would contradict his teachings throughout the scriptures, particularly in Romans and Ephesians. He asserts that salvation is not of works, lest anyone should boast. This understanding highlights that our salvation is a gift from God, and we owe it solely to His grace. This perspective fosters a spirit of worship and dependence on God, recognizing that our salvation is entirely by His grace and not by our own doing. [05:25]
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Reflection: In what ways can you express gratitude today for the gift of salvation that you did not earn but received through God's grace?
Day 2: Human Responsibility in Rejection
While God is the author of salvation, humans are responsible for their rejection of the Gospel. This underscores the importance of responding to God's call with an open heart and mind. The Apostle Paul illustrates that if salvation depended on human effort or understanding, it would mean that ignorance is an advantage, which is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. The Jews, who had the law, stumbled over it, while the Gentiles, who were without the law, received the Gospel. This demonstrates that salvation is not about human wisdom or effort but about God's calling and election. [06:03]
Romans 10:3 (ESV): "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness."
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you are resisting God's call? How can you open your heart to His invitation today?
Day 3: Faith as a Response to Grace
Faith is not a work that earns salvation but a response to God's grace. It is a gift from God, and our belief is evidence of His work in us, not a cause for boasting. The Apostle Paul argues that if belief were the determining factor, it would imply that some people are inherently better or more spiritually minded than others, which contradicts the essence of the Gospel. The Gentiles, who were once far from God, are now part of the church, not because of their superior understanding, but because of God's sovereign choice. [09:37]
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's grace today, recognizing that your faith is a response to His work in you?
Day 4: Trusting the Mystery of God's Election
The doctrine of election is a mystery that we cannot fully comprehend. It calls us to trust in God's wisdom and sovereignty, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. The Apostle Paul illustrates that the Gentiles, who were once far from God, are now part of the church, not because of their superior understanding, but because of God's sovereign choice. This understanding calls us to trust in God's wisdom and sovereignty, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. [39:36]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's sovereignty? How can you surrender this area to Him today?
Day 5: Glory in the Lord Alone
We are called to glory in the Lord, acknowledging that our salvation is entirely by His grace. This perspective fosters a spirit of worship and dependence on God. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that if salvation were based on our belief, it would contradict his teachings throughout the scriptures, particularly in Romans and Ephesians. He asserts that salvation is not of works, lest anyone should boast. This understanding highlights that our salvation is a gift from God, and we owe it solely to His grace. [43:08]
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"
Reflection: How can you intentionally shift your focus from your own achievements to glorifying God in your daily life today?
Quotes
The Apostle is saying the two things here: it is God who puts anybody into salvation and God alone, and if a man isn't saved, it is because he has deliberately refused, rejected. Those are the two positions. Now, the important matter before us is this: why must we say that and hold on to both of those statements? [00:05:11]
If it is our belief and faith and acceptance that, after all, determines our Salvation, well then, I say in the first place that the apostle is specifically contradicting himself. He's going back on what he said in the whole of the previous part of the chapter. But more, he's not going back only on what he has said here. [00:07:16]
For by Grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of Works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto Good Works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [00:09:37]
The position he says by which we are confronted is this: that the Gentiles, who didn't seek after righteousness, are in the church; they are saved. But the Jews, who did seek after righteousness, are outside. Therefore, the only conclusion that you can draw if you say that it is a man himself who decides it is this: that the Jews, that the Gentiles were better people than the Jews. [00:10:38]
If you say that it is a man's belief and reception that does it, you automatically have got to say that the Gentiles had a greater understanding. The Jews refused this; the Gentiles receive it, which leads to my third point, which is this: that if that is so, well then, the giving of the law of God through Moses to the children of Israel was a bad thing. [00:12:26]
The Apostle says is not that there are no wise men in the church, not many, not many. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But don't you turn that into saying that there are none and that you put a premium on ignorance and absence of ability and intellect and power. [00:22:14]
Nothing in us determines whether we are saved or whether we are not. Indeed, the Bible makes it very plain and clear to us that there is only one explanation as to how the Gentiles ever got into the Christian Church. It wasn't their ignorance. God forbid that we should have put ourselves into that terrible position of saying that. [00:23:37]
The Apostle is saying in 1 Corinthians 1, it is because some of us are so clever and want to understand even the mind of God and say, I'm not going to believe until I understand, that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. It isn't that your wisdom is a disadvantage. [00:39:36]
If you say or think that it is your believing that has saved you, you are glorying in your believing. You are saying that it is your faith that has saved you. It isn't. Thou must save, and thou alone, and it is he alone who does save. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. [00:43:08]
You are believing is a proof of the fact that you've been ordained. You are believing is the first sign of the new mind that is in you. To the natural man, these things are foolishness; you cannot receive them. The fact that you receive them means that you're not a natural man; you've become a spiritual man. [00:43:48]
By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Him that glories, let him glory in the Lord. Oh Lord, Our God, we come unto thee. We do indeed glory in thee and in thy name and in thy power and in thy Glory. [00:44:28]
We do indeed Rejoice before thee that we are what we are by thy Grace. We ascribe unto thee all the praise and all the honor and all the glory because we realize that we have nothing wherein to boast in any sense at all. Thine and thine alone is the glory. [00:45:08]
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